Published By: Corsair
Pages: 336
Released On: 09/07/2026
Your body. Their Choice.
The Hope Party’s new laws have transformed Great Britain: the countryside rewilded, children’s rights prioritised, and births on the rise. But freedom is fading.
Karen has learned to navigate this new world, keeping her head down as her fertility is constantly monitored. As her husband’s career thrives, while hers stalls. As her son is drawn into misogynist groups. Like everyone else, she’s too frightened to speak up.
Until her teenage daughter reveals a life-changing secret: she’s pregnant. With abortion and contraception banned, her future has gone up in flames. But Karen won’t let this happen – Charlotte is going to have the life she lost.
Karen turns to her sister Isobel, a doctor who’s initially reluctant to help. But when they learn Charlotte’s pregnancy is ectopic and life-threatening, the stakes skyrocket. The three women go on the run, getting deeper into danger with every hour that passes. With powerful enemies on their tail, they will risk everything in a desperate fight for freedom, and for life.
*****
Thanks to NetGalley and Corsair for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
I love Claire’s books – I think this is number 4 for me and she’s quickly become a go-to author.
It is frightening how close to home this is. We might not be there yet – controlled jobs, forced diet, no contraception, strict deductions for rule breaking, forced pregnancies and childbirth over every situation, censored Internet use, misogyny running riot. We might not be quite there yet, but it scares me to think just how easy it would be to get there. And if I’m honest, some of it sounds good – healthy children, pollution-free environment etc. but is it worth it at expense of your freedom?
This book made me so angry, which was probably the very point of it, so well done for that.
No character was black or white, they’re all morally grey. They might think they’re doing the right thing but that doesn’t mean it’s the right thing for everyone. They might seem like they’re going against the rules but it might be the only way to survive. It’s all very complex and they’re written with such depth.
The male characters – and I hate to put them in one group but the good ones are overwhelmed so I’m going to – are not very nice. I know it’s what they’ve been programmed to believe about the world now, how they act etc. I get that, and yes some do turn to the good side, as it were, but it doesn’t make them more palatable for the most of the book.
Whereas the women, again I’m not going to say they’re without flaws, and maybe it’s because I’m a woman and can imagine myself in that situation I don’t know, but I was on their side from the start and loved following their stories, even if they were uncomfortable at times.
I’m not a mother so can’t say I’d know about what you’re willing to do for your child, but Karen and Charlotte are written so well that the daughter ends up being like you’re own.
I was torn throughout the whole thing. I had fallen for these characters and so I wanted them to have the happy ending where everything works out right for everyone. But then that didn’t seem realistic in this world and I didn’t want her to turn it into this happily-ever-after fairy-tale ending, I wanted it to be real. I won’t spoil it by saying which route she went down but it was good. It managed to keep the tension and anxiety throughout the book.
I’m an early to bed person, like 8:30, even if I don’t go to sleep as early. But this had me up past midnight as I just couldn’t put it down.
Books By Your Bedside 