By Mary from Florida

To limit this book by calling it an adoption story would not do it justice. It is the heartfelt memoir of a woman nearing fifty who decides she wants a child, and how that choice affects the other aspects of her life. And, as with any children, nothing goes according to plan!

Marian Henley enjoys her single life as a successful cartoonist. She’s been dating Rick, whom she met at a concert one night, for seven years now. Marriage was never in her plans. She’s waiting now to hear about adopting Sergey, a sweet-looking little boy in a Russian orphanage. But the waiting game is not going the way she had hoped. And in the meantime her elderly father is growing ill and declining.

The story is told in the format of a comic book, and while you’ll certainly chuckle at a healthy peppering of Henley’s zingers in the text, the ups and downs of her journey towards motherhood will make you feel her disappointment and frustration, and the hurt of watching her father slowly dying before her eyes. The pace is brisk–it was so engaging I finished the book in just a few days!

As an adoptee myself, I always find I have something I can relate to in any adoption account, and this was no exception. Having found my birth mother, I have found contentment and peace that being adopted was really the best option for my life. By sharing her personal account, Henley contributes much to both the literary and adoption communities.

The author has contributed to many national magazines and newspapers, and live-action versions of her art work have aired on television. She has also published 2 other books. Readers can look for The Shiniest Jewel from Springboard Press in September 2008.

Filed under: Reader Submitted Stories • THE SHINIEST JEWEL Advance Reviews