Published: September 20, 2023
Bookouture
Genre: Women’s Psychological Fiction
Pages: 316
KKECReads Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.
Jen Craven is the author of upmarket women’s fiction, where one decision changes everything. The author of two historical fiction novels, “Best Years of your Life” is her debut contemporary work. She writes from northwestern Pennsylvania, where she lives with her family.
Cate tries not to cry as she closes the door on the nursery room once again. All she has ever wanted is to be a mother. Cursed with a medical condition that means she is unable to have children, her only option is to wait for a call from the adoption centre. But that call feels like a lifetime away.
Then she hears a faint cry from outside her house. She’s convinced she’s imagining it, that the grief is starting to overwhelm her. But when she opens her door and looks down, her heart swells. By her feet is the most perfect baby curled up in a soft blanket.
As the newborn’s eyes light up, Cate feels instant love for him. She knows she can’t just accept a stranger’s baby – she has to call the police. But as she picks him up, it all finally feels right. This is where the baby belongs.
But when her darling baby is rushed into hospital, Cate knows that in order to save his life, she needs to expose the lie she has been so desperate to hide. Can Cate discover who the child’s real mother is? And if so, will she be able to make the hardest decision of her life to protect the child?
“The thing about crystal, thoughn, is that it’s easy to break.”
This was a heavy one. The storyline is told in parts, which I enjoyed. I liked the characters and how things moved along.
I liked Cate. She felt like an authentic woman who was struggling with infertility. She had done everything “right” and yet something she wanted so badly, a child, couldn’t happen.
I liked Jada as well. She has been through it, but she was trying and I appreciate that. There were some issues I had with her character, like not knowing about the safe haven laws while working at a medical office.
Overall this was a great read. The pacing was well done and the plot moved along smoothly. And things worked out in a way that was unexpected, but not the worst. The element of hope is strong within this story, and I loved that.