SYNOPSIS
"Poignant, well-paced and compassionate, Game Plan is an achingly real look at how two families cope when life doesn't go as planned." Tish Cohen, bestselling author of The Truth About Delilah Blue and Inside Out Girl.
Just because the play goes wrong, doesn't mean you quit the game.
Ella Parker seems to have everything: great friends, an awesome family and a star position on her high school basketball team. The only thing missing from her life is a boyfriend. That changes once she catches the eye of Sam Cleveland. With Sam by her side Ella has it all. When a drunken night results in an unwanted pregnancy, her perfect life is turned upside down and she’s faced with an impossible decision.
Katherine Frayne has always wanted to be a mother. But with the last results of her in vitro fertilization pointing to no chance of a baby, her hopes are dashed. Then her husband Danny suggests they adopt. At first Kat is resistant, but she soon warms to the idea.
Ella and Katherine must navigate their lives amidst tough decisions, the consequences of which not only affect them but those they love the most.
THE REVIEW
I was honored to read this book, because Nat is a friend of mine. We went to junior high and highschool together, and reading this book made me so damn proud of her!!
I loved this book so much! First, because I know, on a personal level, what Ella Parker was going through. I know that terrified indecision of making the right choice. When faced with the choice, it's hard to make the choice between your heart and your mind.
This story was about two journeys that connect at the end. The first was Ella's journey. She's seventeen, and she has her friends and she has basketball. She knows what she wants to do with her future. When Sam Cleveland takes notice of her, she's happy for the attention. One bad drunken decision at a Halloween party changes her life forever.
Katherine Frayne has only ever wanted one thing. To be a mother. She's devastated by the fact that she can't carry her own. After some convincing from her husband Danny, they plan to adopt. She's reluctant at first, but soon realizes that no matter what, the baby would be theirs.
Ella is scared about what is going to happen in her life. Can she take care of a baby? What about her plans to go to University? When she tells Sam, his reaction is the opposite of what she was hoping for. He doesn't want it, and tells her to get rid of it. When she refuses, he not only abandons her, but makes her highschool life a living hell. Also, friends who she thought would be there turn on her. One in particular becomes especially cruel to her.
Her parents support her, but she hates knowing she disappointed them. Her brother and his best friend Charlie are there as is her friend Alex. When Charlie asks her out on a date without her brother Ben, she's reluctant, but she goes. Charlie soon proves he's in it for real, and makes his feelings known. It doesn't make matters better at school, but she's happy.
Ella knows she must make a choice on what to do. Keep the baby of give it up for adoption. After a lot of thinking about what to do, she decides to give that baby up. She has dreams of going to school, and knows that can't happen with a baby. Charlie offers a solution, but she knows this is what needs to be done.
Meanwhile, Katherine and Danny are trying to stay patient in the waiting game for a baby. Her feelings are up and down, but she knows she must wait for her baby. She's isn't patient, but she understands it's a process that needs to be done. After a few close calls, they hear they've been picked as parents for a baby girl. They are excited, but also fearful the mother will change her mind.
There were times this book almost brought me to tears, because after Ella had the baby, her indecision about keeping her was spot on! You juggle with the... Can I do it? Can I really give my baby away? I thought I was abandoning mine.. but in the end you're not. You're giving the baby the life you can't.
I loved Charlie. At first, he's her friend, and stands up for her when it's needed, but he becomes so much more. He's her support system when she needs it, and stands behind her decision to adopt. He even makes a suggestion that tells you what kind of guy he is, and just how much he loves Ella. It makes her love all the more, but stands by her decision.
I love that Ella had the support system she did. Without that, her decision would have been that much harder for her to make. Her parents were there for her, despite their disappointment. Her friends that did stand by her kept her busy, and protected her against everyone who was set out to hurt her.
I don't make it known, but I know the feeling of loss that Ella felt. I was like her... abortion wasn't an option for me. I just couldn't do it. I always felt that it wasn't the baby's fault that I got pregnant, so why should he pay the price for it? In the end, it was his life that was most important to me. Yes, I could love him, but could I give him the life he deserved? I couldn't... and I found two amazing people who could. I know where he is, which is what I wanted. He wasn't going anywhere if I didn't know that much.
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THE AUTHOR:
I am so proud of you Nat!! I loved reading it, and I thank you so much asking me to read it!
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