The Second Child: A breath-taking debut novel about the bond of family and the limits of love

(Paperback, Main)

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Description

Chosen for the Radio 2 Book Club with Simon Mayo

'A carefully crafted and utterly compelling tale of lost opportunity and impossible choices.' Amanda Brooke, author of The Affair

Why do you love your child Is it because they're a straight A student, a talented footballer Or is it simply because they're yours

Sarah and Phil love both their children, James and Lauren. The couple have the same hopes and aspirations as any parent. But their expectations are shattered when they discover that their perfect baby daughter has been born with a flaw; a tiny, but life-changing glitch that is destined to shape her future, and theirs, irrevocably.

Over time the family adapt and even thrive. Then one day a blood test casts doubt on the very basis of their family. Lauren is not Phil's child. Suddenly, their precious family is on the brink of destruction. But the truth they face is far more complex and challenging than simple infidelity. It tests their capacity to love, each other and their children, and it raises the question of what makes - and what breaks - a family.

Reviews

If you were in a lab cooking up the perfect book club book it would be this one. * Matt Williams, Radio 2 Book Club *
I stayed up long into the night to finish The Second Child...a carefully crafted and utterly compelling tale of lost opportunity and impossible choices. * Amanda Brooke, bestselling author of THE AFFAIR *
Caroline Bond takes a complex situation and has written a thoughtful, wrenching and, at times, tear-jerking novel * Elizabeth Buchan *
I was so invested in every word of this novel. An unthinkable situation, but highly believable, this story is spellbinding, real, and brilliantly written. I felt for every character. It mines the depth of every possible human emotion. Caroline Bond will go far. * Carol Mason, bestselling author of AFTER YOU LEFT *
Delves into family values, marriage, trust, love and loyalty. Highly recommended. * Sarah Broadhurst, LoveReading *
We loved this page-turner that challenges the idea of what makes and breaks a family. * Take A Break *
A novel that will have you mesmerised * Cesca Lizzie Reads *
This is a wonderful book * The Reading Agency *
One of the most heartbreaking fiction stories that I have read. * I Read Novels *

Author Bio

Caroline Bond was born in Scarborough and studied English at Oxford University before working as a market researcher for 25 years. She has an MA in Creative Writing from Leeds Trinity University, and lives in Leeds with her husband and three children.
@Bond2Caroline