I loved this novel. Catherine Ryan Hyde’s When I Found You touched my heart with the two main characters, Nathan McCann and Nathan (Nat) Bates. The two bear the same name for a reason.
While duck hunting, Nathan McCann’s dog sniffs out a newborn baby boy, covered with leaves and wearing only a tiny knit cap and wrapped in an adult sweater. Even though it’s a chilly October morning, the infant is still alive and Nathan rushes him to the hospital. A search finds the baby’s mother, but she dies in custody. Nathan, a married middle-aged accountant, would like to adopt the child, but the baby’s grandmother claims custody.
Fifteen years later, Nat, the boy, named after the man who found him, appears with his grandmother on Nathan’s doorstep. She can no longer handle the sullen teenager and turns him over to Nathan. By this time, the boy is almost unreachable and immediately gets into serious trouble. Nathan promises the boy he will always stand by him. Slowly, slowly they begin to bond, even when loyalty is seriously challenged.
The novel spans several years as young Nat works toward his dream of becoming a professional boxer. When he suffers a trauma that changes their lives forever, both learn the strength and depth of their bond.
I loved the contrast between mild mannered, proper Nathan and Nat, a rebellious teen. I found the characters and the situations realistic in this poignant story of love, pain and trust.
