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A Child of My Own
You love your friend. But what she wants could break your heart.
Isla and Ben are devoted parents to their beloved daughter, Reese. She is their little miracle, the child they thought they’d never have until donors made her existence possible. But Isla has never told Reese about her biological parents. She wants to be honest with her daughter, but can she bear to open up old wounds?
Then Isla receives a call from Lucy, once her closest friend and the donor who made her dreams come true, and it seems she may need to make a decision sooner than she thought. They haven’t spoken in almost ten years, but Lucy has devastating news: she has lost her beloved husband Nate, just after they decided they wanted to become parents after all.
Heartbroken for her friend, Isla welcomes Lucy back into her life. But then Lucy comes to Isla with a request that changes everything. If Lucy gets what she wants, Isla’s perfect family could be destroyed. But would she deny the woman who helped her become a mother the chance for her own happiness?
A Child of My Own is a heartbreaking, gripping and emotional story about motherhood, loss and friendship, perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult, Kelly Rimmer and Kate Hewitt.
Isla and Ben are devoted parents to their beloved daughter, Reese. She is their little miracle, the child they thought they’d never have until donors made her existence possible. But Isla has never told Reese about her biological parents. She wants to be honest with her daughter, but can she bear to open up old wounds?
Then Isla receives a call from Lucy, once her closest friend and the donor who made her dreams come true, and it seems she may need to make a decision sooner than she thought. They haven’t spoken in almost ten years, but Lucy has devastating news: she has lost her beloved husband Nate, just after they decided they wanted to become parents after all.
Heartbroken for her friend, Isla welcomes Lucy back into her life. But then Lucy comes to Isla with a request that changes everything. If Lucy gets what she wants, Isla’s perfect family could be destroyed. But would she deny the woman who helped her become a mother the chance for her own happiness?
A Child of My Own is a heartbreaking, gripping and emotional story about motherhood, loss and friendship, perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult, Kelly Rimmer and Kate Hewitt.
344 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 5, 2021
424 people are currently reading
499 people want to read
About the author
Vanessa Carnevale
8 books160 followersVanessa Carnevale is an Australian author of women's fiction. She is also the host of Your Beautiful Writing Life retreats held in Tuscany and Australia.
Vanessa loves to travel, and spent several years living in Florence, Italy, a place she considers her second home. She lives in Australia with her husband and two children.
Her previous novels, THE MEMORIES OF US and THE FLORENTINE BRIDGE are published by HarperCollins and have been translated into German and Slovenian. Vanessa's third novel, MY LIFE FOR YOURS will be published by Bookouture in August 2020.
You can connect with Vanessa on Instagram and Facebook or via her website: www.vanessacarnevale.com
Vanessa loves to travel, and spent several years living in Florence, Italy, a place she considers her second home. She lives in Australia with her husband and two children.
Her previous novels, THE MEMORIES OF US and THE FLORENTINE BRIDGE are published by HarperCollins and have been translated into German and Slovenian. Vanessa's third novel, MY LIFE FOR YOURS will be published by Bookouture in August 2020.
You can connect with Vanessa on Instagram and Facebook or via her website: www.vanessacarnevale.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
March 1, 2021
4.5 stars
This book grabbed me by the heart and wouldn't let go. For many couples one of life's greatest joys is having a baby and for many this is an easy thing to accomplish. However, for some having or trying to have a baby is fraught with anguish, disappointment, and sorrow.
Now through the marvels of science, there are many ways to achieve pregnancy and this story revolved around one procedure that proved to be successful for a couple.
Isa and Ben knowing they could not conceive a child are devastated. Then a most precious wonderful thing happens. Isa's best friend, Lucy, and her beloved husband, Nate, decide to become egg donors for Ben and Isa, knowing that they(Lucy and Nate) never desired a child.
But the friendship that was solid between Isa and Lucy, falls apart and as the child, Reese grows to ten, she becomes fascinated with family and its traits thanks to a school project. Of course, her parents never shared with her the manner of her conception, so Reese is unaware of why her traits are different until a tragedy occurs. When she is made aware, she gradually comes to accept it through the fine way in which her parents' deal with it. She does meet with Lucy at Nate's funeral and later is eager to find the ties that bind her to heredity and now deceased birth father.
In those intervening ten years, Lucy and her husband, Nate, led a life that took them around the world to exotic locations without seemingly a care, never wanting children, so the three fertilized eggs donated to Isa are never near their thoughts until a horrible skiing accident happens and Nate tragically dies. In a show of compassion, Isa reconnects with Lucy after a span of ten years.
Unbeknownst to Isa, Lucy and Nate's feelings for having a child had changed recently and previous to his tragic death, they were considering the possibility of a child. Now, amidst sorrow and loss, when things seem the worst, there is one ray of light. For Lucy realizes that there remains one fertilized egg of Nate's and hers left and there is a chance for her to have their child. At the very same time, Isa and Ben have also decided to use that third egg and try for another child.
The legal, emotional, and social issues tied up with their decisions are enough to rock any friendship especially one that is trying very hard to rekindle the deep friendship that Isa and Lucy once had. Feelings fly and eventually both immediate families become embroiled in the struggle pulling the ladies in different directions.
It's complicated and heart breaking but, in the end, perhaps it is the friendship, strong as it once was, that will carry the ladies through the utter tumult they are going through. Definitely recommend this book for its emotional and passionate telling of the torment and anguish these women had to bear as well as the deep sorrow women experience when their need for a baby is not answered.
Thank you to Vanessa Carnavale, Bookouture, and NetGalley for a copy of this story due out March 6, 2021
This book grabbed me by the heart and wouldn't let go. For many couples one of life's greatest joys is having a baby and for many this is an easy thing to accomplish. However, for some having or trying to have a baby is fraught with anguish, disappointment, and sorrow.
Now through the marvels of science, there are many ways to achieve pregnancy and this story revolved around one procedure that proved to be successful for a couple.
Isa and Ben knowing they could not conceive a child are devastated. Then a most precious wonderful thing happens. Isa's best friend, Lucy, and her beloved husband, Nate, decide to become egg donors for Ben and Isa, knowing that they(Lucy and Nate) never desired a child.
But the friendship that was solid between Isa and Lucy, falls apart and as the child, Reese grows to ten, she becomes fascinated with family and its traits thanks to a school project. Of course, her parents never shared with her the manner of her conception, so Reese is unaware of why her traits are different until a tragedy occurs. When she is made aware, she gradually comes to accept it through the fine way in which her parents' deal with it. She does meet with Lucy at Nate's funeral and later is eager to find the ties that bind her to heredity and now deceased birth father.
In those intervening ten years, Lucy and her husband, Nate, led a life that took them around the world to exotic locations without seemingly a care, never wanting children, so the three fertilized eggs donated to Isa are never near their thoughts until a horrible skiing accident happens and Nate tragically dies. In a show of compassion, Isa reconnects with Lucy after a span of ten years.
Unbeknownst to Isa, Lucy and Nate's feelings for having a child had changed recently and previous to his tragic death, they were considering the possibility of a child. Now, amidst sorrow and loss, when things seem the worst, there is one ray of light. For Lucy realizes that there remains one fertilized egg of Nate's and hers left and there is a chance for her to have their child. At the very same time, Isa and Ben have also decided to use that third egg and try for another child.
The legal, emotional, and social issues tied up with their decisions are enough to rock any friendship especially one that is trying very hard to rekindle the deep friendship that Isa and Lucy once had. Feelings fly and eventually both immediate families become embroiled in the struggle pulling the ladies in different directions.
It's complicated and heart breaking but, in the end, perhaps it is the friendship, strong as it once was, that will carry the ladies through the utter tumult they are going through. Definitely recommend this book for its emotional and passionate telling of the torment and anguish these women had to bear as well as the deep sorrow women experience when their need for a baby is not answered.
Thank you to Vanessa Carnavale, Bookouture, and NetGalley for a copy of this story due out March 6, 2021
March 1, 2021
Lucy and Nate were happy in their lifestyle choices. Travelling, both with their own careers, no children, by choice. Lucy’s best friend Isla and her husband Ben needed help to become parents so when Lucy and Nate agreed to donate embryos to them, and Reese was the result of the second embryo, their happiness was complete. But because of that, Isla and Lucy’s friendship fractured.
Ten years later and Lucy and Isla had lost touch – the words had been too harsh to forgive. Isla still hadn’t told Reese about her biological parents; was she afraid Reese would reject her and Ben? When Isla received the unexpected but shocking phone call from Lucy, it was one which would change all their lives once again. Sadness permeated the funeral; how could Lucy possibly go on? But it was what Lucy asked of Isla that looked like shattering their newly found friendship before it had barely begun.
Set in and around Melbourne, Victoria, A Child of My Own by Aussie author Vanessa Carnevale is an exceptional piece of writing that grabbed at my heart and didn’t let go until the last page was turned. Poignant, emotional, heartbreaking – this author knows how to get her readers in. The two men in this story are my favourite characters – Ben and Nate; and then of course there is Reese. She is adorable. I always enjoy Vanessa Carnevale’s books – this one is no exception. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Ten years later and Lucy and Isla had lost touch – the words had been too harsh to forgive. Isla still hadn’t told Reese about her biological parents; was she afraid Reese would reject her and Ben? When Isla received the unexpected but shocking phone call from Lucy, it was one which would change all their lives once again. Sadness permeated the funeral; how could Lucy possibly go on? But it was what Lucy asked of Isla that looked like shattering their newly found friendship before it had barely begun.
Set in and around Melbourne, Victoria, A Child of My Own by Aussie author Vanessa Carnevale is an exceptional piece of writing that grabbed at my heart and didn’t let go until the last page was turned. Poignant, emotional, heartbreaking – this author knows how to get her readers in. The two men in this story are my favourite characters – Ben and Nate; and then of course there is Reese. She is adorable. I always enjoy Vanessa Carnevale’s books – this one is no exception. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
March 18, 2021
This is a very emotional read. 10 years ago best friends Lucy and Isla are talking about Isla's on going fertility issues, Isla and Ben have decided that embryo donation is their last chance of becoming parents. Lucy has never wanted kids so after talking with her husband Nate they both agree to donate to help their best friends dreams of parenthood come true.
10 years later Nate dies in a tragic skiing accident and Lucy reaches out to Isla for support. After not speaking for 10 years Lucy is happy Isla answers her call. Lucy and Nate had decided they wanted a baby just before he died. Lucy aware there's one embryo left wants it however Isla and Ben had just decided that they were ready to use it. The question is how will the newly reconnected friends friendship survive this.
I honestly think this book is written with the love care and attention that it deserves on quite an emotive topic. So many people suffer with fertility issues but not many talk about it. The whole frozen embryo concept is a controversial one still in the world, so this book manages to highlight the side of the argument regarding those that need that require such measures, respectfully.
The chapter flip from one woman to the other and are written in first person. I enjoyed this style of writing. Even though its quite a deep book there are some funny moments throughout the book espically in regards to Lucy's mum.
I would recommend this book to any Adele Parks lovers as the writing style is quite similar . It's an easy read but emotional. I would of rated it five stars but there was a few to many coincidences which could of been avoided. Happy to rate 4 stars
Thank you to netgalley the publisher and author for an opportunity to read and review such a great book. .
10 years later Nate dies in a tragic skiing accident and Lucy reaches out to Isla for support. After not speaking for 10 years Lucy is happy Isla answers her call. Lucy and Nate had decided they wanted a baby just before he died. Lucy aware there's one embryo left wants it however Isla and Ben had just decided that they were ready to use it. The question is how will the newly reconnected friends friendship survive this.
I honestly think this book is written with the love care and attention that it deserves on quite an emotive topic. So many people suffer with fertility issues but not many talk about it. The whole frozen embryo concept is a controversial one still in the world, so this book manages to highlight the side of the argument regarding those that need that require such measures, respectfully.
The chapter flip from one woman to the other and are written in first person. I enjoyed this style of writing. Even though its quite a deep book there are some funny moments throughout the book espically in regards to Lucy's mum.
I would recommend this book to any Adele Parks lovers as the writing style is quite similar . It's an easy read but emotional. I would of rated it five stars but there was a few to many coincidences which could of been avoided. Happy to rate 4 stars
Thank you to netgalley the publisher and author for an opportunity to read and review such a great book. .
March 19, 2021
Isla and Ben are devoted parents to their beloved daughter, Reese. She is their little miracle, the child they thought they’d never have until donors made her existence possible. But Isla has never told Reese about her biological parents. She wants to be honest with her daughter, but can she bear to open up old wounds?
Then Isla receives a call from Lucy, once her closest friend and the donor who made her dreams come true. They haven’t spoken in almost ten years, but Lucy has devastating news: she has lost her beloved husband Nate.
Heartbroken for her friend, Isla welcomes Lucy back into her life. But then Lucy comes to Isla with a request that changes everything. If Lucy gets what she wants, Isla’s perfect family could be destroyed. But would she deny the woman who helped her become a mother the chance for her own happiness?
This is such a beautiful story! Right from the first page I was drawn into the story and found myself unable to put the book down until I finished it.
Narrated beautifully in alternating versions of Isla and Lucy, it covers the entire journey of these two remarkable women. Right from how they became best friends, Lucy willing to become a donor so as to give her friend one of the best gifts ever, the unexpected change in their friendship which eventually led them to be estranged for almost a decade to their emotional reunion. Each of these events, have been so wonderfully presented.
Apart from the characters, who each leave a mark in this story, even all the other social and legal issues involving donor embryos have been well highlighted.
Overall, this is a book which is full of heart and I don't think my words will enough to explain what a wonderful read this is!
Thank You NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!
Then Isla receives a call from Lucy, once her closest friend and the donor who made her dreams come true. They haven’t spoken in almost ten years, but Lucy has devastating news: she has lost her beloved husband Nate.
Heartbroken for her friend, Isla welcomes Lucy back into her life. But then Lucy comes to Isla with a request that changes everything. If Lucy gets what she wants, Isla’s perfect family could be destroyed. But would she deny the woman who helped her become a mother the chance for her own happiness?
This is such a beautiful story! Right from the first page I was drawn into the story and found myself unable to put the book down until I finished it.
Narrated beautifully in alternating versions of Isla and Lucy, it covers the entire journey of these two remarkable women. Right from how they became best friends, Lucy willing to become a donor so as to give her friend one of the best gifts ever, the unexpected change in their friendship which eventually led them to be estranged for almost a decade to their emotional reunion. Each of these events, have been so wonderfully presented.
Apart from the characters, who each leave a mark in this story, even all the other social and legal issues involving donor embryos have been well highlighted.
Overall, this is a book which is full of heart and I don't think my words will enough to explain what a wonderful read this is!
Thank You NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC!
May 31, 2021
I tell myself I will never read a book that makes me cry, and I go about doing just that. Look at that pic and that title!! Can you resist that child? I couldn’t… Off I went to read the tear-jerker By author Vanessa Carnevale over the afternoon.
Two couples: Isla and Ben with daughter Reese and the other Nate and Lucy. Isla and Ben couldn’t have a child so Lucy and Nate donated. And ten years later there was one last embryo, but changed circumstances between the couples. Lucy wanted that embryo so did Isla. Legal and emotional ramifications marked the plotlines of the book.
Omg omg omg what a situation to be in. Both women wanted to be pregnant. The friendship which was already strained was torn to strips now with this tug of war they were in. The writing simply pulled me apart.
It was amazing and poignant where each word carried their weight in emotions. The anguish and pain along with memories of good and bad times brought tears to my eyes. The author sure knew how to make me support each character and love them.
True friendship was never beautifully shown than this book. The author’s hold over me was most evident when she brushed the friendship between the women in broad strikes of color.
The journey to the end as filled in tears. I read the book in short intervals as it brought to mind other things best left buried.
You’ve got to read this just to bask in the radiance of the author’s storytelling talent.
Two couples: Isla and Ben with daughter Reese and the other Nate and Lucy. Isla and Ben couldn’t have a child so Lucy and Nate donated. And ten years later there was one last embryo, but changed circumstances between the couples. Lucy wanted that embryo so did Isla. Legal and emotional ramifications marked the plotlines of the book.
Omg omg omg what a situation to be in. Both women wanted to be pregnant. The friendship which was already strained was torn to strips now with this tug of war they were in. The writing simply pulled me apart.
It was amazing and poignant where each word carried their weight in emotions. The anguish and pain along with memories of good and bad times brought tears to my eyes. The author sure knew how to make me support each character and love them.
True friendship was never beautifully shown than this book. The author’s hold over me was most evident when she brushed the friendship between the women in broad strikes of color.
The journey to the end as filled in tears. I read the book in short intervals as it brought to mind other things best left buried.
You’ve got to read this just to bask in the radiance of the author’s storytelling talent.
February 13, 2024
Beautifully written and gut-wrenching, A Child of My Own was an emotional ride. I didn’t get much enjoyment out of it and am unsure what the target reader for something so intimate and emotional is, but if you’re looking to explore the feelings of women facing infertility, death, and the complicated nature of donor parents, this is the book for you.
May 17, 2021
How I love Vanessa's books. And this novel takes you on an emotional journey like no other. Two highly relatable characters, each flawed in their own ways but who are faced with an impossible situation. Best friends who suddenly find themselves on opposite sides of a figurative battle line. . .that neither is willing to lose.
Vanessa sensitively and intelligently explores themes that are fraught with ethical, moral and legal complexities that as a reader make you wonder what you would do if you were faced with those same difficult choices. Can love actually conquer all?
I galloped through the pages of this novel, desperate to know how it would all turn out in the end. And I was not disappointed.
Bravo!! An absolutely compelling and beautifully written story. Five stars all the way.
Vanessa sensitively and intelligently explores themes that are fraught with ethical, moral and legal complexities that as a reader make you wonder what you would do if you were faced with those same difficult choices. Can love actually conquer all?
I galloped through the pages of this novel, desperate to know how it would all turn out in the end. And I was not disappointed.
Bravo!! An absolutely compelling and beautifully written story. Five stars all the way.
March 30, 2021
Vanessa Carnevale has done it again with another breathtaking, deeply moving, unforgettable, gripping and heartwarming page turner! A Child of My own will resonate within your soul long after you finish reading it! Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better after My Life for Yours, Vanessa Carnevale proved me wrong because A Child of My Own was an epically powerful book! A must read that will touch the hearts of readers everywhere! I highly recommend this 5+ stars book! In A Child of My Own, Vanessa Carnevale will bring you to your knees with grief and then pull you back up again stronger and happier than ever. Filled with an abundance of love, the best and hardest moments of relationships, and testing the limits of ties that bind us all, Carnevale has created a beautiful portrayal of the most priceless gift of all.
Isla and Lucy have been best friends since childhood but unforeseen circumstances created a rift years ago that neither woman has ever been able to overcome. Isla has always felt tremendous guilt for what she did to destroy their friendship, but she didn’t feel like she had any other choice. Although they have both found happiness in different ways, Isla and Lucy have gone in completely opposite directions.
Isla and Ben have been reveling in the joy of raising their daughter Reese. Although it’s not always easy, all Isla ever wanted was to become a mother. Lucy and Nate never felt the longing to have a baby and have traveled the world enjoying their exciting fast paced lives...until Nate has a startling revelation after a near death experience.
In the years before Isla upended her friendship with Lucy, she shared everything with her. There wasn’t anything they wouldn’t have done for one another. Isla was shattered when she and Ben discovered that they would never be able to naturally conceive a baby, but Lucy and Nate were more than happy to help. With the help of the fertility clinic, Lucy and Nate were able to help Isla and Ben make all their dreams come true. Just before Reese was born, their long lasting friendship was ruined in one fatal blow though.
When Reese starts asking questions after a discussion about science and genetics at school, it opens doors that Isla had hoped to keep shut at least for a few more years. Soon after, Lucy is faced with an earth shattering tragedy. Despite all the silent years that have passed and the pain Isla caused Lucy so many years ago, she knows her best friend needs her. In being there for Lucy though she knows shell have to face the truth, and that thought terrifies her. Isla rushes to be with Lucy, but putting the past behind them is harder than either of them realized it would be. When it becomes obvious that they both want the same thing they both realize that someone is going to have to make a sacrifice and someone is going to get hurt. Moving forward suddenly becomes more complicated and neither wants to compromise, for completely diffferent and understandable reasons. They both have a choice to make, but in doing so it could shatter the other.
The grief stricken moments of A Child of My Own will pull at your heartstrings. The longing that each woman feels will strongly connect you to the characters. Their love and sacrifices are unforgettable. It is absolutely beautiful! Vanessa Carnevale has given readers a priceless gift within the pages of A Child of My Own!
My page and group review links:
https://m.facebook.com/groups/3769864...
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?stor...
I also posted reviews in additional book club groups and will be posting reviews on retailer websites as soon as I submit this to you.
My most sincere apologies for taking so long to submit this review! I had an unexpected family emergency a few weeks ago but thankfully am back on track now and will be submitting reviews of other books within the week.
Thank you Vanessa Carnevale, Bookouture and Netgalley for allowing me the privilege of reading A Child of My Own! My feedback is voluntary and expresses my honest opinions. A Child of My Own was so gloriously wonderful that I am eager to share it with everyone I know and everyone I come across!
Isla and Lucy have been best friends since childhood but unforeseen circumstances created a rift years ago that neither woman has ever been able to overcome. Isla has always felt tremendous guilt for what she did to destroy their friendship, but she didn’t feel like she had any other choice. Although they have both found happiness in different ways, Isla and Lucy have gone in completely opposite directions.
Isla and Ben have been reveling in the joy of raising their daughter Reese. Although it’s not always easy, all Isla ever wanted was to become a mother. Lucy and Nate never felt the longing to have a baby and have traveled the world enjoying their exciting fast paced lives...until Nate has a startling revelation after a near death experience.
In the years before Isla upended her friendship with Lucy, she shared everything with her. There wasn’t anything they wouldn’t have done for one another. Isla was shattered when she and Ben discovered that they would never be able to naturally conceive a baby, but Lucy and Nate were more than happy to help. With the help of the fertility clinic, Lucy and Nate were able to help Isla and Ben make all their dreams come true. Just before Reese was born, their long lasting friendship was ruined in one fatal blow though.
When Reese starts asking questions after a discussion about science and genetics at school, it opens doors that Isla had hoped to keep shut at least for a few more years. Soon after, Lucy is faced with an earth shattering tragedy. Despite all the silent years that have passed and the pain Isla caused Lucy so many years ago, she knows her best friend needs her. In being there for Lucy though she knows shell have to face the truth, and that thought terrifies her. Isla rushes to be with Lucy, but putting the past behind them is harder than either of them realized it would be. When it becomes obvious that they both want the same thing they both realize that someone is going to have to make a sacrifice and someone is going to get hurt. Moving forward suddenly becomes more complicated and neither wants to compromise, for completely diffferent and understandable reasons. They both have a choice to make, but in doing so it could shatter the other.
The grief stricken moments of A Child of My Own will pull at your heartstrings. The longing that each woman feels will strongly connect you to the characters. Their love and sacrifices are unforgettable. It is absolutely beautiful! Vanessa Carnevale has given readers a priceless gift within the pages of A Child of My Own!
My page and group review links:
https://m.facebook.com/groups/3769864...
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?stor...
I also posted reviews in additional book club groups and will be posting reviews on retailer websites as soon as I submit this to you.
My most sincere apologies for taking so long to submit this review! I had an unexpected family emergency a few weeks ago but thankfully am back on track now and will be submitting reviews of other books within the week.
Thank you Vanessa Carnevale, Bookouture and Netgalley for allowing me the privilege of reading A Child of My Own! My feedback is voluntary and expresses my honest opinions. A Child of My Own was so gloriously wonderful that I am eager to share it with everyone I know and everyone I come across!
June 9, 2023
I buddy read this and am so glad I did. This is a great buddy read or book club book! This book starts with Lucy and Nate. They are a 30-something married couple who has decided they do not want kids, until now. Nate broaches the topic and they decide that maybe they do want kids, and then he dies in a freak skiing accident. Lucy is heartbroken and turns to her estranged childhood best friend, Isla. Almost 10 years ago, Lucy and Nate had donated embryos to Isla and her husband Ben because they could not conceive. They gave them 3 embryos. One didn't take, the other resulted in their now 9 year old daughter and the third is still frozen for a few more months before it needs to be used. Ben and Isla have had some issues in the past and didn't feel ready for another kid, but now they are and they're ready to use the last embryo. However, now Lucy wants it back and wants to have a child solo as a way of having Nate live on. Who gets the embryo? What happened to Lucy and Isla years ago that caused the estrangement? Can they make their way back to each other? I think this book really suffers from being too short. It's like 275 pages and that is just not enough. Friendship is such a strong theme in this book, yet I struggled to feel the connection between Isla and Lucy. We needed a little bit more of their time before the fall out to get attached to them as friends and to really understand the dynamics instead of just being told. Both women have issues with their moms (explained in spoilers below) and while I do think they were necessary for the plot, I think the mom's characters were very underdeveloped and sort of felt inauthentic because of it. The concept of this book is great and with 75 more pages this could've been a REALLY good story, but due to some lack of development, unfinished storylines, and perhaps a not quite seasoned writer, this was just a good story.
SPOILERS AHEAD:
In the end, Lucy gets to keep the embryo and has a son. HOWEVER, we have no idea how it happened. We get all of her meetings with the fertility clinic and a lawyer initially, and then its just dropped until the epilogue when we see her son. Apparently in Australia its no question that she could remove her approval to let Isla and Ben have it so it wasn't really a competition between them; it was actually an issue of being able to use it because Nate didn't give explicit approval for it to be used after his death. But I guess it worked out? Lucy's mom was neglectful as a child so she spent a lot of time with Isla. However in present day she is martha Stewart embodied so how did we make that jump? Isla's mom was very conditional in her love but it was out of her own insecurities (as it always is) because Isla's dad is not her bio dad which is revealed very late in the story.
SPOILERS AHEAD:
In the end, Lucy gets to keep the embryo and has a son. HOWEVER, we have no idea how it happened. We get all of her meetings with the fertility clinic and a lawyer initially, and then its just dropped until the epilogue when we see her son. Apparently in Australia its no question that she could remove her approval to let Isla and Ben have it so it wasn't really a competition between them; it was actually an issue of being able to use it because Nate didn't give explicit approval for it to be used after his death. But I guess it worked out? Lucy's mom was neglectful as a child so she spent a lot of time with Isla. However in present day she is martha Stewart embodied so how did we make that jump? Isla's mom was very conditional in her love but it was out of her own insecurities (as it always is) because Isla's dad is not her bio dad which is revealed very late in the story.
January 30, 2021
Vanessa Carnevale’s, A Child of my Own, is a spectacular and emotional high stakes story about unconditional love.
I was nervous about reading this story as we didn’t have children and wondered if I’d be able to connect to the characters or if I’d be an emotional mess. What I soon discovered is that it’s really a story about the power of female friendship. Those of us who have forever friends know that there’s no limit (within legal limitations) to what we wouldn’t do for a friend. However, Carnevale will get you to question your limits. She’ll push those boundaries and present a situation so ‘out there’ that you’ll have to dig deep to see if you are truly ‘that’ selfless. I’ve always wondered about IVF, AI, surrogacy and egg freezing and the types of people who selflessly help others become a parent. Carnevale will answer all your questions in her dual perspective story and then wrap it up dealing with forgiveness, loss and enduring love. I was spellbound; Carnevale was instantly able to grab my attention and hold it for the entire plot! Her characters are so realistic you'll feel they are your friends, too, and that you are hanging out with them discussing choices and parenting strategies. I especially love the part where Lucy reads Kristin Hannah’s ‘The Nightingale’ while on holidays and tucks an important note between the pages. It’s echoed in the final pages with reference to another well-known book.
I love stories that make me question my understanding/beliefs about things. Carnevale had me soul searching to discover how altruistic I truly was, how I defined a family and if I had any regrets about being childless.
In a global pandemic where many of us are anxious and feeling the strain, emotionally and financially, the ripple effect of kindness can be prolific. We may not be in a position like Lucy, but we can still reach within us and offer something as simple as a smile, extend a helping hand, or buy a coffee/meal for someone in need. It may do more than brighten the recipient’s day. It may be a lifeline. We could help if we take our eyes off ourselves and put them on others. We see how it transformed Ben and Isla. Kindness. It ALWAYS matters. Especially now.
“Don’t let your past rob you of something potentially beautiful in your future.”
“Sometimes it’s our job to help happiness and love find other people.”
A Child of my Own is to be published March 05, 2021 and is a must-read!
Thank you to Vanessa Carnevale, Bookouture, and NetGalley for the gifted advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
I was nervous about reading this story as we didn’t have children and wondered if I’d be able to connect to the characters or if I’d be an emotional mess. What I soon discovered is that it’s really a story about the power of female friendship. Those of us who have forever friends know that there’s no limit (within legal limitations) to what we wouldn’t do for a friend. However, Carnevale will get you to question your limits. She’ll push those boundaries and present a situation so ‘out there’ that you’ll have to dig deep to see if you are truly ‘that’ selfless. I’ve always wondered about IVF, AI, surrogacy and egg freezing and the types of people who selflessly help others become a parent. Carnevale will answer all your questions in her dual perspective story and then wrap it up dealing with forgiveness, loss and enduring love. I was spellbound; Carnevale was instantly able to grab my attention and hold it for the entire plot! Her characters are so realistic you'll feel they are your friends, too, and that you are hanging out with them discussing choices and parenting strategies. I especially love the part where Lucy reads Kristin Hannah’s ‘The Nightingale’ while on holidays and tucks an important note between the pages. It’s echoed in the final pages with reference to another well-known book.
I love stories that make me question my understanding/beliefs about things. Carnevale had me soul searching to discover how altruistic I truly was, how I defined a family and if I had any regrets about being childless.
In a global pandemic where many of us are anxious and feeling the strain, emotionally and financially, the ripple effect of kindness can be prolific. We may not be in a position like Lucy, but we can still reach within us and offer something as simple as a smile, extend a helping hand, or buy a coffee/meal for someone in need. It may do more than brighten the recipient’s day. It may be a lifeline. We could help if we take our eyes off ourselves and put them on others. We see how it transformed Ben and Isla. Kindness. It ALWAYS matters. Especially now.
“Don’t let your past rob you of something potentially beautiful in your future.”
“Sometimes it’s our job to help happiness and love find other people.”
A Child of my Own is to be published March 05, 2021 and is a must-read!
Thank you to Vanessa Carnevale, Bookouture, and NetGalley for the gifted advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
March 6, 2021
Wow, what a wonderful book, what a beautiful story!
An emotional read that hooked me from the very beginning. Heartbreaking though heartwarming at the same time.
The author touches so many interesting topics: friendship, family, adoption, IVF, ambryo donation, death, grieving, parenting, just to name a few.
The storyline is captivating and the characters are greatly developed. You can't but feel for both Isla and Lucy, the author describes them so well that you perfectly understand their point of view and reasons.
I'm not usually a fan of two voice stories narrated in the first person, because I find them a bit confusing sometimes, but Vanessa Carnevale's prose is so beautiful that you can't not overcome that.
A must read, definitely recommended!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
An emotional read that hooked me from the very beginning. Heartbreaking though heartwarming at the same time.
The author touches so many interesting topics: friendship, family, adoption, IVF, ambryo donation, death, grieving, parenting, just to name a few.
The storyline is captivating and the characters are greatly developed. You can't but feel for both Isla and Lucy, the author describes them so well that you perfectly understand their point of view and reasons.
I'm not usually a fan of two voice stories narrated in the first person, because I find them a bit confusing sometimes, but Vanessa Carnevale's prose is so beautiful that you can't not overcome that.
A must read, definitely recommended!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 6, 2021
Wow, what a wonderful book, what a beautiful story!
An emotional read that hooked me from the very beginning. Heartbreaking though heartwarming at the same time.
The author touches so many interesting topics: friendship, family, adoption, IVF, ambryo donation, death, grieving, parenting, just to name a few.
The storyline is captivating and the characters are greatly developed. You can't but feel for both Isla and Lucy, the author describes them so well that you perfectly understand their point of view and reasons.
I'm not usually a fan of two voice stories narrated in the first person, because I find them a bit confusing sometimes, but Vanessa Carnevale's prose is so beautiful that you can't not overcome that.
A must read, definitely recommended!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
An emotional read that hooked me from the very beginning. Heartbreaking though heartwarming at the same time.
The author touches so many interesting topics: friendship, family, adoption, IVF, ambryo donation, death, grieving, parenting, just to name a few.
The storyline is captivating and the characters are greatly developed. You can't but feel for both Isla and Lucy, the author describes them so well that you perfectly understand their point of view and reasons.
I'm not usually a fan of two voice stories narrated in the first person, because I find them a bit confusing sometimes, but Vanessa Carnevale's prose is so beautiful that you can't not overcome that.
A must read, definitely recommended!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 5, 2021
I devoured this novel whole in one sitting. My God what a ride. I will preface this by saying that I’m really loving the amount of Australian women’s fiction at the moment, it’s a fresh perspective from the usual UK and USA novels and Vanessa Carnevale is right up there with Liane Moriarty and Nicole Trope. I’m thrilled to discover that this isn’t her first book so I’ve got all her others to buy now.
This story was beautiful, a love song about love in all its many forms for marriage, parents and best friends. I particularly liked how well drawn and real the mothers, Elinor and Shirley were. Both flawed but with enough redeeming features to make them relatable. As secondary characters to the story it was a refreshing change from many novels to find that they were so well drawn. In fact Carnevale’s biggest strength is her characterisation and her ability to translate her characters onto the page so that we can then see the three dimensional people they are just as she did. Nate in particular I felt I could reach out and touch. Sadly I saw the most important plot coming and it broke my heart.
While readers like myself may predict the ending I still rattled through the book desperate to see if I was right and when I was I cried and it takes a lot for a book to make me cry.
My only slight criticism is that for 9 the dialogue for Reece seemed a bit immature, more like a child of 6 or 7. I’m fairly sure at 9 all of mine even if they stumbled over the word ‘hypothesis’ they didn’t get it mixed up with other words and come out with the malapropisms that Reece did. But that is a tiny criticism and I am a fairly tough critic when it comes to books about children and families.
A definite must read novel for 2021
This story was beautiful, a love song about love in all its many forms for marriage, parents and best friends. I particularly liked how well drawn and real the mothers, Elinor and Shirley were. Both flawed but with enough redeeming features to make them relatable. As secondary characters to the story it was a refreshing change from many novels to find that they were so well drawn. In fact Carnevale’s biggest strength is her characterisation and her ability to translate her characters onto the page so that we can then see the three dimensional people they are just as she did. Nate in particular I felt I could reach out and touch. Sadly I saw the most important plot coming and it broke my heart.
While readers like myself may predict the ending I still rattled through the book desperate to see if I was right and when I was I cried and it takes a lot for a book to make me cry.
My only slight criticism is that for 9 the dialogue for Reece seemed a bit immature, more like a child of 6 or 7. I’m fairly sure at 9 all of mine even if they stumbled over the word ‘hypothesis’ they didn’t get it mixed up with other words and come out with the malapropisms that Reece did. But that is a tiny criticism and I am a fairly tough critic when it comes to books about children and families.
A definite must read novel for 2021
February 10, 2023
Great illustration of the damage secrets can do to relationships.
Infertility and IVF play important roles in the story of two Australian families.
Infertility and IVF play important roles in the story of two Australian families.
February 9, 2021
A heart-filled story of friendship, family and unconditional love.
There were tears, laughs and a little bit of predictability.
Carnevale never fails to delight and move me and she has definitely cemented her place as one of my must read Australian authors.
There were tears, laughs and a little bit of predictability.
Carnevale never fails to delight and move me and she has definitely cemented her place as one of my must read Australian authors.
March 11, 2021
You love your friend. But what she wants could break your heart.
Isla, Ben and their daughter, nine year old Reese, are a devoted family. She is the child they thought they'd never have, until best friend Lucy offered to become a donor. Ultimately though it fractures their friendship and they lose touch for almost 10 years, so Reese has never known the truth about her biological parents, then Lucy contacts Isla with some devastating news about her husband Nate. Isla welcomes her back into her life but when Lucy comes to her with a request, Isla fears that the life she has built could come crashing down around her, can she say no to the one person that made her life complete?
A Child of my Own is a dual narrative told by Isla and Lucy in alternate chapters, it's an emotional tale of friendship, family and unconditional love, depicting how deep and powerful the friendship was between Lucy and Isla, in that Lucy gave her friend the ultimate gift, one thing that many of us take for granted and that is the gift of becoming a parent. Who wouldn't do the same, if they could, for their best friend? I adored Lucy & Nate, even after Lucy had lost everything she was still putting her friend first, considering Isla's feelings before her own, I tried to see it from Isla's point of view but couldn't and hoped eventually it would work out good for all of them. It's a beautifully written story, covering the topics with empathy and compassion, the first I've read by this author, but by no means the last.
I'd like to thank Bookouture and Netgalley for the auto approval. I will post my review on Goodreads and Amazon.
Isla, Ben and their daughter, nine year old Reese, are a devoted family. She is the child they thought they'd never have, until best friend Lucy offered to become a donor. Ultimately though it fractures their friendship and they lose touch for almost 10 years, so Reese has never known the truth about her biological parents, then Lucy contacts Isla with some devastating news about her husband Nate. Isla welcomes her back into her life but when Lucy comes to her with a request, Isla fears that the life she has built could come crashing down around her, can she say no to the one person that made her life complete?
A Child of my Own is a dual narrative told by Isla and Lucy in alternate chapters, it's an emotional tale of friendship, family and unconditional love, depicting how deep and powerful the friendship was between Lucy and Isla, in that Lucy gave her friend the ultimate gift, one thing that many of us take for granted and that is the gift of becoming a parent. Who wouldn't do the same, if they could, for their best friend? I adored Lucy & Nate, even after Lucy had lost everything she was still putting her friend first, considering Isla's feelings before her own, I tried to see it from Isla's point of view but couldn't and hoped eventually it would work out good for all of them. It's a beautifully written story, covering the topics with empathy and compassion, the first I've read by this author, but by no means the last.
I'd like to thank Bookouture and Netgalley for the auto approval. I will post my review on Goodreads and Amazon.
March 19, 2021
The precious gift of life and the bond between lifelong best friends are threads woven into a heart wrenching and emotional journey.
Altruistic donations in fertility cases are the most selfless and giving acts but can come at cost as grey areas can emerge, the fragility of the situation can crack at any time.
Isla and Ben are the proud parents of Reese, a miracle and a delight.
Now at an age where she is questioning her origins.
Opening a can of worms that will test them as parents.
Lucy has just lost her husband Nate in an accident and the discussion of children was on the cards and about to be finalised.
His death not necessarily ending the dream.
A sudden and unexpected rift puts an end to close friendship Isla and Lucy have.
Regrets and harboured fears too much to bear until the death of Nate brings them together again.
Shaky and icy ground at first they have to rebuild a friendship and resolve issues that will be painful.
Death has thrown a curb ball and Lucy is determined to fulfil the wishes her late husband had even though it will test every bit of friendship with Isla.
A story saturated in raw and compelling emotion, touching on issues that will have you torn as to who is in the right.
Exploring family relationships and the intricacies that can arise when parents over step the mark and secrets surface.
Vanessa specialises in delivering stories that have characters with such emotional depth and plots that are not only entertaining but intriguing, making her books a winning formula.
Altruistic donations in fertility cases are the most selfless and giving acts but can come at cost as grey areas can emerge, the fragility of the situation can crack at any time.
Isla and Ben are the proud parents of Reese, a miracle and a delight.
Now at an age where she is questioning her origins.
Opening a can of worms that will test them as parents.
Lucy has just lost her husband Nate in an accident and the discussion of children was on the cards and about to be finalised.
His death not necessarily ending the dream.
A sudden and unexpected rift puts an end to close friendship Isla and Lucy have.
Regrets and harboured fears too much to bear until the death of Nate brings them together again.
Shaky and icy ground at first they have to rebuild a friendship and resolve issues that will be painful.
Death has thrown a curb ball and Lucy is determined to fulfil the wishes her late husband had even though it will test every bit of friendship with Isla.
A story saturated in raw and compelling emotion, touching on issues that will have you torn as to who is in the right.
Exploring family relationships and the intricacies that can arise when parents over step the mark and secrets surface.
Vanessa specialises in delivering stories that have characters with such emotional depth and plots that are not only entertaining but intriguing, making her books a winning formula.
February 26, 2021
This book is built on the premise of a secret, a huge convoluted secret.
Two couples, who are best friends, come to the agreement that one couple will be an embryo donor to the other couple. This solves the problem of infertility but opens the door to a whole lot of other issues.
This book was a bit of a roller coaster for me. The first part did not grab me at all, I wasn't crazy about the characters but I kept pushing on. About 1/3 of the way in, I started to become more aware of everybody and interested in the situations. And, it only got better from there.
The main themes were family structures, mother-daughter relationships, friendships, and hope. This was an emotional story to read. There were times that I thought that it was too unrealistic, but the saying goes that “truth is stranger than fiction”. Life is full of unusual coincidences and events, so is this book. It all comes together for a good read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an Advance Readers Copy.
Two couples, who are best friends, come to the agreement that one couple will be an embryo donor to the other couple. This solves the problem of infertility but opens the door to a whole lot of other issues.
This book was a bit of a roller coaster for me. The first part did not grab me at all, I wasn't crazy about the characters but I kept pushing on. About 1/3 of the way in, I started to become more aware of everybody and interested in the situations. And, it only got better from there.
The main themes were family structures, mother-daughter relationships, friendships, and hope. This was an emotional story to read. There were times that I thought that it was too unrealistic, but the saying goes that “truth is stranger than fiction”. Life is full of unusual coincidences and events, so is this book. It all comes together for a good read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an Advance Readers Copy.
November 18, 2022
Thank you Netgally and Forever Grand Central Publishing for giving me a free copy of this book! 3.5 stars rounded to 4 for Goodreads. This book immediately caught my attention because I love a good controversial topic/ moral dilemma. Isla and Ben cannot have a child and need to find donors. Isla’s best friend Lucy and her husband Nate decide to donate 3 embryos to Isla and Ben, one in which results in a child, Reese. Isla has a lot of feelings about becoming a new mother and her infertility journey that she cuts Lucy out of her life after having Reese. Without giving away any spoilers there was many times I felt for both woman and was team Isla and then team Lucy. However the last half of the book fell flat for me. Why we even mentioned Isla finding her dad when it went no where? But yet we didn’t get info into Lucy’s pregnancy journey or what else Nate left in the video. I did like the idea at the end where Lucy maybe finds love again, that was sweet! Overall a good read and kept me engaged!
March 6, 2021
My Musings
This is a emotionally charged story and pulled in from The first page to the last. The characters are compelling and the plot is riveting. I pre ordered and was on Kindle this morning. Happy ☺reading 📚!
This is a emotionally charged story and pulled in from The first page to the last. The characters are compelling and the plot is riveting. I pre ordered and was on Kindle this morning. Happy ☺reading 📚!
May 10, 2025
A beautiful story about friendship and motherhood, I really enjoyed this book
February 12, 2021
Wow keep the tissues handy for this one as it will make you cry. This novel tells the story of Lucy who is living the perfect life with Nate when he is tragically killed and she is left alone. As she reaches out to her old friend Isla for support they both struggle as many years ago both Lucy and Nate have Isla the beautiful baby she had always wanted. Now with Lucy back in her life she has to face the truth of her child’s parentage and whether to tell her the truth but then Lucy drops a bombshell that threatens to destroy all of her dreams. This book will make you laugh and cry but also just fill your heart with love and friendship
March 8, 2021
4.5 stars
Lucy and Nate are the happy couple that travels for both work and for enjoyment. They never pictured children in their future. It was never a choice or option for them. Isla and Ben on the other hand, they were the happy couple that knew that children was something in the future. When they couldn’t conceive naturally themselves, they went on the lookout for options and ways to bring a child up. Lucy and Isla had been best friends since they were young. So when Isla and Ben needed help, Lucy and Nate agreed to donate three embryos to them, hence bringing along Reese with the second embryo, as the first didn’t take and leaving on embryo in storage. Reese’s birth brought pure happiness to Isla and Ben, but put stress and fractured the friendship with Lucy and Nate.
Nearly 10 years later, the wounds of words spoke between the two couples still fresh as 10 years ago, as they lost touch following the arguments. Still to this day, Isla and Ben hadn’t told Reese the truth regarding her birth, but due to circumstances happening in school. Ben realises that this conversation needs to happen sooner rather than later, but Isla still wants to disregard the conversation. Isla doesn’t want Reese to reject her and Ben and she thinks she still need to protect Reese from what this conversation to lead to in the school yard. However, a phone call from Lucy changes their lives all over again and this leads to more conversations to occur, some that lead to friendships being mended but also will Isla and Lucy’s friendships make it through Lucy’s new decision she wants to follow through.
A Child of My Own, set in Australia and written by Australian author Vanessa Carnevale, was one that I was sceptical to read initially, but the pull of an Australian author was what got me involved in this blog tour, and I am so incredibly happy I gave this book a chance, because this was some of the most moving writing I’ve read in a while. The writing style pulled on my heart strings from the first page until the last. I went through every rollercoaster of emotions that both couples experienced. I cried with the characters as well. The characters along with the emotional story line was something that definitely made me think about what my thoughts are in regards to what constitutes as family and how that doesn’t always involve blood related individuals. The themes of the book, along with the strong theme of family, includes friendship, dealing and coping with loss, and kindness and strength.
I loved the four main characters of Lucy, Nate, Isla and Ben. I loved learning their backgrounds and how they were best friends before Reese was born. The rollercoaster of their friendship was something that felt so raw and real, and how Carnevale brought this to life and felt so true to real life was something I loved reading. I loved the complexity of the reunion of Lucy and Isla and how after nearly 10 years, best friends are able to reunite and still feel that strong bond, but especially in their case, still feel the wounds that happened. Reese was an absolutely shining light of this book. She brought beautiful moments from all characters in the book. She was so beautiful to read and shows how resilient and strong children can be.
Carnevale’s writing style is something that I’ve been looking for in adult fiction books, as sometimes adult fiction books don’t hit in the same way for me, unlike this phenomenal book. I’ve never read a book by Vanessa Carnevale before, but I’m definitely going to pick up more of her books in the future!
Thank you very much to Bookouture for providing me with a copy of this novel and allowing me to participate in this blog tour in exchange for an honest review.
Lucy and Nate are the happy couple that travels for both work and for enjoyment. They never pictured children in their future. It was never a choice or option for them. Isla and Ben on the other hand, they were the happy couple that knew that children was something in the future. When they couldn’t conceive naturally themselves, they went on the lookout for options and ways to bring a child up. Lucy and Isla had been best friends since they were young. So when Isla and Ben needed help, Lucy and Nate agreed to donate three embryos to them, hence bringing along Reese with the second embryo, as the first didn’t take and leaving on embryo in storage. Reese’s birth brought pure happiness to Isla and Ben, but put stress and fractured the friendship with Lucy and Nate.
Nearly 10 years later, the wounds of words spoke between the two couples still fresh as 10 years ago, as they lost touch following the arguments. Still to this day, Isla and Ben hadn’t told Reese the truth regarding her birth, but due to circumstances happening in school. Ben realises that this conversation needs to happen sooner rather than later, but Isla still wants to disregard the conversation. Isla doesn’t want Reese to reject her and Ben and she thinks she still need to protect Reese from what this conversation to lead to in the school yard. However, a phone call from Lucy changes their lives all over again and this leads to more conversations to occur, some that lead to friendships being mended but also will Isla and Lucy’s friendships make it through Lucy’s new decision she wants to follow through.
A Child of My Own, set in Australia and written by Australian author Vanessa Carnevale, was one that I was sceptical to read initially, but the pull of an Australian author was what got me involved in this blog tour, and I am so incredibly happy I gave this book a chance, because this was some of the most moving writing I’ve read in a while. The writing style pulled on my heart strings from the first page until the last. I went through every rollercoaster of emotions that both couples experienced. I cried with the characters as well. The characters along with the emotional story line was something that definitely made me think about what my thoughts are in regards to what constitutes as family and how that doesn’t always involve blood related individuals. The themes of the book, along with the strong theme of family, includes friendship, dealing and coping with loss, and kindness and strength.
I loved the four main characters of Lucy, Nate, Isla and Ben. I loved learning their backgrounds and how they were best friends before Reese was born. The rollercoaster of their friendship was something that felt so raw and real, and how Carnevale brought this to life and felt so true to real life was something I loved reading. I loved the complexity of the reunion of Lucy and Isla and how after nearly 10 years, best friends are able to reunite and still feel that strong bond, but especially in their case, still feel the wounds that happened. Reese was an absolutely shining light of this book. She brought beautiful moments from all characters in the book. She was so beautiful to read and shows how resilient and strong children can be.
Carnevale’s writing style is something that I’ve been looking for in adult fiction books, as sometimes adult fiction books don’t hit in the same way for me, unlike this phenomenal book. I’ve never read a book by Vanessa Carnevale before, but I’m definitely going to pick up more of her books in the future!
Thank you very much to Bookouture for providing me with a copy of this novel and allowing me to participate in this blog tour in exchange for an honest review.
March 5, 2021
First, I want to thank Vanessa Carnevale, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review.
A Child of My Own by Vanessa Carnevale is a very well written book that focuses on many important topics. Not only that but it is emotional and eye opening in many ways. It is definitely a book to put on your TBR list for 2021!
Immediately, the cover grasped my attention. How could it not with the beautiful background and adorable Reese in the picture. The graphic artists captured the essence of the book perfectly.
Vanessa did something unique in her prologue. She had Nate write a beautiful letter to Lucy. Throughout the book you see more letters from him. The letters are so sweet you can’t help but smile. You can feel the love that he has for Lucy. It just made me smile ear to ear!
Vanessa sure did pick some creative careers for her characters! Nate was a photojournalist that traveled to many great places to get some shots! His job had a good level of risk when he took the job. After all he saw and did on the job it literally almost killed him. However, it made him reflect on what was truly important in life. Plus, his mom was a sem-retired watercolor artist! Both are so fascinating careers.
Nate was full of life and just so cute towards Lucy! He definitely wanted to move on to the next stage of their life and start a family!
On the flip side we meet Isa who cracked me up when I first was introduced to her character. She couldn’t get over what being a Mom was all about-and how tough it was. I am not a Mom but I see my sisters with their kids and they do a lot for them!
Vanessa covers a lot of important topics in this book. One of those topics that I am glad that she addressed is bullying. Poor Reese was being bullied at school and kids were saying she was conceived in a Petri Dish! My heart went out to her hearing this. No child should be bullied!
Another topic that was very important in A Child of My Own is freezing embryos and IVF. Vanessa gave a lot of great education information regarding this.
No words for the tragic accident that left me totally heartbroken! No way did I ever think that would happen. Yes, I admit that I teared up reading this scene!
A Child of My Own by Vanessa Carnevale is a very well written book that focuses on many important topics. Not only that but it is emotional and eye opening in many ways. It is definitely a book to put on your TBR list for 2021!
Immediately, the cover grasped my attention. How could it not with the beautiful background and adorable Reese in the picture. The graphic artists captured the essence of the book perfectly.
Vanessa did something unique in her prologue. She had Nate write a beautiful letter to Lucy. Throughout the book you see more letters from him. The letters are so sweet you can’t help but smile. You can feel the love that he has for Lucy. It just made me smile ear to ear!
Vanessa sure did pick some creative careers for her characters! Nate was a photojournalist that traveled to many great places to get some shots! His job had a good level of risk when he took the job. After all he saw and did on the job it literally almost killed him. However, it made him reflect on what was truly important in life. Plus, his mom was a sem-retired watercolor artist! Both are so fascinating careers.
Nate was full of life and just so cute towards Lucy! He definitely wanted to move on to the next stage of their life and start a family!
On the flip side we meet Isa who cracked me up when I first was introduced to her character. She couldn’t get over what being a Mom was all about-and how tough it was. I am not a Mom but I see my sisters with their kids and they do a lot for them!
Vanessa covers a lot of important topics in this book. One of those topics that I am glad that she addressed is bullying. Poor Reese was being bullied at school and kids were saying she was conceived in a Petri Dish! My heart went out to her hearing this. No child should be bullied!
Another topic that was very important in A Child of My Own is freezing embryos and IVF. Vanessa gave a lot of great education information regarding this.
No words for the tragic accident that left me totally heartbroken! No way did I ever think that would happen. Yes, I admit that I teared up reading this scene!
March 20, 2021
I was unfamiliar with this author’s writing when I discovered this gem of a book. I was engaged from the first chapter and didn’t want to put it down until I finished it. The author is extremely talented in developing characters that evoke strong emotional responses without being melodramatic. I thoroughly enjoyed following the storyline as it unfolded and reached a satisfying conclusion.
Lucy and Isla have been best friends since childhood. When Isla and her husband, Ben, realize that they are unable to have children of their own, Lucy and her husband, Nate, generously offer to serve as donors – a gift beyond most people’s wildest dreams. Unfortunately, Isla’s successful pregnancy drives a wedge between the couples, and in the ensuing ten years they have no contact.
Two events occur that change everything. First, Nate begins to reconsider his stance for a childless-by-choice marriage with Lucy. Tragically he dies in a skiing accident before the couple can finalize their decision to pursue parenthood. Now alone and grieving the loss of her husband, Lucy is certain she wants a child.
The second event is that Isla’s daughter, Reese, now nine years old, begins to ask questions related to a school project aimed at supporting the children to identify how they are special. Reece is a bit precocious and very interested in science; her questions delve into the area of genetically inherited traits, which threaten to shatter the secrecy surrounding the origins of her conception.
This book addresses the contemporary issue of infertility and options available to couples who are unable to conceive “naturally.” While some readers may be disturbed by the idea of children being cultivated in ��petri dishes,” this topic and its moral, ethical and legal issues is handled with great sensitivity and grace. Above all, the storyline explores the deep bond of friendship between the two women and how fear-generated secrets over generations can be destructive rather than protective.
I highly recommend this book and look forward to the author’s next offering.
My thanks to the author, Bookouture, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing a digital ARC in exchange for an independent, honest review.
Lucy and Isla have been best friends since childhood. When Isla and her husband, Ben, realize that they are unable to have children of their own, Lucy and her husband, Nate, generously offer to serve as donors – a gift beyond most people’s wildest dreams. Unfortunately, Isla’s successful pregnancy drives a wedge between the couples, and in the ensuing ten years they have no contact.
Two events occur that change everything. First, Nate begins to reconsider his stance for a childless-by-choice marriage with Lucy. Tragically he dies in a skiing accident before the couple can finalize their decision to pursue parenthood. Now alone and grieving the loss of her husband, Lucy is certain she wants a child.
The second event is that Isla’s daughter, Reese, now nine years old, begins to ask questions related to a school project aimed at supporting the children to identify how they are special. Reece is a bit precocious and very interested in science; her questions delve into the area of genetically inherited traits, which threaten to shatter the secrecy surrounding the origins of her conception.
This book addresses the contemporary issue of infertility and options available to couples who are unable to conceive “naturally.” While some readers may be disturbed by the idea of children being cultivated in ��petri dishes,” this topic and its moral, ethical and legal issues is handled with great sensitivity and grace. Above all, the storyline explores the deep bond of friendship between the two women and how fear-generated secrets over generations can be destructive rather than protective.
I highly recommend this book and look forward to the author’s next offering.
My thanks to the author, Bookouture, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing a digital ARC in exchange for an independent, honest review.
March 26, 2021
A heart-wrenching emotional drama that beautifully explores friendships and relationships, Vanessa Carnevale’s A Child of My Own is an insightful, poignant and compelling read that is wholly captivating.
Becoming parents had seemed to be an impossible dream for Isla and Ben. Despite of all their efforts, having a child of their own always seemed out of reach for the two of them – until their friend Lucy had phoned them up and offered to help make their dreams come true. Thanks to Lucy, Isla and Ben had welcomed their adorable daughter Reese into the world who made their lives infinitely better. Reese had made their family complete, however, despite loving her more than anything else in the world, they’ve never been completely honest with her. Reese has no idea that Isla and Ben are not her biological parents and although they want to be honest with their daughter, will telling her the truth open up old wounds and tear their family apart?
Isla and Ben haven’t spoken to Lucy for over ten years, but when she calls them out of the blue, they find themselves with no other option but to welcome her back into their lives. Lucy has lost her much-loved husband Nate just when they had decided to try and become parents. Grieving, heart-broken and in desperate need of a friend, Isla and Ben open their doors to their old friend who forces them to make an impossible decision. Isla and Ben are torn between wanting to help out their friend and trying to keep their family together. Lucy had helped make Isla’s dreams of becoming a mother a reality, but will she end up denying her her last-chance to be a mother when she had lost so much?
Vanessa Carnevale take her readers on a powerful rollercoaster ride with A Child of My Own, an astute, sensitive and intelligently-written tale of sacrifice, compassion and the ties that bind full of believable drama, richly drawn characters it is impossible not to care about and intense emotion sure to bring a tear to every single reader’s eye.
Vanessa Carnevale is a fantastic storyteller who in A Child of My Own has written a thought-provoking, engaging and captivating tale readers will not be able to put down.
Becoming parents had seemed to be an impossible dream for Isla and Ben. Despite of all their efforts, having a child of their own always seemed out of reach for the two of them – until their friend Lucy had phoned them up and offered to help make their dreams come true. Thanks to Lucy, Isla and Ben had welcomed their adorable daughter Reese into the world who made their lives infinitely better. Reese had made their family complete, however, despite loving her more than anything else in the world, they’ve never been completely honest with her. Reese has no idea that Isla and Ben are not her biological parents and although they want to be honest with their daughter, will telling her the truth open up old wounds and tear their family apart?
Isla and Ben haven’t spoken to Lucy for over ten years, but when she calls them out of the blue, they find themselves with no other option but to welcome her back into their lives. Lucy has lost her much-loved husband Nate just when they had decided to try and become parents. Grieving, heart-broken and in desperate need of a friend, Isla and Ben open their doors to their old friend who forces them to make an impossible decision. Isla and Ben are torn between wanting to help out their friend and trying to keep their family together. Lucy had helped make Isla’s dreams of becoming a mother a reality, but will she end up denying her her last-chance to be a mother when she had lost so much?
Vanessa Carnevale take her readers on a powerful rollercoaster ride with A Child of My Own, an astute, sensitive and intelligently-written tale of sacrifice, compassion and the ties that bind full of believable drama, richly drawn characters it is impossible not to care about and intense emotion sure to bring a tear to every single reader’s eye.
Vanessa Carnevale is a fantastic storyteller who in A Child of My Own has written a thought-provoking, engaging and captivating tale readers will not be able to put down.
March 5, 2021
A Child of My Own by Vanessa Carnevale follows her tradition of writing about people with trauma associated with wanting a child. Lucy and Nate were happy with their lives. Lucy hosted a TV show showing her traveling and Nate was a photojournalist. They were happy until Nate nearly died in a diving accident. Things changed for him. He quit his job, they bought a house and he renovated it. That was going to be his new job: renovating. And he decided he wanted a baby. They had agreed years before that there would be no children. Now this. Lucy was having trouble catching up. Their friends, Isla and Ben had a daughter, Reese, who was nine. Reese was the biological daughter of Lucy and Nate. Years before they had donated three fertilized eggs to their friends. The first didn't take, the second produced Reese, and the third was about to expire.
This is a compelling story about friendship and its boundaries and parenthood and its boundaries. Isla couldn't take the emotional stress of having Lucy and Nate in their lives: in the life of her child, so she cut them off. The past the years had been lonely for both Isla and Lucy sans their friendship. Isla reached out to Lucy when Lucy was suffering, but she was not able to bridge the gap of Lucy and Reese in the same room. Hearts were breaking. I read at least half of this book with tears in my eyes. It was very emotional, and presumably, not realistic. Too much happened: lovers, parents, friends. It was a ride, a very tough one, in which things smoothed out in the end, but not without a lot of trauma in between. Lucy's relationship with her mother came full circle; Isla's relationship with her parents was tested; Isla and Lucy went round in circles. The stable one turned out to be Reese, the little girl. A Child of My Own puts one's problems into perspective and makes one thankful for their own life. Lovely read.
I was invited to read a free ARC of A Child of My Own by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #netgalley #achildofmyown
This is a compelling story about friendship and its boundaries and parenthood and its boundaries. Isla couldn't take the emotional stress of having Lucy and Nate in their lives: in the life of her child, so she cut them off. The past the years had been lonely for both Isla and Lucy sans their friendship. Isla reached out to Lucy when Lucy was suffering, but she was not able to bridge the gap of Lucy and Reese in the same room. Hearts were breaking. I read at least half of this book with tears in my eyes. It was very emotional, and presumably, not realistic. Too much happened: lovers, parents, friends. It was a ride, a very tough one, in which things smoothed out in the end, but not without a lot of trauma in between. Lucy's relationship with her mother came full circle; Isla's relationship with her parents was tested; Isla and Lucy went round in circles. The stable one turned out to be Reese, the little girl. A Child of My Own puts one's problems into perspective and makes one thankful for their own life. Lovely read.
I was invited to read a free ARC of A Child of My Own by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #netgalley #achildofmyown
March 5, 2021
Isla and Lucy have been friends since childhood, but as they have grown into adults with their own marriages and lives to maintain, they haven’t spoken in almost ten years. After Lucy and Nate gave Isla and Ben the greatest gift, by donating embryo’s to the couple which enabled them to fulfil their dreams of starting a family, Isla quickly blocks them out of their lives and cuts all contact with them.
Lucy and Nate had never had any plans to start a family, as they were both focusing on their demanding jobs which required them to travel a lot. When their lives start to slow down, they start to think about starting a family of their own, but when tragedy strikes, and Lucy finds herself having to live a life without Nate, she finds her mind drifting to the gift both herself and Nate gave her best friend all those years ago, and wonders if there is any chance of keeping that part of Nate with her.
This story really was an emotional read, but one that captivated me from the start. I loved the entire concept of this book, with a unique storyline, and fascinating characters, this book certainly has a lot to offer the reader.
I found the characters intriguing and wonderfully developed. The author provided each character with their own personalities and hidden depths. I found my heart breaking for both Lucy and Isla, but for very different reasons. The raw emotion of Lucy having to come to terms with the loss of her husband was heart breaking, as was Isla having to deal with the possibility of losing the child she has carried and raised from birth. The way in which the author portrayed this really allowed the reader to feel completely immersed in the characters lives, and fully invested in their happiness.
This book was beautifully written, emotionally driven and completely and utterly captivating, a definite must read!.
Lucy and Nate had never had any plans to start a family, as they were both focusing on their demanding jobs which required them to travel a lot. When their lives start to slow down, they start to think about starting a family of their own, but when tragedy strikes, and Lucy finds herself having to live a life without Nate, she finds her mind drifting to the gift both herself and Nate gave her best friend all those years ago, and wonders if there is any chance of keeping that part of Nate with her.
This story really was an emotional read, but one that captivated me from the start. I loved the entire concept of this book, with a unique storyline, and fascinating characters, this book certainly has a lot to offer the reader.
I found the characters intriguing and wonderfully developed. The author provided each character with their own personalities and hidden depths. I found my heart breaking for both Lucy and Isla, but for very different reasons. The raw emotion of Lucy having to come to terms with the loss of her husband was heart breaking, as was Isla having to deal with the possibility of losing the child she has carried and raised from birth. The way in which the author portrayed this really allowed the reader to feel completely immersed in the characters lives, and fully invested in their happiness.
This book was beautifully written, emotionally driven and completely and utterly captivating, a definite must read!.
March 24, 2021
Lucy and Nate had decided they never wanted children but, after an accident, Nate reconsiders his life and tries to persuade Lucy that a child would be wonderful. She finally agrees but too late as another accident brings tragedy... Isla and Ben were desperate for children a decade ago and their best friends agreed to donate embryos. The friendship stuttered and contact was cut but now it is time to tell their daughter the truth...
A Child Of My Own has such a fascinating dilemma, both in emotional terms but also moral. The rights to ownership of embryos is a tricky one, made even more so by the emotional investment in their existence.
One of the things I liked most about this book is that I was able to put myself into both of the lead women's mindsets. The book is written in the first person narrative of both Lucy and Isla so their perspectives are equally represented. However, I found myself swayed towards one viewpoint based on my own morality but the right and wrong of the situation are so complex and blurred.
Against the main backdrop of the questions surrounding the remaining embryo, there is also the emotional angst of Reese's discovery of her true parentage. I did not find the child character particularly authentic as she sometimes seemed much older than 9 but at other times much younger.
The style of writing is easy to read and the theme of motherhood shines through. The mother-daughter relationships between Lucy and Isla and their own mothers has coloured their own perspectives and choices.
A Child Of My Own was thoroughly entertaining due to the complexity of the legal, social, emotional and moral dilemma at its heart. My own heart was greatly affected by the plot and characters.
A Child Of My Own has such a fascinating dilemma, both in emotional terms but also moral. The rights to ownership of embryos is a tricky one, made even more so by the emotional investment in their existence.
One of the things I liked most about this book is that I was able to put myself into both of the lead women's mindsets. The book is written in the first person narrative of both Lucy and Isla so their perspectives are equally represented. However, I found myself swayed towards one viewpoint based on my own morality but the right and wrong of the situation are so complex and blurred.
Against the main backdrop of the questions surrounding the remaining embryo, there is also the emotional angst of Reese's discovery of her true parentage. I did not find the child character particularly authentic as she sometimes seemed much older than 9 but at other times much younger.
The style of writing is easy to read and the theme of motherhood shines through. The mother-daughter relationships between Lucy and Isla and their own mothers has coloured their own perspectives and choices.
A Child Of My Own was thoroughly entertaining due to the complexity of the legal, social, emotional and moral dilemma at its heart. My own heart was greatly affected by the plot and characters.
March 7, 2021
With same-sex marriages, sperm and embryo donations and surrogacy on the rise, the definition of what family is has changed these days. Society and its professed values hasn't quite kept up with these changes and these families are not always accepted. This lack of acceptance is the thread that runs through A Child Of My Own.
Lucy and Isla have been friends since they were young girls. Their husbands, Nate and Ben were friends too. Lucy and Nate had no plans to have a child, being happy in their lifestyle. So they generously donated three embryos to Isla and Ben to allow them to have the children they longed for. One embryo didn't take and one resulted in the birth of Reese. But as Reese's birth came close, Isla announced that she didn't want Nate and Lucy to have any access to the baby and she basically stopped all interactions between the two couples.
Now, ten years later, Nate is dead and Lucy turns to Isla for comfort. Lucy also meets her biological daughter, Reese and wants to continue being in her life. When Lucy reveals that she wants to have a baby with the only embryo that's left, their friendship is tested to the extreme. Can Isla return the gift that Lucy and Nate gave her?
With a great deal of sensitivity, the author explores the ethical and legal issues around donor embryos, but more importantly the story delves into all the emotional complexities surrounding such children. Some of these issues are similar to adopted children too. But at the core, this is a beautiful story of friendship, family, forgiveness and love that goes beyond oneself and rescues the other.
Lucy and Isla have been friends since they were young girls. Their husbands, Nate and Ben were friends too. Lucy and Nate had no plans to have a child, being happy in their lifestyle. So they generously donated three embryos to Isla and Ben to allow them to have the children they longed for. One embryo didn't take and one resulted in the birth of Reese. But as Reese's birth came close, Isla announced that she didn't want Nate and Lucy to have any access to the baby and she basically stopped all interactions between the two couples.
Now, ten years later, Nate is dead and Lucy turns to Isla for comfort. Lucy also meets her biological daughter, Reese and wants to continue being in her life. When Lucy reveals that she wants to have a baby with the only embryo that's left, their friendship is tested to the extreme. Can Isla return the gift that Lucy and Nate gave her?
With a great deal of sensitivity, the author explores the ethical and legal issues around donor embryos, but more importantly the story delves into all the emotional complexities surrounding such children. Some of these issues are similar to adopted children too. But at the core, this is a beautiful story of friendship, family, forgiveness and love that goes beyond oneself and rescues the other.
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