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Moondance
IVF could create a baby but could it also destroy a marriage?
Cat has always been in control of her life. Happily married to Dom, but flying high as a political lobbyist, she dismisses his desire to start a family ... until she herself is ready.
But what if it is then too late?
Complex and selfish, intelligent and open, if she is to succeed in having that elusive child, Cat must battle through gruelling fertility treatment and the emotional strain it places on her marriage. By her side, Dom, easygoing and ever the optimist, finds that he too risks being run ragged by their journey.
Both are forced to come to terms with their longing for a baby against the blitz on a relationship tested like never before.
Bittersweet, at times funny, and always emotionally raw, this is by far the most moving and honest novel you'll ever read about IVF and its impact on a marriage.
Cat has always been in control of her life. Happily married to Dom, but flying high as a political lobbyist, she dismisses his desire to start a family ... until she herself is ready.
But what if it is then too late?
Complex and selfish, intelligent and open, if she is to succeed in having that elusive child, Cat must battle through gruelling fertility treatment and the emotional strain it places on her marriage. By her side, Dom, easygoing and ever the optimist, finds that he too risks being run ragged by their journey.
Both are forced to come to terms with their longing for a baby against the blitz on a relationship tested like never before.
Bittersweet, at times funny, and always emotionally raw, this is by far the most moving and honest novel you'll ever read about IVF and its impact on a marriage.
- GenresFictionContemporary
352 pages, Paperback
Published October 31, 2016
30 people are currently reading
114 people want to read
About the author
Diane Chandler
3 books6 followersDiane was a political lobbyist in Brussels before then working at the European Commission in overseas aid for several years. Back in London, she joined the Ukraine and Africa desks at the Department for International Development (DFID). Her first novel, The Road to Donetsk, draws on her experiences in overseas aid. Her second, Moondance, on the emotional impact of fertility treatment. Her third novel, Only Human, is about a woman struggling to find new meaning in life after her husband cheats on her and her only daughter flies the nest. Diane co-runs Creative Writing Workshops London with Stephanie Zia of Blackbird Digital Books, and also coaches aspiring writers. She hosts www.Chiswickbuzz.net book club Words with Wine in W4.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
October 5, 2017
Excellent story very emotional. Cat is having to go through IVF. The author Diane Chandler wrote this fiction novel due to her own personal experience of the emotional and physical impact of IVF. I highly recommend reading this book .
March 27, 2017
This was an enlightening, interesting, and enjoyable story of Catriona Wyatt (Black) and her husband, Dominic Wyatt and their
relationship before, during and after undergoing IVF.
The story is told from Cat's point of view and describes the first time she and Dom met and their history together, dating, developing and establishing distinguished careers, marriage and the decision to have a baby.
Thankfully my family genes are fertile and nature blessed us with children. Dom and Cat were not so fortunate and had to undergo lots of tests and procedures, taking away much of the joy, spontaneity and intimacy of their sex together.
Diane Chandler's first novel, The Road to Donetsk, won The People's Book Prize for Fiction 2016. Moondance is her second novel, and I enjoyed getting to know the characters and how they interacted with each other. I liked Dom, Cat, and even Jackie, Cat's best friend and Billy, Cat's brother.
Special thanks to NetGalley, Blackbird Books and Diane Chandler for providing me with a digital ARC of Moondance: IVF Could Create A Baby But Could It Also Destroy A Marriage? to read and write an honest review.
My rating for Moondance is a solid 4 stars.
relationship before, during and after undergoing IVF.
The story is told from Cat's point of view and describes the first time she and Dom met and their history together, dating, developing and establishing distinguished careers, marriage and the decision to have a baby.
Thankfully my family genes are fertile and nature blessed us with children. Dom and Cat were not so fortunate and had to undergo lots of tests and procedures, taking away much of the joy, spontaneity and intimacy of their sex together.
Diane Chandler's first novel, The Road to Donetsk, won The People's Book Prize for Fiction 2016. Moondance is her second novel, and I enjoyed getting to know the characters and how they interacted with each other. I liked Dom, Cat, and even Jackie, Cat's best friend and Billy, Cat's brother.
Special thanks to NetGalley, Blackbird Books and Diane Chandler for providing me with a digital ARC of Moondance: IVF Could Create A Baby But Could It Also Destroy A Marriage? to read and write an honest review.
My rating for Moondance is a solid 4 stars.
August 25, 2016
I was given an advanced copy of Moondance by Diane Chandler, (pub. Blackbird Digital Publishing) in exchange for an honest review.
The process of IVF is so all consuming for the people involved, so private and so specific, how does anyone successfully address the experience in the wider platform of a novel? Diane Chandler has the answers in Moondance, a complex, brave and moving story of one couple’s desire to have a baby. Chandler gives us Cat, an arrogant, sexy career woman, as forceful and entitled inside the office as she is outside. Cat is in control. Of everything. What better heroine to pit against the cruel and whimsical cycles of the moon? Successful, wealthy and in love, she and husband Dom are the quintessential masters of the universe – they live in Kensington, possess a ‘statement vase’ and at one point Cat cannot top up a glass at her own party without the aside that of course, they do have caterers, it’s simply that she needs something to do with her hands. If comedy lifts fallible fools upwards to love and success then tragedy brings those on high crashing down. When the couple decide the time is right to have a baby, Cat plans out her pregnancy so as to fit around the dates dictated by her career. And this is where Chandler’s cleverness shines through. The reader knows well before the heroine that she is about to be humbled by forces beyond her control. Humbled is too weak a word however. What follows is a hobbling, a blooding, literally as well as metaphorically. With courage and subtlety and without ever sacrificing the larger narrative of love, family, the ties that bind, Chandler takes us into the eye of this most private of storms, pulling no punches, using no euphemisms as she explores the devastating effects of depthless angst, feelings of failure and grief on love, sex and trust – the very cornerstones of a loving marriage. The narrative quest here is to create a baby through in vitro fertilisation, yes, but the themes touch all of us: women and the indignities of any gynae-related hospital experience, everyday sexism in and out of the workplace, how we face the rocks life throws at us without turning against each other, the importance of family, however imperfect, indeed, the importance of love. At the start I wasn’t that keen on Cat. By the time I was two thirds through, I was rooting for her as if she was my difficult but beloved friend. By the end, I wept, though I won’t tell you why.
The process of IVF is so all consuming for the people involved, so private and so specific, how does anyone successfully address the experience in the wider platform of a novel? Diane Chandler has the answers in Moondance, a complex, brave and moving story of one couple’s desire to have a baby. Chandler gives us Cat, an arrogant, sexy career woman, as forceful and entitled inside the office as she is outside. Cat is in control. Of everything. What better heroine to pit against the cruel and whimsical cycles of the moon? Successful, wealthy and in love, she and husband Dom are the quintessential masters of the universe – they live in Kensington, possess a ‘statement vase’ and at one point Cat cannot top up a glass at her own party without the aside that of course, they do have caterers, it’s simply that she needs something to do with her hands. If comedy lifts fallible fools upwards to love and success then tragedy brings those on high crashing down. When the couple decide the time is right to have a baby, Cat plans out her pregnancy so as to fit around the dates dictated by her career. And this is where Chandler’s cleverness shines through. The reader knows well before the heroine that she is about to be humbled by forces beyond her control. Humbled is too weak a word however. What follows is a hobbling, a blooding, literally as well as metaphorically. With courage and subtlety and without ever sacrificing the larger narrative of love, family, the ties that bind, Chandler takes us into the eye of this most private of storms, pulling no punches, using no euphemisms as she explores the devastating effects of depthless angst, feelings of failure and grief on love, sex and trust – the very cornerstones of a loving marriage. The narrative quest here is to create a baby through in vitro fertilisation, yes, but the themes touch all of us: women and the indignities of any gynae-related hospital experience, everyday sexism in and out of the workplace, how we face the rocks life throws at us without turning against each other, the importance of family, however imperfect, indeed, the importance of love. At the start I wasn’t that keen on Cat. By the time I was two thirds through, I was rooting for her as if she was my difficult but beloved friend. By the end, I wept, though I won’t tell you why.
October 26, 2016
Moondance is an emotional roller coaster of a read following Cat and Dom on their journey of getting pregnant and starting a family.
For Cat and Dom their careers have been very important to them and children is something they decided to leave until later on in their lives. To be honest in a world where women are more career driven than ever, I don’t think it’s unusual for women in their thirties and forties to be trying for their first child like Cat.
Unfortunately for Cat and Dom, falling pregnant is not as simple or as quick as they thought it would be. Within no time it seems to consume Cat especially, taking any enjoyment out of any sexual relations between the two, having it become more of a chore than for enjoyment. After plenty of tests they decide to go down the IVF route.
Having not had to go down this route myself, I don’t think I could fully appreciate what many couples that have to actually go through. Through Cat and Dom we get an upfront and personal account of what it is like and even though they both try to make light of the situation, deep down it affects them both differently.
I think as the story is told more from the point of view of Cat, poor Dom doesn’t get as much empathy as he probably should do from the reader as after all he is very much going through everything Cat is. Cat herself I wouldn’t say is an overly likeable character though I could fully empathise to everything she was going through. I’m not certain as to whether Cat was quite a selfish person but she certainly comes across that way when she has encounters with her family and friends. Personally I don’t think she meant to come across that way, but trying for a family herself makes her realise that she never really showed an interest in the others lives unless it benefited her in someway.
Cat’s IVF journey is without a doubt an emotional one. She really is put through the mill and at times I just wanted to reach out to her and just hold her tight. I felt like I was mentally going through all the highs and lows of IVF with Cat and it made me truly appreciate how lucky I was with my own pregnancies.
Moondance is without a doubt a story that will have you going through a whole array of emotions. We get to see how it affects a marriage as well as the relationship with family and friends. For me it felt like a brutally honest account of what any couple could go through when faced with trying to conceive. A novel that will have a great impact on it’s readers.
Thanks to Blackbird Digital Books for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
For Cat and Dom their careers have been very important to them and children is something they decided to leave until later on in their lives. To be honest in a world where women are more career driven than ever, I don’t think it’s unusual for women in their thirties and forties to be trying for their first child like Cat.
Unfortunately for Cat and Dom, falling pregnant is not as simple or as quick as they thought it would be. Within no time it seems to consume Cat especially, taking any enjoyment out of any sexual relations between the two, having it become more of a chore than for enjoyment. After plenty of tests they decide to go down the IVF route.
Having not had to go down this route myself, I don’t think I could fully appreciate what many couples that have to actually go through. Through Cat and Dom we get an upfront and personal account of what it is like and even though they both try to make light of the situation, deep down it affects them both differently.
I think as the story is told more from the point of view of Cat, poor Dom doesn’t get as much empathy as he probably should do from the reader as after all he is very much going through everything Cat is. Cat herself I wouldn’t say is an overly likeable character though I could fully empathise to everything she was going through. I’m not certain as to whether Cat was quite a selfish person but she certainly comes across that way when she has encounters with her family and friends. Personally I don’t think she meant to come across that way, but trying for a family herself makes her realise that she never really showed an interest in the others lives unless it benefited her in someway.
Cat’s IVF journey is without a doubt an emotional one. She really is put through the mill and at times I just wanted to reach out to her and just hold her tight. I felt like I was mentally going through all the highs and lows of IVF with Cat and it made me truly appreciate how lucky I was with my own pregnancies.
Moondance is without a doubt a story that will have you going through a whole array of emotions. We get to see how it affects a marriage as well as the relationship with family and friends. For me it felt like a brutally honest account of what any couple could go through when faced with trying to conceive. A novel that will have a great impact on it’s readers.
Thanks to Blackbird Digital Books for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
October 25, 2016
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book via The Book Club (TBConFB).
This book is definitely an emotional one.
Moondance centres around IVF and couple Dom and Cat's failed attempts. After 4 failed attempts Dom and Cat decide to try one last time.
After reading a certain part of this book is was left emotional after having been through the same but completely different circumstances.
Throughout this book, I asked myself several questions.
1. Can someone become obsessed with wanting to get pregnant?
Yes, I think you can. Throughout this book I personally felt Cat became obsessed with wanting to become pregnant rather than wanting the baby. She appeared to push her husband, friends and family away.
2. If after one failed attempt at IVF, could I go ahead with a second attempt?
Given Cat and Dom's circumstances I would attempt IVF a second time around but if that failed I don't think I could put myself through the heartbreak again.
3. Would I be angry with myself?
At first, I would be angry with myself but at the same time I would also be looking at other reasons to blame someone else e.g. family - could it be a family trait? My partner - could he be the cause of the infertility? etc..
A well deserved 5 stars. 100% recommended read.
This book is definitely an emotional one.
Moondance centres around IVF and couple Dom and Cat's failed attempts. After 4 failed attempts Dom and Cat decide to try one last time.
After reading a certain part of this book is was left emotional after having been through the same but completely different circumstances.
Throughout this book, I asked myself several questions.
1. Can someone become obsessed with wanting to get pregnant?
Yes, I think you can. Throughout this book I personally felt Cat became obsessed with wanting to become pregnant rather than wanting the baby. She appeared to push her husband, friends and family away.
2. If after one failed attempt at IVF, could I go ahead with a second attempt?
Given Cat and Dom's circumstances I would attempt IVF a second time around but if that failed I don't think I could put myself through the heartbreak again.
3. Would I be angry with myself?
At first, I would be angry with myself but at the same time I would also be looking at other reasons to blame someone else e.g. family - could it be a family trait? My partner - could he be the cause of the infertility? etc..
A well deserved 5 stars. 100% recommended read.
November 1, 2016
When I saw Moondance being talked about by other bloggers, I just knew that it was one I just had to read. From a personal point of view, I can understand totally the thoughts and obsessions that go around your head if you are struggling to conceive. I will never forget those years where getting pregnant was the most important goal in my life. Which is why I got where Cat was coming from totally-and then felt ashamed of myself for not having the sympathy that I had expected for her!
This is the story of Cat and Dom, who meet whilst travelling and settle down back at home in the UK to get married. Raising a family in their marital home is actually quite far removed from Cats thoughts to begin with as she has a much loved job as a political lobbyist. She has the perfect life and so what if Dom thinks they should try to start a family, she has plenty of time....doesn't she? But obviously, once they do eventually take that first step, things do not go as planned.
The great thing about this book is that the characters stop it from being saccharine sweet and overly emotional. Yes, the chapters where they are going through IVF are very moving but what I actually found more interesting was the in-depth look into a process that is far more complicated than most of us realise. The author must have had experience of assisted pregnancy as she has nailed it perfectly and her detailed descriptions make you feel as though you are actually there at the clinic with Cat and Dom. There is a humour in there as well at times, certainly at the beginning of their quest for a baby, that takes the edge off what can be quite a physical and emotional rollercoaster. Now, I know that trying to get pregnant can take over every waking moment for most women but Cat took it to the extreme- probably as she was pretty much a very unlikable person! There were hints to begin with, not many female friends, very career oriented, trying to steal another woman's man....this woman had issues much worse than infertility! She had an intense disdain for her own mother and their relationship was very strained even though I absolutely loved the rather eccentric Lizzie. It made me wonder why she even wanted a child if she had such a clouded view of mother/child relationships. But what Cat wants, Cat gets and she will let nothing stand in her way. Her husband Dom seemed much less uptight about things although Cat was absolutely vile to him at times. I could understand some of the things she did and said but most were quite abhorrent to me, nothing can excuse that sort of behaviour in my eyes!
I actually enjoyed this book far more than I was expecting to. The wider cast of characters kept it real and were a fabulous contrast to the intensity of the IVF storyline. Diane Chandler writes beautifully, she is a natural storyteller who makes us care about her characters-even though they are not particularly likeable at times. She has harvested some emotive issues here and delivered a moving tale of one couple's relationship and its fight to survive when something they can't control threatens to overtake their happiness. It was just perfectly pitched right to the end where it left me feeling emotionally uplifted but with a small tear in my eye! Definitely one I would recommend for a thought provoking read.
Many thanks to Blackbird Digital Books for my review copy of Moondance.
This is the story of Cat and Dom, who meet whilst travelling and settle down back at home in the UK to get married. Raising a family in their marital home is actually quite far removed from Cats thoughts to begin with as she has a much loved job as a political lobbyist. She has the perfect life and so what if Dom thinks they should try to start a family, she has plenty of time....doesn't she? But obviously, once they do eventually take that first step, things do not go as planned.
The great thing about this book is that the characters stop it from being saccharine sweet and overly emotional. Yes, the chapters where they are going through IVF are very moving but what I actually found more interesting was the in-depth look into a process that is far more complicated than most of us realise. The author must have had experience of assisted pregnancy as she has nailed it perfectly and her detailed descriptions make you feel as though you are actually there at the clinic with Cat and Dom. There is a humour in there as well at times, certainly at the beginning of their quest for a baby, that takes the edge off what can be quite a physical and emotional rollercoaster. Now, I know that trying to get pregnant can take over every waking moment for most women but Cat took it to the extreme- probably as she was pretty much a very unlikable person! There were hints to begin with, not many female friends, very career oriented, trying to steal another woman's man....this woman had issues much worse than infertility! She had an intense disdain for her own mother and their relationship was very strained even though I absolutely loved the rather eccentric Lizzie. It made me wonder why she even wanted a child if she had such a clouded view of mother/child relationships. But what Cat wants, Cat gets and she will let nothing stand in her way. Her husband Dom seemed much less uptight about things although Cat was absolutely vile to him at times. I could understand some of the things she did and said but most were quite abhorrent to me, nothing can excuse that sort of behaviour in my eyes!
I actually enjoyed this book far more than I was expecting to. The wider cast of characters kept it real and were a fabulous contrast to the intensity of the IVF storyline. Diane Chandler writes beautifully, she is a natural storyteller who makes us care about her characters-even though they are not particularly likeable at times. She has harvested some emotive issues here and delivered a moving tale of one couple's relationship and its fight to survive when something they can't control threatens to overtake their happiness. It was just perfectly pitched right to the end where it left me feeling emotionally uplifted but with a small tear in my eye! Definitely one I would recommend for a thought provoking read.
Many thanks to Blackbird Digital Books for my review copy of Moondance.
January 6, 2017
Review originally posted here: https://joyfulantidotes.com/2016/12/0...
ve read many genres of book in my time and have experienced many different lives, but never has the type of emotion that I felt while reading Moondance ever been drummed up in me.
Happy married and high-flying political lobbyist Cat decides that, at 38, it is finally time to have a baby. To have the baby both her and husband Dom desire, Cat must first endure grueling fertility treatment. To quote the blurb: “Bittersweet, at times funny, and always emotionally raw, this is by far the most moving and honest novel you’ll ever read about IVF and its impact on a marriage”.
As much as I enjoyed Moondance in the end, I have to admit that I wasn’t immediately pulled in by the topic. At 28 years of age, I’ve only really begun considering the idea of children, and IVF is something that never crossed my mind. Soon, some part deep inside me began connecting with Cat. I felt her longing and frustration at wanting, but not having a baby, those feelings of fear about how a relationship can change, and anger at the expectation that a woman must choose between a career and a family. Needless to say, I began to feel every emotion with her.
The story is very much from a woman’s perspective. While we do get glimpses of how Dom is feeling, Moondance never really dives too deep into his character. What the reader mostly knows about Dom is what is learned from flashback scenes to the beginning of their relationship. Equally, Cat is very much the main character in the story and what we learn about the others (Dom, best friend Jackie), is almost exclusively in relation to her relationship with them. One blurb of the book promised that Cat would unravel some family secrets but this didn’t happen. For me, there were no big revelations which connected to Cat’s current struggle.
However, I do feel like there was one main supporting character for Cat: IVF. This is a topic I didn’t know much about, in fact, very little, before reading Moondance. Eventually, my knowledge grew so much so that it became almost like a persona to me; I knew its dark and good sides, the positive vs. the negative. It became almost like a savior and a devil all at once.
Overall, I would say don’t let the topic defer you from the book. Maybe it is not one for the men, but as a woman, you will feel a connection whether you have had a child or not, gone through IVF or not. It certainly wasn’t the type of book I would normally pick up but, at the end, I just couldn’t put it down.
Moondance was sent to me free of charge in exchange for an honest review.
ve read many genres of book in my time and have experienced many different lives, but never has the type of emotion that I felt while reading Moondance ever been drummed up in me.
Happy married and high-flying political lobbyist Cat decides that, at 38, it is finally time to have a baby. To have the baby both her and husband Dom desire, Cat must first endure grueling fertility treatment. To quote the blurb: “Bittersweet, at times funny, and always emotionally raw, this is by far the most moving and honest novel you’ll ever read about IVF and its impact on a marriage”.
As much as I enjoyed Moondance in the end, I have to admit that I wasn’t immediately pulled in by the topic. At 28 years of age, I’ve only really begun considering the idea of children, and IVF is something that never crossed my mind. Soon, some part deep inside me began connecting with Cat. I felt her longing and frustration at wanting, but not having a baby, those feelings of fear about how a relationship can change, and anger at the expectation that a woman must choose between a career and a family. Needless to say, I began to feel every emotion with her.
The story is very much from a woman’s perspective. While we do get glimpses of how Dom is feeling, Moondance never really dives too deep into his character. What the reader mostly knows about Dom is what is learned from flashback scenes to the beginning of their relationship. Equally, Cat is very much the main character in the story and what we learn about the others (Dom, best friend Jackie), is almost exclusively in relation to her relationship with them. One blurb of the book promised that Cat would unravel some family secrets but this didn’t happen. For me, there were no big revelations which connected to Cat’s current struggle.
However, I do feel like there was one main supporting character for Cat: IVF. This is a topic I didn’t know much about, in fact, very little, before reading Moondance. Eventually, my knowledge grew so much so that it became almost like a persona to me; I knew its dark and good sides, the positive vs. the negative. It became almost like a savior and a devil all at once.
Overall, I would say don’t let the topic defer you from the book. Maybe it is not one for the men, but as a woman, you will feel a connection whether you have had a child or not, gone through IVF or not. It certainly wasn’t the type of book I would normally pick up but, at the end, I just couldn’t put it down.
Moondance was sent to me free of charge in exchange for an honest review.
October 27, 2016
Moondance is the moving story of one couples journey through IVF and the impact it has on them individually and as a couple.
Cat and Dom are a successful couple who appear to have it all. Beneath the surface, however, there is the heartbreak of being unable to conceive and Cat’s difficult childhood. Moondance is told in first person narrative by Cat and switches between the past and present focussing on their lives now and when they first met. Diane has perfectly immersed the reader fully into the lives of Cat and Dom so you feel as though you know them inside out and are with them every step of the way on their journey.
I’m not sure how I felt about Cat during the book. Diane has created a character who is, at times, rather unlikeable, as humans often are. This did not though detract from the empathy I felt for her and all credit goes to Diane for managing to pull this off.
This is an honest and unflinching look at all the emotions that are involved when a couple are unable to conceive. The jealousy that arises when those close to you get pregnant, the feelings of regret over having waited too long to try for a child and the misdirected blame and anger. It is raw and deeply moving and the impact on Cat and Dom’s marriage is accurately portrayed. I really hoped that their relationship would survive. For Cat the pursuit of a child becomes all consuming…will this be to the detriment of her marriage?
Moondance also highlights the different experiences of IVF and the loss of a child for the woman and the man. Focus tends to be on the female while sadly the man is forgotten, and this is the case for Dom.
Diane has written about a difficult subject with empathy, insight and honesty and Moondance is an extremely emotional read. This book is touching and had me in tears at various points and left me feeling wrung out. A great and poignant story about the desperation felt for something you want so badly and can’t have that seems to come so easily to others and the grief you can feel over the loss of what, or who, might have been. Highly recommended and would be a great book for a reading group.
Thanks to Diane Chandler and Blackbird Digital Books for my advance copy.
Cat and Dom are a successful couple who appear to have it all. Beneath the surface, however, there is the heartbreak of being unable to conceive and Cat’s difficult childhood. Moondance is told in first person narrative by Cat and switches between the past and present focussing on their lives now and when they first met. Diane has perfectly immersed the reader fully into the lives of Cat and Dom so you feel as though you know them inside out and are with them every step of the way on their journey.
I’m not sure how I felt about Cat during the book. Diane has created a character who is, at times, rather unlikeable, as humans often are. This did not though detract from the empathy I felt for her and all credit goes to Diane for managing to pull this off.
This is an honest and unflinching look at all the emotions that are involved when a couple are unable to conceive. The jealousy that arises when those close to you get pregnant, the feelings of regret over having waited too long to try for a child and the misdirected blame and anger. It is raw and deeply moving and the impact on Cat and Dom’s marriage is accurately portrayed. I really hoped that their relationship would survive. For Cat the pursuit of a child becomes all consuming…will this be to the detriment of her marriage?
Moondance also highlights the different experiences of IVF and the loss of a child for the woman and the man. Focus tends to be on the female while sadly the man is forgotten, and this is the case for Dom.
Diane has written about a difficult subject with empathy, insight and honesty and Moondance is an extremely emotional read. This book is touching and had me in tears at various points and left me feeling wrung out. A great and poignant story about the desperation felt for something you want so badly and can’t have that seems to come so easily to others and the grief you can feel over the loss of what, or who, might have been. Highly recommended and would be a great book for a reading group.
Thanks to Diane Chandler and Blackbird Digital Books for my advance copy.
October 28, 2016
Having gone through the trials of desperately wanting a child at first i found this hard to read . It is however so beautifully written i became so empathetic with the characters i was living their personal trauma and forgetting my own. A book would definitely recommend and will avidly pursue other books by this author
October 16, 2016
This review was first posted on ikenatbookworm.tumblr.com
Blogger’s note: I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This review might contain spoilers; if you’re the type of person who hates spoilers, please proceed with caution.
After successfully getting approved for ARCs (advanced reader copies) from NetGalley, I perused the ebooks’ synopsis on Goodreads and I decided to start on this book. I finished it within twenty-four hours and I promised myself I’d work on a review as soon as I’m able to.
MY. FIRST. EVER. REVIEW. ON. AN. ARC.
I just feel so giddy so just let me get that out of my system (and out of the way) for the second time.
Okay. I’m okay now. *deep breaths*
I’m not so new to being a bookworm. I’ve been reading since I was five or six years old thanks to my mum who got me hooked on books at such a young age. Not so new to blogging either since I’ve already started several blogs before. My Goodreads profile has been active since December 2012 but I’m more of a rate-them-and-get-on-with-it kind of gal. It’s only recently that my interest was piqued on ARCs and that I’ve decided to start a new blog focused solely on book reviews.
Alright. Here we go.
Moondance is Diane Chandler’s second novel published by Blackbird Books. She’s also the winner of The People’s Book Prize for fiction 2016. This book’s scheduled to be available in the shelves by November 2016 in paperback.
A lot of things can compel someone to read a book. It could be the author, the synopsis, the book cover, or simply by word of mouth that’s enough to get them curious. For me, it was the book cover and the synopsis. I’m a visual-reading/writing type of learner (based on the VARK model of different types of learnes) so it’s not surprising that book covers mean so much to me.
Here’s the synopsis of Moondance that I got from Goodreads:
IVF could create a baby but could it also destroy a marriage?
Cat has always been in control of her life. Happily married to Dom, but flying high as a political lobbyist, she dismisses his desire to start a family … until she herself is ready.
But what if it is then too late?
Complex and selfish, intelligent and open, if she is to succeed in having that elusive child, Cat must battle through gruelling fertility treatment and the emotional strain it places on her marriage. By her side, Dom, easygoing and ever the optimist, finds that he too risks being run ragged by their journey.
Both are forced to come to terms with their longing for a baby against the blitz on a relationship tested like never before.
Bittersweet, at times funny, and always emotionally raw, this is by far the most moving and honest novel you’ll ever read about IVF and its impact on a marriage.
Intriguing, right?
I haven’t come across much novels whose plots revolve around IVF or to be much more honest, I wasn’t actively looking for one. I guess my mind’s still stuck to my late teens/early adult phase so when I normally see a synopsis like that, I immediately connect it to something my mum would read. But recently I’m appreciating these kinds of novels.
AM. I. TURNING. INTO. MY. MUM. NOW?
Nah. I’ve know that for years and I got no issues with it lol.
I was expecting a plot that would prolly start hopeful then end up on borderline misery, if not wallowing and drowning in it yet by the end. Or something completely opposite that it might as well be a fairy tale: happy start, happy ending. I got nothing against happy endings but you gotta admit that as you start adulting, you become cynical. Realistic. And you just know life isn’t all about roses and bubbles and all that happy shit.
“Certainly Mrs Wyatt, and how would you like to pay for that?”
“Masturbate.”
“Sorry?”
The pause hung between us, I hadn’t actually said it, had I? “Mastercard, please.”
That was an excerpt from Moondance and boy was I laughing out loud when I read that part. I also shared it with my husband and after giving him a brief background on the plot, I read him this part. He roared with laughter. Jesus, that was such an unexpected surprise. A nice unexpected surprise. Humor when the plot just screams possible doom and misery throughout. (Or maybe that’s just me being cynical, sorry.)
“And what makes you all assume that the problem is with me?”
I actually read that line in my head with all the viciousness I could muster to give justice to the MC’s feelings. I was already so caught up with the story at this point. I’m getting riled up along with the MC. How dare they all make assumptions. How dare they all belittle her. How dare they all subtly reference to her still not having a child like that makes her less of a woman?! How dare they–ASDFGHJKL I’M SO MAD AT THE WORLD
But how can you lose something that was never there? How can you mourn someone who has never existed?
I. CRIED. I FUCKING. CRIED.
I don’t know if it’s because I’m also already a mum or because I’ve experienced grief over losing someone or both but man, I was broken by this. I just feel so broken along with the MC. I can vividly imagine what she was going through by then. All those plot twists and turns that even I did not expect shattered, put back together, mended, healed, and left my heart just a little bit jagged.
Perhaps what I liked most about this was how realistic Chandler made the story flow. Let’s be honest–if this happened in real life, 75% it won’t have a happy ending. Too much is at stake, perhaps emotions weighing the most of them all. And the way she maneuvered it, I just went, wow. Yes, that’s exactly how it might happen in real life. How realistic it is that relationships break under strain and when changes take place, how that roller-coaster ride of emotions is exactly what an individual goes through when he/she couldn’t cope, how one can doubt one’s self in the face of failure, never mind how their track record screams triumph at every other situation.
My first ever ARC and I was not disappointed. It was my first time reading Chandler’s work and I am impressed. I’ll sure be on the lookout for this author.
Blogger’s note: I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This review might contain spoilers; if you’re the type of person who hates spoilers, please proceed with caution.
After successfully getting approved for ARCs (advanced reader copies) from NetGalley, I perused the ebooks’ synopsis on Goodreads and I decided to start on this book. I finished it within twenty-four hours and I promised myself I’d work on a review as soon as I’m able to.
MY. FIRST. EVER. REVIEW. ON. AN. ARC.
I just feel so giddy so just let me get that out of my system (and out of the way) for the second time.
Okay. I’m okay now. *deep breaths*
I’m not so new to being a bookworm. I’ve been reading since I was five or six years old thanks to my mum who got me hooked on books at such a young age. Not so new to blogging either since I’ve already started several blogs before. My Goodreads profile has been active since December 2012 but I’m more of a rate-them-and-get-on-with-it kind of gal. It’s only recently that my interest was piqued on ARCs and that I’ve decided to start a new blog focused solely on book reviews.
Alright. Here we go.
Moondance is Diane Chandler’s second novel published by Blackbird Books. She’s also the winner of The People’s Book Prize for fiction 2016. This book’s scheduled to be available in the shelves by November 2016 in paperback.
A lot of things can compel someone to read a book. It could be the author, the synopsis, the book cover, or simply by word of mouth that’s enough to get them curious. For me, it was the book cover and the synopsis. I’m a visual-reading/writing type of learner (based on the VARK model of different types of learnes) so it’s not surprising that book covers mean so much to me.
Here’s the synopsis of Moondance that I got from Goodreads:
IVF could create a baby but could it also destroy a marriage?
Cat has always been in control of her life. Happily married to Dom, but flying high as a political lobbyist, she dismisses his desire to start a family … until she herself is ready.
But what if it is then too late?
Complex and selfish, intelligent and open, if she is to succeed in having that elusive child, Cat must battle through gruelling fertility treatment and the emotional strain it places on her marriage. By her side, Dom, easygoing and ever the optimist, finds that he too risks being run ragged by their journey.
Both are forced to come to terms with their longing for a baby against the blitz on a relationship tested like never before.
Bittersweet, at times funny, and always emotionally raw, this is by far the most moving and honest novel you’ll ever read about IVF and its impact on a marriage.
Intriguing, right?
I haven’t come across much novels whose plots revolve around IVF or to be much more honest, I wasn’t actively looking for one. I guess my mind’s still stuck to my late teens/early adult phase so when I normally see a synopsis like that, I immediately connect it to something my mum would read. But recently I’m appreciating these kinds of novels.
AM. I. TURNING. INTO. MY. MUM. NOW?
I was expecting a plot that would prolly start hopeful then end up on borderline misery, if not wallowing and drowning in it yet by the end. Or something completely opposite that it might as well be a fairy tale: happy start, happy ending. I got nothing against happy endings but you gotta admit that as you start adulting, you become cynical. Realistic. And you just know life isn’t all about roses and bubbles and all that happy shit.
“Certainly Mrs Wyatt, and how would you like to pay for that?”
“Masturbate.”
“Sorry?”
The pause hung between us, I hadn’t actually said it, had I? “Mastercard, please.”
That was an excerpt from Moondance and boy was I laughing out loud when I read that part. I also shared it with my husband and after giving him a brief background on the plot, I read him this part. He roared with laughter. Jesus, that was such an unexpected surprise. A nice unexpected surprise. Humor when the plot just screams possible doom and misery throughout. (Or maybe that’s just me being cynical, sorry.)
“And what makes you all assume that the problem is with me?”
I actually read that line in my head with all the viciousness I could muster to give justice to the MC’s feelings. I was already so caught up with the story at this point. I’m getting riled up along with the MC. How dare they all make assumptions. How dare they all belittle her. How dare they all subtly reference to her still not having a child like that makes her less of a woman?! How dare they–ASDFGHJKL I’M SO MAD AT THE WORLD
But how can you lose something that was never there? How can you mourn someone who has never existed?
I. CRIED. I FUCKING. CRIED.
I don’t know if it’s because I’m also already a mum or because I’ve experienced grief over losing someone or both but man, I was broken by this. I just feel so broken along with the MC. I can vividly imagine what she was going through by then. All those plot twists and turns that even I did not expect shattered, put back together, mended, healed, and left my heart just a little bit jagged.
Perhaps what I liked most about this was how realistic Chandler made the story flow. Let’s be honest–if this happened in real life, 75% it won’t have a happy ending. Too much is at stake, perhaps emotions weighing the most of them all. And the way she maneuvered it, I just went, wow. Yes, that’s exactly how it might happen in real life. How realistic it is that relationships break under strain and when changes take place, how that roller-coaster ride of emotions is exactly what an individual goes through when he/she couldn’t cope, how one can doubt one’s self in the face of failure, never mind how their track record screams triumph at every other situation.
My first ever ARC and I was not disappointed. It was my first time reading Chandler’s work and I am impressed. I’ll sure be on the lookout for this author.
April 12, 2018
I don't have a problem with unlikable characters in books as long as they're interesting. Unfortunately the protagonists of Moondance are both objectionable and dull, to the extent that I was not only indifferent to their plight but was in fact actively willing them to fail in their quest to get pregnant.
Self-centered, arrogant and entitled, they look down with contempt on anyone outside their little Yuppie bubble and react with childish outrage when things don't go their way.
Which would be interesting if it weren't for the fact they the author expects us to be on their side and to believe that having a baby suddenly turns them into better people.
Chandler has some facility with characters and dialogue, but also some irritating prose habits (she seems overly keen on the word 'secreted') and a tendency to spell everything out rather than let the reader join the dots. But with characters and plotting like this, the dots aren't really worth joining.
Self-centered, arrogant and entitled, they look down with contempt on anyone outside their little Yuppie bubble and react with childish outrage when things don't go their way.
Which would be interesting if it weren't for the fact they the author expects us to be on their side and to believe that having a baby suddenly turns them into better people.
Chandler has some facility with characters and dialogue, but also some irritating prose habits (she seems overly keen on the word 'secreted') and a tendency to spell everything out rather than let the reader join the dots. But with characters and plotting like this, the dots aren't really worth joining.
October 25, 2016
Please go to http://www.manybooksmanylives.co.uk/m... to enter the competition to win a digital copy of this book.
I am delighted to be part of the blog tour for this excellent novel. Moondance is the story of one couple's journey through IVF. Far from being a tale of misery, Diane Chandler has woven a tale full of emotion, humor, and gritty realism. Everyone knows what IVF is, but I imagine that very few people will actually experience what it is like to live through.
To begin with, Cat isn't a very likable character. She and her husband are high flying, career driven people and so it is hard when you know what the book is about, to imagine them as people that want to have a baby. Especially when Cat tries to organize having a baby around her work. But the humor and the emotion in this book kind of creeps up on you. The feelings of failure and the strain on their marriage teases out their humanity. For me, it felt like Diane Chandler was showing us that whoever we choose to be, we are all affected one way or another by our genetic need (or lack of) to procreate. When Cat is unable to conceive naturally, all her bravado, sass, and confidence were stripped back, and she felt defined by this 'failure.'
There are so many themes in this book that the author explores. Is having a baby the only way to fulfill our destiny? Does not being able to have one make us a failure? When do you know that you truly want a child - not just the idea of having a child. I (personally) feel that some people only have children because we have been indoctrinated with this idealist picture that everyone should strive to achieve: get married, settle down and have kids. Although, I do think the importance of having a child has lessened in this day and age. I know many women that just don't want to have a child. They have found other things in life that have made them content. So I found this book fascinating because it presents a modern, realistic representation of having children in this era. With science rapidly changing the way that we live, Diane Chandler gives us a first-hand look at how exactly it can do that.
I didn't know anything about IVF before reading this book. I don't have children, and I have wondered what would happen if I couldn't have them naturally. I have no doubt that this book could be somebodies reality. I feel that if I ever had to consider IVF I would be emotionally more prepared for the journey having read this book. It is a wonderful and at times heartbreaking, exploration of a subject that not many people talk about. It gets you thinking and involved in the debate about procreation. I really really enjoyed this book, and I'm not surprised that Diane Chandler has won an award for her writing.
I am delighted to be part of the blog tour for this excellent novel. Moondance is the story of one couple's journey through IVF. Far from being a tale of misery, Diane Chandler has woven a tale full of emotion, humor, and gritty realism. Everyone knows what IVF is, but I imagine that very few people will actually experience what it is like to live through.
To begin with, Cat isn't a very likable character. She and her husband are high flying, career driven people and so it is hard when you know what the book is about, to imagine them as people that want to have a baby. Especially when Cat tries to organize having a baby around her work. But the humor and the emotion in this book kind of creeps up on you. The feelings of failure and the strain on their marriage teases out their humanity. For me, it felt like Diane Chandler was showing us that whoever we choose to be, we are all affected one way or another by our genetic need (or lack of) to procreate. When Cat is unable to conceive naturally, all her bravado, sass, and confidence were stripped back, and she felt defined by this 'failure.'
There are so many themes in this book that the author explores. Is having a baby the only way to fulfill our destiny? Does not being able to have one make us a failure? When do you know that you truly want a child - not just the idea of having a child. I (personally) feel that some people only have children because we have been indoctrinated with this idealist picture that everyone should strive to achieve: get married, settle down and have kids. Although, I do think the importance of having a child has lessened in this day and age. I know many women that just don't want to have a child. They have found other things in life that have made them content. So I found this book fascinating because it presents a modern, realistic representation of having children in this era. With science rapidly changing the way that we live, Diane Chandler gives us a first-hand look at how exactly it can do that.
I didn't know anything about IVF before reading this book. I don't have children, and I have wondered what would happen if I couldn't have them naturally. I have no doubt that this book could be somebodies reality. I feel that if I ever had to consider IVF I would be emotionally more prepared for the journey having read this book. It is a wonderful and at times heartbreaking, exploration of a subject that not many people talk about. It gets you thinking and involved in the debate about procreation. I really really enjoyed this book, and I'm not surprised that Diane Chandler has won an award for her writing.
October 25, 2016
Moondance is mainly set in London and surrounds the lives of Cat and Dom, a highly successful couple who are career driven and seeing fabulous results. They are the ultimate power-couple; gorgeous, successful and have everything they have wanted….until the ability to conceive eludes them.
Cat and Dom end up going down the route of IVF which challenges them in ways they never realised was possible and demonstrates how emotionally draining going through the process can be. Right from the start it seems to put pressure on their marriage as Cat is bitter than she is having to go through all the gruelling injections and treatment versus, what she sees, is the easy ride that Dom is getting.
Moondance is very emotionally raw, showing the IVF journey warts and all. You can tell that Chandler is drawing on personal experience for this narrative as the emotional rollercoaster is all too real. Alongside the emotional side is also the insight as to the treatment that happens when a couple embark on the IVF journey, it is not as simple and injecting sperm into an egg and then implanting that into the womb – there is so much more preparation for the woman’s body that is needed before this point. I’d like to thank Chandler in educating me in the IVF process and I feel exceptionally fortunate to have conceived naturally.
Alongside the IVF, we also get an insight into today’s working environment whereby Cat is almost scheduling her child into her career and expected that it would just happen to plan – like everything else in her life has. Cat is ruthless in a man’s world (this is clear from the circumstances in which Cat and Dom met!) and having a child, she feels is a gamble to her career and power. Dom doesn’t experience the same challenges so was broaching the subject of children earlier than Cat was ready.
At times Moondance is difficult to read as you almost feel like you are encroaching on someone elses conversation such is the honesty of the narrative through the numerous cycles of IVF and how each failure takes it toll on them both, the guilt they each feel and the bitterness against one another. However it’s not all lows, there are highs in the book as well and also humour thrown in. I liked Cat’s dry sense of humour which compliments the subject of the book and made the characters more lifelike.
Moondance is a wonderful read, truly written from the heart and it must have also been an emotional journey for Chandler as you don’t write a book like this without being 100% emotionally invested in the characters and the subject matter.
Thank you to Stephanie at Blackbird Digital books for my copy of Moondance and inviting me onto the blog tour.
Cat and Dom end up going down the route of IVF which challenges them in ways they never realised was possible and demonstrates how emotionally draining going through the process can be. Right from the start it seems to put pressure on their marriage as Cat is bitter than she is having to go through all the gruelling injections and treatment versus, what she sees, is the easy ride that Dom is getting.
Moondance is very emotionally raw, showing the IVF journey warts and all. You can tell that Chandler is drawing on personal experience for this narrative as the emotional rollercoaster is all too real. Alongside the emotional side is also the insight as to the treatment that happens when a couple embark on the IVF journey, it is not as simple and injecting sperm into an egg and then implanting that into the womb – there is so much more preparation for the woman’s body that is needed before this point. I’d like to thank Chandler in educating me in the IVF process and I feel exceptionally fortunate to have conceived naturally.
Alongside the IVF, we also get an insight into today’s working environment whereby Cat is almost scheduling her child into her career and expected that it would just happen to plan – like everything else in her life has. Cat is ruthless in a man’s world (this is clear from the circumstances in which Cat and Dom met!) and having a child, she feels is a gamble to her career and power. Dom doesn’t experience the same challenges so was broaching the subject of children earlier than Cat was ready.
At times Moondance is difficult to read as you almost feel like you are encroaching on someone elses conversation such is the honesty of the narrative through the numerous cycles of IVF and how each failure takes it toll on them both, the guilt they each feel and the bitterness against one another. However it’s not all lows, there are highs in the book as well and also humour thrown in. I liked Cat’s dry sense of humour which compliments the subject of the book and made the characters more lifelike.
Moondance is a wonderful read, truly written from the heart and it must have also been an emotional journey for Chandler as you don’t write a book like this without being 100% emotionally invested in the characters and the subject matter.
Thank you to Stephanie at Blackbird Digital books for my copy of Moondance and inviting me onto the blog tour.
November 5, 2016
When I was first contacted by Blackbird Digital Designs for an honest review, I knew I was in for a treat. This publisher only produces top grade, suspenseful novels which always hold my interest. Chandler’s Moondance was no different.
I was quickly propelled into the perfect life of long time married couple, Dom and Cat. These two had everything; important careers, a neat circle of friends and a beautiful home. They’ve read books I’ve never heard of, and travelled to places I could only dream. Cat is a beautiful, focused woman who believes she can achieve anything she puts her mind to, and her husband Dom proudly stands behind her. Every aspect of Cat’s life has been strategically put together, and now that she has finally reached the top of her career platform, she is ready for kids.
Only, she may have waited a wee bit too late to be a mother…
Chandler’s book is like nothing I’ve ever read before, touching so close on the struggles a couple suffering, while trekking the long, hard journey of IVF. Dom and Cat appeared to be the strongest couple alive, but even their marriage was tested with the emotional roller coaster of hope and loss.
The most important thing in a book is character growth and Chandler displayed that brilliantly. I had such a love/hate relationship with Cat. Initially, I was rooting for the IVF to work, but as she began to drift back into her past, I was so adamant that she did not deserve a baby. She was such a sneaky, self-absorbed, narcissistic bitch. She equated success to money and anything less was not acceptable. She disliked children immensely, and wouldn’t even allow her own niece to attend her wedding. She had absolutely no family values and hated the fact that Dom was close to his family. She was a true witch.
But with each failed attempt at pregnancy, and the rapidly deteriorating state of her marriage, you can’t help but feel sorry for her. And though she may have had a few slips ups along the way, she grows! Her heart unfreezes and she develops a relationship with her niece, she makes an attempt to reconcile with her mother and becomes the sister she should have always been to her brother. She may have not gotten the happily ever after ending we’d all hoped for, but she got what she deserved.
Cat and Dom are definitely two characters that will stick with me long after the pages in the book have ceased and I wish them the best of luck in their marriage and family.
I was quickly propelled into the perfect life of long time married couple, Dom and Cat. These two had everything; important careers, a neat circle of friends and a beautiful home. They’ve read books I’ve never heard of, and travelled to places I could only dream. Cat is a beautiful, focused woman who believes she can achieve anything she puts her mind to, and her husband Dom proudly stands behind her. Every aspect of Cat’s life has been strategically put together, and now that she has finally reached the top of her career platform, she is ready for kids.
Only, she may have waited a wee bit too late to be a mother…
Chandler’s book is like nothing I’ve ever read before, touching so close on the struggles a couple suffering, while trekking the long, hard journey of IVF. Dom and Cat appeared to be the strongest couple alive, but even their marriage was tested with the emotional roller coaster of hope and loss.
The most important thing in a book is character growth and Chandler displayed that brilliantly. I had such a love/hate relationship with Cat. Initially, I was rooting for the IVF to work, but as she began to drift back into her past, I was so adamant that she did not deserve a baby. She was such a sneaky, self-absorbed, narcissistic bitch. She equated success to money and anything less was not acceptable. She disliked children immensely, and wouldn’t even allow her own niece to attend her wedding. She had absolutely no family values and hated the fact that Dom was close to his family. She was a true witch.
But with each failed attempt at pregnancy, and the rapidly deteriorating state of her marriage, you can’t help but feel sorry for her. And though she may have had a few slips ups along the way, she grows! Her heart unfreezes and she develops a relationship with her niece, she makes an attempt to reconcile with her mother and becomes the sister she should have always been to her brother. She may have not gotten the happily ever after ending we’d all hoped for, but she got what she deserved.
Cat and Dom are definitely two characters that will stick with me long after the pages in the book have ceased and I wish them the best of luck in their marriage and family.
November 26, 2016
Moondance covers a very difficult subject, IVF, and not one you come across very often in books, so I was intrigued to see how I would get on with this book. It’s not my usual type but the synopsis really drew me in.
We follow Cat and Dom’s journey through the process of IVF, both are very successful in their jobs , but it’s now time to start a family. Sadly it’s not quite as simple as that and for Cat who is in control of very much everything this is one thing that can’t be controlled.
Cat and Dom have been together for a long time and although the story takes us through the process of their IVF it also takes us back to when they first met and their journey to where they are now. Cat is the sort of character if she was real I would avoid, some times I really disliked her yet other times I thought nah she’s ok, but I feel Diane Chandler has done a fantastic job of getting her character perfect. She really felt real to me. I think if she’d been the fluffy wife the story just wouldn’t have gelled the same. Dom I liked more but still there was something that irked me about him, something that I couldn’t quite put my finger on but they both made the story seem real and were very believable.
In Moondance we are taken on a journey full of emotions. A very delicate subject that has been written with passion. It’s raw, yet there’s humour and I was drawn in straight away. Some may find this a difficult read due to the subject matter but it’s been written in a way that gives you some understanding for couples who go through this treatment and at times I felt like I was reading someone’s personal story.
A thoroughly enjoyable read that had me hooked from page one and one that I will definitely recommend.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book, thanks to Blackbird Digital.
We follow Cat and Dom’s journey through the process of IVF, both are very successful in their jobs , but it’s now time to start a family. Sadly it’s not quite as simple as that and for Cat who is in control of very much everything this is one thing that can’t be controlled.
Cat and Dom have been together for a long time and although the story takes us through the process of their IVF it also takes us back to when they first met and their journey to where they are now. Cat is the sort of character if she was real I would avoid, some times I really disliked her yet other times I thought nah she’s ok, but I feel Diane Chandler has done a fantastic job of getting her character perfect. She really felt real to me. I think if she’d been the fluffy wife the story just wouldn’t have gelled the same. Dom I liked more but still there was something that irked me about him, something that I couldn’t quite put my finger on but they both made the story seem real and were very believable.
In Moondance we are taken on a journey full of emotions. A very delicate subject that has been written with passion. It’s raw, yet there’s humour and I was drawn in straight away. Some may find this a difficult read due to the subject matter but it’s been written in a way that gives you some understanding for couples who go through this treatment and at times I felt like I was reading someone’s personal story.
A thoroughly enjoyable read that had me hooked from page one and one that I will definitely recommend.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book, thanks to Blackbird Digital.
October 15, 2016
I was given the opportunity to review this book as a member of The Book Club (TBC). Primarily set in London the story focuses on Cat and Dom, a successful, high-flying couple in their late 30's. Cat and Dom are desperate for a child and the main focus of the book is their repeated struggle and attempts to conceive through IVF.
Diane Chandler perfectly sets the scene by describing how they first met and it's clear from the very beginning that Cat is a woman who is used to getting what she wants and that she has never really failed at anything. Not being able to conceive really shatters and distorts Cat's beliefs and perception of herself, it's painful reading as she descends further into herself and as she becomes more self-absorbed and selfish. I found myself liking her increasingly less as the story went on and some of the decisions she makes are worrying. By the end of the book however I found myself warming to her again and I was able to see how vulnerable and scared she really is. I think Diane Chandler has captured the multi-dimensional characteristics of Cat's personality really well.
I was a little bit disappointed with the development of Dom, he started off as such a strong character yet I felt his behaviour was slightly stereotypical by the end.
Whilst the ending is no surprise, I don't think it would have been as believable if things had worked out a different way. Moondance is a moving, well written story and Diane Chandler writes about the subject of IVF in a way which is sensitive and respectful. A definate must read.
Diane Chandler perfectly sets the scene by describing how they first met and it's clear from the very beginning that Cat is a woman who is used to getting what she wants and that she has never really failed at anything. Not being able to conceive really shatters and distorts Cat's beliefs and perception of herself, it's painful reading as she descends further into herself and as she becomes more self-absorbed and selfish. I found myself liking her increasingly less as the story went on and some of the decisions she makes are worrying. By the end of the book however I found myself warming to her again and I was able to see how vulnerable and scared she really is. I think Diane Chandler has captured the multi-dimensional characteristics of Cat's personality really well.
I was a little bit disappointed with the development of Dom, he started off as such a strong character yet I felt his behaviour was slightly stereotypical by the end.
Whilst the ending is no surprise, I don't think it would have been as believable if things had worked out a different way. Moondance is a moving, well written story and Diane Chandler writes about the subject of IVF in a way which is sensitive and respectful. A definate must read.
October 27, 2016
I liked this book. I liked everything about it from the subject to the characterization to the plot. Even the cover design was outstanding. This is a novel about IVF (in vitro fertilization) and one couple's struggle to have a baby. The fact that I have experience with IVF in my own life probably gave me an affinity for MOONDANCE but Chandler's use of language sealed the deal. From the first chapter: 'I don't know why I was cruel to my cat. It's an isolated episode, well, pretty much, in the grand scheme of my life.' The language captured me all through the story of Cat and Dom, two young people who meet, get married, and make a comfortable life for themselves without a thought to having children until Cat wakes up, almost forty, and discovers a hole in her life which Dom cannot fill. Continuing from chapter 1: 'But I do know that it's why I've ended up in the bowels of a swanky clinic in Knightsbridge, hands clenched on the arms of the chair, eyes fixed on the door. Because the past always catches up on you, eventually.'
Even the minor characters are well drawn, Cat's mother especially. And there is a scene with Dom's family at a holiday dinner which is just a tour de force. I give MOONDANCE five stars. And thanks to TBConFB for the opportunity to review this marvelous book.
Even the minor characters are well drawn, Cat's mother especially. And there is a scene with Dom's family at a holiday dinner which is just a tour de force. I give MOONDANCE five stars. And thanks to TBConFB for the opportunity to review this marvelous book.
November 1, 2016
I enjoyed this book to a certain extent. The subject matter was fabulous and gave a real insight into IVF and fertility problems. The story told of the relationship between the husband and wife but also the far reaching effects on family and friends which added a completely disproportionate credential angle to the subject. I think if I had liked the main characters I would have loved this book however they both irritated me most of the way through and at times I did judge them because they were both incredibly selfish and which somewhat dulled my enjoyment of the book. However it is still a book that is definitely worth a read and deserves its four stars!
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book via The Book Club (TBConFB).
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book via The Book Club (TBConFB).
October 25, 2016
I received an ARC from TBConFB for an honest review.
Diane Chandler tackles a difficult subject in a magnificent way..whilst we know the crux of the story is IVF and infertility, there is still a great story to read.
We read how the couple meet, how their careers are more important than a family until they suddenly realise that the biological clock is ticking away fast.
Through the skillfully written style, we begin to see how the couple are feeling on individual level. I believe this is an excellent book to read if you are thinking of having this treatment or if you know someone who is going through the process.
Diane Chandler tackles a difficult subject in a magnificent way..whilst we know the crux of the story is IVF and infertility, there is still a great story to read.
We read how the couple meet, how their careers are more important than a family until they suddenly realise that the biological clock is ticking away fast.
Through the skillfully written style, we begin to see how the couple are feeling on individual level. I believe this is an excellent book to read if you are thinking of having this treatment or if you know someone who is going through the process.
October 13, 2016
This is a difficult book to review as having experienced many of the central events within the book it is impossible to view with much detachment.
However, it does chart the emotional roller coaster that the quest for a child via IVF inevitably entails and it doesn't shy away from the impact that can have on the relationships with all those around you.
I didn't always warm to the central characters but I did empathise with them and cannot deny the raw emotion of the highs and lows that they experience.
Many thanks to the publisher and TBC on Facebook for an ARC of this book.
However, it does chart the emotional roller coaster that the quest for a child via IVF inevitably entails and it doesn't shy away from the impact that can have on the relationships with all those around you.
I didn't always warm to the central characters but I did empathise with them and cannot deny the raw emotion of the highs and lows that they experience.
Many thanks to the publisher and TBC on Facebook for an ARC of this book.
October 24, 2016
An excellent book about career woman Cat's struggles with IVF & how she comes to realise that having a baby is the one thing she can't control! I was willing Cat & Dom on with every IVF attempt & at their first attempt when the nurse came into the room, it made me laugh! I liked Daisy & her close relationship with Cat. This book really showed how intimate, difficult & upsetting IVF can be. A book that tugs on your heartstrings. One of my favourite books this year. Everytime I hear the song Moondance, I will think of this book. Thanks to #TBC for letting me review this.
December 7, 2016
A first for me, reading a Diane Chandler book but I adored her writing style, so will certainly be on the look out for more. This book has you on edge with the ups and downs of Cat and Dom's fertility process and keeps you hooked the whole way through, definitely recommended from me.
November 3, 2016
Outstanding story about a couple with trouble conceiving. A real eye opener, couldn't put this down.
July 14, 2017
Moondance is very absorbing as it powerfully explores the emotions of a couple through their infertility. Desperate to conceive, now the time is right, Cat and Dom are putting themselves through the gruelling and upsetting process of IVF, and I really felt it for them and what they were going through. As the book switches in time between when Cat and Dom first met to present day when they are hoping for a baby, I was absolutely captivated by the author’s enchanting writing as she showed such honesty in a brave and moving story, whilst combining it with a level of humour that helped the story be enjoyable and not simply sad. Although be warned – there were tears!
Cat is one of those characters that, though not obviously likeable, somehow manages to draw the reader in and has you rooting for her and caring for her. I felt like that friend who was bemused and frustrated by her and shouted at her – a lot – but really just had her best interests at heart. I love it when an author can make you care for a character without really feeling that you like them. I found I could connect with Cat despite her self-centred attitude and being able to understand and empathise with her helped me immerse myself in the story more. As the reader, we really get such a strong emotional insight into a couple going through the process of IVF, that to me it is virtually impossible not to feel some form of attachment to Cat and Dom.
Moondance is a really thought-provoking book and one that I have found myself talking about a lot whilst reading it and after I’d finished. It has a really fascinating outlook on the idea of becoming a parent and the reasons why a couple may want a child. It’s not always about really wanting a child. Sometimes women are expected to become mothers and there is a lot of pressure that way. Other times, maybe only one person in the couple wants a child and the other feels a bit forced into it. There are many different ideas behind becoming a parent, but when you can’t conceive naturally a lot of that control is taken away from a person and I found this both interesting and heart-breaking to read.
The author has written an intelligent, touching and mind-opening story and one that well represents the process of IVF for one couple, whilst at the same time giving the true impression that each couple who has been through IVF would have a different story to tell. It’s a very emotional book that moved me to tears at times and also had me frustrated both at and for Cat and Dom with each “failure” to conceive. The main theme to Moondance is raw but the author does it justice with incredible, emotive writing that pulls you into the story and tugs on your heart-strings.
Cat is one of those characters that, though not obviously likeable, somehow manages to draw the reader in and has you rooting for her and caring for her. I felt like that friend who was bemused and frustrated by her and shouted at her – a lot – but really just had her best interests at heart. I love it when an author can make you care for a character without really feeling that you like them. I found I could connect with Cat despite her self-centred attitude and being able to understand and empathise with her helped me immerse myself in the story more. As the reader, we really get such a strong emotional insight into a couple going through the process of IVF, that to me it is virtually impossible not to feel some form of attachment to Cat and Dom.
Moondance is a really thought-provoking book and one that I have found myself talking about a lot whilst reading it and after I’d finished. It has a really fascinating outlook on the idea of becoming a parent and the reasons why a couple may want a child. It’s not always about really wanting a child. Sometimes women are expected to become mothers and there is a lot of pressure that way. Other times, maybe only one person in the couple wants a child and the other feels a bit forced into it. There are many different ideas behind becoming a parent, but when you can’t conceive naturally a lot of that control is taken away from a person and I found this both interesting and heart-breaking to read.
The author has written an intelligent, touching and mind-opening story and one that well represents the process of IVF for one couple, whilst at the same time giving the true impression that each couple who has been through IVF would have a different story to tell. It’s a very emotional book that moved me to tears at times and also had me frustrated both at and for Cat and Dom with each “failure” to conceive. The main theme to Moondance is raw but the author does it justice with incredible, emotive writing that pulls you into the story and tugs on your heart-strings.
October 29, 2016
Is it tempting fate to declare I already like this book lots before even opening it? Two reasons. First, the blurb on the back cover. Read a lot of books but believe this is only the second I've read regarding IVF. Good - an interesting subject. Secondly, the title. Haven't been able to remove Van Morrison from my brain since taking ownership of this book(huge thanks Helen!) - and that's a definite plus! Loved his music since the TB Sheets album from the late 60's. That man can emanate such emotion through his music, and looks very much like the same can be said of Ms Chandler via her book. And then weyhey, on page 32 I learn the title did indeed relate to the song! I'm going to get along just fine with this author. Even at 20% in I'm hooked. My kind of pace - alternating between present day and when Cat and Dom first met during the summer of '93 whilst travelling in Vietnam. This is a good read. The frustration and angst the couple go through is palpable. I sided with each in turn inwardly thanking my lucky stars that mine and hubby's baby-making plumbing back in the day worked just fine ta very much. Seems my heart must be in pretty good nick too as the amount of breath-holding I had to endure awaiting the results of many pregnancy kits, sure did test it! And yet it wasn't always about the baby. Loved how the story drew in family and friends of both Cat and Dom to reveal their perspective of events. Serious stuff, but just the right amount lighter moments thrown into the mix. The end was a surprise and such a refreshing change from the norm. In the words of Ivan himself - "I can taste the tension like a cloud of smoke in the air"
November 3, 2016
Sad, poignant, honest and raw this book is not something to read lightly. This book will have you reaching for the tissues and have you staring at it for a while after you have read it. A book that will stay with you a long time after you have read it.
Diane Chandler as always writes with such clarity and manages to drag the reader in from the very first page.
Cat an independent woman who is determined to make her own mind up about everything and not just go by what other people want.
Dom a laid back, sweet and loveable character. Filled with warmth and understanding.
Dom wants to start a family but Cat the headstrong woman that she is doesn't want to start one until she is 100% ready.
When Cat is ready to start a family however things don't go to plan and the couples relationship is tested to the max as they go through fatilaty testing and treatments.
This book really hit a emotional nerve for me. For reasons I won't explain. I found this book so emotionally draining but at the same time I loved it.
A honest and raw look at fertility treatments and the effect it can have on a relationship.
Thank you to NetGalley, Diane Chandler and Cameron Publicity and Marketing for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review
Happy reading everyone.
Diane Chandler as always writes with such clarity and manages to drag the reader in from the very first page.
Cat an independent woman who is determined to make her own mind up about everything and not just go by what other people want.
Dom a laid back, sweet and loveable character. Filled with warmth and understanding.
Dom wants to start a family but Cat the headstrong woman that she is doesn't want to start one until she is 100% ready.
When Cat is ready to start a family however things don't go to plan and the couples relationship is tested to the max as they go through fatilaty testing and treatments.
This book really hit a emotional nerve for me. For reasons I won't explain. I found this book so emotionally draining but at the same time I loved it.
A honest and raw look at fertility treatments and the effect it can have on a relationship.
Thank you to NetGalley, Diane Chandler and Cameron Publicity and Marketing for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review
Happy reading everyone.
November 14, 2016
I was given an advanced copy of Moondance in exchange for an honest review. This is EXACTLY the type of book I love to read; honest, raw, emotional, human. Cat is a wonderfully written character; not the simpering heroine conceived by the novelist to play on your emotions, but flawed, fallible...real. I loved Cat and rooted from her from the start, precisely because she felt so real and not at all like a clever work of fiction. I didn't feel I was being manipulated by the writer and was therefore able to immerse myself all the more in Cat's heartbreaking story. IVF is not a subject I knew much about before reading Moondance, but a few of my close friends have conceived in this way. I would like to thank Diane Chandler for giving me an insight into what my friends went through to become mothers. I was moved in the extreme by the book's surprise ending and didn't see it coming at all. I was crying by the end of it and wanted to start it all over again (which I will do soon I'm sure). What a fabulous book. I highly recommend it to all mothers, fathers, young professionals, people in love...well just about everyone really!
November 8, 2016
This is a difficult review to write - truthfully I didn't like the characters but that didn't stop me enjoying the book! Cat is a successful, driven and frankly quite selfish political lobbyist. She is married to Dom who is something high-powered in finance. Moondance tells the story of Cat and Dom's struggle to start a family and the emotional toll that IVF and fertility treatment takes on both of them.
The book cleverly makes the reader aware of the effect that the treatment has on Cat and Dom, their extended families and Cat's best friend. This is what makes the book enjoyable to read - the ripples that encompass their siblings, parents and friends. Cat's relationship with her mum Lizzie - who she doesn't get on well with - changes as the story unfolds and so does her friendship with her closest friend Jackie.
Certainly anyone with any experience of fertility issues will love this well-written story - even if like me they don't like Cat! I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book and this is an honest review.
The book cleverly makes the reader aware of the effect that the treatment has on Cat and Dom, their extended families and Cat's best friend. This is what makes the book enjoyable to read - the ripples that encompass their siblings, parents and friends. Cat's relationship with her mum Lizzie - who she doesn't get on well with - changes as the story unfolds and so does her friendship with her closest friend Jackie.
Certainly anyone with any experience of fertility issues will love this well-written story - even if like me they don't like Cat! I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book and this is an honest review.
November 22, 2018
I read this book as part of a book group and I wasn’t expecting to particularly like it. While I was curious about IVF I didn’t think it would be possible to write such an absorbing and compelling story around this subject. Diane Chandler alternates chapters about the IVF process with chapters about the early years of their relationship and family background, and manages to build a very complete sense of the characters, and their development over the years. They are all complex, not all likable, but as such very real. This and her unflinching description of the gruelling process of IVF make this a really worth while read. Recommended.
December 23, 2018
Really hard to rate that book.
I love the subject, a couple that aren't fertile, but I disliked the characters. I don't rate lower because of unlikable characters, I rate it lower because some links can be made and I don't like them. That book could have been five stars if there were a "likable" couple on the side with similar problem. I feel like "bad peoples are bad and God doesn't want them to have babies", which is not true.
I would love that other people I know could read that book (or only the first chapters about IVF)
I love the subject, a couple that aren't fertile, but I disliked the characters. I don't rate lower because of unlikable characters, I rate it lower because some links can be made and I don't like them. That book could have been five stars if there were a "likable" couple on the side with similar problem. I feel like "bad peoples are bad and God doesn't want them to have babies", which is not true.
I would love that other people I know could read that book (or only the first chapters about IVF)
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