When Greer was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, she and her husband, Parker, had her eggs harvested and embryos frozen in hopes that after she was well they could start a family. However, Greer never got well. Their embryos remained in cold storage and were considered abandoned three years after Greer’s death. Parker’s childhood friend, Amelia accidentally discovered the embryos while doing research for an article she was writing about abandoned embryos. Not knowing quite what to do with this information, Amelia tells Parker about her discovery. Amelia is taken aback when Parker decides he wants to hire a surrogate and raise his and Greer’s baby.
UNDER THE SOUTHERN SKY by Kristy Woodson Harvey is a romance novel with a complicated and nuanced plot. I found it heartwarming and thought-provoking. I had never put much thought into what happens to embryos when they are no longer needed by the couple that produced them. I imagine this is a real concern and a dilemma for a lot of people. I am very glad I never had to make a decision such as this. I had no idea that an embryo could be adopted out, but that does make sense. It would be interesting to know the percentage of embryos that are abandoned and the percentage that are adopted. Definitely a topic for some future research.
I loved the storyline of UNDER THE SOUTHERN SKY, but I had trouble warming up to the characters. Kristy Woodson Harvey did a good job developing the personalities of the characters, but I just didn’t find them very personable. Both of the main characters had some serious hang-ups. Still, I recommend this book for readers looking for a romance with an interesting plot.
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