The Offering

by Angela Elwell Hunt

One innocent mistake… a lifetime of consequences.

One innocent mistake . . . a lifetime of consequences.

After growing up an only child, Amanda Lisandra wants a big family. But since she and her soldier husband can’t afford to have more children right away, Mandy decides to earn money as a gestational carrier for a childless couple. She loves being pregnant, and while carrying the child, she dreams of having her own son and maybe another daughter. . . .

Just when the nearly perfect pregnancy is about to conclude, unexpected tragedy enters Mandy’s world and leaves her reeling. Devastated by grief, she surrenders the child she was carrying and struggles to regain her emotional equilibrium.

Two years later she studies a photograph of the baby she bore and wonders if the unthinkable has happened—could she have inadvertently given away her own biological child? Over the next few months Mandy struggles to decide between the desires of her grief-stricken heart and what’s best for the little boy she has never known.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Contemporary, Christian, Fiction, Family, Marriage, Womens Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published May 14, 2013

About the author

Christy-Award winner Angela Hunt writes for readers who have learned to expect the unexpected in novels from this versatile author. With nearly six million copies of her books sold worldwide, she is the best-selling author of more than 165 works ranging from picture books (The Tale of Three Trees) to novels.

Now that her two children are grown, Angie and her husband live in Florida with Very Big Dogs (a direct result of watching Turner and Hooch and Sandlot too many times). This affinity for mastiffs has not been without its rewards--one of their dogs was featured on Live with Regis and Kelly as the second-largest canine in America. Their dog received this dubious honor after an all-expenses-paid trip to Manhattan for the dog and the Hunts, complete with VIP air travel and a stretch limo in which they toured New York City.

Afterward, the dog gave out pawtographs at the airport.

Angela admits to being fascinated by animals, medicine, psychology, unexplained phenomena, and “just about everything” except sports. Books, she says, have always shaped her life— in the fifth grade she learned how to flirt from reading Gone with the Wind.

Her books have won the coveted Christy Award, several Angel Awards from Excellence in Media, and the Gold and Silver Medallions from Foreword Magazine’s Book of the Year Award. In 2007, her novel The Note was featured as a Christmas movie on the Hallmark channel. Romantic Times Book Club presented her with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006, and American Christian Fiction Writers bestowed the same award in 2019.

In 2006, Angela completed her Master of Biblical Studies in Theology degree and completed her second doctorate in 2015. When she’s not home reading or writing, Angie often travels to teach writing workshops at schools and writers’ conferences. And to talk about her dogs, of course.

Reviews

[Melissa (Vacation Mode) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would have been SO much better had the back cover blurb not given away over 75% of the plot.

This could have been a great novel, but unfortunately, the book description gives away most of the plot. It detracts from the enjoyment of an unfolding story and its twists and turns. However, the medical and cultural details are fascinating and add to the drama.
Amanda and her soldier husband have a difficult time making ends meet. When Amanda hears of becoming a gestational carrier for an infertile couple, she knows this could be the answer to their money woes. After some discussion, her husband and his large extended Cuban family see the benefits. Amanda discovers her husband has been killed in action on the day she delivers the other couple’s child, and years later comes to the shocking realization that the child she surrendered may have been her own.
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[Katherine Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

The last time I read a novel by Angela Hunt was years ago, maybe twenty. Then, as now, I was drawn to her interest in writing about current day, relevant issues. The last novel I remember reading centered around the issue of abortion and its link to breast cancer. In The Offering, it’s about surrogate pregnancy, a topic that’s fascinated me ever since a neighbor bore twins on behalf of her sister.

As always, the depth and breadth of Hunt’s research manifests in her storytelling. She also puts together an intriguing mix of characters–in this case a family of close-knit Cuban Americans, an infertile French couple, and an average blue-eyed, blond American woman with a dream for her family. All good.

Where I felt a disconnect was with the main character, Mandy. Her naiveté about the world, people and relationships stretched my credibility. And sometimes the dialogue felt forced, unnatural, as too often it was used primarily as a vehicle for explanation.

I also think the back cover reveals too much of the story. It leaves few surprises. If I’d known less about what was going to happen, I may have been more drawn into the story. I did, however, appreciate the story’s redemptive ending.

Because Angela Hunt tackles such tricky subject material, I understand why her books claim so many devoted fans. But I’m afraid this one didn’t do much for me.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very well written book, though I highly recommend that you DO NOT READ THE BOOK'S DESCRIPTION BEFORE READING THE BOOK! Thankfully, another reviewer pointed this out, and I was able to completely avoid the book blurb. Of course, I read the book's description after I finished the book, and I can't believe how much of the story is given away. For this book, in particular, it's much better to go into the story not knowing any details, other than it's a story about surrogacy.

It's a story that will make you think, and raises big questions. It's a unique story of love, faith, and family. It will keep you eagerly turning pages, and it will no doubt pull at your heart strings. It's a touching story, that moved me to tears and filled me with hope.

This is an all-around great read! I highly recommend it, and I beg you . . . if you haven't already, please DO NOT read the book's description prior to reading the book. I honestly believe it will ruin the reading experience for you.

[Rachel Brand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amanda Lisandra has always wanted a big family, but with her husband’s military job, her lack of education and her daughter’s expensive music classes, it doesn’t seem like they’ll be able to expand their family any time soon. Although she has a job at the family grocery, Amanda longs to be able to return to college and get a higher paying job that will enable her family to live the life she’s always dreamed of. It isn’t until a fellow military wife reveals that she’s being paid to carry another couple’s child that Amanda believes that she might be able to raise the funds to complete her degree. Despite her family’s reticence to the concept of surrogacy, Amanda and her husband decide to go ahead with the idea, in the hope that they can bless a childless couple and afford to have another child of their own someday. Amanda loves being pregnant, and their daughter is too young to understand what’s going on—what could possibly go wrong with the situation? Amanda doesn’t expect the biological parents of her child to be so picky about what she’s allowed to do while pregnant—whether it’s using certain cleaning products or eating red meat. And although she appreciates the money she’s earning, she’s less pleased with the expensive gift they send her daughter for her birthday. As she nears the end of her pregnancy, Amanda can’t wait to let go of the challenges of being a surrogate. But just as the end is in sight, a tragic event strikes the Lisandra family—one which will prevent Amanda from realising the true consequences of her surrogacy until it may well be too late.

A few of the early reviews for The Offering complained that the original synopsis gave away too many details from the story. I’ve tried to avoid revealing too main spoilers in my own review, but I will say that knowing a large part of the story before I began reading this novel didn’t detract from my enjoyment too much. If I hadn’t known that this was a novel about surrogacy, I probably wouldn’t have picked it up. Prior to reading The Offering, I’d only encountered one of Angela Hunt’s novels and I didn’t enjoy it nearly as much as this one. I’m glad that I gave Angela another chance, because this is one of the most emotionally compelling novels I’ve read in a long time.

As I read this novel, I realised that surrogacy is something that occurs far more often that I’ve been led to believe. Although I’ve read one other novel on the subject (Goodnight Beautiful by Dorothy Koomson) it’s not something I’ve ever really discussed or thought much about. I definitely don’t know anyone who has ever been a surrogate, and I don’t think it’s something I could do myself. But The Offering opened my eyes to the reasons why someone might consider carrying another person’s child, and what a gift it can be to a couple who aren’t able to have children the traditional way. Although I’m still certain that I couldn’t be a surrogate, I appreciated being able to read about the ethical complications with IVF, surrogacy and adoption without it being put across in a preachy or biased manner. Seeing these difficulties through the eyes of Angela, a surrogate (as well as her cousin, who is struggling to get pregnant) enabled me to understand why some families make certain decisions regarding fertility and pregnancy. Since my husband and I are thinking about starting our own family soon, it was fascinating (and a little overwhelming at times!) to read about all the different routes that couples can choose, as well as the good and bad aspects of each of them.

I did struggle to relate to Amanda at times, mainly because I know what it’s like to live off very little money and have learned to be happy with a lot less than most modern families. I’m not the kind of person who thinks, “Oh, if we just had more money we would be happier and we could buy X and do Y”. A lot of the reasoning behind Amanda’s decision to become a surrogate was based on what she could buy with the money she’d be paid. I know that there is a lot of pressure to earn more money in order to be able to get a better degree or send your child to the best school or buy a better house. We’re definitely not living in a society that encourages us to appreciate the smaller blessings in life, and I’m sure there are a lot of women who struggle with the same longings as Amanda. It’s easy to get sucked into the lie of “If we just had more money, we’d be happier”, so I’m sure that Amanda’s situation will speak to many readers.

Amanda certainly isn’t your typical, stereotyped military wife, and that is one aspect of this story that I greatly appreciated. Military families are often romanticised, but The Offering showed how difficult it can be to try to live a normal life while wondering if your spouse will ever return from their latest tour. Although I didn’t get to know Amanda’s husband as much as I would have liked, I still caught glimpses of his longing to be at home with his family and the difficulty with going on a traumatic mission that you can’t discuss with anyone. Military families are often depicted as being strong, unbreakable pillars of the community, but Angela painted Amanda and her husband as normal, fragile human beings who struggle just like the rest of us. I also loved reading about the larger, extended Lisandra family, mostly made up of Amanda’s Cuban in-laws. Although they’re often conservative in their views and don’t entirely understand why Amanda would want to be a surrogate, the way in which they rally around Amanda and her daughter whenever her husband has to leave on a mission was heart-warming. Regardless of their differences in opinion, the Lisandras help each other through their personal crises, and it was touching to read about such a close-knit family.

I only had a couple of issues with The Offering, and they were incredibly minor. There’s a scene towards the end of the novel where Amanda realises how much baggage she’s been carrying since the death of her father when she was a young child, and as much as I loved this scene, it felt just a bit too neat. Amanda seemed to have a lot of epiphanies all at once, and I kind of wished her realisation had been more gradual so that it would have felt more realistic. I also wish that the French couple—whose baby Amanda is carrying—had been developed a bit more. As it is, they felt rather caricatured, and because the reader knows so little about them they seemed like cardboard cut-outs at times. It would have been fascinating to have part of the story told from their perspective, but then the book would have been twice as long. But I would still have devoured it!

There aren’t a lot of books that will make me stay up until 1am the night before an exam, desperate to find out what happens next. There also aren’t a lot of books that make me cry, so The Offering ticked far more boxes than I expected. Anyone who is a parent, or is considering becoming one, should be able to appreciate The Offering on some level—whether it’s the anguish of not being able to conceive or simply wishing you could provide more for your children. Regardless of your thoughts on surrogacy, The Offering is definitely worth reading, and I don’t think anyone can get through this book without wondering “What would I do if...?” at least once or twice.

Review title provided by Howard.

[Destiny · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you don't want to know the entire plot of this book, do not read the summary! I found this book to be very predictable because I read the summary. The only thing that surprised me was the epilogue.

The story moved very slowly at the beginning and was rather dull. I likely would have abandoned this book except I was ready it with my bookclub.

I don't feel like the characters were very well developed. There were a few relationships in the book that could have been better developed to have it a more interesting book.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I was initially intrigued by a Christian author’s attempt to weave a novel around contemporary bioethical issues, The Offering ultimately expresses naive, not so subtle, right wing conservative propaganda: anti-immigration, anti-diversity, anti-feminist, misogynist, nationalistic, homophoebic comments are embedded throughout the characters’ dialogue. The Offering casts surrogacy in an “aura of altruism. By having someone else’s baby, I would not only be helping my family and another couple, I would be doing something positive in a world that had seen far too much darkness and despair. I would be striking a blow for freedom. I would be taking a stand for a woman’s right to control her own body in a way that celebrated motherhood and unborn life...Sometimes...it took a village to conceive a child.”

In her ad hoc attempt at integrating diversity by featuring a Cuban family and interweaving Spanish code switching, Hunt actually reinforces racial stereotyping. “Gideon would hate the thought of his wife being pregnant with some other guy’s child. You forget you married a Latin man, chica...Stereotypes exist because they are usually true.” “They lived in America--shouldn’t they adapt to us instead of the other way around?” Through her description of Gideon’s character as an American soldier, Hunt expresses nationalistic superiority. “I searched for signs of trouble around the world, though in my gut I suspected Gideon and his team were headed to Afghanistan or Iraq, maybe even Pakistan. Or anywhere in the troubled Middle East…” Associating words like “troubled” to individual countries or regions like the “Middle East” undergirds the disinformation perpetuated by Western media.

When perusing the folders of potential surrogate partners, Mandy’s husband Gideon blinks when he sees a picture of two middle-aged men. He blurts, “Where do they get the embryo?” and scowls, “They want to terminate females?” It is the gay couple who are open to selective termination and it is the gay couple who Hunt portrays as strange, evil female killers. Gideon expresses his own misogynistic views when he blatantly expresses to his wife, “I want a son...I will always love daughters, but as long as you stay healthy, I want a son or two to carry on the family name. It’s important to me.”

The protagonist Mandy underscores the traditional stereotypical expectations of a female as submissive wife and mother, “I felt sorry for her when they had to resort to an egg donor...I know every woman wants to have her own biological child, if it’s at all possible.” “A woman, my mom always told me, should play at least a little hard to get...Maybe my mom was right--maybe Gideon was too wrapped around my finger. Maybe a good wife should be more inclined to follow her husband’s opinions, and maybe a good husband should be less vulnerable to his wife’s persuasive powers.”

In her interview with the author, Hunt reveals her naivety and lack of research when she expresses, “I have no problem with IVF or surrogacy as long as everyone involved fully understands the bioethical issues and resolves to preserve all human life: that would mean no freezing of embryos (because half of those embryos probably won’t survive the thawing procedure).” Research suggests that a frozen embryo can be kept viable for an extremely long period of time so long as freezing conditions remain favorable and consistent.

The Offering reads like a roller coaster--it begins slowly and builds interest about midway through the book. It would have been a much more compelling read had the author started with the legal trial and developed the tension, unspooling the narrative in reverse chronological order with the plotline starting at the end. Although somewhat trite, the story concludes with an unexpected twist. “I’ve been thinking about what love is, and what family means. I’m like king Solomon, I have realized that the mother who loves best may well be the one who is most willing to let go. So that’s what I want to do. So Julian is my biological son, I want to officially relinquish my right to raise him...The heart doesn’t always feel what the mind knows.” This novel is one offering that you can afford to pass.

[Ruth Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an exceptionally written book, and I have nothing but praise for the style, the story, and in many aspects, the reality of the story. I always am impressed when Christian authors venture into areas that many don't dare to go, and that of surrogacy is just such an area. I honestly didn't even know that surrogacy was something that was still going on, but I learned that it is definitely a thriving, lucrative business that just tends to stay out of the news.

One of my few complaints is that this book is not "Christian" enough, and unfortunately, this is a recurring trend. When a book is published as a Christian book, I always come in with the expectation that it will be clean (which this book is) and carry a message that is not only positive but points back to God. God's influence is seen in this book, but I just don't see the characters turning to God and relying on Him as they go through their lives. There was a lot of Catholicism in the book, and of course, there was mention of heaven. But I don't understand why Mandy and Gideon don't turn to God before they make major decisions. They talk about prayer, but I see them talking and thinking through things rather than asking "What would God have me do?"

One other issue I have concerns the issue of surrogacy. I am glad that the book touches on the fact that it may not be right for a Christian to be involved in this practice. Amelia gives some wonderfully biblical thoughts concerning this, but I don't understand why the issue is never raised again. What about the frozen embryos that never got the chance? Will they just be allowed to die? I wish the author had at least had Mandy consider that issue again, but she never does.

I will say that the overarching message of the book is emotional and amazing. What Mandy does is sure to pull on your heartstrings, and I think God is shown more in the last third of the book than anywhere else. But still, I don't see Mandy change her mind due to anything having to do with God. It is this kind of ambiguity that has led me to rate this book as a four rather than five.

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are one hundred percent me, and I was not financially compensated in any way.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished this book and I have to say that it really got me to thinking about a lot of things as a strong, pro-life Christian. I never gave much thought to surrogate pregnancies – either the woman who carries the baby or the IP’s (Intended Parents) but that has changed, then again I’m not going to start wondering if every pregnant woman is a surrogate or not! Amanda and her husband, Gideon story picks up quickly from the first page and through a 1st person telling we see Amanda’s coming to grips with love and loss.

This isn’t normally the genre I’d really pick up but the plot intrigued me when I received the email about getting this book to review. I’m so glad I gave it a chance a though – Amanda’s inlaws are Catholic and she gives her daughter both a Protestant and a Catholic understanding of faith – and what love ultimately means. I knew a huge twist was coming but I wasn’t sure when, and when it came I had to pull out the tissues because I cried several times through this book.

It has even sparked discussion between my husband and I, as to whether we’d ever consider me being a surrogate, however there are a lot of ethical as well as our religious beliefs to consider and pray over. It’s raised some good questions, one that I hadn’t considered before – including surrogacy but I admit the money would be nice to have as well as helping a childless couple. If you’ve never given thought to it this is a great way to maybe seeing pregnancy, love and ultimately sacrifice and healing in a whole different light and definitely different from how a Christian novel usually goes.

**I was given an e-copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Christian Fiction Addiction · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angela Hunt has long impressed me with her ability to come up with plot ideas like I've never read before, and "The Offering" is no exception. I devoured this book in one day because I simply had to see how everything resolved, and I can tell you that I absolutely loved this book! I wasn't expecting to cry - but I did. I wasn't expecting to put down the book feeling deeply moved - but I did. I was, of course, expecting to be entertained - and I certainly was! The premise of the book is a fascinating one, and there were moments when I thought to myself that Amanda was simply crazy to even consider the idea of becoming a surrogate mom in order to achieve financial stability. Yet as I met all the different characters in the book, from Amanda willing to be a surrogate to the parents desperate for a child, I realized that this issue is not simply black and white, that there are no easy answers. I found myself considering what lengths I would go to if my wife and I had been unable to have children. I thought about how challenging it would be to carry a baby as a surrogate mom, and then have to walk away. And I cannot even imagine facing the decision Amanda must deal with at the end of the book!

If you are looking for a very well-written contemporary novel that will engage your emotions and leave you thinking at the same time, then look no further than Angela Hunt's "The Offering". You will find it to be time well spent! 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Book has been provided courtesy of the publisher, Howard Books (a division of Simon & Schuster) and the Litfuse Publicity Group, for the purposes of this unbiased review.

[Adrienna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started reading this book and thought the book had promise based on glancing at the synopsis. Ironically, I have not been able to get into it yet. It spoke early on about surrogate mother for a couple, which I met someone at work who is also considering doing this for a family in 2016.

I may just pass on this reading but was able to finish. the ending left me speechless and had to believe for a grieving widow and mother. it took nearly to the end to like.

2.75
Leisure read 2015.

[Lenore Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my I have been crying while reading The Offering. Not too many books have that ability for I am not one to drop a tear. But the realization that doing a good deed while working on providing for your own family can blow up in your face. Then the horror of knowing that you need to do what is right and best. Oh me, oh my, how does one decide?

[Cassie Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up by accident, thinking I was getting a different book, but I decided to give it a shot anyway. After reading a few GR reviews, I was not expecting much. However, I enjoyed this book, and I'm not sure why it received so many negative ratings. It was a poignant novel about love, loss, and the struggles of building a family, with elements of the struggles immigrants face and the desire to provide for your children in whatever means possible. I thought it was well written and dealt with the subject well, I really don't have many complaints.

Something I saw in a lot of the other reviews was that the back of book summary gives away most of the plot, and unfortunately I can't disagree with that. I pretty much knew what to expect after reading what the book was about. There was also an overwhelming amount of foreshadowing. Within the first few chapters of the book, I pretty much knew what major conflicts would arise in the plot. I could have predicted most of what would happen during the course of the novel between the intense foreshadowing by the author and the summary provided. From some of the first paragraphs, I had the uneasy feeling that I knew what sorts of tragedy would befall the family, and while I kept hope that I had made wrong assumptions, I unfortunately ended up being right.

Because I could predict what was coming, the plot wasn't exactly exciting. However, as with most realistic fiction books of this sort, I don't expect the most suspenseful plot I've ever read. I know that most of the action will be slow moving, and the intention is to make me bond with the characters and feel what they're feeling, rather than making me want to know exactly what comes next. So despite some disappointment of knowing what would happen, I mostly knew what I was getting myself into.

That being said, this is not the novel to read if you're looking for something dramatic and intense. Most of the conflict in this one is subtle and the plot can be somewhat slow at times. Once Amanda had given up her baby (not a spoiler, the book literally revolves around her being a surrogate mother), I felt like the novel could have ended, but I still had 100+ pages left. As the drama started to unfold I was glad it hadn't, but the ending made me feel like it definitely could have finished at that point and I would have mostly been satisfied. Sort of a frustrating ending to the book after how much Amanda goes through, but I can't say I disagree with her choices.

So, all in all, this is a pretty good one. A nice read for a book club or pool side. I enjoyed Angela Elwell Hunt's writing style, which made this one pretty quick for me, and I plan on reading her again. If you enjoy books about family dynamics, realistic fiction novels, or even immigrant stories, I'd say this is one to check out.

[Thabo Ngaka · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well-written story of a woman named Amanda Lisandra, commonly called Mandy. She is married to a soldier, Gideon. They both have a four-year old daughter named Marilee. Mandy grew up as an only child. Because of this, she wanted to have a much bigger family. The challenge was that they did not have enough financial power to take care of many children. Mandy loved being pregnant. Currently, she does not hold a good-paying job; she works at a family grocery store (owned by Gideon's side of the family).
When she learned, later on, about an opportunity to make some money as a gestational carrier, she took a leap of faith and went ahead with it. However, great tragedy came into her life towards the end of a successful pregnancy. This tragedy left her devastated, which became worse because she also had to give birth and surrender the child she was carrying to the intended parents.
Two years later, she studied a photo of the baby she bore and wondered if she inadvertently gave away her own biological child. She then struggles to decide between the desires of her grief-stricken heart and whats best for the little boy she has never known.

I've personally learnt a lot about letting go. Sometimes we may feel so entitled to something that we become blind of what really matters the most. Eventually, when you see the bigger picture and make peace with what is and not hold on to what ought to be, peace starts to kick in as you let go.

[Michael crage · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book fits into no category besides novel. I read it because three different people from Goodreads recommended it highly. Now I recommended highly also. The main character is Amanda Hockings. She is the wife of Gideon , a Cuban-American who is soldier, and the mother of Marilee, a four year old musical genius. They are barely subsiding on the money they have coming in and Amanda decides that she can bring in money by becoming a surrogate mother which will pay her more than her husband earns in a year. Her husband is killed when she near to giving birth which tears her up. At the end of the book, there were some questions to think about and useful as a reading group guide and some questions the author answered. I found these to be almost as interesting as the book.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Offering is one of those books that hooks you from the moment you start reading. You don't want to put it down because you need to know the ending, but you pace yourself because you don't want the story to end. This book will make you think about women who are surrogates in a different manner than you have previously done before. The Offering will leave you wanting to know more about what happens in the character's lives after the end of the book. This book definitely needs a sequel.

[Niki Kropf · Rating 4 out of 5]

“You don’t have to be related to get your emotions all in a tangle. Love is a lot more binding than blood.”

This story is an emotional roller coaster dealing with military life, surrogacy, and loss. I’ve always loved stories that pull me into a new way of seeing. This story does just that.

The ending, while painful was the perfect resolution - showing that sometimes, for loves sake, we have to let go.

[Kathleen Robison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story about a military wife who decides to serve as a gestational carrier is controversial, heart-wrenching, and eye-opening. My mind is still reeling, with all the aspects of this tough but real-life challenge happening every day. The side story about foster parenting and adoption got lost a little, but still tugged at my heart. As always, this author's prose is exceptional, and the plot is so captivating. Everyone I told about it wants to read it.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this novel!.I felt the characters in my soul, and came to love Mandy, Gideon, his family, all the characters. It was an intriguing book and after a dry spell of not reading - depression make it hard - I pray it has cut through my blocked mind. Great book!

[Belinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

About 70 percent. I didn't realise that this was Christian fiction until well in to the book. I am atheist so this book wasn't really for me. Having said that, I actually enjoyed the subject matter. And was touched by the story.

[Michelle Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book and loved the story!

[Tiffanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a page turner! I never imagined it would of turned out the way it did.

[Dawn L. Harlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love =Family

No matter our differences we all need love and understanding of each other. Our opinions count and we need to be heard and included.

[Julie Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did NOT like the protagonist at the beginning of this book. I thought she was whiny, shallow and a total baby. By the end she had redeemed herself. Slow to start but great ending.

[Susan Richards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lady becomes a gestational carrier. Husband in the military.

[Nathalie Desormeaux]

The book was not bad,just not the best I've read.

[Becky Boyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5. A story about a surrogate mother. Interesting events happen. What would I do?????

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book. It really showed the ins and outs of surrogacy and a lot of the emotion that can go with it.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, even though the write up gave away a lot, however, I enjoyed the characters very much and their journeys. It was a nice light enjoyable read.

[Nora St Laurent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angela Hunt hits it out of the park with The Offering. Once again this author describes an amazing scientific accomplishment and how it affects us individually and spiritually. I always learn so much when Angela shows me how these amazing things play out in real life with real people! This novel explores the topic of being a gestational carrier! I’m so thankful for the review copy of such an eye opening, informative book.

Angela Hunt says in an author interview at the back of the book, “I believe God created every life for a purpose – so we should behave responsibly toward unborn children even if they are only at the blastocyst stage.”

Amanda Lisandra begins her research about becoming a surrogate. She informs her husband, Gideon, “It’s legal, but not everyone approves of surrogacy…Here’s how it works hon, “The baby will be the couple’s biological child, but they’ll pay me to carry it until it’s born. For my part in the arrangement, I’m pretty sure I could earn as much as you do in a year…everything I need will be supplied by the other couple.”

Gideon says, “A man wants his wife to carry his own baby.”

Amanda responds, “In a perfect world, sure…but not everyone woman can carry babies while people like me carry them easily. Look at it this way – I want to contribute to our family’s dream and you risk your life for us every time you go out the front door.”

“Ok baby girl! If you want to be generous, why should I stop you?”

Then their off on this incredible journey! This author gives the reader a front row seat as Amanda plunges into being a gestational carrier hook line and sinker! Amanda comes up against things she didn't realize would be part of the experience! She thought being a surrogate was simply her trying to help her family out financially at the same time she could make another couples dream come true of having a child of their own. Not so easy! Things were getting complicated!

Angela helps the reader look at this matter from several angles and lets you decide how you feel. All too soon Amanda realized it takes “a village to conceive a child.” Who knew? I really appreciated how the spiritual thread was masterfully woven throughout this astounding novel. The author makes the reader think by asking questions throughout this story, like could God work through a Surrogate? What is a couple’s obligation to eggs that are harvested? What is best for the child?

At the same time Amanda starts her surrogate journey her cousin Amelia and husband Mario start the process of adopting a child. They’ve tried to have a baby for years. Time was ticking! They plug into becoming adoptive parents and see a whole new side of life. It’s heart warming and complicated. Amanda was running into a few compilations of her own, she soon discovered that relationships’ of all kind took work, were hard to make work and are complex.

Angela immediately had me connect with and have compassion for her characters and their unreal situations. I was glued to this book from the start to finish. Warning you’ll be up late finishing this one. Grin! My heart raced and I got teary eyed at the end. I wasn't sure how this author would complete these two couples journey. The ending was satisfying and made me think about so much. When science and man-kind try to play God things get challenging! I highly recommend this for your book club pick and your summer ready list! There is oh so much to talk about! Wow!

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St.Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins! www.bookfun.org
The Book Club Network Blog www.psalm516.blogspot.com
Book Fun Magazine www.bookfunmagazine.com

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you had the chance to be a surrogate for a couple who couldn't have a baby, would you do it? Now, what if a tragedy strikes at the end of the pregnancy that leaves you in terrible grief, and two years later you see a picture of the baby boy you carried for the couple, and he looks like your daughter. Could it be possible that the boy you carried was biologically yours? What would you do? This is the heart wrenching dilemma that Amanda Lisandra found herself in two years after being a surrogate for a childless couple.

In author Angela Hunt's poignant novel The Offering, the reader follows the bittersweet journey of military wife Amanda Lisandra as she contemplates what to do when the issue of paternity arises from the surrogate birth of the baby boy she had carried for a childless couple two years ago. Written in the first person narrative and set in Tampa, Florida, this thought-provoking story about surrogate parenting takes the reader on a heart wrenching roller coaster ride that will leave them emotionally spent.

Amanda is a military wife who is looking for a way to make some extra money to help secure the financial future of her family. When a pregnant military wife comes into her husband Gideon's family's Cuban grocery store, she tells Amanda about being a surrogate for a childless couple. This information gets Amanda thinking about the potential of raising extra money for their future as well as helping a childless couple have a baby.

Gideon is in the Army and leads an elite 16-man counterterrorism unit under the Special Forces Command based in Tampa's MacDill Air Force Base, and is frequently deployed on special secret missions. After much discussion, Gideon reluctantly supports Amanda becoming a surrogate for a French couple. Tragedy strikes when Gideon is killed in action and Amanda gives birth to a baby boy on the same day that she learns that she is a widow.

Two years later, Amanda receives a picture of the child she bore for the couple on his second birthday, and she is shocked by how much he resembles her husband and daughter. Having kept a lock of his hair, she has a DNA test taken with the results coming back that the boy is Amanda and Gideon's biological son. Amanda now faces the difficult moral choices of what to do: seek custody of her son or leave him in the care of the French couple.

This poignant story transports the reader into Amanda's story, you can't help but become emotionally invested and step into Amanda's shoes as her journey leads her down a difficult path to decide the best course of action to take for her son and family. Author Angela Hunt thoughtfully tackles the difficult issues surrounding surrogacy, and the emotional, moral, legal dilemmas and consequences that come with it.

The Offering is a captivating story that deals with death, loss, grief and family support; it has an engaging cast of characters, dramatic dialogue and interactions; and a realistic storyline that has tender moments, riveting twist and turns, and a surprise hope-filled conclusion that will pull at your heartstrings.

The Offering is a poignant and tender story that will simply touch your heart and soul, and resonate with you long after the last word has been read.


Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Litfuse Publicity.

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