Mommy Tracked

Mommy Tracked by Whitney Gaskell

What was this book about?

Four mom’s each with a different perspective on their lives and a desire to have more of what someone else has.

Anna, is a divorced mother of a two year old boy. Her relationship with her ex is iffy at most considering they only got married because she was pregnant. She is trying to be a career mom and doesn’t know if she really is ready to date again. Is she?

Chloe is new to the group and suffers from anxiety of not being good enough. She is just about to have her first child and has expectations for how this is going to affect her life (and her husbands life) can they live up to all these expectations?

Juliet is a lawyer who is desperate to become partner. And she has twin girls who have had a “stay at home daddy” their whole lives. This switch on the conventional stay at home mom/dad works is starting to cause havoc in their lives. Is having a high powered and time consuming career more important then seeing her childrens’ firsts. Or is it more of a problem with being the moneymaker when dealing with her husband.

Grace is a stay at home mother who is great at it. She knows it – her three children love her and she dedicates her life to them. But she can’t help but feel insecure about her relationship with them and her husband. Is she good enough, thin enough? She sure doesn’t think so and can’t help but compare herself to everyone. That probably isn’t a good thing for anyone.


What did you think about the book?

I really liked this book being told from a perspective of many different kinds of roles that mothers take. Being a parent isn’t always what you think it will be. Let alone trying to juggle being a parent with your relationship with your husband or boyfriend. It is a tough road.

At the same time there are all sorts of rewards – which is why people do it. And I felt this non-judgemental book showed many of them. The author doesn’t try to make it seem like one mother is doing a better job then the other because of the choices that she made to work/not work. She just shows the emotional pitfalls in each of them.

I would feel honored to be friends with this group of four women. They are just my style.

What genre would you consider this?

Women, Motherhood

Overall:

A Bad Bride’s Tale

A Bad Bride’s Tale by Polly Williams

What was this book about?

Stevie Jonson is about to get married. Her younger sister seems to have it all – a husband and two (soon to be three) children. She realizes soon that maybe she jumped into this and that her soon to be husband isn’t what she really wants. This thought is aggravated by the return of her childhood friend and crush into her life.

Stevie doesn’t know if she should take what she can get or keep trying for something better. She fights the battle of knowing she is getting older and wondering if she doesn’t settle down now – will she ever find anyone.

What did you think about the book?

I really felt for Stevie. I can’t imagine going into a wedding with those kinda doubts. You are almost forced to continue. You have spent all this money (or your parents have), you have all these expectations placed on you. And it just isn’t right for you. But it almost is as if it has movement of its own and it will come barreling forward no matter what.

I have friends in their 30’s that definitely have gotten the single girl is getting old urge. Where they feel rushed into settling down, finding someone, having children. Everyone else is doing it. And you are told (from your mid-20s) that you better have children soon. Your eggs are drying up. Yes you can get all those scientific procedures to have a child but it won’t be that easy (or that cheap).

So for me this book kinda covers all these issues while still dealing with the main story line.

What genre would you consider this?
Romance/Women

Overall:

The Frog Prince

The Frog Prince by Jane Porter

What was this book about?

Holly comes fresh off a divorce to a new job in a new city. She is a small town girl who thought she had it all in her French husband. Instead she found out that he didn’t want her.

Facing the fact that her life hasn’t followed the path that she wanted it to she is forced to move on in her life. A job that seemed to be fairy tale, maybe isn’t what she thought it was. People who were her friends, really aren’t.

What did you think about the book?

I enjoyed it. A breakup is not an easy thing to do and living with your own baggage is even harder. Everyone has been affected by the relationships in their lives – especially their parents relationships. It is hard to move past that, grow up and realize that maybe you do want to be like your mother or father. Or that you definitely don’t.

In "The Frog Prince", Holly must figure out what she wants out of life. That her dreams sometimes just don’t compare to reality. That falling off a pedestal to realize life isn’t like a story book can be difficult.

What genre would you consider this?
Women

Overall:

Twenty Wishes

Twenty Wishes by Debbie Macomber

What was this book about?

Women brought together by grief, they are all widows, meet regularly and discuss what is going on in their lives. During one of these meetings they discuss the fact that they all have wishes. Things they wished they had done, would do, etc. And they decide to start writing down their 20 wishes. And by doing this they change their lies in so many ways.

What did you think about the book?

It was a really happy book. How you can connect with your dreams once you identify what they are. That dreams are achievable. Not even by some need for magic. You can make them happen by putting yourself out there.

What genre would you consider this?
Women

Overall:

Spoilers: The only problem I have is for Anne Marie. While it is great that she has made a difference in her life with this child – is that all she needs. This child will grow up and have her own life. For now this is perfect, she is dependent on Anne Marie and needs her in her life. But that will not always be the case. Where will Anne Marie be then?