Please Don't Take My Sisters

By: Maggie Hartley

Narrated by: Penny MacDonald

Length: 6 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's Summary

Three-year-old Lexie, five-year-old Amelie and thirteen-year-old Leo come to Maggie after Leo confesses to a teacher that his mother's addiction problems and her latest violent relationship has left him as the sole carer to his younger sisters.   

Maggie welcomes the three children into her home and is touched by the gentle care Leo shows to the two little girls. It is clear that Lexie and Amelie adore their big brother and rely on him for comfort and reassurance. But Leo has experienced the neglect and abuse of his mother and her partner for far longer than his sisters and is struggling with an eating disorder and showing signs of OCD.  

When Social Services begin to look at adoptive families for the children, Maggie is horrified when Social Services suggest that the two angelic little girls will have a much better chance of being adopted without their damaged older brother. Knowing the impact that losing his sisters forever will have on vulnerable Leo, they face the ultimate dilemma. Should the children stay together and dash the hope of them ever having a forever family? Or do they sacrifice the close bond between the siblings to give the girls a chance to be adopted?

©2019 Maggie Hartley (P)2019 Orion Publishing Group

Heartfelt

Loved it. My first book by this author. Looking for more. A page turner for sure

Heartbreaking story of Social Services are work

A very well told TRUE story of how Social Services work, how they don't listen to the CareGivers that know the children best! I was crying through the last few chapters!

heartbreaking book

This was probably the most heartbreaking book I've ever read.. The raw feelings of each character were very eloquently put in words. I felt the pain of Leo and Maggie at all that they went through i am very upset that these children were separated .and put them through all this pain. As foster care of myself I really feel like every attempt should be made to keep families together.. I wept as I listen to the pages and could feel their pain and as a foster care I don't think that I could ever experience that and be part of separating siblings. They suffered so much trauma and then even the foster care system put them through more

heartbreaking

hard story. so common . "Mrs reviewing book." I cried and loved it. ready for next book.

This book was absolutely HORRIBLE what y’all did to those kids

Why wouldn’t you fight for them!!!!!! You knew the hurt that would come to those kids...... this was an OUTRAGE!!!!!!

Another interesting read

Maggie Hartley gives a glimpse into the life of a foster parent and the struggles of the children taken into the care system. A must read for anyone interested in social work!

Tear-jerker

I've enjoyed many books by Maggie Hartley. This is the first one that brought tears to my eyes. Highly recommend.

wonderful book

sad but wonderful book. love reading these books. yes there sad but a reality they are.

Ups and downs

This book is wonderful! However was so hard on the heart to listen to. I cried lots of tears both happy and sad . I hope and pray they are all doing well now and still get to see each other.

My review

This book was amazing and gripping up until the last page. It is so sad that families have to be sometimes separated but it is also such a blessing that the children in these heart breaking stories have loving people like Maggie to help them through.

Very accurately written

I am a foster carer and feel that this book was very accurately written, it was a sad story but was easy to follow and the characters fitted well. I really enjoyed this audiobook

Oh Maggie Lovie! Sigh!

What a horrendous representation of how the care system actually works. “I try not to judge the parents... but.....”- then huge judgement ensues. More education and training is evidently needed for foster carers if your account is anything to go by.

Complementary reading to Mental Health study

This is a very emotive, thought provoking story, giving insight to the daily challenges face by children in care, and the tough and sensitive decisions which need to be made by Social Workers and Foster Carers.
It is very well written and beautifully narrated.
As a counselling student, I found this a refreshing read/listen and helped immensely to support my studies. Helping me appreciate how theory can be applied and affects real lives.
Thank you Maggie Hartley, Penny MacDonald and Orion Press for this fabulous, heart wrenching story.

Heartbreaking

Absolutely fantastic Audible book to listen to. It had tears rilling down my cheeks .Definitely recommend this listen

Deeply touching.

As an individual who doesn’t usually get emotional, I found this story deeply moving. I kept having to pause in the last hour of the book to allow myself to recover. A heart touching tale for those who enjoy the genre.

Please don’t take my sisters

This has got to be one of the hardest books i have ever listened too as the heartbreak is so overwhelming.
Maggie and many other foster carers go through this heartbreak and I honestly don’t know how they stay so strong! I haven’t been able to keep a dry eye for the last 2 hours. This is the brutal truth of what goes on and not every decision is the right one. Maggie please know i am sending you all the hugs i could ever give and all my love!

Heartbreaking

Social services have a lot to answer for, they made a very wrong, damaging decision, unforgivable given Maggie had presented them with a viable alternative. A good listen, though it had me in tears towards the end. I was willing a different outcome.

Keep a box of tissues with you

Listening to this had my emotions all over the place definitely recommend this book

Emotional

This was one of the hardest most heartbreaking stories I've listened to so far. It really pulled at my heartstrings and I cried alot. I can relate to this story from my own experiences hence I cried so much. I really really felt Leo's pain.

heartbreaking.

the last 1/3 of the book had me bawling.. such a sad, heartbreaking story.