Claire has done everything the correct way throughout her pregnancy. Any suggestions, advice, commands she has followed to the letter, even giving up her beloved morning coffee. But when the time comes for her baby boy to enter the world, nothing goes the way it's supposed to. All expectations, all plans are thrown out the window. This was not how motherhood was supposed to be.
Felicity has always been tired of growing up in her perfect sister's shadow. She sees herself as not smart enough, not disciplined enough, and her strongest defense is sarcastic remarks and getting the last word in. She's become a pro at keeping her emotions in check and not letting anyone know how she really feels about things. But when an unexpected pregnancy derails her summer plans, Felicity has to deal with a whole new level of not measuring up. She definitely doesn't want the baby but if keeping him makes her boyfriend stay around maybe she should try this mother-thing out.
Julie has tried to give both her daughters a chance to be themselves. She tries not to compare them or let a long-held secret slip. After the death of her husband, Julie admits being a single parent to a daughter like Felicity has not been easy but she's sure it's just a teenage phase. When Felicity announces that she plans to keep the baby but also makes it clear she intends to continue on with her social life, Julie is torn. Should she volunteer to raise the baby, giving Felicity the freedom she demands, or is adoption the best choice for her grandson's future?
Three women from the same family fighting different battles. How they come to rely on the Lord and look past themselves is at the heart of this family drama.
Deanna Smith is passionate about her stories. You can feel in her writing a desire to communicate a message and a love for her subjects. The three women in Motherhood Unexpected are very different in many ways and Deanna captures that. She switches between their points of view in the chapters and, even though she tells you whose mind you're in, it's not necessary. Their vocabulary, thought process, and actions are distinct to them. They each sound like individuals, not created from the same author's imagination.
Claire, the main mother, is not your typical heroine. She has flaws, problems, evil thoughts. She breaks stereotypes and it's refreshing to read about someone dealing with difficult choices and questions, and struggling with what she should do opposed to what she wants to do. I smiled, cried, and hugged my kids closer through this whole book. It's easy to see glimpses of yourself in one (or all) of the women presented. And Deanna presents a timely, well constructed and well written story. I think we have all asked at some point "If God is good, why...?" Rather than filling in that blank with basic, what-we-know-we-should-say-but-are-having-trouble-believing statements, Deanna brings her characters to the breaking point and loving shows them (and us) that we can trust God in the hard times, but often it takes effort and time to truly believe what we know to be true.
If this doesn't make sense, read Motherhood Unexpected and I think you'll see what I mean. It's worth the time and tears it'll require of you.
I wrote about Deanna's earlier book here and it's worth reading also. Both can be purchased from Amazon.
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