In Her Mothers' Shoes

by Felicity Price

Three women caught in the adoption triangle – the birth mother, the adoptive mother and the daughter – are about to discover the emotional turmoil of confronting their past, when Kate Stewart traces her birth mother and finds she has a brother and sister who never knew she existed.

Based on three true stories, "In Her Mothers' Shoes" tells of the heartache of having to give up your baby for adoption without even being able to hold her; of the insecurity of adopting; and how, for an adopted child, there will always be a lifelong yearning to belong, to fit in.
About the Author
Author of the best-selling Penny Rushmore novels, including “A Sandwich Short of a Picnic”, Felicity Price has also written several other published novels, the John Britten biography “Dare to Dream” and a couple of company histories. Sandwiched (like Felicity's fictional character Penny Rushmore) between the emotional turmoil of elderly parents, teenagers, a demanding career and a badly-behaved spaniel, Felicity similarly tries to juggle with jelly and often feels it slither between her fingers.

Genres: Adoption, Fiction

322 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 2002

About the author

Felicity Price is the author of eight romance suspense novels featuring contemporary women. Three also follow the hardships of women struggling to survive in the wild west of colonial New Zealand, showing their descendants how ghosts of the past can influence the future.
Her two children, now adults starting families of their own, have provided a constant source of inspiration for the family situation of the fictional Penny Rushmore (featured in four of the novels), who has recently become a grandma herself.
Gone Tomorrow is Felicity’s ninth novel and the fourth in the bestselling Penny Rushmore series originally published by Random House. She is also the author of a regular online column on Stuff Lifestyle about the professional, social, physical and emotional joys and issues facing older women.
Felicity is also the author of three works of non-fiction, including the biography of motorcycle icon John Britten. All her life, Felicity has been a writer – from doodling in notebooks at the back of science class to the demanding world of daily television, radio, print and magazine journalism.
Felicity has an MA in Creative Writing from the New Zealand Institute of Modern Letters and an MA Honours in English literature.
Other novels by Felicity Price: A Jolt to the Heart, 2014; In Her Mothers’ Shoes, 2012; Head over Heels, 2010; A Sandwich Short of a Picnic, 2008; Split Time, 2006; Call of the Falcon, 2004; No Angel, 2002; Dancing in the Wilderness, 2001

Reviews

[Beth Beamish · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. Felicity Price writes from her birth mother's perspective incredibly well and I was totally convinced by this third of the book. I also enjoyed her adoptive mother's perspective. Her own section was understandably less gripping, but overall it is a great read.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a novel telling the true story of a daughter who was given up by one mother and adopted by another mother in the 1950's when out of wedlock was not acceptable. It takes place in New Zealand and gives us a good view of how white middle class Europeans viewed moralitiy, raising babies, etc.
The first section is about Liz who meets a guy, does "it", gets pregnant, goes to a home for unwed mothers, and has her baby taken away at birth, feels severe loss over it, and then goes on with her life -- dating, marrying, and having more children. I really liked the story of Liz and could really see her point of view.
The second part deals with Rose at two stages, when she first gets Kate and has to figure out how to feed and change her and the conflicts of child-raising philosophies where they insist that baby be on a schedule and not be cuddled to the life-saving advice of a new comer Dr. Spock who says it is good to cuddle baby and it is fine to feed the baby in the middle of the night and whenever it is hungry. Wow! Then we fast forward to when Rose retires and must care for her aging husband and Kate is an adult with children of her own. The Rose story has LOTS and LOTS of flashbacks to give us the full picture, but sometimes this technique is used awkwardly so I am not really sure which phase of Rose's life we are in and if we have switched back. I found the story of older Rose harder to connect with. The younger Rose I really found easy to understand as she struggles with the RIGHT way to care for baby and the fear of losing her if the authorities don't like how she is doing.
The third part is Kate's story, with flashbacks as well, and picks up and overlaps a bit with Rose's time line. We see Kate having her own family, and searching for her bio-mom. They meet, and Liz promises eventually Kate will meet her bio siblings. The next thing was know it is 20 years LATER. That confused me and I had to reread a bit and then there were more flashbacks. Again some awkward. However, when Kate finally does meet her siblings it reminded me of the experience of a friend of mine who after her adoptive mom died found her birth records and discovered she had older full siblings. To this day, that friend is the happiest person having found a whole family of siblings not just older ones that she belongs with. So....when I read about Kate's meeting and easy bonding with her two siblings and her aunt, I KNEW that this was really truthful. If I had not known of my friend's experience, I might have thought this idealistic. Kate eventually takes the name her bio-mom gave her at birth, Felicity. And when I was done I realized that's the name of the AUTHOR.
This is a novel according to the front matter, but the back matter makes it clear it is also the true story of three women. I think the conversations and feelings of the three women is somewhat fictionalized as made-for-TV movies about real events are, but the facts and the events are mostly true.
It's a great read for anyone touched by closed adoptions or who want to understand the conflict an adoptee goes through looking for roots and identity and yet loving the parents who raised them. I'm glad I got this book -- I would never have bothered if it hadn't been offered free or for .99 cents by Amazon. There are few reviews on it, so I want to make my detailed enough for those considering getting it. It is worth the price if the subject matter is of interesting and if you can be patient with the flashbacks. Also some parts of New Zealand geography and some slang might take a bit of puzzling out. I still don't know what OE is supposed to be. Otherwise, ENJOY!!!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

First up, I read the book not the kindle version but that's an insignifcant detail. I really enjoyed this book, as much for its insight into 1950s New Zealand attitudes as for its 3 versions of the same story - what happens when a baby is adopted told from the birth mother's, the adoptive mother's and the baby-as-a-grownup's perspectives (sorry if that sentence is not quite grammatically correct!). One of the revelations to me was the revered Truby King's perspective on NOT cuddling babies - it really makes you wonder when a leading "baby dr" could believe such a bizarre piece of advice could be good for a parent's relationship with their child. Having struggled a bit with Plunket nurses rigid perspectives in the 2000s I nearly cheered when "the grey invader" told Rose she didn't have to do everything the Plunket nurses said.

It's a poignant story with an ultimately happy ending.

[Zara Hobson · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK

It was an OK read I hated the fact it kept jumping from the now to like 30 years plus I couldn't get in to it like I do when reading most storys was a OK read the ending was better I personally think should of flowed more never mind

[Jeni Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book so much more than I thought I would. It was a very endearing book about adoption from so many points of view and really grasped the toll it takes on every one involved.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was heart wrenching in so many ways. The birth mothers story was heart breaking. Full of drama.

[Kim Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

True story, which shares the questions, pain, longing, and joy associated with closed adoptions from the 1950s. I am glad I read jt and it makes me thankful that some that I know who were in Kate's shoes have found their answers, a deeper understanding for those who still struggle eith those questions and a a sincere appreciation for those who do adopt. I am so happy the laws have changed.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The subject was close to my heart - adoption and even MS. The voices seemed very authentic. I'm not sure if it's as well written as my rating, but I really liked it. Makes me really sad that my daughters will probably never know that third side of their triangle.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this story! I thought how the author tied the storyline together was very well done. How times have changed regarding adoption. I wish I knew at the beginning of the novel that this story was based upon "real" experience. What a story for their family's future generations.

[Bronwen Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is about adoption, beginning in 1950s NZ. Most of it is true! Felicity Price is an excellent story teller, and this book is her own story.

[Karley · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent story based on 3 true storys.

[Eric Edington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazt

I love this book. it brings so many things to light in a age of closed adoption. we have come a long way after all these years. thank you Felicity Price.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

very slow, never really got going.

[Jo · Rating 1 out of 5]

i found this really boring and it jumped around between the years too much with no structure to it

[Kary · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting how laws have changed and people's attitudes. the world is full of six degrees of separation

[Alison]

kindle 323 based on true stories.