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Caroline Bond

The Second Child: A breath-taking debut novel about the bond of family and the limits of love Paperback – 4 February 2019

by Caroline Bond (Author)

189 ratings

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What if you found out that the child you love belongs to someone else? A breath-taking and heart-rending debut novel about the bond of family and the limits of love.

Chosen for the Radio 2 Book Club with Simon Mayo

'A carefully crafted and utterly compelling tale of lost opportunity and impossible choices.' Amanda Brooke, author of The Affair

Why do you love your child? Is it because they're a straight A student, a talented footballer? Or is it simply because they're yours?

Sarah and Phil love both their children, James and Lauren. The couple have the same hopes and aspirations as any parent. But their expectations are shattered when they discover that their perfect baby daughter has been born with a flaw; a tiny, but life-changing glitch that is destined to shape her future, and theirs, irrevocably.

Over time the family adapt and even thrive. Then one day a blood test casts doubt on the very basis of their family. Lauren is not Phil's child. Suddenly, their precious family is on the brink of destruction. But the truth they face is far more complex and challenging than simple infidelity. It tests their capacity to love, each other and their children, and it raises the question of what makes - and what breaks - a family.

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Product details

Publisher : Corvus PBS; Main edition (4 February 2019)
Language : English
Paperback : 336 pages
ISBN-10 : 1786493365
ISBN-13 : 978-1786493361
Dimensions : 12.9 x 2 x 19.8 cm

Best Sellers Rank: 305,827 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- 2,184 in Medical Fiction (Books)
- 7,890 in Women's Fiction About Domestic Life
- 13,252 in Family Life Fiction (Books)

Customer Reviews:
189 ratings

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Review

If you were in a lab cooking up the perfect book club book it would be this one. ― Matt Williams, Radio 2 Book Club

I stayed up long into the night to finish The Second Child...a carefully crafted and utterly compelling tale of lost opportunity and impossible choices. ― Amanda Brooke, bestselling author of THE AFFAIR

Caroline Bond takes a complex situation and has written a thoughtful, wrenching and, at times, tear-jerking novel ― Elizabeth Buchan

I was so invested in every word of this novel. An unthinkable situation, but highly believable, this story is spellbinding, real, and brilliantly written. I felt for every character. It mines the depth of every possible human emotion. Caroline Bond will go far. ― Carol Mason, bestselling author of AFTER YOU LEFT

Delves into family values, marriage, trust, love and loyalty. Highly recommended. ― Sarah Broadhurst, LoveReading

We loved this page-turner that challenges the idea of what makes and breaks a family. ― Take A Break

A novel that will have you mesmerised ― Cesca Lizzie Reads

This is a wonderful book ― The Reading Agency

One of the most heartbreaking fiction stories that I have read. ― I Read Novels

About the Author

Caroline Bond was born in Scarborough and studied English at Oxford University before working as a market researcher for 25 years. She has an MA in Creative Writing from Leeds Trinity University, and lives in Leeds with her husband and three children.
@Bond2Caroline

Customer reviews

5 star		57%
4 star		30%
3 star		8%
2 star		4%
1 star		1%

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Top review from Australia

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Leah

Great story and story telling

Reviewed in Australia on 27 March 2020

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I loved this complex story - and recommend it unconditionally. However I’d have liked it to have a definite ending.

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Carolyn, Leeds

Great and thought provoking story, really easy to read book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 April 2018

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I’m glad that I read this book without reading some of the reviews as there are a number of spoilers which with hindsight would have tainted my avid reading of Caroline’s first book. I really enjoyed how the book was written from the different perspectives - showing how the different family members were dealing with the issues thrown at them. I felt the feelings of warmth, love and strength of the family which came through and how something so life changing had a profound but positive impact on the family. Personally, I would have preferred a different ending (I won’t be giving anything away, but those who have read the book will know what I’m suggesting) but felt Caroline wrote it from the heart and was able to explain why her character made that decision. Can’t wait for Caroline’s next book to come out. I really do recommend this book as I couldn’t put it down - it’s so easy to read and engaging.

8 people found this helpful

Kaffmatt

Not Recommended- Far Too Slow, Boring and Predictable

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 October 2018

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This book had potential but boy, was it slow. Started intriguing then dragged for a majority of the narrative. In fact, nearly half the storyline was repetitive, getting nowhere and bored me.
Sarah and Phil have a profoundly disabled 14 years old daughter, Lauren. A routine blood test indicates that Lauren cannot biologically be their child. An investigation begins and the family of Sarah and Phil’s biological daughter, Rosie, are located. It’s at this stage that the storyline flops. The situation is told alternatively by the main characters and is mundane, plodding and uninteresting. There’s an improvement about 3/4 of the way through when the author throws in a ‘curveball’. However, the improvement is short lived. The most interesting character, Nathan, who is Rosie’s ‘father’, is not fully utilised. He’s airbrushed out after nasty behaviour. The ending is a huge disappointment.

6 people found this helpful

JayceeB

Great read, great writing.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 May 2018

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I really enjoyed reading this book. The characterisation is brilliant and I loved the point of view changes which meant we saw the story from various angles. I particularly liked Sarah and her perspective, it was very convincing and I felt like I really got to know her.
I stared to wonder about half way through the book about the possible conclusions, and there were many possible endings as the story has some clever twists and turns in terms of emotions and morals more than drama. I absolutely loved the ending! No spoilers, but it made me question and think afterwards, something I wish more books would do.
A difficult subject handled really well.

3 people found this helpful

Angela Emery

A Thoroughly Enjoyable Read from Start to Finish

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 May 2018

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I loved this book. Perfectly paced, the storyline unfolds through the individual narratives of four of the main characters, revealing their challenges, anxieties, joys, loves and loyalties. A story of a family facing an extraordinary situation, which leaves you thinking “what would I have done if ..... “ long after you have put the book down. If you have children, expect to respond with every emotional fibre of your being. If you are yet to experience the joys and tribulations of parenthood, I would still recommend it as a thoroughly engaging, contemporary novel. I couldn’t put it down and I thought the ending was perfect.

4 people found this helpful

David

So much to enjoy and admire about this novel

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 August 2018

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There is so much to enjoy and admire about The Second Child.
Firstly, that the plot builds so well, giving the reader an insight into how events shape and change character. Sometimes the narrative slows down giving the opportunity to explore how the characters feel, sometimes the story moves at pace throwing new events and twists our way. All the way through I felt that Caroline Bond kept me wondering about how each character would react and what they might be feeling, as well as what would happen next.
Secondly, telling the story from the perspective of the different characters works really well. Several times in the story, I found myself thinking I understood what was happening and its implications but then I was asked to see the same events from a different perspective. I found that this made me even more interested in each of the characters and the complexity of their dilemmas.
Finally, I really enjoyed the way the story ended, and how it left me thinking about what had and had not been resolved. Highly recommended!

3 people found this helpful

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