After being previously disappointed by a "best selling" novel, I decided to try a different genre on for size. While still falling under the fiction heading, I headed for the romance books. You know the kind: small paperbacks that feature damsels in distress. However, the innuendo in this particular book was low as I chose an "inspirational" romance which basically means that religion and God are talked about more than sexual acts. It's more my speed!

I came across Second Chance Mom by Mary Kate Holder in a yard sale. It was sitting atop a pile of similarly sized romance books. The price was twenty-five cents. I figured if I was going to subject myself to a 239 page book from a genre that I found intellectually inferior, twenty-five cents was just my price. As I walked home with my totally random find, I figured that it would be a nice change of pace.

Surprisingly, it was a nice change of pace. I'm glad I read this book. As far-fetched as the theme might be, I was pleased with how certain things were presented.

Bachelor Jared is looking for a wife. However, he's not looking for the traditional kind of love. He's looking for someone to marry him to keep his deceased sister and brother-in-law's family together. The youngest of the three children, Toby, had already been formally adopted at birth. However, the two older kids, Caroline and Luke, were from foster care and the adoption had not yet been finalized. In order to keep the family together, as this is taking place in Australia, Jared needed to be married. (Note: there's no mention of new home study but the social worker does make a trip to the home prior to when we meet the characters and again after the wedding.)

Jared is set up with Annie, a younger redhead whom he comes into contact via his best friend -slash- lawyer. What Jared doesn't know is that the lawyer also handled the adoption of Annie's child whom she placed for adoption at birth. Yes, you guessed it: Toby, the youngest child in the family. Annie knows that Toby is her son because she purposefully chose Jared's sister to parent her son due to the friendship they had in younger years. Just as Annie is about to tell Jared about her biological ties to Toby, Jared tells about his hurt and anger towards any mother who places her child for adoption. (Jared was adopted.) She decides, against her better judgement, not to say anything.

The family begins to bond. A wedding takes place. And despite the original statement that this would be a wedding devoid of love, the two begin to fall for one another. (What's a romance novel without a little romance?) Just as things look as though they couldn't get any better, Annie's secret is brought out. Jared is angry. Annie is worried. The kids overhear conversations. Messiness ensues.

Without totally giving away the ending, which as you may guess is rather predictable like the rest of the romance novels ever written, Jared decides he needs to talk to someone about his feelings regarding his own adoption and towards the woman that is now his wife. I was actually somewhat shocked when he sought out and spoke with his birth mother. The conversation, though somewhat steeped in some other stereotypes, is one that made me feel heart-warmed.

To learn the outcome, you actually have to read it yourself.

I liked a few things about this book. Annie, the main character and birth mother, was nothing like the stereotypes that exist concerning birth parents. Calm, loving and concerned about children and humans in general, she brings a certain sort of grace into the subject. Jared, however, is portrayed as what some would call the stereotypical angry adoptee. Some may be annoyed by the things that he says out of hurt and anger. Jared's parents, obviously adoptive parents, were kind and loving, even when they also learned Annie's secret.

Some of the wording was off-setting. I was hoping it was because the book was old but it was written in 2005. There's no talk of "placement." Everything is "given up, "gave up" or "gave away." I cringed throughout the book, each time archaic language was brought into the pages of the book. I tried not to let it take away from the easy reading but it did, especially when speaking of the infant domestic adoption as opposed to the other kinds of adoption portrayed in the book.

Despite the language, the point about birth mothers is well made near the end of the book. I'll offer you a quote without giving away who said it. Again, it has some if-y language for me but I enjoy the point of the quote.

If you never believe another word I say, believe this. It is the hardest thing in the world to give up a child unless you're a woman devoid of any human feeling.

I can't argue that point and I was glad to see an acknowledgement of the heart-wrenching, life-altering, hard-as-heck decision that birth parents make when deciding to place a child for adoption.

In short, if you're looking for a quick and easy read, a departure from your normal book list, this might be a decent read. As mentioned at the beginning, there is mention of Christian themes.

(Note of interest: the author is an adoptee.)

//
For other book reviews, read:

5. The Bad Mother's Handbook - May 2007.
4. The Mistress's Daughter - April 2007.
3. Somebody's Daughter - March 2007.
2. The Girls - February 2007.
1. Singing Bird - January 2007.