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Heads or Tails
by
“Take my baby.”
Hillary can’t believe the words her best friend Margot just uttered. Deeply committed to her devoutly childless marriage, Hillary doesn’t know the first thing about infants – and has zero interest in learning. But Margot’s post-partum depression has reached a dangerous peak. With the baby a sperm donor production and Margot’s mother Jean suffering from Parki ...more
Hillary can’t believe the words her best friend Margot just uttered. Deeply committed to her devoutly childless marriage, Hillary doesn’t know the first thing about infants – and has zero interest in learning. But Margot’s post-partum depression has reached a dangerous peak. With the baby a sperm donor production and Margot’s mother Jean suffering from Parki ...more
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Leslie Gordon
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Favorite Quotes:
“At some point, we reach a place in life when we’re sure there will be no more surprises. The time is different for everyone, but the feeling – a settling, a resignation – is the same. We know everyone we’re going to know. We may encounter new clients or neighbors, the kinds of people who come and go, the kind that don’t last. But eventually, we come to understand that the old flame is not going to return decades later, and that no one truly revolutionary is going to cross our pa ...more
“At some point, we reach a place in life when we’re sure there will be no more surprises. The time is different for everyone, but the feeling – a settling, a resignation – is the same. We know everyone we’re going to know. We may encounter new clients or neighbors, the kinds of people who come and go, the kind that don’t last. But eventually, we come to understand that the old flame is not going to return decades later, and that no one truly revolutionary is going to cross our pa ...more
Heads or Tails is a easy read, yet covers a not so easy topic. Post partum depression is not something that is talked about often. Leslie A. Gordon took this topic and gave it the attention it needs while still being considerate and understanding to those who suffer from it. It cannot be easy to want a baby and then once you have one not be able to care for it as it deserves. Then to have to choose who can take care of the baby for you, it has to be shattering.
While I did not know a lot of abou ...more
While I did not know a lot of abou ...more
May 31, 2015
Leslie Gordon
rated it
it was amazing
· (Review from the author)
·
review of another edition
Readers, I hope you like my latest book. I'm very excited about it and would love your feedback!
...more
I liked the story of this book. It was maybe a little too much in the head of the central character for me, but I was motivated to see what happened next!
I really enjoyed this book. Hillary's best friend Margot has postpartum depression and Margot's mum has Parkinson's so cannot take care of Gretchen (Margot's baby). Margot says the only way she will go to the live-in treatment centre (where she is unable to take her baby) is if Hillary takes her baby and looks after her until she is better. The only problem is, Hillary is in no way mothering or wants anything to do with children! Read this book and join Hillary and her partner Jesse on their jou
...more
Hard to put down
I loved this book for so many reasons: it was beautifully written, with no boring or lagging sections of the story. I loved how this wasn't a story about a woman not being complete without a child, but a self-discovery that didn't exclude the possibility. I loved how I was drawn in and immersed in the story and I won't soon forget it. ...more
I loved this book for so many reasons: it was beautifully written, with no boring or lagging sections of the story. I loved how this wasn't a story about a woman not being complete without a child, but a self-discovery that didn't exclude the possibility. I loved how I was drawn in and immersed in the story and I won't soon forget it. ...more
In HEADS OR TAILS, Hillary’s best friend Margot has had the baby she always wanted and Hillary thinks everything is going well for her. However, it’s not until Margot’s mother, Jean, calls that Hillary finds out Margot has crippling postpartum depression. When Hillary flies out to New York to visit, Margot begs Hillary to take Gretchen back with her to San Francisco. This is something Hillary and Jesse, her husband, had never wanted. Gretchen’s arrival puts strain on Hillary and Jesse’s relation
...more
Aug 05, 2015
deltabear
added it
Captivating read - loved it!
The setup is unusual - our heroine "Hilly" is healthy, with a business and career that feeds her passion and creativity, and a good husband who really does want her to be happy. When her best friend needs her help, Hilly hesitates only a little. What follows is a charming imaginative love story - on so many levels.
Author Leslie Gordon is a very strong writer, making the reader feel like she's actually climbing up and down the hills of San Francisco, rallying back and ...more
The setup is unusual - our heroine "Hilly" is healthy, with a business and career that feeds her passion and creativity, and a good husband who really does want her to be happy. When her best friend needs her help, Hilly hesitates only a little. What follows is a charming imaginative love story - on so many levels.
Author Leslie Gordon is a very strong writer, making the reader feel like she's actually climbing up and down the hills of San Francisco, rallying back and ...more
I really liked this book a lot. It was truly insightful about a number of things... First of all, it showed a clear yet optimistic picture of post partem depression. Secondly, it took a good look at how a good marriage can get stale, a tipping point that can lead in a number of different directions. But most importantly, it was a wonderful picture of how children change one. I have long said that folks without children never know what they are missing and this is a good illustration of that. Eve
...more
Leslie Gordon has done it again with this second novel. I absolutely loved Heads or Tails from the moment I picked it up. I loved the storyline, the characters, the locale, everything. This book was far from predictable. I couldn't wait to get to the end to see where it would go. The characters were well developed and complex. I was often wondering, am I supposed to like this person or hate them? I love when a character leaves me guessing like that.
I couldn't put it down, because I needed to kno ...more
I couldn't put it down, because I needed to kno ...more
Fell in love with this story right from the very beginning. Yes, the basic premise of the book has been done many times before, but this was a fresh twist on it that kept me wondering what would happen next. It's funny what types of things can change people's mind and preconceived notions and there was a fair bit of that in this book.
The characters were likable, which means a lot to me as far as whether I'll enjoy a book or not. If you like light-hearted reads that aren't filled with graphic sex ...more
The characters were likable, which means a lot to me as far as whether I'll enjoy a book or not. If you like light-hearted reads that aren't filled with graphic sex ...more
Great quick read about a couple who think they have their lives all figured out, yet find out they don't. I liked how the story unfolded really getting to know the main character. You follow her through self discovery and see her heart and mind open to a new mindset for the future. Great reality check of pre and post baby life! Also touches on the difficulty some mothers have with post partum depression. It didn't sugar coat it. Even though a little predictable, I was satisfied and happy with th
...more
Jun 01, 2015
Bronwyn
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2015,
in-my-library
I loved this book. I read it in two days.
As a parent, you consider all the people in your life and wonder who would be best suited to take over guardianship of your kids if you die. As someone who has been fingered as potential guardian, you silently pray that the responsibility doesn't actually fall to you. While the situation in this book is slightly different, it did make me think about how I'd react in Hillary's shoes, in the beginning and in the end. We all have grand plans for our lives, ...more
As a parent, you consider all the people in your life and wonder who would be best suited to take over guardianship of your kids if you die. As someone who has been fingered as potential guardian, you silently pray that the responsibility doesn't actually fall to you. While the situation in this book is slightly different, it did make me think about how I'd react in Hillary's shoes, in the beginning and in the end. We all have grand plans for our lives, ...more
Excellent book. Believable story. I've had two friends who had post-partum psychosis, a serious malady that can put mother and child in extreme jeopardy and at the very least have a profound negative effect on bonding, especially when there is no one to fill that position. This book did an excellent job of dealing with the issue. It also showed how the child's needs can be met by some one other than the biological mother and in turn how that relationship can impact on the substitute caretakers.
...more
Liked this book about a young married women who doesnt want kids, who is asked by her best friend's sick mothers to take he friends baby while ER friend gets treatment for post partum depression, this is totally out of her element and her husband, but at first they survive, then management then come to love the baby, a story of evolution of a partnership and revealing to grow to a point she never expected. Not contrived, but a change as the couple finds they weren't as set in their minds as they
...more
Thoughtful & Insightful
I found out by having children myself that parenthood changes us from being self-centered to other-centered, but this author brings out the nuances of that change that I could not have formulated myself. It is a brilliantly captivating novel. I wish I inherently had the wisdom it provides to aid me in this journey through life, but I'll settle for reading the book and hoping some of it will trickle into my brain. ...more
I found out by having children myself that parenthood changes us from being self-centered to other-centered, but this author brings out the nuances of that change that I could not have formulated myself. It is a brilliantly captivating novel. I wish I inherently had the wisdom it provides to aid me in this journey through life, but I'll settle for reading the book and hoping some of it will trickle into my brain. ...more
I started reading this book with no expectations, but I ended up loving it. I couldn’t put it down! This was a good book that made you wonder what was going to happen, it also left you wanting more. I really enjoyed reading this book and would encourage you to read it as well. It’s not like anything else I’ve read and it was a pretty good book.
Just When you think you know yourself
You feel the apprehension Hilary has at the beginning of the book. The forced situation, with no where else to turn. I loved this story. It shows we rise above our own limitations and surprise even ourselves sometimes.
I have already recommended this book to friends and I know they will enjoy it too.
You feel the apprehension Hilary has at the beginning of the book. The forced situation, with no where else to turn. I loved this story. It shows we rise above our own limitations and surprise even ourselves sometimes.
I have already recommended this book to friends and I know they will enjoy it too.
A pull of emotions best describes this book. There were times I had to stop as I was caught up in the story and worried about the outcome. It left me remembering all those sweet baby moments when my boys were babies. Of course those not so easy times have been erased by time. I listed this book with a smile and hope in my heart.
I liked it for a summer read. Not great literature but funny, informative- at times and easy to read in a day or two. I liked the lesson of we can and do change no matter what we think we know about ourselves-IF we are open to it!
Heartwarming read
Having children is such a blessing, and one of my hardest jobs! This story points out you can't make the decision through other's lives as parents, and we aren't our parents! We can become and evolve into the parent our child needs. ...more
Having children is such a blessing, and one of my hardest jobs! This story points out you can't make the decision through other's lives as parents, and we aren't our parents! We can become and evolve into the parent our child needs. ...more
I absolutely adored this book, I love the fact that Hillary & Jesse had decided that they did not want children, yet they were willing to take in GiGi for Margot, and the way in which GiGi affects their lives in such a short period of time, I love it!
Gordon really captures the complex emotions of her characters. The heart of friendship. The pain of loss. The bond of family.
How easily life choices can change one's direction. A very thoughtful read that I would heartily recommend to a friend for a relaxing read. ...more
How easily life choices can change one's direction. A very thoughtful read that I would heartily recommend to a friend for a relaxing read. ...more
We are here to love
This book is very pleasant and filled with new discoveries for hilly the main character. I really loved how hilly reflects and makes peace with aspects of her past as she goes along.
This book is very pleasant and filled with new discoveries for hilly the main character. I really loved how hilly reflects and makes peace with aspects of her past as she goes along.
Clever premise and reasonable character development (except for Hillary's relationship with Abe , which didn't work for me and didn't seem necessary); well-written, overall. A nice, easy, feel-good read.
...more
A look at post partum depression
Hilly has to come to the rescue of Margot and her baby when Margot suffers from post partum depression. An examination of maternal instinct and family relationships.
Hilly has to come to the rescue of Margot and her baby when Margot suffers from post partum depression. An examination of maternal instinct and family relationships.
A very insightful read about what people perceive about their own abilities
A very insightful read about what people perceive about their own abilities to do what is right for themselves and those that they love
A very insightful read about what people perceive about their own abilities to do what is right for themselves and those that they love
Another great novel by this author! Perfect summer read. Gripping story that kept me up late reading.
She is good at getting me wrapped up in a story. The characters felt so real!
She is good at getting me wrapped up in a story. The characters felt so real!
Surprise of a good story. Author nails the continual changes and role expectations in marital relationships. Lots of good layers are presented and explored.
4.2 stars
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Erin Gordon is a Bay Area native who graduated from UC Berkeley and Loyola Law School. After practicing law for three years, she earned a master’s in journalism at Stanford University and worked several years as a newspaper beat reporter covering law firms. Erin then spent more than 20 years as a freelance legal affairs journalist, all the while dreaming of becoming a novelist.
She’s written six no ...more
She’s written six no ...more
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“At some point, we reach a place in life when we’re sure there will be no more surprises. The timing is different for everyone, but the feeling — a settling, a resignation — is the same. We know everyone we’re going to know. We may encounter new clients or neighbors, the kinds of people who come and go, the kind that don’t last. But eventually, we come to understand that the old flame is not going to return decades later, that no one truly revolutionary is going to cross our paths. Our people are our people. And when we reach that point, we inherently grasp that no one new will change us. No one will shake the foundation of our identity or imperil our most cherished relationships. No one will force us to make unthinkable choices. No one will crease a comfortable life and fold it into a wholly new shape, like an origami crane. And then someone does.”
—
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