Newington, CT -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/18/2010 -- It’s said there is no greater loss than a parent who loses a child. What happens when parents decide to have another child as a replacement for the one they lost?

Countless Americans are “replacement children” conceived after the death of an older sibling. Many report similar experiences and troubles trying to live up to the expectations of parents unable to heal from the loss of the sibling.

In her new memoir, Replacement Child [Schlesinger Books], author Judy Mandel raises awareness of this often-ignored circumstance, as she uncovers the complex layers of her family’s recovery from tragedy.

“I hope the book gives people a way to accept and forgive, especially finding that there is a way to forgive your parents for things that were beyond their control,” Judy says.

Mandel gives readers a peek under the writer’s tent as she unravels her family secrets—and her own—to finally understand how her first relationships have shaped all of her future ones.

REPLACEMENT CHILD is a story of love and transformation that reveals the realities behind so many tragic headlines. You follow one woman’s brave path to recovery as she embraces the love that allows her to finally forgive. It is not only a story of heartbreak and survival, but is a lesson about the brevity of life and the power of love.