Review: The Surrogate by Toni Halleen

Title: The Surrogate by Toni Halleen
Publisher: Harper
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense
Length: 352 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

A probing novel about a newly married couple, the surrogate they hire to carry their baby, and the unexpected consequences of their decisions. 

Ruth is a no-nonsense fortysomething journalist from the Midwest desperate for a child with her new husband, Hal. A divorced attorney and the father of two teenage boys, Hal is open to having another child. But more than anything he wants Ruth to be happy—to become the mother she’s always wanted to be. 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.

All through the pregnancy, Ruth and Hal look forward to the new baby that will make their family complete. 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 she and their daughter are gone, a whole series of doubts and secrets are revealed, and it’s no longer clear what’s “right” and what’s “wrong.”

Set in the vast, sparsely populated upper reaches of northern Minnesota in the middle of winter, The Surrogate follows Ruth, Hal, Cally, and her boyfriend through the ice and snow, from the city to the dark, frozen north country as they run away from, and ultimately towards, one other.

In The Surrogate, Toni Halleen raises 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?

Review:

The Surrogate by Toni Halleen is a compelling novel that is very suspenseful.

When Ruth Martin and Hal Olson meet in 1997, the sparks fly and they begin dating. But their relationship is complicated by Hal’s not quite ex-wife and his two sons who are less than enthused with their father dating. Ruth and Hal are soon married and while happy, Ruth is eager to have a baby. Unfortunately, she has fertility issues so she and Hal turn to surrogacy to expand their family. Their surrogate, Cally Scott, is soon pregnant and Ruth excitedly prepares for the upcoming birth.

Ruth is wound tight and she is a little controlling. She pretty much smothers Cally throughout the pregnancy but the two otherwise get along. Ruth is thrilled at the prospect of becoming a mother but she feels like she is being judged for turning to surrogacy. She gets frustrated by Hal’s lack of enthusiasm and constant reminders he is not new to fatherhood.

Hal is a lawyer and he draws up the surrogacy contract. He takes a much more laidback approach to the upcoming birth and he is sometimes a little irritated with Ruth’s over the top preparations.  Hal wants his wife to be happy so he acquiesces to her decisions.

Cally answers the Olson’s ad for a surrogate in order to earn money to return to college. She is not ready for motherhood when she enters into the agreement which is why she is shocked by her reaction when she gives birth. Cally is not ready to turn the baby over to the Olson’s so she takes off from the hospital with the newborn.

After Cally departs with their baby, Ruth is angry and resentful of what she perceives as the unfair treatment she receives since she has no biological ties to the newborn. Hal is equally upset but he feels the agreement is ironclad and once they locate Cally, he and Ruth will gain custody. But Ruth is anxious to find the baby and she reaches out to a family member for help. She is often unable to contain her anger and fear which results in outrageous behavior and irrational demands.

The Surrogate is a well-written novel that reveals both the positive and negative aspects of surrogacy.  The characters are well-drawn but not all of them are likable. Ruth is almost impossible to like despite understanding her fears. Hal is a little too complacent and when tragedy strikes, he becomes very unreliable. Cally is young and her impetuous decisions lead to a seemingly no-win situation. Her ex-boyfriend is kind of sleazy and he is definitely not father material. The storyline is interesting and Toni Halleen brings this fast-paced novel to an unpredictable conclusion.