Dear Thing

After years of watching her best friends Ben and Claire try for a baby, Romily has offered to give them the one thing that they want most. Romily expects it will be easy to be a surrogate. She's already a single mother, and she has no desire for any more children. But Romily isn't prepared for the overwhelming feelings that have taken hold of her and which threaten to ruin her friendship with Ben and Claire-and even destroy their marriage. Now there are three friends, two mothers and only one baby, and an impossible decision to make... Thought-provoking, heart-rending but ultimately uplifting, Julie Cohen's Dear Thing is a book you won't be able to put down, until you pass it on to your best friends.

About the Author :
JULIE COHEN grew up in Maine and studied English at Brown University and Cambridge University. She then moved to the UK permanently, where she taught English before becoming a writer. Her books have won or been shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association's Award, the National Readers' Choice Award, and the HOLT Medallion. She now writes full-time and teaches creative writing. She lives with her husband and son in Berkshire, England, where she is teased daily about her American accent. Dear Thing is her first novel to be published in North America.

Review :
Cohen is a master at bringing to life the intricate details of love, hope, and sacrifice. Her prose is vivid and sensual, and her characters take on lives of their own in full dimension. A gripping work of women's fiction with a satisfying emotional punch. --Kirkus Reviews Cohen weaves a story of friendship, love, and betrayal, but ultimately, this is a story of what it means to be a mother. --Booklist This story of friendship, love and motherhood is written with compassion and finesse, capturing hearts long after the final pages. With three main characters whose emotions are brought to life, this novel will grasp the heartstrings as readers wonder whether a happy ending is always possible. --RT Book Review (4 stars) Julie Cohen has a genuine talent for plot, pacing, and crafting believable characters who pull you in from page one. Dear Thing kept me up long past my bedtime but sleep deprivation and dark circles under the eyes are a small price to pay for the pleasure of being pulled into such an emotionally rewarding novel. --Marie Bostwick, New York Times bestselling author of The Second Sister "An exquisitely crafted novel...compelling, fascinating and deeply affecting...Julie Cohen is an expert at making you care about her characters, and feel every nuance of emotion as they do. A truly brilliant writer who kept me gripped until the end." --Rowan Coleman, author of The Accidental Mother "Fix yourself a cup of tea, find a cozy place to sit, and read this book! Dear Thing is a beautifully written story about love, friendship, and motherhood. This is a novel you will cherish." --Lynne Branard, author of The Art of Arranging Flowers "Dear Thing is as its name suggests; a book that will touch your heart. The story of Ben, Claire and Romily is heartbreakingly real; something we can imagine happening to people we know. It had me hooked from the first page." --Sarah Rayner, author of One Moment, One Morning "Julie Cohen creates fresh, complex characters and puts them in a situation that will break your heart. Dear Thing is a deeply moving novel that ponders the questions of surrogacy and friendship and love. Julie has a warm and inviting writing style, drawing you into the story and creating a plot with many twists and turns. I was completely consumed by it and it remained with me long after I turned the last page." --Anita Hughes, author of French Coast "Both powerful and thought provoking, this wonderful book will move you to the core - and really make you think." --Sun (UK)