Claire and Ben are the perfect couple. But behind the glossy facade, they've been desperately trying - and failing - to have a baby for years. Now, the stress and feelings of loss are taking their toll on their marriage. Claire's ready to give up hope and get on with her life, but Ben is not. And then Ben's best friend, Romily, offers to conceive via artificial insemination and carry the baby for them. Romily acts in good faith, believing it will be easy to be a surrogate. She's already a single mother, and has no desire for any more children. Except that being pregnant with Ben's child stirs up all sorts of emotions in her, including one she's kept hidden for a very long time: Ben's the only man she's ever loved. Two mothers - and one baby who belongs to both of them, and which only one of them can keep.
Both powerful and thought provoking, this wonderful book will move you to the core - and really make you think. Sun
This bittersweet story of friendship, heartbreak and love is impressively compelling.**** Close
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A bittersweet story about a perfect relationship that starts to crack when a surrogate comes along.**** Heat
There are no heroes or villains here, but complex people making difficult choices in an imperfect world. Shelley Harris, author of Jubilee, a Richard & Judy bookclub selection
An exquisitely crafted novel ... compelling, fascinating and deeply affecting ... Julie Cohen is an expert at making you care about her characters, and feel every nuance of emotion as they do. A truly brilliant writer who kept me gripped until the end. Rowan Coleman
Author
About Julie Cohen
Julie Cohen grew up in Maine and studied English at Brown University and Cambridge University. She moved to the UK to research fairies in Victorian children's literature at the University of Reading and this was followed by a career teaching English at secondary level. She now writes full time and is a popular speaker and teacher of creative writing. She lives with her husband and their son in Berkshire.
