Bundle Of Joy? (Red Dress Ink Novels) [Paperback]

Ariella Papa (Author)

Book Description

Series: Red Dress Ink Novels | Publication Date: February 1, 2005

Voula Pavlopolous won't be planning a big fat Greek wedding anytime soon.

After a turbulent childhood and two-and-a-half former boyfriends--if you can call them that--Voula's content to have alone time in her crowded apartment and drinks with her best friend, Jamie (who's never been one of those married people who ditches her pals). Voula doesn't see it coming when Jamie says the two grossest words in the English language Voula can possibly imagine-"We're trying."

Of course, after "We're trying" comes "We're pregnant." Now, Jamie's busy with Lamaze class and besieged by swollen ankles, while Voula is becoming an expert on what to expect when your former wild-and-crazy girlfriend is expecting.

Well, Voula's tired of sitting on the sidelines of life and has decided she'd better start living it. First step: Stop being her mother's doormat. Second step: Stop being so picky and give a guy a chance. But most importantly: It't time to say goodbye to Armando, her Italian stallion roommate, and whoever else is living in their third bedroom. That's right-she is going to buy a place. There are three and a half million apartments in Manhattan. Finding the right one can't be that hard. Can it?

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Voula Pavlopolous is thrown when her best friend, Jamie, announces that she and her husband, Raj, have decided to try to conceive. Voula, a freelance writer who lives in a three-bedroom apartment with an Italian stud named Armando, isn't even dating anyone. After Armando almost burns down their apartment, Voula decides to change her life and buy a condo. She begins to explore the competitive New York real estate market, although she is more focused on writing a series of freelance articles on the condo search than on actually finding a place of her own. Voula's life is already changing more than she is accustomed to: she is becoming friends with the latest tenant in the third room of her apartment, Kelly, and she is falling for a handsome fireman named Paul, who seems perfect until he reveals something that she is not prepared to handle. Like Papa's previous novels, including Up & Out (2003), her third is a droll and witty look at the trials and tribulations twentysomethings face. Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Ariella Papa's maternal urges have been satisfied (for the time being) by her puppy, Sophie, and by baby-sitting her friends' children. After hundreds of open houses and several adjourned closings, she considers herself an expert in New York City real estate.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Red Dress Ink (February 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373895100
• ISBN-13: 978-0373895106
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,934,840 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ariella Papa writes realistic fiction about women for people of both genders. Her novels have been translated into fifteen languages most recently Malaysian. She graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a degree in Communications.
Ariella freelances as a television writer and producer. She lives in a full house in Brooklyn, NY and wishes she had more time to read.
You can visit her at ariellapapa.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A bundle of fun to read!, January 26, 2005

By 

Tina "Tina" (Montreal, Quebec) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Bundle Of Joy? (Red Dress Ink Novels) (Paperback)

This is another entree into the Red Dress Ink chick lit. I LOVED IT!

The story of two friends - Voula and Jaimie. Jaimie has always been the wild one, but now she is settled down and wants a child - badly. This really rocks Voula's world as she is pretty sure that relationships and children are not in her future. Can their friendship survive?

While this book is written with an eye towards fun, it is actually a grown up read about sticking by your friends even if you don't see their point of view. Its about loving the people in your life and its about figuring out how to be the best that you can be.

While this may sound a little dramatic for a chick lit book, Papa manages to introduce all of these important issues in the storyline while conveying some of the funnier moments (and not so funny) about wanting to have a child.

I really enjoyed this book and thought it was an intelligent and "feel good" read.

Buy it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars joyable insightful look at friendship, January 25, 2005

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bundle Of Joy? (Red Dress Ink Novels) (Paperback)

When her best friend nee Jamie Jacobs married and became Jamie Jacobs-Sarakanti, she and Voula Pavlopolous remained best friends. However, now Jamie seems always busy when Voula needs her, but though the spouse is intimately involved he is not the cause. The married couple is attempting to become pregnant and that has caused the pause in their friendship.

Voula is stunned but will do anything for Jamie because her best bud has always been their for her especially when she procrastinates as she always does whether it is paying bills, finding a new roommate or a new Manhattan pad, or writing the magazine article that is past due. When Jamie tells her that she is a Lamaze student, Voula is happy and depressed, but the joy of her pal makes her wake up that it is time to live life starting with dumping mom and finding a man who would appreciate Voula, neurosis's and all.

BUNDLE OF JOY? Is an enjoyable insightful look at friendship through the eyes of the one left behind while the other moves on with marriage and children. The story line drifts a bit with all that Voula must confront, but puts off as is her nature; however though that makes it more difficult to follow her chick lit revelations, the wandering adds depth to the lead protagonist as she struggles to modify her behavior ever since her best friend announced the "pregnant pause".

Harriet Klausner

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Amazingly Good Read!, January 22, 2005

By 

Rian Montgomery "Rian Montgomery" (Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bundle Of Joy? (Red Dress Ink Novels) (Paperback)

I read this book as soon as I got my hands on it, since I really like Ariella Papa's writing style and previous books. This book might look like a mommy lit type of novel, but it's really more of a "singleton's best friend gets pregnant" book, and so much more.

The main heroine Voula is a character that really stands out from the norm. She had a turbulent and somewhat tragic childhood; she has a stubborn Greak mother who believes Voula should be living at home until she is married; she likes to be alone and has only had 2 1/2 boyfriends (technically) in her life so far. She lives with a beautiful Italian man with a large libido and has a freelance writing career that is satisfying, but just paying the bills.

Voula isn't sure if she wants kids one day, but suddenly it seems like everyone around her is getting pregnant: her best friend Jamie, for one. Suddenly the close friend Voula has known since childhood is one of them. At the same time, Voula's long-estranged sister shows up again, toting two kids and a husband. Still further, Voula must find a third roommate, but at the same time is wondering if she should find her own place somewhere. The problem is, how can she afford it? Everyone has heard of the difficulties involved with finding a place to live in Manhattan. Is it really that difficult? Join Voula on her house-hunting adventures and see for yourself!

This book explores a litany of interesting topics: the ups and downs having a newly pregnant best friend; the friend's joy and struggles of pregnancy, childbirth and child-rearing; the uncertain yet exciting new relationship that Voula finds; her struggle to open up to others yet learn to be true to herself. And of course her frustrating yet irresistable hunt for a place to live.

I absolutely LOVED this novel. Ariella Papa, whose previous two books ("On the Verge" and "Up and Out") I also loved, has outdone herself this time around. Voula is an outstanding main heroine, and she is dealing with realistic and difficult situations. The overall story line kept me reading straight through until the end. Very highly recommended.