A pregnancy pact between three teenaged girls puts their mothers’ love to the ultimate test in this explosive new novel from Barbara Delinsky, “a first-rate storyteller who creates characters as familiar as your neighbors.” (Boston Globe) When Susan Tate’s seventeen-year-old daughter, Lily, announces she is pregnant, Susan is stunned. A single mother, she has struggled to do everything right. … struggled to do everything right. She sees the pregnancy as an unimaginable tragedy for both Lily and herself.
Then comes word of two more pregnancies among high school juniors who happen to be Lily’s best friends-and the town turns to talk of a pact. As fingers start pointing, the most ardent criticism is directed at Susan. As principal of the high school, she has always been held up as a role model of hard work and core values. Now her detractors accuse her of being a lax mother, perhaps not worthy of the job of shepherding impressionable students. As Susan struggles with the implications of her daughter’s pregnancy, her job, financial independence, and long-fought-for dreams are all at risk.
The emotional ties between mothers and daughters are stretched to breaking in this emotionally wrenching story of love and forgiveness. Once again, Barbara Delinsky has given us a powerful novel, one that asks a central question: What does it take to be a good mother?
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This is an amazing portrayal of several things: teenage stupidity, parental hopes and dreams, cultural challenges…it’s about life and how it can be gritty, perplexing, and downright scary at times.
No spoilers here, just an overview of what to expect.
Four teenage girls make a pact to get pregnant together so they can have babies together who will grow up and be best friends, just like they are.
One of the twists is that the mother of one of the four girls is the principal of the high school…who had HER 17-year-old daughter when she was 17 herself. She chose to raise the baby on her own (the father wanted to marry her, but she refused) and worked really hard to pull herself up to a station in life that was respectable and sustainable.
The novel covers every aspect of the repercussions of such stupid behavior by young people. The author masterfully covers multiple facets of various positions (choosing life or abortion is one) that one would be forced to confront in a situation like this.
One of the most revealing lines in the book is that of the 17-year-old pregnant daughter of the principal as she’s talking to a peer on the phone:
“My baby is due in May, so I’ll be able to finish and graduate then. I’ll do the mom thing over the summer then go to college in the fall.”
Yeah. Sure. Fairy tales are called fairy tales because they’re not real.
That girl gets hefty doses of reality in the pages of this novel. Well worth the read.
This author never disappoints me.
I have enjoyed reading several Barbara Delinsky stories, and enjoyed this one as well. She did a great job developing the characters in this story, as well as a plot that was enjoyable to read. I would recommend this book.
Great story
This situation was so realistic and the families reactions were what I would expect. The public’s reaction was multifaceted. I couldn’t stop reading it because I needed to know what would happen next.
The premise of this book sounded good to me. I have heard of pregnancy pacts before. I just don’t think it was very realistic in how these mothers reacted to their daughters . I also never got why these girls did this?
Easy to read and compelling enough to keep going.
Couldn’t put this book down. Love all of her books.
Absolutely loved this story. I felt their heartache and joy throughout the book
Great book
Scary as in this could happen to any of us and our families. Would we react the same way?
I was really sad to finish this book it was that good
Compelling exploration of family relationships. Story focus is on a “good” teenage daughter, her close friends, and the unimaginable pact they make which leads to devastating consequences.
This was a great realistic fiction book.
OMG!!! Loved, loved, loved this book. Deli sky is phenomenal and the characters were superb. Highly recommend this read.
This one was not typical of Delinskys good books. books.
Reading right now. Not keeping me captivated. Subject too “lame”.
Excellent read!!