Toni Halleen

Once you start this debut novel, you won't want to put it down until the end. It takes place in the early 1990's at a time when surrogates were a new way to have a baby, there were no cell phones and it was easier to disappear!

Ruth is a journalist in her early 40s. She really wasn't interested in getting married until she met Hal and there were immediate sparks between them. After they got married and she became part of his family with his two teenage sons, she decided that she wanted a baby. However, at her age, it's more difficult to get pregnant and carry a baby full term. She and Hal, a lawyer, look for a surrogate and find Cally , a healthy 19 year old who wants to go to college but doesn't have the money. Hal draws up a contract that should cover all aspects of using Cally as a surrogate and the money that they give to Callie will be enough for her to go to college. The pregnancy goes well and Ruth is excited when Callie goes into labor. Once the little girl is born, Cally begins to wonder if she made a mistake. She feels very close to the baby and very irritated with Ruth for her desire for the baby. Cally, calls her ex-boyfriend and asks him to pick her up at the hospital and when he gets there, she puts the baby in a duffel bag and climbs out of the window. Ruth and Hal get a call from the hospital that Cally and the baby have disappeared and they start to desperately search for the baby. Cally has no real plan and no experience in caring for a baby. Her ex-boyfriend is appalled when he finds out that she has stolen a baby and wants to go into hiding.

The story is told in alternating points of view from Ruth, Cally, Hal and Callie's ex-boyfriend...but it was mainly a story about Ruth and Cally. As I was reading, I went back and forth over who should have the baby. There were times when I was on Cally's side and then my would switch and I'd have sympathy for Ruth.

My only complaint about this book is that the ending seemed rushed and it showed Cally and Ruth in a very different light than in the rest of the book. Over all, it was an interesting story that asked the question about what makes a family? It's more than just blood but also made up of the people you love and want to take care of.

This is a fantastic debut for Toni Halleen and I look forward to her future books.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.… (meer)

I am still a little bit processing this book even after finishing it. It was a very fast read for me. Yet, the only person I really connected to is Cally. She is the surrogate. The emotions and her acts were understandable. Yet, what Cally did is not something that I would advise anyone in her situation to do; no matter how strong the emotions are.

In regards, to Ruth and Hal, I was not a fan of them. Hal really was at the bottom of my list. He did not seem to really have a interest in being a father. I got a cold vibe off him. Ruth was a bit better but I still did not fee like she truly wanted the baby. The ending! I am not happy with the ending. It kind of left a sour note in my mouth.… (meer)

From the book:
A probing novel about a newly married couple, the surrogate they hire to carry their baby, and the unexpected consequences of their decisions.

This is Toni Halleens's debut author and I must say, it’s a winner. A lot of posted reviews I’ve read have people mentioning they don’t care for Ruth. And I can see that she’s overbearing, Type A, uptight, and at some points irrational. But I got her. She reacted in some ways the same way I would have given the circumstances.
Ruth and Hal marry later in life and Ruth is unable to bear children. They hire a surrogate Cally to have their baby and pay her a hefty sum for it.
Cally takes her baby the day of the transfer and leaves the hospital to a hideout. She’s bonded with the child who’s grown inside of her, and can’t decide if she wants to give her up. But there are other reasons she’s doing this, and that my friend you’ve got to read to find out.
This story is told from several points of view, which helps you bond to the emotional states of each character.

A side note, to all of your surrogate mothers out there helping women have children they can not bear. You are the unsung heroes ❤️

“There is nothing more beautiful than someone who goes out of their way to make life beautiful for others.”
—Mandy Hale… (meer)