This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration.

The Choices We Make

Hannah and Kate- best friends since the 5th grade. These 2 share everything. They have each other’s back. Are 2 peas in a pod. And all that jazz.

However, Hannah longs to be a mother, to have children to play with Kate’s kids- and through life’s unfair ways- Hannah has not been able to get pregnant.

The grief that Hannah feels over this news is heartbreaking. She loves Ben and wants to give him a child- a child of their own making so much she can taste it.

Even though Kate did not have a problem conceiving- the grief that she feels for Kate is almost overwhelming. Her best friend, unable to know a child- a child that will share both Hannah’s and Ben’s genes- it’s too much.

Then, Kate generously offers to not only carry Hannah’s and Ben’s baby to term, but to also donate eggs for the procedure. Kate and Hannah are best friends, the husbands are friends- they are at each other’s house all the time- the lives that are almost picture perfect- just need 1 more thing to make everything perfect- for Kate to have a child.

The road to hell is paved with the best of intentions………………

 

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

Powerful. Karma Brown takes a book, a situation that could be contrived- could have went in dozens of different directions and writes a story that is heartbreaking, powerful and that book clubs will lap up like cats lick cream from a saucer.

I don’t want to ruin this book for you- so I’m going to try to stay away from potential spoilers about the plot and just go through a quick process of what I was thinking:

1. In reading The Choices We Make, I thought 2 things- one that I wish I had a friend who would be like Kate. Who would understand my desperate need for a child and offer her egs and womb not because she felt she had to because we were besties- but because she knew a world where I did not have a child would be unimaginable. The other is that I hope a friend/family member never needs my eggs/womb- because, in all honesty, I would probably say no. Choosing to do something of this magnitude is not something I would want to take lightly or even actually do. I would be concerned about the things that could go wrong- from health to drama. Call me selfish- but I don’t think I have a big heart like Kate.

 

2. That Kate and Hannah needed to grow up. I understood that they were best friends and they could never imagine anything going wrong with their plans. But guess what? Those social workers had seen many things- and they knew they had to prepare them. It sucks to have to plan for the worst- until the worst happens. And somewhere, you are glad you have a contingency plan- even if you never say it out loud.

 

3. That Kleenex is making a huge marketing mistake by NOT partnering with Karma Brown. Seriously, Kleenex- call her. Make some plans. Get in on this goldmine. Or you’ll be kicking yourself.

 

In closing- I freaking LOVED this book. It made me explore and honestly admit things about myself- and it was a page turner that I could not read fast enough (yet I wanted to SAVOR the words!)

 

*The Choices We Make was sent to me from MIRA Publishing. It is a July-September 2016 Futuristic Friday selection.*

 

Happy Reading and Bookishly Yours,

T @ Traveling With T