This memoir is written by two authors, Mark and Rachel, who are biological siblings but never knew each other existed. When Mark's wife Tina is told that she cannot safely conceive a baby due to her kidney disease, Mark decides he wants to learn more about his family history before making a choice between adoption and surrogacy with his wife. Mark was born in Canada and was adopted but had no previous information about his biological parents. Through a long process he is able to connect with the adoption registry in Canada and eventually get in contact with his birth parents and full siblings. Rachel, one of his siblings also shares the story from her perspective, so while it is mainly Mark telling the story, some chapters are about (and I'm guessing written primarily by) Rachel.

I enjoyed the story, I love adoption memoirs and the surrogacy aspects were interesting as well. I loved the Canadian context and learning more about the adoption process in Canada's history. I did find the story a bit slow at times. I loved the detail and care the authors put into writing this, especially down to the exact wording of the information Mark received from the registry prior to finding his biological parents. That is honestly a part of history and something that should be recorded as I never would have guessed that things like the physical appearance of the birth mother's father's siblings would have been recorded! These kinds of details did slow down the story, but like I said, cool information.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this book.

This is an amazing story of loving connections. The Canadian author, Mark, was adopted in infancy by loving parents and lived a happy, uneventful childhood. His wife, Tina, is unable to bear children due to kidney disease, thereby ending Mark's hope of ever having a genetic connection with anyone else.

Mark, feeling mildly curious, looks up his bio mother through the Canadian adoption registry, which is notorious for taking many years to put bio parents and children in touch. Suddenly, laws pass in Canada that change the glacial pace and Mark is put in touch with his birth mother, who he discovers is married to his birth father and has three other children -- Mark's full siblings. From having no biological connections even possible to him to now having a whole family full of them is quite the shift and consumes Mark's every waking moment.

From the happy reunion to the even more amazing miracle that takes place as a result is for you to discover yourselves as you read this book, which I highly recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free ecopy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book is fascinating. It’s a mix of personal stories, scientific fact, and the laws surrounding adoption and surrogacy.

Mark’s story of being adopted and how it affected him and his wife when they wanted to start a family of their own was interesting. Anyone considering a closed adoption should read stories like this in my opinion, it’s good to understand things from the adoptees perspective.

The information of surrogacy was cool, I’d never realized that even though one woman’s eggs were implanted in the surrogate, the actual mother would have to adopt her own children because according to some state laws the children belonged to the surrogate.

This is a short and easy nonfiction read, the middle gets a little repetitive and slow but I would recommend it to everyone.

Very interesting analysis of what is surely emerging as an even bigger issue for our society. I found the different perspectives fascinating and there was enough technical information on legal and scientific factors to provide important and relevant context.

This unique book begins by introducing a couple unable to have children due to a health problem. The husband, who is an adoptee, is reluctant to consider adoption before he finds hiś birth parents. As he begins this process he & his wife also research the expensive possibility of surrogacy. The rest of the story explores the choice they make, how the choice evolves and the people they meet along the way.

The book is easily read & quickly engaged my interest. About halfway through it slows & the middle could be condensed. Those involved in the field of social work or psychology as well as those with a background in adoption or surrogacy will find it an informative & interesting read.

What a remarkable memoir with the most fitting title. I was moved to tears several times. This true story of love, adoption, surrogacy and what it means to be family is an incredibly moving read.