A Child Of My Own

I devoured this novel whole in one sitting. My God what a ride… it broke my heart… A definite must read.’ Marmite Miss, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ As I watch her walk away, an arm raised to her face as she wipes tears from her eyes, I wonder if I really can go through losing her again. Because if I do this, I might gain a child, but I’ll lose her in the process. 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 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. Why readers love A Child of My Own: ‘Unforgettable… I literally could not put this book down… You will need to lock yourself away and clear your diary as you will not be able to look up until you’ve reached the end… order yourself a bumper pack of tissues.’ On The Shelf Books ‘I devoured this novel whole in one sitting. My God what a ride… it broke my heart… I cried and it takes a lot for a book to make me cry. A definite must read novel for 2021.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Wow keep the tissues handy… This book will make you laugh and cry but also just fill your heart with love and friendship.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Grabbed me by the heart and wouldn't let go… emotional and passionate.’ Yaya Reads Lots of Books, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Spectacular and emotional… 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.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This book had me go through every emotion possible… I was in tears at some points and smiling at other points... It really was a rollercoaster… Absolutely brilliant!’ Stressed Rach, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Such a moving and emotional book, I absolutely loved every second of it… Immediately, I was pulled into this story, and totally consumed by it… I adored this stunning book.’ Sibzzreads, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I cried like a baby… I really loved it... This is an emotional roller-coaster and a real tear-jerker.’ The Book Lovers Boudoir, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘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... phenomenal.’ Cait is Booked

Mothering under normal circumstances takes all you have to give. But what happens when your child is disabled, and sacrificing all you've got and more is the only hope for a decent future? Full of rage and resilience, duty and love, Ashley Bristowe delivers a mother's voice like no other we've heard. When their second child, Alexander, is diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder, doctors tell Ashley Bristowe and her husband that the boy won't walk, or even talk--that he is profoundly disabled. Stunned and reeling, Ashley researches a disorder so new it's just been named--Kleefstra Syndrome--and she finds little hope and a maze of obstacles. Then she comes across the US-based "Institutes," which have been working to improve the lives of brain-injured children for decades. Recruiting volunteers, organizing therapy, juggling a million tests and appointments, even fundraising as the family falls deep into debt, Ashley devotes years of 24/7 effort to running an impossibly rigorous diet and therapy programme for their son with the hope of saving his life, and her own. The ending is happy: he will never be a "normal" boy, but Alexander talks, he walks, he swims, he plays the piano (badly) and he goes to school. This victory isn't clean and it's far from pretty; the personal toll on Ashley is devastating. "It takes a village," people say, but too much of their village is uncomfortable with her son's difference, the therapy regimen's demands and the family's bottomless need. The health and provincial services bureaucracy set them a maddening set of hoops to jump through, showing how disabled children and their families languish because of criminally low expectations about what can be done to help. My Own Blood is an uplifting story, but it never shies away from the devastating impact of a baby that science couldn't predict and medicine couldn't help. It's the story of a woman who lost everything she'd once been--a professional, an optimist, a joker, a capable adult--in sacrifice to her son. An honest account of a woman's life turned upside down.

A young woman holds her newborn son And looks at him lovingly. Softly she sings to him: "I'll love you forever I'll like you for always As long as I'm living My baby you'll be." So begins the story that has touched the hearts of millions worldwide. Since publication in l986, Love You Forever has sold more than 15 million copies in paperback and the regular hardcover edition (as well as hundreds of thousands of copies in Spanish and French). Firefly Books is proud to offer this sentimental favorite in a variety of editions and sizes: We offer a trade paper and laminated hardcover edition in a 8" x 8" size. In gift editions we carry: a slipcased edition (8 1/2" x 8 1/4"), with a laminated box and a cloth binding on the book and a 10" x 10" laminated hardcover with jacket. And a Big Book Edition, 16" x 16" with a trade paper binding.

"Deciding yes or not to motherhood can be fraught with confusion, pain, and loneliness. Many a woman is undecided about arguably the most important life-defining decision she'll make in her lifetime. With the 'Motherhood -- Is it for me?' program, the authors of this book, both dedicated and seasoned psychotherapists, created a process that has helped countless women over the last 25 years. Finally available in print, this program is the perfect resource for closely examining ambivalence around this crucial life choice. Through precise steps, readers are guided on their own personal journeys toward deeper understanding and learn what they really want. The process even allows a woman who is experiencing extremely painful immobilization to find her way through to her true desire. The authors know from their professional experience that an analytical pros-and-cons approach often fails to successfully answer this most personal question. Interspersed throughout this book are twenty diverse stories of women who made conscious choices, half deciding yes and half deciding no. Their stories -- and sometimes advice -- create a valuable community that provides support to every reader, breaking the isolation they may feel."--Book cover.

Realistic and practical advice for parents of college-age kids. Parents whose kids are away at college have a tough tightrope to walk: they naturally want to stay connected to their children, yet they also need to let go. What's more, kids often send mixed messages: they crave space, but they rely on their parents' advice and assistance. Not surprisingly, it's hard to know when it's appropriate to get involved in your child's life and when it's better to back off. You're On Your Own (But I'm Here If You Need Me) helps parents identify the boundaries between necessary involvement and respect for their child's independence.

This collection of essays reveals the often contrasting mix of emotion that comes with raising a son with autism. Harland's stories explore the first nine years of her son's life and the new and unexpected universe she and her husband must learn to navigate with him.

A fascinating study examining the diversities and novelties of contemporary parenthood in the light of a range of literary and philosophical works ranging from Greek tragedies to contemporary psychoanalytic theory by way of diverse writers from the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries.

Seventy now-adult children of divorce give their candid and often heart-wrenching answers to eight questions (arranged in eight chapters, by question), including: What were the main effects of your parents' divorce on your life? What do you say to those who claim that "children are resilient" and "children are happy when their parents are happy"? What would you like to tell your parents then and now? What do you want adults in our culture to know about divorce? What role has your faith played in your healing? Their simple and poignant responses are difficult to read and yet not without hope. Most of the contributors--women and men, young and old, single and married--have never spoken of the pain and consequences of their parents' divorce until now. They have often never been asked, and they believe that no one really wants to know. Despite vastly different circumstances and details, the similarities in their testimonies are striking; as the reader will discover, the death of a child's family impacts the human heart in universal ways.