Someone Else’s Child by Alison Ragsdale
Published: January 21, 2022
Bookouture
Pages: 322
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense
KKECReads Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.
Alison Ragsdale is a former marketing executive, originally from Edinburgh; Alison now lives near Washington D.C. with her husband and dogs. She was educated in England and holds an MBA from Leicester University.
The family’s picture-perfect home is filled every day with April’s warm giggles and joyful games. But when her daughter is just eight years old, Catriona gets the call that she has been silently dreading. April’s birth mother, Lauren, would like to meet her.
Lauren breezes into their home and April just sparkles around her. Their matching turquoise eyes and chestnut hair feels like a knife to Catriona’s heart. Lauren appears to have her life back on track, with a good job and a new house in an upscale neighbourhood. Pushing to spend more and more time with April, one day Lauren says the unthinkable: April belongs with me.
Who can truly give the little girl the love and family she deserves? Catriona is sure Lauren is keeping secrets. Catriona only wants what is best for her darling daughter, but does that really mean she has to let her go forever?
“He had let this happen.”
Catriona is a devoted mother to two daughters, one by birth and one through adoption. She thinks her life is as close to perfect as possible. Until an unexpected tragedy nearly rips her family apart. Now, secrets from the past threaten the fragile future, and all that hangs in the balance.
This was an extremely emotional novel. The premise is tragic, but the process is beautiful. The characters were realistic, and their grief was palpable.
Catriona was a loving mother. She involved herself in every aspect of her daughter’s life, and she thrived in the chaos of motherhood.
Duncan is a good dad and a hardworking man. He didn’t spend as much time with his family, thinking there would always be tomorrow, and quickly learning not to postpone what could be done right now.
Hope was vibrant and full of life. She was the older sister, full of sass and an adventurous spirit.
April is every bit the baby of the family. She looks up to her big sister and follows her without question. She is also more perceptive than anyone could have realized.
There is so much tragedy, grief, heartbreak, and ultimately healing and redemption in this novel. Not my typical genre choice. This was an emotional journey from start to finish.
When children experience loss, their emotions process in ways that could seem nearly impossible to understand as an adult, and April’s grief was brutally silent.
Catriona was beautifully written as a grieving mother, who still had to wake up and parent. She had to attempt to process her own hurt, with the pain inside her child.
Between processing feelings, and trying to find a way to keep move forward, the balance is precarious. But the emotions, the forgiveness, and the growth is real.
This was a truly beautiful story from start to finish. The novel started with hope, and it ended with hope. Despite the journey, hope was found.