Counting Backwards by Friedland is a seriously relevant read right now. While some parts dragged a little and others made Jessa (a 30-something lawyer) feel more like a coming-of-age protagonist, I still really enjoyed it. At one point, she says, "I had put myself in a place full of criminals," referring to the detention center, and I couldn't help but pause—because, really? That’s a pretty odd thing for a lawyer to say.

Also, I have a soft spot for books that highlight just how useless a husband can be without being too on-the-nose about it, and let me tell you—Vance? That man belongs in a cage. No spoilers, but wow. And while I usually avoid books that bounce between time periods, especially when history and multiple characters are involved, this one did it so well that I didn’t mind at all.

Thank you to Harper Muse Audiobooks for providing me with an advanced copy of this audiobook via Netgalley.

This is a timely dual -timeline novel based on real events in the 1920s and early 2020s. Carrie Buck is the center of a heartbreaking legal battle over eugenics, and Jessa is a lawyer working a pro bono case helping an ICE detainee appeal her deportation when she uncovers a pattern of medical abuse at the detention facility. As we alternate between Carrie and Jessa, Friedland masterfully showcases the infuriating lack of bodily autonomy afforded to uterus owners in this country. Other themes covered in the novel include immigration, incarceration, reproductive justice, infertility, and medical malpractice. In other words, this book covers very heavy topics. It's illuminating and infuriating as well as hopeful. The novel also spends quite a bit of time on Jessa's personal life, which at times felt like a detour from the main story but ultimately her character growth did add to the story. There is a brief authors note at the end that gives information about the true events that inspired this story, which I appreciated.

This novel is just incredible. I was immediately drawn into the story and the way it's so beautifully written. I love the dual timelines and the way they emphasize how the past shapes the future even when all is not as it seems. There is a shocking twist that had me turning the pages rapidly to see how it was going end. The author's note provides information on the actual events that inspired the story. Loved the audiobook!

feels extremely relevant to the times we’re in right now. this dual timeline historical fiction/legal drama covers topics like reproductive injustice, immigration, and women’s rights. friedland’s writing is thought provoking and eye opening & i loved how detailed and fleshed out her characters were. this is the kind of book that just breaks your heart wide open & embrace woman power lol. the audiobook was also really great & i enjoyed the fact that there were two narrators for both jessa & carries povs. i’m normally not a fan of books like this but i really enjoyed this & am grateful to have received this arc! thank you netgalley & harper muse audiobooks.

Counting Backwards by Jacqueline Friedland is a timely, dual timeline, heart-wrenching novel that I think you will find stays with you long after you've finished reading. This is the story of Jessa Gidney who is trying to have it all - a legal career, meaningful marriage, and a family. But when her professional goals keep eluding her she finds herself a turning point in her life and begins taking on pro-bono work. This work leads her to a nearby ICE detention center where she leans into her family history of activism. It's here that she meets Isobel Perez and discovers a pattern of medical malpractice that has affected Isobel and horrifyingly has ties to her own family.

Enter Carrie Buck, who in 1927 was in the center of an extraordinary legal battle over American eugenics. Carrie was a only six years old when she became a ward of the state - uneducated and with no family support, crippled with an exploitative foster family - unknowing that her name will one day help to educate the entire nation. When Jessa discovers Carrie's case, the threads and past connections will forever change Jessa's life and even her perspective on her past AND future.

Jacqueline Friedland does such a masterful job of alternating between Jessa and Carrie's worlds and tackles the very timely issues of reproductive rights and society's expectations of women's rights - both past and present. For me, this moving story will be one I will not forget anytime soon. What a wonderful story to read during Women's History Month! This was my 2nd Friedland novel and in both of her books I appreciate the fact that I walk away learning something I hadn't before.

I want to also shoutout the narration performed by Amanda Stribling and Carolyn Jania. Their narration truly brought the story to life for me and allowed the story to flow so well between timelines. Thank you to NetGalley, getredpr, Harper Muse, and the author for the chance to read this book before it's release on 3/11/25.

Run don’t walk to get your hands on this book! This might be the most important book for the times. Based on real case law and events in 1920s and 2020s America, this book covers women’s autonomy and reproductive rights and the ways that they have and continue to be stripped away. When Jessa, a young and ambitious young lawyer, takes on a pro bono case helping an ICE detainee appeal her deportation she uncovers a pattern of medical abuse at the detention facility that shocks her to her core. Determined to stop the barbaric practices at the detention center, Jessa uncovers a familial connection to a poor young woman from the 1920s who tried to fight a forced sterilization at a facility that deemed her mentally unfit to procreate. At the same time that Jessa is working to gather all the information she can about past and present eugenics practices that took women’s ability to have children away, she struggles with her own fertility challenges and the effects they have on her marriage. This book doesn’t just explore reproductive rights but all the ways women’s rights can and have been controlled both in the past and in the present. The storytelling is layered, nuanced, sensitive, and sheer perfection. This is a novel I will recommend over and over again. The audiobook was fantastic and the narrator gave an emotional and stellar performance. All the stars for this one.

This was a tough book to listen to, but it was so well done. This is a book that will stick with me for years to come. I love when authors can teach readers about historical and not-so-historical (unfortunately) moments through fictional stories. I appreciated how this book combined fiction with an actual historical Supreme Court case to weave together a compelling narrative. I found myself internally screaming at this book, knowing that there are women who have experienced some of the horrific things described in it.

The dual perspective and dual timeline were expertly executed, and the narrators did an excellent job. Highly recommended.

Jessa has been working nonstop trying to make partner at her firm and have a baby; neither are working out particularly well. After being passed over for partner she decides to take on an immigration pro bono case but discovers that the women in the facility are being sterilized without their permission. Her grandmother encourages her to work for the women and get justice and has her learn about the Buck vs Bell Supreme Court case from the 1920s. It turns out her family is connected with the Buck case and that knowledge spurs Jessa to fight for the women.

I didn’t know if I would enjoy reading about a lawyer (even one who went to my law school) because I am a bit persnickety about fictional lawyers. However it totally worked and there was only one nit pick in it for me. Besides that I did find the dual timelines worked and even though Carrie’s story is painful to read, I liked how the author intertwined the two characters, their history and the issues. The novel dealt with immigration, reproduction rights and incarceration and did it in a way that did not feel preachy. I half and halved this one between the audio and the book and really thought the narrators did a great job because I was never confused as to which timeline/POV I was listening to. I haven’t read anything else by Friedland but I look forward to adding her backlist to my TBR.

Thank you to Harper Muse Audiobooks and NetGalley for the ALC to review

This novel delves into profound themes of motherhood, immigration, and medical malpractice. Through a dual-timeline narrative, we follow Jessa and Carrie—two women with distinct yet interconnected stories. The novel explores the emotional depth of longing for motherhood and the fear of losing that possibility.

The audiobook narrators did an excellent job bringing the characters to life, making the story feel even more authentic. The fact that this book is inspired by a real case makes it all the more unsettling. While I found it deeply engaging and impactful, I couldn't help but feel slightly underwhelmed by the ending—it felt somewhat flat and could have been executed with more complexity. Nonetheless, the book’s depiction of medical malpractice, particularly within immigration detention centers, is haunting and thought-provoking.

I was fortunate to receive an ALC of Counting Backwards from NetGalley via Harper Muse Audiobooks, and I am truly grateful for this opportunity, as this is one of my most anticipated reads of March 2025.

3.75 stars

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

WOW! this was… incredible & unexpected. i went into this arc without knowing a ton about it, and i would honestly suggest that to anyone who feels compelled to do so— while noting that there are some TRIGGERING topics that come up: SA, reproductive rights, infertility, consistent mentions of the holocaust, nazis, and eugenics… if any of these things has the potential to REALLY upset you, i’d suggest being extremely cautious.

that being said— the themes that this book focuses on are so relevant. our main character is a lawyer that takes on a pro bono immigration case— not something she normally does. while working that case she discovers a pattern of abuse against immigrant women being held at a particular detention center. the story then follows what she does with this information and how she can help these women.

we also follow her on her own journey struggling to conceive a baby and the repercussions that has on her marriage. we see her discover parts of her family history that are incredibly difficult to grapple with. we see her internal debate as to how to progress her career. there were so many facets to this book that really made it special.

interestingly enough, one of my favorite parts of this book was a part a normal don’t read— the authors note. the author actually has experience in law and the cases in this book are based off of real cases that occurred in the united states. it is actually SHOCKING that this is real life.

my only complaint about this book is that the ending felt a bit abrupt. there could have been a few more chapters at the end, but the authors note made that quick conclusion much more satisfying.

the audiobook itself was great— i loved the narrator and the way she conveyed the emotions being felt throughout the book with her voice!! definitely recommend listening to this one if you’re an audiobook person!!

This one was hard to read but not in a bad way. It’s one of those book club type books that rips your heard out when you think about the connections to reality. Because while this was a work of fiction, it was based in reality as it explored eugenics in society.

I listened to the audio ALC of this title narrated by Amanda Stribling and Carolyn Jania. I appreciated having both narrators. Overall it was a good job with the speed on point. The only thing I didn’t love was when the men’s voices were done it sounded bizarre.

This is a book that if you have triggers you want to check them. The description is pretty clear on where someone would get hung up but women who struggle with fertility may have a harder time with the information in the book.

The prose was written beautifully and i recommend it 100%
I am thankful to have gotten the audio ALC for free from Harper Muse through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars
⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

I was predisposed to like this, but it just didn't work: characters with inexplicable behavior and too much exposition.



Review copy provided by publisher.

If gripping factually based narratives with a ripped from the headlines feel are your thing, you’ll want to put Jacqueline Friedland’s latest novel on your radar. It is a powerful and compelling fictionalized narrative based on the eugenics practices used in the United States prior to WWII.

COUNTING BACKWARDS tells two stories across dual timelines. The primary plot line features attorney Jessa Gidney. Reeling from a recent miscarriage and being passed over for partner at her firm, her desperation to have a child is placing a wedge between Jessa and her husband. When she is assigned a pro bono case representing a woman held in an immigration detention center, she stumbles upon a horrible secret.

The second storyline centers on real-life Carrie Buck, a young woman who was caught up in and abused by the Virginia foster care system. An unplanned pregnancy results in her being made a ward of the state. What happens from there is horrific.

Friedland merges these storylines to create an important novel that doesn’t shy away from hard topics. For me, the mark of good historical fiction is the desire to do more research into the central themes of the book. I am now well down the rabbit hole of eugenics and the atrocities performed on vulnerable women made possible by a significant imbalance of power.

The audiobook is narrated by Amanda Stribling and Carolyn Jania. They portray strength and vulnerability; and bring this story to life.

COUNTING BACKWARDS is not a comfortable read, but it’s an important one.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Muse Audio, and Harper Muse for the advance listener and advance reader copies. All options are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Jaqueline Friedland and Harper Muse Audio, for gifting me an ALC of Counting Backwards. In exchange I offer my honest review.
This was my first time reading a novel by Jacqueline Friedland but it certainly will not be the last. I absolutely loved this audiobook and felt the dual narration really added to my reading experience.
Told in two time periods, 2021 & 1920’s, we meet Carrie Buck, a young black woman living in Virginia and Jessa Gidney, a married attorney looking to make partner at her prestigious law firm. When Jessa takes on a pro-bono case, her life becomes altered after meeting her client, a young mother being detained in an ICE facility. Jessa uncovers some nefarious behavior occurring at the detention center which leads to her pursuing additional legal action. The deplorable actions at the facility correlate to unethical conduct and practices that impacted Carrie Buck decades ago. Even though a hundred years separate the two women, they are connected in more ways than imagined.
This book of historical fiction was compelling, informative and absolutely heartbreaking. I was furious and disgusted to see how little has changed and how corrupt certain agencies are. An important and necessary read. I highly recommend this audiobook to all my readers.

4.5 stars

What do a corporate NYC lawyer in 2022 and a poor girl in Virginia in the 1920s have to do with each other? More than one initially thinks. This was wonderful historical fiction with dual timelines and POVs. The audiobook depicts the two main characters well through different accents and styles of speaking.

Jessa is hoping to make partner at her law firm. Her life is stressful, she works a lot, and she’s also trying to start a family with her husband, Vance.

Carrie is six years old and in charge of her two younger half siblings while her mother works. Once authorities are made aware, Carrie ends up in a foster home, working hard for a place to sleep and food to eat. The events that befall her in her teen years (which actually happened) set the precedent for this gripping novel.

Exploring themes of bodily autonomy, reproductive rights, fertility, immigration, and more, Counting Backwards will have your rapt attention.

Many thanks to GetRedPR for the physical copy of the ARC & NetGalley for the audio ARC for my review in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the ability to experience this book before the official publishing date.

Friedland does a great job diving into the disturbing issue of eugenics and how women’s bodies were and still are deemed as being something other than their own.

She wove the two character stories together in a way that made sense, without any disjointedness. I wanted to get to know the characters on a deeper level, but that isn’t a true criticism, just a nod to wanting more of the interesting and important story the author has told.

This story is coming into the world at such a relevant time and I think will spread to a wider audience. People need to be further aware of the complex issues of immigration, women’s health, biases, and racism, and this book will help.

Counting Backwards had an important story to tell, but it fell flat for me. The writing was dull, and none of the characters were particularly compelling. I really had to force myself to keep going. Carrie Buck’s story is devastating and deserves more attention, but this book didn’t do her legacy justice. It felt more like a missed opportunity than a meaningful tribute.

3.5 stars rounded up.
this is a frightening book about eugenics and forced sterilization, which aren't all that far from where we are right now. it happened in the past and it happens in the present, and either way it's harrowing. that said, i wasn't super into the white savior narrative of it all, which i think started getting especially ingratiating somewhere in the middle of the book. i also wasn't super into jessa's domestic dramas- so many moments in time i truly couldn't see where her husband was entirely wrong. on the other hand, carrie buck's story was so much more interesting and i wish it was fleshed out more/given priority over jessa's life.
tldr; it started out great but started getting less great somewhere in the middle.
thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

WOW I typically read for enjoyment and escapism but every once in a while I am drawn to a book that teaches me something, this was one of those books. Books that teach me something through its story telling are usually hard for me to rate because I will be forever changed from read but I don’t walk away feeling satisfied or happy.

For now I am rating this book 4.5 stars I know it exists somewhere between a 4 and 5 star rating I am just not totally sure exactly where I want to land.

I did my own research after reading this book and learned even more about the topics covered and couldn’t believe I had never heard of this. I would not classify this book as an enjoyable read but in my opinion it is a worthwhile read. I was able to relate to one of the characters which definitely made it hit a bit hard at times. I will absolutely walk away from this reading experience with my eyes a bit more open, I am thankful for NetGalley allowing me this experience before the book is out.

This was such a timely read. The story was compelling on so many levels and I really appreciated the author’s note about how the book originated. The dual timelines worked wonderfully and each story was equally powerful. The narrators were perfect for their respective characters. Jessa was the kind of woman we all need on our side and I was rooting for her both personally and professionally. Really well done and I highly recommend this one!