The Child Who Never Was by Jane Renshaw

The Child Who Never Was by Jane Renshaw
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Published August 16th, 2020

Synopsis:

Twins Sarah and Evie have always shared everything. 

One night, Sarah awakes to find her toddler son, Oliver, missing during a horrible storm. She runs to her neighbors for help, and one neighbor, her GP, calls the police and has Sarah sectioned to a mental hospital. 

When Sarah wakes up in the hospital, everyone tells her the impossible- Oliver is not her son. She doesn’t have a son and never did. The Oliver that she knows is actually Evie’s son James. But she has memories of giving birth, stretch marks from pregnancy, and a distinct maternal bond to this baby, whoever he actually is. 

Is Sarah delusional as everyone claims? Or is the toddler in question actually her son, which Evie denies? 

I LOVED this book. There is so much to explore here about sisterhood, motherhood, and who you can trust. There weren’t many twists, and that’s fine! Because the read is GRIPPING. 

Thanks to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review! 

My Feelings/Reactions:

I try to limit how often I say this, but wow: this is one of the best books I've read this year. My feelings flipped from side to side, and my loyalties flit from one sister to the other. The ending then was stunning and gut-wrentching; did Oliver/James end up with the right sister?

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Spoilers: Read at Your Own Risk!

This doesn't account for everything, so make sure you read the book!

It turns out that Oliver is indeed Oliver, Sarah's son. Evie has had the paperwork falsified and has Oliver listed on his birth certificate as James. 

Evie took James, partially out of wanting a child of her own, and partially out of fear that Sarah would not be capable of caring for him. The GP was in on it the whole time. Then, during an accident, Sarah drowns, though Evie manages to rescue herself and 'James'.