Happiness comes in different shapes and forms…

Synopsis

The emotional finale to the bestselling Cornish Midwife series! Get your tissues ready!

Midwife Jess is so used to helping other mums achieve their dreams that she’s put her own hopes of motherhood firmly on hold. After having her heart broken once before, Jess is determined to focus all she has on her small family and stepson Riley and make sure he feels safe, happy and loved.

But when Jess is asked to care for a tiny baby and new mum in need of support, she’s torn. Jess wants to help, but she isn’t sure her battered heart could cope with saying goodbye to another baby she’s fallen in love with.

Jess knows this could be the happy ever after she’s always dreamed of, but what if it costs her more heartache along the way? Is she brave enough to take one last chance at motherhood?

My review

Even if her dreams of motherhood are being locked away, midwife Jess is happy with the little family she has with Dexter and stepson Riley.
Yet she is determined to help others, which can be other mums to have their little bundle of joy in their arms, or even offering support to parents and their children who are struggling.
But with having her heart broken already by saying goodbye to a baby she fell in love with, how can Jess be sure that the past won’t repeat itself?
And then there is Meg, after tragedy struck her family, she is now in a happy relationship with Johnnie. But her husband and son she lost are never far from her thoughts. And her slowly moving on is causing more pain than expected, as her daughter Tilly is struggling with Meg’s new chapter… 

Starting this book was filled with happiness but also sadness.
Happiness as I would be returning to a wonderful place, with amazing characters.
But sadness, as this would be the last book of an amazing series… 

At the start, I thought the book would be focussing on only Jess. But having read every previous book of this series, I should have known that is not how this talented author works. 

Because while Jess’ story is an amazing one, which I will come back later, Meg’s story truly touched my heart. 

Meg and her daughter Tilly have suffered a terrible tragedy years ago, ripping their happy family apart.
And it’s clear that both characters are still grieving over their loss, while slowly moving on also. As I count my blessings as I haven’t lost a dear one yet, I could only try to comprehend the pain both Meg and Tilly are feeling.
It also explains Meg’s overprotectiveness towards Tilly, as the daughter is all that’s left from that once a happy family… 

We also see Meg in a relationship with Johnnie. Johnnie deserves a statue for not only his love for Meg, but also his patience and understanding.
So it saddened me to read how Meg seemed to be still holding back, almost ready to give Johnnie up. Because we could all see how devoted Johnnie was, not giving a inch about the age difference, or even the fact that Meg and he would never have their own child. 

But when the unexpected happens, we see a change in Meg, as she realizes that something wonderful has happened and she should treasure this unexpected gift.
Yet even if I was happy for Meg, it also broke my heart to see how Tilly reacted to the news. And while on one hand I could understand it, as it is indeed shocking news, on the other hand I found her very selfish too. Even unreasonable. 

Yet no matter how easy it was to dislike Tilly and her behaviour, especially more towards the end, this amazing author also shows us that we should never underestimate the effects that a great tragedy can have on people, no matter how much time has passed.
And that a mother’s heart is filled with love, forgiveness and kindness, no matter what. 

Jo Bartlett also shows that a mother isn’t defined by shared DNA, as we can clearly see in Jess’ story.
Jess has been through a lot as we know from the previous books, but we also saw what an amazing person she in fact is. No matter her own pain, her love for Riley is palpable from each page. She would walk on water for that boy. 

But she is also a generous person, as she won’t allow her troubles to stop from helping. Not only does she continue with the support group, but she also wants to help not only children but also parents with their struggles. 

Jess’ story shows us that no matter how tough things have been, it isn’t a free pass on being a terrible person. Jess for sure is evidence of that, as she tries to make the world a better place however she can. Even if helping children would mean that her heart would get broken again. She wants to make a difference, and help those who haven’t been dealt the best cards in life.  

It was also amazing to see how that little family, even without any shared DNA between them, are such a perfect family. Jess and Dexter are so in sync, they are the epitome of power – couple. Their relationship shows what love truly is about. There isn’t a thing they cannot talk about, they support each other in every possible choice.
And Riley is still adorable, if not even more! 

The whole family in fact is so loving, non – judgemental, welcoming, as shown by the arrival of a young mother and little girl who need a helping hand, with an unexpected link to all three members of the family. 

Both Meg and Jess show in this book how strong people can be. No matter what they have been through, how the past has scarred them, they see (or at least try to see) the best in every situation. And no matter what happens to them, they will always, ALWAYS, try to help.  

I never thought I could fall more in love with a whole series, but I did. This last book wrapped things up perfectly. It shows us also how our other friends are doing, with their own little families.
But I loved the most how this magnificent, talented author shows us that love is a power that can overcome the most overwhelming griefs and pains of the world. And even if we try to stop love, it is so strong that it’s just impossible.