Her Giant Octopus Moment

When a surrogate mother pretends the pregnancy has miscarried, and bears a daughter - to whom does the child belong? To her runaway birth mother, or her grieving father and his wife?

Scout, born as a result of a surrogacy arrangement, is kept by her biological mother, Joanie, who has deliberately deceived both the clinic and Scout's intended parents by claiming to have had a miscarriage. When this deception comes to light ten years later, a compelling moral dilemma unfolds as Joanie makes her situation worse in the eyes of the law and social services by going on the run.

Scout is a resourceful, anxious, perceptive child. She craves normality in the face of her mother's restlessness and unaccountability. She is loyal to her mother, and loves her deeply, despite being aware of her inconsistencies.

Will the Family Court make the right decision for this vulnerable and determined little girl?

“'Vivid storytelling . . . A delicately told tale of an unconventional childhood'”

'Thought-provoking' ***** - Woman's Own

This is both a comic and poignant read told via quirky prose, and is impossible to put down - Image

Brilliant new novel . . . impressively plausible and realistic . . . truly heartbreaking and yet life-affirming at the same time. A thoroughly enjoyable and light-hearted, engaging read. - welovethisbook.com

Sweet and sad and funny and thought-provoking - U magazine

A poignant, at times funny, at times saddening book about morals and motherhood - Tatler Ireland

A gripping, heart-rendering story. The characters are portrayed skilfully, especially Scout, who is a wonderful child . . . An extremely exciting and emotional read. - New Books

The sympathetic understanding of her characters, the even-handed exposition of different types of mothering and the beauty of her crystal-clear prose all come together to make this a must read. - Red

Readable, poignant . . . the author's skill is to woo the reader into empathising with conflicting viewpoints - The Sunday Times

Kay Langdale taught 20th century literature at St Edmund Hall, Oxford and worked for a Marketing Consultancy as an Account Handler. She lives in Oxfordshire with her family.

When a surrogate mother pretends the pregnancy has miscarried, and bears a daughter - to whom does the child belong? To her runaway birth mother, or her grieving father and his wife?Scout, born as a result of a surrogacy arrangement, is kept by her biological mother, Joanie, who has deliberately deceived both the clinic and Scout's intended parents by claiming to have had a miscarriage. When this deception comes to light ten years later, a compelling moral dilemma unfolds as Joanie makes her situation worse in the eyes of the law and social services by going on the run.Scout is a resourceful, anxious, perceptive child. She craves normality in the face of her mother's restlessness and unaccountability. She is loyal to her mother, and loves her deeply, despite being aware of her inconsistencies.Will the Family Court make the right decision for this vulnerable and determined little girl?

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