From Carrie Craft,
Your Guide to Adoption / Foster Care.
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Tangled Hearts, written by adoptive mother Patti Bongiorno, tells the story of a fictional adoption that reflects reality with Bongiorno's strong characterization and insight into the adoption triad. The book unfolds along three different paths that bring about the full story piece by piece. A beautifully written book that adoptive parents and adoptees will especially enjoy.

Part One: New Beginnings

The beginning of the book focuses on each of the main characters. Here readers will get a strong feel for each of the main players of the story. The readers will meet Jessica, who is new to New York City and is not only a freshman student but a mother-to-be. We follow Jessica as she tells the news to her ex-boyfriend and learns about the many choices that lie before her.

Part Two: Truth and Consequences

Next, the readers get a glimpse at how difficult this process is for a young mother-to-be. Jess must struggle to help some members of her family understand her choice for adoption as a placement plan for her child, as well as choose adoptive parents.

This section also contains the birth and adoption of the baby. My only issue with this part of the story is the use of the word "real" to describe the adoptive parents. There is a scene in which Jessica is saying good-bye to her baby, and tells the baby that she is not the child's real mother. Jess then goes on to say that the child's real parents are coming to pick her up soon. Jessica then continues to describe herself as a type of "stork". This may not bother other readers, but it was an issue for me as I don't consider myself to be any more real than my sons' birthparents. This could be a matter of personal choice.

A great example of counseling is shown in another scene when the agency facilitating the adoption sits with Jessica after she has the baby, to make sure that adoption is still her decision. When Jessica remarks that the adoptive parents would be mad if she changed her mind, the agency worker comforts Jess that all is well, even if she did change her mind.

Part Three: Families Are Made in Heaven

The story shifts ahead several years to the adoptive parents and the baby, Grace, who is now 12 years old and asking more questions about Jessica. I enjoyed this section of the book the most as I felt the reaction of the adoptive mother was right on. She showed love for her child and wished for the best, but battled with selfishness at not wanting Grace to meet Jessica. The adoptive mother feared being replaced in the heart of her child. I appreciated the effort the adoptive parents put forth in setting up a visit for Grace and Jess and how they stood by Grace through the ups and downs.

I hope that other adoptive parents read this and soften towards their adoptive children's birthparents. The author put a lot of thought in helping others understand the fear that birthparents must feel when faced with a possible reunion.

Many awesome conversations occur in this section, another one on the uniqueness of each child. The adoptive mother compared her children as unicorns among wild horses - special and rare. She then gives the gift of a necklace - a unicorn within a heart - to each child.

About the Author

Patti Bongiorno is a native New Yorker who now resides in Texas with her family. She is the mother of three and the adoptive mother of one. She is a CASA(Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteer and a child advocate.

She is also the author of Grandma, Does God Make Mistakes?, My Dad's Footsteps, and Where Does a Mom's Love Go?.

She has also established a special fund to help children aging out of the foster care system. Net proceeds from the sale of the Tangled Heart necklace, featured on the cover of the book, supports the Tangled Hearts Scholarship for children. The fund is administered by the Orphan Foundation of America (OFA).

More Information

Tangled Hearts is a perfect read for adoptees or adoptive parents.

Tangled Hearts is a Young Adult book.

(Published by: Bongiorno Books, 2004.
ISBN 0-9715819-1-6)