The Choices We Make
Fiction
Mira
July 12, 2016
Advanced Reader's Copy
496
Publisher via BookSparks
Hannah and Kate became friends in the fifth grade, when Hannah hit a boy for looking up Kate's skirt with a mirror. While they've been close as sisters ever since, Hannah can't help but feel envious of the little family Kate and her husband, David, have created—complete with two perfect little girls.
She and Ben have been trying for years to have a baby, so when they receive the news that she will likely never get pregnant, Hannah's heartbreak is overwhelming. But just as they begin to tentatively explore the other options, it's Kate's turn to do the rescuing. Not only does she offer to be Hannah's surrogate, but Kate is willing to use her own eggs to do so.
Full of renewed hope, excitement and gratitude, these two families embark on an incredible journey toward parenthood…until a devastating tragedy puts everything these women have worked toward at risk of falling apart. Poignant and refreshingly honest, The Choices We Make is a powerful tale of two mothers, one incredible friendship and the risks we take to make our dreams come true.
My review:
4.5 stars
Be sure to read the author's note for this novel (at the beginning of my advanced copy, not sure where it will be in the finished copy) because it sheds light on just why this novel is so good! The last book I read involving infertility had me annoyed with the main character's obsession to have her "own" baby, but this one nailed it! The couple in this book were open to exploring all sorts of ways to have a baby, and their emotions and actions to get there were very believable (and palatable). This novel is not just a story about having a baby, but an incredible friendship that has spanned decades. The writing is crisp, the characters oh so real, and while it did take me until the second half to not be able to put it down, I still thought the pacing was well done. The two husbands as secondary characters were so well written, and I found myself understanding where both were coming from. Lots of emotions and a greater understanding of surrogacy challenges abound. I can become teary-eyed over many books, but few make me sob (Me Before You being the last one I can think of). Do not leave your tissues behind when you get to the end of this one, you have been warned. Although I have a copy in my possession of Ms. Brown's previous book Come Away With Me, I have not yet read it, but you can bet that I will be pulling it out of the stacks because this woman can pen a story.
Wonderful novel that will require tissues at the end, but is absolutely worth every tear I shed!
This book is part of the BookSparks summer reading challenge. Click the link to find out more about the challenge and follow along on social media using #SRC2016 and #BestSummerEver to find more reviews of this book and others.
Oh, wow. This looks like it would be very good an emotional, as well. I think this one is definitely going on my wish list. I'm happy it worked so well for you. I love it when the characters and events are so realistic.
It's very well done, but I definitely recommend having tissues handy at the end.
Thanks for a great review! I now will definitely want to read this title, and this author, who is new-to-me.
I've heard great things about her debut Come Away With Me as well. Hope one of them makes its way to your reading pile Rita. Thanks for stopping by 🙂