--I received a copy of this book on exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are purely my pen and not influenced in any way.--

Well, this book was exactly as I expected it to be: a bit of drama, a bit of melodrama, an issue that could be settled if the characters actually TALKED with each other, and a very sick little girl who will teach everyone involved to love again. There was nothing really new brought to the table here and it ended up exactly as I expected, but I got this book specifically to have a bit of chick lit in my life. It's relatively harmless, a bit sad, and the characters I found a bit annoying and two dimensional, but it's a Lifetime movie in book form so I can't really be mad at it.

I'm sure some people would really enjoy it, it just wasn't really anything groundbreaking to me nor was I repulsed by it. It just is straight, middle of the road fine to me.

I know motherhood is described as an amazing life- changing, experience.Watching other mothers makes it seem so natural, kinda easy. Like there is special gift that all women are born with which makes motherhood sort of natural. Nothing about it is easy. In the past few years, I have come to realize that it’s not easy to conceive, it’s not easy to carry a pregnancy to full term, safe delivery is never guaranteed and motherhood doesn’t simply occur. This book reminded me of all these issues. Through Milly and Anna’s story, I got to see the different aspects of motherhood. At the end, I was left emotionally wrung-out. However, this book also firmed my respect and appreciation for all mothers.

The key theme in the story is motherhood. Other themes that came up include adoption, infertility, IVF, post-partum depression, loss and friendship. The story is narrated through the perspectives of Anna and Lucy. Through the chapters, we get to follow the two women’s journey towards motherhood. We get to learn about their joys and struggles but also about their friendship.

Not My Daughter by Kate Hewitt is the kind of book that may cause you to examine your own life. I had to think about my friendships especially in light of everything that has happened in my life this year. I am afraid I might have turned into a ‘forever bride’. You know when you are a bride, all attention is on you. Your friends and family are always checking up on you because you have this big thing happening in your life. This continues after the wedding and I guess months later, you realize that you have been talking so much about yourself and might have forgotten to really listen to your friends. This book made me reflect on such issues and re-examine my life.

I ‘enjoyed’ reading this story. It broke my heart, caused me to critically look at my own life and I loved every moment that I spent reading it. I enjoyed Kate’s writing, she writes beautiful, giving words to feelings and thoughts that you didn’t even know you had. I love how well she portrayed the different themes concerning motherhood. The characters were so well crafted that I want to meet them and find out how their lives turned out. This is a hauntingly beautiful, poignant, well crafted story. I can’t recommend it enough.

What an emotional read!
I think, given the topic, I had some preconceived notions about what would happen but I was not prepared for the feelings this novel evoked. I couldn't put it down. My heart would break but the author would fix it...just to have it break again.
This book certainly takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions. I would definitely recommend, but be prepared for tears!

In a very basic understatement, this was an amazing book.

It's an emotional depiction of parenthood, family, friendship, love, life, and loss. This heart-wrenching novel explores raw struggles and the sacrifices we make for those we love. In an emotionally charged presentation, Hewitt challenges the reader as relationships are tested and decisions are made as a longed-for, much-loved child faces a terrible diagnosis.

Tears streamed down my face as I read the final chapter. As I put my reader down, I turned to my husband and said, “That was a horrible book.” But I didn’t mean it as a negative – I meant it was gut-wrenching, compelling, thought-provoking, and just incredible – it grabbed me and didn’t let me go. I definitely recommend.

Full review posted on my blog: https://lifelovelaughterlinds.home.blog/2019/06/10/book-review-not-my-daughter-by-kate-hewitt/

Thanks to NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy.

This book had me in tears, both happy and sad. It tackles many tricky ethical issues, but so sensitively. I loved the characters and was pleased we found out the back stories of most of them. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to stay up all night reading!

Oh my- this book really packs an emotional punch. Two days after finishing it I still can't quite get it out of my head!

Milly has always wanted to have a baby. Being adopted, she longed to have a physical connection to her child. It was devastating when she was told it wasn't going to happen as she was going through an early menopause.IVF with a donated egg was the only way she might bear a child.

Anna is Milly's best friend. They have shared a lot of their lives so it seems logical for Anna to provide the egg. Matt's brother agrees to be the sperm donor & it seems that Milly's wishes might actually come true.

Kate Hewitt takes the reader through the upheaval of the pregnancy & beyond. Just when you thought things could not be more upsetting, the real blow hits & it's heartbreaking.

This book raises a lot of questions about friendship, surrogacy & adoption. It makes the reader think about how they might handle this tragic situation.

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book- it will take a long time for me to forget this one!

Great read. The author wrote a story that was interesting and moved at a pace that kept me engaged. The characters were easy to invest in.

Absolutely gripping and heart wrenching. I loved Kate Hewitts last novel so was really looking forward to this one and it did not disappoint. I knew from the reviews the book tackled some pretty emotional subjects, predominantly infertility and IVF, but there is so much more to this book. The thread of friendship runs throughout and that for me was as big an emotional rollercoaster as the principal storyline. I won’t give any spoilers, it wasn’t as sad as I had initially expected and I loved the whole relationship & parenting issues coming out of the plot. This is one of those books that stays with you and really makes you think, as a mother and friend. Just how far would you go to have a longed for child, and how far would you go to save her life?

Kate Hewitt has gone and done it again. After reading A Mother’s Goodbye, I really didn’t think she could make me cry like that again. Then I read Not My Daughter, and the tears flowed again.

The story is told from the views of Milly and Anna in alternating chapters. Milly learns she has early onset of menopause making it impossible for her to get pregnant and build the family she has always wanted with her husband, Matt. Knowing that is all Milly wants, Anna does what she feels necessary to make her best friend’s dreams come true and offers her egg. The sperm donor will be Matt’s brother, Jack. As you can imagine, this will be complicated and raise all sorts of ethical questions.

The story, the journey, it’s all so good. I highly recommend this book. Again, keep tissues nearby for this tearjerker.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the eARC.

What an amazing book.
I loved this book from the beginning to the end and it was impossible to put it down.
The writing style was fantastic and the characters were so easy to relate to

TRIGGER WARNING: this book deals with infertility, adoption, IVF and child illness
I hope there were not too many spoilers in the above warning and that it won’t put you off reading this book.
Not My Daughter is devastating but also beautiful.
Milly has grown up knowing she is adopted and it has shaped her whole identitiy. She has her own fertility problems and is told she will never carry a biological child. Her best friend Anna immediately offers to donate an egg so that Milly can realise her dream of becoming a mother.
The IVF is successful and Milly becomes pregnant. However, it awakens emotions in Anna that she has hidden for nearly 20 years due to a termination.
Milly’s pregnancy is fraught with tension but nothing prepares her for the difficulties she faces caring for a newborn. Anna steps in to help care for baby Alice but her input results in the destruction of her friendship with Milly.
Fast forward a few years and Alice is displaying worrying symptoms so Milly calls Anna is desperation. The outcome is devastating for everyone including the reader!
This book really is an emotional rollercoaster and, despite the immense sadness, it is a masterclass in modern writing. Each chapter is told from the perspective of one of the friends so we can experience their viewpoint and understand their decisions. I have read The Secrets We Keep from author Kate Hewitt previously and she used the same tactic to engage the reader.
Not My Daughter raises many issues that are relevant to our society as well as increasing awareness of a rare disease.
Simply stunning.

Milly, age 34, and her husband, Matt, have long been trying to have a baby. The doctor now tells them that Milly has a type of premature menopause which eliminates any hope of her conceiving. Heartbroken by the news, she knows that although being adopted herself, she just does not want to adopt a child, but wants to bear her own.

Anna is Milly’s best friend and has been Milly’s support through her long struggle to get pregnant. They have been friends for many years and for that reason, Anna offers to donate an egg to Milly. After much consideration, they all agree. Matt chooses not to be the sperm door, so his brother Jack volunteers.

Soon Milly delivers a cute baby girl that looks just like Anna. They name her Alice. But Milly is hit with a bad case of prenatal depression and Anna steps in to care for Alice until Milly gets better. Anna soon bonds and can’t help but want to keep Alice for herself. But Milly and Matt soon send their good friend packing.

After some years pass, Alice becomes an adorable little 4-year-old girl but then some devastating medical news about her sends all of them spiraling.

I don’t want to add any more due to spoilers. However, I have to say that this is by far the most depressing book I have ever read. All of the events that happen are depressing! Yikes. Sorry, but not my cup of tea.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

It was a decision made out of friendship, kindness and love. However, when Anna offers the gift of a lifetime to her best friend Milly, and her husband, there was no way to imagine the heartbreak that would follow. Milly was adopted as a child, and her one dream was to become a mother herself. After having years of problems conceiving, and then receiving the worst news of all, Anna offers her egg and Milly's brother-in-law Jack contributed his sperm. Now, Milly can finally have a child of her own.

This was the perfect opportunity and no one expected any problems. However, problems is what were experienced. First for Milly. Then for Anna. Everything that the friends had certainly came to a test. More than one actually. Not only do Milly and Anna experience agonizing trials, but the baby, Alice, as she grows into a young girl, is found to have a devastating condition.

During the pages of this book I felt an overwhelming sense of sadness. While Milly was preparing for the birth of her daughter, there were certainly many things that caused a lot of grief. For one thing, as mentioned, this strained her relationship with Anna. Then there were things about Milly's past that came to light that showed how deep her insecurity actually was. Furthermore, we learned about things that were very sad and heartbreaking that left no doubt as to what direction this book would eventually take. At not even 50% into this book, I felt very sad for both Anna and Milly.

I did actually have to put the book down because I had to stop and analyze everyone. I had to think about Milly, her parents, especially her mother. Then I had to worry about Anna and the imbalance of her relationship with Milly and how that as formed, even though they had been friends for quite a long time. Then there was Matt, Milly's husband, who had tried so hard to be supportive. I also began to feel very torn about Jack and his role in all of this and what type of things that might come up when the baby was born.

This sensitive book discusses infertility, IVF, postpartum depression and the diagnosis and outlook for little Alice. In the end, I felt rather torn by this story. In some ways this felt like a rather ethical read and was definitely a story of what if. Not My Daughter is the third book by Kate Hewitt that I have read. This story, like the others, is very effective and ran me through a gamut of emotions. I definitely look forward to continuing to read more books by this talented author.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

Wow, what a book! This book may bring you to tears with this story of motherhood, and what it takes to make you a good parent. Decisions and sacrifices made, and secrets kept will threaten friendships and a marriage. A powerful read.

Milly and Anna are close friends and when Milly discovers that she cannot have children she is devastated. Milly was adopted and has always wanted a family of her own, Anna has no hesitation in offering to donate her eggs and Milly’s brother in law the sperm. Milly doesn’t have an easy pregnancy and baby Alice is born prematurely by Caesarian section. Milly then suffers from post partnum depression and cannot bond with Alice. She turns to Anna for help in looking after Alice but when Milly feels that Anna is getting too close to Alice she cuts her out of their lives. Five years later she gets some devastating news that sees he calling on Anna once again. This incredibly moving book is told in alternate chapters by Milly and Anna and is totally enthralling and heartbreaking and impossible to put down. A brilliant read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Wow what a story. This brought me back to before I had a kindle and I would search everywhere for a book like Jodi Picoult that would take my breath away. This sure did.

I started this on a sunny afternoon and I seriously didn’t move until I had finished the book. I was so engrossed in the amazing story telling that I didn’t feel the time passing.

I’m not going to go into the storyline as the blurb should be enough for you.

This is an emotional story where I felt the author pulled my heart apart. Not an easy read due to the difficult topics, but a story that needs to be told.

Without a doubt this will be one of my top reads this year and I’ll certainly be re reading it in the future.

Milly has always dreamt of being a mother having been adopted as a child, but those dreams are snatched away when she and Matt are told that they can't have children. Milly's best friend and Matt's brother offer to be donors so she can fulfill her dream of carrying a child of her own.

An emotional rollercoaster, dealing sensitively with infertility, IVF and depression. Beautifully written.

**Warning.............Warning..........Have a box of tissues handing when you read this wonderful book. **

Not My Daughter by Kate Hewitt.......OMG was so beautifully written throughout, especially as I've been there and I can't have children. Kate touched this subject with great care, understanding and so much though throughout.

Milly's dream and so many other woman's dream, is to have children and becoming a mother. When Milly and her husband Matt are told they can’t have children, her dreams and her world shatters around them especially Milly as she is adopted. (Remember those tissues)
Then, their loved ones offer the ultimate gift a gift of a child. Milly’s best friend Anna and Matt’s brother Jack will be donors so that Milly can carry her a child and finally have a chance to be a mother. And with everyone accepting and open,

Milly and Matt believes that nothing could could go wrong.

It all sounds so perfect when Alice is born...................But things are going to become complicated when Alice becomes older.

This book very sensitive throughout and covers infertility, IVF, and depression. My emotions were all over the place, however Kate covered it very well.

Highly recommend this wonderful book.

Well done Kate Hewitt.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

Kate Hewitt does it again. Not My Daughter is a captivating, heart-breaking, emotional journey of friends and family. Hewitt has written another novel that will rip out your heart and stomp on it, but in a good way. That sounds crazy, but it’s true. Her characters are so well written and three-dimensional, and she tackles such hard and emotional subjects with finesse and insight. She somehow manages to combine heartbreak with hope, leaving the reader with a story that will stick in your head and heart long after you read the last word.
Kate Hewitt has a way with characters and storyline that she is a can’t miss author for me. There aren’t enough words to capture the beauty and emotion in this novel.
#KateHewitt #Bookouture #NotMyDaughter

Millie and Matt can’t have the baby that Millie is so desperate for. Anna makes them offer that makes their dreams come true. I don’t wnat to give too much of the story away, but be prepared with your tissues, its heartbreaking. An emotional tale of friendship and love. Most highly recommend.