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This Can't Be Happening Collection #3
The Third Man
What would happen if your baby’s birth father represented everything you despised and feared? In this profound and heartrending story, an adoptive mother is forced to discover the answer. After years of infertility, Mani and her husband, David, decided to adopt. When they matched with a teen mother, they were overjoyed, until the likely birth father contested. Frank was a violent white supremacist who had no intention of relinquishing parental rights. With tenuous hope and consuming dread, Mani now had to go head-to-head with a hateful stranger. And she was totally unprepared for where it would lead. Mani Sheriar’s The Third Man is part of This Can’t Be Happening , a collection of four true stories about making the best of a worst-case scenario curated by Kevin Allison, creator of the hit true storytelling podcast RISK! Outrageous, alarming, triumphant, and sometimes embarrassing, these fearless confessionals can be read, or listened to, in one what-on-earth-would-I-do? sitting.
28 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 27, 2018
639 people are currently reading
266 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews
February 17, 2022
Mani and David have been trying for a second child for over 3 years now and Mani barely recognizes herself.
In this novella Mani describes her painful journey through infertility and her decision to adopt.
This title is part of the This Can't Be Happening collection available on Kindle Unlimited, a collection of four true stories about making the best of a worst-case scenario.
Three stars.
In this novella Mani describes her painful journey through infertility and her decision to adopt.
This title is part of the This Can't Be Happening collection available on Kindle Unlimited, a collection of four true stories about making the best of a worst-case scenario.
Three stars.
January 4, 2019
The Third Man is a beautiful story about adoption, family and love. It is the fourth and final story in the This Can't Be Happening Collection from Audible/Amazon Originals. The collection gathers four tales about people persisting through a life crisis and coming out stronger for it. Mani and her husband David go through the adoption process and bring a little baby boy home with them. But the baby's father files papers to contest the adoption. Mani struggles with fears that she might lose Bodie and faces a whirlwind of emotions about the father who might take the baby away from them.
This story quickly became my favorite of the 4-story collection. Mani tells her story with real emotion and strength. She talks about fertility treatments, the pain of a miscarriage, all the paperwork involved before the adoption, meeting the birth mother and bringing the baby home.....only to face possibly losing him. The scene where she meets the birth father was tense, beautiful and filled with love. Such a sweet story of love and acceptance!
This story is part of a bigger collection of stories told on the Risk! Podcast, produced by Kevin Allison. The podcast gathers intense stories from people's lives that they thought they would never reveal in public. I've added the Podcast to my download list. I loved this collection of four original stories, and I hope the podcast offers more of the same!
Audible/Amazon Originals have proved to be a hit or miss experience for me. Some of the collections I have thoroughly enjoyed....others were a mixed bag....and some I just found to be awful. The This Can't Be Happening Collection is by far the best I have listened to so far. Loved it!
I listened to the audio version of this story. At just under an hour, it's an easy, quick but emotional listening experience. Mani Sheriar narrates her own story. She reads at a nice pace with real emotion. It was a very powerful, enjoyable performance. I have hearing loss, but was easily able to understand and enjoy this audio book.
This story quickly became my favorite of the 4-story collection. Mani tells her story with real emotion and strength. She talks about fertility treatments, the pain of a miscarriage, all the paperwork involved before the adoption, meeting the birth mother and bringing the baby home.....only to face possibly losing him. The scene where she meets the birth father was tense, beautiful and filled with love. Such a sweet story of love and acceptance!
This story is part of a bigger collection of stories told on the Risk! Podcast, produced by Kevin Allison. The podcast gathers intense stories from people's lives that they thought they would never reveal in public. I've added the Podcast to my download list. I loved this collection of four original stories, and I hope the podcast offers more of the same!
Audible/Amazon Originals have proved to be a hit or miss experience for me. Some of the collections I have thoroughly enjoyed....others were a mixed bag....and some I just found to be awful. The This Can't Be Happening Collection is by far the best I have listened to so far. Loved it!
I listened to the audio version of this story. At just under an hour, it's an easy, quick but emotional listening experience. Mani Sheriar narrates her own story. She reads at a nice pace with real emotion. It was a very powerful, enjoyable performance. I have hearing loss, but was easily able to understand and enjoy this audio book.
February 18, 2025
Nice short story.. Great family dynamic in the story
December 13, 2019
Mani and her husband David wanted another child. Their son Skyler was all on board. They found an expecting mother who didn’t want her child and she agreed to give the child to them. The only problem is she didn’t know who the father was. There was three possible options none of which were all that great one in particular with someone that was in and out of jail. The mother didn’t think any of them would want the child but they do have a right to their child if they wanted it so there stood the problem. They then had to find the fathers and I bet you can guess which one they found.
January 15, 2019
This one left me cold. For one thing, I will never understand some peoples' desperation to have a biological child. So the part spent talking about that year in their lives didn't move me. Secondly, they already had one kid, and brought him into the process entirely too much. No seven year old needs to help his mom analyze a pee stick.
I'm glad it all worked out for them but the ending was a bit anti-climactic since they couldn't find the guy to let him know. But it's a real-life story so there's not always the closure you want.
Note - I am not discounting her pain at all. I just don't understand why people don't consider adoption before trying to force it with years of fertility treatments.
I'm glad it all worked out for them but the ending was a bit anti-climactic since they couldn't find the guy to let him know. But it's a real-life story so there's not always the closure you want.
Note - I am not discounting her pain at all. I just don't understand why people don't consider adoption before trying to force it with years of fertility treatments.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 7, 2024
Judging
Mani and David had a lovely son named Skylar. When Skylar was seven years old the couple decided to try to have another baby, but despite their best efforts they could not conceive and carry a child to term. The only option left was adoption.
A young woman, who was incarcerated at the time was prepared to allow for adoption. Legally they needed to find out who the father was so that adoption proceedings could go forward. There were three options for who the father was, and the last of the birth mother, Amber’s possible baby father was a drug addicted, white-supremacist.
Sometimes our judgments are wrong, and when that happens it’s sad. This was a well-written book about adoption and making incorrect judgments. Five stars.
Mani and David had a lovely son named Skylar. When Skylar was seven years old the couple decided to try to have another baby, but despite their best efforts they could not conceive and carry a child to term. The only option left was adoption.
A young woman, who was incarcerated at the time was prepared to allow for adoption. Legally they needed to find out who the father was so that adoption proceedings could go forward. There were three options for who the father was, and the last of the birth mother, Amber’s possible baby father was a drug addicted, white-supremacist.
Sometimes our judgments are wrong, and when that happens it’s sad. This was a well-written book about adoption and making incorrect judgments. Five stars.
March 28, 2019
Great story!
Mani Sheriar and her husband David wanted a second child, but Mani had a miscarriage after trying to get pregnant a long while. Other procedures followed, all without success. Then Skylar, their young son, suggested adoption. The family decided on this course. Unexpectedly, after successfully jumping through the many hoops of qualifying to be adoptive parents and being selected by a teen birth mother, and shortly after the teen gave birth, a man claiming to be the birth father arrived. What followed was a lesson in a greater love than being simply a mom.
Mani Sheriar and her husband David wanted a second child, but Mani had a miscarriage after trying to get pregnant a long while. Other procedures followed, all without success. Then Skylar, their young son, suggested adoption. The family decided on this course. Unexpectedly, after successfully jumping through the many hoops of qualifying to be adoptive parents and being selected by a teen birth mother, and shortly after the teen gave birth, a man claiming to be the birth father arrived. What followed was a lesson in a greater love than being simply a mom.
March 3, 2022
adoption story.... with difficulties
Read
January 2, 2025I don't rate biographies and memoirs.
This, in my opinion, was the best story in this collection. Mani and her husband, after many years of trying, turn to adoption to expand their family. Except the potential father of their son happens to be a racist drug addict who is blocking the adoption. This leads to the family going to court and Mani discovering a few things about herself. This was a very heartfelt, emotional read that was all the more enhanced by personal photos of Mani's family and a detailed discussion of Bodhi's time entering the world and her first gentle meetings with him and his birth mother. Certainly an emotive read.
This, in my opinion, was the best story in this collection. Mani and her husband, after many years of trying, turn to adoption to expand their family. Except the potential father of their son happens to be a racist drug addict who is blocking the adoption. This leads to the family going to court and Mani discovering a few things about herself. This was a very heartfelt, emotional read that was all the more enhanced by personal photos of Mani's family and a detailed discussion of Bodhi's time entering the world and her first gentle meetings with him and his birth mother. Certainly an emotive read.
October 9, 2024
Entertaining relationship listening. 🎶🎎🎵
This kindle novella is from my Kindle Unlimited account book three of four
They have a son and are trying to have another but it does not happened. They adopt a son. They meet with the possible father but never hear from him again.
I would recommend this series and various authors to readers of relationships novels 🤔 2024 👒😎
This kindle novella is from my Kindle Unlimited account book three of four
They have a son and are trying to have another but it does not happened. They adopt a son. They meet with the possible father but never hear from him again.
I would recommend this series and various authors to readers of relationships novels 🤔 2024 👒😎
May 1, 2022
After all of the anxiety and build-up, I did not expect the turn of events that led to the conclusion.
January 15, 2019
The Third Man was my favorite in this collection of short stories. Mani and her husband were thrilled to have adopted a baby boy. But before it was final, the birth father contested the adoption. The author described her feelings and anxiety so well that I felt as if I were going through it with her.
This is a heart touching short story in more ways than one!
This is a heart touching short story in more ways than one!
December 2, 2020
The story took some turns that were really edge of your seat but then ultimately ended up like a Hallmark story and I felt 🤷♀️. It's well written and I don't regret reading it, but it didn't necessarily add anything to my reading experience.
April 13, 2019
This is another book in the This Can't Be Happening collection available from Kindle Unlimited. This is the book I most related to and therefore liked the most. Mani's struggles were so familiar to me. Secondary infertility can be worse than primary infertility because you've gotten it right once, why can't you do it again? Our bodies are constantly changing, what was so 6 months ago may not be so today. I'm glad Mani and her husband managed to adopt a baby and keep the birth mother in his life. It was weird to tell him about a stranger who thought for a minute that he was the father.
It was strange to include her child in so many intimate details, why are you analyzing pregnancy tests with your 7-year-old? Some things are for adults.
It was strange to include her child in so many intimate details, why are you analyzing pregnancy tests with your 7-year-old? Some things are for adults.
January 15, 2019
The Third Man
I Picked Up This Book Because: Exploring Kindle Unlimited audio library
The Story:
Wow this is a short yet powerful story. It takes a lot to build a family sometimes and I, a childless single person, really take it for granted. This family struggled for their second son. They fought for him and I am very glad they won.
The Random Thoughts:
The Score Card:
4 Stars
I Picked Up This Book Because: Exploring Kindle Unlimited audio library
The Story:
Wow this is a short yet powerful story. It takes a lot to build a family sometimes and I, a childless single person, really take it for granted. This family struggled for their second son. They fought for him and I am very glad they won.
The Random Thoughts:
The Score Card:
4 Stars
July 30, 2019
Okay, I was so intrigued by the synopsis but this was so anti-climactic! I appreciate her discussing her struggles with infertility but I genuinely don’t understand the purpose of this at all.
The whole white supremacy element also does not pay off at all, even though I’m glad it worked out for her, I just don’t really feel like any element in the story really paid off.
The whole white supremacy element also does not pay off at all, even though I’m glad it worked out for her, I just don’t really feel like any element in the story really paid off.
November 4, 2024
Preparing to adopt is a lot like preparing to buy a house, only it’s about twenty times more work.
Mani opens up about her struggles with infertility and after 3 years they make the decision to adopt.
She will describe the entire journey when going into adoption, getting accepted by the mother, the journey of getting to know her until the baby is due and even the stressful time when they have to notify the father and wait 30 days for their decision to revoke or rescind the adoption.
Her honesty was surprising how she felt once the baby was born, the struggle of accepting the baby is her son and not like a bad joke and they will take him away from her. While her husband gets enamored with the baby since the day he was born and was very proud of talking and displaying his son with friends and family.
But I had a bad taste how everything started because her son Skyler kept asking for a brother or sister. I got the feeling Brody came into the picture as something between Mani and her son Skyler and not because she talked with her husband David if he also wanted to try for another baby.
Mani opens up about her struggles with infertility and after 3 years they make the decision to adopt.
She will describe the entire journey when going into adoption, getting accepted by the mother, the journey of getting to know her until the baby is due and even the stressful time when they have to notify the father and wait 30 days for their decision to revoke or rescind the adoption.
Her honesty was surprising how she felt once the baby was born, the struggle of accepting the baby is her son and not like a bad joke and they will take him away from her. While her husband gets enamored with the baby since the day he was born and was very proud of talking and displaying his son with friends and family.
But I had a bad taste how everything started because her son Skyler kept asking for a brother or sister. I got the feeling Brody came into the picture as something between Mani and her son Skyler and not because she talked with her husband David if he also wanted to try for another baby.
January 27, 2019
Heart strings being pulled
Thankfully I have never experienced the heartache of miscarriage, I cannot even imagine. I also never experienced Infertility. This book lists about every possible scare and heartache a mother can experience. Very glad it had a happy ending. I hope the Third Man is on a better path.
Thankfully I have never experienced the heartache of miscarriage, I cannot even imagine. I also never experienced Infertility. This book lists about every possible scare and heartache a mother can experience. Very glad it had a happy ending. I hope the Third Man is on a better path.
February 10, 2019
I loved this Amazon Original short story! The journey from having one child through trying for another; through tests and treatments, highs and lows, success and failures, and then the excitement, trials and tribulations of adoption; the emotions and honesty packed into this short story will stay with you for quite a while!
January 21, 2019
THIRD MAN was a very heart felt story of overcoming fear with courage and love. Adoption can be a very difficult process and this book’s theme of eternal hope was very enjoyable even during the most stressful situations of keeping a child in your custody.😊
August 25, 2025
Captivating
This is a short, true story, narrated by the author on the audiobook. It was an emotional listen. Something of a rollercoaster at times. Raw and gritty. A wise and loving older brother. Her husband was very supportive.
This is a short, true story, narrated by the author on the audiobook. It was an emotional listen. Something of a rollercoaster at times. Raw and gritty. A wise and loving older brother. Her husband was very supportive.
January 17, 2019
A charming quick read
So touching! It's a true story but told with a little bit of magic. I'd read more stories by Ms. Sheriar.
So touching! It's a true story but told with a little bit of magic. I'd read more stories by Ms. Sheriar.
December 8, 2019
4.5 stars
June 22, 2020
A great little story. As an Adoptee, I enjoyed it very much!
May 20, 2021
Very moving and emotional for such a short story. A very touching story of adoption and the challenges it brings. 5*
February 21, 2025
Touching
January 15, 2019
Another good short read.
April 4, 2019
I wasn't sure of where this story was going, but I am so glad I took the ride! A nice short story about family. no spoilers as it's just a story you should pick up :)
September 23, 2022
Good story about adoption.
August 14, 2020
3 stars because clearly the family went through it, they really did.
The story was interesting to the extent that I wanted them to have the baby without any issues. But the connection with the potential baby daddy, well, it made me uncomfortable. It also made me uncomfortable that this woman continued contact with him. There are things in this that I will not understand, not being a parent and all. And maybe if I was interested in having kids, there are things that would make more sense.
I hope they are all happy out there.
The story was interesting to the extent that I wanted them to have the baby without any issues. But the connection with the potential baby daddy, well, it made me uncomfortable. It also made me uncomfortable that this woman continued contact with him. There are things in this that I will not understand, not being a parent and all. And maybe if I was interested in having kids, there are things that would make more sense.
I hope they are all happy out there.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews