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The Wrong Child
More information to be announced soon on this forthcoming title from Penguin USA.
340 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2000
2116 people are currently reading
1279 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Kay
134 books67 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
This author has also written under the names Ann Patrick and Trisha Alexander
Patricia Ann Kay was born on 7 March 1937 in a small town in northeastern Ohio, USA, where she raised along with three younger sisters. She considers herself a very lucky woman. The family didn’t have a lot of money, but she says that didn’t matter, because what they did have was worth more than money — a happy home. Her parents had a good marriage and they doted on their four daughters. That upbringing is reflected in the stories she writes. As readers all over the world have discovered, her books are filled with warmth and love of family.
Pat has lived in upstate New York, Northern Alabama, Southern California, and Stockholm (Sweden), and since 1969, in Houston, Texas with her husband. She says that no matter where she’s lived, she’s found that people everywhere are the same and want the same things: love and committed relationships. The marriage has three terrific grown children. They currently share their home with two longhaired cats, and a backyard filled with squirrels, birds, and other critters. Her hobbies and other interests include reading, walking for exercise, going to the movies and the theater, swimming, and traveling.
In 1990, Pat sold her first romance novel to Silhouette. Since then, more than four million copies of her novels have been published in eighteen different countries. Today, Patricia Kay, alias Ann Patrick and Trisha Alexander, is an USA Today bestselling author of 50 novels of romance and women's fiction.
Most people have a completely wrong idea of what writers do all day. Do you want to know what Pat's typical day is like? Click here to find out!
This author has also written under the names Ann Patrick and Trisha Alexander
Patricia Ann Kay was born on 7 March 1937 in a small town in northeastern Ohio, USA, where she raised along with three younger sisters. She considers herself a very lucky woman. The family didn’t have a lot of money, but she says that didn’t matter, because what they did have was worth more than money — a happy home. Her parents had a good marriage and they doted on their four daughters. That upbringing is reflected in the stories she writes. As readers all over the world have discovered, her books are filled with warmth and love of family.
Pat has lived in upstate New York, Northern Alabama, Southern California, and Stockholm (Sweden), and since 1969, in Houston, Texas with her husband. She says that no matter where she’s lived, she’s found that people everywhere are the same and want the same things: love and committed relationships. The marriage has three terrific grown children. They currently share their home with two longhaired cats, and a backyard filled with squirrels, birds, and other critters. Her hobbies and other interests include reading, walking for exercise, going to the movies and the theater, swimming, and traveling.
In 1990, Pat sold her first romance novel to Silhouette. Since then, more than four million copies of her novels have been published in eighteen different countries. Today, Patricia Kay, alias Ann Patrick and Trisha Alexander, is an USA Today bestselling author of 50 novels of romance and women's fiction.
Most people have a completely wrong idea of what writers do all day. Do you want to know what Pat's typical day is like? Click here to find out!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 207 reviews
April 24, 2017
Well done book about the drama and the pain of switched-a- birth daughters.
Not just fiction, but the story and characters relate and respond in realistic ways which made if very difficult for me to read at times as the emotional pain and simple confusion of how can this be my life resonated with certain characters more than others.
There is more than one manipulative, selfish, and self-centered woman in the mix, the h's mother and the wannabe ow, which were triggers for me and emotionally exhausting. Not necessarily OTT drama, but more along the lines of narcissistic personalities and been there done that.
One switched daughter is vivacious and fun, the other is more typical of a shut-down and shy middle school girl. Both are realistically done as well. All I could think is they need to back off on the one struggling as she has the most to lose with a so-called sister representing everything she wants to be and a possible replacement with her father. Let's face it, true jealousy is difficult for adults to handle, but that kind of emotion within a child is compounded by their lack of life experience. Let her have her feelings and get her to a counselor. If anyone has read real accounts of children switched at birth the emotional fallout can be horrific. So kudos to the author for a job well done: true angst. For me personally, no thanks. Where's my rogue devil,
?
Sidenote: This setting is Houston, my hometown, and felt like a Mapquest come to life with all the details. She evens mentions the Esperson Building, Ninfa's and Post Oak Lane. My parents lived on Post Oak Lane!
Not just fiction, but the story and characters relate and respond in realistic ways which made if very difficult for me to read at times as the emotional pain and simple confusion of how can this be my life resonated with certain characters more than others.
There is more than one manipulative, selfish, and self-centered woman in the mix, the h's mother and the wannabe ow, which were triggers for me and emotionally exhausting. Not necessarily OTT drama, but more along the lines of narcissistic personalities and been there done that.
One switched daughter is vivacious and fun, the other is more typical of a shut-down and shy middle school girl. Both are realistically done as well. All I could think is they need to back off on the one struggling as she has the most to lose with a so-called sister representing everything she wants to be and a possible replacement with her father. Let's face it, true jealousy is difficult for adults to handle, but that kind of emotion within a child is compounded by their lack of life experience. Let her have her feelings and get her to a counselor. If anyone has read real accounts of children switched at birth the emotional fallout can be horrific. So kudos to the author for a job well done: true angst. For me personally, no thanks. Where's my rogue devil,
?Sidenote: This setting is Houston, my hometown, and felt like a Mapquest come to life with all the details. She evens mentions the Esperson Building, Ninfa's and Post Oak Lane. My parents lived on Post Oak Lane!
September 14, 2017
Abbie, a divorced single mother, finds out that her daughter, Kendall, is not hers. The child was switched at birth with another child. Abbie's search, leads her to Logan, a widowed architect with two children. His daughter Erin, has lost two people so early in her life; the woman she knew as her mother and her grandfather. When Abbie tells Logan about the girls being switched, I was surprised how easily he believed her. Now, she and Logan have to find a way to keep the truth hidden and make a blended family relationship work. Only, Erin won't bond with Abbie at all. Add some manipulative relatives into the mix for some tension. What will happen when the truth comes out?
April 24, 2017
Well, this is a emotionally draining story.
Baby swapping-
Abbie discovers that her 11 yr old Kendell is not really her daughter, she is a single mother whose husband left her coz he didn't want children so he didn't want Abbie. She is afraid of loosing her daughter but she also wants to know her biological child so she contacts Logan anyway.
Logan is a widower, single father of 12yr Patrick and 11yr old Erin, his world resolves around his children. When he learns that his daughter is not his real daughter he is shattered but he can't let go of his biological daughter either so he proposes marriage.
We get to read different POV's , It was soo exhausting to see their limitations to reach their own child, frustrating too, I wanted to throw away my tab. I felt like crying sometimes and I wanted to kick Erin's butt for not understanding.
And we have evil OW who wants to marry before she is too old so who better than her late sister's husband aka our Hero Logan. Lord she is a bitch and she didn't deserve such polite goodbye in the end. And we have a possessive, stubborn as a mule granny for entertainment.
Guess what ? I really need to read something light after this.
Baby swapping-
Abbie discovers that her 11 yr old Kendell is not really her daughter, she is a single mother whose husband left her coz he didn't want children so he didn't want Abbie. She is afraid of loosing her daughter but she also wants to know her biological child so she contacts Logan anyway.
Logan is a widower, single father of 12yr Patrick and 11yr old Erin, his world resolves around his children. When he learns that his daughter is not his real daughter he is shattered but he can't let go of his biological daughter either so he proposes marriage.
We get to read different POV's , It was soo exhausting to see their limitations to reach their own child, frustrating too, I wanted to throw away my tab. I felt like crying sometimes and I wanted to kick Erin's butt for not understanding.
And we have evil OW who wants to marry before she is too old so who better than her late sister's husband aka our Hero Logan. Lord she is a bitch and she didn't deserve such polite goodbye in the end. And we have a possessive, stubborn as a mule granny for entertainment.
Guess what ? I really need to read something light after this.
July 14, 2017
predictable but still enjoyable - 3*
The sister-in-law character was truly a waste of words. Totally uni-dimensional in her weird plotting. Really added nothing to the story. Which truly highlighted how nice it was other characters actually acted like humans. Imperfect and confused but with proper motivations. Although it took a very long time for the parents to come to a "solution" to their problem at least that allowed me to buy into their reasoning even though its a big stretch. Despite knowing how it will end it was still an enjoyable enough journey. Could have used a bit more of finding out how others, including the kids, took the news but still think it gets 3 stars.
The sister-in-law character was truly a waste of words. Totally uni-dimensional in her weird plotting. Really added nothing to the story. Which truly highlighted how nice it was other characters actually acted like humans. Imperfect and confused but with proper motivations. Although it took a very long time for the parents to come to a "solution" to their problem at least that allowed me to buy into their reasoning even though its a big stretch. Despite knowing how it will end it was still an enjoyable enough journey. Could have used a bit more of finding out how others, including the kids, took the news but still think it gets 3 stars.
September 22, 2017
Pretty good women's fiction/romance about a switched at birth scenario.
The circumstances of the switch were nicely believable as well as the circumstances around the discovery of the switch. There were some nice emotional moments.
The romance felt anemic. I wish the time the author spent on the machinations and inner thoughts of the wanna-be romantic rival had been apportioned elsewhere. To developing the romance a little better between the leads or to making the adjustment of Erin (one of the switched girls who had the harder time) more nuanced.
Also, I kinda wish the personalities of the girls hadn't been so neatly aligned with personalities of their birth parent(s). Again, a lack of nuance here because it seemed to give all the credit to nature and almost none to nurture.
But overall a quick, enjoyable, and lightly angsty read.
The circumstances of the switch were nicely believable as well as the circumstances around the discovery of the switch. There were some nice emotional moments.
The romance felt anemic. I wish the time the author spent on the machinations and inner thoughts of the wanna-be romantic rival had been apportioned elsewhere. To developing the romance a little better between the leads or to making the adjustment of Erin (one of the switched girls who had the harder time) more nuanced.
Also, I kinda wish the personalities of the girls hadn't been so neatly aligned with personalities of their birth parent(s). Again, a lack of nuance here because it seemed to give all the credit to nature and almost none to nurture.
But overall a quick, enjoyable, and lightly angsty read.
August 11, 2017
I looked up the author of this book after finishing this book, and was appalled to find she's written many books, has her own website, and is apparently a popular author. The premise was intriguing: Two babies, born within minutes of each other, are inadvertently switched and the truth is discovered when they are 11 years old. What would you do if you discovered the child you thought you'd given birth to wasn't actually your biological child?
The treatment, however, though I read through to the end because I wanted to see how it would go, was poorly written, and way too obvious. I saw what the ending would be in the first page or two. I think this book is supposed to be a romance. If this is how romances are written, I've done right in staying away from them! A good editor was not involved in the writing of this book.
Not recommended.
The treatment, however, though I read through to the end because I wanted to see how it would go, was poorly written, and way too obvious. I saw what the ending would be in the first page or two. I think this book is supposed to be a romance. If this is how romances are written, I've done right in staying away from them! A good editor was not involved in the writing of this book.
Not recommended.
July 10, 2017
I had high hopes for this book. I thought it started well, but I wasn't overly invested in any of the characters. A bit too cliche in some parts and a big irritation for me: the clothing descriptions. I don't mind a few if they set the scene, but so many descriptions of what the characters were wearing. It got annoying.
Not a bad book overall, a quick read.
Not a bad book overall, a quick read.
April 10, 2009
I found this novel more "edge of your seat" than romance.
From back cover:
"What would you do if you discovered that your beloved child wasn't yours at all?
With her jet-black hair, outgoing personality, and boundless confidence, eleven-year-old Kendall Bernard is everything her mother, Abbie, is not. A shy, self-conscious single mom, Abbie has always marveled at the fact that she and her daughter are so different. But when she discovers that she is not Kendall's biological mother-that she was given the wrong child at the hospital so long ago-Abbie is filled with longing to find her real daughter, to see shades of herself reflected in her child's eyes.
Her search leads her to Logan O'Connell. A widower raising his children alone, Logan is hopelessly devoted to his fragile daughter, Erin-and doesn't want to believe she's not really his. Desperate to protect their children and themselves-and afraid that what they love most will be taken away-Logan and Abbie must find the strength to decide on the future..."
AUTOGRAPHED COPY.
From back cover:
"What would you do if you discovered that your beloved child wasn't yours at all?
With her jet-black hair, outgoing personality, and boundless confidence, eleven-year-old Kendall Bernard is everything her mother, Abbie, is not. A shy, self-conscious single mom, Abbie has always marveled at the fact that she and her daughter are so different. But when she discovers that she is not Kendall's biological mother-that she was given the wrong child at the hospital so long ago-Abbie is filled with longing to find her real daughter, to see shades of herself reflected in her child's eyes.
Her search leads her to Logan O'Connell. A widower raising his children alone, Logan is hopelessly devoted to his fragile daughter, Erin-and doesn't want to believe she's not really his. Desperate to protect their children and themselves-and afraid that what they love most will be taken away-Logan and Abbie must find the strength to decide on the future..."
AUTOGRAPHED COPY.
July 3, 2017
WOW
First off, get a box of tissues before reading. This story has so many ups and downs. Very little was easy. The emotional upheaval from finding out your child wasn't your biological child and wondering about that other child was extreme. It was heartbreaking to be Abbie; seeing her daughter completely fall in love with her biological father and her biological daughter wanting nothing to do with her. It took time but they finally became a real family.
First off, get a box of tissues before reading. This story has so many ups and downs. Very little was easy. The emotional upheaval from finding out your child wasn't your biological child and wondering about that other child was extreme. It was heartbreaking to be Abbie; seeing her daughter completely fall in love with her biological father and her biological daughter wanting nothing to do with her. It took time but they finally became a real family.
July 3, 2018
This was a 4 star until I got to the pathetic Hollywoody ending. Literally, the last page of the book cost it one star. Although it kind of had a pathetic undertone throughout, it was the good kind of pathetic until the very end. I guess I was just expecting a bit more realism where there was none to give.
July 8, 2017
This would make a great movie! Unique story line that still gave a happily ever after for the whole family. Well-written and the kind of book that I couldn't put down.
December 30, 2017
Enjoyed the heartbreak and not shared in this book. Would definitely recommend this book to anyone. Would also read more from this author
November 25, 2018
Predictable but good
Any easy story to follow, predictable but not quite boring. Frustrating that there were so many mistakes along the way, spaces between words missed, grammar mistakes and the odd spelling mistake
Any easy story to follow, predictable but not quite boring. Frustrating that there were so many mistakes along the way, spaces between words missed, grammar mistakes and the odd spelling mistake
December 10, 2018
You can see the plot twist a mile away and the end was totally too neat and rushed after a possible catastrophic climatic moment. That said, I felt generous because it kept my attention.
August 13, 2017
The Wrong Child- Patricia Kay 4* Two girls born on the same night in the middle of a blizzard. Two single parents, two separate paths...until an innocuous blood test tells one of them that they can’t be the biological parent of their child as the groups don’t link. Nature and nurture are very different things and although the parents can see ���differences” in their child-so what, we aren’t all the same are we? Will Logan’s plan work? If it doesn’t- what then? I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. The characters are well written and although at times there is one who is rather annoying it does bring the situation to life. We have all seen this sort of thing in the media but perhaps never think about the impact it has on others rather than just those involved. Some very wise words including: “People who refused to see the truth, who always blamed others for their unhappiness were doomed to a life of disappointment”. A well written story with a very interesting premise.
October 31, 2017
This is my first by this author and was a free download. She appears to have written lots but mainly under the Mills & Boon umbrella which is perhaps why I've overlooked her in the past. However, Stephanie Bond did that, too, yet I've read a great deal of her stories and enjoyed them all and plan to read more by Patricia as well.
I've read true stories of babies swapped at birth and watched any documentaries that pop up about them as I find the whole 'deal' quite fascinating. This story examined the whole situation from very many perspectives and was SO interesting ! And I had never even considered the way Abbie and Logan decided to work it out and do their utmost to fix things for the future. My jaw hit the floor but in a good way. Elizabeth was the auntie from hell but when you learn all of her background, I guess I came to understand her a bit better and like her a little more than I did initially.
Loved this quote, which is so true-"Those that can, do, and those that can't, review".....I always say I have absolutely no imagination whatsoever because people seem to think that if you read a lot it would be a simple matter of writing your own !!
I had no idea that they still held "debuts" for girls in the USA in 1998 !! I noticed that awful use of English they use over there at times...."last year and had gotten to go to Germany..." and "Logan lighted the candles". I was baffled by a passage where we learn of two of the three reasons Abbie bought her house but then she goes on to tell us about the other two.....oops. Rolodex should be capitalised and overhead and not overheads was used. One sentence was formatted oddly-"....Lone Star Monthly doesn't know you?&ququot,"....I see this in descriptions of books on Amazon at times and I'm never quite sure what it is that doesn't get picked up properly. There were some speechmarks missing as well and of course the odd misused apostrophe. I did like the easy, choppy way she breaks her sentences up making for much easier reading but WAS left wondering about a sleepover two of the kids shared with a friend and wanting to know how that went along with a wedding Abbie went to. We were never filled in on those, unfortunately.
All in all, though, I really liked the story and will definitely read this author again.
I've read true stories of babies swapped at birth and watched any documentaries that pop up about them as I find the whole 'deal' quite fascinating. This story examined the whole situation from very many perspectives and was SO interesting ! And I had never even considered the way Abbie and Logan decided to work it out and do their utmost to fix things for the future. My jaw hit the floor but in a good way. Elizabeth was the auntie from hell but when you learn all of her background, I guess I came to understand her a bit better and like her a little more than I did initially.
Loved this quote, which is so true-"Those that can, do, and those that can't, review".....I always say I have absolutely no imagination whatsoever because people seem to think that if you read a lot it would be a simple matter of writing your own !!
I had no idea that they still held "debuts" for girls in the USA in 1998 !! I noticed that awful use of English they use over there at times...."last year and had gotten to go to Germany..." and "Logan lighted the candles". I was baffled by a passage where we learn of two of the three reasons Abbie bought her house but then she goes on to tell us about the other two.....oops. Rolodex should be capitalised and overhead and not overheads was used. One sentence was formatted oddly-"....Lone Star Monthly doesn't know you?&ququot,"....I see this in descriptions of books on Amazon at times and I'm never quite sure what it is that doesn't get picked up properly. There were some speechmarks missing as well and of course the odd misused apostrophe. I did like the easy, choppy way she breaks her sentences up making for much easier reading but WAS left wondering about a sleepover two of the kids shared with a friend and wanting to know how that went along with a wedding Abbie went to. We were never filled in on those, unfortunately.
All in all, though, I really liked the story and will definitely read this author again.
November 2, 2011
“Ripped from the headlines”—hero and heroine’s daughters were switched at birth, and when they’re eleven, one daughter has to have bloodwork done and the heroine discovers that the daughter she’s raised for 11 years isn’t hers. She investigates, finds the daughter who is hers living in the same city, she’s divorced, he’s widowed, they’re free—and then things get complicated. Lots and lots of complications, but believable ones, along with a conniving sister-in-law. Interesting story, good read.
July 4, 2017
Free Ebook
She's a single mom with a great daughter, he's a widower with two children. Her daughter gets sick and the blood work says she's not her biological child, a search starts.
She's a single mom with a great daughter, he's a widower with two children. Her daughter gets sick and the blood work says she's not her biological child, a search starts.
August 22, 2017
Family and acceptence
Very touching story very heartfelt. It kept you wanting to back and read more to see what was going to haapen
Very touching story very heartfelt. It kept you wanting to back and read more to see what was going to haapen
September 4, 2019
I downloaded this free for my Kindle about a year ago, and decided to read it on a flight. It has an unusual premise: due to a terrible blizzard followed by a tragedy, two baby girls were accidentally switched at birth. The prologue is abrupt and melodramatic, and the first two or three chapters are a bit confusing with quite a large cast of people.
However I quickly found myself absorbed in the storyline. The characterisation is good, and the problems arising when the parents discover, ten years after the birth, what has happened, is all too realistic. The conflict between the love of one's own child and the child one has raised can only be imagined, but I felt that the author dealt with it sensitively and constructively.
It's not a difficult read, and the story mostly progresses at a good place. However there were places where I skimmed a few paragraphs: I found there to be a bit much introspection and heart-searching, repeating what had gone before. There's some nicely done romantic tension although I was disappointed that when this is eventually resolved, the author gives far too much detail about what happens rather than gently closing the bedroom door.
While the eventual outcome is predictable, I didn't mind that at all. The story itself has some gentle twists and turns, and a mixture of interesting people. Perhaps the eventual capitulations of a few of the characters, and the final paragraph, are a tad unrealistic, but this was clearly going to be a happy-ending story. Overall, I found it quite a satisfying read which was ideal for reading on a plane.
However I quickly found myself absorbed in the storyline. The characterisation is good, and the problems arising when the parents discover, ten years after the birth, what has happened, is all too realistic. The conflict between the love of one's own child and the child one has raised can only be imagined, but I felt that the author dealt with it sensitively and constructively.
It's not a difficult read, and the story mostly progresses at a good place. However there were places where I skimmed a few paragraphs: I found there to be a bit much introspection and heart-searching, repeating what had gone before. There's some nicely done romantic tension although I was disappointed that when this is eventually resolved, the author gives far too much detail about what happens rather than gently closing the bedroom door.
While the eventual outcome is predictable, I didn't mind that at all. The story itself has some gentle twists and turns, and a mixture of interesting people. Perhaps the eventual capitulations of a few of the characters, and the final paragraph, are a tad unrealistic, but this was clearly going to be a happy-ending story. Overall, I found it quite a satisfying read which was ideal for reading on a plane.
September 25, 2018
E-Reader. Romance / Mystery
Eleven years later Abbie Bernard finds out Kendall is not her daughter. Kendall wasn't feeling well so Abbie took to a doctor she used go to. He took two blood tests. Kendall needed more iron in her body.
The doctor's nurse called Abbie come in after office hours were over, so the doctor could speak to Abbie alone. She finds ou Kendall isn't her daughter because of Kendall's blood type.
Abbie works by investigating for authors. So called he local newspaper asking babies birth notices for two days. She found only one family had baby daughter born just a few minutes after Abbie daughter was born.
The O'Connell's had a baby daughter, noted above. So Abby starts to investigate more. She looked up n the white pages of phone book in Houston & found several. She called all of numbers. She finally found by calling an O'Connell Architect firm. After speaking to his secretary she found out he had a son & daughter. The son was just few years older the the daughter who was the same age as Kendall.
She calls his office that she wants ask him questions about the babies born during at a small hospital on the Texas Coast during a rare snow blizzard.
His name s Logan O'Connell, he will meet her to have lunch. She realized that he looked much more like Kendall.
She found out he lost his wife three years ago.
I don't want say much more about this book. Because you need to read this book.
I hope you will enjoy this book as much as I did!
Eleven years later Abbie Bernard finds out Kendall is not her daughter. Kendall wasn't feeling well so Abbie took to a doctor she used go to. He took two blood tests. Kendall needed more iron in her body.
The doctor's nurse called Abbie come in after office hours were over, so the doctor could speak to Abbie alone. She finds ou Kendall isn't her daughter because of Kendall's blood type.
Abbie works by investigating for authors. So called he local newspaper asking babies birth notices for two days. She found only one family had baby daughter born just a few minutes after Abbie daughter was born.
The O'Connell's had a baby daughter, noted above. So Abby starts to investigate more. She looked up n the white pages of phone book in Houston & found several. She called all of numbers. She finally found by calling an O'Connell Architect firm. After speaking to his secretary she found out he had a son & daughter. The son was just few years older the the daughter who was the same age as Kendall.
She calls his office that she wants ask him questions about the babies born during at a small hospital on the Texas Coast during a rare snow blizzard.
His name s Logan O'Connell, he will meet her to have lunch. She realized that he looked much more like Kendall.
She found out he lost his wife three years ago.
I don't want say much more about this book. Because you need to read this book.
I hope you will enjoy this book as much as I did!
Read
October 24, 2017This story is about two baby girls born in a small hospital in the middle of a blizzard. Due to the sudden death of the only nurse in the ward, the babies are switched, for both babies to be raised by loving parents. The real story begins when both girls are 11 years old. To say more about the plot would be giving it away.
I found the plot structure to be masterful. The story follows a chronological order and is very easy to understand and enjoy. The two girls are very different in nature, each resembling their biological families. I guess in this novel, nature won over nurture.
One of the girls, Kendall, I liked very much; the other one, not so. Abbie, one of the mothers, finds out about the switch first. Her reaction and inner turmoil is not only credible but also is written with perfection.
What I didn’t think was as perfect was the slight sappiness that sneaked into the writing, here and there. Also, from my point of view, with some cases and secondary and minor characters, getting into everybody’s head and narrating every thought and feeling to the readers can be a bit much. Sometimes, when a situation is properly shown, the rest would be better left to the reader’s imagination, but this is only my thinking.
Overall, the catalyst in the story sets the tone to the flow of the story, and the novel is well-written and enjoyable to read, even if the happy ending is conveniently planned.
I found the plot structure to be masterful. The story follows a chronological order and is very easy to understand and enjoy. The two girls are very different in nature, each resembling their biological families. I guess in this novel, nature won over nurture.
One of the girls, Kendall, I liked very much; the other one, not so. Abbie, one of the mothers, finds out about the switch first. Her reaction and inner turmoil is not only credible but also is written with perfection.
What I didn’t think was as perfect was the slight sappiness that sneaked into the writing, here and there. Also, from my point of view, with some cases and secondary and minor characters, getting into everybody’s head and narrating every thought and feeling to the readers can be a bit much. Sometimes, when a situation is properly shown, the rest would be better left to the reader’s imagination, but this is only my thinking.
Overall, the catalyst in the story sets the tone to the flow of the story, and the novel is well-written and enjoyable to read, even if the happy ending is conveniently planned.
February 17, 2019
The Wrong Child
Patricia Kay
What would you do if you discovered that your child that you have been raising for 11 years was not yours at all? That the child you have been raising was switched at birth with another baby born around the same time by mistake ? This story is about two baby girls born in a small hospital in the middle of a blizzard. Due to the sudden death of the only nurse working the babies are switched. When one of the girls become sick the Dr then tells the mom there is no way possible this child can be yours.
The Wrong Child is a compelling ,beautifully written ,stand alone story that touched my heart and caught my attention right from the start. The characters, including the children & pets, are all well developed . All of the scenes and places are so well done that it's not hard to imagine that you are right there. The only down side to the whole book was it came to a sudden end and there was poor editing. There was tons of words run together that should not have been. That was very annoying and very distracting. The plot though was full of suspense and kept me turning the pages. It was such an intriguing story that i read it in just one day .
Patricia Kay
What would you do if you discovered that your child that you have been raising for 11 years was not yours at all? That the child you have been raising was switched at birth with another baby born around the same time by mistake ? This story is about two baby girls born in a small hospital in the middle of a blizzard. Due to the sudden death of the only nurse working the babies are switched. When one of the girls become sick the Dr then tells the mom there is no way possible this child can be yours.
The Wrong Child is a compelling ,beautifully written ,stand alone story that touched my heart and caught my attention right from the start. The characters, including the children & pets, are all well developed . All of the scenes and places are so well done that it's not hard to imagine that you are right there. The only down side to the whole book was it came to a sudden end and there was poor editing. There was tons of words run together that should not have been. That was very annoying and very distracting. The plot though was full of suspense and kept me turning the pages. It was such an intriguing story that i read it in just one day .
October 11, 2018
I definitely enjoyed this story, but I felt that the plot was obvious from the start. Elizabeth was also just a despicable character to me. I know she was supposed to be the antagonist, but it felt like it was done too extremely. I almost felt upset with the author anytime Elizabeth griped and moaned in the story, because of how unbelievable it was.
Update: I started out rating this a 3 star book, but I changed it to two stars because the ending kept nagging at me. Why did we read through long drawn out chapters of Erin hating Abbie, but only were given a paragraph or so of closure when Erin finally does accept her? As a reader, that closure would have done this book much more justice. There should have been more exploration of the gradual build of affection from Erin. The ending as it stands just doesn't make sense. I just can't believe that Erin would go from tolerance to love in seconds over a baby being born...that is just impractical. Ugh. If this bugs me much longer, I might be moving my rating down to a one star. I just need a new book, so I can forget about this aggravating ending.
Update: I started out rating this a 3 star book, but I changed it to two stars because the ending kept nagging at me. Why did we read through long drawn out chapters of Erin hating Abbie, but only were given a paragraph or so of closure when Erin finally does accept her? As a reader, that closure would have done this book much more justice. There should have been more exploration of the gradual build of affection from Erin. The ending as it stands just doesn't make sense. I just can't believe that Erin would go from tolerance to love in seconds over a baby being born...that is just impractical. Ugh. If this bugs me much longer, I might be moving my rating down to a one star. I just need a new book, so I can forget about this aggravating ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 4, 2017
An impossible situation
This book is a quick read. Liked it from the first page. What a dilemma! Two infant girls, born in the same hospital, on either side of midnight, during a blizzard, are mistakenly identified as belonging to the wrong parents, and raised by them for 11 years. Only after one child becomes ill, is the truth revealed, because her blood type is not compatible with her mother's. What follows is a mother's search for the other child, her own lost child, which leads to an unconventional solution to an impossible situation. Ultimately, the two families are united, but not without much uncertainty, jealousy, and many false starts. I thoroughly enjoyed this feel-good story. Just what I needed: light reading that helped lift me of my own problems, if only for a little while. It gives me hope that I will also find a way to work thru my own problems to find my own happy ending. A fast, easy, summer read!
This book is a quick read. Liked it from the first page. What a dilemma! Two infant girls, born in the same hospital, on either side of midnight, during a blizzard, are mistakenly identified as belonging to the wrong parents, and raised by them for 11 years. Only after one child becomes ill, is the truth revealed, because her blood type is not compatible with her mother's. What follows is a mother's search for the other child, her own lost child, which leads to an unconventional solution to an impossible situation. Ultimately, the two families are united, but not without much uncertainty, jealousy, and many false starts. I thoroughly enjoyed this feel-good story. Just what I needed: light reading that helped lift me of my own problems, if only for a little while. It gives me hope that I will also find a way to work thru my own problems to find my own happy ending. A fast, easy, summer read!
September 27, 2018
Wow, what a difficult subject and difficult story to write especially when we know that this situation has actually happened in real life. I can only imagine the pain that both parents and the involved children would go through. This was the first book that I have read by Patricia Kay and I am sold on her ability to tell a story and tell it in a riveting way. I could not put my tablet down. Each character in the story was extremely well-developed, the plot was written in an intriguing way keeping the reader in suspense right up to the end, and the book was, overall, very well-done. I could see each of the characters and could imagine myself sitting in the living room with them - I have known people like each of the characters described - they were all believable from shy, uncertain Erin to overbearing, nauseating, and arrogant Elizabeth. Thank you to Patricia Kay for writing this story.
November 14, 2018
The old story of switched babies at birth retold in a new way. Abbie (divorced) and Logan (widower) are trying to find the best solution for their daughters Erin and Kendall. Of course there are some complications but in the end...
Well, the story isn't really sugar coated and is told from Abbie's, Logan's, Erin's and Elizabeth's (Logan's sister-in-law) perspective. Abbie's mother gets a few lines as well.
All in all an ok read, though there's little suspence. The end is a bit predictable and some details are completely forgotten, after we get into the plot (the reason Abbie finds out the truth is totally forgotten - poof! gone).
Incredible but true, I actually finished this typical American book. Would I read it again? No. Would I recommend it? Not really. Was ist enjoyable - Kinda. I would have enjoyed it more, if I hadn't just finished "The Glass Ocean" a couple of days before. It's like switching from luxury to great value. Kinda ok, but a little lacking ;)
Well, the story isn't really sugar coated and is told from Abbie's, Logan's, Erin's and Elizabeth's (Logan's sister-in-law) perspective. Abbie's mother gets a few lines as well.
All in all an ok read, though there's little suspence. The end is a bit predictable and some details are completely forgotten, after we get into the plot (the reason Abbie finds out the truth is totally forgotten - poof! gone).
Incredible but true, I actually finished this typical American book. Would I read it again? No. Would I recommend it? Not really. Was ist enjoyable - Kinda. I would have enjoyed it more, if I hadn't just finished "The Glass Ocean" a couple of days before. It's like switching from luxury to great value. Kinda ok, but a little lacking ;)
August 12, 2019
Abbie Bernard's husband did not want her to get pregnant and basically deserted her and her daughter at birth. Kendall is very different than Abbie, but no one thought anything about it until she had blood tests at age 12 for anemia and the doctor discovered she could not possibly be her daughter from the blood type. At that point Abbie does some research and discovers that her daughter was probably switched with another girl born just minutes later in a small TX hospital during a snowstorm, when the only nurse dropped dead. She then discovers the other family - father son and daughter living only 20 min. away. The mother died 3 years earlier. Abbie approaches Logan O'Connell and eventually tells him why.
With no better solution, they decide to marry so they will both have both of the daughters. There's a lot against them, but eventually they work it out and make a real marriage and family. Fairly chaste, good story.
With no better solution, they decide to marry so they will both have both of the daughters. There's a lot against them, but eventually they work it out and make a real marriage and family. Fairly chaste, good story.
July 7, 2017
I liked it... Ms. Kay can spin a story, and this one has a really nice twist to it.
I predicted how things were going to go from the time the heroine finds out the truth about her daughter Kendall, and I was right.
That's okay, it's nice to see a regular romance for a change. It's a mostly sweet one, so if anyone doesn't like a lot of erotic scenes in a book, this one is a good one for you.
I knocked off a star because of the antagonist. She was predictable, boring, and shallow. I yawned every time the story was from her point of view. I felt like she drug the story down instead of moved it forward. Sorry Ms. Kay.
Overall it wasn't a bad read, and I'll recommend it to anyone who prefers a sweeter romance.
I predicted how things were going to go from the time the heroine finds out the truth about her daughter Kendall, and I was right.
That's okay, it's nice to see a regular romance for a change. It's a mostly sweet one, so if anyone doesn't like a lot of erotic scenes in a book, this one is a good one for you.
I knocked off a star because of the antagonist. She was predictable, boring, and shallow. I yawned every time the story was from her point of view. I felt like she drug the story down instead of moved it forward. Sorry Ms. Kay.
Overall it wasn't a bad read, and I'll recommend it to anyone who prefers a sweeter romance.
July 16, 2017
Two girls end up with the wrong parents because of tragic series of events the night they were born. One mother discovers this and after much torment she tells the other family. She s divorced and the other family the mother has died ... Pretty obvious what happens but there is a bit more to it and things obviously do not run smoothly as then there would not be much of a story.
It isn't a deep meaningful read and the characters are a bit black and white - some so perfect and others nasty and bitchy yet somehow they do change for the better in time. It is all a bit predictabe but kept me entertained on the flight from Seattle !
It isn't a deep meaningful read and the characters are a bit black and white - some so perfect and others nasty and bitchy yet somehow they do change for the better in time. It is all a bit predictabe but kept me entertained on the flight from Seattle !
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