For some reason, I had a hard time reading this novel even though everyone I know who has read it, loved it. I think it's because I have a hard time reading about custody battles between birth mothers and adoptive parents. There are no "happy endings" in these cases and my heart always breaks for the child involved and the mothers/parents involved. It was hard for me to keep reading after finding out the details of the McCullough's infertility issues and how much they loved Mirabelle and what good parents they were to her. But finding out how difficult it was for Bebe, not knowing the language, not having any support or knowing there were available resources to help her, well, that broke my heart too. I wasn't sure I could stomach the custody battle results! After a few days break, I picked up the book again and read the last 200+ pages straight through. I can't say I was completely surprised by the judge's decision (on the other hand, I was), but I was certainly surprised by Bebe's response! I thought it was ironic that the McCullough's decided to adopt a baby from China after all of that, knowing that it would be unlikely for any birth parents to try to get their baby back. In the end, I felt good about both Bebe and the McCulloughs I guess. At least satisfied.
I am not sure how I feel about Mia and the Ryans though. Again, my heart breaks for the Ryans! I wonder if they believed Mia when she told them the baby had died. Do they have any idea that they have a daughter?? Being a mother, who could never donate my eggs to someone else because that would be "my" child, I understand why Mia took Pearl away from her "parents". I think surrogacy is a wonderful thing for women to do for people with infertility issues though - and Mia had a contract with the Ryans. Also, Pearl is the biological daughter of Mr. Ryan! I guess Mia was naive and desperate for money, but it wasn't right for her to take the baby and run. The Ryans have as much of a right to Pearl than Mia does. So that makes me sad.
Finally, the Richardsons. Although I understand the reasoning, from Izzy's perspective, behind burning down the family home, I find it deeply disturbing that she would do so. I also find it odd - and concerning - that Mia would take in a 15 year old who has run away from her family. Elena loves Izzy as much as Mia loves Pearl. You would think that someone as intuitive as Mia would know that! I wish that Elena could have expressed her fears about losing Izzy to Izzy - or at least her husband - so that the family better understood the relationship between Elena and Izzy. Fortunately, I believe whole-heartedly that Elena will find Izzy. She is a good investigator!
So, in the end, I guess I liked the book. It's not an ending that wraps everything up with a nice little bow, but I can live with that. Some future decisions were inferred, which made things better (like Pearl meeting the Ryans and her grandparents; Elena finding Izzy).
Wendy's Rating: ****
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