The Godmother, by Carrie Adams



Image courtesy of Trashionista

I was in Target (or for you bourgeoisie, Targé) about a year ago and decide to browse their discounted books. Being the superficial girl that I am, I picked up The Godmother, by Carrie Adams because of its pretty cover. Sadly, this is how I meet a lot of my favorite books, their covers.

I admit it: I judge a book by its cover.

Anyway, I hadn’t heard of The Godmother before, but I liked the plot and so I bought the book. And it has since sat under my nightstand, collecting dust along with other unread titles like Wicked, Audition, and The Boy Who Loved Anne Frank. I enjoy reading and find inspiration for my own writing when I am reading. But I read in phases; sometimes I am so into reading that I will read more than one book at a time and then other times a good six months can pass without one single published word read as life just gets in the way.

Since I wasn’t going to the gym anymore, I found that I had more time on my hands. I decided to fill that extra time with The Godmother.

According to Publishers Weekly:

While 30-something Londoner Tessa King questions her no-strings-attached lifestyle, she also witnesses her friends' difficulties in marriage and parenthood while playing godmother to their broods. Nick and Francesca battle to keep their sullen teenager out of serious trouble; Billy, a single mom, can't break ties to her now remarried ex-; Helen and Neil, fairy tale parents to twin boys, are hiding something; successful Claudia and Al struggle to conceive; and Ben and Sasha have no plans to have children. But Ben also happens to be Tessa's best friend, and perhaps the love of her life. When tragedy eventually strikes the group, bonds are tested, and Tessa is forced to re-examine what she thinks will really make her happy. A painful look into the fears, doubts and desires that make and break marriages, this debut novel from Londoner Adams is notches up from the usual chick and mom lit fare.

I have to agree with PW. I really enjoyed reading this book. So much so that I read the last few pages when I was only 2/3 through the book because I was so impatient to find out what happens!

Tessa King is the godmother to four children, with the possibility of another godchild on the way. She is the single friend, the Bridget Jones, of the group. Her married friends envy her carefree lifestyle while Tessa craves their familial homes. The grass is always greener, right?

Slowly, Tessa learns that perfect couple/parents, Francesca and Nick, didn’t come to their current state of blissful chaos with ease. There were bumps and major hurdles to get through.

Childhood friends turned sweethearts, Claudia and Al, may not get the family of their dreams after numerous attempts at fertility treatments.

Beautiful, exotic Helen’s marriage to D-List celebrity Neil is just as tumultuous and scandalous as the typical tabloid couple.

What happened with Ben in the past, well nearly happened, should probably stay in the past.

Normally, I like a book to end with a perfect bow wrapping up the story. That was not necessarily the case here. The subplots that needed to be wrapped up were, but Tessa’s didn’t quite end with a “happily ever after”. But you know what? The ending was perfect for the story.

Phew! You still reading? Hopefully not all of my book reviews will be this long.