THE SEARCH ANGEL (TISH COHEN)

 

 

Story Description:

HarperCollins Publishers|May 27, 2013|Trade Paperback|ISBN: 978-1-44341-082-3

Bestselling author Tish Cohen returns with a story of one woman’s love for her child and the courage it gives her to face her biggest fear. 

As the owner of the upscale children’s boutique Pretty Baby, Eleanor Sweet is surrounded by gleaming strollers, organic cotton onesies and roundbellied expectant mothers.  It’s a serene atmosphere of new beginnings –but for the graffiti-splattered record shop next door and Eleanor’s fierce desire for a baby of her own.  Her wish is finally granted in the form of Sylvie, an orphaned baby en route from earthquake – stricken Baja California.  But when Eleanor’s husband unexpectedly gets cold feet and backs out, her dream of adopting Sylvie is at risk. 

Adopted herself, Eleanor has always been reluctant to search out her birth mother, afraid of what she might find.  But she is determined to save the adoption and give Sylvie the family she deserves.  Eleanor hires Isabelle, a search angel, to find her birth mother.  What Eleanor discovers about love and family isn’t what she expects, but it gives her a new understanding of what it means to be a mother. 

My Review:

Eleanor Sweet and her emergency room physician husband, Jonathan are in the process of adopting Sylvie.  A little baby left without a mother after a devastating earthquake in Baja California.  The morning they are getting ready to hop into the taxi cab to head to the airport to pick up their baby girl, Jonathan backs out of the deal.  By the time Eleanor finishes arguing with Jonathan the taxi has gone and they’re going to miss their plane.

Jonathan decides this isn’t what he wants and he doesn’t just mean adopting a baby, he’s also not sure he wants the marriage anymore.  He ends up moving out and leaves Eleanor on her own.

Eleanor isn’t worried about supporting herself as she owns the best baby product store in the country called “Pretty Baby”, an upscale children’s boutique.  She sells the most scrumptious children’s and baby things ever described and while reading I could picture the inside of that store in my mind’s eye, perfectly. 

After much thought and not willing to give up on her dream of becoming a mother, Eleanor hires a “Search Angel”, Isabelle,  to help her find her own birth mother.  Eleanor herself was adopted.  Isabelle is a real character unto herself and you’ll get a million laughs at her quirkiness. 

The woman at the adoption agency, Nancy, has Eleanor attend some additional classes and has her fill out some extra paperwork now that she is adopting a single Mom rather than a family and all goes well.

Isabelle begins the search for Eleanor’s birth mother but she doesn’t exactly find what she was expecting.  I guess we all build up various scenarios in our minds about how things will go and how they will turn out and time and again we’re disappointed.  At least it wasn’t a total bust for Eleanor.  Although she was hoping to learn about families and love she was disappointed on that front but she did learn what it means to be a mother. 

 The Search Angel was a beautiful, feel-good story that every woman should read.  Whether you’re in the process of adopting, having your own children, or even not having any children at all, you should read this lovely story anyway.  It’ll just make you feel good.