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    The Perfect Child by Lucinda Berry Summary

    The Perfect Child
    Lucinda Berry
    Thriller
    Fiction
    Relationship
    Psychology
    Overview
    Key Takeaways
    Author
    FAQs

    Overview of The Perfect Child

    When a childless couple adopts a traumatized girl, they uncover a darkness beyond imagination. Written by trauma psychologist Lucinda Berry, this Washington Post bestseller asks: What happens when your perfect child becomes your perfect nightmare?

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    "Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

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    Celebrities' reading list
    Elon MuskCharlie KirkBill GatesSteve JobsAndrew HubermanJoe RoganJordan Peterson
    Award winning collection
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    Best books by Year
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    Key Takeaways

    1

    When Darkness Wears a Child's Face

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    Hannah and Christopher Bauer's world changes forever when a severely malnourished toddler named Janie arrives at Christopher's hospital. Despite her horrific condition-untreated fractures, scars covering her tiny body, and signs of severe neglect-she smiles shyly and reaches for Christopher with bent fingers, asking if he'll fix her. For the Bauers, who've endured years of infertility treatments and a failed adoption, this moment feels like destiny. Christopher becomes obsessed with Janie's case, spending every spare moment by her bedside during recovery. When the opportunity arises to become her emergency foster parents, they leap at the chance. How could they know that beneath this child's fragile exterior lies something far more complex and potentially dangerous than they could imagine? Their journey reflects our universal belief that love can heal all wounds-but what happens when some damage runs too deep for even the most devoted hearts to repair?

    2

    The Shadows Beneath the Surface

    3

    When Motherhood Becomes a Nightmare

    4

    The System That Failed Them All

    5

    Born or Made: The Origins of Darkness

    6

    When Love Isn't Enough

    7

    The Question Without an Answer