Love Our Way

by Julia Rollings

Managing a household of eight children takes a lot of love and patience - and amazing parents. When six of your children are adopted from overseas, learning to adapt to any situation becomes a survival skill. Having created a riotously happy family, Julia and Barry Rollings thought they could handle anything life threw at them. That was until they received the devastating news that two of their children had not been willingly adopted out by both their parents in India. Much worse, Akil and Sabi had been stolen away from their mother while she slept, and sold by their father. What's the right thing to do in such unthinkable circumstances? Do you accept the advice that "You adopt the child, not the family", and let it go? Perhaps not tell the children until they are older - or perhaps never at all? But Julia Rollings is not one to take the easy road. With her family's support, she takes a courageous leap of faith in deciding to reunite Akil and Sabi, then aged 13 and 12, with their birth mother Sunama. Heading into such an emotional landmine, the outcome could have been disastrous. Instead, it led to a moving journey of discovery to India that has expanded and enriched their family today in more ways than one.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir

320 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Kirsty Dummin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had reservations about this book as I'm not often fond of memoirs but this was actually a heart warming story about the journey one family took to become complete, including the adoption of 6 children from 3 different countries. Though it is hard to read and even harder to imagine, Rollings gives a great deal of detail about the history and hardships of the families from which her children originate. I have certainly learnt a lot about the realities of chronically impoverished and under resourced countries and have a new appreciation for people who choose adoption. The Rollings family have big hearts.

[Chansoksambath Chea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't normally read biography but this is such a page turner. This happened to be a heartwarming and wrenching story about how a couple decided to open their home for adoption, only to be discover that some of the children they adopt from India were actually sold by their father to an orphanage, but they get to reunite with their biological family at the end. I love how the author does not stray away from honesty, and this is an easy recommendation.

[Helena Rann · Rating 3 out of 5]

An honest account of one family’s journey through multiple inter-country adoptions. Whilst overall a little too rosy, I was impressed with the honesty with which Rollings approaches a confronting truth about some of her children’s history. An interesting story from all over the world, focusing ultimately on the importance of family.

[Ashleigh Motbey · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.I'm not a huge fan of biogrpahies, but this book was quite interesting. It was nice, but sad to hear the story of the two children stolen from their mother and even nicer to read that they were able to reunite them.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved reading this book. I didn't want to put it down. It fascinated me about how Julia and Barry wanted to adopt children in need of a family and then helping those children find their histories. These people are angels!

[Kerrie Nobbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really liked this book. Such a heartwarming journey. Incredible selfless foster parents. A must read

[chucklesthescot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Julia and her husband decide to start adopting unwanted children from overseas to add to their already large family. After successful adoptions from Korea and Taiwan, they turn their attention to India. The story of the abandoned brothers that they adopt is truly heartbreaking and I shed a few tears for them. So Julia goes back to India to adopt a brother and sister. So you can imagine her horror years later when she finds out that the last two children were stolen from their mother and sold by their father to the orphanage. The couple take the brave decision to look for the birth mother and to establish a relationship between her and her stolen babies.

This was a good true story about an amazing couple who open their home and their hearts to children who would have rotted away unloved in orphanages otherwise. Seeing the photos of the children as they grow up shows you what a loving and happy home they found in Australia. There is a lot of detail about the family and their trips back to India to meet the birth mother and her new family. Very emotional and touching, well written and gripping.

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was a fascinating insight into a really interesting and complex family. The way that both families handled the revelations in their story was so graceful and the story was told in a very respectful way. I would highly recommend this for anyone keen on autobiographies.

[Hidayah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A heartwarming real-life story that show us that we can make a beautiful world together regardless your race or where you come from. I am very touched with Julia and her family.

[Barbara Pincham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It is the story of Barry and Julia and the generous way that they have opened there home and hearts up to to adopt children from other countries. It is inspirational.

[Shona Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amazing story! I really admire Julia and Barry Rollings. :)

[Alannah Turnbull · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heart-warming and then heart-wrenching account by all means. Much love!