A probing novel about a newly married couple, the surrogate they hire to carry their baby, and the unexpected consequences of their decisions. Ruth is a no-nonsense fortysomething journalist from the Midwest desperate for a child with her new husband, Hal. A divorced attorney and the father of two teenage boys, Hal is open to having another child. But more than anything he wants Ruth to be happy--to become the mother she's always wanted to be. Their hope rests with Cally, a nineteen-year-old who wants to go to college--but doesn't have the cash. The arrangement seems perfect for everyone.
All through the pregnancy, Ruth and Hal look forward to the new baby that will make their family complete. But within a day of the baby's birth, Cally has a change of heart - and engineers a harrowing escape from the hospital with the newborn. When Ruth and Hal discover that she and their daughter are gone, a whole series of doubts and secrets are revealed, and it's no longer clear what's right and what's wrong.
Set in the vast, sparsely populated upper reaches of northern Minnesota in the middle of winter, The Surrogate follows Ruth, Hal, Cally, and her boyfriend through the ice and snow, from the city to the dark, frozen north country as they run away from, and ultimately towards, one other.
In The Surrogate, Toni Halleen raises thought-provoking questions about the nature of family, love, and relationships. What would you do for your partner, when the going gets tough? How much is a pregnancy worth? And who, if anyone, deserves to be a mother?
About the Author :
Toni Halleen worked for many years as an employment law attorney. She was born and raised in the Midwest, earned a B.A. in Women's Studies from Mount Holyoke College, and a J.D. from the University of Minnesota. Toni won a Mentor Prize in fiction from the Loft Literary Center, and her writing has appeared in Wigleaf, Structo, Gravel, the StarTribune, and elsewhere. She lives in Minneapolis with her family.
Laurie Catherine Winkel is a voice talent and audiobook narrator.
Andrew Eiden is an actor and winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award for narration. He has been acting since the age of four, working at regional theaters, in national commercials, and on numerous television shows.
Lisa Flanagan is a classically trained soprano, comedian, voice-over artist, and Earphones Award-winning narrator.
Stacey Glemboski is a seasoned voice artist and audiobook narrator of many books in the science fiction and young adult fiction genres.
George Newbern is an Earphones Award-winning narrator and a television and film actor best known for his roles as Brian MacKenzie in Father of the Bride and Father of the Bride Part II, as well as Danny in Friends. As a voice actor, he is notable for his role as Superman on the Cartoon Newtork series Static Shock, Justice League, and Justice League Unlimited. He has guest starred on many television series, including Scandal, The Mentalist, Private Practice, CSI: Miami, and Numb3rs. He holds a BA in theater arts from Northwestern University.
Review :
With a collection of vividly rendered characters, this twisty tale will leave you thinking about the true meaning of motherhood long after you turn the last page. I loved it!
-- "Patry Francis, author of All The Children are Home"
