Inconceivable cover art

Inconceivable

Heartbreak, Bad Dates and Finding Solo Motherhood

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Inconceivable

By: Alexandra Collier
Narrated by: Fiona Macleod
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About this listen

Alexandra Collier was a writer living in a light-filled Brooklyn brownstone in New York with the man she loved. But when she woke up to a ravenous hunger to have a baby that her partner didn't share, she had to make a choice between love or a future family.

She chose family, which catapulted her life back to Melbourne where, at 37, she found herself single, heartbroken and living with her parents.

Ally began dating with dedication with sometimes hilarious and often soul-crushing results. But like many single women approaching 40, she found that her reproductive timeline was rapidly outpacing her romantic life. So she began to explore another controversial option: conceiving a baby with donor sperm.

From defying her family's expectations to searching for sperm and navigating pregnancy alone, Ally deftly takes us through the ecstatic, complicated and demanding path to becoming a solo mother by choice.

©2023 Alexandra Collier (P)2023 Hachette Australia Pty Ltd Entertainment & Celebrities Motherhood Parenting & Families Relationships Single Parents Women Single Parent Funny Witty Heartfelt

Critic Reviews

"An inspiring and necessary book that challenges the narratives we set for our lives and reveals the beauty beyond them." (Clementine Ford)
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Her beautiful writing took me through a huge range of emotions, from chortling out loud to the brink of tears. An amazing first book - can’t wait for the next! Highly recommended.

Beautifully written memoir

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I loved it so very much🙏 I did want to cry to almost everything in the book... I'm so glad, I've lived this story, so grateful to the author.... I want so many women to read it or hear it... coupled or not. Such SUPPORT, THANK YOU

relatable is understatement

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I loved it so much. I wish I could keep listening! It’s helped me more than Alexandra could know!

The most real, beautiful story

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Beautifully written personal story of the highs and lows, doubts and guilts than come with motherhood and a true reflection of solo motherhood.
It’s a great insight for those embarking on the solo parent journey, relatable content for those solo parents out there and to widen the understanding of the various complexities that solo parenting comes with.

I couldn’t stop listening to it and the narrator has the voice of an angel.

Highly recommend!

Beautifully written personal story about solo motherhood

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As a 34yo woman about to embark on this journey I found extreme comfort in listening to the ins and outs of someone else’s experience of motherhood via donor. I’ve come away from reading this book even more sure of my decision and particularly grateful for the women who have paved the way forward to make SMBC a possibility. Highly recommend this book for anyone embarking on the journey themselves or anyone who’s friend/loved one is doing so.
Beautifully narrated as well.

Relatable and comforting

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Listening to this audio book was like sitting on my couch with a friend swapping twin experiences, complete with knowing looks, laughs and groans. This is a warm, funny, self-deprecating and courageously honest story of a pathway to motherhood. It ultimately celebrates love. Inconceivable made me realise that I wasn't lonely as a solo-mum-by-choice but that there is always some form of loneliness inherent in striking out into new territory by just being yourself. I appreciated the historic context of IVF in Australia (Victoria, always ahead of WA) and the bigger picture of justice. This is a valuable book that broadens our ideas of 'women', 'mother' and 'family'.

Courageously honest story of motherhood

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Well written story of a single womans journey to motherhood. Honest and raw in every way.

Great read

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Being about to embark into solo motherhood myself I found this a really engaging read with lots of insights into the process. The author really articulates the complicated thought process and issues related to dealing with social conventions. While I am glad to have the support from my family, it really made me feel strongly for her journey and made me think about my own. A very compelling read I would recommend to anyone who is considering it themselves or wants to challenge their own deeply ingrained beliefs about motherhood.

A heartwarming and educational read

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One of the more relatable books I’ve read about modern dating for women in their 30’s. Thank you!

Inspiring

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.