Yummy Mummy
In the tradition of Little Earthquakes, Babyville and I Don't Know How She Does It: the effervescent, canny, and downright delightful debut of Polly Williams, a spirited new voice in women's fiction.\ Amy Crane's daughter, the exquisite and sweet-tempered Evie, is six months old. any Amy -- who's trying to decide whether to resume her high-pressure job in PR -- adores her. But these days, Amy doesn't exactly adore herself.\ Even worse, the whole time she's feeling invisible and about as...
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\ Publishers WeeklyRosalyn Landor's musical, upper-middle-class British accent is a pleasure to listen to. Her expressive voice is perfect for the first-person narration of Amy Crane, a new mother facing the stress of sleepless nights and dirty diapers; the low self-esteem of weight gain and fear that her significant other is cheating on her; and the conflict of whether to return to work. Landor perfectly captures Amy's anxiety, self-denigration, hope and excitement at every turn. She also clearly differentiates between the character's voices and easily portrays an American friend of Amy's and a West Indian suitor of Amy's mother. This is a mommy lit novel that translates seamlessly to the audio medium. Simultaneous release with the Hyperion hardcover (Reviews, Oct. 16). (Jan.)\ Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information\ \ \ \ \ Publishers WeeklyLondon-based journalist Williams writes for In Style, and her debut novel features flawlessly chic celebrity moms who go deep into Gwennie-and-Apple competitive territory. Thirty-one-year-old Amy Crane, six months postpartum, is stuck between two groups of mommy friends. On one side are the women from her childbirth class, dedicated mothers whose chubby figures and comfy clothes declare, "We now put someone else's needs before our vanity." On the other side is Amy's new friend Alice, a so-called "yummy mummy," who, with her similarly slim and elegant West London friends, takes Amy on as her newest project. Soon, Amy is caught up in a whirlwind of designer shoes, fad diets, Pilates classes (complete with a troublingly handsome instructor) and Botox injections, all of which alienate Joe, her longtime boyfriend and the father of her daughter. Amy's misadventures are, for the most part, endearing, and her comic attempts to regain her pre-pregnancy lifestyle stay just this side of satire. Williams weighs in on nearly every maternal controversy (from extended breastfeeding to the return to paid employment), further prolonging Amy's inevitable decision as to the kind of mummy she wants to be. Fortunately, Williams's wit and Amy's appealing foibles will make readers stick around for her occasionally laborious journey. (Jan.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.\ \ \ Library JournalAmy Crane, a former public relations professional, finds herself knocked out of orbit by motherhood; she adores her six-month-old daughter, Evie, but feels that she's lost her old self-she's not working, not looking well kempt, and has no sex life to speak of. Adding insult to injury, Amy suspects that her boyfriend (and Evie's father), Joe, has been having an affair. When her new friend, Alice, a sexy, stylish single mother, coaches Amy on how she can be "yummy," too-new clothes, hair, makeup, and attitude-both Amy's boyfriend and her Pilates instructor notice, with unexpected results. Journalist Williams' debut novel, which attempts a witty and conspiratorial look at the pressures and insecurities of new motherhood, has a lukewarm beginning that pleasingly develops into a strong finish, leaning heavily on the "things are not always what they seem" theme. Gossipy and intimate, Amy's narrative is flush with self-deprecating humor, label name-dropping, and characters embodying all manner of modern motherhood. Recommended for larger public libraries or those where the "mom lit" trend is popular. [This book was a best seller in Britain.-Ed.]-Amy Brozio-Andrews, Albany P.L., NY Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.\ \ \ \ \ Kirkus ReviewsPR executive muddles her way through maternity leave. Amy Crane used to be a take-charge kind of woman. She managed coveted accounts from her desk at a swank British public-relations agency and had steamy sex with her boyfriend, Joe. One wild night sans birth control changes everything. Now Amy's got a new boss: her infant daughter Evie. And Evie is a demanding mistress. In an all-too-familiar plot development, poor sleep-deprived Amy can't seem to get the hang of motherhood. She is sinking into the abyss of maternity leave, and her sex life is nonexistent. Joe's mysterious behavior serves to exacerbate Amy's delusions of inadequacy. She's convinced that Joe's getting action elsewhere, and she longs to get a grip on her out-of-control life. Amy's crew of mom-friends from her childbirth class can't provide any help-they've all resigned themselves to wearing matronly clothes and devoting their lives to their offspring. Amy can't accept this lifestyle, and soon she connects with Alice, a yummy mummy. Alice has lost all her baby weight, has perfectly groomed eyebrows and gets plenty of sexual attention from men. Always one for a shopping spree and makeover project, Alice takes on "Project Amy" and sets about transforming her from a wallflower into a Victoria Beckham-style mom. Once Project Amy is underway, Joe becomes distraught, claiming he wants his familiar girlfriend back. As Amy experiences a sexual reawakening, jealousy rears its head. If Joe and Amy can't stop bickering and start communicating, their family could disintegrate. Williams, a journalist living in London, takes on many conventional themes in her first stab at fiction. Though there are some clever and endearing momentsbetween mother and child, the bulk of the book is as appealing as reheated leftovers. Others have handled the "new mommy" story more capably. Agent: Kim Witherspoon/InkWell Management\ \
