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Another Woman's Child
Another Woman’s Child is an gripping and heartbreaking listen about the secrets we keep from our families and the sacrifices we are willing to make for those we love.
Could you take in your best friend’s child, even if it risked destroying your own family?
Jo had thought that her life – and her heart – was full. With a busy job, a husband and a teenage daughter who is going off the rails, keeping her life running smoothly had already felt hard enough.
But now Jo sits at the funeral of her best friend, Ginny, crushed by the loss of a friendship that had endured for 30 years: from college and their first days at work through to settling down and raising their own children.
Against her husband’s wishes, Jo has made a life-changing decision: to take in Ginny’s teenage son, Victor, and raise him as her own. Despite her misgivings, Jo feels she had no choice: Ginny was a single parent, and Victor had no other family who could take care of him.
But Victor’s arrival is about to break open the fragile cracks that were already forming on the surface of Jo’s family life and in her small rural community ... and expose a secret that has remained hidden for many years, with devastating consequences.
Could you take in your best friend’s child, even if it risked destroying your own family?
Jo had thought that her life – and her heart – was full. With a busy job, a husband and a teenage daughter who is going off the rails, keeping her life running smoothly had already felt hard enough.
But now Jo sits at the funeral of her best friend, Ginny, crushed by the loss of a friendship that had endured for 30 years: from college and their first days at work through to settling down and raising their own children.
Against her husband’s wishes, Jo has made a life-changing decision: to take in Ginny’s teenage son, Victor, and raise him as her own. Despite her misgivings, Jo feels she had no choice: Ginny was a single parent, and Victor had no other family who could take care of him.
But Victor’s arrival is about to break open the fragile cracks that were already forming on the surface of Jo’s family life and in her small rural community ... and expose a secret that has remained hidden for many years, with devastating consequences.
249 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 31, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 167 reviews
April 8, 2021
This was standard fare. A theme I have read quite often of late, unexpected parentage. Jo and Patrick are struggling with their own teenage daughter who is becoming the talk of the town with her exploits, drugs, and irresponsibility. This was covered well, the rite of passage into adulthood, drug experimentation, carelessness and not treating their parents with respect. The author mentions this in her lengthy note to readers at the end. She specifically wanted to raise the challenges facing parents today which I think this was done well. She also talked of the importance of readers to her career and that she loves hearing from us. This is always nice to hear.
Jo’s best friend and beloved Ginny dies leaves behind a son and it has come to pass that Jo and Patrick will take care of this 17 year old lad, Victor. This comes with the expected problems of fitting in and finding his place in the family.
It was frustrating to read about the small town racism that came with Victor’s emergence into what seemed to be a narrow minded town where parents refuse to accept their ‘perfect’ children would be doing anything wrong and the new mixed race boy is the source of all the problems. This was effective and raised my emotions which was a good thing.
Like all books of this theme the ending is quite neat and expected, I would rate this 3.5 stars. This is a new to me author and I probably won’t be tripping over my feet to find more titles.
Jo’s best friend and beloved Ginny dies leaves behind a son and it has come to pass that Jo and Patrick will take care of this 17 year old lad, Victor. This comes with the expected problems of fitting in and finding his place in the family.
It was frustrating to read about the small town racism that came with Victor’s emergence into what seemed to be a narrow minded town where parents refuse to accept their ‘perfect’ children would be doing anything wrong and the new mixed race boy is the source of all the problems. This was effective and raised my emotions which was a good thing.
Like all books of this theme the ending is quite neat and expected, I would rate this 3.5 stars. This is a new to me author and I probably won’t be tripping over my feet to find more titles.
August 6, 2020
Thoughtful and compelling. Real and emotional. Once again Kerry Fisher tugged at my heart strings and brought me to tears with her authentic storytelling. When I first read the blurb to the story I thought there is no way I’m taking someoneelse’s child if they were going to disrupt the lives of my own. The reason I bring this up is I completely judged the situation wrong, and I think this was very ironic given the subject matter of the story. Jo and Ginny are best friends so when Ginny is on her deathbed and asks Jo to take care of her teenage son Victor, Jo agrees. Unfortunately this might not be the best situation for Victor. Jo’s daughter Phoebe is a wild child and they live in a small close minded town. So now not only has Victor lost his mother, but he is half black living in a less than welcoming community with a highly dysfunctional family. Will this family be able to come together for Victor? Or will a secret break everything wide-open?
The book did get off to a little bit of a slow start, but after a few chapters I found myself completely invested. Jo seemed very real to me even though I didn’t always agree with her actions. Daughter Phoebe was a lot of work and husband Patrick was useless. Victor was a great kid and my heart was pulled towards him the entire story. I found the behavior of some of the mothers in the story so frustrating yet unfortunately so true. Always so quick to blame other people’s kids for their own kid’s behavior. Jo spent so much time worrying what other people thought at her own family’s detriment. There was a sense of authenticity to this book and I thought the realities of privilege and racism were well handled. Another well told story from one of the best.
*** Big thank you to Bookouture for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
The book did get off to a little bit of a slow start, but after a few chapters I found myself completely invested. Jo seemed very real to me even though I didn’t always agree with her actions. Daughter Phoebe was a lot of work and husband Patrick was useless. Victor was a great kid and my heart was pulled towards him the entire story. I found the behavior of some of the mothers in the story so frustrating yet unfortunately so true. Always so quick to blame other people’s kids for their own kid’s behavior. Jo spent so much time worrying what other people thought at her own family’s detriment. There was a sense of authenticity to this book and I thought the realities of privilege and racism were well handled. Another well told story from one of the best.
*** Big thank you to Bookouture for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
July 1, 2020
Could you take in your best friend’s child, even if it risked destroying your own family?- This was the question that attracted me to this book and I wasn't disappointed.
Jo had thought that her life – and her heart – was full. With a busy job, a husband and a teenage daughter who is going off the rails, keeping her life running smoothly had already felt hard enough. But when her best friend Ginny passes away, Jo has made a life-changing decision despite her husband's reservations, to take in Ginny’s teenage son Victor and raise him as her own.
But Victor’s arrival is about to break open the fragile cracks that were already forming on the surface of Jo’s family life and in her small rural community… and expose a secret that has remained hidden for many years, with devastating consequences.
This book mostly covers racism and common teenage dramas along with the problem of drug addiction. While the book was good in parts, there were a few instances where the plot kind of got repetitive and slightly dragged on.
What I liked the most about this book is that the author has tried to highlight the evil of casual racism that exists in our minds and society today. At times we tend to judge and try to place blame on people about whom we are not aware of but have a social stigma towards them. Parents at times turn blind to the faults that exist in their own kids and tend to blame others, which in turn creates more problems rather than solving the already existing ones.
I loved it when Jo's husband, Patrick, stands up for Victor, when he is accused for things that don't quite make sense.
Overall, an enjoyable read for me even though it was quite easy to guess the ending!
Thank You to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!!
Jo had thought that her life – and her heart – was full. With a busy job, a husband and a teenage daughter who is going off the rails, keeping her life running smoothly had already felt hard enough. But when her best friend Ginny passes away, Jo has made a life-changing decision despite her husband's reservations, to take in Ginny’s teenage son Victor and raise him as her own.
But Victor’s arrival is about to break open the fragile cracks that were already forming on the surface of Jo’s family life and in her small rural community… and expose a secret that has remained hidden for many years, with devastating consequences.
This book mostly covers racism and common teenage dramas along with the problem of drug addiction. While the book was good in parts, there were a few instances where the plot kind of got repetitive and slightly dragged on.
What I liked the most about this book is that the author has tried to highlight the evil of casual racism that exists in our minds and society today. At times we tend to judge and try to place blame on people about whom we are not aware of but have a social stigma towards them. Parents at times turn blind to the faults that exist in their own kids and tend to blame others, which in turn creates more problems rather than solving the already existing ones.
I loved it when Jo's husband, Patrick, stands up for Victor, when he is accused for things that don't quite make sense.
Overall, an enjoyable read for me even though it was quite easy to guess the ending!
Thank You to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!!
August 8, 2020
Another emotional story which pulled me in slowly through the pages. Author Kerry Fisher had enmeshed a few social issues, rampaging our society within her fictional characters sensitively. It brought home the value of friendship even after death.
Jo and Ginny were the best of friends. Ginny died and Jo brought home her son, Victor, into a family which had already reached a break point.
Having read many of this author’s books, I knew I was in for a detailed slow ride. The author laid the foundations of the characters and the family dynamics in the first half. Jo wanted to keep everyone happy, and sometimes that didn’t work out.
Casual racism and drug addiction were highlighted along with teenage angst. I loved when the husband stood up for Victor against the cruel remarks. There was much to cheer on in the book. The characters developed slowly, and it was last half which kept me attached to my kindle.
Secrets in Ginny’s letters made a pleasant surprise, a great addition to the family drama. Kerry’s writing paved a way for the truth to slowly pervade the lives of the characters. Taking on another woman’s child was difficult, but the love that came it made it totally worth it.
A beautiful read.
Jo and Ginny were the best of friends. Ginny died and Jo brought home her son, Victor, into a family which had already reached a break point.
Having read many of this author’s books, I knew I was in for a detailed slow ride. The author laid the foundations of the characters and the family dynamics in the first half. Jo wanted to keep everyone happy, and sometimes that didn’t work out.
Casual racism and drug addiction were highlighted along with teenage angst. I loved when the husband stood up for Victor against the cruel remarks. There was much to cheer on in the book. The characters developed slowly, and it was last half which kept me attached to my kindle.
Secrets in Ginny’s letters made a pleasant surprise, a great addition to the family drama. Kerry’s writing paved a way for the truth to slowly pervade the lives of the characters. Taking on another woman’s child was difficult, but the love that came it made it totally worth it.
A beautiful read.
June 29, 2020
I didn't get on with this. This was my first book by Fisher and had heard great things about this author. Sadly, this book does not encourage me to read her other books.
The characters were likeable, but the plot was too slow and I didn't feel invested enough to find out what happened to them.
The characters were likeable, but the plot was too slow and I didn't feel invested enough to find out what happened to them.
December 1, 2024
Review coming soon.
July 23, 2020
I was really tempted to DNF this book, there is just something about it that didn't work for me.
When Ginny is on her death bed she askes her best friend Jo to take in her 17-year-old son Victor. No one, except for Ginny, knows who is dad is. Jo and her husband Patrick fight over taking him in, but in the end, they do bring him home. With their own daughter, Phoebe, being a troubled/ difficult teenager and a new person in the house the tensions rises higher than before. Stricken with grief and struggling with what to do Jo powers on until a revelation might undo it all.
A story about grief, casual racism, teenage drama, and self-esteem, but mostly grief and self-esteem. This could have been a great book, but I just couldn't get into it. The main character of Jo really gets on my nerves and all of the teenage drama seems so over the top, I guess it happens but the way it is in this book, in these situations, it seems rather unlikely. The ending is also too much for me, all of a sudden all is hunky-dory (never thought I'd use this but just fits with the feelings I have about this book). I am sure there are people out there who will enjoy this book and identify/ symphatise with Jo, but it just wasn't for me.
*ARC received in exchange for an honest review*
When Ginny is on her death bed she askes her best friend Jo to take in her 17-year-old son Victor. No one, except for Ginny, knows who is dad is. Jo and her husband Patrick fight over taking him in, but in the end, they do bring him home. With their own daughter, Phoebe, being a troubled/ difficult teenager and a new person in the house the tensions rises higher than before. Stricken with grief and struggling with what to do Jo powers on until a revelation might undo it all.
A story about grief, casual racism, teenage drama, and self-esteem, but mostly grief and self-esteem. This could have been a great book, but I just couldn't get into it. The main character of Jo really gets on my nerves and all of the teenage drama seems so over the top, I guess it happens but the way it is in this book, in these situations, it seems rather unlikely. The ending is also too much for me, all of a sudden all is hunky-dory (never thought I'd use this but just fits with the feelings I have about this book). I am sure there are people out there who will enjoy this book and identify/ symphatise with Jo, but it just wasn't for me.
*ARC received in exchange for an honest review*
July 22, 2020
Every one should read this amazing masterpiece of a book. Very timely and thought provoking. The author is a genius. I've loved all of her books - they make me ponder and question and they stay with me. This book is a gem - the writing is beautiful, the story brilliant and apt for our times raising some very important points. An absolute triumph.
January 23, 2021
I've read three of Kerry Fisher's books now. I loved the other two (the Silent Wife and the Woman I Was Before), but I have mixed feelings about this book.
Fisher writes good plots and has a comic turn of phrase, elements I really enjoyed in this book. I read it to the end and, even though I worked out the twist quite quickly, was gripped.
However, I really struggled with the way Fisher dealt with her central theme of racism. The main characters of the book, Jo and Patrick, posh white people living in Surrey, take in a mixed-race boy (Victor) after his mum dies. A lot of the book is about Jo having her eyes opened to the racism in her village and trying to negotiate it.
A laudable aim for a book, perhaps, but I think this important topic was not well handled. The book is written in a white-centred way, whereby Jo protects her own white fragility at Victor's expense time and time again - and Victor never seems to notice or be affected by this. While she and Patrick stand up to some more overt racists towards the end of the book, they never confront their own white fragility, nor do they talk to Victor about the racism he faces. They never openly try to support him through this issue and do not ask the racists to apologise to him - and yet Jo is cast as a 'nice person' and the hero of the story.
I don't like leaving negative reviews, but I feel it's really important to draw attention to issues like this in the hope that white people (of which I am one, I firmly include myself in this) can learn to look at life in a less white-centric way.
Fisher writes good plots and has a comic turn of phrase, elements I really enjoyed in this book. I read it to the end and, even though I worked out the twist quite quickly, was gripped.
However, I really struggled with the way Fisher dealt with her central theme of racism. The main characters of the book, Jo and Patrick, posh white people living in Surrey, take in a mixed-race boy (Victor) after his mum dies. A lot of the book is about Jo having her eyes opened to the racism in her village and trying to negotiate it.
A laudable aim for a book, perhaps, but I think this important topic was not well handled. The book is written in a white-centred way, whereby Jo protects her own white fragility at Victor's expense time and time again - and Victor never seems to notice or be affected by this. While she and Patrick stand up to some more overt racists towards the end of the book, they never confront their own white fragility, nor do they talk to Victor about the racism he faces. They never openly try to support him through this issue and do not ask the racists to apologise to him - and yet Jo is cast as a 'nice person' and the hero of the story.
I don't like leaving negative reviews, but I feel it's really important to draw attention to issues like this in the hope that white people (of which I am one, I firmly include myself in this) can learn to look at life in a less white-centric way.
July 23, 2020
Another Woman's Child by Kerry Fisher is a domestic drama that is multilayered and thematic. At the heart of the story is Jo, a beleaguered mother of a difficult teenage girl, who suddenly finds her life turned upside down when her close friend Ginny dies, leaving Jo and her husband as custodians to her seventeen year old son, Victor. Jo's already fragile family life is put under further strain with the arrival of the teenage boy, whose paternity remains unknown, and Jo and husband Patrick find themselves defending Victor against the racist remarks that accompany his integration into the family. When Jo discovers some letters that Ginny has left behind, her world will be further rocked by the startling revelations that are contained within.
This is a thought-provoking read that addresses multiple facets of family life and relationships. I was particularly struck with the casual racism that permeates the narrative, and found the novel as a whole to be both timely and relevant. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC.
This is a thought-provoking read that addresses multiple facets of family life and relationships. I was particularly struck with the casual racism that permeates the narrative, and found the novel as a whole to be both timely and relevant. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC.
July 15, 2020
Sorry but I could not get into this story or any of the characters. DNF at 35%. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.
August 6, 2020
My third book by this author and she had me at hello!
A beautiful story about grief but also about family and standing up for each other. Once again people show how shallow they are by being lead by prejudices and stereotypes. They often don’t even take the time or make any effort to get to know the person(s) in question but just behave like elephants in a china shop. They don’t even reflect on who they (might) hurt in the process.
I felt Jo’s desperation, her urge to please, her fighting a battle she might end up losing. I felt for Patrick, also being stuck between a rock and a hard place, but whatever life throws at you, you can overcome it by sticking together and willing to compromise.
Sometimes people like to stick their head in the sand and find it easier to blame other people. Some are man enough to admit their mistakes afterwards, others though…
It was very hard to put this book down. I just loved it. It was filled with emotions: happy ones, sad ones and everything in between. 5 stars
Thank you, Kerry Fisher and Bookouture
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
A beautiful story about grief but also about family and standing up for each other. Once again people show how shallow they are by being lead by prejudices and stereotypes. They often don’t even take the time or make any effort to get to know the person(s) in question but just behave like elephants in a china shop. They don’t even reflect on who they (might) hurt in the process.
I felt Jo’s desperation, her urge to please, her fighting a battle she might end up losing. I felt for Patrick, also being stuck between a rock and a hard place, but whatever life throws at you, you can overcome it by sticking together and willing to compromise.
Sometimes people like to stick their head in the sand and find it easier to blame other people. Some are man enough to admit their mistakes afterwards, others though…
It was very hard to put this book down. I just loved it. It was filled with emotions: happy ones, sad ones and everything in between. 5 stars
Thank you, Kerry Fisher and Bookouture
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
October 7, 2020
An excellent women’s fiction novel with realistic situations and characters. It took a bit to adjust to the author’s style, but I am glad I stuck with this one. I loved, loved the ending. The narrator is excellent as well. Happy reading and listening!
July 6, 2020
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this eARC.
This book is about a woman named Jo. Her best friend, Ginny, has just died young of breast cancer and has asked her to take care of her 17 year old son, Victor. Jo is nervous about doing it because her husband and teen daughter are not really on board and they're also not in the best place as it is. The daughter is acting out a lot and having Victor there doesn't seem to help at first. Victor is also black and the family is white. Jo's friend and mom are disgustingly racist and assume that many problems are Victor's fault because he's a young black man going through a hard time. I was so disgusted at many points in this book and wished Jo would've actively stood up for him. This book is really just watching the journey unfold of Jo trying to incorporate Victor into her family and figure out how to support him and his grief as well as dealing with her own and the prejudices held by those around her.
I thought the portrayal of grief was a little weak. We rarely get to see Victor express himself, instead he bottles it all in and that was never really addressed. I also really didn't like the way race was handled. Resolution only comes when we find out about Victor's white father and a reconciliation is made. The huge "twist" in this book is one that I saw coming as soon as the book started (14% to be exact) so when it was finally revealed in the 2nd half of the book it was a relief and felt like the book was finally starting because we got the slow, obvious part out of the way. We also saw a lot about teen substance abuse, but I thought that was handled decently.
Overall I thought this book was entertaining enough, but the beginning was very slow and some of the issues were not addressed in a great way.
SPOILERS AHEAD:
We find out in the 2nd half of the book that Victor's dad is Jo's husband, Patrick. He and Ginny had a one night stand before he was with Jo (they had all been a group of friends when they were young) and she never told anyone about it. That was SO easy to spot from the beginning. Once Patrick realizes he's the dad, he changes his tune about Victor and becomes a lot better person toward him. Then the friends and mom start to come around in the end and it felt very much like it was just because he was now biologically related to this all white family.
We get to see another friend from the group, Cory, finally settle down but this didn't really add anything to the story.
Victor starts dating Phoebe (the daughter)'s best friend, Georgia. She struggles with adderol addiction and other drugs and her mom is the one that is so miserably racist and refuses to see that some of the issues may be with her own daughter instead of with everyone else. She eventually has her get help and Georgia and Victor end up together.
This book is about a woman named Jo. Her best friend, Ginny, has just died young of breast cancer and has asked her to take care of her 17 year old son, Victor. Jo is nervous about doing it because her husband and teen daughter are not really on board and they're also not in the best place as it is. The daughter is acting out a lot and having Victor there doesn't seem to help at first. Victor is also black and the family is white. Jo's friend and mom are disgustingly racist and assume that many problems are Victor's fault because he's a young black man going through a hard time. I was so disgusted at many points in this book and wished Jo would've actively stood up for him. This book is really just watching the journey unfold of Jo trying to incorporate Victor into her family and figure out how to support him and his grief as well as dealing with her own and the prejudices held by those around her.
I thought the portrayal of grief was a little weak. We rarely get to see Victor express himself, instead he bottles it all in and that was never really addressed. I also really didn't like the way race was handled. Resolution only comes when we find out about Victor's white father and a reconciliation is made. The huge "twist" in this book is one that I saw coming as soon as the book started (14% to be exact) so when it was finally revealed in the 2nd half of the book it was a relief and felt like the book was finally starting because we got the slow, obvious part out of the way. We also saw a lot about teen substance abuse, but I thought that was handled decently.
Overall I thought this book was entertaining enough, but the beginning was very slow and some of the issues were not addressed in a great way.
SPOILERS AHEAD:
We find out in the 2nd half of the book that Victor's dad is Jo's husband, Patrick. He and Ginny had a one night stand before he was with Jo (they had all been a group of friends when they were young) and she never told anyone about it. That was SO easy to spot from the beginning. Once Patrick realizes he's the dad, he changes his tune about Victor and becomes a lot better person toward him. Then the friends and mom start to come around in the end and it felt very much like it was just because he was now biologically related to this all white family.
We get to see another friend from the group, Cory, finally settle down but this didn't really add anything to the story.
Victor starts dating Phoebe (the daughter)'s best friend, Georgia. She struggles with adderol addiction and other drugs and her mom is the one that is so miserably racist and refuses to see that some of the issues may be with her own daughter instead of with everyone else. She eventually has her get help and Georgia and Victor end up together.
January 9, 2022
I had a whole barrage of thoughts to on this book as I ploughed through it but now that I have come to review it they all seem to escape me. On the whole, I am in two minds about the book as I am not a slow paced type of reader and as the story played out for pretty much the entire first half, it pretty much read more like the joys of parenting obnoxious moody teenagers...not to mention the gossip mongering and narrow-mindedness of so-called friends who were quick to judge another parent's child whilst defending the honour and accomplishments of their own.
The story begins with Ginny ruminating over the choice she has made, the secret she must keep whilst leaving readers wondering what is so massive that she, who processes everything by telling everyone, kept schtum on this...whatever "this" was. It is clear that Ginny is faced with coming clean in the face of death...and yet she chose not to. Why? We had yet to find out.
Jo and Ginny had been best friends for nearly thirty years so when Ginny lay on her deathbed succumbing to the cancer that was flooding her body, she pleaded with Jo to take in her seventeen year old son Victor. Jo never gave the option much thought but had thought it best to run it by hubby Patrick before making the decision. But dealing with the throes of teenage angst in the form of their own sixteen year old daughter Phoebe, they were both reluctant to take on another woman's child and therefore adding to their troubles.
However, as Ginny neared the end and she upped the ante in begging, Jo felt she couldn't say no to her best friend. After all, Victor had no one else but his ailing grandfather who was in no fit state to care for him. And so, she said yes. Patrick was far from pleased and begrudgingly travelled the three hours or so to Cardiff from their little village Sussex to bring Victor home with them. Relations were strained from the beginning as each tiptoed around the other in trying to accommodate the grieving young man. Phoebe was far from impressed with having to share her attention which manifested itself in even worse behaviour that had played out before this.
And so there were parties, drunken nights out, a car accident fuelled by smoking weed, shoplifting and generally acting out. As if that wasn't enough, now that drugs appeared to be in the picture, the finger was firmly pointed in Victor's direction. After all, nothing like this had ever happened in sleepy Snedhurst until a black teenage boy came to live in their midst. Now it's all drug-fuelled orgies and whispers in dark alleys with the sleight of hand exchange for weed and goodness knows what else. I mean, who'd have thought these innocent girls would be snorting coke on the best silver until "he" turned up corrupt them?
So Jo not only had to grieve for her best friend in private, for fear of upsetting Victor in his own grief, but she had to contend with the obnoxious teenage angst and outbursts from a somewhat out of control Phoebe who obviously thought the world revolved around her as well as the neighbourhood gossips who believed that Victor had come to their village with the express intention of corrupting their virtuous teenage community. People who she had thought were her friends turned on her as quick as the whispers that flowed through the village.
And just when she thought things could get any worse, she is hit with a bombshell secret she never saw coming which thus sent her spiralling into an abyss of guilt and blame. How could she not have known? How could she not have seen this coming? And how could the people she loved the most in this world betray her in the worst possible way?
While thoughtful and compelling, ANOTHER WOMAN'S CHILD is very slow to start. However, I wanted to know what the big secret was and how everything was going to pan out. Of course, I couldn't wait to see hypocritical Faye get her comeuppance when the tables are turned and she sees her own daughter for who she really is instead of keeping the blinkers in place preventing her from doing so whilst systematically shifting the blame solely onto Phoebe and then Victor. The other parents play little part in comparison to Faye who was meant to be Jo's best friend in the village.
To be honest, I struggled with the first half, I really did. I found everyone thoroughly annoying except for Jasmine, the mother who didn't get quite so much spotlight as evil Faye, and who always had a crocodile of colourful children following in her wake, and of course the strong silent resilience of Victor who had lost his mother so young and was trying to navigate a new life, a new school and a new family all at the same time in the midst of the quagmire. And yet, he was far wiser beyond his years.
I didn't really warm to Jo and was aghast at the way she allowed Phoebe to talk to her. If I'd have spoken to my parents like that I would have been grounded till I was 70! The complete and utter disrespect she shows her mother is mind-boggling. I know we've all been teenagers and have had to navigate hormones and adolescence, but I don't remember ever being so disrespectful as she is. And Jo just let her walk all over her, citing that pushing her will only escalate the issue. Had Phoebe been taught to respect boundaries when she was younger then she would have been less likely to be so disrespectful now. But hey, what do I know? I did , however, find Faye a little too quick to lay all the blame at Phoebe's feet and criticise Jo for her parenting skills in that passive aggressive way that sounds like she's joking but she's really not.
And yet despite all the angst, disrespect and prejudice in the slowish start, ANOTHER WOMAN'S CHILD picked up its pace in the second half as secrets and truths were were slowly revealed. I had worked out the "big secret" as I pieced the little clues together that had been peppered throughout and was left in tears by the end. Not in a sad way but a happy way. I was actually laughing through my tears, particularly at Jo's mum's impromptu speech in her oh-so-diplomatic way...lol
A reasonably good read, ANOTHER WOMAN'S CHILD will delight fans of contemporary women's fiction who enjoy the slow pace through an emotional journey that is thoughtful and compelling.
I would like to thank #KerryFisher, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #AnotherWomansChild in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
The story begins with Ginny ruminating over the choice she has made, the secret she must keep whilst leaving readers wondering what is so massive that she, who processes everything by telling everyone, kept schtum on this...whatever "this" was. It is clear that Ginny is faced with coming clean in the face of death...and yet she chose not to. Why? We had yet to find out.
Jo and Ginny had been best friends for nearly thirty years so when Ginny lay on her deathbed succumbing to the cancer that was flooding her body, she pleaded with Jo to take in her seventeen year old son Victor. Jo never gave the option much thought but had thought it best to run it by hubby Patrick before making the decision. But dealing with the throes of teenage angst in the form of their own sixteen year old daughter Phoebe, they were both reluctant to take on another woman's child and therefore adding to their troubles.
However, as Ginny neared the end and she upped the ante in begging, Jo felt she couldn't say no to her best friend. After all, Victor had no one else but his ailing grandfather who was in no fit state to care for him. And so, she said yes. Patrick was far from pleased and begrudgingly travelled the three hours or so to Cardiff from their little village Sussex to bring Victor home with them. Relations were strained from the beginning as each tiptoed around the other in trying to accommodate the grieving young man. Phoebe was far from impressed with having to share her attention which manifested itself in even worse behaviour that had played out before this.
And so there were parties, drunken nights out, a car accident fuelled by smoking weed, shoplifting and generally acting out. As if that wasn't enough, now that drugs appeared to be in the picture, the finger was firmly pointed in Victor's direction. After all, nothing like this had ever happened in sleepy Snedhurst until a black teenage boy came to live in their midst. Now it's all drug-fuelled orgies and whispers in dark alleys with the sleight of hand exchange for weed and goodness knows what else. I mean, who'd have thought these innocent girls would be snorting coke on the best silver until "he" turned up corrupt them?
So Jo not only had to grieve for her best friend in private, for fear of upsetting Victor in his own grief, but she had to contend with the obnoxious teenage angst and outbursts from a somewhat out of control Phoebe who obviously thought the world revolved around her as well as the neighbourhood gossips who believed that Victor had come to their village with the express intention of corrupting their virtuous teenage community. People who she had thought were her friends turned on her as quick as the whispers that flowed through the village.
And just when she thought things could get any worse, she is hit with a bombshell secret she never saw coming which thus sent her spiralling into an abyss of guilt and blame. How could she not have known? How could she not have seen this coming? And how could the people she loved the most in this world betray her in the worst possible way?
While thoughtful and compelling, ANOTHER WOMAN'S CHILD is very slow to start. However, I wanted to know what the big secret was and how everything was going to pan out. Of course, I couldn't wait to see hypocritical Faye get her comeuppance when the tables are turned and she sees her own daughter for who she really is instead of keeping the blinkers in place preventing her from doing so whilst systematically shifting the blame solely onto Phoebe and then Victor. The other parents play little part in comparison to Faye who was meant to be Jo's best friend in the village.
To be honest, I struggled with the first half, I really did. I found everyone thoroughly annoying except for Jasmine, the mother who didn't get quite so much spotlight as evil Faye, and who always had a crocodile of colourful children following in her wake, and of course the strong silent resilience of Victor who had lost his mother so young and was trying to navigate a new life, a new school and a new family all at the same time in the midst of the quagmire. And yet, he was far wiser beyond his years.
I didn't really warm to Jo and was aghast at the way she allowed Phoebe to talk to her. If I'd have spoken to my parents like that I would have been grounded till I was 70! The complete and utter disrespect she shows her mother is mind-boggling. I know we've all been teenagers and have had to navigate hormones and adolescence, but I don't remember ever being so disrespectful as she is. And Jo just let her walk all over her, citing that pushing her will only escalate the issue. Had Phoebe been taught to respect boundaries when she was younger then she would have been less likely to be so disrespectful now. But hey, what do I know? I did , however, find Faye a little too quick to lay all the blame at Phoebe's feet and criticise Jo for her parenting skills in that passive aggressive way that sounds like she's joking but she's really not.
And yet despite all the angst, disrespect and prejudice in the slowish start, ANOTHER WOMAN'S CHILD picked up its pace in the second half as secrets and truths were were slowly revealed. I had worked out the "big secret" as I pieced the little clues together that had been peppered throughout and was left in tears by the end. Not in a sad way but a happy way. I was actually laughing through my tears, particularly at Jo's mum's impromptu speech in her oh-so-diplomatic way...lol
A reasonably good read, ANOTHER WOMAN'S CHILD will delight fans of contemporary women's fiction who enjoy the slow pace through an emotional journey that is thoughtful and compelling.
I would like to thank #KerryFisher, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #AnotherWomansChild in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
August 4, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the arc of Another Womans Child by Kerry Fisher
This follows a woman named Jo who had thought that her life and her heart was content and full. as she has busy job, her husband and even her teenage daughter who is going off the rails a little. She is also keeping her life running smoothly had already felt hard enough. Her best friend Ginny actually suddenly sadly passes away in which makes Jo have to make a life-changing decision in despite her husband's reservations and thoughts about taking in her bestfriends son whom now has no mum and raise like their own. But with the arrival with Victor’s arrival is about to break the fragile cracks that were already forming on the surface of Jo’s family life and in her small rural community… and expose a secret in which has remained hidden for many years, with devastating consequences......
3 stars- great read, read very fast great storyline and well written defintiely recommend!
This follows a woman named Jo who had thought that her life and her heart was content and full. as she has busy job, her husband and even her teenage daughter who is going off the rails a little. She is also keeping her life running smoothly had already felt hard enough. Her best friend Ginny actually suddenly sadly passes away in which makes Jo have to make a life-changing decision in despite her husband's reservations and thoughts about taking in her bestfriends son whom now has no mum and raise like their own. But with the arrival with Victor’s arrival is about to break the fragile cracks that were already forming on the surface of Jo’s family life and in her small rural community… and expose a secret in which has remained hidden for many years, with devastating consequences......
3 stars- great read, read very fast great storyline and well written defintiely recommend!
July 1, 2021
Audiobook. The Welsh accents of two of the characters were unbearably bad! I almost gave up listening.
July 12, 2020
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'Another Woman's Child' by Kerry Fisher
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
This is the first book that I have read by this author and it most certainly won't be my last!
I was originally drawn to this book by its intriguing title & blurb and the fact that it was described as 'perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult'. I'm a massive Picoult fan so had to see if this as good as it lives up to. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of a prologue and 27 chapters which are a nice length so that you can read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is written in first person perspective with the protagonist being Jo and it is set in the UK. I always enjoy reading books written in first person more as it feels like I'm sitting across the table from them while they are telling their story or in the book next to them. I LOVE the fact that a small part of the book is set in Cardiff being a Welsh girl myself!
This book was written beautifully and flowed nicely throughout. I was NOT expecting the mega twist half way through! Nothinf worse than knowing what's coming before your even half way through a book!
The way it was written made me feel like I was right next to Jo and going through it with her. I was hooked from the very first page and could not put it down. I am pleased to say that the 'perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult' was completely accurate and I would even go as far as to say that judging by this book Kerry Fisher is definitely on par with her. This is a huge compliment from me as Jodi Picoult has been in my top 5 authors list for a very long time!! I believe another author has just been added. Well done Kerry Fisher. A complete success and I'm looking forward to reading more of your books.
I felt the plot itself was quite unique and I haven't read a story with the same or similar one. The characters were fantastic!! Very strong, well rounded and believable. I loved how Jo's character strengthened and developed throughout and went from being very insecure to standing up to what she believed in. When she was insecure she reminded me very much of myself not that long ago holding onto toxic friendships.
The plot is filled with loss, racism, friendships, secrets, love and about an every day family going through everything thrown against them and still managing to unite. I love it!
Overall a perfect summer read and a new author to add to my favourite list.
Genres covered include literary fiction and chick lit.
I would recommend this book to fans of the above and definitely fans of Jodi Picoult and anyone looking for an excellent page turner.
310 pages.
This book is £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED IT ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
#AnotherWomansChild #KerryFisher #Bookouture #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour
@KerryFisher @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86
https://kcmw86.wixsite.com/bookworm86
https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?...
https://m.facebook.com/Bookwork86/?__...
Review for 'Another Woman's Child' by Kerry Fisher
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
This is the first book that I have read by this author and it most certainly won't be my last!
I was originally drawn to this book by its intriguing title & blurb and the fact that it was described as 'perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult'. I'm a massive Picoult fan so had to see if this as good as it lives up to. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of a prologue and 27 chapters which are a nice length so that you can read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is written in first person perspective with the protagonist being Jo and it is set in the UK. I always enjoy reading books written in first person more as it feels like I'm sitting across the table from them while they are telling their story or in the book next to them. I LOVE the fact that a small part of the book is set in Cardiff being a Welsh girl myself!
This book was written beautifully and flowed nicely throughout. I was NOT expecting the mega twist half way through! Nothinf worse than knowing what's coming before your even half way through a book!
The way it was written made me feel like I was right next to Jo and going through it with her. I was hooked from the very first page and could not put it down. I am pleased to say that the 'perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult' was completely accurate and I would even go as far as to say that judging by this book Kerry Fisher is definitely on par with her. This is a huge compliment from me as Jodi Picoult has been in my top 5 authors list for a very long time!! I believe another author has just been added. Well done Kerry Fisher. A complete success and I'm looking forward to reading more of your books.
I felt the plot itself was quite unique and I haven't read a story with the same or similar one. The characters were fantastic!! Very strong, well rounded and believable. I loved how Jo's character strengthened and developed throughout and went from being very insecure to standing up to what she believed in. When she was insecure she reminded me very much of myself not that long ago holding onto toxic friendships.
The plot is filled with loss, racism, friendships, secrets, love and about an every day family going through everything thrown against them and still managing to unite. I love it!
Overall a perfect summer read and a new author to add to my favourite list.
Genres covered include literary fiction and chick lit.
I would recommend this book to fans of the above and definitely fans of Jodi Picoult and anyone looking for an excellent page turner.
310 pages.
This book is £1.99 to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED IT ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
#AnotherWomansChild #KerryFisher #Bookouture #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour
@KerryFisher @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86
https://kcmw86.wixsite.com/bookworm86
https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?...
https://m.facebook.com/Bookwork86/?__...
August 6, 2020
It has made a change for me reading a book that looks solely at the intricacies of family life and relationships rather then this being in addition to catching a killer!
The story revolves around Jo, grieving the death of her best friend Ginny, and coming to terms with the fact that Ginny's wish was that her son Victor would be cared for by Jo and her family.
Victor is 18 and is mixed race. Everyone was led to believe his father was Canadian but as the story progresses it is obvious that this wasn't the case.
Jo and her husband Patrick already have a lot to deal with at home as their 16 year old daughter Phoebe appears to be doing all she can to alienate those around her and be in the thick of trouble.
Given that the family live in a village community in Sussex, it is the sort of insular small minded place that can showcase racism and all sorts of archaic thinking, and it was this that made the book so much more than just an emotional family drama. I loved the comments coming from Jo's Mum and then Patrick, and eventually Phoebe. The way in which unacceptable attitudes were challenged and in the end even Jo could ditch the need for her so called friends, realising these individuals did not need any more chances but were in fact very off kilter with their mindsets, happy to indulge in stereotypical prejudicial gossip.
Although the side of Right wins, the journey is very eventual. There is a lot of soul searching for Jo, questioning her friendship with Ginny, her marriage, and her parenting ability. All issues lots of us will have spent agonising over ourselves. I could particularly relate to the worry over Phoebe's reckless behaviour and the concern that she would end up one day on the wrong side of the law.
I thought that the pressures Phoebe and her friend Georgia were experiencing were very well written, including the teenage love aspect. I also really liked the way the displacement Victor felt, leaving behind his Granddad, school and friends in Cardiff, for a family that isn't his, was portrayed, sensitively but without mushiness.
I have to be honest and say that the advertised 'twist' in not exactly a surprise. It was obvious where the storyline was heading, and although this didn't detract from my reading pleasure, it is the reason I gave the book 4 rather than 5 stars.
I now need to work out which Kerry Fisher books I have already read so that I can read the rest. Definitely an author I will return to as a guaranteed good read.
Thank you as always to Netgalley, the publisher and Kerry Fisher for the opportunity to read Another Woman's Child ahead of publication.
The story revolves around Jo, grieving the death of her best friend Ginny, and coming to terms with the fact that Ginny's wish was that her son Victor would be cared for by Jo and her family.
Victor is 18 and is mixed race. Everyone was led to believe his father was Canadian but as the story progresses it is obvious that this wasn't the case.
Jo and her husband Patrick already have a lot to deal with at home as their 16 year old daughter Phoebe appears to be doing all she can to alienate those around her and be in the thick of trouble.
Given that the family live in a village community in Sussex, it is the sort of insular small minded place that can showcase racism and all sorts of archaic thinking, and it was this that made the book so much more than just an emotional family drama. I loved the comments coming from Jo's Mum and then Patrick, and eventually Phoebe. The way in which unacceptable attitudes were challenged and in the end even Jo could ditch the need for her so called friends, realising these individuals did not need any more chances but were in fact very off kilter with their mindsets, happy to indulge in stereotypical prejudicial gossip.
Although the side of Right wins, the journey is very eventual. There is a lot of soul searching for Jo, questioning her friendship with Ginny, her marriage, and her parenting ability. All issues lots of us will have spent agonising over ourselves. I could particularly relate to the worry over Phoebe's reckless behaviour and the concern that she would end up one day on the wrong side of the law.
I thought that the pressures Phoebe and her friend Georgia were experiencing were very well written, including the teenage love aspect. I also really liked the way the displacement Victor felt, leaving behind his Granddad, school and friends in Cardiff, for a family that isn't his, was portrayed, sensitively but without mushiness.
I have to be honest and say that the advertised 'twist' in not exactly a surprise. It was obvious where the storyline was heading, and although this didn't detract from my reading pleasure, it is the reason I gave the book 4 rather than 5 stars.
I now need to work out which Kerry Fisher books I have already read so that I can read the rest. Definitely an author I will return to as a guaranteed good read.
Thank you as always to Netgalley, the publisher and Kerry Fisher for the opportunity to read Another Woman's Child ahead of publication.
February 1, 2021
Could you take in your best friend’s child even if it risked your own family? On her death bed, Ginny asked Jo to look after her 18 year old son Victor and Jo felt compelled to agree despite her husband’s reservations. Ginny and Jo have been best friends for 30 years - from college, to settling down and having children. Victor’s arrival breaks open the fragile cracks of Jo’s family and the small rural community she lives. A secret that has remained hidden becomes exposed leaving Jo questioning if she made the right decision taking Victor in.. ✨
The second book I’ve read by Kerry and I was intrigued by that first question so was looking forward to reading this. This book covers racism within a narrow minded community, drug use, family issues and teenage dramas. Jo was a character I couldn’t warm or reason with, she lived within her white privilege and was more concerned on being liked by ‘friends’ than standing up. Some characters improved as the book developed and it made for a nice story. Okay read but I did want more. 2.5 🌟🌟✨
July 4, 2020
This was a fantastic story! I have not read anything by Kerry Fisher in the past, but that will definitely be changing. I love her writing style and character development. The plot was excellent and believable to me. The flow was really good, adding constantly to the tension until the ending.
This is definitely an un-put-downable book! I had the Kindle version, which was wonderful, so I could switch from reading to listening (text-to-speech). This is a book I wanted to get to the final chapter to see how the story would end, but at the same time, I did not want it to end.
This is an excellent book and I highly recommend it!
I want to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for allowing me to read the Advanced Reader Copy. My review is my own opinion not influenced by receiving the ARC.
This is definitely an un-put-downable book! I had the Kindle version, which was wonderful, so I could switch from reading to listening (text-to-speech). This is a book I wanted to get to the final chapter to see how the story would end, but at the same time, I did not want it to end.
This is an excellent book and I highly recommend it!
I want to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for allowing me to read the Advanced Reader Copy. My review is my own opinion not influenced by receiving the ARC.
July 26, 2020
Kerry Fisher has done it again. Another extremely compelling novel! Kerry is extremely talented at tackling real life issues and creating characters that are both hated and liked! I found the main character, Jo, to be incredibly frustrating throughout this book. She really got on my nerves! By the end I reflected that this was what made Kerry's books so good. Not all characters are likeable.
A very topical storyline is covered throughout. I won't say much more as I don't want to give it away. But Kerry addresses privilege and diversity extremely well. Kerry Fisher writes contemporary fiction well and her reviews always claim that she has the Jodi Picoult flare for writing and it's very true, she does. I would also suggest listening to this on Audiobook when it's available as Kerry's books are extremely well narrated (and I even read this in her usual narrators voice!)
A very topical storyline is covered throughout. I won't say much more as I don't want to give it away. But Kerry addresses privilege and diversity extremely well. Kerry Fisher writes contemporary fiction well and her reviews always claim that she has the Jodi Picoult flare for writing and it's very true, she does. I would also suggest listening to this on Audiobook when it's available as Kerry's books are extremely well narrated (and I even read this in her usual narrators voice!)
June 25, 2020
Finished this the other day. I don't like giving bad reviews. But this one just didn't have it in for me. Was predictable and had a hard time getting into it.
Wasn't for me, however I hope others do like it.
Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for an early release of this book.
Wasn't for me, however I hope others do like it.
Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for an early release of this book.
August 8, 2020
Another Woman's Child By Kerry Fisher
This book was an easy read, although it covered some difficult topics such as racism, teenager rebellion and grief.
I liked the main character, and loved her friendship with Ginny who has died from breast cancer.
This book was an easy read, although it covered some difficult topics such as racism, teenager rebellion and grief.
I liked the main character, and loved her friendship with Ginny who has died from breast cancer.
June 24, 2020
I loved the synopsis of this book and I was looking forward to reading it but I was disappointed.
I am not a fan of leaving a negative review but I have to be honest.
Another Woman’s Child is the story of Patrick and Jo, they have a teenage daughter, Phoebe, whom Jo feels is going off the rails.
Then Jo’s best friend Ginny loses her battle to breast cancer. Before she dies Jo agrees that her teenage son Victor could come and live with them as he had never known or met his Dad.
I had figured out the “twist” by chapter 2 and so when it happened two thirds in to the book it wasn’t a big revelation.
The book covers racism, teenage dramas and drug addiction but I still felt like nothing really happens.
There wasn’t any rush to finish the book to find out what happens or telling myself I needed to read “Just one more chapter” before bed so I was left disappointed.
Thank you to the Author, Publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I am not a fan of leaving a negative review but I have to be honest.
Another Woman’s Child is the story of Patrick and Jo, they have a teenage daughter, Phoebe, whom Jo feels is going off the rails.
Then Jo’s best friend Ginny loses her battle to breast cancer. Before she dies Jo agrees that her teenage son Victor could come and live with them as he had never known or met his Dad.
I had figured out the “twist” by chapter 2 and so when it happened two thirds in to the book it wasn’t a big revelation.
The book covers racism, teenage dramas and drug addiction but I still felt like nothing really happens.
There wasn’t any rush to finish the book to find out what happens or telling myself I needed to read “Just one more chapter” before bed so I was left disappointed.
Thank you to the Author, Publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 5, 2020
Narrated by Jo, a married and busy working mum whose teenage daughter Phoebe is going off the rails. Her best friend Ginny has recently died and bequeathed her the care of Victor, her mixed race son.
This family drama is perfectly placed to give readers an insightful view into some very current topics at the moment, including grief and casual racism. Shockingly some of the worst comments come from Jo’s own mother.
This is a well developed slow paced drama and as the story unfolds you sit back and watch the fallout. It makes you feel a bit like a rubber necker at a car crash. I did see the twist coming but it didn’t diminish the read in anyway.
The characters were believable and relatable and the comparison with Jodi Picoult is well placed as, like her writing, this is thought provoking and touches subjects that are normally shied away from. This would make a great book club read as there is certainly many issues to dissect and different character perspectives to see it from.
This family drama is perfectly placed to give readers an insightful view into some very current topics at the moment, including grief and casual racism. Shockingly some of the worst comments come from Jo’s own mother.
This is a well developed slow paced drama and as the story unfolds you sit back and watch the fallout. It makes you feel a bit like a rubber necker at a car crash. I did see the twist coming but it didn’t diminish the read in anyway.
The characters were believable and relatable and the comparison with Jodi Picoult is well placed as, like her writing, this is thought provoking and touches subjects that are normally shied away from. This would make a great book club read as there is certainly many issues to dissect and different character perspectives to see it from.
April 5, 2021
I never write reviews. I recommend to friends, or I bore my husband with all of the things I loved or hated about a book I recently read- but I never write reviews. I am only writing this review because I have a hard time believing that I am the only person who has read this book and found the main character, Jo, to be INSUFFERABLE. It was so hard to follow it until the end, because I hated her so much that it actually made me angry. I liked and appreciated the sentiment of the book (even if the "twist" was pretty apparent, pretty early on). It was emotional and heartbreaking but all of that shadowed by what a complete waste Jo is. So horribly pathetic that I couldn't even manage to feel for her after a while. I cant possibly be the only person who felt this way?!
August 19, 2020
I enjoyed this book immensely. I wasn't too shocked by how things turned out because it was what I expected. Beautiful story!
October 11, 2020
I read this in one day! An amazing book very well written and full of characters that you care about. It kept me engrossed from start to finish. Highly recommended.
July 2, 2020
When Jo's old friend Ginny dies at the age of forty-seven, Jo and her husband Patrick agree - not entirely without reservations - to take her teenage son Victor to live with them. It's certainly not plain sailing - their sixteen-year-old daughter Phoebe is already an agent of chaos, wreaking havoc at home, school and beyond. Furthermore, Victor is mixed race and the village they live in isn't exactly a haven of diversity. Between Phoebe's reckless behaviour, Victor's unexpressed grief for his mother, Jo and Patrick's doubts about whether they're doing the right thing, and some decidedly dodgy attitudes from those around them, Jo - never one to stand up and be counted at the best of times - finds life bringing a whole new set of challenges.
I love Kerry Fisher's books, and I really, really enjoyed Another Woman's Child. In particular, Kerry skilfully depicts the sort of casual, unexamined racism that its perpetrators never admit to but which is pernicious in its effects. The assumptions and stereotypes, occasionally spilling over into overt racism, endured - with remarkably good grace - by Victor were enraging. Phoebe's behaviour, too, was both convincing and alarming, verging on dangers from which there might be no way back, and alienating those around her.
There was one elephant in the room which troubled me a bit - I didn't quite buy that Ginny would pack her seventeen-year-old son off to live under the same roof as a girl of around his own age without at least considering the possibility of a relationship developing between them. It could easily have happened but, given later revelations, would have been disastrous, and I can't imagine his mother wouldn't have thought of this and done something to head off the possibility, other than a letter which might or might not have ever been opened.
The marketing as a "...pageturner with a twist" is unnecessary. The "twist" itself is not that surprising and would probably have occurred to every reader. The story would have held up perfectly well without it. Not everything needs a twist.
A great read.
I love Kerry Fisher's books, and I really, really enjoyed Another Woman's Child. In particular, Kerry skilfully depicts the sort of casual, unexamined racism that its perpetrators never admit to but which is pernicious in its effects. The assumptions and stereotypes, occasionally spilling over into overt racism, endured - with remarkably good grace - by Victor were enraging. Phoebe's behaviour, too, was both convincing and alarming, verging on dangers from which there might be no way back, and alienating those around her.
There was one elephant in the room which troubled me a bit - I didn't quite buy that Ginny would pack her seventeen-year-old son off to live under the same roof as a girl of around his own age without at least considering the possibility of a relationship developing between them. It could easily have happened but, given later revelations, would have been disastrous, and I can't imagine his mother wouldn't have thought of this and done something to head off the possibility, other than a letter which might or might not have ever been opened.
The marketing as a "...pageturner with a twist" is unnecessary. The "twist" itself is not that surprising and would probably have occurred to every reader. The story would have held up perfectly well without it. Not everything needs a twist.
A great read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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