Not Ready for Mom Jeans: A Novel

by Maureen Lipinski

A laugh-out-loud novel about motherhood, life, and the quest for eight hours of sleep.Event planner and famous blogger Clare Finnegan expected to go back to work after her daughter was born. After all, she worked hard for her success…and it's not like now that she has a child she has to buy a minivan, wear Mom Jeans, and give up her career! Right? Despite more than a few pounds of baby weight still left to lose, Clare dons her Miss Piggy Pants and returns to work. She plans a swanky Sweet Sixteen party, pulls off a million-dollar golf outing, has to come to terms with her mother's breast cancer, and is left so exhausted that she can't remember her ATM card's pin number. Then, after another meeting runs late, and she misses another one of her daughter's milestones, Clare allows herself to examine an alternate staying home. "Lipinski's snappy dialogue and acerbic wit are so engaging, you don't need a minivan to enjoy this ride." –Jen Lancaster, New York Times bestselling author

Genres: Chick Lit, Fiction, Ebooks, Humor

308 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Obsidian · Rating 1 out of 5]

"I am over books that fat shame and act as if working mothers are the devil" (my title for this review).

Sorry for the long title, but this book had me ticked from beginning to end.

So this is just going to be a rant about this book, a sequel to "A Bump in the Road". We follow Clare and the first year of her newborn daughter Sara.

Clare is an asshole throughout this book. Sorry. I don't have tolerance for characters who fat shame. I also hated the whole debate about stay at home moms and working mothers.

Clare apparently is the only woman in the world who has to deal with whether she stay at home with her daughter or work. You will be happy to know that Clare judges her mom (who is dealing with breast cancer at this time) for working and liking it. Clare and her sister both moan about how they didn't have nice leisurely times as a family cause her mother was working all the time.

Where's Clare's father in all of this (who cares cause fathers are not important so sayeth this book) who is still working? Apparently it doesn't even process in Clare's freaking brain that her dad could have stayed home or yeah her husband could too. This whole thing becomes most of the plot of the book cause Clare is upset about Sara going to daycare and when her husband gets a promotion (and they buy a house) they apparently now have money for her to stay at home....in the suburbs of Chicago...and he works in IT. I maybe laughed at this whole thing. This book was written in 2010, this is after the economy took a damn dump. Who are these people going let's go to one income and not have to worry about things at all?

In the middle of that mess we have Clare upset she put on weight after her daughter was born and she can't get rid of it. She talks about never exercising, but wanting to lose weight and calls her "fat pants" her Miss Piggy Pants and when it comes up about her not being able to wear a two piece bathing suit anymore, she muses she can just sit next to the fattest person the beach cause no one would give two thoughts to her.

EXHALE

I also realize that Clare did some fat shaming in the last book, I just didn't even process it. Everyone she dislikes in these two books are overweight. She hates her co-worker Annie (who she calls Mule Face) and her sister in law and goes into how fat/heavy both of them are every time they are brought up.

I just ended up disliking the main character and her BS Sophie's Choice about whether to stay home or work. In the end the problem magically gets solved for her (eyeroll again) and they lived happily ever after.

It doesn't help this book is repetitive beyond belief and Clare's sister is a jerk, and though her two best friends are not mortal enemies anymore, there's barely any scenes with the two of them.

[Kim · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book, but I couldn't even finish it. The writing was just too annoying. The same words and phrases were repeated excessively. The characters were one-dimensional and not believable at all. For instance, the mother-in-law and coworker behave so atrociously that they come across more like ridiculous caricatures than real people. Finally, the frequent attempts at humor were unsuccessful from my perspective. The author tried very hard to be funny, but it just didn't work. I found myself rolling my eyes with every page and getting more and more frustrated until I finally gave up and stopped reading. I'm really surprised that this book has such a high average rating.

[Jenni Arnold · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was OK, but I felt like it kept repeating the same mantra over and over again.

"I like my job, but I'd love to stay home with my baby."

God, lady, shut up and quit your job already.

I felt like this was this author took a whole bunch of blog posts and mashed them all up into a book. There was no plot or storyline, just a collection of anecdotes.

It was OK. I read the entire book, just because I hate not finishing something, and I have a goal to read 75 books this year. I felt I couldn't count this as #23 if I didn't actually get all the way through it. {sigh} But my heart just wasn't in this one.

[Lindsay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't like this one as well as the first book. Felt like the author could be mean-spirited at times, which I didn't enjoy .

[Super Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Atrocious and horrendous writing. Pestilence set to print.Cack without being campy. Chess masters ask that even decent non master chess players refrain from requesting a match as it can weaken their game to play with beginners. As a writer who is light years ahead of Maureen Lipinski (not saying much I agree) it actually is damaging to my own writing to sift through such trash. I catch myself wondering "is this is the rubbish that gets published now?" It reads like an annoying dream where nothing resolve or feels lucid. This writer's unfunny and incessant fatphobia seem to be over compensating for a self perceived physical fault she has. The obsessive way other women's bodies are viewed calls to mind all the lyricism of a bulimic pounding eight balls of meth. The Gay cat and blog were as funny as a burning orphanage. I'm sad for the dollar at the dollar store that bought this while I was on holiday in the states a few months go. Only stand out character was the eunuch husband. I hid the book whenever I read it in public. Utter pony (Cockney rhythm slang).

[Jenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

I bought this book because it was a recommended read on Jen Lancaster's blog. I thought I would be able to relate being a working mom with an infant but this book was so boring I could barely finish. There were a couple of funny parts and the author accurately describes the working mom guilt but I just couldn't get into this book.

[Dara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I honestly don't understand how some books get published. So many typos and inconsistencies! (She's leaving a message and her friend answers her? She's on the phone and she knows what her friend's facial reaction is? etc). Otherwise, cute story and some very funny parts!

[Krystal]

This book was fun and witty. I enjoyed it. I loved the pop culture references throughout. I did laugh out loud a few times.

Clare Finnegan is a new mom and its her first day of work since having her daughter Sara. She's barely slept but manages to get herself and 2 month old to work and day care respectively. Jake; Clare's husband is a very hands- on father and helps with Sara a lot. Clare works, takes care of Sara and still manages to see her college friends Julie and Reese. Clare is an event planner in Chicago and has a blog. As time goes on and the blog becomes popular other magazines and newspapers want her as a columnist.

There are no chapters within the book just dates and sometimes multiple times like 4pm then down the page it will say 6:30pm.

[Félise · Rating 1 out of 5]

There are some sweet moments with family and friends, and some funny jokes along the way. There is such a mean-spirited protagonist though, fixated on the fat of everyone she doesn't like. I think I would have had to have read the prequel to endear her to me before reading this. Even then, the author makes such stereotypes of characters we're not supposed to like, I'm not sure I could have been won over anyway.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was very 'meh' to me. Took a long time before it ramped up. By the last 100 pages, it read quickly and I was wanting to see the end.

The age of question of working vs. staying at home still resonated, so that was relatable. I think had I read this 10 years ago, I would have enjoyed it more.

[Kourtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again, somehow I have picked this sequel up at the perfect time. Having lived through my child turning one, and everything that came along with the first year of being a parent, I could not love this book more. Every scary thought that was too taboo to speak about, every fear, every moment in watching your daughter not knowing what the future holds - it was all perfect. I have felt every feeling, said every scary fear...I know how it is Clare!

How I wish a third book would come out in this series. Baby Sara - the teenage years! Or introduce a second baby!

Regardless, Maureen Lipinski has a fan for life!

[Arsala · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book but unfortunately, this book and I didn't have the right chemistry. Jen Lancaster has really spoiled me. After reading her books, I feel like everyone else who tries to write a humorous story is just trying too hard to be like her. Bad, I know. The story does have it's funny moments but the insertion of an ex-boyfriend seemed totally unnecessary. Also, I think I couldn't relate to the character as much as I wanted to b/c all she wanted to do was drink! I don't drink so I just found myself rolling my eyes a lot.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My major criticism of this book is that I wish the dialogue was more believable. A lot of times, especially when conversing with her sister or friends, it seemed unrealistic.
That being said, I really liked the book. I loved how it explored the conflict/guilt of wanting to remain an individual in your own right after you have a child, but also wanting to spend time with your child. I think I'd feel much the same if I had a kid.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not being a mom, I find it so interesting what “thing” women pick as a physical representation of losing themselves to motherhood. For some it is a minivan, for others – it is fashion. For Lipinski – it was “mom” jeans. Through this book, Lipinski struggles with her decision to go to work after the birth of her child. As I was reading this book, I thought of at least ten friends who are moms who could relate to many of her stories. I often laughed out loud.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I typically would not have chosen to read this type of book myself- a story about a new mom in her late twenties trying to figure out how to balance family, work, and life - but I actually quite enjoyed this book. The writing was quick-witted, humorous, and a little dark (just my style), and the read itself was quick and easy. There are no really deep or incredibly meaningful themes in this book, but it's a fun and entertaining read nonetheless.

[Jeannie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book in the beginning. There were funny moments, and the struggle of working/not working as a mother was relatable. However, the main character's attitude towards others turned me off. She was vicious in her descriptions of others, including coworkers, family, and friends. I was completely sick of her by the end of the book. I only finished it to see what her decision was, but realized I will have to wait till the next book.......which I won't be reading.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the kind of book you'd read at the beach or the pool; it's a very very light read. There were definitely some humerus parts to this book, but a few of the author's attempts at humor were so predictable that it became a bit annoying. Besides that, it was a pretty good book. I'd recommend it to those who are looking for a light read!

[Kallejay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh, well, if you want a true account of how your life will change after a baby this is it. However, she keeps repeating the same line, the same idea over and over, and it never really does reach a conclusion in my humble opinion.

[Doraluz Vargas]

It was funny, but it took forever for me to read. I'm not sure if it was the book or me. The ending needed more fireworks, and I pretty much knew how it would turn out, but it was funny enough in some parts to keep me entertained.

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found I could relate to everything the author was saying, but I gave it three stars because some of the dialogue seemed a little hokey/forced. But, overall, entertaining.

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love love love this book....I lol frequently.

[LInda L · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was funny, touching, and sweet -- sweet in a good way! If you need something light and entertaining, read this.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, quick chic"mom"-lit read

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

STILL MORE LOVE! I'll totally be a mom like this.

[Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this follow up to "A Bump in the Road." I laughed out loud several times. Tee first one was better, but I really enjoyed this sequel- an awesome light read.

[Rebecca Tees · Rating 3 out of 5]

Predictable, but an easy read. Suitable for working Moms who are struggling to find their place again and decide whether or not they really want to be a working mom or change the life completely.

[Angela Koczan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book before the first one, Bump in the Road. But still a great book. Easy, light - made me laugh out loud a number of times.

[Randi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really funny, I don't have kids myself, but could still relate to this follow up to "bump in the road" I'm actually hoping they'll be a third in the series.

[Lorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book! Loved the characters! The book had a bit of a Jen Lancaster feel to it so of course it was fantastic.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

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