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celjla212's review against another edition
4.0
I am a mother, first and foremost, so I was definitely intrigued by a book that had a mother leaving her baby the day after giving birth. When I read how much the woman, Georgia, wanted the baby, it made even less sense to me that she would abandon him. But as the book delved deeper into the reasons for Georgia's actions, it became clear to me that she was a very broken woman indeed.
Georgia and Alice have been best friends for 13 years--until something happens that shatters both of their families. Both women's lives are thrown into upheaval, but they way they handle things is totally different. Georgia is creative, impulsive, but a fiercely loving mother; so it's completely unlike her to just up and leave the son she's been trying to have for over 10 years. Alice is meticulous, a planner. She clings to her child and husband with all she's got. But it's not enough.
Obviously, there is a huge reveal in this book that I do not want to spoil for you, so I'm kind of dancing around it. The story is told from both Alice and Georgia's points of view, so we get each woman's thoughts on what happened and how they are dealing with it. Both are mothers to now teenage girls who are friends. That's one of the only things they have in common, yet their friendship has endured to this point. I liked both Georgia and Alice; I just thought each had their flaws. As a mother, it's easy for me to say, "How could you leave your baby?" But there are so many extenuating circumstances, I am not sure what I would have done if I were in Georgia's place.
I liked that the writing was rather straightforward. There was some exposition, but no long flowery paragraphs that made me want to skim over them. The writing was at times as raw as the women's feelings--you felt what each of them were feeling, even though they were on opposite sides, you could relate to their thoughts.
I also thought the title was very clever. Each woman is leaving a haven of their own. Georgia, literally, as the baby was named Haven. Alice begins to resent the safe haven she has in her husband and her predictable life.
This was a great read with plenty of heartfelt moments. The ending leaves things open and messy, but that's real life in these kinds of situations.
Georgia and Alice have been best friends for 13 years--until something happens that shatters both of their families. Both women's lives are thrown into upheaval, but they way they handle things is totally different. Georgia is creative, impulsive, but a fiercely loving mother; so it's completely unlike her to just up and leave the son she's been trying to have for over 10 years. Alice is meticulous, a planner. She clings to her child and husband with all she's got. But it's not enough.
Obviously, there is a huge reveal in this book that I do not want to spoil for you, so I'm kind of dancing around it. The story is told from both Alice and Georgia's points of view, so we get each woman's thoughts on what happened and how they are dealing with it. Both are mothers to now teenage girls who are friends. That's one of the only things they have in common, yet their friendship has endured to this point. I liked both Georgia and Alice; I just thought each had their flaws. As a mother, it's easy for me to say, "How could you leave your baby?" But there are so many extenuating circumstances, I am not sure what I would have done if I were in Georgia's place.
I liked that the writing was rather straightforward. There was some exposition, but no long flowery paragraphs that made me want to skim over them. The writing was at times as raw as the women's feelings--you felt what each of them were feeling, even though they were on opposite sides, you could relate to their thoughts.
I also thought the title was very clever. Each woman is leaving a haven of their own. Georgia, literally, as the baby was named Haven. Alice begins to resent the safe haven she has in her husband and her predictable life.
This was a great read with plenty of heartfelt moments. The ending leaves things open and messy, but that's real life in these kinds of situations.
beastreader's review against another edition
4.0
Georgia and her husband have hit a rocky spot in their life. They have only one child. Georgia has struggled with many miscarriages. She wants to try for one more child but her biological clock is ticking fast.
Alice and her husband are also experiencing troubles in their marriage. When Alice hears that Georgia is in need of some eggs, she offers up some of her's. Then the unexpected happens...Georgia gets pregnant and Alice starts an affair with her husband.
As soon as you pick up this book to start reading it, you will be sucked in for the emotional journey. The person that I felt the most connected to in this book was Georgia. She had so many emotions and she felt real to me. LIke someone that I could know. I do applaud Georgia. She is a trooper for what she went through. Plus she has a big heart. As far as I was concerned, Alice and Georgia's husband were human too. I mean no one is truely perfect. It was just the way they went about the situation that I did not care for them as much.
In fact, I kind of thought that Georgia's husband deserved having to take care of the new baby by himself. While Alice may not have done the friend thing by sleeping with Georgia's husband, I did have some feelings for her. I mean it could not have been easy to know that the child your friend is caring is your's. Leaving Haven will hav eyou craving more of Kathleen McCleary.
Alice and her husband are also experiencing troubles in their marriage. When Alice hears that Georgia is in need of some eggs, she offers up some of her's. Then the unexpected happens...Georgia gets pregnant and Alice starts an affair with her husband.
As soon as you pick up this book to start reading it, you will be sucked in for the emotional journey. The person that I felt the most connected to in this book was Georgia. She had so many emotions and she felt real to me. LIke someone that I could know. I do applaud Georgia. She is a trooper for what she went through. Plus she has a big heart. As far as I was concerned, Alice and Georgia's husband were human too. I mean no one is truely perfect. It was just the way they went about the situation that I did not care for them as much.
In fact, I kind of thought that Georgia's husband deserved having to take care of the new baby by himself. While Alice may not have done the friend thing by sleeping with Georgia's husband, I did have some feelings for her. I mean it could not have been easy to know that the child your friend is caring is your's. Leaving Haven will hav eyou craving more of Kathleen McCleary.
justlily's review against another edition
3.0
Pretty decent but also dragged on for about 50 pages too long. By the end I was skimming. The ending was satisfying without overdoing it though so props for that.
kdurham2's review against another edition
5.0
Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings
Two women that are best friends and would do anything for each other end up twisted up in drama and controversy, but it is the way this story is told that was unique and special. Georgia and Alice are both happily married, but Georgia has been trying to have a second child for years and years. Alice will lend her friend an egg, so Georgia can have the one thing she has been yearning for for years.
The way this story was told was fantastic. The first part had Georgia and Alice each telling their stories in their own chapters, but one was going back in time and one started later and was going forward. They eventually converged on a monumental date and the second part had them both moving forward from that date - it was awesome! I wouldn't recommend reading this on an ereader because I had to go back a few times just to check my dates.
Two women that are best friends and would do anything for each other end up twisted up in drama and controversy, but it is the way this story is told that was unique and special. Georgia and Alice are both happily married, but Georgia has been trying to have a second child for years and years. Alice will lend her friend an egg, so Georgia can have the one thing she has been yearning for for years.
The way this story was told was fantastic. The first part had Georgia and Alice each telling their stories in their own chapters, but one was going back in time and one started later and was going forward. They eventually converged on a monumental date and the second part had them both moving forward from that date - it was awesome! I wouldn't recommend reading this on an ereader because I had to go back a few times just to check my dates.
amyma's review against another edition
4.0
About a third through reading Leaving Haven, I was asked if I would recommend it. At the time, I said not really because, while I liked the book, it hadn't grabbed me and made me want to find out what would happen next. It seemed like part 1 was dragging a bit. On the other hand, I do appreciate the detailed backstory given during that part of the book. Once I hit part 2, the book picked up speed and I really didn't want to put it down in anticipation of what was coming. I also found the going back and forth with dates (as the chapter titles) to be confusing. I would recommend thinking of each chapter as either "before" or "present".
The story begins with Georgia nursing her second child, a baby she had just given birth to, desperately wanted, and tried to have for many years. Georgia then proceeds to abandon the baby. Why would she do this? To me, how could she do this, she was leaving behind an innocent baby. The rest of the book gives that backstory and then goes into Georgia's life after the birth. The author did a very good job of connecting the reader to the characters. I felt Georgia's pain, but also became annoyed with her a few times when I thought she was being ridiculously stubborn.
So, even though I was wishy-washy on whether to recommend the book toward the beginning, by the end I changed my mind.
The story begins with Georgia nursing her second child, a baby she had just given birth to, desperately wanted, and tried to have for many years. Georgia then proceeds to abandon the baby. Why would she do this? To me, how could she do this, she was leaving behind an innocent baby. The rest of the book gives that backstory and then goes into Georgia's life after the birth. The author did a very good job of connecting the reader to the characters. I felt Georgia's pain, but also became annoyed with her a few times when I thought she was being ridiculously stubborn.
So, even though I was wishy-washy on whether to recommend the book toward the beginning, by the end I changed my mind.
bethreadsandnaps's review against another edition
3.0
I just don't know about this one. Usually I can empathize with characters' choices even if I don't like what they did. However, I couldn't quite get my head around why Georgia leaves the child that she knows biologically is her husband's and friend's from egg donation and IVF just because they subsequently had an affair. I can see leaving the spouses due to the affair, but I can't get my head around how it was the child's "fault" and how she couldn't be around the child despite knowing the biological aspect all along.
Maybe I would need to have my friend donate her eggs, do IVF, and then find out my husband and friend were having an affair to really understand why I wanted to have nothing to do with the child I knowingly brought into the world.
Back to the book. The timeline was confusing. I suppose I have an easier time with actual dates instead of "6 months ago" when the novel took place in June 2012 and the whole thing skips around. Just write the date without referring to its temporal relation to a point in time.
I wasn't too fond of the character of Georgia. Like I said, I couldn't wrap my head around her choice. Also what annoys me is when a woman wants a child at all costs, goes to extreme measures, and doesn't think of the ramifications. It comes off short-sighted and selfish. Personally I think that's playing with fire when you're talking about bringing life to this world. That's just my perspective, but my caveat is that I just wanted one child and easily conceived that one child.
Other annoyances: rotating narrator, toying with how things unfolded for the first half of the book (we knew it was coming, felt strung along), the timeline jumping.
It did make me think, though, as evidenced by this review. The writing was decent too.
Maybe I would need to have my friend donate her eggs, do IVF, and then find out my husband and friend were having an affair to really understand why I wanted to have nothing to do with the child I knowingly brought into the world.
Back to the book. The timeline was confusing. I suppose I have an easier time with actual dates instead of "6 months ago" when the novel took place in June 2012 and the whole thing skips around. Just write the date without referring to its temporal relation to a point in time.
I wasn't too fond of the character of Georgia. Like I said, I couldn't wrap my head around her choice. Also what annoys me is when a woman wants a child at all costs, goes to extreme measures, and doesn't think of the ramifications. It comes off short-sighted and selfish. Personally I think that's playing with fire when you're talking about bringing life to this world. That's just my perspective, but my caveat is that I just wanted one child and easily conceived that one child.
Other annoyances: rotating narrator, toying with how things unfolded for the first half of the book (we knew it was coming, felt strung along), the timeline jumping.
It did make me think, though, as evidenced by this review. The writing was decent too.
jillhannaha's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed the plot twists and this novel had a lot of situations that make you ask yourself what you would do in a similar situation.
laurcoh's review against another edition
3.0
The epitome of a 3-star read. Entertaining enough but generally forgettable. I found the god-awful name of "Haven" for a male baby to be very distracting.
rachelwelch330's review against another edition
4.0
the book was okay. none of the characters were likeable and the storyline wasn't too interesting. the end was left open, although you could assume how it turns out.