Any way, here's my review and I hope you enjoy!
"The world of adoption has changed dramatically over the past twenty years. No longer do biological parents have to say goodbye to their child forever. they now have more options when deciding the type of adoption to pursue, such as open adoption. Open adoption creates the opportunity for a special relationship between biological parents, the adoptive parents, and the child.
'Open Adoption, Open Heart' is an inspiring and true story, which takes the reader deeper into the feelings and emotions experienced by adoptive parents. As you read this incredible story, you will experience the joys, difficulties, and amazing victories facing adoptive couples. Russell and his wife, Jammie, invite you to share in their inspiring and heartwarming journey."
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I was excited when I was asked to read this! This is the first time I've been asked to read a book before it was released (is this considered an ARC even if I read it in eBook format?).
'Open Adoption, Open Heart' is a great read if you or someone you know is considering adoption. I think most readers will be familiar with a closed adoption, but there are a number of misconceptions about Open Adoption. This is a topic I had very little knowledge about, so reading this was a learning experience. Open Adoption is such a unique experience. It was really cool to read about how open this particular couple was with the birth mother of their child. I kind of expected it to be really awkward between this couple and this fifteen-year-old girl, but that didn't seem to be the case at all. Open adoption is all about communication and I found that to be such a cool relationship to have.
I am very interested in knowing more about Brianna, the birth mother. What was going through her head? What was her process? We know what she ended up doing, but what made her make those decisions? One thing that I've found that makes a good companion to this book is the author and his wife's YOUTUBE CHANNEL because you get that extra perspective. I don't think either of the birth moms have made an appearance on this channel, but you can at least hear Jammie's point of view. The family also has a BLOG that includes many of these videos and some extras.
There was one 'plot-line' that just wasn't tied up for me by the end of the book. What happened to the first birth mom? I mean, the first birth mom that approached them before Brianna? I read that Russel and Jammie were planning to adopt both children, but did that actually happen? I see two adopted babies (they say they are both adopted) in their videos, but I don't know if the youngest is the other baby mentioned in the book or if she came a bit later. I'm left wondering what happened.
Overall, this was a very informative and amazing story, but it was lacking in a few key areas.
I give 'Open Adoption, Open Heart':
--Jude
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Thanks so much for reviewing my book! I always appreciate honest reviews.
ReplyDeleteJust to answer the questions you were left with: The other birth mother never did respond to us. We tried quite a few times to contact her, even to tell her it was okay if she wasn't going to choose us, but she never responded. That first letter was the only one we ever received. She ended up placing her child with someone in Kentucky (I know that because she knows my cousin well).
Brianna is actually working on her side of the story! Won't that be an amazing read once she's done. I've read part of it and it's going to be really cool.
The other little girl in the videos is our second adoption. She is 17 months younger than our son, Ira. Her story will be told in the second book, which is written and going through the editors right now.
Thanks again for your review! Russell