The Baby Wait

THE BABY WAIT by Cynthia Reese April 9, 2007 Rating **** (4 Stars) THE BABY WAIT was a particularly moving story about a married couple whose lives are torn apart due to the hassles and stress they go through to adopt a baby from China. Sara Tennyson knows that she can never have children of her own, and after years of trying to get pregnant, Sara and her husband Joe agree to adopt. The process in itself is stressful, but along the way Joe begins to have doubts that they will ever hold their baby Meredith in their arms. The story is filled with ups and downs, as it seems that as they get closer to meeting their new baby, various obstacles get in the way. It comes to a point where Sara isn't sure if Joe even wanted a baby to begin with. His attitude about the baby turns sour, and with his usual lack of communication Sara is beside herself. Sarah does understand that Joe's still dealing with the loss of their foster child (Matthew) that they had hoped to adopt, until the drug-addicted mother showed up clean and took Matthew away. But Sara's attitude has always been to never give up, that things will turn out the way they want if they only wish for it hard enough. The adoption process is stressful enough to tear their marriage apart, and Sara is not sure their marriage is strong enough to keep them together. All she knows is that her life has become one roller coaster ride, with as many highs as there are lows, and oftentimes Joe is not there to share them with her. THE BABY WAIT was a different type of Superromance. The focus of the story was the adoption process, but in terms of how it affected Sara and Joe's marriage. The reader will get an idea of what the process is like to adopt a child from China, and while the author admits that she shortened the process timeline in her book, it was still a very emotional experience that only the most hardiest couples could survive. Besides the main plot of the adoption, Sara and Joe's marriage has two other "issues" that cause them a large amount of anxiety. Sara's alcoholic mother is constantly calling to ask for favors, using guilt to force Sara to be at her beck and call, and Joe is always there to support Sara. The other problem is Joe's baby sister Cherie, who Joe had to raise by himself after their parents were killed in an accident. Now at age 28, Cherie still has not grown up. She's constantly in trouble, and while she had supposedly moved out of the house, she's come back to live with them temporarily because of a roommate situation. This does not make Sara and Joe's life any easier, nor does it look good to those who are administering the adoption process. It's one thing after another in THE BABY WAIT and the readers will want to finish the book just to find out whether Sara and Joe get their baby or not. This reviewer felt this was the most tension-filled superromance she's ever read. It's also a very promising beginning for first time author Cynthia Reese. THE BABY WAIT comes

This book stole my heart from the opening. Sara is a heroine who is so easy to identify with, and if you have or know someone who has fertility issues, this book speaks loudly to you. The characters are real, the language genuine, and the story keeps you completely engaged. I highly recommend Ms. Reese's debut novel. I can't wait to read more from this very talented author!