She Gets That from Me

August 7, 2020

There are many ways to start a family. Brooke, a single woman, opts for a sperm donor and with the help of her best friend Quinn, brings adorable Lily into the world. Brooke's sudden fatal aneurysm abruptly places Lily, age three, with great-grandmother Margaret and Quinn as backup guardian. When a disastrous fall leaves Margaret disabled, Lily goes to live with her beloved Auntie Quinn, transforming their lives. But Margaret wants to find Lily's father. Her inquiry leads her to Zack Bradley, who meets the precocious Lily and falls in love with her, to the dismay of his wife, Jessica, as she agonizes over infertility concerns. Zack, a wonderful dad and friend, finds his heart torn between commitment to his beautiful wife and this new impromptu family. With a touch of Southern flair and the practical support of Quinn's strongly supportive parenting group, each person grapples with their responsibilities and longings. VERDICT Wells (Still the One) sympathetically and accessibly presents many sides to matters of infertility, grief, and ways families are chosen. This tender story full of warmth and hope is perfect for fans of Sarah Jio.--Gloria Drake, Oswego P.L. Dist., IL

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 21, 2020
Wells (The French War Bride) explores the shifting dynamics of single parenthood in this engaging novel. Quinn Langston is babysitting her three-year-old goddaughter, Lily, in New Orleans when she learns Lily’s mother, Brooke, her best friend from college, has died from an aneurysm. Brooke, who used a sperm donor, had talked about declaring Quinn Lily’s legal guardian in event of her death, but never changed her will. Soon, Brooke’s grandmother, Margaret, swoops in, determined to track down Lily’s biological father, and in the meantime takes custody of Lily. Margaret finds Zack Bradley, the father, via a donor connection website that Zack’s wife, Jessica, registered him for without his knowledge while the married couple had been unsuccessfully trying to conceive. With Lily gone, Quinn joins a support group for aspiring single parents and confides to the group that she is pregnant. The perspectives of Quinn, Margaret, Zack, and Jessica make for a dynamic view on the complicated questions around paternity, and the characters’ emotions fly amid the drama and stunning plot twists, which deepen Quinn’s involvement with the married couple after Margaret puts Zach in touch with Quinn. With its rich character development and deep exploration of issues faced by single parents and fertility issues, Wells’s book will keep readers turning the pages.