I’d like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Child I Never Had’ written by Kate Hewitt in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

When Daisy is just days old she’s adopted by Suzanne and Mark Sullivan and lives with them in New York. Her birth mother Mia eventually marries and has three daughters with Tom and although at the beginning she regularly sees Daisy she decides to break the relationship by moving to North Carolina where there will be less opportunities to meet. But Daisy is a typical teenager, sullen, disagreement and at times downright rude, and when she’s seventeen she suddenly tells Suzanne she’s going to live with Mia. Although Daisy isn’t expected, Mia and the family make her welcome until there’s an argument and Mia orders her to leave.

‘The Child I Never Had’ is the story of a baby adopted at birth and her two mothers who both have secrets they’ve have never spoken about and that have indirectly affected the way they make their feelings known towards their loved ones. It takes a disaster for Suzanne to show Daisy how much she cares and Mia to tell Tom the truth about Daisy’s father. I’ve read all of Kate Hewitt’s novels and although ‘The Child I Never Had’ may not be my favourite, it’s still a well-written, involving and enjoyable novel that’s brought a tear to my eye and that I’m happy to recommend.

This book was just amazing. I was a little concerned when I read the description that it would be a little bit of a slow read but it started off really fast and pulled the reader in right away. I couldn't put this book down every part was just better than the last. The book is all about a young girl (Daisy) who tells her adoptive mother (Suzanne) suddenly that she wants to go and live with her birth mother (Mia). This comes out of the blue and is a bit of a shock to both mothers since everything seemed to be going so well the way they had it already. When instead of talking about it Daisy boards a plane and takes off to Mia's house with no discussion with either women it leaves Suzanne shocked and hurt. She is happy that her daughter is spending time with her mother but very concerned on what brought this all about so suddenly. I really liked how each character while they had their own story line they were all intertwined with each other so you really got to see their perspectives on what was going on and why they made the decisions that they did at the time as well as their own secrets. One of my favourite parts about this book was all the raw emotion that both the bio mom and the
adoptive mom had. It made it seem very real and it helped the reader connect with the characters. While this book was told though multiple perspectives I really enjoyed it because it was very easy to navigate and tell who was talking at what time so it didn't confuse the reader. Great read for those who like emotional story lines and aren't afraid of a good tearjerker at times. I cannot wait to read more by this author.

This was a story about the choices, Mia and Suzanne made when they were young. As they grow up, they each become a woman who doesn't understand they are struggling with things, until Daisy does something that makes her want to spend her senior year with her biological mother Mia.
Events happen that make the woman look at themselves, who they are and how did they get to this point. Neither one likes who they are and take steps to become the woman they want to be instead of just moving along not realizing what is happening.
It is the story of their life and all that goes along with it. The story follows them from being young to Daisy going off to college. In between is the women they became along the way, just going through their busy life, not thinking about what was happening, just accepting. The day does come when they have to stop and look at themselves, and actually see who they are and what they have become. When that happens, they look at life and themselves differently, and start to think about their choices, their life, and who they are becoming. It changes who they are and the lives they have.
I received an ARC from Bookouture through NetGalley.

Absolutely brilliant book! I thoroughly enjoyed it!! kate is a longtime member of my favourite author list and she didn't disappoint.. I will post a more in-depth review on @Hyggebookclub via Instagram as soon as I'm Well enough. A stellar read for a fan of domestic fiction, based experiences with open adoption, With the main theme being finding your identity

This is an incredible story about the hope and heartbreak of open adoption told from the viewpoint of child, biological mom and adoptive mom. The story was told in the present and in the past. For me, the story captivated the emotions of adoption and sometimes the secrets that are kept.

Thanks so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. The opinions are my own.

An absolute rollercoaster of a read, this book will have you reeling!

Such a difficult topic to consider but this book hits the right notes, it gets the complexity of the situation. At times I felt like it was going too far in the number of twists but actually overall the author did justice to it.

A brilliant look at adoption, from all sides of the table. This book does not shy away from difficult and complex emotions and it is the better for it.

Well done!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC of The Child I Never Had. This book was interesting to me given the topic of open adoptions. Mia was in college when she had a one-night stand and got pregnant. She didn't even really know the boy and couldn't reach out to him when she found out she was having a baby. Her parents wanted her to give the baby up for adoption and she did to Mark and Suzanne. When Daisy was born Mia asked if it could be an open adoption and Suzanne didn't think she could say no. The book goes back in forth in time to show how the two women stay in each other's and Daisy's lives. I really didn't like Daisy's character as she is a teenager in a lot of the book. She is rebellious and seemed to forget all that her adopted mother had done for her over the years. She was quick to want to move in with Mia and her family without looking back. The mystery of who is Daisy's biological father is revealed and it is a little unbelievable that he didn't remember Mia and the circumstances surrounding their getting together in college. The book was a good read, if you suspend some reality, and also not judge some of the unbelievable actions of the main characters. Overall 3.5.

I love Kate Hewitt books but this was not my favorite. The book was told by multiple narrators and multiple times line. Normally I love these type of books but this book was hard for me to follow. The premise is very interesting with a birth mother coming in and out of her daughters life and how that impacts everyone involved. I'm looking forward to the next Kate Hewitt book.

I enjoyed this book a lot, it was a little slower than Hewitt's usual style but still very intriguing with an interesting subject to explore. Suzanne and her husband Mark adopt Mia's daughter Daisy in an open adoption. During her teenage years Daisy reaches out to Mia and wants to go stay with her after an incident occurs. This causes massive disruption for everyone and secrets seem to come to light that were buried a long time ago. The characters were complex and relatable and the book makes you think about adoption.

Published: February 10, 2022
Bookouture
Pages: 388
Genre: Psychological Literary Fiction
KKECReads Rating: 5/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Kate Hewitt is the bestselling author of many novels of both historical and contemporary fiction. She particularly enjoys writing contemporary issue-driven women's fiction, and her novels have been called 'unputdownable' and 'the most emotional book I have ever read' by readers.
An American ex-pat, she lives in a small market town in Wales with her husband and five young(ish) children, along with their two Golden Retrievers.

“What, I wonder, do I not know about?”

Mia made an impossible decision to give her baby up for adoption. She knows she can’t provide the life a child deserves right now, seeing as she is still in college and has nothing of her own. Suzanne has always wanted to be a mom, but sadly it wasn’t in the cards for her and Mark, which make the gift Mia gives them so precious. Suzanne, eager and desperate to be a mother, quickly agrees to Mia’s last-minute request they have an open adoption. These women did not realize just how much they would need or understand each other.

Whew. This was a very emotional novel, from page one. I loved the characters, the plot, and the obvious research that went into creating this story.

Mia was carefully crafted. I think her inner emotional journey was so striking and intense that her feelings were so genuinely described.

Suzanne was a strong, albeit, reserved character. But she stole my heart. My heart ached for her struggles and her journey of discovery. She was such a vivid and honest character.

Mark and Tom were decent partners, though they tend to take the backseat approach to most things. I did enjoy them as supporting characters.

Daisy was a complicated character. She was bold, bright, and sullen. I struggled to like her at times, but I also understood her emotional journey and why she felt the way she did.

The emotions in this book are so raw, and I appreciated that both sides of every situation were presented. It made the story feel more authentic and provided such a powerful punch to a situation that so many will never understand.

This was a beautiful, heart-wrenching, at times overwhelming novel about truth, forgiveness, and family. Beautifully written, respectfully presented, and uttering captivating.

I typically like Kate Hewitt's books but struggled to finish this one. It went back and forth between POV from Mia to Suzanne, and also changed time periods, past to present, so it was a bit confusing. Also, there seemed to be an over-the top amount of secrets everyone was keeping. But I admit it was a very emotional book to read.

This book was just so good! I was intrigued enough by the premise of a story about a girl and her adoptive and bio moms…but this was SO MUCH MORE!! It was a story of loss and love and insecurities as well as deep secrets that need to come to light for healing to begin. I didn’t anticipate those secrets, and while they added interesting twists to the storyline they were a little hard to believe, especially in tandem with each other. Some of the events toward the end of the book also seemed a bit over the top. However, I loved the varying POVs and seeing the same situation through each mom’s eyes. Throughout the course of the book, both moms go through transformations that give the characters a real complexity and believability. I also loved the epilogue which neatly wrapped up the story one year later.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC.

Another amazing emotional story by Kate Hewitt. I loved the way this novel explored the complicated factors involved in adoption on all sides, for birth parents, adoptive families, and for adoptees. Maya and Suzanne have tried to keep the lines of communication open for Daisy's sake over the years. This caused complicated feelings on all sides, from Maya, who gave up Daisy at twenty when she was in college and struggling with the decision, choosing an open adoption where she could still see her daughter, to Suzanne her adoptive mother, who desperately wanted what was best for Daisy and struggled with seeing the connection between Maya that was sometimes easier than their own. Even though everyone was trying to do what was best for Daisy, it was still hard, and I loved the way the novel showed that in such wonderful detail.

Maya married Tom and moved to North Carolina when Daisy was six, and had three more kids of her own, which further impacted Daisy, having her birth mom move away so there were fewer visits, and also three daughters who felt like replacements. When Daisy begins to struggle in her final year in high school after something happens in New york, she goes to stay with Maya and Tom in North Carolina, and begins to ask questions about her past. Secrets are revealed and I loved all the twists, both in Daisy’s story, and with another character’s I hadn’t anticipated! Kate Hewitt always writes the best plot twists. This was an amazing read and I can’t wait to see what she writes next. 5/5 stars.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC copy of this book from Bookouture and NetGalley.

I am so sad because usually, I love Kate Hewitt's books but this one is going to be a DNF.
I am really struggling with reading this one. It just is not jelling with me and not getting in my head. I have tried persevering with it, but I am only managing a few pages at a time I lose interest quickly.

Definitely a tearjeaker bring tissues. Many people in today's society can relate. More open adoptions.
Many people feel the for the parents, but they forget about the child. Consider their feelings as well. Same as divorced families. The children feel the pull.
I'm not a fan of time travel. I don't like stories going between then and now.

Through Mia and Suzanne, Hewitt brings empathy and understanding to both sides of the challenges of open adoption. By highlighting human frailties and insecurities, Hewitt shows us that these two things often get in the way of what could be an incredible journey.

Hewitt reveals how this lifelong experience has its own unique rewards and challenges when Daisy, Suzanne’s adopted daughter, suggests living for a year with her birth mother, Mia, and her family. Readers get a glimpse into the delicate balance that must be preserved and are given a reminder that ‘open’ adoption works best when there are no secrets and no closed doors.

I learned about the controversial term, ACS (adopted child syndrome), the issues that are typically faced by children who have been adopted and the healing power of honesty and openness.

I appreciated this story being told from the 3 perspectives: birth mother, adoptive mother, and child. Hewitt’s foresight into including the whole adoptive community, made for a compelling narrative and an emotional read.

I was gifted this advance copy by Kate Hewitt, Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

19 year old Mia gave up her daughter for adoption nearly eighteen years ago. Daisy has always know about her birth-mother- Mia. Now divorced, Suzanne has always felt that she is competing with Mia to be a good mother, and for the past few years, their relationship has been very strained. Things take a turn when Daisy announces that she wants to spend the next year living with her birth mother, her husband, and three daughters.

Just a couple chapters in, and I was transfixed. It was emotionally painful to put the book down, especially considering I had a math exam coming up. But it was totally worth it. The story was told from three perspectives- Mia, Suzanne, and Daisy. And along with this, we had 'then'- chapters from Mia or Suzanne in the past. I have read hundreds of books till date, but this one probably has the best use of multiple POV. As we read on, we learn how similar feelings and thoughts the three MCs have, yet they choose to keep them private. I sympathized will all of them, as they were the cause of their own problems. I loved how their life was linked to the other two in every way. Speaking of other characters, Tom (Mia's husband), Mark (Suzanne's ex-husband), and Mia's daughters were brilliant. The (ex)husbands were caring, supportive, honest, and always there for their respective (ex)spouses. The plot was brilliantly crafted too. and though some twists were expected, they were executed superbly. The ending was just perfect, with the right amount nostalgia, regret, pain, joy, and satisfaction. I honestly can't find anything wrong with it, so please read it.

An enjoyable read, i liked the style of writing and how it switched between Mia and Suzanne, however i did find it a bit slow. It wasn't one of those books that kept me turning the pages to find out what happened but all in all it was an enjoyable book.

Another brilliant read from Kate. Emotional but uplifting, a really heart wrenching read that you will need tissues for! I dare the hardest of hearts to not shed tear!

Sometimes adoption is the best option, but are we fully aware of the consequences and the feelings of the children? I for one was not and I guess a lot of people are not. That’s a pity, because it could help understand why some children act the way they do.

Of course is adopting a good thing. You want to give the child the best life, but are we not turning ourselves a bit into heroes because we saved them? Are we taking into consideration that they also wonder why their birth parents did not want them and how they feel about being taken from their own culture and placed in one where they are different from the others around them?

The author mentioned ACS (Adopted Child Syndrome). I never knew this existed and I went and looked it up. I know a few people who have adopted children and where quite some problems started to develop. I wonder whether someone ever told them about ACS. I guess not. I am convinced it could have helped them, parents as well as children.

This is an emotional story. Sometimes it was a bit too slow paced for my liking, but when the paced picked up towards the end, it was great. I loved the twist that came to the surface and the flashbacks that made me understand everything so much better.

A beautiful story. It showed the emotional strains connected with an adoption. Birth parents, adoptive parents, children they all have a lot to deal with. Hiding your feelings is not the way to go, but talking is often very hard. 4 stars

Thank you