{Review} MOTHERLINE by Lisa Rosen

ISBN #: 978-0989370103

Page Count: 256

Copyright: September 1, 2013

Publisher: Morgan and Dawson Publishing; 1st Edition

Description:

(Taken from back cover)

You know those days in a family--weddings, funerals, births--when everyone comes together and all that history and garbage fester and boil and sometimes explode?

Well, this is one of those days. Maggie is in labor. When the first contractions ripple across her belly, she has no idea what to expect. She knows what she wants. She wants that perfect birth from the movies, with her family gathered around, welcoming her baby, helping her become the perfect mother.

More than anything, though, she wants her mother to be there for her, but relationships between mothers and daughters are often complicated. Her husband Sam would do anything for Maggie, but as their families converge on the hospital for this birth, he can't keep the craziness at bay.

Through a series of flashbacks, as well as events in the labor room, Maggie digs more deeply into her painful past. Memories bubble to the surface, forcing her to re-examine the tragic accident that killed her baby brother. Relationships between mothers and daughters are often complicated. But in order to learn what it means to be a mother, Maggie finally has to face her own mother, and find a way to both forgive and be forgiven.

Charlene's Review:

Already past her due date, Maggie has a plan on how her labor and delivery should go. When she finds herself in actual labor, things quickly take a downward turn as she realizes she is not in control, and she has a lot of her own mother baggage to overcome before she, herself, can welcome a baby into her life. As she prepares her body to deliver, Maggie’s mind flashes back to the pivotal moment in her life that changed her relationship with her own mother.

In Motherline, Ms. Rosen introduces us to the ambivalence, fears, and ultimate joy of childbirth.While focusing on the birth experience with great detail and insight, she also manages to weave in the personal relationship between mother and daughter, that defines most women’s own parenting. I was drawn into the book by the honesty and raw emotion shown in Maggie’s struggle to forgive, as well as her fears that she might not be the kind of mother she feels she should be.

Any woman that has given birth, or is thinking of giving birth, will appreciate the emotions expressed. This is not a feel-good, fairy tale birth. This is real, raw emotion that many women experience. The flashbacks complete the story, flawlessly, as the past reconciles with the present, and future. Ms. Rosen’s exquisite writing style is refreshing. I highly recommend this book.

5 out of 5 stars!


*A physical copy of the book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.