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Claiming Noah

Contributors

By Amanda Ortlepp

Formats and Prices

Price

$26.00

Price

$31.50 CAD

Format

This item is a preorder. Your payment method will be charged immediately, and the product is expected to ship on or around July 5, 2016. This date is subject to change due to shipping delays beyond our control.

This riveting debut novel of psychological suspense explores the dilemmas that arise when motherhood and science collide.

Catriona Sinclair has always had a well-developed sense of independence–in fact the one sore point in her otherwise happy marriage is her husband James’s desire to take care of her. As she’s often tried to explain to him, she took care of herself before she met him, and did a good job of it. But James has been especially attentive lately as they struggle to have a baby. They succeed at last through in vitro fertilization, but unwilling to risk the heartbreak of another miscarriage, they decide to make their “spare” frozen embryo available to another family.

Diana and Liam Simmons are desperate for a child. Unable to conceive, they are overjoyed to learn that as the closest genetic match to the Sinclairs they are the recipients of the embryo donation. Diana’s only concern is her mother’s disapproval of IVF, but any doubts raised are quickly eclipsed by Diana’s joy of being pregnant.

As Diana is finding delight in every aspect of motherhood, Catriona keeps waiting for the rush of adoration she knows she is supposed to feel, but instead slips into a deep depression. Just as Catriona begins to find her way back to normalcy, one of the babies is kidnapped. Suddenly, all of their lives begin to unravel and intertwine, and none of them will ever be the same.

  • Riveting, fast-paced, and fluidly written, this is an intensely emotional read. Ortlepp's heart-wrenching debut would be great for book clubs owing to the many ethical questions raised in the novel. Fans of Brooke Shields's Down Came the Rain and Iris ­Johansen's "Eve Duncan" series will appreciate this compelling tale. VERDICT: A captivating novel for those who read for character as well as enthusiasts of women's fiction.
    Library Journal starred review
  • Australian author Amanda Ortlepp's first novel, set in Sydney, is a gripping, emotionally charged story....
    Herald Sun
  • This is an intriguing tale.
    RT Book Reviews
  • "CLAIMING NOAH is a compelling novel from a new voice in fiction."
    Culture Street
  • "Complex and thought-provoking, CLAIMING NOAH is one of those books that invites opinions and discussions."
    The Blurb Magazine
  • "[CLAIMING NOAH] will tug at your heartstrings as it considers the very sensitive issues of infertility, IVF and embryo donation."
    Styling You
  • "Some of the most endearing characters I have ever read about."
    Aussie Bookworm
  • "What Ortlepp does so well is bring the characters to life...with exposed fears, entrenched defensive mechanisms and the everyday push and pull of relationships."
    The Australian Bookshelf

On Sale
Jul 5, 2016
Page Count
384 pages
Publisher
Center Street
ISBN-13
9781455565986

Amanda Ortlepp

About the Author

Amanda Ortlepp is a Sydney-based writer, born in Adelaide, South Australia, in 1981. As a child she was a voracious reader with ambitions of one day becoming an author. Instead she completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree after high school, followed by a Masters of Applied Finance, and spent a decade working in marketing and communication roles. It was only after she turned thirty that she revisited her love of fiction and started writing at nights and on weekends while working full-time.
Her debut novel, Claiming Noah, was first published in 2015. Its ethical dilemmas and emotionally charged themes struck a chord with mothers and book clubs in particular and became a bestseller.
Amanda’s second novel, Running Against the Tide, was published in 2016. It’s a story about long-held prejudices and fractured relationships, set in a remote fishing town in South Australia.

Learn more about this author