"The Surrogate is a thrilling, high-stakes debut centering on a vulnerable newborn and two women who will do almost anything to claim her as their daughter. With a collection of vividly rendered characters, this twisty tale will leave you thinking about the true meaning of motherhood long after you turn the last page. I loved it!"--Patry Francis, bestselling author of All the Children Are Home

Ruth is a no-nonsense fortysomething journalist from the Midwest, desperate for a child with her new husband, Hal. Their hope rests with Cally, a nineteen-year- old who wants to go to college--but doesn't have the cash. The arrangement seems perfect for everyone.

But within a day of the baby's birth, Cally has a change of heart--and engineers a harrowing escape from the hospital with the newborn. When Ruth and Hal discover that Cally and their daughter are gone, a whole series of doubts and secrets is revealed, and the difference between right and wrong is no longer clear.

Set in the vast, sparsely populated upper reaches of northern Minnesota in the middle of winter, The Surrogate follows Ruth, Hal, Cally, through a maze of thought-provoking questions about the nature of family, love, and relationships: What would you do for your partner, when the going gets tough? How much is a pregnancy "worth"? And who, if anyone, "deserves" to be a mother?

With its realistic portrayal of surrogacy and motherhood, 'The Surrogate' is a thought-provoking novel that will stay with you long after you've finished reading. Toni Halleen's writing is both literary and suspenseful, making this a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and domestic dramas.

Author: Toni Halleen
Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Harper
Published: 11/02/2021
Pages: 352
Weight: 1.1lbs
Size: 9.10h x 6.20w x 1.30d
ISBN: 9780063070073


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 09/13/2021
Kirkus Reviews 09/15/2021
Booklist 10/08/2021

About the Author
Halleen, Toni: -

Toni Halleen worked for many years as an employment law attorney. She was born and raised in the Midwest, earned a B.A. in Women's Studies from Mount Holyoke College, and a J.D. from the University of Minnesota. Toni won a Mentor Prize in fiction from the Loft Literary Center, and her writing has appeared in Wigleaf, Structo, Gravel, the StarTribune, and elsewhere. She lives in Minneapolis with her family.