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Just Like Other Daughters
Alicia Richards loved her daughter from her very first breath. Days later, when tests confirmed what Alicia already knew--that Chloe had Down syndrome--she didn't falter. Her ex-husband wanted a child who would grow to be a scholar. For Alicia, it's enough that Chloe just is.
Now twenty-five, Chloe is sweet, funny, and content. Alicia brings her to adult daycare while she teaches at a local college. One day Chloe arrives home thrumming with excitement, and says the words Alicia never anticipated. She has met someone--a young man named Thomas. Within days, Chloe and Thomas, also mentally challenged, declare themselves in love.
Alicia strives to see past her misgivings to the new possibilities opening up for her daughter. Shouldn't Chloe have the same right to love as anyone else? But there is no way to prepare for the relationship unfolding, or for the moments of heartbreak and joy ahead.
With grace and warmth, Colleen Faulkner tells an unflinching yet heartrending story of mothers and daughters, and of the risks we all take, both in loving and in letting go.
Now twenty-five, Chloe is sweet, funny, and content. Alicia brings her to adult daycare while she teaches at a local college. One day Chloe arrives home thrumming with excitement, and says the words Alicia never anticipated. She has met someone--a young man named Thomas. Within days, Chloe and Thomas, also mentally challenged, declare themselves in love.
Alicia strives to see past her misgivings to the new possibilities opening up for her daughter. Shouldn't Chloe have the same right to love as anyone else? But there is no way to prepare for the relationship unfolding, or for the moments of heartbreak and joy ahead.
With grace and warmth, Colleen Faulkner tells an unflinching yet heartrending story of mothers and daughters, and of the risks we all take, both in loving and in letting go.
288 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2014
124 people are currently reading
1930 people want to read
About the author
Colleen Faulkner
2 books91 followersColleen Faulkner is the daughter of best-selling author Judith E. French. She sold her first novel at the age of 23 and has been publishing ever since. A Southern Delaware resident, Colleen has published a hundred historical romance, contemporary romance,mystery, suspense and women's fiction novels, and won numerous awards, including The Diamond Award for literary excellence in the state of Delaware. When Colleen isn't writing, she enjoys spending time with her children and grandchildren and traveling the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 215 reviews
September 13, 2017
Wow! I was not expecting that ending!
February 11, 2015
I have just finished reading this wonderful gripping story from Colleen Faulkner.
I'm a bit of a sucker for a woman's story full of choices, anguish and dilemma's not mentioning moral issues, family issues and what 'society' might say.
I'm also a sucker for knowing that, through stories such as this one, many reviewers/readers will have an opinion about. But I always say, unless you are in that particular situation, how do you know what you would do? How would you know what are the best choices when emotions and love get in the way of reasoning?
Here we have a Mom who has a child she has cared for since birth who is now in her 20's and has Down's Syndrome. Mom works, daughter goes to a care center with other adults who need special supervision for limited mental capacity. Father way out of the picture and just a blur around the ages at times when she needs to gee him up to his duties. They went their separate ways long ago.
Just think, as a Mom, all you ever want for your child is to make them happy, for them to find happiness. No different for this Mom.
But Chloe gets attached to Thomas who she meets in the day center. The relationship becomes such that Chloe is telling her Mom that they are going to get married. Of course, she doesn't pay serious attention to this at the start.
We soon have a dilemma, they obviously love each other, but Thomas doesn't have Down's syndrome, but he is mentally challenged in other ways, a full grown man but a child.
Should they be allowed to marry?
What about any future children?
Chloe has lived with her Mother her entire life, I can see the close relationship they have.
Some say Chloe's Mother doesn't allow for Chloe to become more Independent, I read through this book and say, she does all she can to teach her child.
We have a grown woman here with sexual desires of her own, and we have the Mother of Thomas who see's things differently than Chloe's Mom.
There is a whole family unit, friends, and social/doctors/professionals mixed up in this equation.
I think the author has done a fantastic job to keep this book real. To give me an insight to how caring for a child/grown child, with Down's Syndrome would find like choices so difficult.
I am a carer, and its hard to stand back and allow the person you know with mental deficiencies make choices that you know may just not work for them. But the law says, the choices are there's.
I felt for Chloe's Mom on all levels. I felt for Chloe too when the paragraphs belonged to her to write what she was feeling. Very cleverly done by the author. You got an insight to how Chloe's mind thought.
I'm glad that Chloe's Mom has her friend Jin to chat to. Its great to have a friend that you can use as a sounding board even when they don't agree with you or see things in a different way.
I wasn't expecting the ending and I blubbered like a baby. The turn it took was unexpected and shocked me.
But the outlook was good in the end.
I can't wait to read more of this authors books. Her story was so breathtaking realistic, so insightful, I felt I was right there. I must admit in some respects I was saying.....no, don't allow that to happen....or come on, stand up to Margarete. I felt her a bit too pushy for my liking.
BUT then again, no one knows how they would react in a situation unless they have been in it themselves.
Thank you Colleen Faulkner for allowing me to read your wonderful book, and I am looking forward to reading more of your work.
I'm a bit of a sucker for a woman's story full of choices, anguish and dilemma's not mentioning moral issues, family issues and what 'society' might say.
I'm also a sucker for knowing that, through stories such as this one, many reviewers/readers will have an opinion about. But I always say, unless you are in that particular situation, how do you know what you would do? How would you know what are the best choices when emotions and love get in the way of reasoning?
Here we have a Mom who has a child she has cared for since birth who is now in her 20's and has Down's Syndrome. Mom works, daughter goes to a care center with other adults who need special supervision for limited mental capacity. Father way out of the picture and just a blur around the ages at times when she needs to gee him up to his duties. They went their separate ways long ago.
Just think, as a Mom, all you ever want for your child is to make them happy, for them to find happiness. No different for this Mom.
But Chloe gets attached to Thomas who she meets in the day center. The relationship becomes such that Chloe is telling her Mom that they are going to get married. Of course, she doesn't pay serious attention to this at the start.
We soon have a dilemma, they obviously love each other, but Thomas doesn't have Down's syndrome, but he is mentally challenged in other ways, a full grown man but a child.
Should they be allowed to marry?
What about any future children?
Chloe has lived with her Mother her entire life, I can see the close relationship they have.
Some say Chloe's Mother doesn't allow for Chloe to become more Independent, I read through this book and say, she does all she can to teach her child.
We have a grown woman here with sexual desires of her own, and we have the Mother of Thomas who see's things differently than Chloe's Mom.
There is a whole family unit, friends, and social/doctors/professionals mixed up in this equation.
I think the author has done a fantastic job to keep this book real. To give me an insight to how caring for a child/grown child, with Down's Syndrome would find like choices so difficult.
I am a carer, and its hard to stand back and allow the person you know with mental deficiencies make choices that you know may just not work for them. But the law says, the choices are there's.
I felt for Chloe's Mom on all levels. I felt for Chloe too when the paragraphs belonged to her to write what she was feeling. Very cleverly done by the author. You got an insight to how Chloe's mind thought.
I'm glad that Chloe's Mom has her friend Jin to chat to. Its great to have a friend that you can use as a sounding board even when they don't agree with you or see things in a different way.
I wasn't expecting the ending and I blubbered like a baby. The turn it took was unexpected and shocked me.
But the outlook was good in the end.
I can't wait to read more of this authors books. Her story was so breathtaking realistic, so insightful, I felt I was right there. I must admit in some respects I was saying.....no, don't allow that to happen....or come on, stand up to Margarete. I felt her a bit too pushy for my liking.
BUT then again, no one knows how they would react in a situation unless they have been in it themselves.
Thank you Colleen Faulkner for allowing me to read your wonderful book, and I am looking forward to reading more of your work.
April 24, 2018
2.5/5 stars (rounded down)
I enjoyed reading this book, but I didn't particularly like it at all( if that makes any sense). And to be honest the more I think about it the more things I find to dislike. But let's start with the good stuff.
I enjoyed the writing style - I think that's actually what kept me reading. Although it was muddy at times when the time table changed from present to the story the main character was telling, for the most part it was easy and pleasant.
I liked the lesbian best friend living next door - although to be completely honest, her character felt a bit too flat and there could have been more to her story.
I also enjoyed having things told from Chloe's point of view, but there wasn't nearly enough of that.
Now onto the things I didn't enjoy. The main character was pretty much horrid for most of the book - controlling, prejudiced and selfish (which boggles my mind because you'd think that having a child with Down syndrome would make you understand things better). The story definitely revolves around Alicia, it only gives off a fake impression that the story is about Chloe. It's about Alicia hating her ex husband, it's about Alicia's dating life, it's about Alicia's dreams and hopes that got ruined, it's about Alicia's regrets, it's about Alicia's feelings... You get the drill.
In some sense I liked reading about the challenges of raising a Down syndrome child - it's the way Alicia handled things that I disliked so much. At moments the things she said and thought, while were raw and true for her, really bordered on being just plain rude. She did come around at the end of the book, and was a bit better about things, but my opinion of her was well ruined by then.
I honestly think that when parents who have down syndrome child (or any other mental disability) read this book would be offended by the tone of the storytelling. I certainly was - and I don't even have kids.
The plot was very predictable and also had a lot of unnecessary fillers that didn't go anywhere. Alicia's outing to her old church. There was a significant amount spent on this but by the end it was never mentioned again at all. Alicia's constant need to tell Randall everything and ask his opinion, while it was clear that he didn't give a flying rat's ass about anything. A lot of decisions and things she did were out of character and had no real meaning behind them.
The ending was the worst part. First of all it was very predictable. Second of all, it was just so messed up.
At first I thought that this book was great for Down Syndrome rep, but after that ending I am not completely sure it was repping in it's favor at all.
Also, any book that bad mouths any breed of a dog, be it a Pit bull, a Shepard, a Doberman, a Husky, automatically gets a no-no from me. There's enough of stupid "dog breed prejudice" online or from the people on the streets. No need to bring it into books. Dogs aren't born vicious, just like people aren't born evil.
I wouldn't recommend.
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I enjoyed reading this book, but I didn't particularly like it at all( if that makes any sense). And to be honest the more I think about it the more things I find to dislike. But let's start with the good stuff.
I enjoyed the writing style - I think that's actually what kept me reading. Although it was muddy at times when the time table changed from present to the story the main character was telling, for the most part it was easy and pleasant.
I liked the lesbian best friend living next door - although to be completely honest, her character felt a bit too flat and there could have been more to her story.
I also enjoyed having things told from Chloe's point of view, but there wasn't nearly enough of that.
Now onto the things I didn't enjoy. The main character was pretty much horrid for most of the book - controlling, prejudiced and selfish (which boggles my mind because you'd think that having a child with Down syndrome would make you understand things better). The story definitely revolves around Alicia, it only gives off a fake impression that the story is about Chloe. It's about Alicia hating her ex husband, it's about Alicia's dating life, it's about Alicia's dreams and hopes that got ruined, it's about Alicia's regrets, it's about Alicia's feelings... You get the drill.
In some sense I liked reading about the challenges of raising a Down syndrome child - it's the way Alicia handled things that I disliked so much. At moments the things she said and thought, while were raw and true for her, really bordered on being just plain rude. She did come around at the end of the book, and was a bit better about things, but my opinion of her was well ruined by then.
I honestly think that when parents who have down syndrome child (or any other mental disability) read this book would be offended by the tone of the storytelling. I certainly was - and I don't even have kids.
The plot was very predictable and also had a lot of unnecessary fillers that didn't go anywhere. Alicia's outing to her old church. There was a significant amount spent on this but by the end it was never mentioned again at all. Alicia's constant need to tell Randall everything and ask his opinion, while it was clear that he didn't give a flying rat's ass about anything. A lot of decisions and things she did were out of character and had no real meaning behind them.
The ending was the worst part. First of all it was very predictable. Second of all, it was just so messed up.
At first I thought that this book was great for Down Syndrome rep, but after that ending I am not completely sure it was repping in it's favor at all.
Also, any book that bad mouths any breed of a dog, be it a Pit bull, a Shepard, a Doberman, a Husky, automatically gets a no-no from me. There's enough of stupid "dog breed prejudice" online or from the people on the streets. No need to bring it into books. Dogs aren't born vicious, just like people aren't born evil.
I wouldn't recommend.
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January 17, 2014
This book angered me.
September 20, 2013
Alicia is a fifty year old woman who has spent the last twenty five years of her life caring for and loving her daughter Chloe, who was born with Down syndrome. Alicia has made her life about making Chloe happy and making sure she always does what is best for her. But when Chloe meets Thomas, a young mentally challenged man, at her daycare centre and insists she is in love, Alicia is unsure what to do. She had never envisioned Chloe growing up and having a romantic relationship with somebody, had never even considered it. How can her daughter, who can not be left home alone or who can't deal with simple tasks like sorting dark and light clothes, really understand the complexities of romantic love. Alicia must struggle with what she believes is right for her daughter and what Chloe feels and wants for herself.
I'm not even sure where I can begin with this book. I just want to grab someone, anyone and tell them to read it, to explain to them why I loved it so much. But it's half eleven at night so I will have to write about it here instead. I LOVED IT! I was unsure at first, struggled at times but ultimately this book won my heart completely and I need to explain why.
I'm going to start by explaining some of the reasons why I loved it so much. Alicia is a big part of that. She could definitely frustrate me, I wanted to reach into my kindle and strangle her at times; I found myself disagreeing with her occasionally; the things she was saying, doing, thinking. But that was part of the reason I loved her so much; she was real. She felt like a real person, talking to me, sharing with me; like you were having a conversation with someone not just reading a narrative. Her thoughts and feelings felt so genuine, I could relate to them and felt that if I were in her situation I would feel the same. She made mistakes and she could be stubborn but I've never met anyone who isn't. She felt so real to me that I wanted to meet her, to hug her, to comfort her and tell her not to worry so much, she's doing an amazing job and she's an amazing mother. I loved her internal struggles with Chloe's relationship with Thomas and all the reasons she had for being uncomfortable with it.
The secondary characters in this book didn't fade into the background which I felt was really important. There's nothing I hate more in a book then it being full of one dimensional secondary characters that I struggle to connect with or feel any emotion towards, good or bad. So another reason that I rate this book so highly is because I cared for, laughed with and cried for the other characters in this book, not just Alicia. Jin, the caring, funny, smart next door neighbour who is always there for Alicia when she needs someone to talk to. Randall, the literature professor and and ex-husband who has struggled with accepting Chloe for who she is since she was born. Chloe, who the author provided with a few parts of the story from her perspective so that you could better understand her thought process, what she was thinking and feeling at times when it really mattered. She loves Disney movies for one; how could I not love her when she is a girl after my own heart? I even enjoyed secondary characters like Minnie Wellson who ran the daycare centre and Thomas' mother Margaret because of how often I wanted to slap her for being so cheerful and positive even though she never seemed to really think about a situation.
It's hard for me to pick out my favourite part of this book as I grew to love it more and more as it went one. I think the end may just win it though because of how emotional it made me feel for good reasons and bad reasons. I can't even describe the sensation I got reaching the end of this book; I was sad because it was over, that my time with Alicia was over and I really didn't want her story to end. I wanted to be able to sit down and drink a good few bottles of wine with her and talk things through like she does with Jin (which is a feeling I don't often feel with most books)
The more emotional and sadder scenes were written so well. I felt the emotion in every sentence and it would really choke me up at times. This book made me care; it had me laughing one minute and crying the next and at times even both at once. When Alicia goes in to detail about the way she had thought of killing Randall and burying him in the garden had me laughing so loudly at my kindle I'm sure I looked crazy.That's what I look for in a book; I need it to make me care. If I'm not emotionally invested in the characters then I don't feel the book was worth my time. I can't remember the last time I read a book that had me as emotional as this one did, that had me caring so deeply for the characters.
I thoroughly enjoyed how much this book had to teach me; you could tell that Colleen Faulkner had put a lot of time and energy into research. I must admit to knowing very little about Down syndrome and this book taught me a lot. I was not aware that women with Down syndrome have a lower rate of conception. Nor did I know that fifty percent of all Down syndrome people are born with a heart defect.
As I have listed all the reasons I loved this book, I feel it is only fair I right about the ways I didn't like it. The story started off really slowly and events that unfold nearer to the end of the book I felt should have been introduced around the halfway point or just after as it would have been more interesting to read about Alicia's thoughts and feelings on the matter in depth. But this book did keep me guessing and definitely surprised me at times.
The story seemed to almost stall at times and didn't grab my attention and make me want to keep reading but thank goodness that Alicia did. She was such a strong character and voice that I needed to see where life was going to take her and how she was going to deal with it.. So that got me through the parts that didn't grab me as much as I would have liked. It also jumped from one scene or setting to another so fast that I almost couldn't keep up at times with who Alicia was talking to from one sentence to the other.
The end; not that I didn't care for the ending but that I would have loved an epilogue set a few years in the future. I really wanted to see how Alicia was coping with everything that life had thrown at her, I needed to see how she was doing.
I believe I may have found a new author to watch out for. I love authors like Jodi Picoult and Diane Chamberlain and I must admit this had the same kind of feel to it. I would definitely recommend to anyone who liked any of the following:
The Memory KeepersDaughter – Kim Edwards
House Rules – Jodi Picoult
Before the Storm – Diane Chamberlain
Three books I thoroughly enjoyed that also show the relationships between mentally challenged children and their parents.
4/5 Stars
Prepare to laugh and prepare to cry, whether it be tears of joy or tears of sadness. This is a book that will make you care, that will pull you in and make you fall in love with Alicia and feel all her emotions right along with her. It has been quite some time since a book has made me care quite so much and I hope you can find the same enjoyment I did from this book and if you don't I would love to hear why.
*I received a copy of this novel from the author/publisher/publicist via Netgalley in exchange for a free and honest review and received no monetary compensation for this review.
If you enjoyed this review or found it useful please check out my other reviews at http://reviewsfromabookworm.blogspot....
October 26, 2013
I received this book through netgalley.com and I am so happy to have had the opportunity. Thank you to netgalley.com, Kensington Books, and Colleen Faulkner.
5 Stars!! I loved this book! Alicia Richards has a beautiful Down syndrome daughter named Chloe. Not having a child who would grow up to be a scholar was too much for Chloe's father. Alicia, however, loves her daughter just as she is – sweet, innocent, and loving. Alicia is protective of Chloe because she knows that she has limitations, but she does her best to encourage Chloe to be independent by teaching her life skills. One day, Alicia picks Chloe up from her adult daycare and Chloe announces that she is in love with her new friend, Thomas. And...they are getting married, she declares.
Suddenly Alicia is faced with deciding just how independent Chloe can become. She had never imagined that men and women with mental disabilities could fall in love and have relationships (both physical and emotional) just like average adults. Can Chloe understand the role of a husband and a wife? Can she even live independently with Thomas? The story is told primarily from Alicia's viewpoint. However, at times, we see the story from Chloe's point of view. The author does a fantastic job of taking the reader into both worlds. You empathize with Alicia and Chloe and just can't help but to adore them both.
I finished this book and pretty much all I could think was “Oh Wow!” What a great read! A definite 5 star book – I recommend this to everyone.
5 Stars!! I loved this book! Alicia Richards has a beautiful Down syndrome daughter named Chloe. Not having a child who would grow up to be a scholar was too much for Chloe's father. Alicia, however, loves her daughter just as she is – sweet, innocent, and loving. Alicia is protective of Chloe because she knows that she has limitations, but she does her best to encourage Chloe to be independent by teaching her life skills. One day, Alicia picks Chloe up from her adult daycare and Chloe announces that she is in love with her new friend, Thomas. And...they are getting married, she declares.
Suddenly Alicia is faced with deciding just how independent Chloe can become. She had never imagined that men and women with mental disabilities could fall in love and have relationships (both physical and emotional) just like average adults. Can Chloe understand the role of a husband and a wife? Can she even live independently with Thomas? The story is told primarily from Alicia's viewpoint. However, at times, we see the story from Chloe's point of view. The author does a fantastic job of taking the reader into both worlds. You empathize with Alicia and Chloe and just can't help but to adore them both.
I finished this book and pretty much all I could think was “Oh Wow!” What a great read! A definite 5 star book – I recommend this to everyone.
September 28, 2013
Alicia has spent half of her life raising Chloe, her mid twenties daughter with Down's Syndrome. Her sole purpose in life from the moment Chloe was born has been to love and protect her, being her daughter's biggest advocate. Alicia is a college professor and during the day Chloe attends an adult care facility for people with disabilities. All is well until the day she picks up Chloe only to hear she is in love and going to marry Thomas. Alicia's world is about to change in ways she could have never imagined. What is she going to do and how will she handle the changes in their lives?
This book is so well written and brings up many controversial issues about the lives of mentally challenged adults. I think the author had to have spent a great deal of time researching the behaviors associated with Down's Syndrome. At times I laughed, a lot of the time cried, and it brought up a lot of issues that infuriated me. Such a wide array of emotions in this book. It's very well written and a very believable story. I would highly recommend this book to anyone and have. It really makes you stop and think which is not a common thing in today's books. Amazing!!! Will be adding this author on my list to read other books by.
This book is so well written and brings up many controversial issues about the lives of mentally challenged adults. I think the author had to have spent a great deal of time researching the behaviors associated with Down's Syndrome. At times I laughed, a lot of the time cried, and it brought up a lot of issues that infuriated me. Such a wide array of emotions in this book. It's very well written and a very believable story. I would highly recommend this book to anyone and have. It really makes you stop and think which is not a common thing in today's books. Amazing!!! Will be adding this author on my list to read other books by.
March 27, 2014
The story is told through the eyes of Alicia, the mother of an adult daughter, Chloe, who has Down's Syndrome. Alicia and her husband, Raymond, divorced not long after Chloe's birth. Raymond spends a couple hours a week out of obligation with Chloe. This has left Alicia to raise Chloe on her own with the support of a few close friends. Alicia will do anything to protect her daughter, but also strives to help Chloe to become accomplished and kind. When Chloe meets Thomas at the Adult Day Care she attends, they slowly fall in love. Alicia, along with Thomas's parents Margaret and Danny, navigate the growing relationship between Thomas and Chloe. Imagine their dismay when Chloe and Thomas want to get married. Chloe's idea of relationships are based on Disney movies, and Thomas still likes Thomas the Tank Engine. Margaret, a bit naïve to Thomas's limitations is supportive and encouraging. Alicia wants Chloe to be happy, but sees the pitfalls and problems the future may bring. Ultimately the decision is made to allow the marriage as Alicia can not deny Chloe her chance at a lasting relationship and happiness. Don't we all want our children to be happy and fulfilled? But, are the obstacles to great for the families to overcome? Read and find out.
September 22, 2013
Through this story we see a mother (Alicia) and daughter (Chloe), bound together by love and the mother's fears, fears which are grounded in the reality of how Chloe manages - or doesn't manage - her day to day life. I found Alicia's slightly bitter tone off-putting at first, but most likely realistic for the character's particular predicament. Interspersed with Alicia's narrative are slivers of the world through Chloe's eyes; sometimes advancing the story, sometimes just showing it from a different angle, this unique touch jolts us from the familiar and makes us really think as we share in the despair, hope, love, and walk with Alicia till she finds the strength to do what she must.
The ending felt abrupt and unexpected, after the build up, but again this could be a clever conceit of the author to keep us in tune.
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The ending felt abrupt and unexpected, after the build up, but again this could be a clever conceit of the author to keep us in tune.
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 21, 2013
Note: This review, as well as many more, can also be found on my blog, The Baking Bookworm (www.thebakingbookworm.blogspot.ca).
Disclaimer: I sincerely thank Kensington Books and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary e-book copy in exchange for my honest review.
My Review: Since October is Down's Syndrome Awareness Month I thought that this book was very apropos and quickly requested to review it from NetGalley. While I do have one distant cousin with Down's, I don't have a lot of firsthand experience with people with Down's and thought that this book
may be a good way to enlighten myself.
This book successfully balanced educating the reader about all that Down's Syndrome entails (the good, the sweet and the frustrating) but it never felt like it was teaching and came off as very real and heart-felt. I think a lot of that had to do with the fact that the story is told through the eyes of Alicia along with little snippets from Chloe's viewpoint.
The characters were what sold me on this book. Alicia was a believable character and I loved that. While she could be frustrating at times I could also relate to her misgivings and hesitancies involving letting her daughter grow up. She and I are cut from the same proverbial parenting cloth.
Alicia was an imperfect protagonist. She has always been Chloe's biggest, and often only, advocate. Sure, she did things that I didn't agree with at times but underneath it all you knew that she loved her daughter. I think it was her struggles as she comes to terms with Chloe's relationship with Thomas that really got me on board. She's just a woman doing the best she can.
Some of her fears are (to me) well-founded based on how Chloe deals with her daily life. We see Alicia struggle on a daily basis with Chloe's outbursts and people staring and judging Chloe before they've even spoken to her. Chloe is very sweet young woman who adores Disney movies but she's also very head strong and prone to temper tantrums. Alicia's misgivings and concerns were things that I could see myself having in the same situation. Alicia adores her daughter but that doesn't make living with her or letting her become more independent any easier for Alicia.
Chloe is a sweet, innocent yet stubborn young woman and she felt very real to me. She just wants to be treated like everyone else and I loved getting her view of certain events as the story progressed. Sometimes her point of view was just a little snippet showing her view of a certain scene that we'd just seen through Alicia's eyes. That addition of Chloe's feelings and view of the situation really helped me to get to know her and maybe rethink how I felt about some of Alicia's actions.
The secondary characters held their own and felt very well-rounded and not segregated to the outer edges of the main storyline. I loved seeing how Randall, Chloe's father, struggled with his feelings about Chloe's Down's. Not everyone in her life was able to accept her fully and I appreciated the fact that the author didn't sugar coat it. He was not the perfect father by a long shot but I think he was, sadly, realistically portrayed.
I would have liked to have heard more from Thomas' mom and dad and how they felt about their son's relationship with Chloe. Thomas' mother, Margaret, was the most frustrating person in the book for me. I'm not sure if she was in total denial, just overly optimistic or saw a way for herself and her husband to get some time to themselves but she came off as believable even though I wanted to shake the woman out of her floral frocks a few times.
I have very few negatives about this book. The main issue I have is that I felt that the ending was much too abrupt. I would have at least have preferred to have an epilogue to see what happened to the characters later on. I also found the breaks between Alicia's point of view and Chloe's could have been separated a bit better.
Overall I enjoyed this book. Although it was a slower paced book than I was expecting I found it to be a very touching read that will, no doubt, help to educate people to the day to day realities for people with Down's and those who love them.
Recommended.
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Disclaimer: I sincerely thank Kensington Books and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary e-book copy in exchange for my honest review.
My Review: Since October is Down's Syndrome Awareness Month I thought that this book was very apropos and quickly requested to review it from NetGalley. While I do have one distant cousin with Down's, I don't have a lot of firsthand experience with people with Down's and thought that this book
may be a good way to enlighten myself.
This book successfully balanced educating the reader about all that Down's Syndrome entails (the good, the sweet and the frustrating) but it never felt like it was teaching and came off as very real and heart-felt. I think a lot of that had to do with the fact that the story is told through the eyes of Alicia along with little snippets from Chloe's viewpoint.
The characters were what sold me on this book. Alicia was a believable character and I loved that. While she could be frustrating at times I could also relate to her misgivings and hesitancies involving letting her daughter grow up. She and I are cut from the same proverbial parenting cloth.
Alicia was an imperfect protagonist. She has always been Chloe's biggest, and often only, advocate. Sure, she did things that I didn't agree with at times but underneath it all you knew that she loved her daughter. I think it was her struggles as she comes to terms with Chloe's relationship with Thomas that really got me on board. She's just a woman doing the best she can.
Some of her fears are (to me) well-founded based on how Chloe deals with her daily life. We see Alicia struggle on a daily basis with Chloe's outbursts and people staring and judging Chloe before they've even spoken to her. Chloe is very sweet young woman who adores Disney movies but she's also very head strong and prone to temper tantrums. Alicia's misgivings and concerns were things that I could see myself having in the same situation. Alicia adores her daughter but that doesn't make living with her or letting her become more independent any easier for Alicia.
Chloe is a sweet, innocent yet stubborn young woman and she felt very real to me. She just wants to be treated like everyone else and I loved getting her view of certain events as the story progressed. Sometimes her point of view was just a little snippet showing her view of a certain scene that we'd just seen through Alicia's eyes. That addition of Chloe's feelings and view of the situation really helped me to get to know her and maybe rethink how I felt about some of Alicia's actions.
The secondary characters held their own and felt very well-rounded and not segregated to the outer edges of the main storyline. I loved seeing how Randall, Chloe's father, struggled with his feelings about Chloe's Down's. Not everyone in her life was able to accept her fully and I appreciated the fact that the author didn't sugar coat it. He was not the perfect father by a long shot but I think he was, sadly, realistically portrayed.
I would have liked to have heard more from Thomas' mom and dad and how they felt about their son's relationship with Chloe. Thomas' mother, Margaret, was the most frustrating person in the book for me. I'm not sure if she was in total denial, just overly optimistic or saw a way for herself and her husband to get some time to themselves but she came off as believable even though I wanted to shake the woman out of her floral frocks a few times.
I have very few negatives about this book. The main issue I have is that I felt that the ending was much too abrupt. I would have at least have preferred to have an epilogue to see what happened to the characters later on. I also found the breaks between Alicia's point of view and Chloe's could have been separated a bit better.
Overall I enjoyed this book. Although it was a slower paced book than I was expecting I found it to be a very touching read that will, no doubt, help to educate people to the day to day realities for people with Down's and those who love them.
Recommended.
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars
October 24, 2013
Just Like Other Daughters is a moving and thought-provoking story by author Collen Faulkner, better known for her bodice ripper romances.
Alicia Richards should be delighted that her twenty five year old daughter has fallen in love for the first time. She has never wanted more for Chloe than to be happy but Alicia is plagued with misgivings about the relationship because Chloe has Downs Syndrome and her beau, Thomas, is intellectually challenged.
As a parent, Alicia is loving and supportive of Chloe, even if perhaps a little over protective. She doesn't always have all the answers but it is obvious that Alicia has always done the best she can for her daughter's health, safety and well being. Chloe's sexuality and her relationship with Thomas, is a challenge Alicia never expected to face and she finds it difficult to reconcile her daughter's desires with her limitations. Faulkner's exploration of Alica's conflicting thoughts and emotions is compassionate and honest. I could empathise with Alicia's very real concerns about the situation, as well as understand her wish to support her daughter's independence.
Alicia is a well rounded, realistically depicted character, not just Chloe's mother, she is also a respected college professor juggling the demands of her career with single parenting and the vagaries of an old house. She has been divorced from Chloe's lecherous jerk of a father for sometime but is still struggling from the fall out of her marriage collapse and her ex's disinterest in his daughter. With her mother long passed and her father largely absent from her life, Alicia has found support in her friendship with neighbour, Jin but she still hopes to find a romantic relationship.
Though primarily written from Alicia's first person perspective, Faulkner also provides us with brief glimpses of Chloe's viewpoint throughout the novel. I thought these snippets helped to develop Chloe's character, illustrating her emotional range, as well as her cognitive limitations.
The author also touches on the attitudes of others to relationships between those with intellectual challenges, and the conflict between practical concerns and well meaning idealism that surrounds the issue. A scene involving a doctor who refused to provide Chloe with birth control struck me particularly, personally I thought he was totally irresponsible.
Perhaps the only flaw in this novel for me involved the ending, which I thought was abrupt and somewhat unresolved. An epilogue would have been nice simply because I badly wanted things to work out for Alicia.
I found Just Like Other Daughters to be an emotional and affecting read, a story about love in all its permutations, its joys and its sorrows, its rewards and its price. This is a wonderful novel and I am happy to recommend it.
October 23, 2013
Alicia is a middle-aged mother to mentally challenged Chloe. Alicia has spent the last twenty five years taking care of her daughter who was born with Down syndrome. Alicia's life and every decision she makes revolve around what is best for Chloe. Alicia is confident in her decisions until Chloe meets Thomas, a young mentally challenged boy in a man's body. Chloe falls instantly in love with Thomas, leaving Alicia unsure what to do. She never expected Chloe's life to take this unexpected turn. How can her child like daughter understand the complex relationship she wants to embark upon with Thomas, when at 25 years old she can't even be left at home alone. Alicia is struggling with her own romantic relationships, a failed marriage to Chloe's father coupled with many dating disasters leave Alicia wondering if it is possible Chloe can achieve what she has not.
I just finished reading this book and experienced so many emotions in the course of its pages, all the characters became so real to me. I laughed and cried with Alicia, I felt her frustrations and her joys. The friendship between Jin, Mark and Alicia was supportive and real.
Raising a child is difficult at best, this book brings you into the world of raising a mentally challenged child, the love, the rewards, the joy, the sadness, the humor, you are right there with Alicia.
I enjoyed the contrast between Margaret, Thomas' mother and Alicia, handling their handicapped children in such different ways, such different women in the same boat just trying to do the best for their child.
This book showcased the different kinds of love, mother/child, lesbian, heterosexual and love between mentally challenged adults, love is love, all consuming in it's agony and it's glory.
I was not ready to leave Alicia at the end of this book, I wanted to know more, to spend more time with Alicia and friends. A sequel would serve this book well.
I just finished reading this book and experienced so many emotions in the course of its pages, all the characters became so real to me. I laughed and cried with Alicia, I felt her frustrations and her joys. The friendship between Jin, Mark and Alicia was supportive and real.
Raising a child is difficult at best, this book brings you into the world of raising a mentally challenged child, the love, the rewards, the joy, the sadness, the humor, you are right there with Alicia.
I enjoyed the contrast between Margaret, Thomas' mother and Alicia, handling their handicapped children in such different ways, such different women in the same boat just trying to do the best for their child.
This book showcased the different kinds of love, mother/child, lesbian, heterosexual and love between mentally challenged adults, love is love, all consuming in it's agony and it's glory.
I was not ready to leave Alicia at the end of this book, I wanted to know more, to spend more time with Alicia and friends. A sequel would serve this book well.
October 29, 2013
I really loved this book which was absolutely unputdownable, yet I had to, because every so often I had to sit back and digest what I was reading and really think about the situation that Alicia was in with Chloe, her daughter. It is the story of the relationship between Alicia and Chloe, who is in her mid 20s and has Downs Syndrome. Alicia has done a fantastic job of bringing up Chloe on her own, juggling caring for her with her job as a university lecturer. She has dedicated her life to Chloe and in turn Chloe has always loved her, but now she has to take second place when Chloe gets her first boyfriend, Thomas, who she meets at her daycare centre.
It is a very moving read and because Alicia is such a likeable character I was really in her corner, agonising with her over whether she should follow her gut instinct and do her utmost to protect Chloe or whether she should loosen the reins a little and let Chloe enjoy her new relationship, as is her right as a woman. I think most people must come into contact with or know someone who has Downs Syndrome, but this book really made me think for the first time about the complexities of caring for an adult with this condition as it drew me in to the daily minutiae of Chloe’s life. What made it so special was that the characters and situation just felt so believable, as if this could really happen.
It was a really good page turner of a read, one in which I really liked and cared for the characters and wanted everyone to have a happy ending. The ending, when it does come, was very sad and moving (definitely one for the tissues) but at the same time extremely satisfying and hopeful for the future.
Many thanks to the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest review.
It is a very moving read and because Alicia is such a likeable character I was really in her corner, agonising with her over whether she should follow her gut instinct and do her utmost to protect Chloe or whether she should loosen the reins a little and let Chloe enjoy her new relationship, as is her right as a woman. I think most people must come into contact with or know someone who has Downs Syndrome, but this book really made me think for the first time about the complexities of caring for an adult with this condition as it drew me in to the daily minutiae of Chloe’s life. What made it so special was that the characters and situation just felt so believable, as if this could really happen.
It was a really good page turner of a read, one in which I really liked and cared for the characters and wanted everyone to have a happy ending. The ending, when it does come, was very sad and moving (definitely one for the tissues) but at the same time extremely satisfying and hopeful for the future.
Many thanks to the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest review.
September 16, 2013
It took me a day or two to organize me thoughts on this book and write a review. Maybe that's a good sign? Or that I stayed up way too late one night to finish because I had this much left and needed to see how it ended.
Alicia Richards is a professor and a single mother who has Chloe, an adult daughter with Down Syndrome. Life is going as well as it can until Chloe meets Thomas, a mentally disabled man at her adult day care. The two are soon inseparable and want to get married. As for what happens after that... well, you'll just have to read it.
I'll be the first to admit, I do not have a lot of experience with mentally disabled people. The relationships in the book just seemed so real to me. I liked that they were messy and at times not perfect. You get the sense that Alicia is an incredibly strong person who has a great support network. At times, she is doing the best that she can.
I really enjoyed this book. It kind of broke my heart too. My only drawback is that I wish there was a better division between the breaks in POV or setting. A few times I got confused when they were suddenly in another place or the few brief times that POV switches from Alicia to Chloe.
*I received a copy of this book for review through NetGalley*
Alicia Richards is a professor and a single mother who has Chloe, an adult daughter with Down Syndrome. Life is going as well as it can until Chloe meets Thomas, a mentally disabled man at her adult day care. The two are soon inseparable and want to get married. As for what happens after that... well, you'll just have to read it.
I'll be the first to admit, I do not have a lot of experience with mentally disabled people. The relationships in the book just seemed so real to me. I liked that they were messy and at times not perfect. You get the sense that Alicia is an incredibly strong person who has a great support network. At times, she is doing the best that she can.
I really enjoyed this book. It kind of broke my heart too. My only drawback is that I wish there was a better division between the breaks in POV or setting. A few times I got confused when they were suddenly in another place or the few brief times that POV switches from Alicia to Chloe.
*I received a copy of this book for review through NetGalley*
June 26, 2014
This book made me angry and so sad on so many levels. I found Alicia to be so judgemental and narrow minded. The fact she thinks she is above dating a blue collar worker but is such a spectacular failure in her personal life dating so called intellectuals. The superior way she is towards Margaret and Danny yet tolerates their sons love for Chloe. The love she has for her daughter is wonderful and knowing she just wants the best for Chloe made me forgive her weaknesses. I also loved her and Chloe's relationship with Jin and her family as it showed she could be tolerant and accepting of peoples choices. It was the intellectual snobbery that grated on me the most even to the point where she takes pleasure in thinking that Chloe's IQ is higher than that of Thomas. I could understand the bitterness towards Chloe`s Father who was a weak and vain character. Overall I loved this book, it made me laugh, it made me cry and I identified with the characters. I thought it was well researched and well written.
November 6, 2015
This novel was one of the worst I've read in a while. The plot focuses on a young girl in her 20's with Down's Syndrome. Her mother is her caregaver and she gets into a tizzy when her daughter announces that she's fallen in love with Thomas, a boy with mental retardation. Can a woman with disabilities fall in love? The largest flaw falls not with the very melodramatic story but the writing. At several points in this novel the narrator changes from the mother to the daughter with the disability. Her text is very repetitive, possibly intended to be realistic, but my issue was that the mother also tended to repeat herself multiple times as well. I thought that the narrative could have just stuck with the mother and it would have been a lot more realistic. The mother must have told the audience that her daughter has an IQ of 54 at least 3 or 4 times. The ending was pretty predictable, and I considered giving this 2 stars, but I remain firm.
May 1, 2014
This was one of the worst books I've ever read. Having a teen with Down syndrome and having been around adults with special needs, I found this book to be very demeaning to an incredible population of folks. The mom, thankfully a fictionally character, was nothing like the parents I've met who are so on top of things. I know the book was fiction, but it REALLY does not portray the reality of what goes on in the lives of those with special needs. This was disappointing as a mom of 2 with special needs because I don't want those who are not more aware to think this is the norm.
March 24, 2015
On the plus side, I read it and finished it. I've been in a reading slump lately, so it was nice to make it through a whole book. On the negative side, MEH. I wasn't a huge fan of this book, I didn't really like Alicia, the main character, and Chloe was frustrating to read about sometimes. (Though I think my frustration was more at how Alicia handled things.) And the ending was so rushed and melodramatic and just ugh that it made me dislike the book that little bit more.
October 30, 2013
This story is both uplifting and full of heart. A mother's love is boundless and we see it here.
Faulkner drew me in from the very beginning with a story that you'll truly enjoy. She's found a new fan in me! You'll love it!
Faulkner drew me in from the very beginning with a story that you'll truly enjoy. She's found a new fan in me! You'll love it!
March 3, 2014
A must read! Have the tissues on standby.
January 7, 2017
Excellent book it has everything-'it will make you laugh and cry. I would recommend this book to all readers.
February 17, 2020
3.5 stars. This book was unlike anything I've read before. It's the story of a mother and her adult daughter with Down's Syndrome. The daughter meets a boy at a daycare facility and they fall in love and want to get married. This book is more about the mom than the daughter and I wish we would've gotten more from the daughter. I also thought the mom just wasn't that great of a person. She was a little more self absorbed than I would've liked to see. I also hated how much she limited her daughter and said she couldn't do things based on her disability. I hated the ending and what it said about relationships between special needs individuals and I wish it would've been different for Chloe, but it's not my book so oh well! Still recommend this book!
SPOILERS AHEAD:
Chloe meets a boy named Thomas at her daycare facility and they fall in love and want to get married. Her mom thinks its a bad idea but Thomas' parents think its a good idea and eventually they go along and do it. The mom puts her on birth control, but she doesn't take it so she gets pregnant and then dies during childbirth at the end. Thomas and Chloe also get divorced because it didn't work out and it seemed like it gave the mom a big "Told ya so!" moment that I wish she wouldn't have had.
SPOILERS AHEAD:
Chloe meets a boy named Thomas at her daycare facility and they fall in love and want to get married. Her mom thinks its a bad idea but Thomas' parents think its a good idea and eventually they go along and do it. The mom puts her on birth control, but she doesn't take it so she gets pregnant and then dies during childbirth at the end. Thomas and Chloe also get divorced because it didn't work out and it seemed like it gave the mom a big "Told ya so!" moment that I wish she wouldn't have had.
October 26, 2020
This was a lighter read, but it was a good time for me and I quite enjoyed the story. Alicia is the single mom of Chloe, an adult daughter with Down Syndrome. Alicia keeps a tight routine in place for Chloe but that is challenged once Chloe starts attending a daycare centre for adults with special needs and she starts to make friends and then a boyfriend. What drew me into this story was that I related to Alicia's struggle to let go of her child, or to let go of the tight controls that she tries to impose. I would read another book by Faulkner because it was an easy read :)
August 14, 2019
Alicia loved her daughter from the moment she was born. Chloe had Down syndrome but was loved by her mother and tolerated by her father, Alicia's ex-husband. At 25, Chloe is funny, determined, sweet and content with her life. Things change when Chloe meets a 30 year old mentally challenged male and the couple not only decide they're in love but should get married. Unfortunately, neither of them are aware of the changes that will mean for their relationship or prepare them for the challenges life has to offer. This is written with warmth and understanding from the mother's point of view and the risks that we all take in our lives.
November 11, 2013
This book got a lot of 5-star reviews on Goodreads, so I was expecting a lot when I started it. Unfortunately though, while it was an engaging read, it kind of fell short.
I was expecting this to be similar to Jewel, an Oprah's Book Club pick from the late 1990s that traced the challenges of a 1960s family when their last child is born with Down's Syndrome. While the topics were similar--though this one focused on the unique challenges of parenting a young adult with Down's--the tone really wasn't. Jewel seemed quite a bit deeper, and a little more gritty, which I felt drawn to. This story, I think, had a lot of promise, but it just needed to dig a little deeper below the surface.
The book was a very quick read, though, and it never really dragged. All in all, it was enjoyable, but I just wish it delved a little deeper.
I was expecting this to be similar to Jewel, an Oprah's Book Club pick from the late 1990s that traced the challenges of a 1960s family when their last child is born with Down's Syndrome. While the topics were similar--though this one focused on the unique challenges of parenting a young adult with Down's--the tone really wasn't. Jewel seemed quite a bit deeper, and a little more gritty, which I felt drawn to. This story, I think, had a lot of promise, but it just needed to dig a little deeper below the surface.
The book was a very quick read, though, and it never really dragged. All in all, it was enjoyable, but I just wish it delved a little deeper.
January 9, 2017
Difficult to read
I am the mother of a 40 year old daughter that has Down Syndrome. There are few books that deal with the reality of being a full time mother to a child who never stops needing help with simple life skills. This book touched me in so many ways. Like Ally, I question life choices I must make. Do these choices help or hinder her. Who takes care of them after you're no longer able to? This book felt as if I were observing another mother dealing with similar & yet very different problems.
Reading this book felt as if the author in some respects entered my world & gave others a glimpse of what parents of Down's adults live with daily.
I am the mother of a 40 year old daughter that has Down Syndrome. There are few books that deal with the reality of being a full time mother to a child who never stops needing help with simple life skills. This book touched me in so many ways. Like Ally, I question life choices I must make. Do these choices help or hinder her. Who takes care of them after you're no longer able to? This book felt as if I were observing another mother dealing with similar & yet very different problems.
Reading this book felt as if the author in some respects entered my world & gave others a glimpse of what parents of Down's adults live with daily.
April 15, 2014
I liked this book to some degree. It was interesting and held my attention. I didn't agree with a lot of the main character's decisions that she made for her daughter, and I felt the immediate need to discuss this book with someone as soon as I was finished reading it. This would make a great book club selection, simply for the discussion.
June 26, 2017
Not sure how I feel
At first I didn't like the Mom at all - she seemed like such an intellectual snob, even as she criticized her ex for the same thing. But she grew on me because of her love for her daughter. Good book, ends with hope.
At first I didn't like the Mom at all - she seemed like such an intellectual snob, even as she criticized her ex for the same thing. But she grew on me because of her love for her daughter. Good book, ends with hope.
November 20, 2013
3 stars.
I'd pick up a sequel to this one; I think the author would have a lot of great material to work with.
I'd pick up a sequel to this one; I think the author would have a lot of great material to work with.
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