One child. Two women. How can anyone decide what constitutes a “real” mother?

Katherine and Tess are two of many women who wanted to give birth to a child but had difficulty. They joined support groups, worked with an IVF clinic, and focused their whole lives on trying to conceive. Katherine was lucky enough to both get pregnant and carry her baby to term, and is now the proud mother of Rose. Tess, on the other hand, did not fare as well, and is struggling to cope with her loss. Both of their lives change when they receive a phone call from the IVF clinic asking them to come in for tests. A breach in protocol resulted in the switching of eggs, and there is now doubt that the baby to whom Katherine gave birth is actually biologically hers. The women, their family and friends are thrust into a controversy that could rip their lives apart. Is Rose Katherine’s child, or is she Tess’s? When, not surprisingly, the two women view the situation very differently and cannot agree on the best course of action, they enter into a legal custody battle. Trying to keep their names, and Rose’s, out of the media while each tries to prove that she is the “real” mother, Katherine and Tess risk everything for the right to raise Rose as their own.
This story is a heart wrenching one to read for anyone who has themselves had difficulty in conceiving a child, or who knows someone who has…which is just about every woman. From the shame and blame that women often feel for not being able to conceive naturally, to the lengths to which couples are willing to go to overcome the challenges, and the worries that persist even if successful….the pursuit of motherhood is not always easy. Not all couples survive the process, and not all are successful regardless of how hard they try or how much time, energy and money they commit to the pursuit. What would it be like to discover after all they have endured that the child the woman carried, bore and has spent a year raising was not actually hers, when she had every reason to think that it was? Katherine’s conviction that she is Rose’s real mother is more than understandable, as is her desire to not have Tess involved in Rose’s life. But I could equally sympathize with Tess, who thought that motherhood was no longer a possibility, only to discover that one of her harvested eggs had in fact resulted in a healthy birth. How could she not want to be a mother to this child, and experience all that she can as a part of Rose’s life? Both can’t be right, but neither is wrong. There have been all manner of real life cases, of surrogates or donors who change their minds during a pregnancy, of babies mixed up at a hospital, and like many I would hear the stories and decide what I thought the solution should be. But the situation described here is a new twist, with both women the innocent victims of a switch, and with both having a biological claim to the child. It is easy for a dispassionate person to say that the best solution would be for the women to share the child….but who amongst us would willingly surrender the title of parent to their child? As I read and learned more about each woman….the less-than-perfect lives they had led, the struggles and insecurities each had, and the emotional toll that infertility had taken on them…I found myself both sympathetic to and frustrated with each woman, the choices they made as well as their mistakes. The two protagonists, both appealing but flawed, were well developed, as were many of the supporting characters. The story was sympathetically told, with no clear villains and no easy answers. Readers of authors like Jodi Picoult, Celeste Ng and Karen Heenan should pick up a copy of Hold My GIrl, as should anyone who would appreciate the story of two women whose lives have become intertwined through the actions of another. Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for allowing me access to an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.

Hold My Girl///

Year Pub/Re Pub: 10/10/23, read 10/8/23///

Format: e-ARC///

Source: Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this ARC! I voluntarily give my honest review and all opinions expressed are my own.///

Page Count: 400///

Setting: Canada///

Genre: Adult Fiction, Contemporary Women's Fiction///

Tropes: interracial relationship, child custody///

Standalone/Cliffhanger/Part of a Series: standalone///

HEA/HFN ending: HFN

Epilogue Included: no

Character(s)POV Spoken: dual POV Katherine and Tess///

BOOK DESCRIPTION
Synopsis/Plot Summary: Two women Katherine and Tess are desperate to have a baby go through IVF. Both get pregnant, 1 has a successful birth and the other heartbreak. They find out that their eggs were switched, and a custody battle ensues for baby Rose.///


Contains Children: yes, Katherine's daughter Rose,1///

CHARACTER DESCRIPTION///

Heroine: Katherine Matheson///

Heroine Description: tries to be the perfect housewife and stay at home mom. Tried for 7 years to have a baby before IVF. She succeeded, carried her baby to term, and had a healthy girl named Rose///

Heroine Likability Rating: 4///

Heroine: Theresa "Tess" Sokolowski///

Heroine Description: Works at a dead-end job laboratory testing water samples. Married 6 years, underwent IVF and delivered daughter Hanna stillborn. She also had an emergency hysterectomy and now feels empty and hopeless///

Heroine Likability Rating: 5//


Secondary characters://

Susie and Jerry- Patrick's parents, morally against IVF, racist///
Irene- nurse who switched the eggs///
Patrick-Katherine's husband, Rose's biological father///
Hyeon-Jun-Tess's ex-husband left her because she wouldn't accept not having kids. He met someone else and is having a baby ///
Saadia-runs a fertility focused center where Tess and Katherine got their treatments. ///
Mikolai-Tess's brother, his family helped her when husband left ///
Elvira-Katherine's mother///
Kerra-Katherine and Patrick's lawyer///
Adee-Katherine and Patrick's private investigator///
Messineo-Tess's lawyer//

CONTENT WARNINGS/TRIGGERS ///
infertility, rape, adultery, racism, stillborn, IVF, drug and alcohol use, indiscriminate sex///

AUTHOR OVERVIEW ///
Charlene Carr///

New or read before & any favorites: new author for me///
PERSONAL OVERVIEW///

Overall Rating: 5/5 ⭐///

Do You Recommend This Book: yes///

Will You Re-read This Book: yes///

Would You Read More Books by this Author: yes///

COMMENTS/NOTES- I felt the pain of both women going through tragedy and loss. As someone who can't have children, it's a hard truth to accept. Both women were desperate for a child, so I won't criticize them or their actions. When I felt the pain of it all, I was depressed and thought "why me" so much. It took my family and a good therapist to make it out the other side. When you add adultery, drug and alcohol use, it's a disaster. Katherine and Tess's custody battle for Rose reminded me of the movie Losing Isaiah where a white mother adopted a black little boy because his mother (also black) was a drug addict. I sympathized with both women and am glad this story has been told because part of healing is discussing the issue.

Hold My Girl by Charlene Carr is a novel that could be ripped from the headlines. Two women undergo IVF at the same clinic, one has a successful birth, the other child is stillborn. It is discovered later that the eggs were switched and implanted in the wrong women and the living child belongs to the one who had the stillborn baby. Who should have custody of the child, the woman who nurtured her for 9 months, gave birth to her and had raised her for her first year or her actual, biological mother? Add in that the biological mother is a different race and has no money, an unsupportive family and this is the makings of a nightmare.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Tess and Katherine tell this story of their daughter- the daughter conceived via IVF with Tess' egg and carried by Katherine. This emotional twist on the switched at birth tale takes you into the minds of two women who both feel that baby Rose belongs to them. Katherine's husband is the father- does that make a difference? Tess is very much alone, except for a few friends, some of whom are mutual, and she does not have the financial resources of Katherine and Patrick. This is their collision course, their fight over Rose through failed mediation and then litigation. I liked the setting and the characters and if it felt a tad trope-y (especially the ending), that was mitigated by the twist in the premise. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Emotional and heart wrenching. A twist on the familiar "switched at birth" trope- A well written and evenly paced story of loss and betrayal. Thought provoking

The premise of the story is that two embryos are swapped at an IVF clinic, but the sperm is not swapped. It goes from there in swirling layers of drama that are almost too much, but actually work, probably because Charlene Carr is a very good writer. I actually cried at the end, and as soon as I finished I bought one of the authors previous books, which I don't normally do, but I really enjoyed the writing.
I love reading the "switched babies" trope and considering how the protagonists and legal system manage this difficult situation. This book is believable, tender and touching.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for a free e-Arc in exchange for and honest review.

Emotional, touching, and a bit suspenseful. A birth mother and her husband are thrilled with their baby girl after multiple tries at IVF. However, there may have been a mix-up at the fertility clinic and another woman may have been the egg donor, instead of the birth mother. She also has tried IVF many times and her last try has taken place.

The suspense of both sets of parents, the uncertainty of what happened, why it happened, and what the final outcome may be pull the reader through the pages. Who will the reader side with? I chose sides.

The last pages of the book provide an unexpected twist. I found the ending appropriate and satisfying.

Unique story, very well written and engaging. You feel for everyone involved.

I did not finish this one, it was not for me, I couldn't relate to the characters, and just did not care for the story.

"Hold My Girl" by Charlene Carr is an entertaining and thought-provoking novel. It's the perfect beach read, if you enjoy a little more substance. Life is altered forever for two women who discover that their eggs were switched during the process of IVF; one child survives and the other does not. This book explores the topic of what it means to be a woman, especially in relation to motherhood. The author deals with with the triggering subject matter with grace and sensitivity. I wish the author would have delved more deeply into the court case, as well as the moral and ethical issues the characters faced. I also would have liked to know more about what was going on inside the father's head; he really seemed like a superficial side character just included to move the story along when, in reality, he was very important to the story.

Fans of Jodi Picoult will love this book and it would make a great book club pick . Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced digital copy of this book.

In order for this story to work, the two lead characters had to be likable and cause the reader to feel the emotions of both of them. The author did this and more. She not only let the personalities of the women shine through, but also their flaws and the outside influences that helped to shape them and/or their decisions.

The plot kept the reader questioning themselves as to what they would do. There were a couple of surprises, and at times, I did feel the author went a bit over the top with some of the events. The story was told through Tess and Katherine’s eyes which kept the story interesting and moving.

My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions are my own.

Hold My Girl is the story of Katherine and Tess, and a baby girl named Rose. Katherine, and her husband Patrick, struggled through years of trying to become pregnant before the birth of their daughter, Rose. While Katherine is overjoyed with her baby, she's had the nagging fear that something might have gone wrong in the IVF process.
Tess was a patient at the same fertility clinic as Katherine, back when she was married. Her struggle was also long, and had very different results than Katherine. Her life now is also quite different from Katherine's and she's struggling to make ends meet and move her life forward.
The common denominator: Rose.
Their story is told primarily between alternating chapters from Katherine and Tess, and you're able to develop an understanding of both women, although it wasn't as deep as I would have liked. My favorite relationship in the book was actually that of Tess and her brother, Mikolai. This seemed to be the most fully developed and genuine.
There are a lot of secrets in this book. Along with that are twists and turns, many of which were predictable (although there were a few surprises).
The concept of Hold My Girl was born from the author's own experience (and fears) with her fertility treatments and that led an additional depth to the core of the story. With the growing use of fertility treatments, the legal and emotional challenges presented in the book are a real issue that aren't often addressed in literature. The book is set in Canada, and I'm curious about how the situation depicted might have been handled in the court/family services systems in the US.
Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read Hold My Girl in exchange for an honest review. 3.5 rating, rounded up to 4 stars.

Such an amazing book about fertility/infertility, need to sit with this a bit before I write a full review

I enthusiastically recommend this book. This is the type of story that draws you in and doesn’t let go. Two mothers with both personal issues as well as fertility problems going through IVF. Katherine finally gets the baby she has longed for while Tess does not. A nightmare unfolds as both moms get a call from the fertility clinic stating the eggs were switched. Rose is the baby that both moms now claim as theirs. This great novel delves not only delves into the fertility issues but also the mind set of both moms and the dad as they go to court to determine the fate of little Rose. #HoldMyGirl #CharleneCarr #NetGalley

This was a beautifully written, moving story, and one I've enjoyed immensely. The story is ripe for discussion and would be a fantastic pick for book clubs. It's deep in the IVF world, which may not resonate with all readers. Still, it's a gripping novel with an impossible choice, and it's certainly worth a read.

Katherine and Patrick have a daughter, Rose, that they conceived using IVF after trying for years to get pregnant. Katherine gets a message from the clinic asking for her to call due to an urgent matter. She initially ignores it. Meanwhile, Tess had a daughter who was stillborn, and receives a similar message. It turns out, the eggs were switched and Tess is Rose’s biological mother.

I have some complicated feelings towards this book. It’s an impossible situation, especially since one of the children involved did not live past birth. It reminded me a lot of the show Switched at Birth and an old episode of SVU I watched.

Overall - the book was very well written and it did what it was supposed to do - made me feel and think. I empathized with each character - they all had problems, secrets, and good parts. I would definitely recommend reading it, though be sure to check trigger warnings.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Both Katherine and Tess were desperate for the one thing their body refused to give them…a child. After many rounds of IVF both end up pregnant, but Tess’s baby is stillborn, while Katherine goes on to have a healthy baby Rose, whose complexion is very light for her Black mother. When a nurse admits to switching two patients eggs before they were made into embryos, the clinic calls both women to let them know. Now Katherine knows that while she carried, and spent countless nights soothing and feeding her, she is not Rose’s mom, but her husband is Rose’s father, and Tess her mother. what follows is the two women both fighting for the baby girl they worked so hard for.

WHEW. Ok…you know those books where you start off rooting for character A and then switch to character B but the back to A, and back to B and ABABABABA? This book was that. Holy god I cannot imagine being in the position of either Tess or Katherine in this book. How do you possibly decide who has the right to the child in this case? There are so many things I want to discuss but I don’t want to spoil anything so seriously if you have read this I need you to dm me because I NEED TO CHAT! This book was heartbreakingly fabulous and I highly recommend everyone read it! I also recommend listening to The Retrievals podcast. Not the same story, but also about IVF and someone that does harm to the vulnerable women that just want what is “supposed” to be easy…to have a child. I think the two would pair really well together, but both will also make you angry at those that do harm.

I would rate this 3 and a half stars. It's very good, but there are a few things that prevent it from being a true 4 star read. Overall, it's an easy quick read & a compelling story. I think this would be a good book club pick.

Hold My Girl is a perfect read for book club gatherings. Many topics of discussion concerning IVF, infertility, marriage, family, and what makes a perfect mother will ensue.
I especially loved the characters in this story. Both women are struggling to be the most deserving mother to a daughter caught in a court battle over custody. They make mistakes and second guess themselves throughout the book. The story felt real. Being adopted I understand how it feels to love two mothers flaws and all. I enjoyed this book and felt the author captured the situation well. I highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Having recently finished “Hold My Girl” by Charlene Carr, I am happy to have had the chance for the Advanced Reader’s Edition e-copy; thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark!

Katherine and Tess. Tess and Katherine. AND then there's Rose.

This story was filled with page after page of loss and betrayal and LOVE. Love for a sweet and innocent child who is the center of an unprecedented custody battle.
The struggles and emotional backstory leading up to the climactic courtroom scene are written so that I felt I knew these characters, even though I may not have understood their actions.

I searched YouTube for interviews with the author and followed the link to her website. That is always a great indication a story has taken hold of my heart; when I want to learn more and hear the author share her writing process. These words were personal for Ms. Carr; a novel that was obviously written straight from her mama bear heart.

I don’t have any children right now, but I’ve been in the “role” of a mother a few times and just those glimpses were enough to let me know how intense those feelings can be. And this book asks one important and almost unanswerable questions — what really makes someone a mother?

It delves into the painful, shattering realities of loss and parenthood, but also into identity, race, family, the expectations women face and the countless parts of a person that make them feel they belong and it’s all done in such a thoughtful and delicate way that it still felt warm and reassuring despite the deeply emotional content and suffocating intensity at times.

Our two narrators were women who’d been through hell and back — and whilst at times their behaviour is erratic, aggressive and chaotic it’s clear how they’ve reached this breaking point. Katherine seems superficial at first, cold and clinical but slowly opens up to us and Tess feels in a daze, haphazard but as we get to know them both we see there’s so much more and bond with them both in their own way.

The story moves a slow but steady pace, letting both narrators share their sides of the story and giving us a look into their lives before it all goes wrong. I can’t say I “enjoyed” reading this per se, but it definitely left an impression that will stay with me for some time from a powerful voice.