The Cradle by Patrick Somerville

Soon to be a first-time-father, Matt is sent on a hunt by his wife, Marissa. She wants him to find the antique cradle that she slept in when she was a baby. The only problem is that Marissa's mother, Caroline, took it with her when she abandoned Marissa as a teenager. Marissa doesn't care to know where her mother is now, she only wants the cradle for their coming child. With only the address of Caroline's sister, Matt takes a longer journey than expected in search for the cradle. His trip also causes him to reflect on his own childhood in foster homes and his abandoned search to find his real mother. Matt and Marissa's story is interwoven with that of Renee Owen eleven years later. She is a children's book author from suburban Chicago whose son is going off to war in Iraq. Renee has been writing lots of poetry and spends time thinking about her past and a secret that she's kept from her husband, Bill, for all these years. The Cradle is a short yet powerful novel about choice, abandonment, and love. I also found the midwest setting very enjoyable.