Friday, September 19, 2014

Book Review: Maybe Baby

By Sara Steven

I enjoy a book where two people find one another and fall in love. The stranger the situation, the more interesting the outcome. Let me tell you, this novel offers up the most unique story line, ever. Hands down.

Laney is an expat living with her boyfriend Niklas, in Stockholm. It’s been five years, and her biological clock is ticking. True, she’s never wanted children of her own before (Niklas has two of his own with a psycho of an ex-wife) but never expected that Niklas wouldn’t want any more, or more importantly, can’t have anymore due to a vasectomy. The situation feels dire, but Laney looks into a progressive sperm bank without Niklas knowing in order to solve the problem for them. She figures she can research first then pursue it if it feels right. The last thing she ever counted on was meeting a man named Mads, the most sought after sperm donor there. She also never counted on feeling an instant connection with him, or falling in love.

Maybe Baby takes the rules or what we know of them, and throws them right out the window. Laney knows she’s invested a lot of time into Niklas, and knows what society would say to be the right thing for her to do, but in matters of the heart, choices are never that cut and dried. Another level to this is the settling into a life vs. actually living one. I got the impression that Laney wants to stay with Niklas because he’s what she knows. There’s comfort and security in their relationship, while her new-found fascination with Mads is exciting and different. Does she risk a sure thing that has been lackluster for years, or does she pursue something that might not work out and cause a lot of damage in the end?

I loved the writing style (real and, at times, very graphic) and appreciated the flow of the story. I was able to delve into the characters easily. Kim Golden did a fantastic job, and I look forward to reading some of her other work, including a future novel with the continuation of Laney's story.

Thanks to Kim Golden for the book in exchange for an honest review.