I loved this book. Imagine that XX fertilisation is possible, using 2 female eggs which are fused.
This work is proceeding at a University and has got to the stage where they are ready to test the science out on live couples.
Quite a few couples attend the selection process to try and be accepted- but invariably, there is press intrusion and interest and also quite a few
dissenters.
Jules and Rosie are one of the couples selected and Jules is actually a journalist. Another couple are also selected. Both couples conceive and are trying to just go about their business but there is inevitable press interest and Jules gets asked to keep reporting - one of the Editors really has it in for her.
The pregnancies progress but things take a sinister turn when the other couple lose their baby. The tests on the foetus reveal that there was a mix up with the collected eggs and that the child is not the biological child of both parents.
Jules and Rosie go through tough times- Jules keeps trying to deal with things but can't trust Rosie with her doubts. They take time apart but when the press get even more interested,they are sent to a 'safe house' and wait until the birth.
Things slowly resolve. The baby is born and called Emmeline. Eventually, they find their own path and move abroad and make a new life.

XY makes male, XX makes female; in vivo, in vitro, the rules are the same, the basic principles which govern human reproduction and embryology however it is arranged, through natural conception, through a donor or a surrogate. But what if there was another way, ovum to ovum fertilisation, a process whereby endangered species who have low reproductive rates could have their numbers increased?

By default rather than by design, such offspring would invariably be female, an X chromosome inherited from each of their mothers, but for some couples this would also be an ideal if unexpected and unsought realisation of their desires, a child of their own without need for the genetic contribution of an outsider, be it an anonymous stranger or a family friend.

Juliet Curtis never wanted children in the same way her girlfriend Rosie Barcombe did; on holiday with strangers’ children, in her work at the bookshop, it was always Rosie who was at ease at making young friends, but neither of them expected the question to come into their lives so directly or suddenly.

The human trials announced at Portsmouth University’s Centre for Reproductive Medicine, it is on their doorstep, and Rosie wants to apply; pages of questions on them and their families to ascertain their suitability and the possibility of inherited diseases, the interviews, the tests, the possibility they will not be accepted, the chance that, as with many IVF cycles, Rosie will not become pregnant; all this they are aware of and understand.

What they are not prepared for is the barrage of hatred, abuse, disinformation and distortion of truth, betrayal by those closest to them and the invasion of their privacy as their identity is leaked to the press and they become the bête noire of a local politicial aiming for the big time who needs a cause upon which he can pin his ambition to stir up national outrage.

The debut novel of Angela Chadwick, like Jules she trained as a journalist and worked as a reporter and conveys the sense of how the drive to be honest and truthful is compromised by the demands of big media and editors whose goal is selling papers, irrespective of who is hurt or defamed.

Like Chadwick, Jules has a voice and has chosen to tell her story in her way, awkward, disappointed, exhausted but determined and hopeful despite the forces arrayed against her and Rosie and their unborn daughter, the screaming headlines proclaiming the trial as unnatural, a strike against men who will become obsolete if the scientists and the lesbians have their way.

The representation of science in the media notorious for unsupported and alarmist prognostications, rational debate is sidelined, the self-evident fact ignored that even if the trial is successful and the process approved it will only represent a fraction of IVF births which are a fraction of natural births, that the shape of the world will not change to a dominant matriarchy; all that matters is fanning the flames.

An informed and measured work of slipstream science fiction, Chadwick does not make her characters superhuman; Jules is flawed, apprehensive about the process and her part in it, subjected to taunts at work and feeling marginalised even as her girlfriend carries their child, and XX is easy to read and relate to despite the apparent strangeness of the situation, the focus always on the characters rather than medical terminology or genetics.

Isolated from her few friends Jules has no one to assure her that it is entirely normal for any prospective parent to have doubts during a huge adjustment in priorities and responsibilities, and despite their portrayal by the Alliance for Natural Reproduction she and Rosie have more in common with those who “honour God’s way and trust in him to create our children” than sets them apart, all of them prospective parents who want health and happiness for their child; fortunately, Chadwick’s firstborn is a winner.

Jules, a journalist and her partner Rosie are given the opportunity to become the biological parents of a baby. New technology and research from a university means that o-o (ovum to ovum) fertilisation is now possible meaning women in relation would no longer need to rely on sperm donations in order to have children. Unfortunately Rosie and Jules are faced with hatred and vitriol from the public and press and their relationship is tested to the limit. XX is actually an extremely powerful novel, obviously the science at this point yet but the social media intrusion and the way that women are perceived and treated is very relevant in this current climate.

XX imagines a world where two women are able to have their own biological child - who will always be a girl - through ovum-to-ovum fertilisation. Jules and Rosie, a lesbian couple, jump at the chance to have a baby who is related to both of them. But as the medical trial proceeds, their situation becomes increasingly dangerous as protest mounts. While it's still all too rare to see lesbians represented in fiction, and I enjoyed the refreshing depiction of Jules and Rosie's happy, normal relationship, this didn't mesh very well with the premise of the book. The wider, more interesting implications of this technology are barely mentioned. As one of the characters points out, the reason people are afraid of ovum-to-ovum is not really because of lesbians - who already live lives without men - but because of the suggestion, however small, that heterosexual women might turn away from their male partners to mother children with more reliable female friends. How far are women staying with men under patriarchy so they can have children? The close focus on Jules and Rosie means that these intriguing feminist questions are sidelined, and the issues at hand are reduced to 'giving women more choice'. Chadwick's clunky, journalistic writing also keeps the story very simplistic. A shame, because this is readable and potentially interesting.

Fuller review to come nearer the publication date.

I have never read anything like this before. The idea is fantastic. We follow Rosie and Jules on their journey to become parent's. They hear of a ground breaking clinical trial that can help two women the chance to become parent's to a female baby that would genetically be theirs. Once news breaks of this trial they have to deal with the hate and backlash from people who think it is wrong and would lead to the end of man...

Honest, sensitive, interesting - this book has a hint of familiar sounds of the world we currently live in. In that politicians versus health groups and who knows best.

I was really intrigued when I read the synopsis for this book. Imagine a world in which scientists can use two women's eggs to produce a baby girl. It's such a interesting concept and one which would completely change the world if it were true.

From the beginning I was drawn into Jules and Rosie's relationship and I felt a part of their struggles. Sometimes books which feature science as their plot are too science-heavy, whereas XX very much focuses on the humans involved in the science- what's it like for them, what are they experiencing and feeling and how they would cope with the events that unfurl.

I found this meant I gobbled up page after page eager to know what happened next, personally invested in whether Rosie and Jules would get their happy ending. It also avoided the author getting anything too scientific incorrect, which is important as it wouldn't have worked to make up the science involved in this process.

I had real problems liking Jules as a person. I felt she consistantly made the wrong choices when she could so easily have made the right one. She was quite infuriating as a character but this did work within the plot of the book as Jules frequently makes reference to the fact she knows she's less personable and easy to like than her partner Rosie.

I thought the exploration of what makes a child yours and the feelings Jules and Rosie had about the baby all the way through the book was really believable and honestly whilst I was reading I had no idea how it was all going to end.

I also really enjoyed the fact it was set in Petersfield and surrounding areas as that's near where I'm from. It was nice to see familiar names and areas being referenced. I think only people who live near Leigh Park will properly understand the relevance of Jules's father being raised there!

I really enjoyed this book.

A phenomenal work of speculative fiction, XX follows the story of Jules and Rosie, one of the first female-only couples to have their own baby without the help of a man.
When a place opens up on a ground-breaking clinical trial to allow two women to have a baby, Jules and Rosie jump at the chance to join, but as the media storm descends the pressure threatens to break them apart.
I loved this book for several reasons; a minority perspective; probing of male/female roles in society; questions on motherhood; portrayal of media and a story that is rooted in reality, despite its speculative setting. Jules as the narrator is wonderfully flawed, in a way that is incredibly readable and relatable throughout. Her voice stays strong, trying to cope with changes and stresses that could happen to anyone, and I think Angela Chadwick has captured her humanity perfectly. Jules sees her partner through rose-tinted glasses, she is overwhelmed and second guesses herself, she strives to do what is best – these are all attributes everyone can relate to, and it creates an important empathy with the reader. We see, through Jules’ eyes, a toxicity of societal views and values that threaten her and her family in a way that shakes your faith in humanity. Hers is a voice and a story that will make you want to scream at the ignorance of the other characters.
The main theme of the story centres around men and women’s place in society and their roles within it, and it is incredibly provocative and timely. It forces you to question the ‘what if’s’ of your own values, and also shows the circus of the media- obsessed world. In this era of ‘fake news’ and gender roles in constant flux, what would happen if this kind of option were available? What would the media narrative be? Chadwick takes these questions and forms an utterly stimulating plot that doesn’t just feel issue-led. It’s thought-provoking whilst remaining believable and absorbing as a story, and she avoids narrow-mindedness within a first-person narrative with her inclusion of the rhetoric and arguments around the clinical trial. There are several characters with differing opinions who raise issues in their own way, exactly as it would be in real life.
Motherhood is also central to the plot and I really think Chadwick has captured the voice of different mothers and mothers-to-be expertly. Dreams, doubts and troubles invade from all angles and I think it’s a powerful exploration of how parents might actually feel as opposed to how they should feel. There’s an assortment of different family set-ups shown as well which adds even more depth to the dynamics portrayed, and results in a colourful variety of viewpoints scattered through the story. Tying into that theme also is Chadwick’s snippets of the male-gaze and many of the male characters’ defensiveness when they feel threatened. We read disgusting threats to Jules on social media and hear abusive shouts and insults as she goes about her work. They are short but insidious and act as an exposé of hatred within society of something that challenges the ‘norm’. Chadwick’s inclusion of these is incredibly powerful and important, driving home the sometimes poisonous nature of other’s views on personal matters.
I think the plot of his novel is fantastic, with sympathetic characters, thought-provoking issues and ultimately a hopeful outlook for the future. I will be recommending this powerful and timely novel to everyone I know, and I can definitely see many debates around the issues covered arising.

Review to be posted on STORGY.com

A thought provoking exploration of a world in which women could have children with other women. The book explores both viewpoints well and the characters are well developed and relatable.

I enjoyed this book, and I appreciated how it focused on individual approaches to pregnancy as well as the reception to O-O conception.

The premise of this novel is fascinating - what if science could find a way to enable two women to conceive a baby together that is biologically theirs, without the need for any male involvement? But what the novel really deals with is more fascinating still - how would society react to this? Well written, perfectly paced and so timely, in XX Chadwick explores how this development might be received by the UK (and the rest of the world) today. The novel focuses on Jules and Rosie, a lesbian couple participating in the first clinical trial of the new method. Their names are leaked to the press and the resulting public reaction and outcry leaves them exposed and vulnerable. Through excellent character development, Chadwick manages to explore the social, ethical and political questions raised, while still telling what is at its core a beautifully human story.

Jules has found her perfect partner and is blissfully happy after a childhood deprived of her Mother and a struggling Father who gave her love but was battling his own grief. Her partner, Rosie, would like a baby but Jules has resisted until a magical holiday sees the joy a baby can bring. On return, a ground breaking trial is announced using cells from 2 females to create an embryo to implant, thereby offering the chance of both Mothers being genetically linked to their baby. We follow the pair through the pre-tests, the subsequent acceptance onto the trial and the outcome. Yes, it's controversial, but the sheer opposition the couple endure is staggering. I had to keep reminding myself this was fiction as it was so immediate and believable. I was compelled to race through to finish the book to find out what happened. The characters and their emotions were so well defined. But the underlying message of press intrusion and manipulation of people came across just as strongly as the emotion and I almost got a petition up to protest. This is a book of love, hope, despair and intolerance. If the ending had been left hanging I would have complained to the author, as although I didn't expect a 'happy-ever-after' ending I did want a satisfactory conclusion which Angela Chadwick managed to provide.

A truly fascinating read. I was hooked from beginning to end and was totally consumed in the story, even when I wasn't reading it.

Very intriguing, well paced contemplation of a plausible future concept. XX explores the implications of female/female IVF. This means a lesbian couple can conceive a baby that is entirely their combined genetics....no more sperm donors needed. Jules is a reporter with a complicated background, a massive chip on her shoulder but a big heart. Her gorgeous girlfriend is more free-spirited, from a stable, privileged home. Together they decide to apply for the first trial of Ovum-to-Ovum fertilization. Their baby could make history.

I love how the author considers the 360 degree reaction to the idea, from the potential clients, to the media, to the general public and even politics. It brings the influence of the media into focus and made me question my own views. The pace is well set, and the characters well-rounded. In fact, the book was very thorough at filling the gaps and considering many alternative angles and reactions.

It was so thorough that I feel some magic is missing. Nevertheless I enjoyed this solid 4 star book.

I was drawn to this book by the central premise of a scientific breakthrough which allows women, via a form of IVF, to have children with each other, without the input of men. Eerily, this was the subject of a dream I had many years ago and I was curious to see where the idea would be taken by the writer.

The main character was a complicated one. Sometimes I liked her; sometimes I wanted to knock some sense into her! The extended cast of characters was reasonably interesting, although some of them were a little one dimensional. A betrayal early in the storyline led to intrigue about the perpetrator which kept me guessing right up to the final reveal near the end of the novel, although the character it seemed the writer wanted readers to initially suspect was too obviously there as a red herring, in my opinion.

Whilst a little slow to get going, once I got through the initial chapters I found the story gripping and finished it in one sitting. Although this obviously touches on science which does not currently exist, there is no scientific detail and the novel is definitely more of a thriller than science fiction for me.

Imagine a world where men have been eradicated.

...then forget about that, because that's not what this book is about. It is about the development of a new form of IVF called ovum to ovum fertilisation, which means that babies can be born without the need for a man and Juliet and Rosie are lucky enough (or so they think) to be chosen to take part in the clinical trial. This is an excellent book which tackles a topic which could be possible in the not-too-distant future and focuses on the backlash and critics of such a venture, with so many obvious parallels to protests against abortion, gay marriage, and other things used to control people (especially women). I would highly recommend this book which despite the not-yet-existing subject matter is still incredibly relevant for the world we live in today. I've seen it described at sci-fi on Goodreads but would definitely argue that it isn't. Despite the fact the technology doesn't exist, this book is an excellent commentary on our current social and political climate.

(Thanks to the publishers for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)

Interesting read! Maybe this is what would happen in real life!? I found the story interesting, I engaged with and cared about the characters, I enjoyed to route of the story and the way jules dealt with the publicity, her feelings and Rosie. I also liked her thoughts on becoming a new mother and the difficulties faced by 2 women couples and trying conceive. A very enjoyable read!

What a wonderfully provocative and stimulating book this is! There’s a danger than novels based around ‘issues’ can lose their creative edge, that thing that makes them an act of storytelling rather than polemic, but Chadwick doesn’t fall into that trap. She also doesn’t tie up all the ends so that difficult issues remain problematic, open to discussion, rather than being closed down in a narrow-minded fashion. Indeed, the book has little time for the aggressively easy answers being put forward by the Tory politician, the tabloid newspapers and the less salubrious side of social media where any woman who steps out of line is threatened with physical violence and rape to put her back into ‘her place’.

I don’t want to say much about the plot which would be too spoilery but the originating premise is that researchers at a UK university have discovered a way to fertilise a human egg with the DNA taken from another egg: ovum-to-ovum fertilisation which, because it doesn’t involve male Y chromosomes, always result in a baby girl. Cue some rabid scaremongering from the media about feminist/lesbian conspiracies to eradicate men...

From this starting point, however, unweaves a story that takes in issues of class and sexuality, gender politics and Westminster politics, the popular media, ‘fake news’ and the frightening phenomenon of people ditching expert and rational factual discourse for something far more emotive and irrational. It’s not all ‘issues’ either: through the relationship of Jules and Rosie, this also looks at how a couple cope under crisis, and what happens when one of them wants a child the other just isn’t sure about.

Through it all Chadwick keeps a tight hold on her material so that plot and debate unfurl hand-in-hand. This is the kind of book you’ll want to press on all your friends if only to have someone to discuss it with. And I even cried a bit at the end!

What a wonderful thought provoking storyline- could it really happen in the future, I don’t think so?? It was beautifully written, full of hope, love and fear.

Amazing.

A slow burning book - I admit that whilst I was highly intrigued with the premise, I did find the book difficult to get into at first - however as the storyline picked up I was absolutely gripped and read the last quarter through the night because I couldn’t put it down.

A book which really makes you think, whilst being an enjoyable, challenging read. Highly recommended.

Such an interesting book and a layered, sensitively told story. The story weaves a topical issue, the effects it has in the public and private sphere, and the range of emotions felt by the people just struggling to live, in a really compelling way. Will be recommending this to loads of people.