I cannot believe Looking for Jane is Canadian author, Heather Marshall’s debut novel. What a way to make an entrance into the book world. Looking for Jane was such a detailed incredible account of three women, whose lives are intertwined by a long lost letter. A letter that arrived 7 years after it was sent, containing a “life-shattering confession”.

The story is told from the perspective of three women spanning from the 1970’s to the 2000’s. What unfolds is a historically true story about motherhood, abortion, forced adoption, homes for unwed mothers and the terrible abuses inflicted upon these women. The author does not shy away from exploring these controversial topics.

Looking for Jane is an eye opening read. I was able to learn more about the hushed history of these Canadian women and how their rights to freedom of choice over their own bodies was taken away. An emotionally captivating and heartbreaking book which I highly recommend.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada, Netgalley and Heather Marshall for my advanced copy of Looking for Jane.

Looking for Jane is a great take on historical fiction, set in several generations, it mainly covers the time when abortion was illegal in Canada and the network of doctors and others who kept providing abortion access in a safe way for women. I thought all the history parts were really interesting, and it showed a lot of sides of motherhood and families. There was a little too much coincidence happening with the adoption story, but other than that, I really enjoyed the book. It definitely showed me a side of women's history I didn't know about, and is very relevant today.

Looking for Jane is a book about abortion, but also a book of about motherhood. It switches between the pre-legalization era in Canada and present day. An antiques seller discovers a long-lost letter and sets out on a mission to connect a woman with her birth mother. The book is powerful, hard to read at times, and deeply emotional.

Full of heart and the embracing of differences. Phenomenal.
Many thanks to Atria and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The subject of this book is such a hot topic right now but everyone should learn about the Jane network. The historical research the author provides is excellent. Multiple characters over multiple time periods that all eventually intersects in the end. My heart broke for what Evelyn and Maggie endured. A powerful book club discussion title. 4.5 stars.

This is more a book about motherhood, pregnancy, choice, women's rights and control of their reproductive health than anything else. We're reminded the lengths women will go to become a mother or not become a mother and that every child should be a wanted child. I was mortified to read about the terrible treatment of unmarried women during the 1960s and found it very interesting to learn about the Jane network. It is amazing to find out that until 1988 abortion wasn't legal in Canada and it worries me to think how backwards this country is currently headed. This is a book all like minded women should read - and it would be beneficial for anyone who feels opposite.

This book felt very contained. No real emotions when it was about a really difficult subject. I didn't connect with any of the characters and found myself skimming major chunks. Clearly this is an unpopular opinion because everyone else is giving this rave reviews. I'm willing to guess it was just the wrong book at the wrong time.

Wow, just wow. I couldn’t stop reading this but also didn’t want it to end. I am so intrigued to learn more about this Jane network; I had no previous knowledge. This is a very timely novel even though a lot of it takes place in the distant past.


I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

I loved this book. I thought it was so fascinating, especially as the different storylines intersected. I was quickly invested in the lives of the characters and their journeys. Once I got into it I could hardly put it down, and I would recommend it to anyone who loves historical fiction.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the review copy.

I enjoyed this story, especially being relevant to the last 9 months. The story had a few twists I was not expecting, and made me enjoy it all the more. The stories of Evelyn/Maggie, Nancy, and Angela worked well together as they all kind of had the same background and could relate.

The one thing I was confused at the end was where Maggie ran to her brother's house. As in the beginning when we meet Evelyn she talks about her brother and his wife who might adopt her baby, and in the end it is Maggie. Just a little confusing on that part.

A thoroughly enjoying book and will be recommending it to others.

I loved the idea of this book more than the book itself. Obviously well researched and a topic very important to me but the writing and characters fell flat. Thank you NetGalley for the advance ecopy.

This is simply an amazing book! Captivating, eye opening, and gut wrenching. The author does an incredible job of keeping the reader guessing and wanting more!

This story follows several different women in distinct timelines. The author describes it as about motherhood rather than about abortion, about wanting to be a mother or not wanting to be a mother and all the areas in between and I think that this description is spot on. It’s about women supporting women no matter their choices.

While I’m not sure “enjoyed” is the correct word for how I felt about reading the section on the home for unwed mothers, it was a section that I found historically intriguing and reminiscent in part to Lisa Wingate’s Before We Were Yours. I loved the various friendships that all these women made throughout their journeys and hardships. I especially thought the book came together in a beautifully cohesive manner in the end. Recommended for the strong female protagonists.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for a copy provided for an honest review.

The woman that was raped had these feeling about her daughter ... "I can still feel her. I didn't want her at first, because of how she came to be. But it was when I felt her move. Everything changed right from that moment. She became mine."

So this woman goes on to become an abortion doctor, her assistant Alice has assisted with 10,000 abortions. What an honor to have eliminated more than my entire town.

The daughters path crossed several times with the abortion doctor and was even volunteering for her. What if she had been aborted; had that choice not been available? Oh well. My. Body. My. Choice. (The body in the body has no choice.)

The other theme running through the book is that the home for girls was charging people for adopting the babies. The travesty! (Abortion, not a travesty. Charging for adoption, travesty.) I did a google search. How much does it cost to adopt a baby? The answer ... dated Sept 1 2022 ... Working with an agency, you can expect to spend between $30,000-$60,000 according to the Child Welfare Information Gateway. It's slightly less expensive to pursue an independent adoption, which involves working with an attorney. That process ranges in cost from $25,000-$45,000.

Somewhere I expected the book to describe the abortion procedure. There is a bit about "new technology" and a gel that provides an eventual miscarriage. But it doesn't seem to be a preferred option. (What do you do with the terminated baby? - intentionally not using the word fetus - ) When the abortion clinic is raided, "Alice disposed of the products of Kathleen's abortion while Nancey was doing pre-op prep." I wonder how "the products of Kathleen's abortion" are disposed? Are they put in a blender and then into the toilet? Do they wrap up and put in a dumpster? Again, "not a travesty". Michigan now allows abortions up to the minute of delivery. My brother was two months premature 50+ years ago. The my choice movement (in my humble opinion) is disgusting.

Another quote from the book. "..., but Alice is getting married tomorrow, and it's generally frowned upon for the bride to arrive at her wedding sweating buckets and covered in blood and amniotic fluid." Hmmm ... lovely. again, not a travesty.

The pro-choice women are loving this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to provide an honest review of the Advance Read Copy of Looking for Jane, published Feb 7, 2023. I refuse to provide a review without reading the entire book. I'm sure that there will be some retribution for my review and comments. I guess that is My Choice.

I received a complimentary copy of this book "Looking for Jane" and all opinions expressed are my own. There was a lot I liked about this book. I liked the writing style, everything smooth and flowing. I liked the characters and I really felt like I was right there in the story with them. I looked forward to reading this book each day. I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next. I thought that Angela's story really wasn't needed. The fact that she found the letter and all that, yes. But we didn't need her personal story. What I really want to know is - where is Evelyn's daughter? What about the nun who was trying to help them? I think that should have been developed more. The ending was good.

Looking For Jane by Heather Marshall is a compelling and inspiring memoir that tells the story of a mother's search for her daughter, who was given up for adoption in the 1960s. Marshall's writing style is honest and emotive, with vivid descriptions that bring the story to life. The book is a tribute to the power of love and the importance of family, as Marshall embarks on a journey to find her daughter and reconnect with her past. The themes of adoption, motherhood, and self-discovery are woven throughout the memoir in a way that is both relatable and inspiring. The author's determination and resilience in the face of adversity is truly inspiring, and her story is a testament to the transformative power of personal growth and self-discovery. Overall, Looking For Jane is a beautiful and heartwarming memoir that will leave you feeling uplifted and inspired. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys stories about family, love, and personal growth.

4.5/5
This was a story I was always eager to return to while I was reading it! While on the surface, this book seems to only be about abortion, as the author explains, it's more a story of motherhood and the ways in which going through or not going through with it can change a person. I'm an OBGYN myself and I was happy to see that the medical terminology and explanations were accurate so I knew the subject matter was well-researched. Each character was so well-developed that they all felt familiar to me by the end. I highly recommend this one for everyone, esp given our current political climate. While abortion is always a hard topic to discuss, I think this book does an amazing job showcasing the many different situations, perspectives, and outcomes that can come from the freedom to choose, or a lack thereof. The nuances of abortion and miscarriage are always much easier to ignore when thinking about nameless faceless people. This book shines a light on those people and keeps you glued to them as they try to move forward and regain their autonomy.

JUST READ IT.

This is a really wonderful book, written with compassion, thorough research, and great eloquence. It explores the issue of women's reproduction choice and their struggle to have a say in whether they must have and can keep their babies. It approaches this from several points of view and at different moments in the history of reproduction rights in an era of change for women in Canada. The women portrayed are all courageous and sympathetic and the interconnections among them are skillfully and compellingly handled. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books.

To be perfectly honest I was not going to write a review on Looking for Jane. This is a heavy book and a book that discusses things that are far from easy to discuss.

Looking for Jane is about mothers. Those who so desperately want to be a mother, and those who so desperately do not want to be. It's also about societies expectations as to what and who a mother should be.

As a birth mother this book broke my heart a little more with each page I turned. The struggles, the thoughts, the internal battles and the heartache are all experiences I personally have and do face often.

Looking for Jane though heartbreaking is nothing short of thought provoking. This is not an easy read and does go very in depth about abortions and forced adoptions.

Man, oh man. I really wanted to absolutely love this book. Especially, since this book has the same hot-button issues in our current history with the reversal of Roe v. Wade, as well as other mandates on female productive rights.

However.... I think that was precisely why I couldn't quite fall into the plot of this story like I do with so many of the other books I read. I think maybe it all felt just a little too close to home for me and too close to our current history.

Other reasons for not losing myself in this book (like I thought I would) was due to character inconsistencies and overall just trying to hard to convince us that each character was "different" when in reality, all I could see was that each character was a little bland. The story opens with three time lines and three main characters and I was lost in the weeds of Marshall's world-building and timelines. I felt it difficult believing that the characters, which made them seem even more fictional and far-off to me. The writing style, however, was very captivating, which is what kept me reading this one.

What I did appreciate about the book was Heather Marshall's research of Canadian History and her storytelling of the underground network of brave, fearless women, made up of nurses, midwives, doctors, and volunteers, which offered discreet, safe abortions to women in need throughout the 1960s, the Jane Collective. I was also captivated by the emotion that Marshall captured from her characters. My heart broke for Angela and each of her miscarriages, and her desire to find Jane was something that I understood entirely. My heart broke for Dr. Evelyn Taylor as she had to give up her baby in the Unwed women's home.

Thank you to Netgalley, Heather Marshall, and Atria Books for the digital ARC that I received.