A thought-provoking book about surrogacy and what it means to be a mother

The Nearness of You by Amanda Eyre Ward
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a book about a famous heart surgeon whose husband, after years of marriage, decides he wants a child, after they had agreed they would not have any. This was because Suzette's mother is in a mental institution and Suzette herself, some time ago, had mental issues of her own. She does not want to pass on those genes to a child of theirs. So they decide on surrogacy, with the husband's sperm and the surrogate's eggs. They find a young girl as a surrogate, but early in the pregnancy she decides she wants to keep the baby and runs/hides away in another state. The book is told from the point of view of Suzette, her husband and the surrogate, in alternating chapters. I won't give away the story or the ending, but it is all about what makes a family and who is the "real" mother.

It was a very fast and good read; I recommend this book.

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