AWW Feature: Q & A with Annie Hauxwell, author of A Bitter Taste

Welcome Annie Hauxwell!

I am pleased to feature author Annie Hauxwell today at Book’d Out. Annie was born in the East End of London and emigrated with her family to Australia when she was a teenager. She abandoned the law to work as an investigator, and now combines this with writing. She lives in Castlemaine, a small country town in Victoria, and travels to London frequently.

Annie’s debut novel, In Her Blood, was published in 2012 introducing investigator Catherine Berlin. A Bitter Taste (Penguin) is the second in the gritty crime fiction series set in London released this month.

“Treachery becomes a habit.

London is in the grip of a stifling heatwave. The city has slowed to a claustrophobic shuffle. Heroin-addicted investigator Catherine Berlin suffers while working the lowest of investigations: matrimonial.

The city’s junkies are in the grip of a drought of a different kind. Sonja Kvist a strung-out ghost from Berlin’s past, turns up on her doorstep. Sonja daughter is missing. An unpaid debt leaves Berlin no choice but to take the case of the missing ten-year-old. 

Berlin is back. And soon the hunter becomes the hunted: corrupt detectives are on Berlin’s tail chasing drugs she doesn’t have, a young girl is murdered and the matrimonial case unravels.

And the temperature keeps rising”

My review of A Bitter Taste will appear later today. In the meantime, read on to learn more…

Q & A

Q: Can you tell us a little about ‘In Her Blood’, the prequel to ‘A Bitter Taste’ ?

Annie: In Her Blood introduces Catherine Berlin, a heroin-addicted investigator with the Financial Services Agency in London.  On a bone-chilling February morning Berlin finds the body of her informant in a shallow reach of the Thames. That the murder is linked to her investigation of a local loan shark comes as no surprise to Berlin, but when the GP who prescribes her heroin is murdered and she is incriminated, she realizes that more than her job is at stake. She has seven stolen days of clarity to solve the crime – and find a new supplier.

Q: What lessons did you learn with ‘In her Blood’ that changed the way you approached writing ‘A Bitter Taste’?

Annie: I learnt a lot about point of view writing In Her Blood, largely thanks to hard work by my editor at Penguin. I think I was able to be more consistent and, hopefully, more coherent, in managing the POVs of different characters, while still maintaining Berlin’s role as the primary driver of the action.

Q: What are the main themes in ‘A Bitter Taste’?

Annie: Betrayal, treachery and the unexpected ways the past comes back to bite you.

Q: What traits define your protagonist, investigator Catherine Berlin?

Annie: Melancholy, stubborn, brave, misanthropic. You wouldn’t want to have dinner with her, but at your back if you’re in trouble.

Q: Which scene or character in ‘A Bitter Taste’ did you find most difficult to write and why?

Annie: I found it very difficult to write the last page. Endings can get you into a world of trouble: have I said enough? too little? is it satisfying? will the reader feel cheated? sad they’ve reached the end? be glad it’s over?? It’s a challenge.

Q: Why did you choose London as the setting for your series, given you also spend much of your time in Australia?

Annie: The location and characters of In Her Blood grew out of my time working as an investigator in London with Operation Sharkbait, the Illegal Money Lending Team. I was going to write a trilogy, but then the publishers said ‘series’ and I said ‘fine’. A Bitter Taste is also set in London, but Berlin will be on the move soon, I promise!

Q:   Can you please share three of your favourite novels by Australian women writers?

The Man Who Loved Children by Christina Stead
The Spare Room by Helen Garner
The Idea of Perfection by Kate Grenville
Q: What is your preference?
•           Coffee/Tea or other?  Coffee
•           Beach/Pool or River? River
•           Slacks/Jeans or Leggings? Jeans
•           Butterfly/Tiger or Giraffe? Giraffe
•           Swing/Slide or Roundabout? Slide

You can learn more about Annie Hauxwell at www.anniehauxwell.com

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Review & Giveaway: Half Moon Bay by Helene Young

Title: Half Moon Bay

Author: Helene Young

Published: Penguin May 2013

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Status: Read from May 22 to 23, 2013 { Courtesy Netgalley/the publisher}

My Thoughts:

With the wonderful balance of action, intrigue and romance which Helene Young always gets exactly right, Half Moon Bay is an exciting and engaging novel.

When the small community of Half Moon Bay is threatened by a corrupt Lord Mayor, international photojournalist Ellie Wilding returns to her home town determined to stop him. It doesn’t take long for Ellie to uncover evidence of kick backs and blackmail but she is shocked to discover that O’Sullivan may also be complicit in a drug ring involving Asian casino operators, Afghani warlords, Australian ex-soldiers and the death of her older sister Nina, a journalist, three years before and half a world away.
Nick Lawson is stunned to find Ellie in the midst of the protests against the land development in Half Moon Bay. Working undercover, the ICAC operation he is managing could be compromised if Ellie recognises him as the soldier who was present in Afghanistan when her older sister Nina, a journalist, was shot and killed.
As Ellie continues to investigate the links between her sister, an old friend and the corruption in her home town, she has no idea of the danger she is in and Nick, desperate to keep her safe from harm, will have to tell her everything, except the truth.

Moving between war torn Afghanistan, a small Australian coastal town and the ‘big smoke, Half Moon Bay is a fast paced, tension filled adventure. With consummate skill the author has developed a plot that is believable but not entirely predictable. I really enjoyed the way in which the story begins as if a fairly transparent case of greed but deepens into a complex web of crime involving corruption, drug running, kidnapping and murder.

Ellie is a capable, independent and strong protagonist. She is willing to fight for what she believes in and ignores attempts at threats and intimidation, but not to the point of fool hardiness. I love that Young’s heroines don’t take TSTL (too stupid to live) chances, and when the situation deteriorates, Ellie acts sensibly to minimise the risks to herself and others.

The romance between Ellie and Nick is complicated by a shared past that Ellie doesn’t even remember. Nick however has never been able to forget the bravery and resourcefulness Ellie showed while trying desperately to save her sister’s life. After failing to protect Nina in Afghanistan, Nick will do anything to ensure Ellie’s safety but given his status as the ‘enemy’ with regards to the land deal, her general suspicion of him and his inability to share the truth of his connection to the whole mess, earning her trust could be an impossible task.

Once I began Half Moon Bay I was reluctant to put it down, caught up in it’s exhilarating tale of romance and suspense. It was no less than I expected though from award winning author Helene Young. Half Moon Bay is a fantastic page turner and one I recommend you add to your must read shelf.

For details on how to win a signed copy of Half Moon Bay, view Helene’s guest post published at Book’d Out earlier today – CLICK HERE

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AWW Feature & Giveaway: Helene Young and Half Moon Bay

Welcome Helene Young!

I am thrilled to welcome back Helene Young to Book’d Out today, celebrating the release of her fourth book, Half Moon Bay. Helene has previously been a guest here at Book’d Out  andI  had the pleasure of meeting her last year.

Helene’s previous award winning novels, Shattered Sky, Wings of Fear and Burning Lies formed a loosely linked trilogy and earned her the title of most popular romantic suspense author by the Romance Readers of Australia (ARRA) in 2010 and 2011. My review of Half Moon Bay has been published HERE. In the meantime enjoy catching up with Helene and enter for your chance to win a signed copy of Half Moon Bay. Read on…

This Floating Writer’s Life.

The last twelve months has seen four significant milestones come and go. I had a change of job within the airline, which gave me more time at home with hubbie and hound.

Capt G took extended long service leave in November to coincide with his 55^th birthday, which also gave him a whole lot more time at home – a husband underfoot is a dangerous distraction…

We bought a 40 ft catamaran called Roo Bin Esque (named because she’s a voluptuous sexy French Boat with a couple of irreverent Australian sailors and dog aboard.)

Finally, we packed the contents of our house, along with several thousand books, into a shipping container and embarked on a sea change which we’ve been planning for fifteen years. (You can see the photos of our month’s journey north from Brisbane to Cairns on my blog.)

So now I’m a writer afloat with a new view from my window and a different rhythm to the day. It’s a little bit like camping as daylight hours dictate what you do. Sure we have a great big generator that makes lots of noise and produces beautiful 240 volts to run all the modern appliances, but who wants noise if you can have tranquility instead. I’ve always been a sparrow, up with first light, but now more than ever we wake with the sunrise and settle with the sunset.

It’s so much simpler than a house yet so much more labour intensive.  When we’re at sea there’s a dinghy to launch every time we want to go ashore. If the motors are on there’s a flurry of activity with water to make, batteries to charge, clothes to wash and decks to scrub. The fridge freezer demands to be defrosted every five days and the salt spray coats everything in a hazy layer.  Zeus, the long suffering Wonder Staffy, has to have a walk ashore twice a day since there’s not much play room on a boat, and besides those walks can be an adventure all of their own!

When we’re in a marina, there are people to chat to, chores to be done and a never-ending list of maintenance tasks.  Things we take fore granted like internet connection can prove to be fickle. We had several spots without internet or phone access on our sail north. They were the most peaceful days, but it took me a while to stop obsessively checking for service…

So how will all this affect my writing? I’m hoping for more down time to write. Half Moon Bay was released yesterday and my wonderful publishers would like the next completed manuscript in by mid-August. I’m working on it, but the view can be distracting and I find myself hurrying to find the camera and snap off another photo.

The upside is the inspiration in the scenery and people we meet.  For now I’ll soak up the ambience knowing there’s another significant milestone in a couple of weeks. Funny, but I don’t feel a day over twenty-five!

To go into the draw for a signed copy of Half Moon Bay tell us what you’d like to do if you could have a change from your current lifestyle in the comments. Would you be a tree changer or a backpacker, a sea change or jillaroo?

Competition closes Thursday 12 pm 30^th May and the winner will be announced on the 31^st May. Open worldwide

About Half Moon Bay

Ellie Wilding has been running from her past, but when the residents of Half Moon Bay call for help she knows it’s finally time to return home.  As an international photojournalist, she’s used to violence in war zones, but she’s shocked when it erupts in the sleepy hamlet on the north coast of New South Wales, threatening all she holds dear.

Battle-weary Nicholas Lawson walked away from his military career leaving unfinished business. In a coastal backwater, that decision returns to haunt him. He remembers all too vividly his last lethal assignment in Afghanistan when Ellie’s sister, Nina, was shot and killed. Ellie’s been in his dreams ever since, even if she doesn’t remember him…

As a storm rages and floodwaters rise, Ellie struggles to save her community. But who can she trust? Nick Lawson, the dangerously attractive stranger with secrets, or an old friend who’s never let her down?

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Review: And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

Title: And the Mountains Echoed

Author: Khaled Hosseini

Published: Bloomsbury May 2013

Status: Read from May 17 to 18, 2013 — I own a copy {Courtesy ReadingRoom/Publisher}

My Thoughts:

I am almost embarrassed to admit I have yet to read Khaled Hosseini’s first acclaimed works, The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns so I couldn’t pass up on the chance to read And the Mountains Echoed, the author’s third novel.

This novel begins in 1952 as a father recites a bed time story to his young son and daughter during an overnight trek across the Afghanistan desert on their way to Kabul. The tale, we soon learn, tells the truth of the father’s journey for desperate to provide for his new wife and growing family, the father has agreed to sell his daughter to a wealthy couple unable to bear their own in a deal brokered by their valet, his brother. The separation of the brother and sister, Abdullah and Pari, provides the catalyst for Hosseini to share several stories, within a larger arc, that explore the bonds of family and love, and the devastation of separation and loss.

Abdullah returns to their village with his father but feels the loss of his sister keenly;
“She was like the dust that clung to his shirt. She was in the silences that had become so frequent in the house, silence that welled up between their words, sometimes cold and hollow, sometimes pregnant with things that went unsaid, like a cloud filled with rain that never fell.”

but never relinquishes the dream of being reunited with Pari.

At just four, Pari quickly settles into her new life but it is the story of her adoptive parents – the wild, provocative Nila and her introverted and much older husband Mr. Suleiman Wahdati, that unravels next as witnessed by Pari’s uncle, Nabi. A marriage of convenience it soon disintegrates when Wahditi suffers a stroke and Nila flees to France, her mother’s birthplace, with Pari. Nabi is left to nurse his invalid employer, remaining with him even as the war begins to rage around them.

Moving then to Paris, America while never straying far from war torn Afghanistan, the fates of Abdullah, Pari, and those connected to them are slowly revealed. It is an emotional, poignant journey that weaves it’s way in and out of character, time and place.

I do have to admit And The Mountains Echoed was not without its flaws for me. At times I felt the narrative was disjointed and while eventually Hosseini merges the threads of the splintered journey is not always an easy path to follow. Characters come and go and their importance, or their relationship to Abdullah and Pari, are not always clear.

Still, I was captivated by the powerful prose and the heartfelt emotion infused in this tale. And The Mountains Echoed is an epic tale of heartbreak and hope that exposes humanity at it’s worst and best. A fine novel that I am pleased to recommend.

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Review: Austenland by Shannon Hale

 

Title: Austenland {Austenland #1)

Author: Shannon Hale

Published: Bloomsbury April 2013

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Status: Read on May 09, 2013 — I own a copy {Courtesy the publisher}

My Thoughts:

Austenland is a delightful novel with a unique twist on the continuing homage to classics author, Jane Austen. Though it was released several years ago it has been republished by Bloomsbury ahead of its debut as a motion picture starring Keri Russell, due for release in September 2013.

In Austenland, New Yorker Jane Hayes is thirty two, single and nurses a secret obsession with Pride and Prejudice, particularly the BBC film adaption, and her romantic ideal Mr Darcy/Colin Firth. When Jane’s aunt dies and bequeaths her an all expenses vacation to Pembroke Park, a UK resort that immerses their guests in a Regency England ‘experience’, Jane hopes that living the fantasy will finally allow her to put her obsession behind her, before she winds up a spinster.

Though I do appreciate Jane Austen’s contribution to the literary world I wouldn’t say I am a huge fan and of her works, Emma is my favourite rather than the more popular Pride and Prejudice. As such, I wasn’t at all sure what to expect from Austenland but given it’s brevity (at just under 200 pages) I was willing to give it a chance and I was pleasantly surprised to find that I was quickly caught up in this delightful romantic comedy.

I have no doubt Pembroke Park, should it ever actually exist, would have a steady stream of clientele enamoured by the romance of the Regency period (while still enjoying some of today’s mod cons). In Austenland, the resort is populated by paying guests and actors required to conduct themselves in a manner befitting Jane Austen’s time. I thought Hale created a unique and fun setting, and though it takes a while for Jane Hayes to succumb to the experience, which requires her give up her mobile phone and wear a bonnet whenever she steps outside, eventually she submits to its charms, encouraged by the attention of the Park’s gardener and the gruff Mr Nobley.

This lighthearted novel is a quick, entertaining read sure to delight Jane Austen and romance fans alike. I’m looking forward to reading the next Austenland book, Midnight in Austenland, from Hale soon.

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Review: Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella

Title: Wedding Night

Author: Sophie Kinsella

Published: Bantam Press May 2013

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Status: Read from May 08 to 09, 2013 — I own a copy {Courtesy the Publisher}

My Thoughts:

Wedding Night, the latest novel from popular chick lit author Sophie Kinsella, exhibits her trademark charm and penchant for absurd humour.
Her heroine is thirty year old Lottie Graveney who is devastated when the marriage proposal she is expecting from her long time beau Richard isn’t forthcoming. In fact he tells her he is not interested in marriage in the forseeable future and for Lottie that means the end of their relationship. She is still reeling from the break up when her ex boyfriend, Ben, gets in touch after more than a decade’s silence. As the pair reminisce about the summer they spent together on the idyllic Greek island where they met, Ben reminds Lottie of their pact to get married if they were both still single at thirty, confesses he never stopped loving her and proposes almost all in one breath. Lottie says yes and the pair decide not to wait arranging a no fuss registry wedding for just a few days hence. Lottie has only one condition – no sex until their wedding night. Despite the strenuous objections of Lottie’s sister, Fliss, and Ben’s best friend, Lorcan, the marriage goes ahead and the newlyweds jet off to Ikonos for their honeymoon, but Fliss isn’t about to let her sister make the biggest mistake of her life and she will do anything to stop them consummating the marriage.

Wedding Night is pretty much exactly what I expected from Kinsella, the plot is predictable, the characters largely OTT and yet it doesn’t seem to matter much because it’s all good fun, even if utterly unbelievable.
Where Wedding Night does differ from other novels I have read by Kinsella is the narrative told from two point of views. Lottie is the flaky, starry eyed heroine familiar to the author’s readers while her older sister, Fliss is a little more sensible and cynical. I liked Fliss a little more than Lottie though neither behave particularly well, Fliss is overzealous in her attempt to help her sister while Lottie makes a cascade of impulsive decisions.
As long as you don’t overthink it, there are some real laugh out loud moments as Lottie’s and Ben’s attempts to consummate their marriage are deftly thwarted by the hotel manager at the behest of Fliss including broken volume controls, intrusive butlers and a couples massage that causes Lottie to have a painful allergic reaction.

A lighthearted rom-com, Wedding Night is a amusing way to spend an hour or two when you don’t have the energy for anything more taxing. I didn’t think it’s Kinsella’s best but fans should still enjoy the familiar silliness.

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Review: Heartland by Cathryn Hein

 

Title: Heartland

Author: Cathryn Hein

Published: Michael Joseph: Penguin May 2013

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Status: Read from May 04 to 05, 2013 — I own a copy {Courtesy the Publisher}

My Thoughts:

In Heartland, Callie Reynolds has spent eight years avoiding her family but her grandmother’s death necessitates her return to Glenmore, the property that was once Callie’s childhood refuge, and which now belongs to her. Intending to simply sell up and move on, Callie’s plans are quickly sabotaged by a warty horse, a mad goose, a frightened girl and her handsome neighbour, Matt Hawkins. But Callie is determined to do what she is sure is the right thing by her sister’s memory, even if it breaks her heart. A delightful novel, Heartland is Cathryn Hein’s third heart warming rural romance.

The tragic death of Callie’s sister, Hope, has been a burden Callie has carried for almost a decade. She has avoided anything that could give her more than a fleeting moment of contentment, punishing herself due to misplaced guilt. Focused on her goal of selling the property and donating the proceeds to the foundation established in her sister’s name as some kind of restitution, Callie is surprised to find herself reluctant to let go of Glenmore. I sympathised with Callie who was struggling under the weight of so much pain and self recrimination. Though fragile and vulnerable, Callie is not weak or helpless and I loved that Hein allowed Callie to find her way forward at a natural pace.

Callie’s journey towards forgiving herself is supported by the relationship she develops with Matt. The romance between the emotionally crippled Callie and physically scarred Matt is written beautifully. Matt is kind and patient with an emotional strength earned from overcoming a difficult childhood and his experiences in Afghanistan. He is just the type of hero that appeals to me and I was half in love with him myself. Though their relationship is sweet and tender, there is also a delicious simmering of desire, and more importantly they are what each other needs and there is a genuine sense of respect between them.

The animals featured in Heartland have their own personalities and play an vital role in the story. Honk, the recalcitrant goose, adds hilarity to temper the more sober themes. Phantom, aka ‘Warty-Morty’, helps Callie overcome her fear of attachment and is instrumental in curing Lyndall’s fear of horses. Patch, the puppy Callie begrudgingly accepts as a gift, assists Callie to process her guilt over the death of her sister.

With Heartland, Cathryn Hein has written a wonderful, moving story exploring the themes of grief, guilt, family and love. It will definitely be on my favourites list for 2013 and I am happy to recommend it.

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My Review

 

Review: Dead Man’s Deal by Jocelynn Drake

 

Title: Dead Man’s Deal {The Asylum Tales #2}

Author: Jocelynn Drake

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Published: Harper Voyager May 2013

Status: Read from May 07 to 08, 2013 -I own a copy {Courtesy the publisher}

My Thoughts:

I had hoped to get my hands on a copy of Angel’s Ink before reading this, the next book in Drake’s Asylum Tales series but I didn’t quite manage it. Thankfully Dead Man’s Deal worked surprisingly well as a stand alone and I gratefully escaped into a world of magic, monsters and mayhem.

Dead Man’s Deal features Gage Powell, a wizard who turned his back on his training in order to escape the horrifying politics of his fellow magic wielders in the Ivory Towers. He makes his living as a tattoo artist in Low Town whilst forced to submit to strict conditions laid down by the Towers upon the threat of execution. Gage works hard to keep his head down but when the ruling class hears rumours of a rebellion amongst the general population that even leveling an entire city doesn’t quell, they are eager to blame Gage and now he, and everyone he cares about, is under threat unless he can survive long enough to strike a deal.

In Drake’s world, wizards and witches rule with sadistic impunity while humanity and other races suffer their whims. Children who exhibit magic skills, like Gage did, are forcibly removed from their parents with all further contact denied and are brought up amongst their own kind, apprenticed to mature wizards and witches. It’s a competitive, cut throat environment which breeds arrogance, entitlement and casual viciousness and in Dead Man’s Deal, Drake shares snippets of Gage’s past to reveal the horror of his childhood.

Gage’s determination to overthrow his destiny is his prime motivator but not at the cost of another’s life if he can avoid it. While Gage would like nothing more than to dismantle the Ivory Towers, in Dead Man’s Deal he is forced to stop the rebellion led by the Dark Elf, knowing that his brethren will destroy everything to suppress the dissemination of the coordinates of their towers. As Gage tries to capture the Elf he also has to deal with Tower assassins, jealous fae and the surprise arrival of his long lost brother. It’s a fast paced, action packed plot mired in magic and violence relieved by Drake’s wicked sense of humour and his passionate romance with his girlfriend, Trixie, an elf.

I really enjoyed Dead Man’s Deal and Drake’s creation of her gritty, unique world. Gage is a great hero with many admirable traits and he is supported by a cast of interesting characters and the story has may eager to know what happens next. This series is a must for fans of urban fantasy.

 

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Review: The Glass Wives by Amy Sue Nathan

 

Title: The Glass Wives

Author: Amy Sue Nathan

Published: St Martins Griffin May 2013

Status: Read from May 12 to 13, 2013 — I own a copy {Courtesy publisher/Netgalley}

My Thoughts:

I’ve been following Any Sue Nathan’s blog, Women’s Fiction Writers for a while, appreciating it’s focus on an often maligned genre that I enjoy. When I discovered her debut novel, The Glass Wives, available for review on Netgalley I jumped at the chance to read it.

In the Glass Wives, the unexpected demise of Richard Glass threatens to shatter Evie’s hard won, post-divorce equilibrium. While supporting her eleven year old twins, Sophie and Sam, as they mourn the loss of their father, Evie is forced to confront not only her changing circumstance but also Richard’s legacy, his widow (once mistress), Nicole, and her infant son, Luca.
Prompted by financial complications, her children’s affection for their half sibling and the young widow’s neediness, Eve reluctantly invites Nicole and Luca to live with her in a temporary but mutually beneficial arrangement.

Within the framework of this unusual set up, Nathan explores the idea of family and it’s changing definition in modern day society. While Evie initially thinks Richard’s death frees her from ongoing contact with Nicole, she hadn’t considered the bond between her children and their half sibling. It creates an interesting connection between the widow and the ex wife which Nathan dissects with compassion and keen insight into the situation’s unique challenges.
Friendship, trust, forgiveness and moving on are other themes explored in The Glass Wives. Evie is forced to reconcile her relationships and her hopes for the future with the baggage of her personal experience.

The characters of The Glass Wives are well drawn and easy to relate to. I greatly admired Evie and her decision to deal with a difficult situation as gracefully as possible. I doubt I could be so generous to my ex husband’s mistress, even under such desperate circumstances. I found it hard to develop much sympathy for Nicole, even when her tragic history was revealed. I do think her motivations were a little confusing at times and I never really developed a sense of who she was. Laney and Beth, Evie’s best friends, provided much needed levity and warmth through out the book whilst still playing devil’s advocate Evie’s decisions and opinions.

Well written, The Glass Wives is a thought provoking, enjoyable debut novel exploring the challenges of defining family and love in a time of social change.

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Review: The Rules of Conception by Angela Lawrence

 

Title: The Rules of Conception

Author: Angela Lawrence

Published: MIRA: Harlequin Australia May 2013

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Status: Read on May 03, 2013 — I own a copy {Courtesy the Publisher}

My Thoughts:

Debut author Angela Lawrence explores a woman’s desire for motherhood in The Rules of Conception. Rachel Richards is in her mid thirties, single (again), financially secure and wanting to be a mother. Worried time is running out, she makes the choice to go it alone. Rachel begins to investigate her options, eventually choosing a ‘known donor’ but the conception of her plan turns out to be much easier than it’s execution.

I was intrigued by the premise of The Rules of Conception, primarily because I have a friend currently considering her options. Like Rachel, none of her relationships have worked out and as she approaches forty her biological clock is ticking ever louder. There are so many factors for her to consider and I hoped that Lawrence would provide some insight into the journey.

I found the viability of the varied options Rachel explores really interesting, from co parenting arrangements to the purchase of anonymous donor sperm from abroad. They each have their pro’s and con’s, raising issues I hadn’t given much thought to.
Eventually Rachel determines that a ‘known donor’ is the right choice for her and her search leads her to Digby, a man who wants to father a child but not raise one. Armed with a list of questions and a legal contract Rachel is sensible about the process in an attempt to control the situation, but her narrow focus doesn’t allow much room for variations of her circumstances.

What I do think the story lacked was emotion, Rachel is focused on her plans but there is no real sense of excitement or apprehension from her about the pregnancy, birth or her general circumstances until very near the end. She never seems to daydream about her baby’s future, muse about what he/she will look like or debate baby names neither does she seem concerned about the baby’s health or worry much about Digby’s honesty, even when he disappears. Most everyone is supportive of her decision and I think the story could have benefited by having a character to really challenge Rachel.

Most of the angst in the story involves Rachel’s relationship with her horrific boss, a situation that definitely evokes sympathy and which her pregnancy threatens to exacerbate, yet even that fizzles out to a bland truce.

The Rules of Conception is interesting, entertaining and I thought Lawrence wrote sensitively about the practical issues involved in the process of choosing single parenthood. It is a thought provoking story and as such I will be passing it on to my friend.

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