The Paternity Test

Pat Faunce yearns for more than his carefree New York life and his open relationship with Stu, an airline pilot. Above all, he wants to be a father. He persuades a reluctant Stu to move to Cape Cod, where they enlist Debora, a charismatic Brazilian immigrant, as a surrogate mother. But the men's attempt to have a child creates new emotional complications-with Stu's parents and sister, with Debora and her husband, and with each other. Building to a harrowing conclusion, this fearless, darkly funny novel asks whether making a new family is worth risking the one you have.

About the Author :
Michael Lowenthal is author of three previous novels: "The Same Embrace," "Avoidance," and "Charity Girl," which was a "New York Times Book Review ""Editors' Choice" title, a "Washington Post" "Top Fiction of 2007" selection, and a Book Sense Top Twenty Pick. He is a core faculty member in Lesley University's MFA program in creative writing. He lives in Boston, Massachusetts.

Review :
"A searingly honest portrait of love under fire, a fearless exploration of what it means to be an adult, a couple, a family. It is a story for our time."--Jennifer Haigh, author of "Faith" "So many different relationships are put to the test in Michael Lowenthal's thought-provoking novel--not only the bond at the heart of the book between two gay men and the Brazilian woman acting as their surrogate mother, but also the bond between husbands and wives, between siblings, between aging parents and their adult children. "The Paternity Test" is a complex, emotionally satisfying, and thoroughly engaging story."--Tom Perrotta, author of "The Leftovers" and "Little Children" "A good, old-fashioned page-turner and a sophisticated look at the mysteries of long-term love and the convoluted reasons for wanting a child. Lowenthal writes with intelligence and passion and made me care a great deal about the fates of his flawed, fascinating characters."--Stephen McCauley, author of "Insignificant Others" "Michael Lowenthal's new novel deftly and wisely explores the various ways families are formed, altered, and destroyed by charting the vagaries and exigencies of two marriages. I loved the complicated, compelling characters all of whom come vividly alive in the beautifully evoked Cape Cod setting. "The Paternity Test" is a riveting and wonderful book."--Peter Cameron, author of "Coral Glynn" and "Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You"