What an emotional story - joy, sadness, happiness and heartbreak . I felt it all with characters Heather and Grace.
Highly recommended

I really enjoyed this book! I was enjoying it all the way through and then THAT TWIST! I read the last part with tears in my eyes. Out of the two mothers I felt for Grace immediately and struggled to like Heather very much until right at the end. I liked the ending and the way the whole circle has started again with Heathers daughter being pregnant too. This is an author I would definitely read again!

Definitely a book that stays with you! Could not put it down!

Highly recommended if you enjoy suspense genre! Thank you for my review copy, which I received through Net Galley.

I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it and this book was amazing. It takes you on an emotional rollercoaster. It has love, forgiveness, and the meaning of family. I will read more by this author.

I was captivated right from the start of this book and even now that I have finished, I know that this story is going to stay with me for a long while. . A wonderful book, I highly recommend it.

Wow! A powerful story of two women. Heather, a mother of 3 daughters finds out she is pregnant with her 4th child. With her husband disabled, and not working, and bills so tight they are near eviction, a child is the last thing they can handle financially. Making the tough decision to give the child up for adoption, she picks Grace, a single older woman, to be the one who should adopt the child. Grace is alone, especially now that she lost her beloved father to cancer. At 40 she has nothing except her job, and feels the loneliness, so decides to adopt. When the child is born, although they both thought it was a girl it turned out to be a boy. Heather struggles, but decides to continue with the adoption, although she changes it from a closed one to an open one. Seven years later, the story continues. The chapters switch back and forth between the two women, so you see both of their thoughts and actions. Really liked this one, and cried over the many sad parts. Both women had their moments, and I truly felt that I got to know them well. Well written story. and one I highly recommend.

A wonderful book book by the Kate Hewitt .
I enjoyed reading it and the ending was the right thing .
Full marks to Netgalley

Oh my word I think this book broke me. It’s been a while since I’ve cried so much at a book but I’m very glad I got the chance to read this one.

The story follows two women on both sides of the adoption journey. Rachel is a mum of three whose fallen on hard times and when she falls pregnant again she knows they can’t afford to keep the baby. Grace is a high flying career woman who desperately wants a child to stop the loneliness she feels after her father’s death. It was great to be able to follow both woman’s story and to have access to all their thoughts and feelings, it really added to the story. Both women feel so real and I felt like I went on a real journey with them over the course of the book. I really felt for both of them as their emotions throughout the book was almost palpable at times and I wished I could reach out to them to give them a hug.

The writing in the book is just exquisite! I think it takes quite a skilled writer to make a reader care so much about the characters and feel so involved in the book. The book is a fairly easy read and the plot is very gripping meaning it is quite difficult to put down. I wanted to read on to find out what happens, as I felt so involved, like the events were actually happening to me.

The ending was wonderful, bitter sweet but a good way to end the book. I was definitely sobbing by the end of it. I do tend to avoid books involving children as being a mum I find them quite difficult to read. This book was definitely a tear jearker and very emotional, which I struggled with at times but I pulled myself together to finish the book which I’m very glad I did. This book will stay with me for a long time.

This is the first book by Kate Hewitt I have read but I’ll definitely be reading more from her in the future.

Huge thanks to Bookouture, Netgalley and Kim Nash for my copy of the book and for inviting me onto the blog tour.

If you want to have a good ugly cry, this is your book! Any book that can provoke this emotion and these tears deserves 5 stars. Don’t get me wrong- there are happy moments too. Just be sure to have tissues (and maybe some wine) nearby.

The story is told from two different women living very different lives with one thing in common...the love of their child. One woman delivered a baby. One woman adopted a baby. They both share a love and want what’s best for the child even though their opinions might differ. Their lives become more entertwined throughout. It’s an emotional roller coaster for sure. You want everyone to “win” in this situation, but it’s obvious that that’s impossible. More tears. It’s heartwarming that lives are brought together by this baby in ways the women never thought possible. Heartwarming yet devastating all at the same time.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the eARC!

Thank you NetGalley for the copy of A Mother's Goodbye by Kate Hewitt that I read and reviewed.
I can honestly say that I really disliked the characters in this book because all they did was whine and complain and they did not do a thing to better their lives. Heather and her husband were so annoying I was to the point I wanted to throw my Kindle across the room because I was going crazy reading their excuses about why they were in the situation they were in and they where just that excuses. I really did not like this book. I could not relate with the characters. With how the reader was suppose to feel for the choice that Heather had to make when I really think if her lazy husband would have stopped popping pills and got off his butt and got a job they would not have had to give up the child or used protection no problem to start with and if he was in so much pain how did he have sex?
I can only give this book two out of five stars because I really did not like it.

*A few mild spoilers from the beginning of the book*

-Heather-

Heather and Kevin have been together since high school when she became pregnant with her first little girl as a teenager. Since then, she's gone on to have two more daughters. Kevin has been injured at work and due to financial difficulties, they are struggling to make ends meet. Unexpectedly, Heather finds out she's pregnant again and knows in her heart that they simply cannot keep the baby. How will they afford it? How will they continue on with barely making the rent and meeting their children's needs? With Kevin hung up on his injury and no one to really turn to, she decides that she has no choice but to give the baby up for adoption. As she searches through profile after profile, she comes across Grace, and deep down heather knows Grace is the person she wants to raise this baby.

-Grace-

Grace has devoted her entire life to her career. She's followed in her father's footsteps and became very wealthy because of it. Grace may have all the financial security she needs, but she doesn't have any family or friends. With her parent's gone, she's lonely and because of this she's decided she wants to adopt a baby. When the adoption agency contacts her to let her know that Heather would like to meet her, she's excited and scared. Heather's background makes everything more difficult and Grace can only hope that the adoption will run smoothly.

-My thoughts on the story...

I had no idea what to expect when I requested this book, but after seeing a few reviews, I knew it would be emotional. The narrative alternates between Heather and Grace so you get both point's of view. I found it well executed and didn't find it predictable at any time with one unexpected event after another. The way Heather and Grace's relationship develops throughout the book was genuine and everything you would expect coming from both their positions. There were times when I wasn't happy with their decisions, but as a mother, I understood them and felt every emotion. Both women are strong characters and the author did such an amazing job taking the reader into their worlds. I literally couldn't put this book down until the end.

I was so moved by the incredible emotions and I found myself tearing up multiple times. I had to put it down more than once and truly think this is the most emotional book I've read in my entire life. That's really all that I can say. I can't wait to read more from Kate Hewitt.

5*****

Another stunning read from Bookouture and my first book by Kate Hewitt.

Before reading this book, I assumed it to be a story about the battle between two equally deserving women who both wanted the same thing, a child, and what they wouldn’t do to have that child. Written from each ‘Mother’s’ point of view, I was lulled into a sense that I was correct in my assumptions very early into this book.

However, while part of my assumptions were correct, this book was so much more. It wasn’t about winning or losing, it was about the selfless choices made for the outright happiness of the child and the brittle yet unconditional relationship between families that every reader can relate to deep into their core.

This book hit me deep, it had me grabbing for the tissues for the last unputdownable quarter of the book and Kate’s execution of this story was so on point it has rendered me speechless. An outstandingly realistic journey about love, loss, jealousy, bitterness, family and friendship, this book has it all and will remain with you long after the final page.

A huge thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this for my honest review.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Oh I just loved A Mothers Goodbye, it was emotional, heartfelt and such a great page turner.
Once you start reading you have to continue as you just have to find out how it will end.
It focuses on adoption through the eyes of the mum who gave her baby up and the mum who adopted him.
A fab book that I am sure you will enjoy.

This book was incredible! All the buzzwords are true - "heartbreaking", "touching", "emotionally gripping" - this story grabbed me in the beginning and did not let go!
Heather is pregnant with her 4th child and cannot afford to keep and raise another baby. She meets Grace, a single, successful and wealthy woman who yearns for a child of her own. This book is the story of their journey and the tough decisions that come with it.
I felt for Heather and many times throughout this book I almost ached to hug her. While I normally am not a "fast reader" - I tend to read at night before bed and take my time - I read this book in less than 24 hours! It is truly a story that will stay with me for a long time.
Thank you to Kate Hewitt, Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC of this fantastic book!

Oh my gosh! This book is sad, thrilling, gripping and completely pulls on your heart strings. You will laugh, gasp, cry and even get mad as you read this book. So many mixed emotions at different times while you read this book. This book draws you in at the first chapter and keeps you entertained and hooked the whole way to the end. 

Full of heartache, tough decisions, dilemmas, drama and struggles of everyday life that most families go through at one point or another. This book, in two words, simply amazing!

This book follows the lives of Heather, her husband Kevin, and their 3 daughters - Emma, Amy and Lucy. Heather and Kevin began dating in highschool, only to find out shortly after they were pregnant. At the age of 17 Heather and Kevin get married, and a few months later their first born Emma was born. Life was hard, as they were a young couple trying to find their way in life. A few years later, Kevin is injured on the job at work, landing him on disability payments as he is unable to return to work due to back problems. Already with 3 children at home, and struggling to find enough money for their rent, bills and not to mention food and clothes, Heather finds out she is pregnant again with baby number 4! What are they going to do? They can't afford things as it is, life at home is hard, they are getting eviction notices, and now they are expecting another child!?

Heather is faced with the unthinkable dilemma - to terminate the pregnancy, to give the baby up for adoption, or keep the baby? What will she do?

After discussing it with her husband Kevin, they have made the tough but necessary decision to give the baby up for adoption. Heather looks into this and comes across a woman named Grace. Grace is a successful working woman, who has no children and she is single but desperately wants a child of her own to love and raise. Heather thinks Grace is perfect to adopt their baby. Their lives become connected through the child and the love they all share for the child. 

As you keep reading there is so much heartache and sorrow, and devastating news that rocks you to your core! A twist I was definitely not expecting at all.

So be sure to strap yourself in for this gripping, thrilling roller-coaster of a ride as you read this book. You'll love it and trust me, you won't be disappointed. But make sure you have some tissues handy, as you will surely cry at least once or twice.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Heather McCleary is faced with the hardest decision of her life when she finds herself pregnant with her fourth child. Her husband has been out of a job for the past three years due to an on the job injury and her meager salary as a cleaning lady barely covers the rent. It is hard enough taking care of the three girls she already has and Heather knows deep down inside that a baby deserves a better life than the one she can give it. She comes to the decision to give her baby up for adoption. She knows it is the right thing to do for her family, but the decision is not an easy one to make.

Grace Thomas is a successful venture capitalist. She works long hours and with luck she may even make partner soon. Being dedicated to her career comes at a price, though. She really does not have any close friends, has never married or had kids of her own. Her closest connection is to her father. But, that all changes when he succumbs to cancer. Realizing that she is alone and lonely, Grace decides that she would love to adopt and bestow on a child all the love and warmth she shared with her father.

When Heather chooses Grace through the adoption agency to be the mother of her child, it sets a course that changes both of their lives. Through the good and the bad they both become connected by this child they love so dearly.

What I love most about A Mother’s Goodbye is that it tackles real life issues that many women face. On one end of the spectrum we have Heather. Daily life for Heather is a struggle There is never enough money to make ends meet, to put food on the table, or buy her children the basic necessities. I can see and sympathize with her internal struggle with giving up the baby she carries knowing she cannot provide for another child. She wants what is best for her unborn baby and relying on government assistance is not what she wants for her family. This is a struggle many parents face today. It is real and complicated and sometimes even messy.

Grace, on the other hand, has a good job and makes great money. But, when you think about it, money cannot buy happiness. Now that her father is gone, Grace realizes that she wasted the best years of her life to her career and the family that she so desperately craves is out of reach. Deciding to adopt is the best decision she has made for herself. When she is chosen by Heather to be the adopted mother of her baby, Grace’s life is starting to look up.

At times, I both loved and hated Heather and Grace. They can be petty and judgemental but you can see that their heart is in the right place. I can also understand the struggles they face and although sometimes they are unlikeable, I can understand why they do the things that they do. Heather and Grace may not always like each other, but they both struggle the same and have the same fears. They also share a bond that cannot easily be broken. I think they have also come to rely on each other in a lot of ways and you can see it in their thoughts and actions.

A Mother’s Goodbye is not an easy read by any means. It is a heartbreaking story filled with raw emotions that is beautifully and emotionally written. The title is so symbolic and as you get into the heart of the story you start to fully understand the impact of what A Mother’s Goodbye means for both Heather and Grace. Three simple words that hold such a deep meaning to this story. It just hits you right in the gut and pulls out all of the feels. It is absolutely heart wrenching and devastating. Kate Hewitt does not hold anything back and she does not sugar coat adoption, loss or pain.

A Mother’s Goodbye is a moving and tragic story about life, love and loss. I was captivated right from the start and even now that I have finished, I know that this story is going to stay with me for a while. Sometimes you just know a book is going to be great right from the start. This is one of those times. A mother’s Goodbye is one of the best books I have read this year. A definite keeper and a must read. I implore you to pick up a copy as you will not be disappointed.

Make sure you grab a box of tissues and keep it close when you sit down to read this one. Two very different women are forever linked by their love for one baby and their lives are forever changed and tangled together. This is a deeply emotional story that will have you tearfully turning the pages.
The characters were developed wonderfully and the story line was handled with such finesse I was fully invested from the beginning. It also makes a mother think about how they would feel in similar circumstances. This was a heart-wrenching journey that I won’t soon forget.
#AMothersGoodbye #KateHewitt

This is the emotionally gripping story of adoption through the eyes of Heather, a mum who gives up her baby and Grace, the lady who adopted the child.

My heart went out to Heather. She was married with three children already and facing horrendous financial hardship because her husband was disabled and unable to work.  Heather makes the unbearably heartbreaking decision to put her newborn baby up for adoption.

I physically ached for Heather, she really had no option, they were already facing eviction and her husband was so unsupportive. Through Kate Hewitt's words, you actually feel like you are facing the dilemma yourself and it must be the hardest one of all to make.

Grace was a single, career girl, rich and powerful but desperately lonely after the death of her father. I know what parental bereavement feels like and it takes over your world. However, I worried that Grace was adopting for the wrong reason, to fill an enormous void and would she be able to juggle a high flying career and a baby?

I cringed at the early conversations between Heather and Grace, they were stilted, awkward both of them desperately not wanting to say the wrong word. As the story progresses the two women's relationship changes many times but the one thing they share in common is the love they have for their child.

It's not often you get emotional insight into both sides of this subject and Kate Hewitt portrays both equally well. I found the book hard to put down and it has stayed with me long after the last chapter.

Thank you to Bookouture, the author and NetGalley for supplying me with a copy, which I have reviewed honestly.

Very powerful book that grabs your attention. Really enjoyed it. Good plot and nice characters. A book you will not forget in a hurry

Oh wow, I have literally been moved to tears with this book. It was such a beautiful, heartfelt and emotional story that seriously pulled at my heartstrings and brought tears to my eyes in a lot of places.

I loved how the story was told by the two main characters Heather and Grace, as it really gives the story depth and different viewpoints. You truly get a feel for both of the characters, seeing how they coped, the decisions they ultimately have to make and all of the experiences/events they have to go through and how their perspectives of each other changed because of certain things that happen in their lives. 

The story was detailed and so very well written throughout, I even learnt a few things. The story was emotional and captivating in equal measures, completely drawing you in, making you want to turn those pages quickly to see how things would develop and what would happen next.

When I got to Part 2 of this story, I was already feeling pretty teary in places, didn’t think I could take another emotional hit but reading that first sentence of part 2 did just that. I have to be honest and say that I did struggle with some of it, given the subject matter, I wasn't expecting it to play a part in the story and so my emotions were a little raw and fragile at times. But having said that, the author did an absolutely exquisite job of writing it the way she did.   That is all I’m saying on the matter though as wouldn’t want to spoil the story for anyone, you’ll just have to read it yourself.

As I’ve already said there were moments throughout the story that brought tears to my eyes, but it was at the very end when I really needed the tissues, there was tears of sadness and happiness.

I've always believed that if reading parts of a book brings tears to your eyes or makes you cry, then it is one of many signs of just how outstandingly breath taking a book is and how talented the author must be to cause that to happen.

This story has literally broken my heart into tiny little pieces at every emotional and heart breaking turn but come the very end it's quite safe to say that my heart shattered completely with all of the emotions that this story made me feel and yet despite that it was all so beautiful and heartfelt.

This was my first read by this author Kate Hewitt but it certainly won’t be my last. I’m looking forward to reading more by this highly talented author in the future.