by David Gates
First published 2013
David finds love with Meg, and their relationship gives him what he wants most: fatherhood. Their romance proves stormy, but when their daughter arrives, David believes his dreams have come true. The relationship with Meg falls apart, leaving David separated from both mother and child. He discovers that seeing his daughter requires navigating a maze of family courts and government bureaucracy. The Child Support Agency pursues him with demands that threaten his finances and emotional stability. David battles officials who seem determined to destroy him rather than help his family. The courts offer little relief as he struggles to maintain contact with his child. Each legal proceeding and agency interaction pushes David closer to his breaking point. The system designed to protect children appears to work against fathers seeking genuine involvement in their lives. David must decide how much he can sacrifice in his fight for fatherhood.
Genres: contemporary, social-issues, family-drama, legal-thriller
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
227 pages · Paperback · CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Content warnings: emotional-abuse