I get it. I really do. The take home message here is that unconditional love is a powerful thing. It gives confidence and drive and a sense of self worth. The infallibility of Nathan who does so was the best part of this book - albeit frustrating. Nathan finds an abandoned baby and proclaims that no matter what, he will always be there for that child - and he surely delivers over and over as the boy Nat grows up and makes mistakes like you wouldn't believe.

And perhaps that is the message. People fuck up. And there will come a time when those people will alienate their friends and family... or in Nathan's case, not. The author is supposedly known for her other book [b:Pay It Forward|215631|Pay It Forward|Catherine Ryan Hyde|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388936719s/215631.jpg|766708] which promotes said powerful message - a tenet that is touched upon here. Nat finally redeems himself, finally gets it - but for me it was pretty much too little, too late. ( )

A newborn baby is found in the woods by a man his dog. He takes the baby to the ER and feels a connection to the child from that moment. He would like to adopt the child, but the baby has a grandmother who will take him in. The mother is found and arrested and dies in jail. The man speaks with the grandmodther and tells her that he will always be there for the boy when or if she is ready to let him go. At age 15 this happens-grandma brings the boy to him after the child has gotten into trouble with the law one time too many. This begins 25 yrs of ups and downs for the child who has trouble believing in himself and the love this man provides. It is a story of learning to trust and believe in the goodness of others as well as yourself. It kept me interested all the way through.

I was drawn to the book, When I Found You, because of the subject matter: a newborn discovered abandoned in the woods by a hunter. The novel is about Nathan McCann, the man who found the child, and the child himself, Nathan (Nat) Bates, and how their lives intersect years later when Nat's grandmother leaves him on Nathan's doorstep. The novel takes the reader from that first day when Nat is discovered up into his adulthood.

When I Found You was a touching and thought provoking novel. Nathan is one of those characters I would love to know in person. Nathan is the constant, never wavering in his support of Nat, a child who, twice abandoned, is most in need of such love and support. Nat is not an easy child to raise. He is rebellious and finds trouble easily, sometimes even despite his best intentions. Nat is not a bad person. He is struggling to find himself and understand his place in the world. Nathan believed in consequences and Nat was not immune to them. Nathan's support of him was not to carry Nat, rather to guide and encourage him.

In my profession, I come across a lot of kids like Nat. They are labeled incorrigible and trouble makers. They are the ones who experiment with drugs and alcohol and get in trouble with the law. I couldn't help but wish that Nathan was a real person and that every child like Nat could have a person like Nathan in their life. It's all too easy to give up on kids like these when what they need most is someone constant in their life, someone who will be firm and stand by them even through the difficult times. It won't necessarily solve all their problems or even stop the bad behavior completely, but I do think it would help enough to make a difference, however small.

I do wish I could have gotten to know Nathan more, learn more about his past. As the book progresses, the reader does learn more about him. However, I never quite felt like I knew him quite the way I came to know Nat. Maybe that was intentional. The novel is more about Nat when all is said and done.

Catherine Ryan Hyde's When I Found You is definitely worth reading. I found it inspirational but not in a sappy or too sweet way. There is no sugar coating here. I fell in love with both Nathan and Nat. I only wish I'd had more time with them. ( )

I read this through Prime Reading because my Kindle wasn't downloading any books for some reason. This was so boring and unrealistic. None of the characters made any sense. There was no dimension to anyone and it was just not interesting. Also, a few things happened I guess but also... nothing happened. ( )

The story of Nathan and Nat (the boy he found in the woods) is such a beautiful story of love. Nat is a troubled teen who grows up to be a troubled young adult. Abandoned by his mother, lied to by his grandmother, when Nathan steps in it appears that he is too late. But this story speaks to the power of steady, unfailing love and loyalty. While Nathan doesn't rescue Nat from the consequences of his actions, he never gives up on him. Read to the end because it is worth the read. ( )