Not My Daughter: A Novel

by Barbara Delinsky Narrated by Cassandra Campbell

Overview

A pregnancy pact between three teenaged girls puts their mothers' love to the ultimate test in this explosive new novel from Barbara Delinsky, "a first-rate storyteller who creates characters as familiar as your neighbors." (Boston Globe)

When Susan Tate's seventeen-year-old daughter, Lily, announces she is pregnant, Susan is stunned. A single mother, she has struggled to do everything right. She sees the pregnancy as an unimaginable tragedy for both Lily and herself.

Then comes word of two more pregnancies among high school juniors who happen to be Lily's best friends-and the town turns to talk of a pact. As fingers start pointing, the most ardent criticism is directed at Susan. As principal of the high school, she has always been held up as a role model of hard work and core values. Now her detractors accuse her of being a lax mother, perhaps not worthy of the job of shepherding impressionable students. As Susan struggles with the implications of her daughter's pregnancy, her job, financial independence, and long-fought-for dreams are all at risk.

The emotional ties between mothers and daughters are stretched to breaking in this emotionally wrenching story of love and forgiveness. Once again, Barbara Delinsky has given us a powerful novel, one that asks a central question: What does it take to be a good mother?

Editorial Reviews

MARCH 2010 - AudioFile

Susan Tate has weathered her teenage pregnancy and single motherhood well—she's come to adore her daughter, Lily, has doggedly pursued her education, and is confident as a school principal. Cassandra Campbell's portrayal confirms this with a sureness of voice. All of that changes when Lily reveals a secret—she is pregnant, and so are two of her bright and athletic friends. Campbell depicts Susan's emotional roller coaster ride, including the reactions of friends and family, the fear of losing all she's built, and the prejudices of some of the people in the coastal Maine town in which she lives. Campbell occasionally adopts a believable Maine accent, most often to emphasize the narrow—minded views of some of the characters. S.W. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940171844417
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	01/05/2010
Edition description:	Unabridged

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