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Immaculate Conception: A Novel
Two moms, Maddie and Al, wake up one cold morning in March in a run-down motel in Weehawken, NJ thinking they have finally found safety after a cross-country escape from their baby’s manipulative biological father. But they soon discover that the state’s top hostage negotiator--and his personal four-man SWAT team--surround their room.
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION takes you to the inner core of two unique women desperate to keep their baby at all costs and provide him with the secure, protected, happy childhood neither of them had. This well-crafted story takes you from the drama of the present, to the tragic scarring of childhood past, to the joyful connection the two make as adults, then back to the present and its emotional closure to this passionate journey of two partners seeking a peaceful life together as a family.
Maddie and Al show us how important it is to protect our children at all costs and how valiantly they’re willing to fight to overcome the deep-rooted effects of early abuse.
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION takes you to the inner core of two unique women desperate to keep their baby at all costs and provide him with the secure, protected, happy childhood neither of them had. This well-crafted story takes you from the drama of the present, to the tragic scarring of childhood past, to the joyful connection the two make as adults, then back to the present and its emotional closure to this passionate journey of two partners seeking a peaceful life together as a family.
Maddie and Al show us how important it is to protect our children at all costs and how valiantly they’re willing to fight to overcome the deep-rooted effects of early abuse.
- GenresLiterary Fiction
301 pages, Paperback
Published April 10, 2019
6 people are currently reading
345 people want to read
About the author
I.J. Miller
8 books49 followersI.J. MILLER has published seven literary works of fiction and one book of non-fiction. SEESAW was translated into German and Spanish and sold over 132,000 copies in the Bantam paperback. WHIPPED is available in English and German. Next came the short story collection SEX AND LOVE, and the novella CLIMBING THE STAIRS. The audio version of WUTHERING NIGHTS was nominated for an Audie Award in 2014. In 2019, IMMACULATE CONCEPTION was published to rave reviews. Released in 2022 was PROMISE FULFILLED, A Memoir of Immigrant Success, with Miller as the co-author. And coming in 2024, the sexy thriller, SURVIVING THE STORM. Miller is also a screenwriter, with an MFA from the American Film Institute.
Visit I.J. at ijmiller.com.
Visit I.J. at ijmiller.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
July 13, 2020
ARC provided by the author and publisher via FLOAB book club in exchange for an honest review! Thank you!
Phew, what a book! Immaculate Conception was INTENSE and not for the light-hearted, that's for sure. First you're being hit with the emotions of women on the run who don't know where to go and are desperate for survival and protection for their loved ones, but are trapped on all sides. Then you're being faced with child rape and emotional abuse and heartbreaking stories from both MC's as you learn about their backgrounds, and then you're slowly watching the two evolve and grow - in both good and bad ways - until they finally meet one another. Usually books that switch between the present and past annoy me, but I actually really liked how this was done and I enjoyed learning about the past, it definitely helped me understand what was happening in the present.
Short though this book may have been, it caused plently of impact. I almost cried at several stages, feeling heartbreak over what people go through in their childhood, and feeling all the more heartbroken because to some people this wouldn't be just a story, this would be their life. This book made me gasp and moan and feel an urge to gag, it was so real and well-written, capturing the pain of the MC's. It was shocking, that's for sure.
I really, really enjoyed the realism and the way the author felt no need to lay rose-tinted glasses on the reader. We felt the emotions of the MC's and we broke right along with them. Drastic measures were taken for love, and that made me clutch at my heart, but I fully understood all the decisions made in this story (no mean feat, so many book characters annoy me with their choices).
This book is definitely not for everyone, god no. It's way too intense for that, but it's stunning in it's realistic atmosphere and brilliant writing, and if someone wants to read a book to make them sob and remember how lucky they are, then this is the book.
Thank you so much for the ARC!
Trigger Warnings: Rape, child rape, paedophilia, physical abuse, emotional abuse, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, homophobia, codependency.
Phew, what a book! Immaculate Conception was INTENSE and not for the light-hearted, that's for sure. First you're being hit with the emotions of women on the run who don't know where to go and are desperate for survival and protection for their loved ones, but are trapped on all sides. Then you're being faced with child rape and emotional abuse and heartbreaking stories from both MC's as you learn about their backgrounds, and then you're slowly watching the two evolve and grow - in both good and bad ways - until they finally meet one another. Usually books that switch between the present and past annoy me, but I actually really liked how this was done and I enjoyed learning about the past, it definitely helped me understand what was happening in the present.
Short though this book may have been, it caused plently of impact. I almost cried at several stages, feeling heartbreak over what people go through in their childhood, and feeling all the more heartbroken because to some people this wouldn't be just a story, this would be their life. This book made me gasp and moan and feel an urge to gag, it was so real and well-written, capturing the pain of the MC's. It was shocking, that's for sure.
I really, really enjoyed the realism and the way the author felt no need to lay rose-tinted glasses on the reader. We felt the emotions of the MC's and we broke right along with them. Drastic measures were taken for love, and that made me clutch at my heart, but I fully understood all the decisions made in this story (no mean feat, so many book characters annoy me with their choices).
This book is definitely not for everyone, god no. It's way too intense for that, but it's stunning in it's realistic atmosphere and brilliant writing, and if someone wants to read a book to make them sob and remember how lucky they are, then this is the book.
Thank you so much for the ARC!
Trigger Warnings: Rape, child rape, paedophilia, physical abuse, emotional abuse, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, homophobia, codependency.
May 5, 2020
Two damaged women doing whatever it takes to protect their kids and they never catch a break. Hard topics but great handling of bullying and child abuse.
Looking forward to more by this author.
Looking forward to more by this author.
February 10, 2020
Immaculate Conception is a fictional story about two women who happen to have a baby together by using a surrogate. However, the biological father ends up making their lives hell forcing them to move countries. However, he does not stop there.
The story demonstrates how far two mothers go in order to keep their baby safe and to create an environment just to give him a happier life. I found the nature of the book to be filled with drama, excitement and thrill. The literature beautifully describes emotions that represent loving parents, and I found the story to be very compelling to read.
The pace was steady, and the story uniquely demonstrated love. I would recommend this book to people who like to read fictional stories about parenting.
Many same-sex couples wish to have children and can possibly go through just as much trouble just to keep their family safe. For this reason, I found the story to be relatable and was able to connect with the characters and the plot.
I look forward to reading more from this author.
The story demonstrates how far two mothers go in order to keep their baby safe and to create an environment just to give him a happier life. I found the nature of the book to be filled with drama, excitement and thrill. The literature beautifully describes emotions that represent loving parents, and I found the story to be very compelling to read.
The pace was steady, and the story uniquely demonstrated love. I would recommend this book to people who like to read fictional stories about parenting.
Many same-sex couples wish to have children and can possibly go through just as much trouble just to keep their family safe. For this reason, I found the story to be relatable and was able to connect with the characters and the plot.
I look forward to reading more from this author.
April 19, 2019
A tour de force that illuminates the complex journey of two damaged women fighting to start a family of their own while on the run from the law. Combines the Thelma and Louise layering of female friendship with the thriller drama of Dog Day Afternoon. Highly recommended!
June 3, 2021
I received a copy of this book from the author and am leaving a review voluntarily.
I didn’t know what to expect when reading Immaculate Conception, but now that I’m finished, I wonder how in the world I’ve lived without it.
Maddie and Al are two women who share deeply scarred and abusive childhoods and go to great lengths to preserve what little they have left of themselves as adults.
When circumstances bring the two together, a deep and abiding love and genuine affection develops between them - some small miracle neither of whom could have ever conceived. Their individual maltreatments have left each with aversions for physical contact, but their soul connection is real and intense and enduring. So enduring, in fact, that they toy with the topic of having and raising a child and giving him or her the loving, stable life that neither of them ever had.
But this is no quintessential love story where Baby makes three. The tale opens with Maddie, Al, and Baby trapped in a hotel room surrounded by law enforcement after being chased cross country, and at this point we have no earthly idea who, why, or how any of this matters.
I’ve never sobbed so hard at a book I didn’t deliberately seek out.
Author IJ Miller writes a tightly-focused, poignant thriller that exposes both the beauty and ugliness inherent and specific to the human race. Be warned; there is brutality and agony splashed throughout like vinegar on an open wound, but without them, there would be no tale, just as without darkness real life cannot exist.
Miller also crafts the tale so well that the story unfolds naturally, one fragile petal at a time. I never felt rushed or bored reading; instead, I lost track of time after losing myself in the tale.
This is not the first book I’ve read of Miller’s, but it certainly is the most impressionable.
Immaculate Conception will stay with me for a long, long time.
I didn’t know what to expect when reading Immaculate Conception, but now that I’m finished, I wonder how in the world I’ve lived without it.
Maddie and Al are two women who share deeply scarred and abusive childhoods and go to great lengths to preserve what little they have left of themselves as adults.
When circumstances bring the two together, a deep and abiding love and genuine affection develops between them - some small miracle neither of whom could have ever conceived. Their individual maltreatments have left each with aversions for physical contact, but their soul connection is real and intense and enduring. So enduring, in fact, that they toy with the topic of having and raising a child and giving him or her the loving, stable life that neither of them ever had.
But this is no quintessential love story where Baby makes three. The tale opens with Maddie, Al, and Baby trapped in a hotel room surrounded by law enforcement after being chased cross country, and at this point we have no earthly idea who, why, or how any of this matters.
I’ve never sobbed so hard at a book I didn’t deliberately seek out.
Author IJ Miller writes a tightly-focused, poignant thriller that exposes both the beauty and ugliness inherent and specific to the human race. Be warned; there is brutality and agony splashed throughout like vinegar on an open wound, but without them, there would be no tale, just as without darkness real life cannot exist.
Miller also crafts the tale so well that the story unfolds naturally, one fragile petal at a time. I never felt rushed or bored reading; instead, I lost track of time after losing myself in the tale.
This is not the first book I’ve read of Miller’s, but it certainly is the most impressionable.
Immaculate Conception will stay with me for a long, long time.
May 11, 2019
Immaculate Conception is a thrilling, fast-paced story about two women with emotional scars so deep that the only thing that can heal them is
love.
The writing is dexterous and adroit, and at times, the novel reads like a movie script. Kudos to IJ Miller for deftly dealing with difficult-to-talk-about topics like child sexual abuse and bullying.
May 7, 2019
Title: Immaculate Conception
Author: I. J. Miller
Publisher: Island Publishing
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
"Immaculate Conception" by I. J. Miller
My Rationalization:
What an interesting read of how "Maddie and Al show us how important it is to protect our children at all cost and how valiantly they're will fight to overcome the deep-rooted effects of early abuse." For these two damaged women, it was quite a journey of how they started a family that ended with them having to run from the law. Be prepared to be caught up in quite a ride of emotions and drama in their world that consisted of many twists and turns as they are trying to get to that happy part of their life's. All I can say is what an ending! I wished there had been an epilogue to maybe have found out finally what happened to 'baby Jesse.'
Author: I. J. Miller
Publisher: Island Publishing
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
"Immaculate Conception" by I. J. Miller
My Rationalization:
What an interesting read of how "Maddie and Al show us how important it is to protect our children at all cost and how valiantly they're will fight to overcome the deep-rooted effects of early abuse." For these two damaged women, it was quite a journey of how they started a family that ended with them having to run from the law. Be prepared to be caught up in quite a ride of emotions and drama in their world that consisted of many twists and turns as they are trying to get to that happy part of their life's. All I can say is what an ending! I wished there had been an epilogue to maybe have found out finally what happened to 'baby Jesse.'
April 19, 2019
I've enjoyed other books by this author and was a little surprised to see that the new one is a literary novel. But so pleasantly surprised at the read about two women wanting to start a family of their own who end up being on the run from the biological father.
Firstly, the book is beautifully structured. Part One takes place in sequences of three alternating chapters:
The present, where these two are held up in a motel room in NJ surrounded by a SWAT team and a hostage negotiator. Then flashbacks to the brutal childhood of one of the women, Al. Then flashbacks to the difficult childhood of the other mom, Maddie. This part takes you right up to the boiling point where something's gotta give.
Part Two starts two and half years earlier and reveals how the two moms met working at the athletic department of a small college in Oregon. The way they unravel each other's defenses and become partners is very well done. They decide to have a baby together to give him the life neither of them had. But there is a catch with who the father is.
Then finally Part Three, back to the present, with a climax that is both surprising but inevitable.
I read the book in one sitting. It has a great thriller element, but it also is very relevant to all that has been going on in the news these days, from the MeToo movement to the Michael Jackson reveal.
Well worth reading.
Firstly, the book is beautifully structured. Part One takes place in sequences of three alternating chapters:
The present, where these two are held up in a motel room in NJ surrounded by a SWAT team and a hostage negotiator. Then flashbacks to the brutal childhood of one of the women, Al. Then flashbacks to the difficult childhood of the other mom, Maddie. This part takes you right up to the boiling point where something's gotta give.
Part Two starts two and half years earlier and reveals how the two moms met working at the athletic department of a small college in Oregon. The way they unravel each other's defenses and become partners is very well done. They decide to have a baby together to give him the life neither of them had. But there is a catch with who the father is.
Then finally Part Three, back to the present, with a climax that is both surprising but inevitable.
I read the book in one sitting. It has a great thriller element, but it also is very relevant to all that has been going on in the news these days, from the MeToo movement to the Michael Jackson reveal.
Well worth reading.
April 19, 2019
Whoa, IMMACULATE CONCEPTION is a total roller coaster of emotion. These two ladies certainly do their best to put the pieces back together to start a new life with their baby.
Lots of twists and turns.
A must read!
Lots of twists and turns.
A must read!
October 22, 2019
Maddie & Alice’s childhood/teen life had been quite complicated.
Applebee’s. Maddie & Al were enjoying a meal/drinks.
Dr. Drummond (60+) was examining Al (Bipolar I D/O).
Salem fertility clinic. Maddie was examined also.
What were Wynn (sanitation, loser, pothead, alcoholic) & Al up to?
9 months (+,-) Maddie’s water broke & Jesse was born.
McCannville, OR. What news did Al (SB coach) have for Fox Phelps (Lancer College athletic director, boss)?
Salt Lake City, UT motel Nokenge (state’s top hostage negotiator) & the 4-man SWAT team had the in/outs roads blocked.
Madeline “Maddie” (mom) & Alice “Al” (mom, Catholic) were not going to get away with kidnapping Jesse (baby).
Peg Renahan (50+) the NJ governor’s top aide had arrived at the motel.
Reporters, photographers, TV cameramen, & wandering bystanders were everywhere.
Warning: This book contains adult content, expletive language &/or uncensored sexually explicit material which is only suitable for mature readers. It may be offensive or have potential adverse psychological effects on the reader.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one. All thoughts & opinions are entirely my own.
A very awesome book cover, & proper great font & writing style. A very well written family mystery book. It wasn’t always very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish, but never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great family mystery movie, or better yet a mini TV series. Kind of cheesy at times but I like it, so I will still rate it at 5 stars.
Thank you for the free Goodreads; Making Connections; Making Connections discussion group talk; Island Publishing; Author; ARC, PDF, book
Tony Parsons (Washburn; MSW)
Applebee’s. Maddie & Al were enjoying a meal/drinks.
Dr. Drummond (60+) was examining Al (Bipolar I D/O).
Salem fertility clinic. Maddie was examined also.
What were Wynn (sanitation, loser, pothead, alcoholic) & Al up to?
9 months (+,-) Maddie’s water broke & Jesse was born.
McCannville, OR. What news did Al (SB coach) have for Fox Phelps (Lancer College athletic director, boss)?
Salt Lake City, UT motel Nokenge (state’s top hostage negotiator) & the 4-man SWAT team had the in/outs roads blocked.
Madeline “Maddie” (mom) & Alice “Al” (mom, Catholic) were not going to get away with kidnapping Jesse (baby).
Peg Renahan (50+) the NJ governor’s top aide had arrived at the motel.
Reporters, photographers, TV cameramen, & wandering bystanders were everywhere.
Warning: This book contains adult content, expletive language &/or uncensored sexually explicit material which is only suitable for mature readers. It may be offensive or have potential adverse psychological effects on the reader.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one. All thoughts & opinions are entirely my own.
A very awesome book cover, & proper great font & writing style. A very well written family mystery book. It wasn’t always very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish, but never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great family mystery movie, or better yet a mini TV series. Kind of cheesy at times but I like it, so I will still rate it at 5 stars.
Thank you for the free Goodreads; Making Connections; Making Connections discussion group talk; Island Publishing; Author; ARC, PDF, book
Tony Parsons (Washburn; MSW)
November 18, 2019
POIGNANT, IMPECCABLY WRITTEN LOVE STORY. A Review by Kathleen S. Schmitt.
Al is a young woman whose mother died when she was a small child. She comes from a childhood afterward of vicious abuse. She has all kinds of issues: poor impulse control, striking out against anyone who angers her, the deep and irrevocable rage of a wounded bear, a real knowledge of her own dysfunctional personality, an inability to touch other people or be touched by them, just to name a few.
Maddie lost her father at a young age, but her mother, mentally ill and cleverly manipulative, is still with her. Her mother knows how Maddie longs to be loved and how very much Maddie loves her mother. Then her mother calls her a ‘germinoid’ and discredits her at every opportunity.
How can it be that Al and Maddie, these two lost souls come together, first as co-workers then as friends? How that somehow they concoct a common dream of having a child and giving this child everything that was not given to them? And yet this miracle happens and the baby is born. The intricacies of the interaction and meshing of these two characters are a wonder to read. But complications arise not from the two women but from the world outside of their shared love, not the least that the powerful paternal grandfather wants the child. A full-flight car trek across the country brings this unlikely couple to a formidable crisis. In the end love wins, but the magic is in the how. Immaculate Conception is well worth reading, both for entertainment of a great story about two amazing characters but also for some deep lessons in the human condition and in the courage and resilience necessary for the very wounded to follow their dreams.
Al is a young woman whose mother died when she was a small child. She comes from a childhood afterward of vicious abuse. She has all kinds of issues: poor impulse control, striking out against anyone who angers her, the deep and irrevocable rage of a wounded bear, a real knowledge of her own dysfunctional personality, an inability to touch other people or be touched by them, just to name a few.
Maddie lost her father at a young age, but her mother, mentally ill and cleverly manipulative, is still with her. Her mother knows how Maddie longs to be loved and how very much Maddie loves her mother. Then her mother calls her a ‘germinoid’ and discredits her at every opportunity.
How can it be that Al and Maddie, these two lost souls come together, first as co-workers then as friends? How that somehow they concoct a common dream of having a child and giving this child everything that was not given to them? And yet this miracle happens and the baby is born. The intricacies of the interaction and meshing of these two characters are a wonder to read. But complications arise not from the two women but from the world outside of their shared love, not the least that the powerful paternal grandfather wants the child. A full-flight car trek across the country brings this unlikely couple to a formidable crisis. In the end love wins, but the magic is in the how. Immaculate Conception is well worth reading, both for entertainment of a great story about two amazing characters but also for some deep lessons in the human condition and in the courage and resilience necessary for the very wounded to follow their dreams.
January 10, 2020
Disclaimer: A review copy was shared with us by the author’s team in exchange for our honest review.
This book is about two women, Maddie and Al, who are emotionally damaged due to many instances of abuse, and on the run from the law. The story starts with the two of them hiding in a motel with a baby, supposedly on the run from the baby’s biological father and the law. The author takes the reader back and forth in time as he unveils the drama going on in the present time at the motel and also takes us through their lives and all the people who have played a part in them being who they are and making them react as and do what they do.
The entire book is high on emotions and has one twist after another. It will keep the reader fully engrossed as he/she tries to keep up with all the events unfolding as they come.
What I Liked: The author has boldly taken up topics of child sexual abuse, bullying, depression. He has painted a very realistic picture of the lives of victims of these. The characters are consistent, and you can feel their anguish as you read. There is not one negative I could find in the writing style. The author clearly is a good writer. The story flows well. Even the jumps between present and past are well handled.
What I Didn’t Like: This is my opinion of the type of story. There was something wrong going on all the time. I am a reader who likes to have a few glimpses of sunshine on a cloudy day. I was thoroughly sad by the time the book ended. The writing, story, characters were great. And if you can handle a heavy book like this then it is surely worth a read. But if you cannot handle reading about non-stop grief then you should give this book a miss.
This book is about two women, Maddie and Al, who are emotionally damaged due to many instances of abuse, and on the run from the law. The story starts with the two of them hiding in a motel with a baby, supposedly on the run from the baby’s biological father and the law. The author takes the reader back and forth in time as he unveils the drama going on in the present time at the motel and also takes us through their lives and all the people who have played a part in them being who they are and making them react as and do what they do.
The entire book is high on emotions and has one twist after another. It will keep the reader fully engrossed as he/she tries to keep up with all the events unfolding as they come.
What I Liked: The author has boldly taken up topics of child sexual abuse, bullying, depression. He has painted a very realistic picture of the lives of victims of these. The characters are consistent, and you can feel their anguish as you read. There is not one negative I could find in the writing style. The author clearly is a good writer. The story flows well. Even the jumps between present and past are well handled.
What I Didn’t Like: This is my opinion of the type of story. There was something wrong going on all the time. I am a reader who likes to have a few glimpses of sunshine on a cloudy day. I was thoroughly sad by the time the book ended. The writing, story, characters were great. And if you can handle a heavy book like this then it is surely worth a read. But if you cannot handle reading about non-stop grief then you should give this book a miss.
March 22, 2021
Disclaimer: I received this e-book free in exchange for an honest review.
Well, let me start off by saying, that the book is a fast paced thriller and I loved every second of reading it.
This book explores how being abused as a child affects a person to such a degree that is it is literally impossible to comprehend. Its like the ripple effect, they may do good or cause the ultimate damage.
Because yes, a child who has an alcoholic parent will either become an alcoholic or will be the opposite of it.
This book is a story about 2 women who suffered abuse at the hands of their parents. It was heart wrenching. The author does a very good job of electing sympathy and sadness for them. Very beautifully written, the parts where it shows that the girls are remembering their abusive episodes, they are actually told from their perspective, when they were young. And that makes this book very intriguing and a page turner.
The characters journey takes them thru some of the toughest situations and you can see their growth and how far they have come. The ending was heart breaking and mournful. I wished to see Al happy,
Loved this quote from the book and it rings so true
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and the author's style.
Trigger Warnings: Rape, child rape, pedophilia, physical abuse, emotional abuse, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, homophobia, codependency.
Well, let me start off by saying, that the book is a fast paced thriller and I loved every second of reading it.
This book explores how being abused as a child affects a person to such a degree that is it is literally impossible to comprehend. Its like the ripple effect, they may do good or cause the ultimate damage.
Because yes, a child who has an alcoholic parent will either become an alcoholic or will be the opposite of it.
This book is a story about 2 women who suffered abuse at the hands of their parents. It was heart wrenching. The author does a very good job of electing sympathy and sadness for them. Very beautifully written, the parts where it shows that the girls are remembering their abusive episodes, they are actually told from their perspective, when they were young. And that makes this book very intriguing and a page turner.
The characters journey takes them thru some of the toughest situations and you can see their growth and how far they have come. The ending was heart breaking and mournful. I wished to see Al happy,
Loved this quote from the book and it rings so true
"that even when you think you know someone you still don't, still don't know everything he's capable of."
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and the author's style.
Trigger Warnings: Rape, child rape, pedophilia, physical abuse, emotional abuse, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, homophobia, codependency.
June 15, 2019
What a beautifully tragic novel.
How IJ Miller has managed to express the pain and anguish of Al, as well as, the neglect that Maddie has experienced is just incredible.
Since she was eight Al was abused, in many ways, by her father and as a result of this is unable to touch anyone or even feel remotely able to connect to anyone, with just a couple of exceptions Wynn and Maddie. Wynn saved her from a frat boy prank, and they developed an unusual friendship. When Al met Maddie there was an underlying respect for each other and their friendship developed into a partnership, love and gratitude for one another.
Considering both Al and Maddie both experience abuse and neglect for their respective parents, they come together to build a better and more beautiful life as a family. I didn’t expect this novel to be full of pain, which on many levels it does, but to write about these characters who have never experienced tenderness and love so completely is exceptional.
The novel was written well, depicting each character’s flaws and honing them together, all clicked into place. I liked the way we were introduced to both Al and Maddie at the Motel, then we were taken back in time, part one, then part two on how they ended up meeting one another then finally part three how they ended up at the motel.
The plot of the story was well done, two women running from the law, the biological father and grandfather, all they want is to be left alone to raise their baby.
Overall this was a captivatingly good read.
How IJ Miller has managed to express the pain and anguish of Al, as well as, the neglect that Maddie has experienced is just incredible.
Since she was eight Al was abused, in many ways, by her father and as a result of this is unable to touch anyone or even feel remotely able to connect to anyone, with just a couple of exceptions Wynn and Maddie. Wynn saved her from a frat boy prank, and they developed an unusual friendship. When Al met Maddie there was an underlying respect for each other and their friendship developed into a partnership, love and gratitude for one another.
Considering both Al and Maddie both experience abuse and neglect for their respective parents, they come together to build a better and more beautiful life as a family. I didn’t expect this novel to be full of pain, which on many levels it does, but to write about these characters who have never experienced tenderness and love so completely is exceptional.
The novel was written well, depicting each character’s flaws and honing them together, all clicked into place. I liked the way we were introduced to both Al and Maddie at the Motel, then we were taken back in time, part one, then part two on how they ended up meeting one another then finally part three how they ended up at the motel.
The plot of the story was well done, two women running from the law, the biological father and grandfather, all they want is to be left alone to raise their baby.
Overall this was a captivatingly good read.
May 30, 2019
I just finished reading this and had to write a review. I.J. Miller tells the story of two women with troubling childhoods, both seeking peace and love in unexpected ways. As a reader, I found myself on a rollercoaster of emotions: antagonizing the main characters in one chapter and greatly sympathizing with them in the next. I found myself connecting with something universal and touching about their experiences. The relationships are beautifully crafted and I found myself resonating with something personally in some small way or being reminded of someone I know. From the Mother/daughter/caregiver relationship, to being a woman in a male dominated society, or a resigned man who can't find his footing. I found myself thinking about the story a lot whenever I put it down which I truly believe is a mark of an excellent writer. I also think this would be a terrific film! It's perfect for female actresses who want to have a rich history to play with.
November 23, 2020
This was a pretty quick and enjoyable read for me. The story was something new to me and I liked the pace. Be aware, there will be spoilers if you read further!
Sometimes I wished Ali wasn't that tough all the time. But I never met someone who suffered such severe childhood trauma, so I don't really know what to expect. Throughout the story it became very clear that Maddie got herself into another "I'm the boss and you do as I say" situation - from her mother to Ali. I'm not quite sure if Ali really loved her, if she thought what she was doing was right for them, or if she just did everything to try and please herself. It was very clear however, that Maddie let herself be manipulated. I don't think even in the end did she fell any kind of anger towards Ali.
Overall I enjoyed the book, and liked to read details to really understand their feelings and actions.
Sometimes I wished Ali wasn't that tough all the time. But I never met someone who suffered such severe childhood trauma, so I don't really know what to expect. Throughout the story it became very clear that Maddie got herself into another "I'm the boss and you do as I say" situation - from her mother to Ali. I'm not quite sure if Ali really loved her, if she thought what she was doing was right for them, or if she just did everything to try and please herself. It was very clear however, that Maddie let herself be manipulated. I don't think even in the end did she fell any kind of anger towards Ali.
Overall I enjoyed the book, and liked to read details to really understand their feelings and actions.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2021
ARC was provided by author via Making Connections GR group. Thank you, I.J. Miller!
We meet Al & Maddie in a motel room, panicked and with Jesse, their young child. As the story progressed, there were flashbacks from both Al (Alice) and Maddie (Madeline) separate adolescences. We learn about the sexual, psychological, and emotional abuse the MC’s endured from their parents (trigger warning). Al & Maddie meet in young adulthood and their damaged, tragic souls help bond them together. The two grow into an unconventional partnership that continued the heartbreak I was feeling throughout the text.
Miller threads the importance of protecting children, above all. The story is a realistic interpretation of what can happen when they are not protected. I very much enjoyed this book and read it through tears.
We meet Al & Maddie in a motel room, panicked and with Jesse, their young child. As the story progressed, there were flashbacks from both Al (Alice) and Maddie (Madeline) separate adolescences. We learn about the sexual, psychological, and emotional abuse the MC’s endured from their parents (trigger warning). Al & Maddie meet in young adulthood and their damaged, tragic souls help bond them together. The two grow into an unconventional partnership that continued the heartbreak I was feeling throughout the text.
Miller threads the importance of protecting children, above all. The story is a realistic interpretation of what can happen when they are not protected. I very much enjoyed this book and read it through tears.
December 8, 2019
I was blown away by this novel. The telling is masterful and gripping as it flips between back story and present crisis. Miller draws portraits of two very real people, sketching and coloring the experiences that formed their psyches and constantly embellishing those drawings through action and dialogue. At times, I forgot I was reading a novel. The characters felt so real to me that I thought I was reading a true story. (And, sadly, I'm sure much of it is based in truth.) Immaculate Conception is heartbreaking, funny, poignant, and hopeful in some ways in the end. This is a wonderful read for anyone who cares about people. It is also a tribute to the many who have been damaged through the callous deeds of others.
December 18, 2019
I received the Kindle Edition of Immaculate Conception: A Novel from the Goodreads Giveaway program. It is the story of two women, Maddie and Al, both with lifelong childhood scars that have shaped their lives on the run with baby Jesse. Told from different points of view, readers learn how child sexual abuse and mental illness have affected these two women into who they are today with both wanting to make a family for baby Jesse that doesn't resemble their own. This is a powerful book, dealing with sensitive issues that just reiterates how tragic experiences shape our lives. Miller has well developed characters in Maddie and Al and brings readers along for the ride until the shocking ending.
January 4, 2020
4.5 stars - I received this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. I really struggled with how to rate this book. When you hover over the stars, it says "really liked it" for four stars and I don't think I can say that I liked it. It was gut-wrenchingly sad, difficult to read, and explored so many important and painful topics. It was also well-written with deeply flawed characters who were just doing the best they could with the hands they were dealt. The only reason I did not give it the full five stars was that there were some conversations where I felt Al and Maddie weren't completely true to their characters and the chapters that switched perspective between them and law enforcement should have included a break before the change to make it easier to follow.
February 16, 2022
Northeast Corridor Neo-Noir: Serene. Content. Beautiful. Smiling. The lasting image that closed the chapter on two young women in search of the perfect partnership and family. Instead of in life however it is achieved in death. A compelling and well written neo-noir style story with a clear commentary in the subtext revealing the trajectory of heartbreaking abuse. The tale unfolding in the bucolic though tarnished towns of Pennsylvania, and ending in a small New Jersey motel room. Immaculate Conception documents a well researched desire to detail the damage that abuse leaves as a legacy, as told within a clearly defined contemporary frame of well intentioned justice based intervention. A truly timely piece of fiction on a tough though important topic.
June 1, 2019
A compelling well written story and fast read that follows the lives of two women, Al and Maddie, who are abused in different ways by a single parent father and a single parent mother, respectively. The pair search for happiness as they seek a future for themselves and their baby Jesse. Normalcy doesn’t come easy as their traumatic pasts impact the choices they make. Miller creates such complex conflicted characters that you can’t help but root for them in spite of their flaws. In a Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid like final chase scene, they try to escape the reality they created with a beginning and ending that include SWAT teams, government officials and a life and death decision.
September 1, 2020
(Won this book on Goodreads). A beautifully written story of the lengths mothers will take to protect their children. Two battered and broken women befriend each other and become life partners. They decide to become parents so they can show how to care for and love a child like their parents never did. Unfortunately, the father finds out and his father wants the baby. I really enjoyed reading this book as all emotions were felt. It was easy to read and the story just seemed to come to life like you were part of their journey with them.
October 10, 2020
Two women who have been hurt greatly by those who are supposed to love and care for them form a friendship and a bond to raise their child together with love. They vow to protect their child no matter what and will go to any lengths necessary to ensure their baby will only always know love.
This story deals with disturbing subject matter that may be triggers for some readers but does so in a caring and compassionate way. I recommend this book and will happily seek out more from this author!
.
This story deals with disturbing subject matter that may be triggers for some readers but does so in a caring and compassionate way. I recommend this book and will happily seek out more from this author!
.
October 14, 2023
This book was sent to me in exchange for my honest review.
A tragic, sad and infuriating story about two women who just try to live a somewhat normal (?) life after having a terrible childhood.
The structure of the book is excellent, we have 3 POVs plus different timelines but it wasn’t confusing at all.
I didn’t agree with most of the decisions the main characters made but I could see their point and felt their suffering - the writing was good.
I felt bitterness and sadness during the whole reading experience but I liked the ending.
A tragic, sad and infuriating story about two women who just try to live a somewhat normal (?) life after having a terrible childhood.
The structure of the book is excellent, we have 3 POVs plus different timelines but it wasn’t confusing at all.
I didn’t agree with most of the decisions the main characters made but I could see their point and felt their suffering - the writing was good.
I felt bitterness and sadness during the whole reading experience but I liked the ending.
November 16, 2019
Maggie and Al come from dysfunctional families and find hope,love and strength in each other. They weren’t looking for a relationship but found the one they needed. Just when they seem to be on track towards a better life, it throws them a curveball. The plot weaves between their current situation and the backstory that brought them into it. The characters develop well throughout the story. I gratefully enjoyed a promo copy.
July 30, 2021
I was captivated from the first page by this amazing story. Two women, Al and Maddie, each grew up in homes without their parent's love. When they meet, they find an affinity and friendship with each other. Miller dealt with the issues in this story in such a way that it was insightful, heart breaking and triumphant all at the same time. I was shocked by the ending. I would highly recommend it. I received a free copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving my review.
February 19, 2021
This was a sad story and the end was not what I expected. it was well worth the read.
May 10, 2022
What a book! Very emotional and intense. I had to find out how these two damaged, but amazing women coped with life. The book took me on an emotional roller coaster up until the end.
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December 29, 2020Immaculate Conception
by I.J. Miller
This book was provided to me for free by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Physically abused Alice meets mentally abused Maddie and the two of them deicide getting a child and giving it all the love in the world.
Tbh at the beginning I absolutely didn’t get into the story. It all starts in a cheap motel room where Maddie and Alice try to protect their Babyboy Jesse from the police who have already surrounded the motel they are in.
The scene is the told form Maddie’s, Alice’s and the Police officer’s point of view, but for me it somehow felt like a simple description of what everyone is doing since I didn’t get any feelings.
Every other chapter in the first part is alternately about Al’s or Maddie’s childhood. So between the scenes in the motel-room we get to know about Al’s dad who started abusing Al when she was 8 years old and how she experienced her teenage years. And Maddie’s childhood and teenage years with a mother who mentally abused her and at the same time made Maddie through autoaggressive acts to stay with her. Yet although both stories are really horrible and you get kind of goosebumps while reading, something was missing. It’s hard to describe but I was reading through these chapters, thinking ‘how awful’ but didn’t feel sad for one of the girls or angry with one of the parents.
Then the second part starts and it’s all about Maddie and Al getting to know each other. That was the moment I slowly started getting into the story. But still didn’t feel with or for Maddie or Al but for Wynn, a Canadian student who saved Al from a bunch of his mates and whose career as an athlete comes to an abrupt end through a car accident. Al later marries him – still out of thankfulness for rescuing her – so that he doesn’t have to go back to Canada. Later Al also gets his sperm so that she and Maddy can have their baby.
And that leads us to part three – Maddie’s and Al’s escape from their baby’s daddy and rich grandpa who wants to have custody. Now the story really had me. I got Al’s feelings, I got Maddy’s feelings and I felt with them, I hoped with them, I feared for them through their whole journey through the states till they see the skyline of New York.
Through this chapter you see parallels between Al and Maddie’s mum – both women want to rule over Maddie. But Maddie has her baby boy now who she has to protect – Will she manage to escape another person who tries to influence her and make her own decisions or will she do whatever Al demands even if it meant killing her and the baby?
reviewed by kuschelbooks.com
by I.J. Miller
This book was provided to me for free by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Physically abused Alice meets mentally abused Maddie and the two of them deicide getting a child and giving it all the love in the world.
Tbh at the beginning I absolutely didn’t get into the story. It all starts in a cheap motel room where Maddie and Alice try to protect their Babyboy Jesse from the police who have already surrounded the motel they are in.
The scene is the told form Maddie’s, Alice’s and the Police officer’s point of view, but for me it somehow felt like a simple description of what everyone is doing since I didn’t get any feelings.
Every other chapter in the first part is alternately about Al’s or Maddie’s childhood. So between the scenes in the motel-room we get to know about Al’s dad who started abusing Al when she was 8 years old and how she experienced her teenage years. And Maddie’s childhood and teenage years with a mother who mentally abused her and at the same time made Maddie through autoaggressive acts to stay with her. Yet although both stories are really horrible and you get kind of goosebumps while reading, something was missing. It’s hard to describe but I was reading through these chapters, thinking ‘how awful’ but didn’t feel sad for one of the girls or angry with one of the parents.
Then the second part starts and it’s all about Maddie and Al getting to know each other. That was the moment I slowly started getting into the story. But still didn’t feel with or for Maddie or Al but for Wynn, a Canadian student who saved Al from a bunch of his mates and whose career as an athlete comes to an abrupt end through a car accident. Al later marries him – still out of thankfulness for rescuing her – so that he doesn’t have to go back to Canada. Later Al also gets his sperm so that she and Maddy can have their baby.
And that leads us to part three – Maddie’s and Al’s escape from their baby’s daddy and rich grandpa who wants to have custody. Now the story really had me. I got Al’s feelings, I got Maddy’s feelings and I felt with them, I hoped with them, I feared for them through their whole journey through the states till they see the skyline of New York.
Through this chapter you see parallels between Al and Maddie’s mum – both women want to rule over Maddie. But Maddie has her baby boy now who she has to protect – Will she manage to escape another person who tries to influence her and make her own decisions or will she do whatever Al demands even if it meant killing her and the baby?
reviewed by kuschelbooks.com
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