Not My Daughter by Kate Hewitt @bookouture @katehewitt1

Book Description:

Anna’s hands tense on Alice and she hesitates. In that endless pause, I see all I need to know. She doesn’t want to give Alice to me – not now, and not ever. And part of me doesn’t even blame her…

Milly always dreamed of being a mother. Adopted herself, she has always imagined a powerful intimate connection with a child of her own. So when she and her husband Matt are told they can’t have children, her dreams are shattered.

But then their loved ones offer the ultimate gift – Milly’s best friend Anna and Matt’s brother Jack will be donors so that Milly can carry a child and finally have a chance to be a mother. And with everyone accepting and open, Milly believes that nothing could go wrong.

Except none of the four people involved are prepared for the feelings that will threaten their most important relationships as their precious, longed-for daughter Alice grows up…

But when Alice turns four, she receives a heartbreaking diagnosis. And the four people who love her best will have to decide what it means to be a parent, and to make decisions with far-reaching and devastating consequences… for Alice, and for themselves.

A powerful, heart-breaking novel guaranteed to make you cry, for fans of Jodi Picoult, Diane Chamberlain, and Gracie’s Secret.

My Thoughts:

I knew this wasn’t going to be an easy read when I picked it up. Not in the sense that it wouldn’t grip me as it did. I read it in one afternoon as it was so compelling. It is more in the sense that I knew that it was going to be emotional, and boy was it that.

The story alternates between Milly and Anna who have been close friends since they were children. I’m sure many of us would do anything for their best friend. Like Anna, I think if I could give my best friend the chance of motherhood, I would do it in a heart beat. I don’t think either friend realises though how much heartbreak this would bring.

My heart went out to both of these women. More so for Milly and Matt though when they get the diagnosis on what’s wrong with their daughter and that’s when the tears started. I’m an emotional person anyway but boy did this story grab me by the heart and put it through the wringer. I’m not sure if I have ever been in such floods of tears reading a story before but this one really got under my skin. You don’t have to be a parent to feel the characters anguish and pain.

This is a story that covers so many different issues that no doubt affects more than a few of us. It’s also about how we face up to them.

Not My Daughter is an emotive roller coaster of a read. I’m sure I felt my heart literally break a couple of times in the story. Definitely one that will stay with me for a long time to come as Milly, Anna and Alice made a huge impact on me and that is thanks to the authors wonderful writing. Make sure to have a box of tissues on close by!

My thanks to NetGalley and Bookuture for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.

Not My Daughter is available to purchase from Amazon. (Please note that link used is an affiliate link).