The Baby Group

by Rowan Coleman

A heart-warming novel about six very different parents with six very different lives, from the author of The Memory Book.

Meet The Baby Group: Natalie ran her own design company until baby Freddie unexpectedly came along. Now the capable person she once was is trapped inside a crazy woman's body, longing for just one decent night's sleep and words of more than one syllable. Meg is onto her fourth child but still feels she has to take notes. Meg's sister-in-law Frances organises her little boy like he's a private in the army, but underneath her prickly façade she longs for the kind of friendships others seem to find so easy. Former career girl Jess sees danger lurking in every corner, doubting she'll ever be a good mother. Stay-at-home house-husband Steve is just glad to have the opportunity to spend time with his daughter. And sixteen-year-old Tiffany is the youngest - yet possibly the wisest - of them all.

Six very different parents. Six very different lives. But when Natalie's dodgy wiring leads to a series of chance encounters they rapidly discover - through Baby Music, Baby Aerobics, coffee and more importantly cake - that there's safety in numbers. And their own unofficial baby group is formed ...

Genres: Chick Lit, Fiction, Romance, Womens Fiction, Contemporary, Parenting, Adult Fiction

432 pages, Paperback

First published March 3, 2007

About the author

Rowan Coleman lives with her husband, and five children in a very full house in Hertfordshire. She juggles writing novels with raising her family which includes a very lively set of toddler twins whose main hobby is going in the opposite directions. When she gets the chance, Rowan enjoys sleeping, sitting and loves watching films; she is also attempting to learn how to bake.

Rowan would like to live every day as if she were starring in a musical, although her daughter no longer allows her to sing in public. Despite being dyslexic, Rowan loves writing, and The Memory Book is her eleventh novel. Others include The Accidental Mother, Lessons in Laughing Out Loud and the award-winning Dearest Rose, a novel which lead Rowan to become an active supporter of domestic abuse charity Refuge, donating 100% of royalties from the ebook publication of her novella, Woman Walks Into a Bar, to the charity. Rowan does not have time for ironing.

Reviews

[Laurel-Rain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reminiscent of characters in the “Shopaholic” series, Rowan Coleman’s “Mommy by Mistake” follows the adventures of a thirty-something woman as she embarks on child rearing – unexpectedly.

When Natalie Curzon impulsively connects with a charming man – Jack Newhouse – and agrees to a weekend in Venice, she has no idea of the consequences that will unfold. After the weekend is over, she hopes to see him again. But he doesn’t call. And then she discovers she is pregnant.

Fortunately, she is part-owner of a successful lingerie business and has a lovely house of her own. Despite these blessings, however, she finds herself sinking into despair during the initial few weeks after her son’s birth; she has decided by then that she will never see or hear from Jack again. And this new adventure is more difficult than she expected.

Then her life begins to change again when her home’s electrical system needs revamping and through her new electrician, she meets a whole series of new people – some of them other mothers – and a sisterhood connection develops.

But a seemingly harmless fabrication, followed by her embarrassingly flawed mother’s unexpected visit and the surprising reunion with her “baby daddy” – all will turn everything around. Will she rebuild her relationship with her mother? Will she be able to tell Jack about her baby Freddie? And when will she be able to confess her cover story to her new friends?

This is a light-hearted book about serious topics. Just when it seems depressing, the humor of the characters and the situations in which they find themselves creates a warm and funny tale of the unexpected twists and turns of life and new parenthood.

I deducted one star for the predictability of the plot. Nevertheless, I found it an enjoyable read.

[Millie Hodgson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was an amazing book that I will read again

[Helena Wildsmith · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable, fluffy read. Not totally believable but it made me smile and, to be honest, that feels like the most important thing at the moment!

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a good fluff read and thats about it. I'm so tired of the British genre where the woman is a patholgical liar similar to Bridgette Jones or Marion Keyes characters. It is funny at first but then you continue to fall down the rabbit hole. There are a few surprising twists and turns that make it worth finishing.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although this book was pretty good, and I did enjoy it, I felt that the ending was much too abrupt. I did not really expect the ending, but it did not feel like it was supposed to be a surprise, just that it was not well prepared throughout the rest of the book.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bleck. I have liked this author's other books (Accidental Mother, Accidental Wife) but this one was not good. It also seemed to be the same story line as Jennifer Weiner's "Little Earthquakes", which I also did not like.

[Jenelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book stunk. And there are quite a few errors in it, which bugs me immensely. The plot was so corny -- but that may be my own boredom with this genre and not the book itself. I have no idea why I finished it except I am obsessive about leaving books unfinished.

[Carrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was not quite as good as the other Rowan Coleman books I read.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really cute, clean and fun. Right time of my life to read it. Just a cute story about a single mom who joins a moms group.

[Debby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable story. New mothers of different ages and circumstances band together and support one another. A bit slow and a bit silly at the beginning, but definitely built up to characters I cared about, and who showed strength to make good choices for their lives. Just the way I like it (except for the slow/silly start). (personal print copy)

[Natasha du Plessis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Currently on a Rowan Coleman binge.

I enjoyed this story and also how Rowan portrays her characters. In her books nobody are perfect just like in normal life. Enjoyable characters and a lovely read.
A nice holiday read.

[Genia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rainy day Hallmark movie in a book.

[Fabienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was funny, fun, and adorable. I enjoyed the story of each character and could relate to each of their stories. They didn't seem rushed or two dimensional.

[Elizabeth Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5. Kept my interest, but not amazing.

[Lisa Perkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book. Its very uplifting on all the right places and makes you feel normal instead of a pulling your hair out parent.

[Nina Beekman · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

[Elizabeth Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute story. I really enjoyed the other Coleman book I read, "The Accidental Mother" and this book was also enjoyable. Natalie has a fling weekend with Jack, who she randomly meets in the train station. Jack promised to call, but never did, and Natalie finds herself pregnant. She loves her son, Freddie, and thinks they can do just fine without a father. There is a nagging in the back of Natalie's head saying that Jack should be told, though. She wrestles with what to do.

Meanwhile, Natalie meets four other mothers and a father and they form a "baby group" of sorts. Three of the other women have other major things going on in their lives. Jess is extremely anxious about something terrible happening to her baby, Tiffany is a teen mother estranged from her family, and Meg realized she and her husband are very disconnected. When Natalie meets the other women, she inexplicably creates a lie about a husband who works overseas. Natalie also has a difficult and complicated relationship with her mother, who comes to help out with Freddie.

It seems like there are a lot of subplots in this book, but it felt just right while reading it. I wasn't a huge fan of Natalie. She seemed to have opposing sides to her personality at times. She could be very forward and confrontational, yet lied about a husband, and then was anxious over revealing her lie. There were times when I liked her and times that I didn't. I did really enjoy reading about the other ladies in her baby group, though. I also was interested in the complicated situations that these ladies either got themselves into or found themselves in. A lot of serious issues were in this story, but it still felt like a light and easy read. It kept my interest and was a fun diversion. I will continue to read more from this author.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was borrowed this book by a friend. I was a little surprised as we are both child free, and was expecting a mushy tale of baby changing the lead characters life instantly for the better, and yada yada. While the ending was a little cheesy, the story itself was the opposite. Twisted, real as far as sacrifice goes, and actually not very much related to the baby.

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rowan Coleman is like a deeper Sophie Kinsella. Every character, however minor, has both flaws and virtues and remains a full whole character. I'm amazed at how poignant this chick lit novel is.

During a one-night stand in Italy with an charming man who just blew her away, Natalie gets pregnant. Since Jack never called her after the most amazing night of her life, Natalie decides to keep the baby and take a six month leave of absence from her upcoming lingerie business. That's the fiction part - who can take 6 months leave as a single mom and businesswoman?

But Natalie is dying for adult conversation and befriends a young teen mother, who is the girlfriend of her electrician's assistant. Complicated, yes? Together, they meet other parents of young babies and form an informal mother's group. But Natalie's lie - that she is married with a husband working in Dubai - just seems to get more complicated, esp when Jack reappears in Natalie's life.

But what moved this beyond chick-lit for me was the troubled and nuanced relationship between Natalie and her estranged mother. Both women were reacting to the past in negative ways and both are quite loving, despite their differences.

[Elli Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, endearing and filled with colourful characters, this is quintessential mum lit as only Rowan Coleman can write. I listened to this long before I was a mum myself, but kept going back to it, including when I had my own babies. It became a comfort read.

Loved:
Pheobe James narrates in a soft, friendly manner that's easy to listen to.
This is sweet without being saccharine, probably helped by the humour peppered throughout.
It's excellent as a light read. Enough to entertain, but nothing too stressful.
The description of mum struggles cheered me up when I was going through them myself.

Could Have Loved More
I could nitpick, but it's just a decent, solid example of women's fiction.

Shall I Compare Thee To...
Wendy Holden, Sophie Kinsella, Jane Fallon and Lisa Armstrong are all fun authors of a similar style.

[MyChienneLit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Natalie has always been a little on the spontaneous, even flighty side, but when she meets Jack Newhouse on a train one Friday morning and ends up spending the entire weekend in Venice with him, she surprises even herself. But despite her having fallen hard for her new lover, Natalie is heartbroken when she does not hear from him again. Finding out that she is pregnant with his child does not help Natalie get over Jack any quicker either, though she refuses to actively seek him out to let him know about the baby. Alone and bored, Natalie finds solace and company in a group of wonderful new friends who also have new babies and problems of their own that distract Natalie from hers for a time, but when Jack reappears in her life, she must find a way to deal with him for the good not only of her own desires, but for the future of her (their) son.

This is a fun, quick read that was perfect for a rainy afternoon. While some elements of the plot are predictable and this is not exactly high, classic literature, it is an enjoyable read with characters that are easy to relate to and seem drawn from life. Fans of "chick lit" will enjoy this one.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book up on my quest for a story typical of this kind of genre; multiple characters with interweaving stories but all focussed around a central theme, in this case, babies! Although as can be expected, there are numerous subplots for each of the various characters from family dynamics to love interests. In a way, this book essentially did deliver what was expected, but I couldn't help feeling it was just a little flat in places. While the story follows the lives of several characters, it does take a stronger voice of one in particular and in the process loses some of the depth of other characters unexplored. This somewhat main character also got quite frustrating at times. Though I wasn't expecting something unpredictable as that's generally not why you read these kinds of books, the story as a whole just seemed relatively uneventful. It was a quick and light read, but not quite that rich multi-character experience I was searching for.

[K · Rating 2 out of 5]

I admit it -- my chick-lit binge is in full-swing. Unlike "The Village Bride...," I would classify this more as chick-lit for the...what do you call my age group, anyway? I refuse to accept the title "middle-aged" until I'm at least 35. Surely there's a name for the post-newlywed, pre-sandwich generation? Anyway, sorry for that narcissistic and irrelevant rant. Basically, it's light, fun, and almost too unrealistic but not quite (I do want to give the characters a major reality check, but I can still read the book).

Upon finishing -- as Margueya would say, "Eh." It was okay, but for the genre, "I Don't Know How She Does It" was much better. I give her credit for trying to be a little deep and exploring relationship themes that could be interesting, but she didn't quite pull it off.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a random pull of the library shelves, which is something I rarely do anymore... but with a lack of books I wanted to read, decided to give it a try.

Story focuses on single mother struggling to care for herself and a newborn. Shows how you can find people willing to help and support you. The characters were all in various stages in life. Shows that even though we aren't exactly the same we can still relate to each other. Natalie starts out afraid of what they will think so she doesn't always tell the complete truth. As a result she is constantly stressing.

I liked reading about the baby group. The only part of the book that I didn't care for where some of the family issues with Megan.

Overall it was a good book, but I picked it up thinking it was going to be a romance book and that relationship is almost secondary in this story.

[Michelle Robinson · Rating 1 out of 5]

The fact that this woman had a complete inability to tell the truth was bothersome for me.

What made her totally unlikable, for me, was her willingness to justify and excuse being completely dishonest.

I found the book interesting enough to complete. However, I didn't believe in her happily-ever-after. In my mind, I imagine as soon as it is convenient,she will revert to lying again. Which would have negative affects on any relationship.

I did enjoy may of the other charachters and would have liked to know more about them.

The ending was very abrupt. However, by the end I was pretty much done.

I had read two other books by this author. I enjoyed them both and thought I would like this one, boy was I wrong.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book is OK, in my opinion on its literariness.

This book describes the story of Natalie Curzon, with a spur-of-the-moment romantic weekend in Venice and unexpected outcome, thinks she's ready to take on single motherhood.

Just when she's at her wit's end, a major electrical issue in her London home leads Natalie to a whole new circle of friends. There is the electrician, the assistant's young girlfriend and the mother of another surprised baby, brings the book filled with comical errors a real comedy.

Overall, Mommy By Mistake is a funny and poignant tale for anyone whose heart has ever lifted at the sight of a baby's smile, excellent for women and young adult book club discussions, but considerably non-literary in terms of its writing style.

[Dannii2601 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this on a train journey with a hangover, and it did what I needed it to do - distracted me without demanding too much of me. Pretty predictable, nothing amazing about it and the editing was APPALLING, to the extent that it made the book annoying to read, but it was an OK book. The writing wasn't amazing and some of the characters were pretty generic and two-dimensional - the author relies a lot on telling you that someone is weird / strange / quirky / brave / interesting, without really giving any examples of what makes them so weird etc. Something I was taught by my English teacher when I was 14 was that a writer should show, not tell. This writer could have benefitted from a few classes with my English teacher.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last 3 or 4 pages of this book had me grinning like crazy! The author really held everything right up until the end and then just let it all come out. This book was adorably cute. I loved Natalie and how she was a strong and independent woman, but still felt vulnerable and insecure all at the same time. While at times I wanted to smack her and tell her to just tell the truth, I couldn't fault her for lying. Even though Natalie was the central character, this book would not have been half of what it was if it wasn't for all of the friends, both old and new. Easy, enjoyable read. Makes me want a sequel so that I can see where they all ended up!

[Amanda Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a chick book. This is a pretty easy read. The story focused around a group of women, mothers. It seems the book will focus only on one character mostly, but really all the women get some focus on their own individual problems and issues. I admit I was quite jealous at the closeness of these group of women. I thought the dynamics between them was written very well. They definitely showed a closeness in friendship. The ending is very predictable, but it was fun to read to see how the events unfold leading up to that predictable ending.

[Carissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book but I guess the reason I'm rating a little lower is that it was just a little too predictable for me. Especially in regards to the main character. I know this is a weird complaint, but I feel like there was a little too much of everything magically working out perfectly for all of the characters regardless of the problems that come up: Natalie and her mom, Natalie and Jack, Tiffany and her mom, Steve and Jill, etc... But not a bad read by any means.