A Life Unexpected

by Alison Ragsdale

Eve Carruthers is caught off guard when her newly married daughter, Jess, asks if the cystic fibrosis gene runs in the family. Eve must admit that she has kept the fact of her own adoption secret, from Jess. Eve asks her parents about the circumstances of her birth and a startling secret is unveiled. As she delves into her mysterious past, and becomes preoccupied by her discoveries, her over-protective husband, Ken, begins to feel excluded. When Eve meets family researcher Dan, she is flattered by this charismatic man’s interest in her. As the foundation of her world shifts, Eve must make a decision that could cause a rift in her marriage, alienate her daughter and challenge everything she believed to be true about herself

324 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 14, 2018

About the author

Alison's Amazon best sellers include: TUESDAY'S SOCKS, THE FATHER-DAUGHTER CLUB, FINDING HEATHER, A LIFE UNEXPECTED, THE ART OF REMEMBERING, DIGNITY AND GRACE, HER LAST CHANCE, SOMEONE ELSE'S CHILD, THE CHILD BETWEEN US, AN IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE, and MY HUSBAND'S CHILD.

Originally from Edinburgh, Alison now lives in the US with her husband and dogs. Educated in England, she holds an MBA from Leicester University.

For more information: www.alisonragsdale.com.

Reviews

[Linda Zagon · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Review of “A Life Unexpected” by Alison Ragsdale 2018

I enjoyed and was intrigued by “A Life Unexpected” by Alison Ragsdale. The Genres for this Novel are Fiction and Women’s Fiction with a dash of Romance and suspense. The timeline of the story is the present and goes back to the past when it pertains to the characters and events of the story.

Alison Ragsdale describes her characters as everyday people with problems, and are searching for their sense of purpose. Eve Carruthers, a photographer and her husband Ken, a shop-owner are surprised when their newly married daughter Jess inquires if anyone in the family has the cystic fibrosis gene. Jess and her husband want to start a family, and is important for them to know the medical history in the family

Eve has always accepted the fact that she is adopted, and never has told her daughter Jess. This is a secret that is going to cause complications for everyone. How would you feel if your parents kept a secret that they had been adopted from you?

Eve goes on a personal journey of discovery and self-worth in trying to find answers to questions. As Eve, goes on this quest for the truth, it affects her relationship with her husband Ken, and Jess. Eve’s adventure is like opening Pandora’s box.

I appreciate that the author mentions significant topics such as cystic fibrosis and other genetic complications. I also like that the author mentions the topic of adoption. For the parents, who have shown love and support for the children they adopted, believing that the children belong to them, and the children in search of their natural birth parents, it must be a stressful, complex and complicated situation.

I love that Alison Ragsdale discusses the importance of family , support, forgiveness, love and hope. I would recommend this captivating and emotional story for those that enjoy Women’s Fiction.

[Susan Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartfelt story

A Life Unexpected is a heartfelt story about mothers, daughters, and the things that bind them forever. I loved the characters in this story, who felt like genuine people that I’d like to know in real life; imperfect people who love, who make mistakes, and must also learn to forgive. The setting of Scotland was such a treat, described so vividly that I felt I was there.

[Ranjini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eve Carruthers, a student counsellor, and her husband Ken, a shop-owner are caught off-guard, when their newly married daughter, Jess, inquires if anyone in the family is a carrier of the cystic fibrosis gene. Since her husband, Ram, is a carrier; it’s important for Jess to find out if her family lineage has the carrier gene, as that will affect their family planning and chances of having healthy children.

Eve is forced to admit to Jess that she’s adopted, and that she has hidden this fact from Jess. Understandably, Jess is shocked. For Jess’s sake, Eve decides to dig into her past - though she herself has never wanted to know the truth.
She asks her parents, Mary and Russell, about the circumstances of her birth leading upto the adoption. In the process, she uncovers a startling secret, which threatens to rock her world.

As she begins her quest, to find out her biological mother, it turns into a personal journey of discovery and self-worth. Her quest for the truth affects her relationship with Ken and Jess.
Will she be able to trace her roots?
In her journey to seek the truth, will she alienate those people who mean the world to her?

A poignant and well-written novel, the author brings out the conflicts in Eve’s mind very well. The raw pain and emotions are well captured.
Is it a parent’s cold neglect?
Or is it circumstances that could lead to such actions?

Adoption is a sensitive topic.
And the situation even more stressful, complex and complicated for the parents, who have shown unconditional love and support for the children they adopted, believing them to be their own and the children in search of their birth parents.

This book deftly deals with the importance of family, support, forgiveness, love and essentially, hope.
Mothers, natural or adoptive, only hold in their hearts a lot of care, pride, protection and love towards their children.
And that, remains the crux of this story.

[K.N. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eve always knew she was adopted, but she never cared to know more. When her daughter Jess announces she and her husband need more family medical information because they’re going to have a baby, this nudges Eve on a quest. While this is the overriding issue, there’s a quiet undercurrent in this story addressing a woman’s identity and relationship adjustments as we approach middle age.

The story first builds to Eve informing Jess that she, Eve, is adopted. But there’s a twist when Eve visits her adopted parents to ask for more information about her birth mother. Eve is a subdued, realistic character who cares deeply for her family and the revelation rocks her self-worth.

Eve’s journey, both the landscape and the emotional process, feel authentic and natural. There’s no melodrama but plenty of genuine reflection. While Eve makes a decision that risks losing the love and respect of her husband and daughter, it isn’t a stretch to imagine someone finding themselves in such a predicament.

Ragsdale has a keen sense of those small things in relationships that cause distance and the quiet pain that can build. I highly recommend this book for those who enjoy women’s fiction as well as those who like a soft mystery, a mystery of family ties and the fear that solving them may create more wounds.

[Nana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this story. I can't imagine the feelings a child might have upon learning they are adopted. Even in the best of circumstances with loving parents it's still probably an unspoken desire to learn about birth parents. Sometimes that can be fruitful or other times it can be devastating.
This story is thought provoking and charming.

[Leanna Mattea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is wonderful story by Alison Ragsdale of a family with a secret that only comes out when Eve Carruther’s daughter, has some questions relating to family medical history. It is then that Eve reveals to her daughter Jess, that she was adopted as a baby.
This confessions opens a whole tide of emotional turmoil, as Eve seeks to find answers regarding her birth mother. Through this search, we are treated to the beauty of Scotland, as we visit the small towns and villages in their journey.
This is a story of a woman torn between the desire to find her beginnings, without damaging the relationships of the parents who raised her, the husband that’s loved her, as she excludes him from her journey and the daughter who finds that her roots don’t go as deep as she once believed.
It reveals the fragility of our own self worth and insecurities when our foundations are disrupted, but with answers, the foundations are reinforced.
I thank Alison Ragsdale for the gift and in return, I hope I shared a review worthy of this lovely story.

[Priya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story that traces the journey of a woman, both physical and emotional, towards self discovery and acceptance by getting to know her past.
Eve Caruthers knew she was adopted but never cared to ask more until her daughter, Jess, shares that she needs medical history on her mother's side to check if she is a carrier of the cystic fibrosis gene as her husband Ram is.
Though the search for her birth mother starts off for Jess, along the way Eve realizes she needs answers to the questions of her past. Chronicling the challenges of a long and happy relationship in the face of new challenges and discoveries, this story is as much about Eve and her husband Ken as it is about her quest to find out what happened when she was born.
It has sweet mother daughter bonding moments and is very feel good.

[Jo Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by Alison
and Wow that was unexpected!!!. I was instantly gripped by this heart warming book about love, support , forgiveness and hope.

The book covers a few different topics, ones that I have never experienced myself but felt while reading this that I have a little more understanding for someone who may have been touched by these topics.
You can tell by the way Alison has written that she must of done some fantastic research on all the topics.

I loved the characters but I especially loved the bond between Eve and Jess, very well written.

I would highly recommend this book and will definitely be reading more books by Alison.

[Brenda Blair · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. It pulled at my heart strings a bit but had some funny and witty parts too. Eve didn’t realize her life would take an unexpected turn until her daughter Jess asked about their medical history. Knowing that she was adopted, Eve wasn’t quite sure she wanted to take the journey of finding out who abandoned her and why. After she did she knew that she was deeply loved and not just abandoned. Eve, Jess, and Ken are put to the ultimate challenge but overcame it with love. This is a very good book about love and overcoming challenges with a great ending.

[Linda Hewitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Moses basket under a table in a Cafe!

An amazing book about a search for a woman's past! I felt every bit of the hurt, excitement, disappointments, anger and turmoil that the family in this story endured! The ending was exactly what I needed to read!

[Carly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt like I was walking in step, keeping company with Eve on her quest. It was a pathway I was invited to travel following Eve’s quiet but emotional epiphany that she cared. Suddenly it mattered! I wanted to know and understand just as much as she did. Beautifully written book.

[perI WOLF · Rating 2 out of 5]

Adopted

I found the book a little slow. When I read what it was about I was intrigued. That’s all I have to say

[Marcia Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story

Excellent character development and empathy for story line. Great texture for focus on settings of interaction and emotional expression. Intuitive.

[Harriet Dickerson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pleasant read that will have you rooting for Eve as she discovers a bit more about herself & her relationships. You WILL want to visit Scotland & all the lovely scenery that Ms. Ragsdale so deftly describes.

[Shia · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF

[Phyllis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have come to love Alison Ragsdale’s books. Her characters are people you might actually know and like. In this respect, she reminds me a bit of Elizabeth Berg, who I also love.

[Eva King · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, not only because it was intriguing, fast paced and the characters were incredible. But because it was set in Scotland. Areas that I know and seen.

[Kayleigh Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn't what I was expecting. Although I liked the story the idea and feel of it and also the fact I found it quite relatable not knowing my mother. I found the characters quite stiff, reserved and I felt Eve and Ken seemed old before their time. I would liked to have gotten to know Jess and Ram a little more as well. I was wanting things to progress more quickly than they do for Eve wanting her to get the answers she seemed sooner. I did enjoy the lovely descriptions of all the places Eve visited on her quest though. A good story with a lovely ending it just wasn't for me.

[Twobchelm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learning you were abandoned opens up all kinds of emotions that you weren’t expecting…

[Kim Bakos · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an adoptive parent, I am always interested in books that delve into the relationships developed through adoption - both from the perspective of birth and adoptive parents, as well as the adopted child. In this story, it is actually the daughter of the adoptee who gets everyone to confront the past and uncover secrets.
But this is more than a story about adoption - in fact, it is story about family with adoption as the central story that is all revolves around. This book deals with keeping secrets (and if they are you secret, do you have an obligation to share them with others?) It is about how to find the balance in a marriage between feeling cared for versus being controlled. It is about temptation and the need to feel attractive to someone. It is about cultural and religious differences. It tackles all of these issues very well.
There are no characters in this story that I didn't like, which makes the conflicts even more challenging when there is no clear right or wrong party. I loved the writing, plot and character development!

[Jamie Rutland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a powerful story. Alison Ragsdale writes books with such personal touches. You can feel the words that she writes, not just read them. This story is about a woman who finds out that she has a problematic medical condition. When she approaches her mother to find out if the gene for this condition runs in the family, she finds out that she was adopted. That turns her world upside down, of course. As she goes through the process of finding out who she really is biologically, she also finds out who she really is deep down in her soul. The process affects her marriage and even her own relationship with her daughter. This is a wonderful read. I highly recommend this book!

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written book

I like how the author wrote this book but it was so unrealistic, especially the marriages, that it took away from part of the enjoyment of reading the book. To me all the marriages were so predictable that I didn’t even need to read the end to know how both Eve’s and Ken’s marriage and their daughter’s marriage would end up being.

[celene irwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book

Great story but I think the author lost the plot literly. I thought the reason for Eve's mission was to get information on CF but there was no mention of it at all. A little disapointed with the ending

[Lou.bookandginlover · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was instantly gripped by this heart warming book about love, support , forgiveness and hope.

[Toni Aucoin · Rating 3 out of 5]

very predictable

[Pam Vogt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. You don't always find a book where you are invested in the story right from the beginning and then having a hard time putting it down. I think Alison Ragsdale tells wonderful stories and love hearing about Scotland since that is where my grandmother was from. If you like Scottish shortbread, be sure to try the Millionaires shortbread that the author mentioned. You won't be disappointed. Adoption is a wonderful thing being able to give love to a child. Eve knew she was adopted but had never questioned her parent's about her real mother and father. When Eve's daughter, Jess, asks her about her medical history, she couldn't give her any answers. She had never told Jess that she was adopted. This put Eve on a mission to get the answers to her beginning. A story of love, revelations, heartache and family anguish will give you a good read. I highly recommend this book.

[Kellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slow burner for me. This book started off holding my interest as Eve’s 23 year old, newly married daughter questions her about her medical history as Jess and new husband Ram yearn to start a family of their own. When Jess is told that her mother was in fact adopted by her grandparents, the future of having a family of her own is questioned.

The story takes the reader on a journey of Eve finding her birth parents while she unknowingly isolates her family in the process. While I found the writing style easy, this book bored me a little as it’s not my usual genre. A nice storyline that will be adored by many.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story. A middle aged woman decides to look for her birth mother after her daughter asks her if the cystic fibrosis gene runs in her family. Eve has always considered her adopted parents as her parents, and she never was interested in finding out more about her birth mother. So the journey to find and talk to her birth mother was intense, and emotional to Eve and her family.

[Kimberly Rudd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heartwarming

Overall this ends up being a heart warming story. I found some of the sub plots a little eh, but in the end they all end neatly. It was a nice read, but from the description I was thinking there would have been more perhaps drama or build up (don't want to go into many details as to reveal spoilers). This book was not my typical kind of book, but worth the read.

[Peg Gravely · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

So happy for the ending. The book shows a lot of wisdom and caring of human nature. It captures the essence of what can be felt during times we question who we are and what part heritage plays.