An emotional story about the difficult subject of a baby being diagnosed with a serious medical condition. Heartbreaking in places but a very good book

What would you do if you found out your baby not even one month old has cystic fibrosis. A devastating disease with no cure.

This story is about Cath, who finds out her newborn baby has CF, after years of trying to have a baby, going through IVF, and just a few weeks of enjoying the fruits of her labor she is thrown into this world of terror and she does not know how to handle it. She doesn’t communicate her fears with her husband. She lives in a real world of having a baby with CF but she lives in it in shock and her actions have consequences.

This story is sad and telling on how sometimes an incurable diagnosis can ruin a family that was already cracked. Fighting a disease like CF is hard and laborious and soul crushing and Bigbie does a wonderful job at making you understand the daily stress that CF causes Moms and Dads who just want to love their babies like they dreamed about.

David and Cath have waited a long time for baby Mia to arrive so imagine their heartbreak when within a few days they receive the devastating news that Mia has Cystic Fibrosis. They have to learn to deal with medications, physio and keeping everything clean and her away from other children. The book focuses on how Cath deals with the shock the consequences of her reactions.

The book is extremely slow moving and tells of the anxiety and paranoia of ensuring Mia is kept safe and free from bugs and germs. It continuously repeats how Cath imagines the germs working through Mia's system and lungs. It took a lot of perseverance to keep reading in the hope that the ending would make the rest of the book worthwhile but was sadly disappointed that it didn't improve. What a shame as I do believe that CF is a hugely misunderstood condition but this didn't really do anything to raise awareness.

Mother by Hannah Begbie is about two parents meeting at a support group as their children have Cystic Fibrosis. This is a very emotional book about a difficult subject matter.

This is such an emotional read; full of ups and downs, joined by drama and lust.

This is first for this kind of storyline for me and it definitely pulled at my heart strings, more so than any other book I’ve ever read. It’s epically torturing to read behind the eyes of a struggling mother, coping with a diagnosis that’s life altering.

Brilliantly written, charged with emotions and gripping. The characters were phenomenally portrayed, except Cath’s own mother. She was the character I disliked the most, closely followed by Richard.

I can’t imagine what parents go through when their child is diagnosed with CF, but after reading this I have more insightful thoughts on everything CF.

FABULOUS read though heart breaking.

I loved this book from start to finish. Really gripped me from the start, characters fell into place easily and quickly.
Loved the pace of the book, the twists, and kept me gripped to the end.

This was a good read with very relatable characters. I would recommend this book as a good holiday read

I loved this book, I found it very emotional and disturbing yet thrilling at the same time. I found myself experiencing what it would be like to be in their shoes. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Hannah Begbie for the copy of this book. I agreed to give my unbiased opinion voluntarily.

A very well written book and I am sure I will be in the minority but this just wasn't for me.

I got to about 40% and then did a lot of skim reading, it just didn't have the 'grab' factor for me, sorry.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. What a complete rollercoaster of a book, very emotional and on a particularly difficult topic.

This book was great, though I did find it a little difficult to read in places having a disabled child myself. It's an incredible roller-coaster of a ride and a very emotional journey that struck a chord with me on quite a few levels. The depth of characters is brilliant and I did cry a couple of times. I remember withdrawing from my family and struggling to come to terms with what our diagnosis meant for us as a family. No amount of research can prepare us for the decisions we make as parents. It's thought provoking and well written.

This was not for me, I just couldn’t get into it and couldn’t relate or engage with any of the characters. I got to 31% in and had to give up as I was finding it hard work. It was very dark and depressing, which I’m sure having a child diagnosed with CF is but Cath was deeply unlikeabke and a bit unhinged and as a few reviews I’ve read since have mentioned, it is very clinical and medical. The focus is very much on CF which to me doesn’t make for a very entertaining novel however I appreciate that it is an integral part of the plot. It just wasn’t for me. Thanks to Netgalley, HarperCollins and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

A fully intriguing novel full of heartbreaking scenes. Intense romance and sad family scenes.
A little hard to believe at times (the Rachel meeting) but pulled me into the story regardless

I enjoyed reading this, the storyline was good and I felt that it covered the topic well. I would imagine that many parents in the same boat find themselves becoming obsessive and researching the condition, finding it hard to speak to loved ones.

I felt that the book was a mix of reality with story and thought that the author did a great job of combining the two. Quite an emotional read but worth it.

What would you do if you found out your new born had a life limiting illness? Would it tear you apart or make you stronger?
That is what we find out as we read this story about Cath and her new baby Mia.
A well written book about the struggle one mum faces as her life is turned upside down by a devastating diagnosis.
I will definitely be looking in to reading more from this author in the future

Cathy and Dave have waited a long time for a baby. They now have a beautiful daughter, Mia, but after 25 normal days she is diagnosed with cystic fibrosis and their lives fall apart. Cathy turns to a support group for help and meets Richard whose daughter is also suffering.from the same disease. He is everything Dave isn't and they turn to each other for comfort and more. But is Richard all he seems to be? Can Cathy cope with the pressures of her daughter, an affair and saving her marriage?
This book will make you think - how would you cope in the same situation? Who would you trust?

A very real to life story which is gripping and moving following on from a baby's diagnosis with a terminal illness. This is very hard hitting and demonstrates a range of emotions and is one to keep you enthralled

A very emotional and sensitively written book. It is very easy to empathise with the mother when she is told her daughter has cystic fibrosis. We then follow her anguish, rejection and acceptance of this diagnosis.
This is not an easy read, but I suspect is very true to life. It's well worth reading. Highly recommended.

I enjoyed this and have personal experience with the sensitive subject matter. I’ve read mixed reviews for this book, and can understand some where the readers have struggled with the characters. All I can say is this, unless you’ve truly been there, you’ll never understand it. Looking forward to reading more from Hannah Begbie.

A well written story, it just wasn't my cup of tea.
I did finish the book however, and it was well presented and interesting. I did want to know how it ended.