Sing You Home explores the challenges associated with same-sex parenting.
In this story, 40-year-old Zoe Baxter is finally pregnant after years of fertility treatments. But when she’s 7 months along, Zoe is rushed to the hospital during her baby shower and gives birth to a stillborn son.
Not willing to handle the stress of more IVF with his wife, Zoe’s husband Max files for divorce. As a former alcoholic, Max looks to the bottle for comfort, but experiences an epiphany where God speaks to him and influences Max to become a pushy born-again Christian and bible-thumping evangelist.
Meanwhile, Zoe, a musical therapist, throws herself into work. Her last hysterectomy has rendered her unable to conceive at all. At work, Zoe becomes good friends with Vanessa Shaw, the local high school’s lesbian counselor. As Zoe and Vanessa’s friendship grows stronger, Zoe realizes that she loves Vanessa, and they decide to get married.
After their wedding, Vanessa offers to become pregnant with Zoe’s leftover embryos. But Max refuses to give up the embryos because he doesn’t want his biological children to be raised by a same-sex couple. Zoe, Vanessa, and Max go to court to settle the custody battle over the embryos.
Sing You Home is told from the viewpoints of Zoe, Vanessa, and Max. This book is an insider’s look at the controversy that surrounds gay couples and same-sex parenting. Pro-gay rights are highlighted in this story.
There are no plot twists and turns in Sing You Home like those in other novels by Jodi Picoult. There are no big surprises, just a touching story that provides some education about gay rights.
I normally loathe courtroom scenes in any book or movie. But my favorite part in Sing You Home is when Zoe and Vanessa’s lawyer grills Max’s evangelical pastor on the stand about his beliefs. Pastor Clive is intent on using bible quotes to justify the wrongness of Zoe and Vanessa’s union, when in fact, there are several bible quotes that contradict his own beliefs. I love the hypocrisy being pointed out in this scene.
My copy of Sing You Home includes a CD soundtrack that goes with the book. Each song corresponds with a particular chapter, meant to reflect the tone and events that transpire during the chapter. I don’t have a CD player so I wasn’t able to check it out. I’d be curious in hearing what other readers thought about it.
Other books by Jodi Picoult include:
- The Book of Two Ways (2020)
- Wish You Were Here (2021)
- Mad Honey (2022) (with Jennifer Finney Boylan)
- By Any Other Name (2024)
What did you think about this book? What are your favorite books by Jodi Picoult?
Last Updated on February 2, 2026 by Sarah Ann
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