An Innocent, a Broad: A Touching Love Story and Family Memoir of Premature Birth, Motherhood, and Life in London

by Ann Leary

When Ann Leary and her husband, then unknown actor-comedian Denis Leary, flew to London in the early nineties for a brief getaway during Ann's second trimester of pregnancy, neither anticipated the adventure that was in store for them. The morning after their arrival, Ann's water broke as they strolled through London's streets. A week later their son, Jack, was born weighing only two pounds, six ounces, and it would be five long months before mother and son could return to the States. In the meantime, Ann became an unwitting yet grateful hostage to Britain's National Health Service -- a stranger in a strange land plunged abruptly into a world of breast pumps and midwives, blood oxygen levels, mad cow disease, and poll tax riots. Desperately worried about the health of her baby, Ann struggled to adapt to motherhood and make sense of a very different culture. At once an intimate family memoir, a lively travelogue, and a touching love story, An Innocent, a Broad is utterly engaging and unforgettable.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Humor, Biography, Biography Memoir, Travel, Parenting

256 pages, Paperback

First published April 5, 2004

About the author

Ann Leary is the author of the novels, THE CHILDREN, THE GOOD HOUSE, OUTTAKES FROM A MARRIAGE, and the memoir, AN INNOCENT, A BROAD.

Her bestselling novel, THE GOOD HOUSE, has recently been adapted as a motion picture starring Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline. Ann’s New York Times essay, “Rallying to Keep the Game Alive,” was adapted for Amazon Prime's Modern Love TV Series and stars Tina Fey and John Slattery. Her work has been translated into eighteen languages and she has written for numerous publications including Ploughshares, NPR, Real Simple and the New York Times.

Her new novel, THE FOUNDLING, will be published on May 31, 2022.

Ann and her husband Denis Leary live in New York.

Reviews

[eRin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ann Leary, wife of comedian Denis Leary, took a weekend trip to London during Ann's second trimester of her first pregnancy. The plan was for Denis (then practically unknown) to do a gig on a television show, do a little sightseeing and go home. What they didn't anticipate was Ann going into labor while walking along London's streets. Suddenly a weekend trip turned into a five month stay in Britain at the mercy of Britain's National Health Service. Leary hilariously recounts her attempts to avoid the American stereotypes while at the same time second-guessing every move the doctors and nurses make. It's scary enough to give birth to a two pound baby, but to do it in another country where the health care is FREE is quite frightening. At least to Leary. Thankfully for us she is willing to recount her fears, neurosis and ignorance of British culture.

This book was quite funny. Leary is an excellent writer and it's obvious that there is more that one comedian in the family. I really enjoyed reading this memoir. For anyone who's ever had a baby or traveled to another country--this is recommended.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book when I was pregnant with my son (our first), and laughed so hard I thought I would go into labor. It's the true adventures of comedian Denis Leary's wife (herself a gifted writer and comedienne), who went into labor with their first child at 26 weeks. . . . While they were on vacation in England. She spent the next 18 months there, rarely seeing her husband, waiting and hoping for their son to be all right. Even during the worst moments for a new parent, her funny take on things kept me smiling if not laughing aloud. My mom didn't want me to read this book, and get all freaked out about childbirth, but I'm glad I did. My son wasn't born early, but he did end up in the Newborn ICU for nine days, and this book contains a lot of useful information on how things work in a NICU. Fascinating and hilarious.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't normally read nonfiction but I've become a fan of Leary's blog and this true tale of the premature birth of her son while she and her (sexy but not yet famous) husband, Denis, were there so he could perform on BBC. What follows is a fast and engrossing read about the next few months spent with the support of the British health care system in a strange environment with the challenge of uncertainty about her baby's survival, lonely as her husband struggles to make a living far away, adjusting to the differences between Americans and the British. I love Leary's blog, filled as it is with her devotion to her animals and her family. I know her a little better now and look forward to reading her novel too.

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! I am a huge Denis Leary fan so thought I would give Mrs. Leary a chance. The story pulled me right in, I finished this book in 3 days, I couldn't put it down. It's a great read, not only about their experience with their premature first child, but it also sheds a little light into how his career really took off.
I would absolutely read another book by Ann Leary!

[Jay French · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading one of Leary’s fiction books and I thought her voice would be entertaining in this more personal memoir telling of her difficult child birth. Her story was quite entertaining. I learned about the British medical system through this book, but I also learned that Leary is like a lot of people, myself included, that read up on a topic and feel that we are smarter than the experts we hire. In this case, Leary time and again worries that these British doctors and nurses don’t know how to do things. We find out throughout the story that, in fact, she was in very capable hands during her extended stay in London after giving birth to a preemie. We also find that with her focus on her child, she missed out on her husband’s increase in fame. You end up seeing Leary as very human. This book evoked some emotion in me, which is rare. I found I wanted to strangle Leary who was showing signs of being a helicopter parent even before her child was born. And I sensed her gradual giving in to the reality of an extended stay in London tied to a hospital. But I also found a few passages caused me to laugh. Well written episode.

[Liane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very funny, non-fiction account of Ann Leary's premature delivery and subsequent experience with her baby in a neonatal department of an English hospital. While the subject is pretty serious, Ann tells of her time in England as a naïve American, overwhelmed with anxiety through the lens of humour. I laughed out loud several times, and read several sections to my spouse. I definitely recommend this book.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is enough anxiety with giving birth to your first child. But then for that child to be premature- and to have this experience in a foreign country… I can’t even imagine!
This book was filled with emotion and humor and was quite enjoyable for me to read while I myself was vacationing in England.

[Brittany Haeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Denis Leary's wife is such a good writer! I read her other book and couldn't wait to read this one too. Even though it's just about her son's birth, it didn't disappoint.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being a huge fan of Ann Leary’s fiction novels, and her husband, Denis’s career, I knew I had to read this book. This is an amazing story of what this young married couple went through in 1990 surrounding the birth of their first child, Jack. and has the ability to take a harrowing situation and giving it some humor, which showed to me why they are such a great couple! I am not a mother, and I’ve never traveled abroad, but I appreciated this account of a very difficult time in their lives and made me even a bigger fan of both of them than before. I highly recommend this book.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this only because I so adored Ann Leary’s novel “The Good House.” An Innocent, a Broad is not a novel but a memoir of her son’s extremely premature birth while the author and her then-fledgling actor husband Denis Leary were on a trip to the UK. Leary tells this with a lot of heart and her subtle sense of humor. Admittedly I wasn’t super into the topic as I’ve read memoirs with similar themes and have seen it second-hand through friends with micro-preemies. Not that this makes me an expert in the topic, not at all-this is something one would truly have to live to comprehend the stress and horror and extreme highs and lows of NICU life. But I’ve already had this outsider’s view so nothing really felt fresh here, other than the British/UK aspect of it. Also, the lows are told in retrospect, or as an aside, so as a reader you never felt scared for baby Jack like you did for even some of the other babies in his SCBU (“skoo-boo”, Brit version of NICU). You could tell the author was holding back; perhaps a form of self-preservation.

Also, I wish there was more Denis Leary in here. That’s part of the point, of course…she is basically stranded in this foreign country alone while he tries to “make it.” But they seem to have a really great marriage and I wanted to see more of it. I did think it was interesting that he became famous in the middle of this and when she came out the other end it was like, “why are people screaming your name?”

There is a lot of heart in this, sometimes literally. I love when she first does “koala care” with her baby and the nurse tells her “Your breathing is reminding him to breathe.” Also, she has some very poignant lines. The final sentence of the book made me cry. Overall, I enjoyed this because I love Leary’s writing style. And I would recommend it to absolutely anyone suffering through their baby’s NICU stay.

[Meisje · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each time I was forced to put this book down, I gave it a little hug and sighed. Ann's account is hilarious one moment, heartbreaking and wistful the next, and sometimes even terrifying when you realize just how close she and Denis came to losing their son. The writing was brisk and conversational with the flow and flair of a natural storyteller, so I always felt engaged. I especially enjoyed the way Ann envisioned her most idealized scenarios -- like having a fireman show up if she went into labor -- almost hilariously perfect, and then juxtaposing them with the harsh and anxiety-filled reality. I also appreciated the brief but insightful moments shared between Ann and Denis, as they seem made for each other. His no-nonsense approach to their situation balanced out her fears, and for her every hysterical flail, he had a nugget of surprising wisdom. And then there's tiny little Jack, who you root for every step of the way (he's now even taller than his dad).

I am a Denis Leary fan, but I probably would never have picked up this book if Ann wasn't such a great writer. That alone makes me a fan of hers. Wait, Denis who?

[Randee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book I've ready by Ann Leary. I'm a big fan of her husband, the comedian/actor, Denis Leary, and I had heard him talking about driving her from bookstore to bookstore on various book tours. I knew she had met Denis at a writing class he taught so I was curious to see what kind of writer she was. I read 'Outtakes from a Marriage' and 'The Good House' back to back and enjoyed them both. I found this book in a secondhand bookstore and was very curious to read this nonfictional account of the birth of their first child. She only mentions Denis from time to time, but this was before he became famous and they had the misfortune of having their son not only born prematurely but in England unexpectedly. I thought her detailing of the experience interesting and how the English health system differs from ours has its pro's and con's. She received excellent care but she was stuck in England unable to leave for several months, a lot of the time scared and alone. She's a lot braver than she gave herself credit and she's a pretty good writer as well.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Because I've been traveling to the UK a lot this year, and because I'm thinking about a time when I might be pregnant, this book struck really close to home. Ann Leary, wife of comedian Denis Leary, went into labor three months early while visiting London. She had to stay there during her pregnancy, labor, and the post-labor trials in the hospital as her 2 pound son tried to survive. Survive he did, and this memoir describes the differences between the UK and US hospitalization systems, the differences in attitudes, and the turmoil Ann faced when her son was too ill to return to the US. Sounds serious, but the book is amazingly funny, too.

[Kathee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Ann Leary's account of having a premature baby in the early 90's. I could relate to this somewhat, as my first child was born at 28 weeks, although I was lucky that I wasn't travelling in England at the time. I loved this book, I could relate to so much. I love her sense of humor throughout. Sometimes I look back on those days when my son was born and feel traumatized; I love that she chose to look back with grace, humor and gratitude.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

While on vacation in England, Ann Leary experiences PROM (premature rupture of the membranes) which forces her to deliver her baby early... in England... under socialized medicine. The experience is raw and emotional, but it gives an interesting look at how things are done on the other side of the pond.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the kind of thing I turn to when I'm pregnant! My brain gets a little softer, Iswear, and suddenly I enjoy sentimental and light fare. Definitely some funny moments and anxieties that all mothers can relate to, even if they've never gone into premature labor in a foreign country while their husband's stand-up comedy career is taking off!

[Barbara Pappas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the last of Ann Leary's books I'd yet to read and it was fun hearing her speak in the first person... My first son was premature and I was in the hospital 23 days prior, so I could easily relate... I'm also an Anglophile, so this was a home run for me. But I don't think you have to have all of these personal commonalities to enjoy the book... Just a good read with a happy ending.

[Dee Kohler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book - I want to hang out with Ann Leary

[Joanne McCoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Imagine strolling hand-in-hand with your soon to be, but not yet famous husband through an idyllic London park at the beginning of the third trimester of your first pregnancy. Suddenly, faster than you can say “bangers and mash“ your water breaks, and you find yourself in labor. Alone, broke, and scared, Ann and Denis Leary begin a one day at a time journey through the UK’s National Health Service in hopes of keeping their son in utero for as long as possible.

While it doesn’t exactly sound like light fare, this book manages to be both entertaining and tender. I found it to be moving hilarious, and surprisingly unsentimental .

[Ronna Caras · Rating 5 out of 5]

another unexpected wonderful story from a brilliant writer

Funny, poignant, heart-wrenching, truly interesting story about the premature birth of a child. The parents thought they were just visiting England for a few days and ended up there for months learning things they for the most part never wanted to know. But most importantly, taking care of their newborn with all the wonder and fear appropriate to their very unexpected situation. I loved this book.

[Marissa Rapone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full of laughs, this book tells the story of an American on vacation in London with her husband, and while only 6 months pregnant she goes into preterm labor, having to spend months in the NICU with her baby boy. I loved the look into the different customs and practices outside of America, and I was picking this book up at every chance I could get!

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Ann and her husband, then unknown actor-comedian Denis Leary, flew to London in the early nineties, neither anticipated the adventure that was in store for them. Ann, in her second trimester of pregnancy, looked forward to a carefree mini-vacation in England before the onset of motherhood. Denis saw his upcoming appearance on a BBC comedy program as the opportunity he needed to rocket his career forward. Although they had packed for only two nights, it would be five long months before they would be able to return to the United States.
I like her writing (novels) and honestly thought this was one. Didn't need to hear her memoir. Not relatable and not that interesting. Do not recommend.

[Meghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on the reviews I thought this book was going to be very funny. I didn't find that to be the case, to be honest, although it was a nice story. This is an easy read and helped me to get perspective into the challenges that come with having a premie.

[Katrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I needed a light, humourous book to scrub my mind clean from the book I had just finished and this one fit the bill perfectly. It turns out I've read and enjoyed a couple of this writer's books but didn't realise it was the same person until I finished this.

[Maureen Loesch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading this memoir. Very informative about premature births and the British health care system. Some comedy makes the somewhat harrowing story easier to read. Congrats to the Author on this 'delivery'.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Memoir about having a premature baby while an American in England. Denis Leary's wife. Their first child before Denis was famous.

[1951 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found Ann Leary's dry wit that is present in her writing most enjoyable. This is a very well-written personal memoir of her time spent in England while having her first child.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a terrific read!

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining and informative book as Leary documents navigating giving birth prematurely in London and navigating the NHS and the worries surrounding the fragile health of her newborn son.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moving and funny. What an experience to reflect on!