It’s really hard for me to give a five star review especially for an historical fiction; I am very picky with them but Heather Marshall’s debut novel truly deserves it (which I am still shocked about). This story of three generations of women, mothers, and daughters completely shattered my heart (in good way!). I was completely hooked and couldn’t put this book down until I finished it. I am so thankful to have received this as an ARC before it’s publication, and I know for a fact that I will go and buy a copy as soon as it comes out.

This one didn't work for me, unfortunately. It didn't pull me in: I didn't feel like I had a good handle on who the characters were, and the writing and dialogue felt a bit awkward.

I don't often read historical fiction, so it's possible this just isn't my genre -- I picked it up because I was intrigued by the idea of learning more about Canada's history around abortion rights, but the fictional characters around that story didn't appeal to me.

I decided not to finish this one as it wasn't for me.

This is a story quite simply about women and their choices regarding pregnancy. It spans over several decades and follows three women who have to make decisions regarding their own pregnancies. It discusses the Catholic church and their role in forcing women to give their children up for adoption even when they did not want to (particularly when they were unmarried or the child was a product of a rape). It also discusses abortions and what happened prior to the legalization of it. Additionally, it discusses adoption as well. It also mainly takes place in Toronto, but also in Oakville, Ottawa, and Montreal.

This story had me from the beginning and held me until the very end. Quite frankly, there were times that I simply could not put it down. I highly recommend this novel and everyone who reads this novel should definitely read the author's notes at the end to hear how steeped in actual history this novel is.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for my copy and honest review.

Looking for Jane is a stunning debut that takes a deep dive into motherhood (the wanting and not wanting to be a mother), social expectations placed on women (that are still alive and well today, and women’s reproductive rights (and lack there of).

Through the intertwined stories of three women, Morris shines a light on the heartbreaking reality faced by women of all generations and walks of life. It is so much more than a book about abortion and choice, it is a reflection on one of the blemishes in Canadian history and it speaks to the strength of women in their continued fight for women's rights.

This thought-provoking, searing, and still timely novel will stay with its reader long after the last page is turned.

This story grabs you from the opening lines. Characters reach out and touch your heart as you learn of the various circumstances that brought young women to homes for unwed mothers, specifically in Ontario. The injustice and lack of compassion in these homes is evident in these heartbreaking circumstances.
The book also describes the methods of dealing with unwanted pregnancies from the very dangerous and grim to those secret networks offering a safer method., not without danger of course, right up to the legalization of abortion in Canada.
Stories from all sides of these circumstances are brought to life through a well researched and beautifully written account by Heather Marshall.

I was given the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Looking for Jane and I couldn’t feel more honoured. Heather Marshall’s debut novel is a thought provoking emotional read. A historical fiction based in Canada brings to light the stories of three women told over decades and their connection to the maternity homes young women were sent away to. A powerful story about motherhood through adoption, abortion and IVF. I highly recommend reading this book once it comes out!

Not my typical read but I’m so glad I did. It’s a tale that spans many decades in the lives of three women and the quest to be a part of the Jane network. Every woman has a different reason for taking part and their lives interconnect in so many ways. Emotional charged and beautifully written. The fact it’s set in Toronto and that I knew many of the landmarks helped to be fully immersed into the story. Also,that these events really happened to many woman in the past and even now made it so real and thought provoking. A must read.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc

Looking for Jane was a beautiful historical fiction book. I very much enjoyed the setting between the years of 1960’s to 2017. Learning about the history of illegal abortions I knew nothing about, especially this book taking place in Canada where I am born and raised! The emotional stories from beginning to end from the three well developed characters, Evelyn, Nancy and Angela. The fight for women’s rights and motherhood, it wasn’t a light read at all. Being a mother myself it tugged at every heartstring, a very well written book. I highly recommend this book to anyone! 🥲🤧

I believe it will be released sometime in February-March 2022.

Thank you SO much NetGalley and Simson & Schuster for giving me this amazing opportunity to read an eARC!

This is work of fiction by author Heather Marshall. An historical work of fiction.

It’s an excellent story about life and death and about longing to become pregnant or terrified that you did.

If you’re any woman of child-bearing age, you should read it. Whether you’re pro-life or pro- choice you should read it. It follows the lives of Angela, Evelyn, Maggie, and Nancy and how their lives intercept and come together because of a misplaced letter.

I enjoyed reading it and got totally involved with these women and their lives. It describes what things were like from the early 1960s. How horrendous things were for unmarried women in the ‘60s, some merely children themselves, who became pregnant and were forced by whatever situation they were in, to need an abortion. How women helping other women were able to change the abortion laws. It’s a book of terror and triumph.

The characters were, in my mind, real. Ms. Marshall is excellent at her character development. I highly recommend this book, no matter what your position on abortion.

Many thanks to Simon and Schuster for allowing me to review Looking for Jane by Heather Marshall.

What a great and timely novel. I was unaware of the Jane network. This was beautifully written and a must read for all women. The author creates complex characters while delving into the history of the hard fought rights for our choices. Well done!

Looking for Jane was an interesting book. If you are interested in the history of abortion and how we got to where we are today, this book will take you through that history in Toronto. I'm sure there are many other cities that could write almost the same history. What made this book interesting was the story of a letter written to a daughter that had been "given" up for adoption through one of many "homes" for unwed mothers. There are many twists and turns throughout the story, Your heartstrings will be pushed and pulled throughout this novel. It was very well researched and written.

I received a copy of this book for my honest review!

Calling all fans of Histoical Fiction! Wow - this book blew me away, hard to believe this is Heather Marshall's debut novel. I absolutely loved this story, her writing, and learning about a time in Canadian history that I was not familiar with.
This book follows the narration of 3 women: Angela, Evelyn, and Nancy. Their stories criss cross through decades and throughout the entire novel, the reader is trying to find the link. Along the way, we learn about Motherhood, through the history of abortion in the post-war era and the Catholic-run homes for "wayward young women". One woman fighting to become a mother, one who was robbed of her choice and paved the way for women in the future, and another who learns a secret about who she is and where she came from.
What I love about this story is that it is set in Canada. I love to read historical fictions, but have grown tired of reading about women in Europe during WWII (which is so popular in this genre). It was refreshing to read a more modern history; one about women's right, pro-choice, Motherhood, and Canada.
Marshall's in depth research into a woman's right to choose during the latter half of the twentieth century is brilliant. This topic is so important and it is almost hard to believe that this is recent history and that the women effected by this can still be alive today.
Marshall gave voices to all the women who have suffered imaginable and lasting heartache through the actions of men, Church, and government to choose what happens to a woman's body.
I was blown away by this story. It was a brilliant mix of history, love, sadness, and mystery. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, in fact it was so good, I read it in a day! I just couldn't put it down. I needed to know how these women were connected. What a thrill!
Anyone who loves historical fiction needs to pick this one up, it is the best I've read in a very, very long time.
I loved it and have already recommended it to friends who also are fans of this genre. Thank you so much to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster for the advance copy. Also, a big thank you to Heather Marshall who has written an incredible debut novel with a story that needs to be told!

This book tore at my emotions. It is a story about the abortion rights (or lack thereof) of women in Canada through the last few decades. With the current attitudes of some states in the news, it brings home the importance of letting women make their own choices about abortion. The story will make you cry and make you cheer. So well written. As a Canadian I always thought we were a country with a history of liberating women to make their own decisions, obviously I was wrong. Even though it is a work of fiction, it is like reading today's headlines.
Thank you NetGalley for providing a copy. The opinion posted in this review is sole my own.

4.5 stars A compelling and emotional debut by Heather Marshall about motherhood and reproductive rights in Canada told through the story of three women whose lives interconnect over several decades. Evelyn is forced to give her baby up for adoption at a maternity home run by the Catholic Church in 1961 and later becomes a doctor who provides illegal abortions to women as part of an underground network in Toronto. Nancy is a young woman in the late '70s/early '80s who witnesses her cousin's botched back alley abortion and later seeks help from the Jane Network to access a safe abortion herself. In 2017, Angela is a woman undergoing IVF treatments who finds a letter that had not been delivered years earlier and her search for the intended recipient leads her to learn more about both the maternity homes and the Jane Network.

Looking for Jane is an informative read about the history of women's rights in Canada with respect to reproductive choice and abortion access. I haven't seen this topic covered in fiction before and I expect many younger readers won't be aware of many of the events and circumstances depicted in the novel. This work of fiction based on historical fact brings to life the heartbreak of the post-war maternity home system, forced adoptions, back alley abortions, and struggles with fertility as well as highlighting the fight for women's rights to control their own bodies in Canada and the realities of the underground abortion networks which provided access to care prior to the Morgentaler decision in 1988. A powerful, unforgettable story!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC.

Told in three timelines, this is a story based on true events.

When bookstore owner Angela accidentally opens the wrong letter, it starts a chain of events that will change her life forever. The letter belonged to a Nancy Marshall and was sent from her mother before she died. It states Nancy was adopted and gives the name of her birth mother.

Nancy’s younger cousin needs an abortion in 1970’s Toronto, Canada, and her only option is to seek a back-alley surgeon who causes her to hemorrhage. Nancy helps her cousin to a hospital where she is told to ask for Jane if it ever happens again. A few years later, it’s Nancy’s turn to need help. She finds out Jane is actually an underground abortion network and joins them as a volunteer.

It’s 1961 and Eleanor’s fiancé dies unexpectantly, leaving her pregnant and alone. Eleanor’s parents take her to St. Agnes, a church-run home for unwed mothers. She’s to remain there until birth, give the child up for adoption, and work three more months to pay for her stay. Scarred by the tumultuous ordeal, Eleanor grows up to become a doctor and starts the underground adoption network called Jane.

As a Canadian who appreciates our freedom of choice, I was horrified to read this book and learn of the sacrifices made so that we could have a right to decide what is best for our bodies.

This is an eye-opening read I won’t soon forget- 5 well-deserved stars!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.

5 stars

A book that will tear you apart with emotion as you read about the lives of women in the 60s-70s. But it will also remind you of the depth of friendship, the strength of motherhood and the resolve of young women to hold their lives together.

It was a time when unwanted pregnancy was dealt with in back-streets and handled by ill-equipped religious institutions, where young women were sometimes called 'inmates'. When the Jane Network was needed, but maternity homes were still prevalant.

If you have any memories of growing up during these times, you will remember the inability to control your decisions, either at the hands of family dynamics, the lack of access to birth control, and/or the shame and broken family ties that often ensued.

Angela, Nancy and Evelyn draw you into a story that stays with you as an important, although dark period of Canadian history. With brutal honesty, author Heather Marshall takes you to a time when women did not tragically have a choice over their own bodies. As a Canadian it is worth reading, remembering and sharing with our daughters and younger generations.

A book that should be read regardless of the choices you might have made. It will provide a deeper understanding of your fellow woman/sister/mother or friend.

Thank you to #NetGalley #HeatherMarshall #Simon&SchusterCanada for this advance copy, opinions are my own.

A remarkable debut novel for Canadian author Heather Marshall. I was thrilled to have had the opportunity to read an early copy of her historical fiction novel Looking for Jane. The book is inspired by true stories, it introduces us to the Jane network, talks about the power of motherhood, and love. It’s a tribute to the doctors, nurses, and volunteers who fought for women’s rights for future generations to have a say over their bodies. It is a powerful read. It is amazing to think that today this topic is still so important. Looking for Jane is well written, well researched and very compelling. It will make a fabulous selection for a book club read.

I can't wait to see what Marshall has in store for her next book.

Note: read the author's afterword about the authenticity of the story and her research. This is a key piece of Canada's history that I was unaware of before, I am glad to be aware of it now.

Thank you #netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

I'm writing this review through my tears. What an incredible story! As much as its fiction, it's so real and I could feel the emotions of the characters through every word.

The story follows 3 women, through 3 different eras that are all intricately interwoven. It deals with heavy subjects; pregnancy, abortion, adoption, and the fight for a woman's right to her own body.

I devoured the last half of the book. Being a Canadian, reading this story that is (fiction, but) based on actual events that took place in Canada not that long ago, really shook me.

Following the stories of three different women across different decades, this novel is deep, complex, and full of intrigue, while evoking feelings of heartbreak and triumph.

This book covers many harrowing topics including forced adoption, abortion, and struggles with fertility. The portrayal of these topics is nuanced and the overall message highlights the importance of autonomy and choice. Each characters' story is realistic and reflects the law and societal expectations of their respective era. It is easy to feel the characters' desperation to have control over their circumstances, and the despair they feel when this control is prohibited.

Furthermore, as someone who has lived in the city featured in this novel, it was wonderful to see references to streets and locations that I have visited. This novel was incredibly well-written, and the description of the different locations and settings aided in my immersion into the story. I couldn't bring myself to put the book down until it was finished. I just couldn't stop until I knew each characters' story!

Overall, this is a deep, complex and thoroughly captivating novel that facilitates discussion on a woman's right to choose.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an ARC of this book.

Heather Marshall’s LOOKING FOR JANE is powerful and important.

A story of motherhood, a story of women, a story of our lack of choices and the fight to choose. The complexities of the women, their experiences, and the emotions portrayed in these pages always rang true. Marshall doesn’t write in black and whites, but the world of greys we all live in, where moment to moment our feelings, our decisions, and our thoughts can shift and transform and merge; where seemingly ‘wrong’ choices are never so simple, but understandable and often justified. Being a woman in a world that for so long saw us as second-class citizens (and in some cases still does) is not an easy feat. But women are powerful, women are fighters, and it is our emotions, our tenderness, that although sometimes viewed as a weakness, is what makes us strong – LOOKING FOR JANE explores all of this.

It’s a story I’m sure I’ll be thinking about for weeks, from the details about homes for unmarried women I knew nothing about, to the details about back alley abortions I wished I’d known nothing about, to the fight for a woman’s right to choose, which I’d never really taken enough time to consider.

Clearly, Marshall is an excellent researcher. I often found myself wondering whether aspects of this novel were inspired by lived experience. The detail was so on point, the emotions, the scents, the texture: it all felt too real to simply be fiction. And based on the Author’s Note, it wasn’t, but rather what I imagine must have been months, if not years, of mining other women’s stories.

This novel of brave and determined women is a must-read that honours countless untold stories of a past that’s been too long-silenced, that in other countries still exists. Beautiful, heartbreaking, necessary, and memorable.

Also, be sure to read the Author’s Note at the end!

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this advanced reading copy.