Customer Reviews

The Baby Planner

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3 star:		(3)
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The Baby Planner is a wonderful novel for anyone who enjoys a great pregnancy story, or several. Taking the concept of a wedding planning and twisting it for prenatal crowd works well and leads to funny and emotional scenes.

Katie is a wonderfully full character. Longing for a baby, but married to man who refuses to impregnate her, Katie fills the void by helping other women get ready for their own children. Having no real life experience, beyond being an involved aunt, she starts her business and quickly finds a niche market that never knew it was waiting for her. Through Katie's work, readers will experience multiple pregnancy situations - all of which lead to surprising ends.

Katie's marriage was something else entirely. She loves her husband, but he refuses to have a child with her. Their relationship and Katie's various pleas and tactics to get what she desires most left me wondering not about her sanity, but about my own. Katie's actions drove me crazy. I was never on the same page as her. I wanted her to "accidentally" get pregnant. She respects her husband and believes she can rationally convince him. I want her to run away from him as fast as she can. She then decides it's a good time to have a condom malfunction. You can tell early on how the story is going to play out, but there are some great twists along the way.

The Baby Planner is unique and thought-provoking at times. Laughter and tears come easily and often. You may not always agree with Katie's decisions, but you'll care about her from the very first pages.The Baby Planner is the perfect next step for chick lit fans leaving singledom and entering babyville.

I have five children and I have never used a Baby Planner, not that it doesn't sound like a great thing to have, I just know that I could not afford one and most of what they do(according to the book) I wanted to do myself. I wanted to paint and sew and nest for my little ones and I think that it would have been hard to turn that responsibility over to another person, especially in one whose only purpose is to get paid.

But this is a review of the book, not of Baby Planners as a whole. The book was sweet and cute. I love the little quotes at the top of each chapter, a few of my favorites:

"Making a decision to have a child- it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside you body." Elizabeth Stone-With my oldest away at college I feel this one daily, I miss him.

"A man loves his sweetheart the most, his wife the best, but his mother the longest." - Irish Proverb

"Children make you want to start life over." -Muhammad Ali

The main character Katie is a strong women looking to have a child of her own and the way she goes about trying is funny and sad at the same time. I feel for the characters and their struggles, life is hard enough without adding additional people in the mix. But without my children my life would be less then it is today. I could identify with the pregnant women in this book and I laughed out loud in a few places.

I did not care for the sex, it felt out of place and too graphic for the subject matter, a few kisses and the next day would have made better reading. The book as a whole was quirky and fun to read with a good message about love making a family, not biology. I would suggest this to anyone who enjoys Chick-Lit. 3 1/2 stars on my blog.

Katie Johnson is 37 years old and is assistant testing director at Safe California, a consumer protection agency. When Safe California is eliminated due to state budget cuts, Katie is suddenly jobless, with no idea what she really wants to do. Her sister Grace is expecting a new baby, and when she asks Katie to help her plan her nursery (Katie has a degree in interior design), Katie ends up with a binder full of ideas. When she and Grace go to a store to pick out some products, a woman sees the binder she made, assumes she is a baby planner, and "hires" her on the spot.

As Katie works towards getting her new business, Making Mommies Smile, off the ground, she is contending with her own childlessness. Her husband of six years, venture capitalist Alex, is dead-set against their having a baby, which is something that Katie didn't fully realize when they married. He has his own 10-year-old son from a previous marriage who is now living in Holland with his ex-wife. Katie is determined to change his mind, and even resorts to some subterfuge to get her way.

She's also dealing with clients as diverse as a Congressman's wife who thinks nothing of calling at 6:30 in the morning to bounce ideas off of her, another who has a 13-year-old girl by a previous marriage and is determined that her new husband not know that the new baby will be a girl as well, one who is on bedrest due to previous miscarriages and is almost scared to plan for the new arrival, a soon-to-be single mother whose baby's father is married, and a widowed father whose company SkorTek is one of Alex's new ventures, as well as many others.

This is an enjoyable, quick read, with some unexpected (one VERY unexpected and rather shocking) turns, not all of them enjoyable. Katie is very likable, even though she DOES stoop to some lows in her quest for a baby. Her family is wonderful and supportive, but her husband is selfish, and as we find out, very manipulative and deceitful as well. Katie puts up with some things from both her husband and her clients that most of us would kick them in the shins for, and her adventures with her clients are sometimes sad, but often fun. The ending is perfect as well.

Definitely recommended as a fun, entertaining summer/beach-time read.

QUOTES

Prior to Ariel's death, she was inordinately shy.

Since then, she's been practically comotose.

Whenever I came, I brought sandwiches and coffee. A few times I'd brought a sack of groceries so that she'd have milk and bread in the house.

With Ariel gone, she'd quit going to the store.

I know why. Because there is no one to buy groceries for, to care for.

A mother who has lost her child loses herself, too.

"Who do you believe, Willemina or me?"

Does it matter? No, of course not. Because I love him, even if I don't believe him.

Besides, once I'm pregnant, there'll be nothing he can do about it.

". . . But some of the moms can be pretty picky as to whom their kids play with."

The way Fanny says that makes me wonder if she suspects that they were put off by her. Even in San Francisco, you don't see a lot of Barbra Streisand impersonators in the parks.

Well, at least not ones who are au pairs.

Writing: 4 out of 5 stars

Plot: 4 out of 5 stars

Characters: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Reading Immersion: 3.5 out 5 stars

BOOK RATING: 3.75 out of 5 stars

Sensitive reader: There are some not-extremely-graphic, but not-extremely-vague-either sexual scenes

I met Ms. Brown at a writer's conference this past April. Her book, "The Baby Planner" had just hit the shelves. I did what I always do when picking up a new book: I thumbed through it, smoothed the cover, sniffed (yes, really) the binding and read the back cover synopsis. It sounded cute. It sounded fun. It sounded like a sassy read and I was all for that! And I must say--it WAS all that and more. Katie Johnson is a baby planner, akin to being a wedding planner in which she plans every last detail of her client's pregnancy and upcoming birth, but Katie desperately wants a baby of her own. Her husband is just unwilling to give her one. Sneaky deviations and some edge-of-your-seat suspense, along with witty banter and some challenges, we learn that planning for babies is really a lot of hard fun. Several twists keep readers engaged in this highly addictive and lusty read. Great pick for summer, parents of young kids, or those in the client-first culture of catering, wedding planning, or heck, baby planning!

I first discovered Josie Brown's brilliance, witty badinage and deft plotting marinated in showbiz mores when I read True Hollywood Lies. I was hooked and have been a fan ever since. But after reading Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives and now The Baby Planner all I can say is --- Move over Jackie Collins! Josie Brown is on the loose and the results make for absolutely great entertainment. Josie proves again that she can ink sling with the best of the bunch. Shucks, she is the best of the bunch.

I definitely recommend Josie Brown's The Baby Planner to moms and those into parenting novels. As I began reading this book I knew within the first couple of chapters it was going to be a fun read. Josie Brown's novel is fresh and has a nice brisk pace. The story has wonderful character development, emotional depth and a nice dose of comedy throughout. Living in the San Francisco Bay Area, I couldn't help but smile every time I read about a known mommy hangout, store or hip restaurant. What I didn't yet know, until I kept reading page after page, was how much this novel would inspire, motivate and resonate with me (I am a professional Baby Planner who fell into the role as did Josie's main character). I sympathized with Katie and her clients; so when the story took dramatic twists and turns, I loved the anticipation as well as the surprises. I sincerely loved this book - a great little escape from the daily grind!

Katie Johnson starts a new career as a "baby planner" or momcierge after losing her job as a tester for product safety. Her husband, Alex, has promised her that they would discuss having their own child when he makes partner at his financial firm. Alex is reluctant to have his own children after losing his son in a nasty divorce. He puts Katie off and then tells her he has no intention of ever fathering another child again, so Katie does a few things that she won't be proud of in the morning.

As Katie starts to build friendships through her new business, she learns more and more about herself and what really makes her happy. Her twin sisters are both parents and soon-to-be parents of two kids each and their parental happiness starts to really drag her down even though she loves them to pieces. After some devastating news about her father's health and a conversational slip, she learns that something that changes her whole perspective on life and sends her on a quest. There are several major twists and turns that makes Katie realize that she has more than she ever expected.

I could not put this book down once I started and I was so engaged in Katie's world that I really wanted to hurt Alex physically since he was so darn right evil. I found the whole story very believable even though there are a few points that probably would never happen to the same person all at once. This is the perfect book for spring since it will put you in a good mood and get you distracted from the horrible weather everyone has been experiencing lately. If you like Sophie Kinsella, Sarah Pekkenan or Melissa Senate, you will love Josie Brown's writing. I received this book at no expense from the publishers in exchange for my honest review and you can get the details on my blog, BookHounds

Josie Brown's latest novel, The Baby Planner, is set in an idyllic San Fransisco. Katie Johnson is married to Alex, a money manager of a venture capital firm that specializes in tech start-ups. They're both successful in their own right, gorgeous, and passionate. There's only one thing Katie wants to change about her life - to have a child with Alex.

Alex has a son from his earlier marriage and was heartbroken after losing the custody battle. Alex doesn't want his son to feel abandoned and refuses to have any more children - at least for the moment. Katie figures that things will change when he gets promoted and hen things are more stable; she's willing to wait. In the meantime, she enjoys close friendships with her twin sisters and her many nieces and nephews. And she gets a particular charge from knowing that even her job helps her protect children: she works for SafeCalifornia, the state agency empowered to investigate consumer safety complaints and Katie focuses her investigations on child safety issues.

SafeCalifornia loses its funding and everyone loses their jobs. But Katie recovers quickly - she takes stock of her life and throws herself into her top priority: a child of her own. But this baby goal is a secret and in public, her energy is focused on her new business - as a baby planner.

While most people would avoid surrounding themselves with babies if they can't have one, Katie's much more of an optimist than the rest of us. She dives into the new role, moved by her love for kids and her natural desire to do things right. Confident that her husband will succumb and finally find himself ready to be a father. Her husband Alex is proud of her, supports her efforts, and her practice blossoms. As she comes across all types of moms-to-be, Katie draws them in.

In the tradition of the best women's fiction, Katie draws us in as well. Just as she befriends the soon-to-be parents, she endears herself to us. She's the sort of person that we'd love to know and to welcome into our lives. Her optimism and energy make Katie Johnson such a compelling and sympathetic lead character - just the sort to propel the novel forward. When Katie faces the worst possible day of her life -- her worst nightmares all come true -- she still doesn't sink into an annoying caricature of herself. Instead, she behaves with integrity and humor.

The Baby Planner is a fun, engaging read - and a book to share with friends.

ISBN-10: 9781439197127 - Paperback $15

Publisher: Gallery; Original edition (April 5, 2011), 352 pages.

Review copy provided by the publisher.

"The Baby Planner" opens on February 18, 2012 which is protagonist Katie Johnson's 37th birthday. An active advocate hired by a watchdog company that tests product safety, Katie, her twin sisters, Grace & Lana and their respective spouses convene at a popular restaurant in southern California. (Katie was probably named after Katherine Hepburn and the twins after Lana Turner and Grace Kelly). The party goes well until Grace, the mother of a 3-year-old girl announces that she is pregnant. Her twin Lana has two boys aged 6 and 4. Katie tries to keep a game face while her heart is breaking. She wants a baby desperately and her husband Alex, a high powered executive at a firm called S&M after the two founders does not want another child after his first wife spirited his 2-year-old son away to Holland 8 years earlier.

Shortly after Katie's meltdown at her birthday dinner, she loses her job. Ironically her boss, Helen does not want a child, but to keep her "perfect size-two figure" instead. Katie ratchets up her "Operation Oops" scheme. She pokes minute holes in her husband's condoms; she seduces him by wearing black lingerie including a thong and providing him with his drink of choice, Johnnie Walker Blue.

Katie is all set for motherhood. In an unlikey yet fortuitious meeting, her sister introduces her as a baby planner. Thanks to Katie's work with the advocacy group, she begins lecturing before expectant mothers about desirable products and nursery decor. She even hires a web designer to create a web page. When a very funny mishap causes her to change web designers, she is finally on her way.

Katie's clients are an interesting group of people ranging from the Congressman's wife and the mother of 3 children aged 12, 8, 4 and "on the way" as each child was born during an election year to Lacie Channing, who has doubts about consulting a baby planner as she feels that takes the sponteneity out of planning for a baby's needs. Othe clients include Carolyn, whose history of miscarriage prompt her doctor to put her on complete bedrest during her pregnancy; Joanne, mother of a 13-year-old daughter who fears her husband finding out their baby will be a girl; Ophelia, hired by a wealthy couple to have a child and lastly, Twila, a fiesty single mother who's baby's daddy "is a married man." Still, the characters are a very interesting group of people, especially Seth, the young widower raising an infant. He works at S&M and is not on good terms with Alex, Katie's husband.

Katie is nothing if not determined and resourceful. Her business takes off and her reputation soars. There are some genuinely funny parts, such as when she encouraged the Congressman's wife to shop at the Goodwill and Salvation Army. I loved the parts about Katie's pregnant clients.

Seth is a delightful character who becomes a staunch ally. He has good reason to dislike Alex intensely as Alex has stolen his company and ultimately fires him for taking time off when his daughter was seriously ill. Katie is a biz whiz, but on the home front, her marriage is falling apart. Alex refuses to impregnate her. As another reviewer on the US boards said, I, too hoped Katie would get pregnant. I had trouble with Alex and his former wife and their son. I didn't like Alex AT ALL and was glad whenever Seth provided Katie friendship and support together with his infant daughter Sadie and their equally delightful "manny." I didn't like the way Katie kowtowed to Alex. I thought he was, to use an antiquated term, a right cad. Darn shame the word cad has fallen into disuse because it accurately sums up Alex.

The turning point takes place on July 12, 2012 and readers are in for many plot twists, detours and unexpected bumps in Katie's Long & Winding Road. Without spoiling anything, there is a hilarious part involving suits that readers are sure to love. This is an excellent story and I will be watching for more books by this author.

As a pregnant woman, this book was the perfect mix of baby cuteness and insightfulness with some good sex scenes. No Harlequin romance, but pleasurable enough.