Other People’s Children, R.J. Hoffmann

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Synopsis & Review:

Longing for a child and being unable to have one is a heart wrenching human experience. From the time we are young, we have a vision – an expectation, really – of how our lives will unfold. We get older and enter into loving marriages. We purchase homes with yards in anticipation of starting a family. Then, when the time comes, the fortunate ones enjoy a smooth and successful transition into parenthood, while others are faced with a cruel cycle of rising hope followed by crushing disappointment month after month. Or pregnancies that result in miscarriages – over and over again.

When Gail and Jon Durbin realized they were expecting, they moved into a new home in the suburbs to start their family. Sadly, the pregnancy resulted in what would be the first in a series of miscarriages – each of them sending the couple further and further into crippling grief. Finally, they decided to adopt, but soon learned the process is much more complex than they ever could have imagined. After some failed adoption attempts they met Carli, a pregnant teenager from a blue collar and financially strapped family. Carli had dreams of creating a future brighter than her past. She was determined to leave behind her mother’s highly dysfunctional, toxic home and pursue a college education. Having a baby would prevent her from moving beyond the life she was living, and most of all, she wanted something better for her child. Carli’s decision to place her baby up for adoption became a major point of contention between she and her mother, Marla. Marla wasn’t ready to give up her grandchild, and she would do anything to prevent this from happening.

Wow! Where do I begin? Asking me to put down this book would have been like asking me to stop breathing. Other People’s Children delivers a twisting, turning and highly emotional plot. This debut novel by R.J Hoffmann tackles the complex, gut wrenching legal process of adoption. Hoffmann presents adoption issues poignantly, yet realistically, in a book that is extremely well-written and well developed. Other People’s Children explores issues of poverty and the ever-present socioeconomic divides, yet reminds us that maternal love knows no boundaries. It touches every human emotion – sadness, anger, joy, love, grief. Hoffmann delves deeply into the complexity of human beings, and reminds us of how we are forever shaped by our pasts. There are additional themes of mental illness, loss, substance abuse, marriage, and of course, adoption. Each chapter focuses on the point of view of a character, giving them an increased level of depth and a powerful voice. Finally, Other People’s Children raises tough questions about what defines a family, who deserves to be a parent, and how far a mother will go for her child.

Reading this novel somewhat reminded me of the Baby Jessica case back in the early 1990s, but it was so much easier to take sides in that situation. At the beginning of the book, I was rooting passionately for the Durbins. However, as the characters evolved it became harder and harder to know who to root for, and my heart just broke for both parties. Carli’s character matured throughout the novel and she made so many selfless decisions for the sake of her baby. Her circumstances were truly desperate, and she was doing her best to put her child first. Clearly, both parties loved that baby. Both were in excruciating pain. Both made desperate, unimaginable decisions in the name of love. Still, there could only be one winner. I think even King Solomon would have struggled with this one. There were no easy answers.

Other People’s Children is a deeply moving and highly relatable novel. All parents (adoptive and biological) will connect. I enjoyed this novel immensely and would be interested to see where each character is in five years. I am keeping my fingers crossed for a sequel. The emotional pull of the characters has me longing to revisit them later on as their future remained somewhat open-ended at the conclusion of the book. In any case, I look forward to reading more from this author. Bravo to R.J Hoffman on a magnificent debut!

“Foster care is risky. Adoption is risky. Love itself is always risky.”  – Orphan Justice

“There is no friendship, and no love, like that of the parent for the child.” – Henry Ward Beecher

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A Voice in the Night, Sarah Hawthorn

Synopsis and Review:

A Voice in the Night is a gripping, action-packed, debut thriller by Australian author, Sarah Hawthorn. The novel shifts between the past and the present and is set in New York, London, and Sydney.

Lucie was a young, stunning law intern in a New York City firm. She was madly in love with Martin, an older, married man who promised to leave his wife to be with Lucie – forever. On a mild and beautiful autumn morning, the lovers said good-bye and parted ways to begin their work day. Martin was planning a perfect dinner for them that evening at an exquisite restaurant. Lucie’s mind raced at the possible reasons for such a special night. She hoped that Martin was ready to take the next steps in planning their future together, and he wanted to celebrate. Lucie was so looking forward to that night and everything it could bring.

But there was a problem. It was September 11, 2001, and Martin never returned from work that day.

Twenty years later, Lucie is now a lawyer at a prestigious, demanding law firm in London. Her stressful professional life keeps her busy, but Lucie’s personal life never quite solidified in the years following Martin’s death. She finds herself in dead-end relationships, including an unhappy marriage that ended with a divorce and a bitter ex-husband. She begins dating Jonathan, a quiet, oddly anxious younger man with a loaded history of his own. She also spends time with Alan, her free spirited but arrogant sexual partner. Then, out of the blue, a mysterious letter arrives – a letter signed by her long deceased lover, Martin. After the letter comes expensive gifts – and phone calls from somebody claiming to be Martin. Either somebody is playing cruel mind games with Lucie, or Martin staged his own death, is still alive, and wants to find her again. With her sanity put to the test, Lucie goes on a quest to find answers. She soon discovers that their affair wasn’t Martin’s only secret, and she must now face a painful new reality about the man she loved and thought she knew.

I enjoyed A Voice in the Night and was taken in by Hawthorn’s writing style. The multiple themes make this book relatable to everybody; terrorism, epic tragedy, infidelity, marriage and relationships, sex and promiscuity, mental illness, substance abuse, loss, sexual harassment in the workplace, and on and on. This novel has it all, and Hawthorn presents these sensitive topics meaningfully, honestly, tactfully, and appropriately.

A Voice in the Night offers a wide range of intriguing and well-developed characters, each of them adding substance to the plot line in varied ways. My feelings about Lucie’s character shifted throughout the book. Initially, I didn’t like her selfish immaturity, especially when she got into her forties and was still acting like a twenty-something. However, I was able to sympathize with her later on. Hawthorn injected subtle undercurrents of the far-reaching, disastrous psychological consequences that September 11th had on a young woman just starting out in life. Unable to evolve beyond the trauma, Lucie remained frozen in time – her personal growth forever stunted and defined by that fateful event. Hawthorn did a brilliant job of capturing the long-term ramifications of a young woman’s emotional trauma, and how one’s past transgressions can come back to haunt them.

I loved how this novel stretched across three different parts of the world and spanned twenty years, both of which provided depth to the plot and imagery, and added complexity to the mystery. The multiple settings and time shifts were well organized, flowed smoothly and didn’t interfere with the clarity of the plot. Throughout the novel, Hawthorn highlights the complicated nature of love and family, transgressions and secrets – and what people will do for those they love. Hawthorn’s ability to pull the reader into the moods, the tension and suspense, made me want to keep reading. A Voice in the Night is an extremely well-written, fast-paced, twisting roller-coaster ride of lies, secrets and the price of deception. The rising tension culminates to two (yes two) explosive shockers at the very end, and I never would have predicted either one. This debut novel lingers long after it is finished, and I think it would make a phenomenal movie. I have added a new name to my favorite authors list, and I am eager to read more from Sarah Hawthorn. I highly recommend this chilling psychological thriller to adult readers.

Release date July 1 2021. I was provided with an advanced e-copy to write a review.

To learn more about Sarah Hawthorn, go to https://www.sarahhawthorn.com.au/. 

 

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My Dark Vanessa, Kate Elizabeth Russell

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My Dark Vanessa is the debut novel from Kate Elizabeth Russell. It is the story of a predatory teacher who flatters, manipulates, and grooms a troubled teenaged student into a sexual relationship. This novel spans seventeen years of the victim’s life – from age fifteen to thirty-two.

It is the year 2000. Fifteen year old Vanessa Wye is a precocious but lonely student at Browick, a private boarding high school. Unable to keep up with her peers socially or academically, Vanessa keeps to herself and carries a painful inferiority complex. She’s disorganized and frequently loses things, resulting in constant criticism from her teachers. Her relationship with her parents is distant and strained.

Then she meets Jacob Strane, her seemingly caring forty-two year old English teacher. Jacob takes a special interest in Vanessa, connecting with her through poetry and spending time with her outside of class. Vanessa is rapturous. Jacob becomes the first person in her life to make her feel special, wanted, beautiful. He gives her a copy of Lolita, marked up with his notes, and asks her to read it. Before long his charming admiration evolves to touching, and then more. The first time Jacob invites Vanessa to his house, he assures her that she controls what happens. He promises a simple night of dinner, television and nothing more if that was all she wanted. Yet, when she arrives, there is no dinner, no option of television. He leads her to his bedroom, and pulls out a pair of strawberry printed pajamas for her to wear. Once they are in bed, he asks her permission, but then he acts before she can answer. Over time, the sordid relationship continues, but Vanessa never thinks of Jacob as an abuser because, in her mind, she allowed it and was an active participant. She falls in love with him. Nobody ever made her feel so special, so valued, so loved. Jacob manipulates Vanessa into keeping their secret hidden. He tells her that if they are ever exposed, she would branded for life, kicked out of school, sent to a foster home and may even go to juvenile hall. Jacob also tells Vanessa that he would go to prison and his life would be ruined too. As a master at turning blame on the victim, Jacob constantly reminds Vanessa that because of her, he is always under a cloud of suspicion. Vanessa apologizes and he “forgives” her. As suspicions grow and rumors spread around campus, Vanessa goes to great lengths to protect Jacob, and sacrifices herself in doing so. I was infuriated with so many of the characters. Jacob wasn’t the only person who victimized Vanessa. There were many other adults who had suspicions but chose to look the other way – other teachers, school administrators, even her own mother.

Seventeen years later, Vanessa is thirty-two and still in contact with Jacob, still refuses to believe that she was ever a victim, and still blames herself for what happened. It is now 2017 and the #MeToo movement is underway. Jacob is now being publicly accused of sexually abusing another former student, whose descriptions of his “grooming” are eerily familiar to Vanessa. Still, she believes Jacob’s version of what happened and stands by him, refusing to expose their relationship. But before long, five more students come forward with the same allegations. As Vanessa struggles to make sense of the claims, Jacob’s denials, and the hounding press wanting her story, she must come to terms with how her past has defined her life, even well into adulthood.

Abuse takes many forms. Sometimes it is blatantly cruel, openly barbaric, explicit and undeniable. Other times, it is hidden under a disguise – buried deeply beneath an illusion of love; an illusion that becomes a magnet to the young and vulnerable. Readers can certainly understand how a trusting fifteen year old who hungers for love can fall into a trap. However, one may wonder how years later as an adult, Vanessa still didn’t “get” that she was victimized, still thought it was ok, let it continue for years, and never even mentioned it to her therapist until much later in the book. I was struck by Vanessa’s continued insistence on defending Jacob for almost two decades, and how his hold on her remained so strong after all that time. It was clear Vanessa’s experience with Jacob shaped her decisions later in life – how she sought love, how she measured her worth, how she handled adult relationships. She carried life-long damage each and every day, perhaps without even knowing it. It was as if Vanessa was still that teenager frozen in time, never having evolved beyond that point – not emotionally, not professionally, not personally, and not sexually. Her sexual relationships during adulthood remained unhealthy, even vile. Jacob Strane colored her whole world and robbed her entire existence. One has to wonder if her response to what happened (or lack thereof) was simply a coping mechanism, a way to avoid facing what actually happened by making it something it was not. If Vanessa convinced herself that she was responsible and a willing participant, then in her mind the situation somehow becomes less harmful, less threatening, less out of her control. Subconsciously, it seemed like she kept the truth buried and continued with what was familiar, because to do otherwise would mean acknowledging something horrible, something she couldn’t face.

Russell did a brilliant job of bringing dangerous societal fault lines to the surface. My Dark Vanessa speaks volumes about our culture and how badly we have failed victims of sexual abuse. Perhaps our society bears some responsibility for misplaced blame, the silencing of victims, the shaming of those who have suffered at the hands of predators. Women gather the courage to come forward, only to be met with death threats. Men in powerful positions abuse women, simply because they think they can. We hear so much about the perpetrators, but little about their victims. I loved how Russell demonstrated the long term effects of abuse by creating a novel that followed a victim over several years, allowing the reader to know the victim deeply and see the impact over time.

My Dark Vanessa is heavy but engaging. Russell delves deeply and honestly into a once taboo subject, providing a much needed voice to a victim of sexual abuse. Set in the beautiful state of Maine, Russell created an abundance of sensory details that easily place the reader in those surroundings. This novel is a well written, appropriately paced, highly emotional and deeply thought provoking read. The book moves between 2000 and 2017 and the transitions flow smoothly and clearly. I plowed through the 369 pages quickly because every page offered important substance that kept the story moving forward. Kate Elizabeth Russell did an outstanding job and I highly recommend My Dark Vanessa for adult readers.

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Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens

Book Review, thecozybookblog.com

Where the Crawdads Sing is the debut novel by Delia Owens and a coming of age story about an abandoned little girl and her journey into womanhood. Set in the fictional coastal town of Barkley Cove, North Carolina, the book begins in 1952 and spans fifty-seven years.

Kya, known as the “Marsh Girl”, lives with her family on a marsh in a dilapidated shack. When Kya is six, her mother abandons the family in order to escape her husband, a physically abusive alcoholic. Then, one by one, Kya watches each of her older siblings leave as well. Shortly thereafter, her father is gone too – leaving Kya completely alone to fend for herself.

When Kya is left to raise herself, she learns self-sufficiency at a young age – digging mussels, living off the land and utilizing the few domestic skills she learned from her mother. In her isolation, she connects strongly with nature, and the gulls become her new family. When Kya must sometimes travel into town via her small boat to sell mussels and buy groceries, she endures cruel reminders of her place in society from townspeople. Barefoot, dirty, and hungry, she often receives looks of disgust and hears herself being referred to as “marsh trash”. During the course of this novel, however, we do see Kya grow into herself, and she makes a few positive human connections along the way. She is helped by a local couple, Jumpin’ and Mabel who, like Kya, understand the pain of social stigma all too well. She also finds love and acceptance from Tate, the son of a fisherman, who befriends Kya, visits her often, and even teachers her to read.

Years later, it is 1969 and tragedy rocks this quiet town. Chase Andrews, the handsome, popular son of a wealthy local couple, is murdered. With few clues and an abundance of speculation, Kya becomes the target of an investigation that will change her life forever.

I am impressed that a debut novel offers so much. The visual imagery alone took my breath away. I can understand Kya’s decision to never leave the marsh. Despite the loneliness and the stigma, it was a beautiful place – one of peace and tranquility that I could feel and breathe within the pages. What I loved most about this novel was the depth of Kya’s character development throughout the book. Kya begins as a frightened child, rejected by her family and unwelcomed in society. Then we watch her evolve into a beautiful, strong, intelligent, independent woman of substance. We see her survive the unthinkable, and later thrive in spite of it.

The wide range of themes provide a novel that is relatable to almost everyone. Alcoholism, abuse, and the breakdown of a family. Romance, murder, racial intolerance and the ever-present line in the sand between the haves and the have-nots. Poverty, social hierarchy, and stigma so cruelly defined an innocent little girl, and it was that same prejudice that later put her on trial for murder.

While I absolutely loved this novel, I do admit to finding Kya’s ability to care for herself at such a young age to be a bit unrealistic. A six year old would be developmentally, emotionally and physically ill-equipped to survive life on their own under any circumstances. Still, it is so easy to overlook this because the book drew me in like a magnet and didn’t let go from start to finish. Where the Crawdads Sing is extremely well-written, multi-themed and seamlessly transitions through decades of a woman’s journey. I am excited to hear that a movie about Kya’s experience will come out later this year, but I always recommend reading the book first. I completely enjoyed Where the Crawdads Sing and I look forward to reading more from Delia Owens. Bravo!

“She (Kya) could read anything now…and once you can read anything, you can learn everything.” – Deila Owens, Where the Crawdads Sing

***To purchase this book at Amazon, click here. This is an affiliate link, which only means that when you click the link and purchase the book, I receive a tiny commission at no additional cost to you. My opinions remain my own.

 

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The Husband’s Secret, Liane Moriarty

The Husband’s Secret begs the question – Just how well do we really know those we love? Are secrets ever meant to be shared? How does one deal with a perpetually haunting past mistake, one of epic proportions and far-reaching repercussions, alone?

Cecilia Fitzpatrick has been blessed with a beautiful family, a successful career, and the respect of her community. While looking for something else in her attic one day, she accidently comes across a mysterious, sealed envelope, on which her husband scribed: For my wife, Cecilia Fitzpatrick – To be opened only in the event of my death. Curious, she holds on to the letter but wrestles with whether or not to open it. (Wow, I personally would have ripped that thing open in no time! But then again, patience and self-control have never been my strong suits.) Anyway, Cecilia gets even more concerned after confronting her husband, John-Paul, who becomes terrified and begs her not to open it. Over time, one anxious what-if thought leads to another, until Cecilia just can’t stand it anymore and finally opens the letter. All at once, a dark secret is unleashed, floodgates open, their perfect world crumbles, and Cecilia is faced with a horrible dilemma.

Tess, who suffers from social anxiety, is married to Will and they have a son. Felicity is Tess’s cousin and her life-long best friend. The three of them run a business together – TWA Advertising. All is generally well except for one problem – Felicity and Will are having an intense, emotional affair and have fallen in love. Tess is left to make life-changing decisions, all while trying to cope with the betrayal of the two people she loved and trusted most.

Rachel is mother to Rob and grandmother to young Jacob. She adores little Jacob and loves nothing more than spending time with him. When Rob and his wife, Lauren, decide to relocate, Rachel is devastated. She never recovered from the tragic loss of her daughter years ago, and it feels like she is now, in a sense, losing her grandson too. She struggles to cope with her life, which is about to become even more empty.

The Husband’s Secret is set in Australia and follows the lives of these three central, but different, characters. The transitions between them are seamless and flow beautifully. The book is well paced, engaging, and well written. I applaud Moriarty’s ability to write so poignantly about dark issues while providing breaks of humor that are interwoven tactfully and at appropriate times. Striking a balance between sadness and lightness in the same novel is no easy task, but Moriarty accomplishes this in a manner that is neither offensive nor threatening to the developing story lines and themes. The dark sides of this novel are gripping and thought-provoking, but balanced with the comic relief of daily antics in life with young children. I enjoyed the relatable family themes throughout the book. The Husband’s Secret is packed with mystery, the complexities of relationships, the disastrous, life-altering ramifications of long hidden secrets, and several jaw dropping surprises in the epilogue. If you loved reading Big Little Lies and Truly, Madly, Guilty, then The Husband’s Secret will not disappoint. I look forward to reading more from this gifted author.

“The trouble with the truth is that it can change everything…” Liane Moriarty

Purchase the book at Amazon here. This is an affiliate link, which only means that when you click and purchase the book through this link, I receive a tiny commission at no additional cost to you. My opinions remain my own.

Handle with Care, Jodi Picoult

 

 

Anyone familiar with Jodi Picoult knows that she isn’t afraid to lay real-life controversial issues on the table; issues that make her readers think deeply about the lives, crises and decisions of her characters. Prior to reading Handle with Care, I had never heard of wrongful birth lawsuits. Wrongful birth lawsuits are filed against doctors (usually obstetricians or radiologists) who have allegedly failed to diagnose fetal abnormalities in utero, such as birth defects or genetic impairments. After the birth, parents seek compensation for damages caused by the emotional and financial strain of the child’s care. The argument is that the parents lost their opportunity to end the pregnancy due to the doctor’s failure to diagnose these life-altering, debilitating conditions in time. I’m not going to share where I stand on this issue, but I will say that no matter what your beliefs are, Handle with Care will make you think deeply about ethical questions, family dynamics, and what defines quality of life. There are simply no easy answers.

Sean and Charlotte O’Keefe have a healthy daughter, Amelia. They wanted another child, but struggled to become pregnant. When it finally happened, they were thrilled. Charlotte was cared for by her best friend and obstetrician, Piper, during her pregnancy. Charlotte was given every indication that her pregnancy was going smoothly, until a twenty-seven week ultrasound revealed devastating news. Their unborn daughter had multiple bone fractures in utero, an indication of a serious collagen defect known as osteogenesis imperfecta (OI). The disease causes extreme bone fragility, affects growth and bone formation, and can be life threatening. Many people with OI only grow to be about three feet tall, and have bones that break easily upon even very mild impact. A sneeze, for example, can cause multiple fractures. When little Willow later came into the world, she arrived with several broken bones and endured even more during the birth.

As the years pass, Willow and her family are continually held hostage by her disease. Willow is a very bright child, but she cannot enjoy the activities most children take for granted due to risk of serious injury. She can’t run, go to a playground, participate in sports, climb trees or ride a bike. Every family decision must revolve around Willow’s needs. Every emotional, financial, and time resource her parents have go into her care. Hospital bills are mounting, as are household tensions. The marriage and family dynamics suffer. They are all barely hanging on, and then things get even worse with a horrible accusation of child abuse and a subsequent arrest during a much-needed family vacation.

When Charlotte reaches a breaking point and files a wrongful birth lawsuit against Piper, a decision Sean opposes, their lives implode. Their already troubled marriage crumbles. News of the lawsuit goes public, unleashing a barrage of gossip and judgement against them. The press hounds them. Amelia loses her best friend (Piper’s daughter), and is shunned and harassed at school over the impending suit. It tears the family apart.

As all this was going on, Picoult brilliantly interwove another intriguing family sub plot. Marin, Charlotte’s lawyer in the wrongful birth suit, is dealing with some family issues of her own. Adopted at birth, she is on a quest to locate her birth parents. She loves her adoptive parents dearly, but struggles with questions about her roots, her identity, and she longs for answers. Her journey is an emotional one with many twists and turns. Through it all, she is left to consider her place in the world and what exactly defines and constitutes a family.

Goodness, where do I even begin to review this heavy, gripping and extremely complex read, one that raises so many moral, ethical and family issues? Let me start by saying that as a mother, I could so easily relate to the family themes. Parenthood under ideal circumstances is emotionally and physically exhausting, so my heart went out to Charlotte and Sean. I kept imagining myself in their situation – caring for a child with a horrible illness while desperately trying to pay the bills and hold a crumbling family together. Picoult poignantly and realistically presented every side of real, multi-layered family issues under very crushing circumstances. I was so enfolded in the plot and deeply felt every emotion of the broken characters – anger, fear, love, heartache, desperation. I cannot even begin to express how fortunate this book made me feel, and how easy it is to take our lives for granted.

Each chapter was presented in the voice and point of view of a character. Amelia’s character, in my opinion, was the most gripping. Sean and Charlotte had nothing left to give her as Willow’s care was all-consuming. Through no fault of anybody, Amelia was completely on her own – the forgotten child who got no attention, no support, and had so many unmet needs. She internalized it all, and self-soothed with food, purging, and cutting. It was clear that her cutting and eating disorder were desperate attempts for order. These self-destructive habits were a cry for control in a young life spiraling out of control. Watching her plummet was agonizing and reminded me of Theo’s character in Picoult’s House Rules. The difference was that Theo handled his emotional neglect by acting out, while Amelia turned her pain inward – but both are equally damaging.

Clearly, Picoult did considerable legal and medical research to write this novel, all of which was presented intelligently and embedded seamlessly into the fabric of the story line. Handle with Care forces us to consider the multiple dimensions of some very difficult issues. This novel is extremely well-written, well-paced and flowed smoothly. I highly recommend Handle with Care. It is an excellent and engaging read that will stay with you long after you finish the last page.

(On a side note, I am from New Hampshire and love the fact that so many of Picoult’s novels are set in that beautiful and familiar state!)

To purchase this book at Amazon, click here. This is an affiliate link, which only means that when you click the link and purchase the book, I receive a tiny commission at no additional cost to you. My opinions remain my own.

See my review of another Jodi Picoult novel, Leaving Time, here.

“Things break all the time. Day breaks, waves break, voices break. Promises break. Hearts break.” Jodi Picoult