Harvesting the Heart: A Novel

Paige has only a few vivid memories of her mother, who abandoned her when she was five. Now, having left home for art school and marriage to an ambitious young doctor, she finds herself with a child of her own.
But Paige cannot forget her mother's absence or the shameful memories from her own past, and running away is in her blood. Emotionally exhausted, overwhelmed by the demands of her family, she knows that this time, if she runs, she must leave behind her newborn child - but could it be possible Paige's baby would be better off without her?

'Jodi Picoult explores the fragile ground of ambivalent motherhood in her lush second novel' NYT Book Review
'Picoult has an uncanny knack of dreaming up moral dilemmas that you cannot ignore: you must know the resolution' Sunday Express

Paige has only a few vivid memories of her mother, who abandoned her when she was five. Now, having left home and her father for dreams of art school and marriage to an ambitious young doctor, Paige finds herself with a child of her own.

Emotionally and physically exhausted, overwhelmed by the demands of her family, Paige cannot forget her mother's absence or the shameful memories from her own past. Her next step would have been unthinkable before her doubts about her maternal ability crept into her mind. Is it possible Paige's baby would be better off without her?