The Nine Month Plan [Mass Market Paperback]

Wendy Markham (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2003

Nina Chickalini has a plan: Get out of Queens. But something keeps stopping her. Maybe it's the four siblings she raised almost single-handedly. Or the family pizzeria she's running so Pop can take it easy. Or maybe it's her best friend, Joe Materi, who's just made an incredible request: Have his baby! Nina doesn't need another reason to feel tied down, but how can she refuse the man who's always been there for her? Getting in the family way turns out to be easy, and suddenly she's seeing Joe in a whole new light-his muscular arms cradling a baby, his sexy voice crooning a lullaby... With the entire neighborhood meddling to get them to tie the knot-and Joe looking like he wants them to tie the knot-Nina might have to stop dreaming of grand adventures and settle for something even better: love.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

"Wendy Markham" is a psedonym for New York Times bestselling author Wendy Corsi Staub, who has several awards, including RWA's "Rita," and published more than sixty novels under her own name and various pseudonyms. A happily married mother of two, she lives in an old house in a picturesque New York City suburb.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Forever (August 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446611751
• ISBN-13: 978-0446611756
• Product Dimensions: 4.1 x 1.1 x 6.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #250,528 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Cute story..., August 31, 2004

By 

Annie "bookwishes4" (United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Nine Month Plan (Mass Market Paperback)

Nina was just a little girl when her mother passed away and she took over the responsibility of raising her siblings. Now, her youngest brother is finally getting ready to head off to college in just a matter of months. When that happens, Nina can finally escape and travel the world like she always dreamed about.

Joey is Ninas best friend since childhood. They were always there for each other no matter what happened. Nina was there for him the night his fiancé changed her mind about getting married and decided to become a nun and Joey was there for Nina when her father was ill.

Joey does not see if life going the way he expected and now wants nothing more than to be a father. He goes to Nina and asks her if she would have his child for him with no strings attached. At first, Nina said no. She did not want to have anything to do with bearing a child and was afraid she would be tied down. After some convincing and thought, Nina changes her mind and goes for it. She told Joey that she would have his baby for him.

Nina would be leaving within a few months, so they did not have time to go the red tape of clinical insemination, they needed to create this baby the old fashioned way by sleeping together. That act dredges up strong feelings that Joey or Nina don't want to admit to themselves or each other.

The Nine Month Plan was a cute story but the biggest complaint I would have is that as you are reading a conversation, you also have to read about what they are really thinking, not just saying.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A sweet story..., August 19, 2003

By 

Purl Gurl (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Nine Month Plan (Mass Market Paperback)

Nina Chickalini has been caring for her family since her mother died of eclampsia while giving birth to Nina's younger brother, Ralphie. Nina's dreams of moving out of her neighborhood in Queens and seeing the world has been put on hold until Ralphie graduates from high school and her familial obligations have been met. Joe Materi, her next-door neighbor & best friend is a workaholic. He longs to be a father and begins to half-jokingly suggest that she be the surrogate mother. Nina considers this and agrees one day. The story continues with the pregnancy, the both family's assumption they will marry, and Nina's goal of reaching "Independence Day" which is conflicting with her feelings for Joe and the baby. At the same time, Joe is slowly beginning to realize that he also has feelings, may have always had feelings, for Nina.

I have to agree with the reader below that pointed out that fact that this book was written in present tense. I am not sure what the goal was to write in present tense, perhaps to draw the reader more into the story, but quite frankly, it threw off the rhythm and flow of the scenes, especially the serious and intense ones. In addition, the reasons behind Nina's consent to have Joe's baby are a little off. She seems like an intelligent woman, but the fact that her main reasons to have Joe's baby is that she feels indebted to him for his kindness to her family over the years mixed in with the feeling that this is her only chance to know what it would like to be pregnant seems a bit odd. However, the scenes between Joe and Nina are tender and sweet. The main and secondary characters are likable, as well.

Overall, "The Nine Month Plan" is a sweet story between two best friends who are selfless to a fault and do not realize that they are truly meant for each other. It's an enjoyable and entertaining read, if you can bypass the present tense in which it is written and the reasons for which Nina decides to have Joe's baby. I hope that "Once Upon a Blind Date", the Chickalini continuation to "The Nine Month Plan", with Nina's brother, Dominic, in the title role, will fare better.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 1st present tense distracts from the story, January 25, 2006

By 

M. Nix - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Nine Month Plan (Mass Market Paperback)

Nina Chickalini dreams of one day leaving behind her job at the family pizzeria and the responsibilities of raising her four siblings. She has saved for the day she can travel and see the world. Nina has even set a date... Independence Day. So when her best friend, Joe Materi, asks her to have his baby, she is torn. Having been burdened with responsibilities her entire life, can she accept one more? Even for her best friend, the man that has always been there for her?

Soon Nina is experiencing a different side of Joe: the muscular, sexy side. Imagining Joe as a father increases Joe's attractiveness to an even higher level. When Nina becomes pregnant, everyone is soon pushing for Joe and Nina to marry. Does Nina love Joe? And, can Nina find happiness without realizing her long held dreams?

When reading the blurb, I thought The Nine Month Plan sounded like a really fun read. The whole best friend turned lover fantasy is a favorite of mine. And add a baby into the mix? I expected to be in reader-bliss. And don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the story. I liked the characters. The plot was engaging. And this book had all the elements to push my buttons. Only, I couldn't let myself sink into the story because this book is written in present tense. I found it a startling and obtrusive distraction in an otherwise well-written and likeable story. If you can overlook that the book is written in the present tense, I think you'll enjoy The Nine Month Plan.


Annabelle
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed