Review ~ Dear Thing by Julie Cohen

Random House UK
Transworld Publishers

On the surface it seems that Ben and Claire have everything. The only thing missing from their warm and loving relationship is a child of their own, but Claire’s infertility hangs like a shadow, affecting every aspect of her life. Romily, is Ben’s best mate, they met at University, and through good times and bad, have managed to remain close friends. Claire and Ben are Godparents to Romily’s daughter, Posie, who is the nearest thing they have to a child of their own and they adore her.

Romily knows how sad Ben and Claire feel about not being able to have a child of their own, and so when she offers to act as a surrogate for them, it seems to be the answer to their prayers. However, even the grandest gesture amongst friends can soon start to unravel, and long buried secrets and feelings can never be truly hidden.

I was hooked by this story from the first moment and devoured the book almost in one sitting. The characters are all so finely drawn that they could be people you know, and the way in which the story is allowed to evolve, so that we begin to see right into the psyche of all the characters, is very believable. There’s a lot to absorb in the story, not just about the complexity of surrogacy, but also about the minutiae of relationships and what happens when we explore the true meaning of friendship.

My thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK Transworld Publishers for a digital copy of this book to review.