No One Ever Asked by Katie Ganshert
Published by WaterBrook on April 3, 2018
Genres: Inspirational, Literature & Fiction, Religious, Women’s Fiction
Pages: 352
Format: ARC
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Challenging perceptions of discrimination and prejudice, this emotionally resonant drama for readers of Lisa Wingate and Jodi Picoult explores three different women navigating challenges in a changing school district–and in their lives.
When an impoverished school district loses its accreditation and the affluent community of Crystal Ridge has no choice but to open their school doors, the lives of three very different women converge: Camille Gray–the wife of an executive, mother of three, long-standing PTA chairwoman and champion fundraiser–faced with a shocking discovery that threatens to tear her picture-perfect world apart at the seams. Jen Covington, the career nurse whose long, painful journey to motherhood finally resulted in adoption but she is struggling with a happily-ever-after so much harder than she anticipated. Twenty-two-year-old Anaya Jones–the first woman in her family to graduate college and a brand new teacher at Crystal Ridge’s top elementary school, unprepared for the powder-keg situation she’s stepped into. Tensions rise within and without, culminating in an unforeseen event that impacts them all. This story explores the implicit biases impacting American society, and asks the ultimate question: What does it mean to be human? Why are we so quick to put labels on each other and categorize people as “this” or “that”, when such complexity exists in each person?
When I was scrolling through the books available for reading and reviewing at NetGalley thanks to my blogging association with them, I came across this book. While No One Ever Asked isn’t Katie Ganshert’s first book, but I hadn’t heard of her previously so she was new to me. To be honest, it was the book cover that initially drew me in – I thought it was super cool – and then I read the description of the story! I said to myself, “oh man, I HAVE to read this one” and I immediately requested it.
I’m happy to say I was approved and had the opportunity to read While No One Ever Asked. (I even bumped it up in my TBR stack because I was drawn to read it.)
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
— John 13:34-35
The story follows three main characters – there’s Camille Gray, a white mother of three whose kids are in the elementary, middle, and high schools. Then there’s Anaya Jones, a young black teacher who hoped to teach in the failing school district but ends up teaching second grade in the primarily white and upper class elementary school. The third is Jen Covington, a white mother of an adopted, black girl named Jubilee from Liberia.
No One Ever Asked is filled with very diverse and great characters. The events that happen in this book reflect a modern story about race in America, and the desegregation of a school district. When a school in a primarily black district is graded as failing, the students from that school are given the option to be integrated into and bussed to a primarily white suburban school. The community is outraged because they don’t want their kids exposed to potentially dangerous youth of different ethnic backgrounds.
No One Ever Asked is a very thought provoking and powerful story with hard and real topics. There are many other issues beyond the racial aspect that would make for great conversation. I appreciated that most of the story didn’t end with a perfect ending – a “happily ever after” where problems and struggles are all figured out. I really don’t think I’ve ever read read another book quite like No One Ever Asked.
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Award-winning author, Katie Ganshert, graduated from the University of Wisconsin in Madison with a degree in education and worked as a fifth-grade teacher for several years before staying home to write full-time. She was born and raised in the Midwest, where she lives with her family.
When she’s not busy penning novels or spending time with her people, she enjoys drinking coffee with friends, reading great literature, and eating copious amounts of dark chocolate. You can learn more about Katie and her books by visiting her website or following her on social media.
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I was provided with a complimentary electronic advanced reader copy of this book through NetGalley in in exchange for an honest review. This fact does not in any way impact my thoughts/feelings about the book.
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