Shaken Worlds

Melissa's world was shaken when her three children were taken by Child Services. A few suburbs away, a couple were excitedly preparing to become foster parents. Zara and Renee have been busily preparing their home and their lives to become mothers. Despite their preparation, their world is shaken by the arrival of their children. Their first placement, three siblings needing a loving home turn the couple into an instant family. But while the couple are rejoicing their new roles, Melissa is spiralling into depression she fears she'll never get out of.

As Zara learns more about the children's background, she is touched by Melissa's story. In contrast, Renee has grown to become a fiercely protective stay-at-home-mother determined to do everything for the children, with no regard to their birth mother. As Zara's motivations for foster care shift, the couple find themselves battling with questions such as "Why are we doing this?", "What is the right thing to do?" and whether their relationship is as secure as they first expected. Could the very thing they thought might bring them even closer together actually tear them apart?

Narrated by three voices—the birth mother, Melissa, and the two foster carers, Renee and Zara, Shaken Worlds is a novel about what it means to be a mother and the way three women view their role for the same three children.