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This Child of Mine
‘Beautiful, emotional and hopeful, but have tissues to hand.’ Liz Fenwick When Stephanie is told she’s pregnant and that she is sick on the same day, she faces an impossible choice… After trying for a baby for so long, finding out I was pregnant was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. But in the same breath as the news I had been waiting years to hear, the doctor told me I was seriously ill. If I carry my baby to term, I will almost certainly die. If I proceed with treatment, my baby will not live. My husband – the father of this child – is telling me to save myself. But with all the secrets I know he is keeping from me, I can’t trust him anymore. What would you do? An emotional yet uplifting tear-jerker that will have you reaching for the tissues – perfect for fans of EMMA ROBINSON and JODI PICOULT.
352 pages, Paperback
Published July 6, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
July 4, 2023
When Stephanie is told that she is pregnant and that she is sick on the same day, she faces an impossible choice....
after trying for a baby for so long, finding out I was pregnant was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. But in the same breath as the news I had been waiting for years to hear, the doctor told me I was seriously ill. If I carry the baby to term, I will almost certainly die. If I proceed with treatment, my baby will not live. My husband - the father of this child - is telling me to save myself. But with all the secrets I know he is keeping from me; I can't trust him anymore. what would you do?
This is a beautifully written but heartbreaking read. Stephanie has an almost impossible choice to make - save her unborn baby or save her own life. She makes her decision, but not everyone agrees with her choice, especially her husband.
This is a story of love, hope and loss and it moved me to tears several times. I felt every emotion Stephanie and her husband James went through. I was fully invested in this story. Despite there being many difficult topics, this book has been written sympathetically. Just make sure you have the tissues handy before you start reading this book. This is the best book I've read this year do far, and I've read some really good ones.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #AvonBooksUK and the author #EmmaClaireWilson for my ARC of #ThisChildofMine in exchange for an honest review.
after trying for a baby for so long, finding out I was pregnant was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. But in the same breath as the news I had been waiting for years to hear, the doctor told me I was seriously ill. If I carry the baby to term, I will almost certainly die. If I proceed with treatment, my baby will not live. My husband - the father of this child - is telling me to save myself. But with all the secrets I know he is keeping from me; I can't trust him anymore. what would you do?
This is a beautifully written but heartbreaking read. Stephanie has an almost impossible choice to make - save her unborn baby or save her own life. She makes her decision, but not everyone agrees with her choice, especially her husband.
This is a story of love, hope and loss and it moved me to tears several times. I felt every emotion Stephanie and her husband James went through. I was fully invested in this story. Despite there being many difficult topics, this book has been written sympathetically. Just make sure you have the tissues handy before you start reading this book. This is the best book I've read this year do far, and I've read some really good ones.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #AvonBooksUK and the author #EmmaClaireWilson for my ARC of #ThisChildofMine in exchange for an honest review.
August 1, 2024
This was truly an amazing debut.
Stephanie and her husband James have dealt with numerous fertility complications. Finally, receiving their miracle, they are pregnant and everything is progressing well until it isn't. Stephanie gets a terrible diagnosis and she has to choose between saving her life or protecting the health of the fetus. Meanwhile, her husband James is being cagey, apparently keeping secrets from her. Her perfect life is unraveling bit by bit.
This is an emotional gut wrenching story, and I felt every emotion, all the way through. It gives a different spin on choice, and what rights a father has. I had a hard time picking a side as both James and Stephanie had strong opinions and valid points.
The complexity of the emotions dealt with in this book was impressive. I was also extremely moved by the bit of kismet. I love a good story with destiny as an underlying theme.
Stephanie and her husband James have dealt with numerous fertility complications. Finally, receiving their miracle, they are pregnant and everything is progressing well until it isn't. Stephanie gets a terrible diagnosis and she has to choose between saving her life or protecting the health of the fetus. Meanwhile, her husband James is being cagey, apparently keeping secrets from her. Her perfect life is unraveling bit by bit.
This is an emotional gut wrenching story, and I felt every emotion, all the way through. It gives a different spin on choice, and what rights a father has. I had a hard time picking a side as both James and Stephanie had strong opinions and valid points.
The complexity of the emotions dealt with in this book was impressive. I was also extremely moved by the bit of kismet. I love a good story with destiny as an underlying theme.
July 12, 2023
This is an extremely well written and heartfelt book and made for emotional reading. It deals with some difficult themes that readers should be aware of before they read this book as it discusses grief, miscarriage and cancer at length.
If you would like to read my full review please visit my blog at:
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If you would like to read my full review please visit my blog at:
https://leftontheshelfbookblog.blogsp...
July 7, 2023
I was hooked from the start and drawn into the word of uncertainty and a medical diagnosis. The writing was absorbing and emotional. What a terrible dilemma the characters face. I was struggling to hold back the tears and didn’t succeed.
Thanks to Emma-Claire Wilson, Avon Books UK and Rachel’s Random Resources for my eARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.
5 stars.
Thanks to Emma-Claire Wilson, Avon Books UK and Rachel’s Random Resources for my eARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.
5 stars.
April 21, 2023
A five star emotional, heartfelt journey of a young couple who are expecting their first child.
So wanted, so loved, their tiny "peanut" that they have been praying for.
It is a family story that had me so drawn in, as Stephanie and James come to grips with the challenges in their lives and the grief that has flooded them all at once.
But... the gift they will receive is nothing short of a beautiful miracle that was meant to be. I believe in miracles and when you read this story, you will too!
*Tissues are definitely needed!*
Thank you to @NetGalley and to @Avon Books, Uk for this amazing ARC and allowing me to read and provide my own review.
"Sometimes, a child finds its way into your heart, via a path you never expected."
So wanted, so loved, their tiny "peanut" that they have been praying for.
It is a family story that had me so drawn in, as Stephanie and James come to grips with the challenges in their lives and the grief that has flooded them all at once.
But... the gift they will receive is nothing short of a beautiful miracle that was meant to be. I believe in miracles and when you read this story, you will too!
*Tissues are definitely needed!*
Thank you to @NetGalley and to @Avon Books, Uk for this amazing ARC and allowing me to read and provide my own review.
"Sometimes, a child finds its way into your heart, via a path you never expected."
March 8, 2023
This Child of Mine by Emma-Claire Wilson is an emotionally taut read that will give you all of the feels.
Steph and James have barely had time to rejoice in the news that they are expecting their longed for child when they receive a devastating diagnosis that will change everything. Impossible decisions will need to be made as the couple face unimaginable obstacles on their journey to creating the family they have always wanted.
This beautifully written story will have you reaching for the tissues.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for an ARC.
Steph and James have barely had time to rejoice in the news that they are expecting their longed for child when they receive a devastating diagnosis that will change everything. Impossible decisions will need to be made as the couple face unimaginable obstacles on their journey to creating the family they have always wanted.
This beautifully written story will have you reaching for the tissues.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for an ARC.
August 28, 2023
A very good book about the trials and tribulations of fertility issues. Stephanie finally gets pregnant and finds out that she has cancer. She wants to wait until after the baby is born to have cancer treatment to avoid any side effects to her child she is carrying. Her husband and family and friends are against her decision.
Much of that discussion seemed flawed to me but later the backstory was revealed that helped support the reason for the couple's decision.
We had similar fertility issues and multiple miscarriages before having a two pound 25 week gestation daughter. We later adopted two wonderful boys so I can understand much of their feelings. Adoption is a wonderful way to build your family.
Much of that discussion seemed flawed to me but later the backstory was revealed that helped support the reason for the couple's decision.
We had similar fertility issues and multiple miscarriages before having a two pound 25 week gestation daughter. We later adopted two wonderful boys so I can understand much of their feelings. Adoption is a wonderful way to build your family.
January 11, 2024
The story of, This Child of Mine is an emotional yet uplifting tear jerker that will have you reaching for the tissue. This novel is perfect for fans of Emma Robinson and Jodi Picoult.
This story had me in tears. After Stephanie had been trying for a baby for a long time, finding out that she was pregnant should have been the most happiest time of her life. But Stephanie is told devastating news that she has cancer. And this sent my heart to ache for Stephanie even more, who is Amy that Stephanie hears her husband talking to on his phone?
Part of page 6
The procedure we will need to take to perform will most certainly impact on your pregnancy. Of course, we could postpone the treatment and the operation until after the delivery, but the risks are so incredibly high that I really do recommend you look at all possible options.
This story had me in tears. After Stephanie had been trying for a baby for a long time, finding out that she was pregnant should have been the most happiest time of her life. But Stephanie is told devastating news that she has cancer. And this sent my heart to ache for Stephanie even more, who is Amy that Stephanie hears her husband talking to on his phone?
Part of page 6
The procedure we will need to take to perform will most certainly impact on your pregnancy. Of course, we could postpone the treatment and the operation until after the delivery, but the risks are so incredibly high that I really do recommend you look at all possible options.
August 3, 2023
A solid 3 stars! Realistically this book wasn't written for me and had it not been a book club pick I'd have probably never picked it up because I know it's not my kind of book.
I'm glad I read it, I enjoyed it more than I expected to, as a person who doesn't want children I just didn't really have that connection to the experience, it'd be an easy choice for me and realistically I'd never be in that situation anyway 😂!
I found it a little unpolished, it really had my attention at the start and I was super gripped but it lost me towards the end, I found the situation with her dad was really moved on from quickly and I didn't buy it, I feel that area needed more attention and I found it a bit repetitive in areas but overall good solid read. I suspect the author may have written about her own experiences maybe.
I'm glad I read it, I enjoyed it more than I expected to, as a person who doesn't want children I just didn't really have that connection to the experience, it'd be an easy choice for me and realistically I'd never be in that situation anyway 😂!
I found it a little unpolished, it really had my attention at the start and I was super gripped but it lost me towards the end, I found the situation with her dad was really moved on from quickly and I didn't buy it, I feel that area needed more attention and I found it a bit repetitive in areas but overall good solid read. I suspect the author may have written about her own experiences maybe.
July 12, 2023
It is a contemporary, heartbreaking yet uplifting story. This Child Of Mine is one of the most emotional books I have read. I will say, make sure you have some tissues around. You will need them at some point.
Emma-Claire Wilson has taken subjects that could be classed as every womans nightmare. Discovering she is pregnant and is very ill at the same time, puts Stephanie in a position that she never thought she would be. Stephanie and her husband James think their dreams have come true. They have suffered so much, and now she is pregnant! Then they discover ahe has a life threatening illness and there is a choice to be made, an impossible choice. What would you do if it was you or your baby? What will Stephanie choose?
An absolute tearjerker of a book! The author so skillfully weaves a tale that the reader feels like they are walking alongside Stephanie and James. I felt every single emotion that played out as I read. I felt the pressure on both of them. James himself has his secrets and struggles from his past. This, in turn, creates even more issues for the couple.
It isn't what I call an easy read. It's one that I read and had to think about before I wrote this review. The rawness of the emotions, the love and hope that shines through every word. It's a book that I dont think I will forget in a hurry.
Emma-Claire Wilson has written a debut that made a mark on me. I will be so interested in reading her next book.
Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and the publisher for my ebook to write an honest review.
Emma-Claire Wilson has taken subjects that could be classed as every womans nightmare. Discovering she is pregnant and is very ill at the same time, puts Stephanie in a position that she never thought she would be. Stephanie and her husband James think their dreams have come true. They have suffered so much, and now she is pregnant! Then they discover ahe has a life threatening illness and there is a choice to be made, an impossible choice. What would you do if it was you or your baby? What will Stephanie choose?
An absolute tearjerker of a book! The author so skillfully weaves a tale that the reader feels like they are walking alongside Stephanie and James. I felt every single emotion that played out as I read. I felt the pressure on both of them. James himself has his secrets and struggles from his past. This, in turn, creates even more issues for the couple.
It isn't what I call an easy read. It's one that I read and had to think about before I wrote this review. The rawness of the emotions, the love and hope that shines through every word. It's a book that I dont think I will forget in a hurry.
Emma-Claire Wilson has written a debut that made a mark on me. I will be so interested in reading her next book.
Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and the publisher for my ebook to write an honest review.
July 4, 2023
This Child of Mine is a heart-wrenching story, but one which is ultimately uplifting.
Stephanie has been dealt a sh*t hand, to put it mildly. She is pregnant after years of trying but fate has intervened and is trying its best to snatch away the very thing she wants most in this world. I can’t even begin to imagine how you would process being pregnant and diagnosed with a life-threatening illness at the same time. Save yourself or save your baby? I honestly don’t know how I would feel in her situation but could totally understand her reluctance to just put herself first. I could also totally understand her husband’s perspective. A heart-breaking situation to find yourself in.
As if that wasn’t bad enough her life is devastated further and it’s no wonder she feels numb and unable to see any hope in her future.
There is though. There is always hope!
This is where the story really began to melt my heart and leave a smile on my face.
Such a beautiful ending.
I absolutely LOVED it!
**Many thanks to the author and publisher for my review copy via NetGalley**
https://chataboutbooks.blog/2023/07/0...
Stephanie has been dealt a sh*t hand, to put it mildly. She is pregnant after years of trying but fate has intervened and is trying its best to snatch away the very thing she wants most in this world. I can’t even begin to imagine how you would process being pregnant and diagnosed with a life-threatening illness at the same time. Save yourself or save your baby? I honestly don’t know how I would feel in her situation but could totally understand her reluctance to just put herself first. I could also totally understand her husband’s perspective. A heart-breaking situation to find yourself in.
As if that wasn’t bad enough her life is devastated further and it’s no wonder she feels numb and unable to see any hope in her future.
There is though. There is always hope!
This is where the story really began to melt my heart and leave a smile on my face.
Such a beautiful ending.
I absolutely LOVED it!
**Many thanks to the author and publisher for my review copy via NetGalley**
https://chataboutbooks.blog/2023/07/0...
July 2, 2023
I am blown away that this is a debut novel! It was absolutely incredible and shows such talent, it is hard to believe that this author has not written several others. I hope she will continue to write more, I will absolutely be reading them if she does!
Definitely a novel with triggers, my emotions were strong and overwhelming at times. I felt so connected and empathetic towards these realistic characters and my heart ached for them. All was not sad in this book, though. We got to follow the journey that Steph and James traveled, and see how love, forgiveness, and hope led them past and over obstacles in their way. Not every couple can withstand loss or big negative life circumstances like Steph and James did. Absolutely beautiful and heart wrenching novel that completely touched me. I have high hopes for this new author and am excited to see what comes next.
Definitely a novel with triggers, my emotions were strong and overwhelming at times. I felt so connected and empathetic towards these realistic characters and my heart ached for them. All was not sad in this book, though. We got to follow the journey that Steph and James traveled, and see how love, forgiveness, and hope led them past and over obstacles in their way. Not every couple can withstand loss or big negative life circumstances like Steph and James did. Absolutely beautiful and heart wrenching novel that completely touched me. I have high hopes for this new author and am excited to see what comes next.
June 25, 2023
Steph and James have tried for years to have a baby, after numerous miscarriages she is finally pregnant with their rainbow baby, but on the day of a scan she is given the devastating news that she has cervical cancer. They have an unthinkable decision to make, have treatment but terminate the pregnancy or continue with the pregnancy but risk Steph"s life.
Oh my goodness this was such a good book but very heartbreaking. You feel every emotion that Steph and James are feeling. Despite having many difficult subjects the book has been written with such compassion. Make sure to have tissues at your side. A great debut novel
Oh my goodness this was such a good book but very heartbreaking. You feel every emotion that Steph and James are feeling. Despite having many difficult subjects the book has been written with such compassion. Make sure to have tissues at your side. A great debut novel
September 27, 2023
Rather predictable and cliche
I wanted to like this book as the story caught my eye but I ended up skimming most of the too-long-try-hard descriptive passages to get to the meat of the thing, which if I am honest could have been covered in a short story. The "my best friend is a fertility specialist but I don't want to get her advice" story line was just so cliche as well as the "my obviously devoted husband is hiding a secret lover from me" just didn't pass the sniff test.
Further, I didn't at all like the self involved, whiny main character, so just wasn't invested and in the end only really wanted to see if she was going to live or die. I won't spoil it for anyone else but at the 50% mark I knew what was going to happen and it predictably did. Good premise, poor execution. Sorry. I gave it 2 stars because I did actually finish the book as it was technically well written and edited.
I wanted to like this book as the story caught my eye but I ended up skimming most of the too-long-try-hard descriptive passages to get to the meat of the thing, which if I am honest could have been covered in a short story. The "my best friend is a fertility specialist but I don't want to get her advice" story line was just so cliche as well as the "my obviously devoted husband is hiding a secret lover from me" just didn't pass the sniff test.
Further, I didn't at all like the self involved, whiny main character, so just wasn't invested and in the end only really wanted to see if she was going to live or die. I won't spoil it for anyone else but at the 50% mark I knew what was going to happen and it predictably did. Good premise, poor execution. Sorry. I gave it 2 stars because I did actually finish the book as it was technically well written and edited.
July 14, 2023
The emotions I felt reading this book were off the scale. Lost of little snippets of my life and people I know all put in one story.
The ending weren’t to my taste but I won’t say why as I don’t want to spoil anyone’s experience.
Would definitely recommend.
The ending weren’t to my taste but I won’t say why as I don’t want to spoil anyone’s experience.
Would definitely recommend.
August 8, 2023
Disappointing
Badly written, repetitive. I wanted to slap Stephanie!
No explanation of the medical appointments at all which I found strange as if the author couldn’t be bothered to research the facts.
Badly written, repetitive. I wanted to slap Stephanie!
No explanation of the medical appointments at all which I found strange as if the author couldn’t be bothered to research the facts.
July 10, 2023
In the interests of transparency, I have to admit that Emma-Claire is a very good friend of mine and one of my writing tribe and I have shared closely in the publication journey of this book. I know exactly what this book means to her and how hard she has worked to get to this point and I so want it to be successful for her. It is always difficult for me to review books in these circumstances. I have this platform to share reviews of books so I obviously want to be able to use it to support my friends but I also am always honest about the books I review and I can’t compromise that for anything if I want my readers to trust me, so I always approach the reviewing of my friends’ books with some trepidation.
I knew this book was also going to be particularly difficult for me because of the subject matter. Having suffered from baby loss myself, it can be hard to read that as a storyline in a novel but I knew that Emma-Claire had come to it from a place of understanding and enlightenment and I share her view that this is a topic that is still shrouded in too much silence and misunderstanding and should be more widely discussed to lift the aura of taboo that surrounds it. This book is filled with honesty and a deep compassion which meant I was able to get through it without breaking down.
Steph and James are a couple deeply in love who just want a baby to complete their perfect family. Unfortunately, on the day that Steph finds out she is finally carrying their longed-for child, she also discovers she has a serious illness, the life-saving treatment for which will almost certainly end her pregnancy. They have an impossible decision to make.
This is a situation that no one ever wants to contemplate finding themselves in but is a tragic reality for some people and, once you sit down and consider what you might do in those circumstances, you realise how impossible the choice would be. Emma-Claire does a fantastic job of conveying just how hopeless trying to logically balance the pros and cons of the choice would be, and just how easily these circumstances can tear the strongest couple apart. How do you come to terms with sacrificing either your child or the person you love most in the world? How do you reconcile yourselves to such an insurmountable loss? No one who hasn’t been through such things can truly wrap their head around what it would be like to be faced with this scenario, but reading Emma-Claire’s depiction of this story might be the closest you will come, I hope. The pain and hopelessness bleeds off the page and into your heart until it feels like it is being ripped asunder, just as Steph’s is.
I will admit, I didn’t always understand Steph and her reasoning along the way. Sometimes she acted in a way that was very different to the way I think I would have and, at points I wanted to give her a little shake and explain why she was approaching things in the wrong way. I was a bit frustrated and afraid for her. But that is the genius of this book. How she was behaving, although frustrating, was totally believable and illustrative of just how impossible it is to make informed and rational decisions when faced with this situation. How people will react purely based on emotion in those moments, unable to look at the bigger picture and weigh up the evidence in a balanced way. It may look like insanity from the outside, but when you are in the middle of it, it seems like the only possible thing to be done. Understanding this, and reacting with love and patience to the people dealing with it, will go a long way to helping anyone going through this kind of trauma cope.
Whilst this book deals with a traumatic topic and will wring every emotion out of you along the way, it also manages to be uplifting and deliver a note of hope along the way. Baby loss is not the end, Emma-Claire and I are testament to that. Life goes on, and it can be a good life if you can find your way through. Books like this can offer a glimpse of that hope when all may seem hopeless, and I think this is really, really important. This book gets the balance just right, it is beautifully done and a tribute in itself to the strength and resilience and determination of couples, and particularly women, everywhere who has faced up to baby loss. To come out of the other side still standing, still living, is nothing short of heroic in my eyes and I cannot think of a better example of this fortitude and grace than this book and the person who so bravely and intelligently wrote it. It may not be an easy thing for some people to read but it is so important and so worthwhile, I truly hope everyone will do so.
So, on behalf of this mother of a child who never got to grow up, I think you, Emma-Claire, for portraying this experience with such skill and sympathy and making me feel a little less alone in the world and a little more seen and understood.
I knew this book was also going to be particularly difficult for me because of the subject matter. Having suffered from baby loss myself, it can be hard to read that as a storyline in a novel but I knew that Emma-Claire had come to it from a place of understanding and enlightenment and I share her view that this is a topic that is still shrouded in too much silence and misunderstanding and should be more widely discussed to lift the aura of taboo that surrounds it. This book is filled with honesty and a deep compassion which meant I was able to get through it without breaking down.
Steph and James are a couple deeply in love who just want a baby to complete their perfect family. Unfortunately, on the day that Steph finds out she is finally carrying their longed-for child, she also discovers she has a serious illness, the life-saving treatment for which will almost certainly end her pregnancy. They have an impossible decision to make.
This is a situation that no one ever wants to contemplate finding themselves in but is a tragic reality for some people and, once you sit down and consider what you might do in those circumstances, you realise how impossible the choice would be. Emma-Claire does a fantastic job of conveying just how hopeless trying to logically balance the pros and cons of the choice would be, and just how easily these circumstances can tear the strongest couple apart. How do you come to terms with sacrificing either your child or the person you love most in the world? How do you reconcile yourselves to such an insurmountable loss? No one who hasn’t been through such things can truly wrap their head around what it would be like to be faced with this scenario, but reading Emma-Claire’s depiction of this story might be the closest you will come, I hope. The pain and hopelessness bleeds off the page and into your heart until it feels like it is being ripped asunder, just as Steph’s is.
I will admit, I didn’t always understand Steph and her reasoning along the way. Sometimes she acted in a way that was very different to the way I think I would have and, at points I wanted to give her a little shake and explain why she was approaching things in the wrong way. I was a bit frustrated and afraid for her. But that is the genius of this book. How she was behaving, although frustrating, was totally believable and illustrative of just how impossible it is to make informed and rational decisions when faced with this situation. How people will react purely based on emotion in those moments, unable to look at the bigger picture and weigh up the evidence in a balanced way. It may look like insanity from the outside, but when you are in the middle of it, it seems like the only possible thing to be done. Understanding this, and reacting with love and patience to the people dealing with it, will go a long way to helping anyone going through this kind of trauma cope.
Whilst this book deals with a traumatic topic and will wring every emotion out of you along the way, it also manages to be uplifting and deliver a note of hope along the way. Baby loss is not the end, Emma-Claire and I are testament to that. Life goes on, and it can be a good life if you can find your way through. Books like this can offer a glimpse of that hope when all may seem hopeless, and I think this is really, really important. This book gets the balance just right, it is beautifully done and a tribute in itself to the strength and resilience and determination of couples, and particularly women, everywhere who has faced up to baby loss. To come out of the other side still standing, still living, is nothing short of heroic in my eyes and I cannot think of a better example of this fortitude and grace than this book and the person who so bravely and intelligently wrote it. It may not be an easy thing for some people to read but it is so important and so worthwhile, I truly hope everyone will do so.
So, on behalf of this mother of a child who never got to grow up, I think you, Emma-Claire, for portraying this experience with such skill and sympathy and making me feel a little less alone in the world and a little more seen and understood.
July 16, 2023
I'm certainly not this book's typical reader. But it's wowed even me (4.5 stars)
I've said many times before that I'm a stereotypical middle-aged man. I can't take hints, don't remember birthdays, can't comprehend why anyone needs more than three pairs of shoes - or maybe five, if you include running shoes and Wellington boots - and have never understood the point of moisturiser. Romance? I'm not even sure what that means.
Recently, though, I've started to wonder whether even I have something of a hidden feminine side. I like outdoor swimming for a start, which is an activity that, for no reason that I can fathom, seems to be enjoyed mostly by women. It seems that most other people who read and subsequently write about books are female, as are most of my favourite authors (Ian Rankin and Peter James excepted). And I somehow seem to have requested an ARC of This Child of Mine from Netgalley, despite it being classed as "women's fiction" on that website and "romantic fiction" on another. I can't for the life of me remember how that came about.
I'm glad I did, though. Wow, I'm glad I did.
I've often said that the best pieces of psychological fiction are those that can draw you in to the mind of a character, to the extent that you share their thoughts, their emotions and their fears. Well, This Child of Mine does that with a vengeance from the very first page. After years of trying for a baby with her husband James, and more than one miscarriage, Stephanie is given the most wonderful, and almost the most awful news imaginable almost in the same breath.
She is pregnant. She has ovarian cancer. If she proceeds with treatment, her unborn baby will have to die. But if she sees the pregnancy through, it will almost certainly cost her her own life.
The book asks the simple question of its readers: what would you do? And perhaps it's the insensitive male thing coming through or maybe it's my not being a parent, but for me the answer was immediately clear. And it's the same one that James had: have the treatment. Don't risk something that you don't already have when the gamble is the near-certainty of losing what you already do. Stephanie, though, feels differently. And her thoughts are conveyed so powerfully and so clearly that even I could understand them. She's a mother. Her baby is alive inside her. And wouldn't a mother do anything to save her child?
This is wonderful, beautiful, powerful writing. And considering that it's the author's debut, it's astonishing. I felt for Stephanie. I felt for James. I also felt for Wendy's dad, because I think I can say that I'd also have done exactly what he did if I had been in his position. If I have a hidden feminine side, I wonder if Emma-Claire Wilson has a hidden masculine one, because she sure as heck got into my head.
I must also mention the ending of the book, which is a proper 'wow' and 'lump in throat' moment. After finishing the book I - to quote an often-used phrase in psychological fiction again - let out a breath that I hadn't realised I'd been holding.
And oh, how I wish I could end this review there. But I'm afraid that, for me, there was one problem. I'll try not to give away too many spoilers, but there is a side story featuring James and his own closely-guarded secret. I didn't think that this story needed to be included. At the beginning, it causes Stephanie to suspect James of having an affair, which dare I say felt a little bit cheap and distracted from the superb main story. And by the end, it seemed like one tragedy too many. I couldn't help but wonder if Emma-Claire would have done better to have kept this storyline back and used it as the plot for a whole new book.
It's for this reason that I reluctantly have to deduct a half-star from what would otherwise have been perhaps the easiest maximum rating that I've given so far this year. But I realise that this is subjective and just my opinion. Ultimately, it doesn't alter my main conclusion, which is that This Child of Mine is quite simply fabulous. It doesn't matter who you are or what you normally read: if you have a heart at all, this book will find it, break it and then heal it again. Congratulations, Emma-Claire.
My thanks to the author, Avon Books UK and Netgalley for the digital ARC of this book, which was published on 6th July 2023. I will post my review on Goodreads, Amazon, Instagram, Twitter and my blog at www.mycosybooknook.wordpress.com,
I've said many times before that I'm a stereotypical middle-aged man. I can't take hints, don't remember birthdays, can't comprehend why anyone needs more than three pairs of shoes - or maybe five, if you include running shoes and Wellington boots - and have never understood the point of moisturiser. Romance? I'm not even sure what that means.
Recently, though, I've started to wonder whether even I have something of a hidden feminine side. I like outdoor swimming for a start, which is an activity that, for no reason that I can fathom, seems to be enjoyed mostly by women. It seems that most other people who read and subsequently write about books are female, as are most of my favourite authors (Ian Rankin and Peter James excepted). And I somehow seem to have requested an ARC of This Child of Mine from Netgalley, despite it being classed as "women's fiction" on that website and "romantic fiction" on another. I can't for the life of me remember how that came about.
I'm glad I did, though. Wow, I'm glad I did.
I've often said that the best pieces of psychological fiction are those that can draw you in to the mind of a character, to the extent that you share their thoughts, their emotions and their fears. Well, This Child of Mine does that with a vengeance from the very first page. After years of trying for a baby with her husband James, and more than one miscarriage, Stephanie is given the most wonderful, and almost the most awful news imaginable almost in the same breath.
She is pregnant. She has ovarian cancer. If she proceeds with treatment, her unborn baby will have to die. But if she sees the pregnancy through, it will almost certainly cost her her own life.
The book asks the simple question of its readers: what would you do? And perhaps it's the insensitive male thing coming through or maybe it's my not being a parent, but for me the answer was immediately clear. And it's the same one that James had: have the treatment. Don't risk something that you don't already have when the gamble is the near-certainty of losing what you already do. Stephanie, though, feels differently. And her thoughts are conveyed so powerfully and so clearly that even I could understand them. She's a mother. Her baby is alive inside her. And wouldn't a mother do anything to save her child?
This is wonderful, beautiful, powerful writing. And considering that it's the author's debut, it's astonishing. I felt for Stephanie. I felt for James. I also felt for Wendy's dad, because I think I can say that I'd also have done exactly what he did if I had been in his position. If I have a hidden feminine side, I wonder if Emma-Claire Wilson has a hidden masculine one, because she sure as heck got into my head.
I must also mention the ending of the book, which is a proper 'wow' and 'lump in throat' moment. After finishing the book I - to quote an often-used phrase in psychological fiction again - let out a breath that I hadn't realised I'd been holding.
And oh, how I wish I could end this review there. But I'm afraid that, for me, there was one problem. I'll try not to give away too many spoilers, but there is a side story featuring James and his own closely-guarded secret. I didn't think that this story needed to be included. At the beginning, it causes Stephanie to suspect James of having an affair, which dare I say felt a little bit cheap and distracted from the superb main story. And by the end, it seemed like one tragedy too many. I couldn't help but wonder if Emma-Claire would have done better to have kept this storyline back and used it as the plot for a whole new book.
It's for this reason that I reluctantly have to deduct a half-star from what would otherwise have been perhaps the easiest maximum rating that I've given so far this year. But I realise that this is subjective and just my opinion. Ultimately, it doesn't alter my main conclusion, which is that This Child of Mine is quite simply fabulous. It doesn't matter who you are or what you normally read: if you have a heart at all, this book will find it, break it and then heal it again. Congratulations, Emma-Claire.
My thanks to the author, Avon Books UK and Netgalley for the digital ARC of this book, which was published on 6th July 2023. I will post my review on Goodreads, Amazon, Instagram, Twitter and my blog at www.mycosybooknook.wordpress.com,
July 12, 2023
Originally reviewed for Chick Lit Central (www.chicklitcentral.com)
This Child of Mine grapples with every expectant mother’s worst imagined nightmare. What if there is a health complication, and it comes down to my unborn baby’s safety, or mine? I felt as though the author did an excellent job of showing what that scenario looks like for Stephanie, a woman who has wanted to be a mother for a very long time and dealt with pregnancy loss in the past. That outlook really raises the ante and feeds into her desire to put her own health aside for the health of her baby. But her husband James wants nothing more than to ensure his wife will survive. It felt as though it was an impossible situation to be in. If you knew you had a chance at having the child you’ve always wanted, would you risk your own life to see it through, even though you know what that ultimately might mean?
As the synopsis indicates, James is definitely keeping secrets from Stephanie, and the secrets dictate his own feelings about his wife’s choices, and why he wants her to choose to proceed with treatment. Until that reason is discovered, it is a near-constant battle of doing what is ethically and morally right, but there is no black and white scenario to fall back on when determining what that is. Stephanie feels it is her body, her choice. James feels as the father, he has say, too, but doesn’t want to see his wife suffer and possibly end her life. It truly is a lose-lose situation, either way. The conflict from that begins to break down the relationship, along with the secretive mannerisms from James.
There are a lot of well fleshed out characters with significant pasts lending into Stephanie’s decision. Life hasn’t been easy for her. The same could be said for James, too. It is the tragedies of life that I felt brought them together as a couple, but that same element could be the reason that they might not make it. The constant juxtaposition was riveting. As much as I wanted to cover my eyes and not read the ending to see what Stephanie ultimately decides, another larger part of me wanted to see this through to fruition. I’m still trying to decide on whether I am satisfied with it.
The synopsis asks, “What would you do?” I can honestly say, I still don’t know. There is no easy answer, and that’s one of the biggest elements I appreciated about This Child of Mine. It’s thought-provoking. It gives the reader a tough question to answer and even now, after I’ve already finished the book, I’m still asking myself if I would choose to carry my child to full term, knowing it might mean I could die, or if I’d choose to proceed with treatment, knowing what that would mean for my pregnancy. I just don’t know.
This Child of Mine grapples with every expectant mother’s worst imagined nightmare. What if there is a health complication, and it comes down to my unborn baby’s safety, or mine? I felt as though the author did an excellent job of showing what that scenario looks like for Stephanie, a woman who has wanted to be a mother for a very long time and dealt with pregnancy loss in the past. That outlook really raises the ante and feeds into her desire to put her own health aside for the health of her baby. But her husband James wants nothing more than to ensure his wife will survive. It felt as though it was an impossible situation to be in. If you knew you had a chance at having the child you’ve always wanted, would you risk your own life to see it through, even though you know what that ultimately might mean?
As the synopsis indicates, James is definitely keeping secrets from Stephanie, and the secrets dictate his own feelings about his wife’s choices, and why he wants her to choose to proceed with treatment. Until that reason is discovered, it is a near-constant battle of doing what is ethically and morally right, but there is no black and white scenario to fall back on when determining what that is. Stephanie feels it is her body, her choice. James feels as the father, he has say, too, but doesn’t want to see his wife suffer and possibly end her life. It truly is a lose-lose situation, either way. The conflict from that begins to break down the relationship, along with the secretive mannerisms from James.
There are a lot of well fleshed out characters with significant pasts lending into Stephanie’s decision. Life hasn’t been easy for her. The same could be said for James, too. It is the tragedies of life that I felt brought them together as a couple, but that same element could be the reason that they might not make it. The constant juxtaposition was riveting. As much as I wanted to cover my eyes and not read the ending to see what Stephanie ultimately decides, another larger part of me wanted to see this through to fruition. I’m still trying to decide on whether I am satisfied with it.
The synopsis asks, “What would you do?” I can honestly say, I still don’t know. There is no easy answer, and that’s one of the biggest elements I appreciated about This Child of Mine. It’s thought-provoking. It gives the reader a tough question to answer and even now, after I’ve already finished the book, I’m still asking myself if I would choose to carry my child to full term, knowing it might mean I could die, or if I’d choose to proceed with treatment, knowing what that would mean for my pregnancy. I just don’t know.
June 20, 2023
This Child Of Mine by Emma-Claire Wilson is a simply beautiful contemporary tale that will tug at your heart. Tissues will be needed.
The story is told in the first person from the point of view of the leading lady. We can ‘feel’ her pain and her fears. We understand her tears.
Receiving the best and the worst of news on the same day, is enough to tear anyone apart. We see a rift appearing as a character decides to take control of the only thing she can – her choices. Life moves from ‘our’ to ‘my’, and as it does, journeys of isolation begin.
On our hardest days, we need not travel alone, as those who love us will journey beside us, if we let them. “Grief is a path best walked in company.” We can never take away the pain but we can hold hands and walk together.
There has been much loss in the lives of both leading characters. “We were falling apart, in separate places.” In our hurt and pain, we sometimes pull away. The hurt and pain that we are pushing down, never goes away, it is just hidden. Those who know us, offer tea, sympathy and “the I get it hugs and the it gets easier smiles” – except it doesn’t get easier, we just learn to cope – or not.
We witness a character drowning in guilt. Words spoken in anger can never be taken back.
There are the difficult topics of miscarriage and cancer diagnosis. Emma-Claire Wilson has sensitively portrayed them. I identified with the character who tried to ignore the cancer diagnosis and hoped it went away. This was me last year, following my husband’s cancer diagnosis. I thought if I didn’t say the c-word, it couldn’t be happening. Emma-Claire Wilson’s characters were very relatable to me.
Without giving the ending away – I absolutely loved the ending. It was very beautiful, very moving and totally believable. It is worth reading the book on the strength of the final chapters alone.
I absolutely loved This Child Of Mine. It was so very beautiful. It made me cry as I ‘felt’ the pain and identified with the characters. It is a work of great beauty.
I received a free copy via Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
The story is told in the first person from the point of view of the leading lady. We can ‘feel’ her pain and her fears. We understand her tears.
Receiving the best and the worst of news on the same day, is enough to tear anyone apart. We see a rift appearing as a character decides to take control of the only thing she can – her choices. Life moves from ‘our’ to ‘my’, and as it does, journeys of isolation begin.
On our hardest days, we need not travel alone, as those who love us will journey beside us, if we let them. “Grief is a path best walked in company.” We can never take away the pain but we can hold hands and walk together.
There has been much loss in the lives of both leading characters. “We were falling apart, in separate places.” In our hurt and pain, we sometimes pull away. The hurt and pain that we are pushing down, never goes away, it is just hidden. Those who know us, offer tea, sympathy and “the I get it hugs and the it gets easier smiles” – except it doesn’t get easier, we just learn to cope – or not.
We witness a character drowning in guilt. Words spoken in anger can never be taken back.
There are the difficult topics of miscarriage and cancer diagnosis. Emma-Claire Wilson has sensitively portrayed them. I identified with the character who tried to ignore the cancer diagnosis and hoped it went away. This was me last year, following my husband’s cancer diagnosis. I thought if I didn’t say the c-word, it couldn’t be happening. Emma-Claire Wilson’s characters were very relatable to me.
Without giving the ending away – I absolutely loved the ending. It was very beautiful, very moving and totally believable. It is worth reading the book on the strength of the final chapters alone.
I absolutely loved This Child Of Mine. It was so very beautiful. It made me cry as I ‘felt’ the pain and identified with the characters. It is a work of great beauty.
I received a free copy via Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
July 14, 2023
This Child of Mine is a novel full of raw emotion. It follows Stephanie and James as they deal with the diagnosis of an illness that not only threatens the life of Steph but also their much-wanted unborn child.
We watch the couple as they both attempt to deal with the anguish of their current circumstances while still processing and grieving losses in their pasts. We live the hurt that each causes as they determinedly push the other to understand their own priorities in the unthinkable dilemma that they find themselves. We see how their mindsets change as they eventually accept that they're working towards a common goal.
This book is sensitively written about human experiences that need to be voiced. I appreciated the exploration of the reality of human relationships and how they can be adversely affected by conflicting opinions and decisions when those opinions and decisions are driven by the deepest feelings of love.
Despite being a little idiom- and metaphor-heavy in places, this novel includes some beautiful description. I particularly loved: "...staring at the fairies dancing on top of the logs in the fireplace. Their sparkling skirts lighting up the wood and the warmth of their crackling giggles drawing my attention..."
While addressing the subjects of child loss and cancer, this novel also gave a very clear message of hope and the power of friendship and chosen family. The words spoken when Steph and her Dad were together in the hospital room brought me to tears, and the floodgates truly opened when my interpretation of the scene was confirmed and clarified later in the book.
Many wonderful quotes enhanced these messages and gave subtle hints as to what life and love would give to Stephanie and James.
Of friendships: "We're tied together, with an invisible thread. No matter what, I will always find you."
Of (James') chosen family: "Not the conventional family, no blood links, but a love that was stronger than any I'd seen."
A fabulous book with many important themes that should be voiced more freely. I look forward to Emma-Claire Wilson's next book.
We watch the couple as they both attempt to deal with the anguish of their current circumstances while still processing and grieving losses in their pasts. We live the hurt that each causes as they determinedly push the other to understand their own priorities in the unthinkable dilemma that they find themselves. We see how their mindsets change as they eventually accept that they're working towards a common goal.
This book is sensitively written about human experiences that need to be voiced. I appreciated the exploration of the reality of human relationships and how they can be adversely affected by conflicting opinions and decisions when those opinions and decisions are driven by the deepest feelings of love.
Despite being a little idiom- and metaphor-heavy in places, this novel includes some beautiful description. I particularly loved: "...staring at the fairies dancing on top of the logs in the fireplace. Their sparkling skirts lighting up the wood and the warmth of their crackling giggles drawing my attention..."
While addressing the subjects of child loss and cancer, this novel also gave a very clear message of hope and the power of friendship and chosen family. The words spoken when Steph and her Dad were together in the hospital room brought me to tears, and the floodgates truly opened when my interpretation of the scene was confirmed and clarified later in the book.
Many wonderful quotes enhanced these messages and gave subtle hints as to what life and love would give to Stephanie and James.
Of friendships: "We're tied together, with an invisible thread. No matter what, I will always find you."
Of (James') chosen family: "Not the conventional family, no blood links, but a love that was stronger than any I'd seen."
A fabulous book with many important themes that should be voiced more freely. I look forward to Emma-Claire Wilson's next book.
July 24, 2023
A poignant and beautifully written story of a couple who receive news that throws their hopes of building a family into turmoil.
Stephanie and James finally get news of the family they have wanted for a long time. But the scan reveals that they have to make a choice. A choice that sends them both in different directions. All Steph wants to do is protect ‘peanut’ while James wants nothing more than to keep his wife safe.
Stephanie is determined to keep the child. It’s her body, her choice, but what about James? He is the father, after all?
So many questions need to be addressed and there is never a right or wrong answer in this situation. Wilson’s prose draws us in and slowly we understand Stephanie, and why she feels the need to make the choice on her own.
But what of James’ feelings, and the secret envelope?
There are moments when Stephanie’s ambition to become a mother throws her into a selfish denial. She doesn’t consider how her choice will impact James, her father and her closest friend. All I wanted to do was lock her and James into a room so he could tell her his fears and how much he loved her. Both Stephanie and James haven’t had an easy upbringing. Childhood trauma has made them who they are and we learn why they deal with the divesting news differently.
Wilson depicts the turmoil of Steph’s choice beautifully, and the story sends you on an emotional journey and just when you believe things can’t get any harder, the story takes a turn for the worst.
Take note of the trigger warnings as the book covers themes of grief, trauma, cancer, sibling loss, abandonment, IVF and guilt with realistic emotions. There were many times I had to put the book down, emotionally it’s raw and brought back painful memories for me and our child loss journey.
However, it isn’t a hopeless story. It’s full of hope and that no matter what happens, there is always someone somewhere who will enter your life, and often the path you choose leads to another, more beautiful place.
Highly recommend reading for anyone facing the question ‘What would you do?’ A thought-provoking author who will be in my favourite must read list.
Stephanie and James finally get news of the family they have wanted for a long time. But the scan reveals that they have to make a choice. A choice that sends them both in different directions. All Steph wants to do is protect ‘peanut’ while James wants nothing more than to keep his wife safe.
Stephanie is determined to keep the child. It’s her body, her choice, but what about James? He is the father, after all?
So many questions need to be addressed and there is never a right or wrong answer in this situation. Wilson’s prose draws us in and slowly we understand Stephanie, and why she feels the need to make the choice on her own.
But what of James’ feelings, and the secret envelope?
There are moments when Stephanie’s ambition to become a mother throws her into a selfish denial. She doesn’t consider how her choice will impact James, her father and her closest friend. All I wanted to do was lock her and James into a room so he could tell her his fears and how much he loved her. Both Stephanie and James haven’t had an easy upbringing. Childhood trauma has made them who they are and we learn why they deal with the divesting news differently.
Wilson depicts the turmoil of Steph’s choice beautifully, and the story sends you on an emotional journey and just when you believe things can’t get any harder, the story takes a turn for the worst.
Take note of the trigger warnings as the book covers themes of grief, trauma, cancer, sibling loss, abandonment, IVF and guilt with realistic emotions. There were many times I had to put the book down, emotionally it’s raw and brought back painful memories for me and our child loss journey.
However, it isn’t a hopeless story. It’s full of hope and that no matter what happens, there is always someone somewhere who will enter your life, and often the path you choose leads to another, more beautiful place.
Highly recommend reading for anyone facing the question ‘What would you do?’ A thought-provoking author who will be in my favourite must read list.
March 23, 2023
𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐎𝐟 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐞 - 𝐄𝐦𝐦𝐚-𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐬𝐨𝐧
Thankyou so much to @avonbooksuk & @ecwilsonauthor for giving me the opportunity to read this book via ARC in return of an honest review.
———————————————
𝑊ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑝ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑜𝑙𝑑 𝑠ℎ𝑒’𝑠 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑔𝑛𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑠𝑖𝑐𝑘 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑑𝑎𝑦, 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑛 𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑖𝑐𝑒．
Firstly I don’t think any review or star ratings could live up to how this book truly made me feel. A few weeks ago I asked my social platform about books that had left them in tears as I had yet to experience that. Well today I experiences just that. I’ve been bought to tears by movies, tv series and even songs but today this was the first book that bought tears to my eyes accompanied by ever different emotion and feelings that came with reading this raw novel.
I didn’t feel like I was just an outside reading each sentence, flicking each page, coming to the end of each chapter. I felt every heartache and emotion that the characters of this book were feeling. I wanted to reach inside this book a take Stephanie and James and lock them away from all the bad things that they had to have ever experience during their lifetime.
I started this book crying from utter heartbreak of the unexpected twists and turns in this beautiful couples journey and ended the book with floods of joy in my eyes and heart and with such closure.
This book was a breathtaking, heart-wrenching, emotional rollercoaster for me and I cannot wait to get my hand on a hard copy to keep on my bookshelf forever once this has been publish.
I only ‘𝐻𝑜𝑝𝑒’ this isn’t the end of your writing Emma.
𝑷𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒆: 3𝑟𝑑 𝐴𝑢𝑔𝑢𝑠𝑡
Thankyou so much to @avonbooksuk & @ecwilsonauthor for giving me the opportunity to read this book via ARC in return of an honest review.
———————————————
𝑊ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑝ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑜𝑙𝑑 𝑠ℎ𝑒’𝑠 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑔𝑛𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑠𝑖𝑐𝑘 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑑𝑎𝑦, 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑛 𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑖𝑐𝑒．
Firstly I don’t think any review or star ratings could live up to how this book truly made me feel. A few weeks ago I asked my social platform about books that had left them in tears as I had yet to experience that. Well today I experiences just that. I’ve been bought to tears by movies, tv series and even songs but today this was the first book that bought tears to my eyes accompanied by ever different emotion and feelings that came with reading this raw novel.
I didn’t feel like I was just an outside reading each sentence, flicking each page, coming to the end of each chapter. I felt every heartache and emotion that the characters of this book were feeling. I wanted to reach inside this book a take Stephanie and James and lock them away from all the bad things that they had to have ever experience during their lifetime.
I started this book crying from utter heartbreak of the unexpected twists and turns in this beautiful couples journey and ended the book with floods of joy in my eyes and heart and with such closure.
This book was a breathtaking, heart-wrenching, emotional rollercoaster for me and I cannot wait to get my hand on a hard copy to keep on my bookshelf forever once this has been publish.
I only ‘𝐻𝑜𝑝𝑒’ this isn’t the end of your writing Emma.
𝑷𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒆: 3𝑟𝑑 𝐴𝑢𝑔𝑢𝑠𝑡
July 10, 2023
This Child of Mine by Emma-Claire Wilson
I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Blurb
When Stephanie is told she’s pregnant and that she is sick on the same day, she faces an impossible choice… After trying for a baby for so long, finding out I was pregnant was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. But in the same breath as the news I had been waiting years to hear, the doctor told me I was seriously ill. If I carry my baby to term, I will almost certainly die. If I proceed with treatment, my baby will not live. My husband – the father of this child – is telling me to save myself. But with all the secrets I know he is keeping from me, I can’t trust him anymore. What would you do?
My Opinion
This book starts with a trigger warning, be warned - it is a very emotional book. Given the topics in the book I don't feel like I can say that I enjoyed but it was very well-written, written in a very delicate way. This was one of those books that took a lot of energy to read, I finished this book and couldn't bring myself to write my review straight away - I needed time to recover.
If you are reading this, then I recommend you have some tissues on hand. Wilson, is not afraid to tug on those heartstrings. There was plenty of drama packed in.
Rating: 4/5
I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Blurb
When Stephanie is told she’s pregnant and that she is sick on the same day, she faces an impossible choice… After trying for a baby for so long, finding out I was pregnant was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. But in the same breath as the news I had been waiting years to hear, the doctor told me I was seriously ill. If I carry my baby to term, I will almost certainly die. If I proceed with treatment, my baby will not live. My husband – the father of this child – is telling me to save myself. But with all the secrets I know he is keeping from me, I can’t trust him anymore. What would you do?
My Opinion
This book starts with a trigger warning, be warned - it is a very emotional book. Given the topics in the book I don't feel like I can say that I enjoyed but it was very well-written, written in a very delicate way. This was one of those books that took a lot of energy to read, I finished this book and couldn't bring myself to write my review straight away - I needed time to recover.
If you are reading this, then I recommend you have some tissues on hand. Wilson, is not afraid to tug on those heartstrings. There was plenty of drama packed in.
Rating: 4/5
November 19, 2023
Cancer is not far from anyone's door. It comes like a heinous surprise when you least expect it, then mocks the precious life you have before breaking you. This book stirred every emotion in me, especially as a mother.
The moment you find out you're pregnant, you're a mother regardless of if you get to watch your child be in this world and grow.
Stephanie has a decision to make, one nobody should ever have to make; does she keep the child she's always wanted and handle her cancer later, even when she's told it's likely she might die, or does she treat the cancer and lose the life that's growing inside of her?
I'm going to be honest, going into this book I was scared. I was already there with Stephanie before I started this book, feeling the weight of this decision, imagining how I would feel if it was me. The descriptive prose had me from the first word, and the strength of the writing kept me gripped throughout.
I don't want to give away spoilers but I will say, I related to Stephanie so much and I shared her thought process with her decision in an impossible situation. I cried. A lot! To the point where it wasn't safe to listen while driving.
This was a thought provoking book that will stay with me. The ending was perfection.
The moment you find out you're pregnant, you're a mother regardless of if you get to watch your child be in this world and grow.
Stephanie has a decision to make, one nobody should ever have to make; does she keep the child she's always wanted and handle her cancer later, even when she's told it's likely she might die, or does she treat the cancer and lose the life that's growing inside of her?
I'm going to be honest, going into this book I was scared. I was already there with Stephanie before I started this book, feeling the weight of this decision, imagining how I would feel if it was me. The descriptive prose had me from the first word, and the strength of the writing kept me gripped throughout.
I don't want to give away spoilers but I will say, I related to Stephanie so much and I shared her thought process with her decision in an impossible situation. I cried. A lot! To the point where it wasn't safe to listen while driving.
This was a thought provoking book that will stay with me. The ending was perfection.
July 11, 2023
What an incredible debut book this is, I was completely and utterly absorbed all the way through.
As a mother I cannot imagine how it would feel to face the impossible choice being faced by Stephanie and James, and think that, if anything, being a mother made me feel even more invested in this story.
The author’s writing was somehow both sensitive and yet unflinching in the way the incredibly difficult topics of the story were written. I was extremely moved at the time and then in retrospect I was so impressed with the author’s writing skills to have achieved this.
The characters were really well developed and their opposing views on the choices available felt genuine and real and as a reader I could easily have been drawn into either point of view.
I genuinely can’t say enough good things about this book and this new author. It is a heartbreaking story that is beautifully written and I have no hesitation in highly recommending it, but make sure you have some tissues at the ready because I properly ugly cried reading it.
My thanks to the author, the publisher and to Rachel’s Random Resources for gifting me this book. I am leaving this review of my own volition.
As a mother I cannot imagine how it would feel to face the impossible choice being faced by Stephanie and James, and think that, if anything, being a mother made me feel even more invested in this story.
The author’s writing was somehow both sensitive and yet unflinching in the way the incredibly difficult topics of the story were written. I was extremely moved at the time and then in retrospect I was so impressed with the author’s writing skills to have achieved this.
The characters were really well developed and their opposing views on the choices available felt genuine and real and as a reader I could easily have been drawn into either point of view.
I genuinely can’t say enough good things about this book and this new author. It is a heartbreaking story that is beautifully written and I have no hesitation in highly recommending it, but make sure you have some tissues at the ready because I properly ugly cried reading it.
My thanks to the author, the publisher and to Rachel’s Random Resources for gifting me this book. I am leaving this review of my own volition.
June 29, 2023
First, I want to thank Emma-Claire Wilson, Avon Books, and Rachel's Random Resources for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review!
Ohh Emma-Claire Wilson you know how to write a beautiful emotionally filled story that pulls hard on my heart strings! This Child Of Mine I needed to escape my reality for a while and have a good ugly cry. However, next time I read this author I will remember to stock up on tissues.
The cover artists at Avon Books did an amazing job capturing the theme of the book. Not to mention the colors were beautiful! Great job.
Emma-Claire wrote some very personal topics dealing with women issues. She did a phenomenal job expressing the raw emotions of each character involved. Stephanie was incredibly brave and immensely strong! I don’t know what I would have done in her shoes. She had my back the whole story!
This story had a lot of ups and downs, twists, turns, secrets, revelations, and heartbreak.
There were some beautiful and touching scenes where you can’t help but smile at how things work out in the long run.
Ohh Emma-Claire Wilson you know how to write a beautiful emotionally filled story that pulls hard on my heart strings! This Child Of Mine I needed to escape my reality for a while and have a good ugly cry. However, next time I read this author I will remember to stock up on tissues.
The cover artists at Avon Books did an amazing job capturing the theme of the book. Not to mention the colors were beautiful! Great job.
Emma-Claire wrote some very personal topics dealing with women issues. She did a phenomenal job expressing the raw emotions of each character involved. Stephanie was incredibly brave and immensely strong! I don’t know what I would have done in her shoes. She had my back the whole story!
This story had a lot of ups and downs, twists, turns, secrets, revelations, and heartbreak.
There were some beautiful and touching scenes where you can’t help but smile at how things work out in the long run.
July 11, 2023
This was one very emotionally charged story full of impossible decisions, heartbreak, sadness, disappointment, confusion, courage and so much more. I don’t think there was an emotion that I didn’t experience reading this book! It had it all!
The story is focused around something which, fortunately few of us have to face. Stephanie, our main lady, is told that she is pregnant and that she is also very unwell on the same day! If she carries the baby full-term, then it is unlikely that she will survive herself. However, on the other hand if she has treatment then the baby will almost certainly die.
You're encouraged to put yourself in the main character's shoes, what would you do? What would you feel? These are just a couple of the questions that you are sure to be asking yourself while reading through this.
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would, it is written so well and so sensitively that I just couldn’t help but fall in love with the characters and become emotionally invested in them!
The story is focused around something which, fortunately few of us have to face. Stephanie, our main lady, is told that she is pregnant and that she is also very unwell on the same day! If she carries the baby full-term, then it is unlikely that she will survive herself. However, on the other hand if she has treatment then the baby will almost certainly die.
You're encouraged to put yourself in the main character's shoes, what would you do? What would you feel? These are just a couple of the questions that you are sure to be asking yourself while reading through this.
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would, it is written so well and so sensitively that I just couldn’t help but fall in love with the characters and become emotionally invested in them!
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July 16, 2023"It's funny how the small things look so different depending on the stage of life you find yourself in."
Within the author info that accompanies the book, it says that Emma-Claire writes, "to make sense of a world and loves nothing more than tackling tough subjects and issues that affect her readers on a daily basis."
In this emotional, poignant, thought-provoking and life-affirming story, Emma-Claire does just that.
Told from the POV of the main character, Stephanie, Emma-Claire has created a storyline posing a tragic, life changing and unimaginable choice for Stephanie and the loved ones around her. With the inevitable consequences, thoughts and feelings being explored in a raw, gripping, powerful, tear jerking, heartbreaking, but also hopeful and uplifting narrative.
Taking her readers on an emotional rollercoaster journey of love, loss, guilt, trust, empathy, sympathy, forgiveness, new beginnings and the all important question of what constitutes family.
You'll definitely need the man size Kleenex at the ready for this one.
It's my favourite debut of the year so far!
Within the author info that accompanies the book, it says that Emma-Claire writes, "to make sense of a world and loves nothing more than tackling tough subjects and issues that affect her readers on a daily basis."
In this emotional, poignant, thought-provoking and life-affirming story, Emma-Claire does just that.
Told from the POV of the main character, Stephanie, Emma-Claire has created a storyline posing a tragic, life changing and unimaginable choice for Stephanie and the loved ones around her. With the inevitable consequences, thoughts and feelings being explored in a raw, gripping, powerful, tear jerking, heartbreaking, but also hopeful and uplifting narrative.
Taking her readers on an emotional rollercoaster journey of love, loss, guilt, trust, empathy, sympathy, forgiveness, new beginnings and the all important question of what constitutes family.
You'll definitely need the man size Kleenex at the ready for this one.
It's my favourite debut of the year so far!
July 28, 2023
Prepare to be emotionally stunned by this gut-wrenching novel! This novel tackles so many difficult topics with the utmost care. The amount of grief in this novel will rip your heart out, but you will root for everyone involved, not just one person. You will be left gutted. Just know that going in.
James and Stephanie's dreams of having a family are finally coming true until one doctors appointment throws their entire world off its axis. It seems like their world will never be right after that appointment, and then tragedy strikes again. It leaves you grappling with questions about how much one family can endure? Can they move past all the secrets, the loss, the trauma? Can they piece their life back together while staying together, or will everything fall apart in the wake of their emotional turmoil?
My heart was completely shattered with all the grief and loss in this novel. It allowed me to release my own emotions that I didn't know I was still carrying.
Thank you, netgalley, for this e-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
James and Stephanie's dreams of having a family are finally coming true until one doctors appointment throws their entire world off its axis. It seems like their world will never be right after that appointment, and then tragedy strikes again. It leaves you grappling with questions about how much one family can endure? Can they move past all the secrets, the loss, the trauma? Can they piece their life back together while staying together, or will everything fall apart in the wake of their emotional turmoil?
My heart was completely shattered with all the grief and loss in this novel. It allowed me to release my own emotions that I didn't know I was still carrying.
Thank you, netgalley, for this e-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
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