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Jessica Barksdale Inclan
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One Small Thing Kindle Edition

by Jessica Barksdale Inclan (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.7 3.7 out of 5 stars 30 ratings
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At 28, Avery Tacconi has the career of her dreams, a husband she adores, and a beautiful suburban California home. She has all she ever wanted except for one small thing...a baby. And after two years of unsuccessful fertility treatments, hope is running thin.

Then her husband, Dan, discovers he has a ten-year-old son he never knew about. With the boy's mother now deceased, Dan is the new rightful guardian. He's anxious to bring his son into their life. But for Avery, this child is a constant reminder of her own inability to conceive-and of Dan's secret past, a sordid life she knew nothing about until now. Only when Avery is able to open her heart to all of life's possibilities will she begin to appreciate her imperfect, unexpected family for what it truly is: a perfect blessing
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  1. Print length
    244 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    June 12, 2011
  5. File size
    609 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Inclán [has] the chance to paint touching and realistic scenes that lift her story above standard soap opera fare. Predictably, Avery comes around in the end, but it's an intriguing . . .journey getting her there. --Publisher's Weekly

A touching story of a woman who must come to an understanding that she must open her heart to all that comes in life and find that forgiveness in both ways. --Louise Riveiro-Mitchell, author of Autumn Sky.

Where Inclan excels as an author is in tapping into each character's inner thoughts and feelings. --Barbara Sloane, BookMarks

About the Author

Jessica Barksdale Inclan is the author of twelve traditionally published novels, including Her Daughter's Eyes, The Matter of Grace, and When You Believe, and have been translated into Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, and Czech.  She is also the author of several ebooks, all of which can be found on Amazon.  

Inclan is a professor of English at Diablo Valley College and teaches novel writing for UCLA Extension.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0055ODB9S
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ (June 12, 2011)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 12, 2011
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 609 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 244 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.7 3.7 out of 5 stars 30 ratings

About the author

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Jessica Barksdale Inclan

Jessica Barksdale Inclan

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Jessica Barksdale Inclán's sixteenth novel, What the Moon Did, and her first short story collection, Trick of the Porch Light, were both published in 2023. Her novels include Her Daughter’s Eyes, The Play's the Thing, and The Burning Hour. Her third poetry collection, Let's End This Now, is forthcoming in June 2024.

A multiple Pushcart Prize and Best-of-the-Net nominee, her short stories, poems, and essays have appeared in or are forthcoming in the The Sun, Salt Hill Journal, Tahoma Review, and So to Speak. Her work has been recognized and honored by The Sewanee Review, The Wigleaf, The North American Review, and The Ocotillo Review

She taught composition, literature, and creative writing at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, California and continues to teach novel writing online for UCLA Extension and in the online MFA program for Southern New Hampshire University. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband.

Customer reviews

3.7 out of 5 stars
3.7 out of 5
30 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Allison Nicole Leach
4.0 out of 5 stars Emotional
Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2012
Verified Purchase
This was a really good book. Avery and Dan are happily married and trying very hard to start a family, but have had no luck. One day there's a message on their answering machine and their life changes forever. Dan has left out a huge chunk of his past - 8 year relationship with a girlfriend, both are big into drugs. One day Dan leaves that world behind, but he never shares that with Avery because Avery has always wanted a perfect life and the perfect husband, if she had known about the drugs - she never would have been interested in him. Dan wants his son, who just lost his Mother - the paternity test shows that is his son. Avery meanwhile, stops everything. No more doctor appointments trying to get pregnant, takes down the entire nursery and goes back to work and wants nothing to do with Dan or his son. While I feel bad for Avery, she's very selfish. Avery's Mother is more open to this child than Avery is.
3 people found this helpful
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NotYoMomma
5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable
Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2013
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A story full of hope and commitment to family, even when life gets messy. Well written, although a few distracting typos. Doesn't anyone bother with proofreading?
One person found this helpful
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Drussell9572
3.0 out of 5 stars abrupt ending was disappointing
Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2014
Verified Purchase
I really liked this book. The story was heartbreaking. I really felt for Avery and the situation that had been thrust upon her. Although her behavior irked me at times, I understood her pain. Dan was a likable character who was stuck in the middle of a difficult situation. I would have given it 5 stars but the ending was horrible!! I had invested all this emotion and time reading this story to have an ending with absolutely no resolution. The emotional journey was cut very abruptly.
2 people found this helpful
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Erin Lowell
2.0 out of 5 stars One Step Forward, Four Step Back Flow Of Story
Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2012
Verified Purchase
I guess it came down to your own taste, preference, or cup of tea in a book. To me the biggest obstacles are the flashbacks or memories that litters IN EVERY paragraph or two. There are 80% to 99% flashback in every paragraph, from chapter one to the end, that they interrupt the flow of the story for me and would yank me out of getting into what's happening at the moment. On the first chapter or so, it might be ok but as the whole book is 90% flashback and inner monologue....no, it was hard for me to get into the story.
Content-wise, the story is very unique and I would have loved it if for the above problem. The female main character is driven, has universal flaw and fear, and even relatable. I have no trouble rooting for her because the issue she is going trough is universal. Who wouldn't do what she does in the situation she is in. She even has a character development.
The male main character is as much relatable and to his credit, a well rounded hero with his own struggle inside and out.
We barged into the lives of these two main character just seconds before the bomb of life blow before their faces. Watch them hurt each other and together and exit, abruptly, just when the last dust settles.
Overall, as long as you don't mind bombarded with flashbacks/memories, it's a heart-wrenching story worth reading.
4 people found this helpful
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sheskores
4.0 out of 5 stars There was an editor?
Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2012
Verified Purchase
This was a good story, engaging, with real characters and difficult situations that author didn't sugar coat. However, the really poor editing was a distraction. In many places, I wanted to fix it myself so I could read it over again.
One person found this helpful
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Cap'n Blackett
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book, well-written characters
Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2012
This is a terrific and engaging book that captures a slice of one couple's life together as they are trying (without success) to conceive a child. When they are forced to confront the past and some huge secrets come to light, they they react in very different, very believable ways. I loved reading the inner workings of these fully-fleshed main characters who I cared about in spite of their flaws. I felt like the abrupt ending fit the story - I believe it was meant to only be about this one period of their lives. It was such a thoroughly enjoyable read, and stylistically different from other books I've read by this author, who continues to impress me with the ability to make me live inside the story while I'm reading it.
2 people found this helpful
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Love Those Books
1.0 out of 5 stars Lousy book that I wish I had not read
Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2016
Plot-wise, the storyline could have been interesting and I would have enjoyed it if the characters would have been in the least bit likable. The female main character has a fatal flaw in that EVERYTHING has to be perfect. She has been totally thrown by the fact that that she has been unable to conceive. She is selfish and thinks only about herself. I can understand some anger/frustration in the scenario but she is just into herself.
The male main character is a little more likable but is a complete wuss. He can't seem to make a move on anything unless he has someone supporting him. When his wife went into her own little head trip he had to get his brother to go with him to deal with things. Then he ends up over at his somewhat estranged parents and ends up putting his head down on the dinner table and crying because it all just too much to deal with.
In addition, the ending just sucked. It just came to this abrupt halt when you thought make this whole mess might be able to be worked out. Definitely not worth reading and I wish I had not.
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Lisa Beard
4.0 out of 5 stars Great Story !!!
Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2013
Verified Purchase
Having been in similar situation, i thought this was wonderfully written and the emotions flowed with story. It was clean which also was a plus for me Looking forward to reading more from Jessica.
One person found this helpful
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