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How I Met Your Father: A Mother's Unthinkable Loss an Anonymous Donor a Beloved Baby and an Unexpected Love Story
A heartwarming story of triumph after terrible tragedy, of finding love and happiness in a most unusual way - the extraordinary, back-to-front romance of IVF recipient Aminah Hart and her anonymous sperm donor, Scott Andersen.
Born in London to an Australian mother and West Indian father, Aminah Hart was brought up in Melbourne by her gutsy single mum, Helen, and devoted grandparents. Despite their loving embrace, she grew into a rebellious teenager only too aware of racial and social prejudice.
By her early thirties Aminah seemed to have it all – a successful career in advertising, an adoring husband, and a baby on the way. But then she experienced such terrible tragedy it would have broken many people. Somehow, despite her grief, Aminah found the resilience to get back on her feet, only to encounter further tragedy.
After the joy and happiness of giving birth to a baby girl, Leila, via IVF, Aminah contacted Leila’s sperm donor, Scott, to see if he’d be interested in meeting the daughter he helped create. To Aminah’s delight he agreed and Leila and her dad soon developed a close relationship. What Aminah didn’t expect was to fall in love with Scott herself…
How I Met Your Father is the extraordinary true story of a woman who overcame terrible losses to find love and happiness in a most unexpected way.
Born in London to an Australian mother and West Indian father, Aminah Hart was brought up in Melbourne by her gutsy single mum, Helen, and devoted grandparents. Despite their loving embrace, she grew into a rebellious teenager only too aware of racial and social prejudice.
By her early thirties Aminah seemed to have it all – a successful career in advertising, an adoring husband, and a baby on the way. But then she experienced such terrible tragedy it would have broken many people. Somehow, despite her grief, Aminah found the resilience to get back on her feet, only to encounter further tragedy.
After the joy and happiness of giving birth to a baby girl, Leila, via IVF, Aminah contacted Leila’s sperm donor, Scott, to see if he’d be interested in meeting the daughter he helped create. To Aminah’s delight he agreed and Leila and her dad soon developed a close relationship. What Aminah didn’t expect was to fall in love with Scott herself…
How I Met Your Father is the extraordinary true story of a woman who overcame terrible losses to find love and happiness in a most unexpected way.
- GenresBiography Memoir
320 pages, Paperback
Published April 1, 2016
6 people are currently reading
119 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 3, 2016
I actually first saw this book and read a snippet of what it contained through facebook, I think it was a daily mail story. I knew I would want to read it, but it wasn't for sale yet! So I waited, hoping, and finally spotted a copy at Target.
As far as biographies go, I felt really connected to this one despite the subject matter being completely opposite to most of my own experiences. While like most people I've been bullied in the past, it was never because of race such as Aminah describes. Then of course, there is the horrific loss of both her baby boys at an early age, and her final quest to finally become a mother to a healthy child. Again, having no children of my own and no desire for any, it's strange that I felt intrigued by this story, but the writing was so good and the story so heartbreaking it was impossible to put down.
A truly great biography, I highly recommend this book. Five stars.
As far as biographies go, I felt really connected to this one despite the subject matter being completely opposite to most of my own experiences. While like most people I've been bullied in the past, it was never because of race such as Aminah describes. Then of course, there is the horrific loss of both her baby boys at an early age, and her final quest to finally become a mother to a healthy child. Again, having no children of my own and no desire for any, it's strange that I felt intrigued by this story, but the writing was so good and the story so heartbreaking it was impossible to put down.
A truly great biography, I highly recommend this book. Five stars.
June 4, 2016
I first saw Aminah's story on Australian story and was captivated by what a nice outcome it had. How I Met Your Father, however, is a much more in-depth account of Aminah's long and sometimes sad road to motherhood and the happy family she always desired.
Raised in Melbourne by a single mother and adoring grandparents, Aminah had a happy home life, although her childhood was marred by racism at her primary school. Although she didn't lack love from her mother and grandparents, Aminah always yearned to know her West Indian father and sought to find him when she moved to London on a working holiday. Sadly she learned he had died not long before, however she did discover a half sister and other extended family who welcomed her with open arms.
Amina enjoyed the London lifestyle for many years, eventually marrying in her early 30s and excitedly awaiting the birth of her first child. Then in a short space of time it all went so wrong, with a rare disease stealing her much loved son Marlon. Devastatingly history repeated itself when the same disease took the life of her second son Louis. Despite such devastating heartbreak Aminah picked herself up and started moving forward in her life again, albeit with a heavy burden of sorrow.
By her early forties Aminah was living back in Australia, single and desperate to have one last try for motherhood. Deciding to use an anonymous sperm donor, she chose the profile of a man who stood out amid the pieces of paper she sifted through. Ecstatic to become pregnant, she went on to deliver a healthy baby girl. Although happy enough as a single mother, Aminah decided to track down her sperm donor when her daughter was two, so they could meet. Donor dad Scott agreed. What neither of expected was that they would fall in love.
How I Met Your Father is a wonderful memoir and is the ultimate back to front love story. It was not hard to connect with Aminah and follow her journey. Knowing that there was a happy ending made the very sad moments easier to digest, however my heart did break for Aminah as she endured such devastating loss twice. All in all though, How I Met Your Father is an uplifting book that goes to show life can deliver the most delightful of surprises when you least expect it.
Raised in Melbourne by a single mother and adoring grandparents, Aminah had a happy home life, although her childhood was marred by racism at her primary school. Although she didn't lack love from her mother and grandparents, Aminah always yearned to know her West Indian father and sought to find him when she moved to London on a working holiday. Sadly she learned he had died not long before, however she did discover a half sister and other extended family who welcomed her with open arms.
Amina enjoyed the London lifestyle for many years, eventually marrying in her early 30s and excitedly awaiting the birth of her first child. Then in a short space of time it all went so wrong, with a rare disease stealing her much loved son Marlon. Devastatingly history repeated itself when the same disease took the life of her second son Louis. Despite such devastating heartbreak Aminah picked herself up and started moving forward in her life again, albeit with a heavy burden of sorrow.
By her early forties Aminah was living back in Australia, single and desperate to have one last try for motherhood. Deciding to use an anonymous sperm donor, she chose the profile of a man who stood out amid the pieces of paper she sifted through. Ecstatic to become pregnant, she went on to deliver a healthy baby girl. Although happy enough as a single mother, Aminah decided to track down her sperm donor when her daughter was two, so they could meet. Donor dad Scott agreed. What neither of expected was that they would fall in love.
How I Met Your Father is a wonderful memoir and is the ultimate back to front love story. It was not hard to connect with Aminah and follow her journey. Knowing that there was a happy ending made the very sad moments easier to digest, however my heart did break for Aminah as she endured such devastating loss twice. All in all though, How I Met Your Father is an uplifting book that goes to show life can deliver the most delightful of surprises when you least expect it.
May 5, 2016
My path crossed Aminah’s some years ago now. I run a website for people affected by the neuromuscular conditions known as centronuclear and myotubular myopathy. A family of conditions on a scale from mild to very severe, that affect people in many different ways, with a multitude of similarities and a multitude of differences. The conditions are rare, complex to understand, unpredictable and there is no cure. So when Aminah published her book, I was always going to read it, even though I knew bits of Aminah’s story and how it turned out already.
Much of the media coverage of the book has focused on the modern day back to front fairytale, which led to Aminah meeting her husband Scott and it does talk of this and of Leila, their beautiful daughter too. However, it is more than that, a memoir of the first 40 or so years of Aminah’s life, beginning with tales of Aminah’s grandparents and her parents, before moving onto Aminah’s own story in both London and Australia.
Aminah has written a very real and honest book about the highs and lows in her life and the short lives of her sons Marlon and Louis who had myotubuar myopathy – it is a book about fear and loss and heartbreak but also about fighting back. Different people will take different things from the book, they may relate to Aminah’s experience of everyday racism, or the need for an identity, or having a child with a undiagnosed medical condition or the loss of a child.
For me, it was all of the above but in particular Aminah has done a wonderful thing by writing this book in memory of her sons two little boys, who, while their lives may have been short, have left an amazing legacy.
Thank you for writing this Aminah. Proud to know you, even if only from afar.
Much of the media coverage of the book has focused on the modern day back to front fairytale, which led to Aminah meeting her husband Scott and it does talk of this and of Leila, their beautiful daughter too. However, it is more than that, a memoir of the first 40 or so years of Aminah’s life, beginning with tales of Aminah’s grandparents and her parents, before moving onto Aminah’s own story in both London and Australia.
Aminah has written a very real and honest book about the highs and lows in her life and the short lives of her sons Marlon and Louis who had myotubuar myopathy – it is a book about fear and loss and heartbreak but also about fighting back. Different people will take different things from the book, they may relate to Aminah’s experience of everyday racism, or the need for an identity, or having a child with a undiagnosed medical condition or the loss of a child.
For me, it was all of the above but in particular Aminah has done a wonderful thing by writing this book in memory of her sons two little boys, who, while their lives may have been short, have left an amazing legacy.
Thank you for writing this Aminah. Proud to know you, even if only from afar.
April 15, 2016
This is a must read. It is a story of courage and resilience in the face of heartbreak and sadness. And proof that dreams really do come true with perseverance and determination. A remarkable story with a well deserved happy ending.
Tears and laughter will accompany your journey with Aminah throughout the different phases of her life, leading to the present where there is so much joy and happiness.
How I Met Your Father is a definite page-turner. You won't want to stop reading until you come to the end and you will be sad that you have finished it. I am eagerly awaiting the next instalment.
Tears and laughter will accompany your journey with Aminah throughout the different phases of her life, leading to the present where there is so much joy and happiness.
How I Met Your Father is a definite page-turner. You won't want to stop reading until you come to the end and you will be sad that you have finished it. I am eagerly awaiting the next instalment.
May 16, 2016
This is an amazing read! Aminah writes beautifully and her story is inspiring, heart wrenching, heart breaking and life and love affirming. Truly uplifting.
June 12, 2016
Brilliant read, brilliant author, brilliant woman..
An inspirational story, with insight, hope, grief, laughter and love..
Will always remember..
Luv Nat xxx
An inspirational story, with insight, hope, grief, laughter and love..
Will always remember..
Luv Nat xxx
October 7, 2019
The most incredible stories are real life ones and this is no exception. Aminah Hart's candid account of her own family background and the heartbreaking tragedy of losing two babies to a genetic anomaly make up the greater part of this memoir. To then miraculously conceive a healthy child by IVF and donor sperm and to find and fall in love with the donor is amazing in itself. Hart's story is warts and all. After all who among us could envision being a childless parent? She writes openly, with warmth, intelligence and even occasional humour. Her life so far has been more eventful than lives of people more than twice her age. Her fairytale ending was long overdue and this story is a beautiful tribute to her sons and is a reflection of the powerful strengths and determination of motherhood at its most tested. I loved this autobiographical love story and recommend it highly.
January 4, 2025
Aminah's story is absolutely heartbreaking and I found myself unable to put this book down. I'm not usually a fan of non-fiction books but this was really well written and captured my heart from the first page.
February 17, 2019
I can't put this one down, i love it. Interesting and emotional.
January 31, 2017
I should start out by saying I missed the memo that this book has its fair share of heartbreak. I cried fat tears - which I rarely do - and yet I came away nothing less than uplifted by Aminah's incredible approach to life. She gave her boys every last piece of her heart, and but that giving did not diminish her capacity to love again. I appreciated hearing the story of the Aminah's own parentage & the not-so-easy experience of growing up with dark skin in Australia. I highly recommend picking this one up. 4.5 stars.
February 5, 2017
This is more a 3.5 rating. Very quick and easy read. Hart's resilience is admirable. I found the last 2/3 of the book more engaging as it recounted the devastating heartbreak of losing not only one baby but two to the same rare genetic disease. The book ended quite abruptly but a happy ending nonetheless.
April 4, 2017
Enjoyed this. Had no idea how her life had played out and expected it just to be about
her IVF experience and meeting her child's biological father, but the book is so much more than that. What a strong lady. Heartbreaking at times. I hope she has found her happy ending as she certainly seems to deserve it.
her IVF experience and meeting her child's biological father, but the book is so much more than that. What a strong lady. Heartbreaking at times. I hope she has found her happy ending as she certainly seems to deserve it.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews