Not Her Daughter by Rea Frey

A special thank you to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

MISSING CHILD

Name: Emma Townsend
Age: Five
Eyes: Grey
Hair: Brown

Missing since June.

Sarah Walker is a successful entrepreneur who is nursing a broken heart.

Emma Townsend is a lonely little girl living with her calculated and cruel mother and checked-out father.

Amy Townsend is an unfit mother, unhappy with her marriage and her life.

In a chance meeting, Sarah Walker sees Emma at the airport and she is completely captivated with the child. When another chance encounter happens, Sarah takes the child. Is it wrong to take something that is not wanted and that is also in danger?

Amy's whole life has been one disappointment after another. She is incredibly unhappy not only with her marriage, but with her life. Her relationship with her daughter is a constant reminder of her inability to feel any sort of connection to the child, but now Emma is missing.

Sarah and Emma grow closer each day and the child is flourishing , but what about her family?

Not Her Daughter is told from the perspective of both Amy and Sarah "Before," "During," "After," and "Now." Frey ratchets up the tension with strong pacing and complex characters. What is truly remarkable is how she positions the narrative—what if a crime is committed, but the victim of the crime is actually better off for it? Readers will find themselves identifying with Sarah, even though she is guilty, because of the justifications and positioning. This is no small feat and Frey pulls it off with her provocative narrative and impeccable writing.

Frey explores what exactly does it mean to be a mother. Do you have to give birth to a child to be a mother, and just because you have a child, does it actually make you a mother? Besides the theme of motherhood, love and sacrifice are also topics whose undercurrents are felt throughout the story. There is such depth to this subject matter, and this book is a perfect book club choice because of it.

What a solid debut! Absolutely stunning!

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REA FREY is an author (fiction and non-fiction), nutrition specialist, and International Sports Sciences Association certified trainer. She has been featured in Fitness, Ladies' Home Journal, and Whole Living.

Frey lives in Chicago, IL, with her husband and daughter.