Books like this definitely are thought provoking - in the world we live in, can we really go back to this? Well written without forcing a political position. Highly recommended.

A timely book about the importance of women having access to necessary healthcare to help support them and their wellbeing. The book follows a group of women who developed the Jane network to provide safe abortions and needed health information to help women make the choices they need. While this was a very sanitized version of what happened during that time period and only briefly touches on intersectionality, the overall message of women's rights is prevalent and very relevant given today's political climate.

In a book full of talking points, hard subjects, and many great lines, this one stood out to me. It is so true. It isn’t a #firstlinefriday but if it was, I would have bought the book instantly.
‌
“I know. I wish I was attracted to women,” slurred Crissy. “They’re so much more impressive.”
‌
The women in this book, All You Have to Do Is Call by Kerri Maher, are very impressive. Average women, moms, wives, teachers, and students who are extraordinary because they stand up for the rights of other women. They are there for each other when they call.
‌
This is a work of fiction, based on the very true stories of Jane, an organization founded and run by women in Chicago in the early 1970’s to give women the freedom and ability to choose.
‌
No matters what side you stand on regarding abortion, this book opens eyes and shows the why, the where, and the who seeking out the help Jane provided when abortions were illegal. It is a riveting, engrossing story told well.
‌
Given today’s political climate regarding women’s reproductive rights, this historical fiction novel could very well be futuristic.
‌
Although the subject matter centers on this organization that provided abortions, I think a very big message in the book, even in the title, is the importance of women being there for each other, lifting each other up and helping each other through the difficult times and celebrating the good.
‌
Women are amazing.
‌
I recommend this book, it is entertaining as well as informative. You bet I went and googled more information on Jane.

Maybe 3.5 but couldn't quite go to 4... this is book about the Jane Network who provided safe abortions to women prior to Roe v Wade. This women were courageous and very much believed that the right to choose is pivotal to a woman's life. The characters were well developed and had their own stories and the plot shows the struggle of trying to do it all and figuring out what YOU want all at the same time. My only criticism is that it was all so "clean," one raid at the end which didn't amount to anything given the timeliness of RvW, no woman had a botched abortion or died in the process, most were white and most had some support to lean on...clearly not the case in reality. Very timely reminder of the importance of bodily autonomy in this very polarized political climate.

On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade, taking away the right to bodily autonomy that American women had relied on for fifty years. In this new environment, conservative states work to outlaw abortion and even birth control. The women who live there are forced to flee to Democratic states to have abortions, even in cases of severe fetal abnormalities. And miscarrying women living in these states risk their lives.

In this highly charged atmosphere, it’s a comfort to read All You Have to Do Is Call, Kerri Maher’s latest historical fiction novel. Set in early 1970s Chicago, the book is based on the real-life Jane network, a group of women who provided abortions and other reproductive healthcare services to women at a time when the procedure was still illegal in Illinois. It’s a timely reminder that when men seek to keep women in their place, other women will help them break free.

In this fictional version of the Jane network, the group’s founders are Siobhan and Veronica, who were inspired to form the group due to the shame surrounding Siobhan’s abortion. Both women do D&Cs and train others to do them. Siobhan, a painter, is divorced from Gabe; Veronica is pregnant with her second child. The other women featured in the book include Margaret, an assistant professor who is dating Gabe and starts to volunteer with Jane; and Patty, a Catholic housewife who is Veronica’s childhood best friend but disapproves of Veronica’s friend Siobhan. The women all have their own personal dramas as well: Siobhan has to share a child with Gabe; Veronica’s husband worries about her health; Margaret deals with sexism at work; Patty has a troubled marriage and younger sister.

The details of the network are thoroughly and carefully explained, and show Maher’s commitment to research. The women put together an elaborate system to preserve anonymity and avoid detection from police, including pseudonyms and decoy locations. The organization is run as professionally as any corporation, with weekly status meetings, trainings, recruitment, and promotion. Maher also touches on the racial issues of the period, acknowledging that mostly Black women used a service provided by white women, and the impact of that.

I found the characters to be a little pat. They all had character arcs; despite the messiness of the book’s subject, everything was tidied up at the end. I wanted more. When women are prevented from having an abortion, they die. A pregnant woman is more likely to be murdered than a woman who isn’t pregnant, and homicide is a bigger cause of death for pregnant women than health-related issues. I would have liked a subplot about a woman who didn’t get to Jane in time. I wanted to see the worst happen.

And despite all her careful attention to detail, there was a scene that was missing: A detailed description of a D&C. Today’s underground women’s health network will probably focus on providing pills for a medical abortion. But in red states, miscarrying women are sent to hospital parking lots to see if they can pass their fetuses before going septic. In places like Florida, we need women like Siobhan and Veronica to save those women’s lives by performing D&Cs, because the doctors won’t do them until it might be too late.

All You Have to Do Is Call ends with the passage of Roe v. Wade. Sadly, today’s Supreme Court seems more likely to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges—the case that found laws against same-sex marriages to be unconstitutional—than to do anything to help women. As the 2020s turns into the 1950s, women will again need to band together in groups like Jane to keep our hard-fought equality. Maher’s novel will be an inspiration to them, if not a guidebook.

I requested this book for background for a promotion we were running. All You Have to Do is Call was extremely well received by our subscribers, so much so that in addition to the booked program, we also ran it as a Top Pick recommendation (of which we run just four each week):

Any feminist and anyone interested in the history of women's rights in the US should run to get a copy of "All You Have to Do Is Call" by Kerri Maher. It's based on the true story of the Jane Collective in the early 1970s in Chicago, which was an underground abortion network before the Roe vs Wade Supreme Court decision. The alternating viewpoints in the book provide a glimpse into what society was like and how split on the issue people were at the time.

In this novel, Veronica is the woman who founded Jane, an all-female group of women who would refer other women to doctors willing to safely provide abortion services. Eventually, members of the group start performing the procedure themselves. Margaret's husband objects to her long hours while she's in the midst of a high-risk pregnancy. Even she is worried about the optics of a hugely pregnant abortion provider.

Also in the U of C area, Patty is dealing with the return of her sister Eliza, who went missing years ago. She's determined to find Eliza, though the people around her have given up hope. When Eliza unexpectedly returns, Patty isn't prepared to deal with her sister's drug habit and other traumas.

Meanwhile, Margaret, a young new professor at the University of Chicago, begins volunteering with Jane. She's tired of the male-dominated academic would. The old fogies in her department won't listen to her opinions or allow female students to win scholarships. It's her way of making a difference. Her boyfriend doesn't know she's a volunteer.

These are women who were forced to hide their activities and beliefs - not only because many people wouldn't approve, but because their actions were illegal. It's a story of bravery and standing up for what's right.

I desperately wanted to love this book; the subject matter of women’s health and reproductive rights is one of my favorites, and this book felt so timely. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get into it; I kept trying and read much farther than I usually do, to 60%. I don’t finish books I’m not enjoying. I ultimately wanted a faster plot and more drama.

A timely novel to read after the takedown of Roe Vs. Wade. Enjoyed the different perspectives in the novel and how they were the conduit through which the author gave all the varying point of views on their polarizing issue.

Interesting book about the Jane Collective in Chicago in the early 1970s. I enjoyed the stories of all the women and how they intertwined. Thank you to the women of that era, with hopes that we don't have to go to these extremes again. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Rounded up to 4 stars from 3.5 but I am glad that I read it. This was a very interesting read about the time right before Roe v. Wade and I am grateful for having so much more historical context for the current issues surrounding abortions. This isn’t taught in schools and it leaves a hole in people’s understandings of how we got to where we are today. This book also did an excellent job of pulling in so many types of feminism. It was seen from full time stay at home moms, free flying aunts, husbands, and clergy members. That being said, I did not find the characters notably engaging until the last 50 pages and wish there had been something to pull the reader into the action a little earlier. Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

I waited awhile after reading this to let my comments and recommendation gel. The author is new to me, but I was immediately attracted to the cover photograph. That woman in the white go-go boots could have been me fresh out of college. I was also drawn to the familiar Chicago setting. But most importantly I was interested in the subject matter, the workings, successes, challenges, and extreme necessity of the Jane Network, the organization providing abortions for women in need during the late 1960’s and early 1970’s before abortions were legal nationwide. The women-run organization was presented realistically and with much judgment. The part of the book less satisfying to me was the narrative around five different women and their mates or relationships. While the male characters were partially intended to provide varied points of view on women’s roles and rights at this historic time, the couples’ interactions often seemed stereotypical, soap opera-like. Still, I am glad I read All You Have to Do is Call, and I rate it better than average in the Women’s Fiction category.

Trigger Warnings: women’s health care/reproductive rights

Who does a woman call when she needs help? Jane.

Jane is a women’s health organization composed entirely of women helping women with their reproductive needs - including illegal abortions. The women who run Jane lead double lives and All You Need to Do Is Call follows three of the members as they must make decisions that will change the course of all their lives.

I think nowadays it’s important to really know about our history and how we should try our hardest to not repeat it. But also, if stuff does get repeated, looking back and seeing how it was handled and managed before (usually in the underground).

This story is loosely based on the Jane Society from Chicago in the 1970’s and it was really nice to read about and learn how women were helping each other out as much as they could when society wasn’t. It was also nice to read about the different types of women that Jane brought together - both as in the members and the tidbits of information we got about those who used the service. We really got a look into the housewife’s role in a turning point of history.

Overall, I really enjoyed this historical fiction and will be recommending this to those who like historical fiction. This would also be a good book group read as it can bring up tons of discussion points for groups as well.

*Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

This book was wonderful! I didn't read the summary before I read it, and I was so pleasantly surprised at the subject matter. I loved learning more about the Jane Collective and will absolutely be reading more books about this topic in the future. The themes were so empowering and I thought the book did a good job highlighting some intertwined topics to abortion like race and racism, economic status, and the debate over Roe v. Wade.

What I disliked: not much, but I did think keeping the 3 women straight sometimes with the switching POVs was a little difficult. Sometimes I was confused which woman was the focal point of the chapter because their lives kind of bled together. I also thought some of the smaller plot points to the end felt out of place, like Patty and Matt (I think it was them at least) and their sex life? It just seemed a little off-kilter with the rest of the tone and focus of the book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to recommending it to plenty of people!

Kerri Maher captured a really timely story about the pre-Roe network of women helping to provide safe, if "illegal" reproductive healthcare. It's powerful and emotional as it includes women at all different points in their understanding of the importance of this work, and the struggles of working women and women raising families in this era.

While I liked the story line and the characters, the first half felt long then it picked up. Also the abortion topic (I know that's what the book was about) was so over the top at some points. 3.5 stars for me

After helping her friend obtain an illegal abortion and noticing the horrifying conditions women face, Veronica and her friend start the Jane’s. A safe, women run, way to get an abortion. Roe V Wade is facing the Supreme Court, but these women need help now. This is the story of the women that use Jane, work for Jane, and even some that oppose Jane.
I really loved getting to read about the different decisions that were made on this subject. The book is of course timely because of Roe vs Wade being over turned. I felt varied emotions throughout this book but I really though Kerri Maher did an incredible job telling this woman's story.

Quick and Dirty⁣⁣
-1970s Chicago setting⁣⁣
-strong female MCs⁣⁣
-friendships formed and strained relationships ⁣⁣
-very pro-Choice⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Thoughts⁣⁣
While this book may be controversial, I can't in good conscience withhold my praise. This magnificent book is all about strong women fighting against the patriarchy, against the pressure to conform to social norms, and against the expectation that anyone other than a woman has the right to choose what’s right for her body and her life. From the first few chapters, I was completely engrossed in the lives of these complex women, even more so by their dynamic relationships. It felt messy like a good family drama but the focus never steered far from the main agenda: exploring the history of Jane. It reminded me of Looking for Jane, yet it felt fresh and new, told from a whole different perspective. I cannot say enough good things about this book, but I know it will not be for everyone.

Oh, My Gosh, Kerri Maher has blown me away once again! Her latest creation is loosely based on an underground abortion clinic from the 1970s called the Jane Collective. The story takes place in the 1970s before Roe vs. Wade, sadly making it a timely book for 2023. The characters in her book are trailblazers in the ever-controversial arena of women’s agency and reproductive rights in a male-dominated world. Maher’s story has an incredible sense of time and place. The pages are filled with fierce female characters who offer peace, empowerment, and the right to choose to fellow women everywhere. With a compassionate hand, Maher wrote an immersive tale that will have your next book club talking!

In this era of post Roe and for those of us that can remember life before Roe v. Wade this book is perfect--it is a reminder of what life was like AND what life may be again if the religious right gets it way. the characters were so well developed and the intricacy of how they all interacted kept the very big story still small enough to feel a part of. A short while ago there was a documentary about the Janes of Chicago and this book is a very good complement to it (or the documentary supports the book). Even though it is history and the reader knows how it turns out, the author creates suspense--both personal and professional that keeps the reader absorbed in the book.