Baby Proof (Paperback)

~ (Author) "I never wanted to be a mother..." (more)
Key Phrases: baby proof, rainbow sprinkles, New York, Aunt Claudia, Richard Margo Sent (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The bestselling author of Something Borrowed and Something Blue now tells the story of what happens after the "I do"s. As a successful editor at a Manhattan publishing house, Claudia Parr counts herself fortunate to meet and marry Ben, a man who claims to be a nonbreeding career-firster like she is. The couple's early married years go smoothly, but then Ben's biological clock starts to tick. A baby's a deal breaker for Claudia, so she moves out and bunks with her college roommate Jess (a 35-year-old blonde goddess stuck in a series of dead-end relationships) while the wheels of divorce crank into action. Even after the divorce is finalized and Claudia embarks on a steamy love affair with her colleague Richard, she begins to doubt her decision when she suspects Ben has found a smart, young and beautiful woman willing to bear his children. Standard fare as far as chick lit goes, but there are strong subplots involving Claudia's sisters (one is coping with infertility, the other with a cheating spouse) and the childless-by-choice plot line produces above-average tension. 300,000 announced first printing. (June 13)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Giffin has made a name for herself with unconventional, extremely popular chick-lit novels that place her heroines in difficult situations; both Something Borrowed (2004) and Something Blue (2005) were surprising and defied the norm. Her third offering places 35-year-old Claudia in an untenable position. When Claudia married Ben, both agreed that they didn't want children. Suddenly, Ben has changed his mind, and he starts pressuring Claudia to reconsider as well. Claudia is resolute--she has never wanted children and is certain she never will. When both she and Ben stick to their guns, it drives a wedge into their relationship, until a big argument over the issue drives Claudia from their apartment. Suddenly, it seems their marriage is over, and Claudia sorrowfully consents to a divorce even though she still loves Ben. Months later, Claudia is still having regrets, and even when she starts dating a handsome, slick publicist, she can't forget Ben. She begins to reevaluate what is most important to her. By avoiding easy answers, Giffin once again proves she's one of the best chick-lit writers in this thoughtful, layered, and wholly original story of a woman facing a major choice in her life. Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; 1st edition (May 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312348657
• ISBN-13: 978-0312348656
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (278 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,743 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

136 of 146 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly thoughtful, intelligent fun., June 13, 2006

By	Riley McCarthy (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Baby Proof (Hardcover)

Throughout her life, Claudia Parr, the heroine of Emily Giffin's excellent new novel, has sworn up and down to potential boyfriends, inquiring friends, concerned family and anyone else that she absolutely DOES NOT want children EVER. She doesn't have a maternal instinct that she's aware of, and she's perfectly content not to find it. Claudia was never interested in playing house as a girl, and, now that she's in her 30s, she's determined not to concern herself solely with the secondhand on her biological clock. She enjoys her job, her Manhattan life and her freedom. And Ben, her husband and soulmate, is more than happy to remain childless alongside her, their lives not governed by school plays, soccer games, SUVs and Happy Meals.

But when Claudia and Ben's closest friends announce that they're expecting, Ben starts to wonder if maybe a baby wouldn't be that bad, maybe a baby will bring more meaning to their lives. Claudia, though, doesn't have a change-of-heart. She emphatically refuses to even consider a rugrat. So, even though they had a pre-nuptial "deal" to remain childless, Ben and Claudia are suddenly at an impasse in their marriage with a problem that's not at all easy to resolve.

With SOMETHING BORROWED and SOMETHING BLUE, Giffin addressed the complicated nature of female friendships, while also providing fun characters, outlandish situations, hot guys, cocktails, Jimmy Choos and a good story.

With BABY PROOF, Giffin brings all the fun but addresses an even more difficult topic. Through Claudia's predicament, Giffin dares to ask tough questions, like "Is a marriage enriched - or is life necessarily more meaningful - if you have kids?" or "Is it OK to not want kids?"

I love Claudia in this book. Giffin writes her as tough, stubborn, intelligent, flawed, funny, sexy, opinionated and interesting. And, because she refuses to let Claudia fold or become a simple convert to "mommyhood," Giffin proves herself, once again, to be a brave, uncompromising writer who manages, at the same time, to keep things light and fun. She gives voice to strong female characters whom you can still cheer on, even when you disagree with their stances, choices and actions. It's a difficult thing to do, and Giffin pulls it off in spades.

If you loved SOMETHING BORROWED and SOMETHING BLUE, take heart. Giffin's new book is just as strong. Claudia stumbles down many of the same paths that the previous books' heroines did. Claudia's friends are just as beautiful and fabulous. Her family is just as complicated. And her problems are just as touching.

If this is the first Giffin novel you've read, BABY PROOF will make you a fan.

38 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brainy, witty and insanely addictive!, November 23, 2006

By	- Kasia S. (New York City) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Baby Proof (Hardcover)

If only I had any idea about the witty charms of this eggy colored novel, I would have read it a long time ago. Baby Proof caught me completely off guard with non stop excitement of Claudia and Ben's relationship, her family and her decision not to have a baby that led to trouble in paradise. The characters were simply darling, fleshed out to perfection and they made my heart ache when setbacks and divorce appeared on the horizon. This is definitely a girl's book, and not even comparable to chick lit, something that sounds empty and airy to me, but a rich goulash of love, romance, betrayal, insanely addictive humor and life's lessons learned right before my eyes.

In a nutshell, the story is about Claudia and Ben, who married and has been enjoying their sweet life together in Manhattan, only to meet up with friends who just had a baby. Prior to getting married they have both agreed that they don't want kids, but as Ben gets involved in their friends exciting pregnancy he starts to change. Claudia is thrown off her cozy life, she finds herself unhappy and sees that her husband is no longer the man she though she knew. The tale starts off with many mishaps, her sister having baby issues, her best friend sleeping with a married man, her coworker trying to get a date with her, various scandals and tribulations flowing in and out, weaving out some true patterns that are a part of the quilt of life. Being in a great relationship I could relate to many parts of the book, but most of the time I was really happy that Claudia's turmoil was not my own. Knock on wood, but that only made the story more interesting as the reader gets to know her and falls in love with her personality and only wants the best for her. When things go from bad to worse and Ben has a new female friend Claudia must either move on or try and win him back. The question is whether she wants to have his baby since he's her soul mate or whether she needs to find her own path and not stray back into his life.

I have to say that the ending had me in tears, but I cry at happy endings too, so no spoilers here. That came as a big surprise to me, I rarely cry reading books, but this one yanked at my heart and I had to get up to get some tissues three times while reading the last pages! I have even got my own boss sucked into this book, the second she read the first pages as I waved my latest read in front of her, she dashed to get her own copy, and it's a real pleasure discussing it with her, and I am perhaps a bit jealous that I have all ready read and the end of this journey has been reached. Baby Proof is fictional yet very real, I can see many women relate to it and it reads beautifully as the author has natural talent in story telling.

- Kasia S.

31 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A delightful novel that ruminates on marriage, parenthood, family, and friendship, September 12, 2006

By	Jessica Lux (Rosamond, CA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Baby Proof (Hardcover)

Baby Proof is a novel about the dissolution of a marriage. Thirty-four year old Claudia Parr is a happily married publishing industry professional whose life is turned upside down by her husband's decision to break their pre-marriage promises. Claudia and Ben had clicked, had worked as a couple, because they wanted to live child-free. They were non-conformists who relished their freedom and agreed that their family would always consist of just the two of them. Well, at least for the blissful two years before Ben revealed that his position on children had changed. He wanted them after all.

At this point, as a reader, I jumped to some snap judgments about this pale yellow book with sparkly diamond baby booties on the cover. Was this going to be just another piece of poor-me-single-thirtysomething-in-NY-searching-for-a-male trash? Fortunately, no! Booksellers, don't shelve this one with all the hot pink chick lit titles. Baby Proof is a novel which explores all aspects of marriage, divorce, relationships at work, adultery, and parenting styles. The break-up is not just a plot device to launch yet another tale of single life in NY. The divorce drives the entire novel, as Claudia compares her situation to that of an infertile sister, a happily married sister, a spunky best friend dating a married man, and her own divorced parents. Toss in a breathtaking post-divorce fling with a co-worker, and you've got some great material. Griffin also delivers some subtle but unexpected plot twists.