Review: The Paternity Test by Michael Lowenthal

The Paternity Test by Michael Lowenthal

Publisher: University of Wisconsin Press 

Pages: 288 

Format: book 

Buy the Book: Amazon  

Goodreads:   Pat Faunce is a faltering romantic, a former poetry major who now writes textbooks. A decade into his relationship with Stu, an airline pilot from a fraught Jewish family, he fears he’s losing Stu to other men—and losing himself in their “no rules” arrangement. Yearning for a baby and a deeper commitment, he pressures Stu to move from Manhattan to Cape Cod, to the cottage where Pat spent boyhood summers.

As they struggle to adjust to their new life, they enlist a surrogate: Debora, a charismatic Brazilian immigrant, married to Danny, an American carpenter. Gradually, Pat and Debora bond, drawn together by the logistics of getting pregnant and away from their spouses. Pat gets caught between loyalties—to Stu and his family, to Debora, to his own potent desires—and wonders: is he fit to be a father?

Kritters Thoughts:  A book that was definitely out of my normal reads, but I was more than excited to read it because of the central subject matter.  A gay couple - Pat and Stu are hoping to start a family and look into using a surrogate - but they have quite the list of requirements.  Through fate and a website they find the perfect woman to help them make their dreams come true, but it isn't the easiest journey to parenthood.

This book hits close to home because I have a very very close friend, who may be a boy who likes boys.  I would do anything for him and believe that someday he will be such an amazing parent.  I was beyond excited to read a book about a new kind of family that is becoming more accepted in our country.  I was a bit disappointed by how the book ended, but was excited to read and review a book and talk about a subject that hits very close to home.

Although, I didn't love bits of the plot, I think this is a timely book due to our country starting to recognize these couples as legitimate.  Maybe I would have changed a few plot points, but I hope to see more books like this one out in the fiction world.  No matter where you stand on the subject, this book is a read that opens your eyes to how families can look in 2012.

Rating: enjoyable, but didn't leave me wanting more

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from BookSparks PR.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.