The Farm

The Farm
by Joanne Ramos

I was pretty excited to read this one, having heard good reviews about it and I was not disappointed.  It is about a place which some people call "The Farm."  Basically the rich who either are not able to be pregnant, are just too busy with their jobs to be pregnant, or otherwise just don't want to carry a baby pay someone to be a surrogate for them. 

The novel rotates between several characters, but mainly Jane.    Jane is an immigrant from the Philippines.  She has a young daughter and she is there at the farm to try to make a better life for her daughter.  Her cousin is watching her child while she is gone.  Jane really struggles with not seeing her child, she worries about her.  And she is not allowed to see her while she is pregnant, as the child she is carrying pretty much takes over everything.  To the farm, the child she is carrying is more important than Jane.

The novel also rotates to other women at the farm and their reasons for being there.  Mainly they are there to make the money to have a better life.  The pay is good.  

Another perspective in the novel is Mae, the woman who is running the place.  That was interesting to see a different perspective.  What's motivating her?  And you find out some secrets you otherwise wouldn't.  She's not a terrible person, but she is also motivated by money.

It was an interesting look between the rich and the poor.  I mean only the rich would be able to pay for these surrogates.  And the women who are the surrogates normally tended to be poor and there to make money for a better life.  Or otherwise they were there to make money for a new life.  

This was such an enjoyable read.  I went in thinking this was some thriller and there were sinister secrets at this place.  There were secrets going on, but they were not what I thought.  Even though it ended up not being what I thought, it was a good book.  I was genuinely enjoying the story and it's one of those books while I'm reading and enjoying it, it's one of those books that makes me love reading so much.