Customer Reviews

Back Again to Me

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Back Again to Me is a wonderful novel that will appeal to almost every woman and some men. Ranging from the early 1940s to 2008, the book offers a wide look at a woman and the times she lived in, but it is not a family saga. It's a simple, clear, and easy read. I especially encourage you to read Back Again to Me if you have teenagers. And have them read it, too.

Corrin McCrae was married to the love of her life when he died suddenly and much too early in their marriage. Their daughter, Shelley, born only weeks after her father's death, has been a model student with aspirations of becoming a doctor like him. Corrin's life turns upside down when Shelley, at 16, becomes pregnant. For Shelley, abortion is not an option, and decisions, each one with its own consequences, must be made.

When those around Corrin and Shelley learn of the pregnancy, Corrin discovers that the word "family" means different things to different people and those differing definitions can strain even the best relationships. With the birth of the child, Corrin discovers her own definition and is forced to rebuild her life for the second time.

From Corrin's best friends, Tom Fielding and Barbara Gibson; to her father, mother, sister, and adored father-in-law; to Shelley and her friend Annie; to her new love, Rob; and even to her late husband, Dan, the characters who populate this novel are interesting and very human. Many readers will recognize the dynamics that occur between and among family members.

The title of the book, Back Again to Me, is taken from an old lullaby, "Baby's Boat." Mothers of all decades have sung it to their children and grandchildren, and mostly, we've loved it as just a lovely song. For Hirsch and others, however, it is the bittersweet story of caring for a baby, watching that child venture out into the world, and knowing that once he or she has gone, the child will less and less often come "back again to me."

As a working Mom, it's hard to find time to start and finish reading a book. Not this time! From page one, I was completely drawn in (and stayed there) until I had read it from cover to cover.
This is a really good book that will appeal mostly to women (although I know a couple a guys who would "get" it). The book should come with a warning: No Interruptions Allowed - Tissues Required!

This wonderful book deals with complex relationships in an honest, unflinching examination of how the dynamics of family - and their significant others - play out when all are faced with an emotional and life-changing circumstance.

An unwanted, unplanned pregnancy is addressed by family and friends who have different opinions, needs and agendas. Each character is fully developed, and the interplay between them is fascinating. I could relate to each character on some level and cared deeply about learning how the final decision was made about what to do with the child.

Although set in the past, this book has much to say to today's world about how much honest expression, compromise, faith and love can heal the human soul. It also shows that, how final decisions in important matters will have results that are completely right to some, wrong or ambiguous to others, but they will affect all involved for the rest of their lives.

Back Again to Me will touch something in each reader's heart about what it means to be a family and, especially, a mother. This very realistic, heart-rending story depicts Corrin's balancing act of drawing close and letting go of her young daughter (Shelley) and then, in turn, her daughter's struggle with her own child. It is a timeless story for generations and one that can be enjoyed by grandmothers, mothers, and daughters. (Men, too!)

Ms. Hirsch is a gifted writer and provides the reader a wonderful story. I applaud her for her dispassionate portrayal of the choice of adoption; that in and of itself speaks volumes about the value of each life. I wish that in the discussion questions in the back there would have been more information about various forms of adoption beyond the one chosen in the story.

Gretchen paints complex pictures with words ... with insight, clarity, and obvious love for her characters - even when they're acting at their most-human worst. Her writing pulled me along, as I quickly cared about them, too.

I was pleasantly surprised - in such a short book - by the depth conveyed about the characters' spiritual and interpersonal dilemmas and solutions/compensations. Yet nothing felt rushed. Relevant hidden particulars of secondary characters' perspectives/motivations were revealed in good time, and with sensitivity - showing compassion for even people with the vilest traits, and illustrating Gretchen's impeccable sense of timing.

I've been thinking about who would benefit from reading this gem - and it's not just those of us who identify with Corrin, whose voice is used to tell the story. All of us have been, or will be, faced with significant losses (not just by death); with complex choices split by our hearts, our logic, our psychological needs, and our spiritual bases; and with family/friendship rifts (long-term or short-term) that we ache to repair.

In particular, if I had an early-teen daughter, I would want her to read this book - and not just because of its realistic, sensitive, way of dealing with a particular teen pregnancy. The book is also about setting limits and communicating your own needs, respecting life, and valuing central and extended family. Also about seeking perspective and guidance from those you can trust, including a trained Christian counselor who is close to the story's family. What's more, some early-teen girls would, no-doubt, like the book for its fair, respectful, and insightful presentation of one girl's challenges and choices - particularly when dealing with a strong mother.

Of course, this book - with its complex characters and challenging situations - would be a terrific selection for Christian and secular book clubs. Even for men's spirituality groups, as the men in this story are so varied, richly detailed, and integral - another pleasant surprise.

The Discussion Guide, in the back of the book, will help individuals and groups explore and "carry" this satisfying story with them, and maybe even gently guide them when they need it the most, on many paths.

Thank you, Gretchen, for setting down and honing this inspiring story.

Gretchen Hirsch's first work of fiction is a compelling tale of family, friends and teen pregnancy. Main character Corrin McCrae, a strong, independent woman, struggles to keep her life under control when her teenage daughter announces she's pregnant. As Corrin and her daughter tackle the tough decision of whether or not to keep the baby or put it up for adoption, their friends and family play both supporting and detracting roles, leaving Corrin to discover that sometimes friendships are not what they seem--and neither are relationships with family.

As Corrin learns who her allies--and her enemies--are, we are treated to a heartwarming story on what it means to be a true friend and the true meaning of family. The novel's title could well be a double entendre, in that it refers not only to the baby in question, but also to a story and characters that you will find coming back to you again and again.

I can't recommend Back Again to Me highly enough!

Back Again to Me is a moving story about relationships in our lives. Those connections between mother and daughter as well as family and friends. It explores the history of a single mother whose relationships through her life, both negative & postive, come to light when she and her pregnant teenage daughter have some tough decisions about the baby she's carrying. The characters are alive and the writing is impeccable. The story moved me to tears and is a good work to read and discuss with women's book clubs.

Corrin McRae has a temper, is fast to voice her opinions, and tends to be a bit of a manipulator and controller. She married the love of her life, only to lose him a few weeks before her daughter Shelly was born. Corrin worked hard as a single mother and did her best to raise Shelly, now 16 years of age with aspirations of being a doctor. Having achieved the title of PR director with the goal of owning her own agency, Corrin is stunned when her daughter tells her she is pregnant and wants to keep the baby. Even more unsettling to Corrin is the fact that her daughter told two of her close friends before confiding in her because she was afraid of her reaction. Although Corrin initially wants Shelly to give the baby up for adoption, she soon discovers she agrees with Shelly's decision. As Shelly goes through her pregnancy, Corrin discovers things about herself through shared insights of family and friends and begins to realize that her perceptions of her own life and family may not have been as true as she thought them to be.

Back Again to Me offers fascinating character studies of Corrin, her daughter Shelly, and the friends and family that surround them. Family dynamics, interactions of characters, and conflicts between mother and daughter over life decisions are intriguing and well-delivered. The book moves at a fast pace, leading the reader through a young girl's journey through pregnancy and the difficult choices she must make, along with her mother's peripheral journey back to her past.

I'm pretty simple. If I enjoy a novel, it gets a good review. If I don't enjoy a novel, it doesn't! I liked "Back Again To Me,"Back Again to Me by Gretchen Hirsch. Shelley and Corrin and most of the others in "The Heights" are characters you keep thinking about even after you've finished the book. It's a quick read, but deeper than you might imagine!

This is a great book. It deals with a teenage pregnancy and so much more. I like the lesson learned from this book about how a family deals with struggles, long distance, and misperceptions. Family is family. It reminds us there are always two sides to a story and just because you think you know why someone acts a way they do, you may be wrong. My sister had a "teenage" pregnancy and my parents delt with it very differently then the author did in this book, and it was nice to see the opposite way to deal with it than my parents did. The book provides nice lessons of unconditional love in dealing with anything your children may do that is disappointing.