Read the Reviews!
Cheri got a rave review on BOOKLIFE.com:
Gutsy, honest, and undeniably human from start to finish, this memoir debut finds Bergeron shining an honest light on her own story as a businesswoman who built an impressive career while putting her personal life on hold, waiting for the fairy tale to arrive. But biology didn’t wait. Cheri longed to be a mother, and that dream led her through three marriages, an involuntary abortion, failed adoptions and pregnancies, and more than a few social disasters. She writes with insight about how she became herself, exploring how a strained relationship with her distant, stony father shaped her path—she came to think of men as “domineering, selfish, and scary” rather than potential partners. That helped her become strong and independent, but also turned her social life into a minefield.
Through it all, her determination never wavered—and in the end, yes, she shares a hard-earned but satisfying happy ending. As Bergeron writes, motherhood is not a journey but a mission, “a visceral calling that grips you to the point that you have no choice.” She captures that urgency in her brisk, touching storytelling, charged with feeling, insights, and lessons learned: never back down from a challenge; how to parent in a way that rejects the “paternal autocracy” she grew up with; that “I would never let another man have power over me again.” Her relationships with men are complicated, and she finds in them crucial insights into power and partnership, sex and honesty. Her candor is refreshing.
Bergeron’s marketing background shows—she tells her story with energy and rhythm, pulling readers in just as she promises in this pitch-perfect summation: “This book is two parts memoir, one part activism, and a dash of self-help mixed with a sprinkle of reality TV.” Bergeron is refreshingly frank about her own flaws, but what shines through this unfiltered story of growth is her resilience and love. Bergeron writes of the health crises of her daughter’s fraught first years with fear, warmth, and inspiring realizations. Much here moves.
Takeaway: Gutsy story of a woman’s refusal to give up on her dream of motherhood.
Comparable Titles: Belle Boggs’s The Art of Waiting, Anne Lamott’s Operating Instructions.
Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
Click here to read more reviews on Amazon.
Review by Jason M:
"Mission: Motherhood" is not just another memoir—it's one of the bravest books I've ever read. This no-holds-barred memoir explores Cheri's journey through her professional and personal life with unflinching honesty. She openly shares all her shortcomings, pain and trauma in detail so readers might avoid the pitfalls she encountered. The subject matter is so intensely personal, raw and real that it's astounding she had the courage to put it all in writing. It’s all true. You cannot make this up.
What makes this book uncommonly powerful isn't just her personal experience, but how she tells it. Cheri proves herself to be a remarkably talented writer, transforming difficult experiences into a genuine page-turner. Her narrative doesn't just disclose what happened to her in complaint. She faces every challenge and she shares how she overcame each trial and tribulation through the strength of true friends, her own loving mother and faith many of us would abandon.
At a time when so much content being created is generated by artificially intelligent machines that cannot fathom the human experience, I recommend "Mission: Motherhood." It is a must-read for anyone who wants to read a real human story about a woman who overcame obstacle after obstacle to build her family. Even if that's not your journey, this memoir offers profound insights into resilience, determination and why your own family is something you should not ever take for granted.”
Reviewed on Amazon by “Book Lover”:
“Mark Twain once said "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness." I think the same is true of good biographies and memoirs. Her story touched my heart and helped to shape my understanding of the myriad of factors outside one's control in fertility and beyond. The author took a less common and for some, controversial, route to motherhood. Being taken along on this journey will give readers insight into the less typical path and offer those on that path a great deal of validation and solace. I found the book deeply moving. As a woman also raised with the 'you-can-have-it-all' mindset of the '80's and under-educated about the limits of our fertility, I carried the same messages into motherhood. She highlights the sexism inherent in some of the fertility treatment procedures. I won't spoil that for you, but it may have you muttering profanities. The book was gripping, vulnerable, honest and insightful. The author shares her story whole heartedly making it land in your heart.”
Review by Sam M:
"A powerful read for anyone, not just mothers, who has ever faced hardship and come out stronger on the other side."
Review by Sarah O:
”I highly recommend this book to all women, no matter what their journey to motherhood has been like, as well as to men who are open to understanding that profound, sacred experience.”
Review by Nancy Z:
”Cheri's story is inspiring, harrowing, heartfelt, and very well told. It took me from tears to laughter. Highly recommend!”
Review by Mylissa T:
”This isn't just a story about motherhood, it's a testament to perseverance, hope, faith, and the power of choice.”
Review by Sanne M:
”Such a deeply moving book. Some parts are crazier than fiction. Cheri has such an engaging writing style that I just could not put the book down!”