Looking for Jane

Set against the backdrop of Toronto from the 1970s to the 2010s, this novel follows three women linked by a clandestine network providing illegal abortions. Evelyn, forced into a maternity home in her youth, becomes a doctor committed to the underground "Jane" project. Decades later, Nancy discovers her family’s connection to this secret group, while Angela uncovers a long-buried letter that reveals her own true origins. The narrative focuses on the history of the Jane Collective, the trauma of forced adoptions, and the fight for reproductive autonomy in Canada.

This book serves readers interested in the social history of women’s reproductive rights and the legal evolution of abortion care. It attracts those who value multi-generational narratives that document systemic institutional control over female bodies. Readers walk away with a factual understanding of the risks taken by activists prior to legalization and the lasting emotional consequences of closed adoption policies. It is a historical account of the specific medical and legal barriers women navigated throughout the late twentieth century.

Clear-cut; an easy read.

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