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Book Review
The Offering by Angela Hunt
Publisher: Howard Books
Publication Date: May 14, 2013
Format: Paperback - 320 pages / Kindle - 808 KB / Nook - 3 MB
ISBN: 1439182051
ASIN: B008J4RPFW
Genre: Christian Fiction / Women's Fiction
BUY THE BOOK: The Offering
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Litfuse Publicity.
Book Description:
From bestselling author Angela Hunt, the heart-wrenching story of a young mother who unknowingly gave away her own child after serving as a surrogate for a childless couple.
After growing up as an only child, Amanda Lisandra wants a big family. But since she and her soldier husband can’t afford to have more children right away, Mandy decides to earn money as a gestational carrier for a childless couple. She loves being pregnant, and while carrying the child she dreams of having her own son and maybe another daughter…
Just when the nearly perfect pregnancy is about to conclude, unexpected tragedy enters Mandy’s world and leaves her reeling. Devastated by grief, she surrenders the child she was carrying and struggles to regain her emotional equilibrium.
Two years later she studies a photograph of the baby she bore and wonders if the unthinkable has happened—could she have inadvertently given away her own biological child? Over the next few months Mandy struggles to decide between the desires of her grief-stricken heart and what’s best for the little boy she has never known.
My Book Review:
If you had the chance to be a surrogate for a couple who couldn't have a baby, would you do it? Now, what if a tragedy strikes at the end of the pregnancy that leaves you in terrible grief, and two years later you see a picture of the baby boy you carried for the couple, and he looks like your daughter. Could it be possible that the boy you carried was biologically yours? What would you do? This is the heart wrenching dilemma that Amanda Lisandra found herself in two years after being a surrogate for a childless couple.
In author Angela Hunt's poignant novel The Offering, the reader follows the bittersweet journey of military wife Amanda Lisandra as she contemplates what to do when the issue of paternity arises from the surrogate birth of the baby boy she had carried for a childless couple two years ago. Written in the first person narrative and set in Tampa, Florida, this thought-provoking story about surrogate parenting takes the reader on a heart wrenching roller coaster ride that will leave them emotionally spent.
Amanda is a military wife who is looking for a way to make some extra money to help secure the financial future of her family. When a pregnant military wife comes into her husband Gideon's family's Cuban grocery store, she tells Amanda about being a surrogate for a childless couple. This information gets Amanda thinking about the potential of raising extra money for their future as well as helping a childless couple have a baby.
Gideon is in the Army and leads an elite 16-man counterterrorism unit under the Special Forces Command based in Tampa's MacDill Air Force Base, and is frequently deployed on special secret missions. After much discussion, Gideon reluctantly supports Amanda becoming a surrogate for a French couple. Tragedy strikes when Gideon is killed in action and Amanda gives birth to a baby boy on the same day that she learns that she is a widow.
Two years later, Amanda receives a picture of the child she bore for the couple on his second birthday, and she is shocked by how much he resembles her husband and daughter. Having kept a lock of his hair, she has a DNA test taken with the results coming back that the boy is Amanda and Gideon's biological son. Amanda now faces the difficult moral choices of what to do: seek custody of her son or leave him in the care of the French couple.
This poignant story transports the reader into Amanda's story, you can't help but become emotionally invested and step into Amanda's shoes as her journey leads her down a difficult path to decide the best course of action to take for her son and family. Author Angela Hunt thoughtfully tackles the difficult issues surrounding surrogacy, and the emotional, moral, legal dilemmas and consequences that come with it.
The Offering is a captivating story that deals with death, loss, grief and family support; it has an engaging cast of characters, dramatic dialogue and interactions; and a realistic storyline that has tender moments, riveting twist and turns, and a surprise hope-filled conclusion that will pull at your heartstrings.
The Offering is a poignant and tender story that will simply touch your heart and soul, and resonate with you long after the last word has been read.
RATING: 5 STARS *****
The Offering - Book Trailer
About The Author
With over four million copies of her books sold worldwide, Angela Hunt is the bestselling author of more than one hundred books, including The Nativity Story. Hunt is one of the most sought-after collaborators in the publishing industry. Her nonfiction book Don't Bet Against Me, written with Deanna Favre, spent several weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Angela’s novel The Note (with sales of over 141,000) was filmed as the Hallmark Channel’s Christmas movie for 2007 and proved to be the highest rated television movie in the channel’s history. Angela’s novels have won or been nominated for several prestigious industry awards, including the RITA, the Christy Award, the ECPA Christian Book Award, and the Holt Medallion. She often travels to teach writing workshops at schools and writers’ conferences, and she served as the keynote speaker at the 2008 American Christian Fiction Writers’ national conference.
She and her husband make their home in Florida with mastiffs. In 2001, one of her dogs was featured on Live with Regis and Kelly as the second-largest dog in America.
Virtual Book Tour Contest Giveaway
Win A Nook HD
One winner will receive:
- A Nook HD
- The Offering by Angela Hunt
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 4th. Winner will be announced at the "The Offering" Facebook Author Chat Party on June 5th. Connect with Angela for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Angela will also share an exclusive look at her next book and give away books and other fun prizes throughout the evening.
So grab your copy of The Offering and join Angela on the evening of June 5th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)
Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on June 5th!
Gosh, what a wonderful review. It sounds like you really connected with this book. Glad you liked it!
ReplyDeleteHi! Thank you for your kind comment, I appreciate it. I love when a book draws you in and captivates you from the start and takes you on an emotional journey. The Offering is that type of book! Thank you for stopping by and visiting. :)
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