The Choices She Made.

• Author: Murray, Alice H.

The Choices She Made

By Felicia Ferguson

Reviewed by Alice H. Murray

Life presents a never-ending series of choices. Those made in our youth may affect us for years to come. In The Choices She Made (set for release October 18 by End Game Press), Felicia Ferguson weaves a compelling story about a teenager's life-altering choice affecting not only her life path, but the very existence and well-being of her daughter.

Artfully told as a time-slip between the past and the present, Ferguson's book presents the unexpected curve life throws at Madeline Williams when she is raped as a teenager. The perpetrator, John David Billings, the son of a wealthy and powerful rancher, would certainly be able to wriggle or buy his way out of any criminal charges and then ruin her father's business, so Madeline keeps her assault a secret.

A second life curve results from this assault--an unexpected pregnancy. Madeline faces a series of decisions. Will she abort her baby? Will she place the child for adoption? Will she raise the child as a single parent? What will she tell her serious boyfriend, Bobby, who envisions their marriage following graduation? Rising to the occasion, Madeline maturely considers her options, confers with her father who has raised her as a single dad since her mother's death, and gathers information on the various choices available.

Ultimately, Madeline puts the interest of her child above all else and elects to parent. She lies to Bobby about the circumstances leading to her pregnancy, and he breaks up with her. Intentionally, Madeline conceals the identity of her daughter's father. Madeline moves away, earns a college degree, obtains a good job, and raises...