When Lisa Faulkner learned that she wouldn’t have biological children, her plans and expectations for her life were derailed. The book really hit home that not all is lost if things don’t go to plan, there are other avenues and that is the most important piece of information I have taken away from this inspiring journey to motherhood. Chris and I stood on the other side of that door for about 20 minutes, looking at each other and listening to her gurgling into her bottle and singing to herself, hardly daring to move or make a sound for fear that we might disturb her.

When Lisa Faulkner learned that she wouldn't have biological children, her plans and expectations for her life were derailed. A great reminder that our paths may be different to those intended, but we can still get to the destination. Highly recommend to anyone experiencing fertility problems, baby loss, grief or people who plan to adopt a child.Just a few days later I was at work, suffering the worst cramps and pains, and then collapsed on the floor. The weeks before had been so intense, and we were – and would continue to be – under such watchful eyes. As someone who has gone through 5 rounds of IVF and had two miscarriages, this book resonated deeply with me. For anyone who has ever found themselves facing the unexpected in life – whether that’s infertility, adoption, grief or any other personal challenge – this is an uplifting and honest account of finding love in unexpected places, and building your life on your own terms. She had seemed to settle so easily and didn’t seem at all disturbed by the fact that she was coming to stay with us, though I knew from the work we had done that it would all be in her head somewhere.

Angela had given me a brand-new changing bag that she had been given (and hadn’t used) and I was scared that they would think that I hadn’t listened to anything they had said about being very low-key and keeping everything the same.But, in the months and years that followed, she discovered that there was more than one way to build a family – and that there is a lot of joy to be found in life’s unexpected detours. Ive had this book on my tbr list for a while, as I knew I needed to be in the right place mentally to be able to read it and to have the time to reflect.

That’s why I wrote my book, Meant To Be; if I had read someone else’s story, I might not have felt so lonely and desperate. Nobody batted an eyelid; there was too much paperwork to get through and too many questions to be answered concerning Billie’s wellbeing. I think the grief was so acute because the minute the test is positive, you map out your whole life with that child.In a raw and inspiring story of one woman's journey through motherhood, family life and self-discovery, Lisa explores the many forms that family can take, and discovers the power of embracing your Plan B.