Last Family Standing

By Jennifer Allee

Description:

Twenty-five years ago, Monica Stanton gave up a baby girl for adoption. Now, the thing Monica didn’t dare hope for has happened: Jessica has reentered her life . . . and brought a little drama and competition with her. Jessica is willing to meet her birth mother, but she wants the reunion to air on a reality TV show. Monica would rather chew glass than appear on TV. But she’ll swallow her pride—and a few other unsavory items—if that’s what it takes to reconnect. As if getting to know her grown daughter while competing on a remote island isn’t hard enough, Monica is further confused when Jessica’s long-lost birth father shows up, complicating both her relationship with her daughter and the attraction Monica has to the hunky reality show host. The fruit-basket upset of emotions, accusations, and regrets might make for good TV, but will it destroy the family in the process?

Book Takeaway:

Even though our lives don't always turn out the way we expect them to, they can turn out even better.

Why the author wrote this book:

The topic of adoption is close to my heart, since I'm a birth mother, myself. On the day she was born, I gave my daughter to her parents, and they've been a happy family ever since. But there was pain on both sides, even though it was the best decision for all of us. "Last Family Standing" is not autobiographical, but it does take a look at what happens when families blend and mend. And, since I'm a huge fan of Survivor, I decided that would be a fun backdrop for the mother/daughter reunion.