Rachel’s marriage has recently broken down and she now, in her early 40s, has decided she wants a baby. So telling everyone she’s off on a holiday, she heads to a fertility clinic in an undisclosed European country that sorely needs economic investment.
The clinic will only treat married, heterosexual couples so she has to lie that she is still with her husband and that he is on board.
Meanwhile, expat Jess is adjusting to life in that country, living with boyfriend Viktor and scraping by with an assortment of jobs, including writing for an English-language newspaper.
As Rachel arrives, the city has extra security measures due to international delegates arriving for a green-energy expo and Jess is seeking an interview with a celebrity who may be looking to invest in a project.
Told from both women’s viewpoints, this was a well-written story that illustrates the emotional and financial strain that assisted reproductive treatments can bring as a developing economy cashes in, adding to the population as it chases environmental clout. But it loses a point for leaving us hanging.
