Sleepless Nights: A Novel

by Sarah Bilston

“Sarah Bilston reads like Sophie Kinsella’s big sister—a bit more serious, a little wiser, just as irresistible.”





— New York Timesbestselling author Susan Elizabeth Phillips







The hilarious sequel to Bed Rest, Sleepless Nights by Sarah Bilston is a must-read for working moms, women contemplating having children, and anyone who loves superior women’s fiction and an unforgettable heroine. Fun and quirky lawyer-turned-mom Quinn “Q” Boothroyd is back in Sleepless Nights, making new career choices, moving to the country, and dealing with family crises, all while trying to change diapers.

Genres: Chick Lit, Fiction, Contemporary

308 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Sarah Bilston is associate professor of literature at Trinity College. She is the author of The Awkward Age in Women’s Popular Fiction, 1850-1900 and two novels, Bed Rest and Sleepless Nights.

Reviews

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really enjoyable sequel. I loved that it was set in Connecticut (small state rep!!) and I loved the way Q’s sister described how CT looks on a map: she basically said it was so small that she could barely see it and the name of the state was written in the ocean. I liked getting the chapters from Jeanie’s perspective. The romance was pretty cute and funny - especially how they met which was pretty embarrassing. I liked the elder care and social work plotline as well. It is something I am very familiar with and the book handled it well.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great follow-up to her 1st novel Bed Rest. This story is told from the perspectives of two main characters, Q, who we know from Bed Rest, and her youngest sister Jeanie, who we also met briefly in Bed Rest. As a mother who endured 6 months of relentless screaming from her 1st child,coincidentally also named Samuel, (seriously 8+ hours a day) I appreciated the depiction of early motherhood and the often treacherous emotions that accompany it. I also identified with the rocky relationships between the sisters. The evolving romantic story line between Jeanie and her male interests fulfilled the my chick-lit requirements. A quick, easy, but not light-headed read. I highly recommend!

[Elisa Schiorlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quinn, dopo gli ultimi mesi di gravidanza passati a letto, la nascita di Samuel, si ritrova spossata ed esaurita dai continui pianti del figlio.
Così decide di convincere il marito Tom ad andare in vacanza in Connetticut nella casa di un amico del consorte e approffittando dell'arrivo della sorella di Quinn dall'Inghilterra per aiutarli con Samuel.
Tom non è convinto ma accetta controvoglia senza sapere che da quella vacanza la loro vita cambierà

Libro leggero, per staccare un pò ma molto carino.

[Camilla Spagnolo · Rating 2 out of 5]

mah....a parte il titolo che, ormai sempre più spesso, non c'entra niente con il contenuto è un libretto svuotacervello. I temi forse volevano essere quelli di una storia un po' più seria (la maternità, l'impegno nel sociale della sorella giovane...)ma l'intento è secondo me miseramente fallito..risultato: una storiella carina ma terribilmente piatta, da leggere magari in treno o mentre si è nella sala d'aspetto del dottore.

[Tatianna Wu · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a bit disappointing - I brought it for a light read on a trip...it was definitely light but too shallow and cliched. Sometimes the writing seemed unnecessary (like over-describing to make it seem like good literature, or using extra adjectives that don’t add much to the sentence except make it longer).

[Isabelle | Nine Tale Vixen · Rating 3 out of 5]

From a relationship-studies perspective, this book was fascinating. The characters were likable if not especially vivid, and I liked the lawyery bits. Not noteworthy, but I don't regret the time I spent reading it.

[Kirsten · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was enjoyable, and if I had been in the midst/just emerging from new motherhood, I might have felt more emotionally connected to the story and ignored some of the flaws. unfortunately I think the author took on too many threads - the book has two protagonists who switch off narrating, both of whom are going through big re-thinks about their lives. it's just too much. the new-mother character should have been the focus - or at least that's my opinion! - rather than the 24-year-old who is still drifting about even after completing a fairly specific masters degree (again, maybe it's just because of where I am in my own personal life, but the drama of 24-year-old jeannie deciding whether she wants to do social work with children or social work with geriatrics is just not terribly compelling...)

[morninglightmama · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a little bit to get into the story, but once I got a feel for the two characters who alternately narrate, I began to understand them and yearn for resolution of their respective problems. Q was the character who spoke to me the most, finding herself lost and confused as her baby cried away weeks and weeks of his life. (Been there, done that.) The portrayal of new motherhood was a familiar one to me, and the issue of being torn between professional pursuits and parental duties is one that will be understood by many a mom! While the story travels many paths through these pages, it all comes together in the end, as pleasant stories do, and by the last pages, I found myself feeling a calmness for these characters' futures.

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick, fun read about two sisters finding their way into adulthood and parenthood. Somewhat clichéd themes of small town vs. urban sprawl, career rejection vs. career obsession, but still enjoyable due to the quality of writing and pacing. It was nice to read a book where the men in the story were essentially side characters. Still, the back quarter of the book devolved a bit into a weird detective story with a mega-happy ending. It's actually refreshing when I read something that ends on a high note, but it felt a little too neat. I'd recommend the book, though, all told.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this follow-up to Bed Rest especially how Q and her husband struggled with balancing careers and new baby. Having the younger sister come over from London let chick lit fans get some romantic tension, not just mom lit. My only complaint was that the chapters were too short and I kept wondering if I was on Jeanie or Q's point of view.

[Angela C · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to say this book was not as good as her first, Bed Rest. An overall enjoyable read but one thing that bothered me was that the American characters talk like they're British. For example, the husband of the main character, who is supposedly American, actually exclaims "Oh Dear!" No American man I know would ever say that.

[Tanya Smart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is by no means a literary feast, but it's a pretty great book--especially if you've experienced sleepless nights!

I think it tied in nicely with Bed Rest, but I also believe you could pick this up without having read it's prequel and do just fine.

A nice, easy read for enjoyment and nothing else. It has some very relate-able circumstances (at least for me!)

[Kim D · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two stars is more generous than deserved, but I am rounding up.

I dislike when American authors attemt to write for British characters and inevitably get vernacular and slang incorrect. Same goes for British authors attempting to write for an American voice. it becomes awkward, forced, and often distracting.

There was too little else to enjoy as a distraction.

[Miranda Green-barteet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well written followup to Bilston's first book. I have met Bilston at several conferences and now she had to make extensive changes to the book after it was set to be published as the economy crashed weeks before it was to come out. Overall it finishes Q's story nicely.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

More chick lit. Yawn...

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read, funny (maybe not so funny) look at those first days of parenting, finding your way after graduate school, and the early days of attraction and dating.

[Susie · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://cafescrapper-scrapsoflife.blog...

[pea. · Rating 2 out of 5]

read this for two reasons...
i read the first book
i needed a book that required no effort

it is a dud
job done

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun read; twist on chick lit. Bilston has a great sense of humor.

[Beverly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this as a follow up to Bedrest. It was entertaining.

[Zara Pemberton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book and very well written to follow up from bed rest.

[Mireille · Rating 3 out of 5]

tot het eind aan toe voorspelbaar. niet echt grappig. 2'5 ster.

[Emma Hunter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the best book. I found it quite boring and wouldn't recommend it