Being Bridie: The Diary of an Aspiring Mother

by Casey O'Connor

"Be careful what you wish for, because it might come true..." Bridie Kelly has been wishing all her life - daydreaming of things that other women seem to get so easily. Bridie knows what she wants and she's determined to make it happen, no matter what anyone else thinks. When eventually everything starts falling into place, life is nowhere near as straightforward as it was in her dreams. In fact, life is downright tricky, the stuff of nightmares and Jeremy Kyle shows. Bridie finds herself spinning from one crisis to the next, until when her ultimate dream comes true, life implodes and she's in danger of losing all she holds dear. Being Bridie - the Diary of an Aspiring Mother is funny and poignant. It follows the trials and tribulations of a woman who is determined to experience motherhood at all costs. It's a rollercoaster ride through the highs and lows of family life; a comedy of errors with a tragic twist of fate. Being Bridie will resonate with women of all ages.

380 pages, Paperback

Published October 27, 2016

Reviews

[Sue Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I immediately identified with Bridie and was transported back to the childbearing years and all the acute emotional stresses they involve. Her story is gripping and before long I was as totally committed to my role as reader as Bridie was to hers as a prospective mother.

Bridie’s conventionally cosy lifestyle is dealt a series of cards that create a switchback of emotions and practical changes for her and for those she loves. I read eagerly on, keen to discover how she changes in the course of the book as she desperately tries to balance her own desires with the needs of her family. It’s something we can all identify with and is sure to inspire others longing to start families of their own.

There’s plenty of humour to giggle along with, contrasting poignantly with the moments of crisis in the book, when the reader is concerned that Bridie’s dreams will be shattered forever. The diary format – which the author acknowledges owes something to Bridget Jones - works well and the Happiness Factor rating shows how Bridie reflects on her own parenting journey. The reader is certainly willing her to succeed against Mother Nature and the authorities and everything that seems to conspire against an eventual happy ending. All the characters are sympathetic – Bridie’s husband and parents providing a calm contrast to her own turbulent emotions. For myself, I was left emotionally exhausted but ultimately satisfied by Bridie’s babymaking efforts – surely the author’s intention? Highly recommended.

[Vicky Matthews · Rating 3 out of 5]

The portrayal of an ‘aspiring mother’ in Being Bridie is not only entertaining, but gives a real insight into the potential challenges, heartache and rewards, that can arise from the desire to be a parent at all costs.
Despite the angst faced by the novel’s eponymous heroine, Being Bridie has a light tone and displays a wonderful wit. This particularly comes to the fore when Bridie is dealing with ‘the system’ in her bid to become a foster carer (with a view to adopting). The tensions around the ‘red tape’, balancing the needs of her own various relatives and, subsequently, the relatives of Sinead, her foster child, make for a gripping and mind-boggling read. The author brilliantly captures the foibles and the voices of the many characters with walk-on walk-off parts, all laying some kind of claim to – or opinion about – Sinead. There was great dexterity in capturing the sheer nuttiness of the situation.
My only criticism is that the opening chapters (say, the first sixth of the book) lacked the tension and tighter writing technique that came to the fore later on. I think this is a shame, as potential readers who only glance at the opening pages may not persevere until the writing hits its stride just a few chapters in. So I would certainly recommend to potential readers, if they share this opinion, to keep reading and be rewarded with the captivating story and writing that lies just ahead.

[Richard Longridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was unable to put the book down, and was reading it until the small hours. I think the author must have had some experience of the Social Services, because there is a great deal of authenticity in the book, which concerns a woman who yearns for a baby but cannot conceive, so she adopts a young girl who turns out to be the architypical Difficult Child, whose background comes from a Travelling Community. But even with love and passionate care for this willful child, her patience is stripped almost bare, but then things get even worse, if that were possible, because.......Well, you'll just have to wait till the end to see what actually happens! A great book from this new author, and I look forward with interest to her next book!

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being Bridie brings to life a vivid cast of characters. It manages to combine light hearted humour and slap stick set pieces with a touching and poignant look at some of the realities of motherhood, fostering and adoption. Bridie is a warm and engaging character who draws the reader into her lovingly detailed world.

[Camilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Casey O’Connor’s diaristic novel about a woman’s pursuit of motherhood – and the troubles and struggles this joyful job brings with it – is an entertaining exploration of what it really means to be a parent. A story packed with twists and turns, narrated by Bridie Kelly’s distinctive and amusing voice, which will ride you through the full spectrum of emotions: from heart-breaking resignation to hopeful excitement, from unexpected tragedy to thrilling suspense.

The book also offers an interesting depiction of Ireland’s different socioeconomic realities, giving a glimpse of the workings of the foster care system and of social services (or ‘SS’, as Bridie likes to call them) procedures. This is an enthralling debut novel by a very promising author.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable read which was very true to life. As a foster carer myself I could relate to the whole process and the experiences experienced by Bridie. The story is based on the authors own personal experiences. Thought provoking and interesting read. The story itself was a little slow to take off but once in I was hooked. I was hooked however because I could relate to every new turn. Much of it echoed my own experiences and emotions. However, for someone not involved with the world of adoption and fostering it may not be such an engaging read. I certainly hope there is a sequel that tells me more of the special bond between bridie and a very vulnerable girl in society.

[Wendy Catchpole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was interested to read this as I am the mother of a daughter who we adopted two years ago when she was 11 months old. I really related to bridies situation having been in the same especially before she embarked on the road to fostering. Having wondered about fostering myself bridies experience was a little Alarming! My only criticism was that I felt bridie eventually getting pregnant naturally was wrong as I felt it gave the message that nothing can be better than a natural child. Otherwise I found this book very enjoyable.