This was very sad. A book about motherhood and children and when it's set in Dublin you get a good idea of twhat this book is about.
It wasn't the right time for me to read this sadly so I did have to abandon it. That's why my review is not really a review as such. Sorry

This is a remarkable, multilayered debut novel which spot lights a time period that needs to be brought out into the open in the hopes that one day history stops repeating itself and women are fully in control of their own bodies and destinies. Heart wrenching, but the hope for second chances keeps it from being too much. I'll be thinking of this book for a long time to come.

The Making of Her by Bernadette Jiwa was an emotional journey that had me going through a box of tissues. Joan, a madly in love pregnant teen in the Sixties, is a responsible wife and mother in the Nineties when the daughter she gave up for adoption reaches out to her. Wow-this was a gorgeous, gut punch of a novel. I could not put it down! Highly recommend!!

I really liked Joan and the dynamic between the women in the book. It was interesting to see the different points of view and how they coped with the generational trauma. The characters are realistic but also sympathetic. The end was great!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4869033727?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the chance to read The making of her by Bernadette Jiwa. I really enjoyed this historical fiction that takes place in Ireland; the main story timeline is set in 1996, but some of the book jumps back to the 1960's. On the outside Joan and Martin Egan have the perfect marriage and family, with their daughter Carmel, but do they? Joan is quietly unhappy, and they have been keeping a secret for thirty years - they gave up a daughter before they were married. Now the daughter has written to them, for a life saving situation. Can Joan forgive herself, and connect with both of her daughters, and find true happiness? I loved this book! Not only was it set in Ireland, the author really shows how deeply troubling it was for young girls who were unwed and became pregnant back in the 1960's. I read the book very quickly, not wanting to put it down at all! I highly recommend this debut novel and look forward to the next book by the author!

Wow! What a truly beautiful, emotional and well written debut!

One of my favorite things about being on Netgalley (besides receiving free advanced copies) is the ability and privilege to come across books I would normally not be exposed to. I received an email from Penguin Random House asking to give this book a chance and to let them know my thoughts. Being a sucker for an amazing historical fiction novel, I decided to check it out. And let me tell you, I am so happy that this book found its way into my life!

With The Making of Her, we have a book set in Dublin, Ireland in the 1960's & 1990's, giving us a dual timeline, which as I've said before is my weakness. What makes this unique novel set apart from the rest is it isn't a war story most historical fictions focus on, but of a woman,Joan, who has found herself in a predicament many women found themselves in, in the 1960's, unwed and unmarried. The choices and path she takes that are sadly forced upon her, because of the time she is living in unfolds and we get to follow along on her journey.

I was hooked early on in this book and the author's prose makes this book quite enjoyable and an easy read, despite the emotional rollercoaster she leads us on. I can't recommend this book enough. If you love historical fiction and want to step away from the all too common World War II Era that dominates this category, I highly recommend this book!


**Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an advanced copy of this book and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion. I am posting this review to my Goodreads account immediately and will post it to my Amazon & Instagram accounts upon publication.

The Making of Her
Bernadette Jiwa

As a lover of all of Maeve Binchey’s books, I was eager and delighted to accept the offer from the publisher and NetGalley to read The Making of Her - and it did not disappoint.
Told in the third person from multiple points of view, we follow the Egan family from 1966 to 1996. While the story takes place mainly in Ireland, London is also an important backdrop.
Jiwa writes with strong character development and I was fully transported into her characters’ lives. They became real to me- their struggles, decisions, promises made and broken, hearts broken and healed.
Beautifully written, I look forward to more from this author. Very much in tune with Binchey’s style, I loved this book .

This was a quick read.

Joan is an Irish girl, raised poor with a large family & tragedy strikes, time frame starts in the mid 60's.

Joan works to help support herself, her dad & contribute along with her sister. She meets a guy & they fall in love. His life style & her life style are worlds apart & that is a bump in their entire life moving forward.
Something happens while Martin, the young man, is away at college & Joan & Martin have some very tough decisions to make & a secret to keep between the 2 of them. Adding to it all is the fact that women had minimal rights-no contraception, no real decision making on their own.

Fast forward 30 years & the secret now explodes & that's where the story really takes off.

It was a solid story

I received this book from Penguin Random for an honest review.

Joan grew up in a household with 5 siblings. Her mother died giving birth to her 6th child. Being the oldest, Joan was left with the care of her sisters and brothers as her father was always drunk. As it became harder and harder to manage, the children were all given to foster families except for Joan and her sister Teresa.

Joan wanted better than what she had. She fell for Martin Egan who would take over Egan and Sons. Joan was considered way below what Martin’s mother felt would be a good match for him. Joan follows Martin to London where he has gone to study. They become very involved and Joan becomes pregnant. Martin forces her to give their daughter up for adoption, explaining there was no other way at the present time. Joan goes along, winds up marrying Martin anyway, and regrets this decision her entire married life. They have another daughter but she can’t get over loosing her first.

Circumstances arise and her first daughter contacts her, mainly because she needs her help. Joan winds up telling Carmel, her daughter after marriage. They both go to Emma, her first, and give her the needed help. Martin however, wanted nothing to do with it. Joan finally finds her voice and tells Martin and his mother exactly what she thinks and leaves him.

I found the story intriguing and wanted to keep reading to know more. Bernadette’s writing is very descriptive, a little to much so in some instances. I was, however, disappointed in the ending. I felt that I was left hanging. I wanted to know more about what was resolved between these characters. I had too many unanswered questions. Secrets were revealed but where do we go from there.

I thank Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to read this pre-release in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Dutton Books for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Pub date: 8/9/22
Genre: family drama
In one sentence: Joan Egan's life looks perfect - until she receives a letter from the daughter she gave up for adoption thirty years ago.

I love books about mother-daughter relationships, and this was a beautiful story. Joan's life unfolds in dual timelines - the 1960s and the 1990s - and the reader sees the massive ramifications of her decision. Her relationships with her husband and her other daughter, Carmel, are tested as Joan tries to come to terms with the past and figure out a way forward. This book made me emotional, and I felt very connected to Joan. I'm excited to read more from author Bernadette Jiwa.

If you enjoy books about family, this is a great read!

Joan has a secret. One she wishes she never kept. But, because of her situation, she felt it was better for everyone. However, as her life moves along and she gets older, she realizes she has made a terrible mistake. She is not sure if she can ever correct it or make amends for it. Due to a circumstance beyond her control, she just might get the opportunity to at least try and make it better. She knows she can never make it right but she just might have the chance to help every one heal from her terrible decision.

Joan definitely comes into her own as this story moves along. And I wanted to slap her husband and her mother-in-law so many times. And yes, I know quite a few people like that. I mean, GOD FORBID, that you do not come across as perfect. So, let’s damage everyone’s life to make sure yours is spotless. Can you tell this book elicited major reactions for me! That’s the sign of a good book!

The premise of this book has been used numerous times. But, it is never boring. And I love the way this author used this plot to create strong female characters, especially one which is a late bloomer. But when she decided to roar…she ROARED!

This is a captivating tale full of hurt, pain, love and healing.

Need just an all around great read…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Thank you, Dutton Books, for the gifted copy of The Making of Her. {partner}

Genre: Fiction
Format: 📖
Pub Date: 8.9.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆.5

“Words alone change nothing. Promises were broken as easily as they were made.”

This debut novel from Bernadette Jiwa focuses primarily on Joan Egan as she comes to terms with the decisions that she’s made and the path that her life has taken.

I fell right into step with the Jiwa’s effortless writing style, and before I knew it, I’d read 120 pages of The Making of Her. I was taken aback by the story and the authentic history that came from 1960s Ireland.

I carried right along with the book until the last 40% of the book, when the storyline began to slow. It might have been that I felt it was a bit too predictable - I had a feeling as to the direction the book would go, and I think I just needed a little more.

While I was happy to see that some amends could be made, I struggled with the wishy-washy feelings of one of the characters (not giving anything away). I understand that there had been past hurt and resentment, but it seemed cruel to continue to blame someone for a mistake that wasn’t entirely their fault. This lack of reconciliation left me wanting as I closed the book's last page.

💪🏼 Strength of mother/daughter relationships
🇮🇪 Set in Ireland
✨ Debut Novel
🗣 Character-driven
✌🏼 Dual Narrative & Dual Timeline

Overall, I would say that The Making of Her is the perfect book for those of you who love historical fiction who aren’t necessarily looking for a historical fiction story to read but rather a book that focuses heavily on relationships. I’m looking forward to reading the next book that Bernadette Jiwa writes!

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. ARC provided by Penguin Group Dutton.

Dublin 1996. Joan Egan lives an enviable life. She and her husband, Martin, and daughter, Carmel, are thriving in Dublin at the dawn of an economic boom. But everything changes when Joan receives a letter from Emma, the daughter who she and Martin gave up for adoption thirty years before, asking for a life-or-death favor.

While Joan grapples with the guilt over giving up her baby long ago, she must confront her present as the cracks in her marriage become impossible to ignore and simmering tension with Carmel boils over. Meanwhile, Carmel and Emma must come to terms with the perceived sins of their mother, to imagine a future for their family before it is too late.

The Making of Her is an unforgettable debut novel about family secrets, falling apart, and coming together. However, I thought it was going to be a good story, but I didn't end up liking it. The characters are not very nuanced, they don't have much depth or development. After awhile, the book felt too repetitive. There was also too much emphasis on the plot and the characters lacked a little depth. This was good for a debut and cannot wait to see more books by her soon.

This book was a bit out of my comfort zone, but I’m glad I requested it. It was super captivating and beautiful!

Thank you Dutton for the opportunity to read an early copy of The Making of Her. I enjoyed reading this book. I cannot what to read what Bernadette Jiwa publishes next.

A story that takes place in Ireland when the Catholic church ruled and alcohol and poverty were rampant. Young girls who got pregnant before marriage, along with their children, were ostracized by their communities. When Joan becomes pregnant, she joins her boyfriend, Martin, in London, where she gives birth to a baby girl. Rather than return to Ireland with a baby in tow, which would upset Martin's strict, snobbish mother and the family's standing in the community, Martin talks Joan into giving their daughter up for adoption. After three decades, Joan is united with her under unusual circumstances.

A fast read that flows well between present and past. I enjoyed reading about the lives of the Irish citizens and the harsh life in Ireland during that time.

The premises of the book were very good, it seems to me it was going to be a good story but at the end I didn't like it. The characters are not very nuanced, they don't have much depth or development. May be I was expecting more and the story ended up be very predictable.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was shocked to find out it was Bernadette Jiwa’s debut novel. I was quickly drawn into the story of Joan and her family due to the descriptive nature of the offer. I felt truly invested in the plot line, Joan finding herself despite mistakes of her past and becoming a more independent person. Even characters I did not like-Martin- were so carved out I was able to picture them and their actions perfectly.
Look forward to more books from this author.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Joan has been married for decades when she receives a letter from a woman they gave up thirty years ago. This opens up many old wounds and memories for Joan. She is thinking about her life and is unsure of what direction she wants to go in. This book took me on an emotional journey.

A wonderfully written book. The author, eloquently brought out the strife of giving up a. Child even though she didn’t want to do it. Not all reunions of adopted children turn out as this one did. Didn’t want to say too much due to not wanting to spoil the story for other readers.