The Nearness of You

In this profound and lyrical novel, acclaimed author Amanda Eyre Ward explores the deeper meanings of motherhood—from the first blissful hello to the heart-wrenching prospect of saying goodbye.

Brilliant heart surgeon Suzette Kendall is stunned when Hyland, her husband of fifteen years, admits his yearning for a child. From the beginning they’d decided that having children was not an option, as Suzette feared passing along the genes that landed her mother in a mental institution. But Hyland proposes a different idea: a baby via surrogate.

Suzette agrees, and what follows is a whirlwind of candidate selections, hospital visits, and Suzette’s doubts over whether she’s made the right decision. A young woman named Dorothy Muscarello is chosen as the one who will help make this family complete. For Dorrie, surrogacy (and the money that comes with it) are her opportunity to leave behind a troubled past and create a future for herself—one full of possibility. But this situation also forces all three of them—Dorrie, Suzette, and Hyland—to face a devastating uncertainty that will reverberate in the years to come.

Beautifully shifting between perspectives, The Nearness of You deftly explores the connections we form, the families we create, and the love we hold most dear.

Praise for Amanda Eyre Ward’s *The Same Sky*

“After reading The Same Sky , you just might view the world a little differently. And isn’t that the goal of all great art?” — *Bookreporter*

“Riveting, heartrending, and beautifully written.” —Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of *Orphan Train*

“Deeply affecting.” — *People*

“Wrenching, honest, painstakingly researched.” —Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author of *Small Great Things*

“Emotionally gripping.”—The Dallas Morning News