Meg Kearney takes you into the heart of this story and holds you there.  I loved everyone I met in these pages and felt every moment of deep love and deep loss.  When You Never Said Goodbye is a gift to the world, a book you’ll want to read slowly, savoring both the eloquent writing and the brave, beautiful story. —Jacqueline Woodson, author of Brown Girl Dreaming, 2014 National Book Award winner

...poet Kearney draws 18- year-old Liz McLane’s years-long search for her birth mother to a close.. Liz’s first-person account unfolds in a series of sincere and succinct (often no longer than a page) journal entries, haikus, villanelles, letters, and more. While the search itself no doubt fuels the narrative, Liz’s flourishing friendships, depictions of an ever-bustling Big Apple, and dogged devotion to her craft of poetry add considerable depth to the already gripping journey... suggested reading, including guides to poetics as well as adoption registries, clinch this one’s status as both an enlightening resource and an all-around sparkling story of self-discovery.—Booklist (Starred Review)

Through journal entries and varied styles of poems, Kearney sensitively conveys Liz’s journey of discovery; the answer she’s been seeking, though unexpected, brings her peace of mind.—Publishers Weekly

Thoughtful and brimming with justified teen angst, Kearney's fast-paced tale offers illuminating insights into the perils and rewards of self-discovery.—Kirkus Reviews