Title: Mom Jeans and Other Mistakes by Alexa Martin
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction
Length: 384 pages
Book Rating: B+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
Two best friends say “I do” to living together, for better or worse, in this bold women’s fiction novel from Alexa Martin.
Jude Andrews is famous. Well, at least on Instagram. Her brand is clean eating, good vibes, Pilates, and casually looking like a sun-kissed goddess. In real life, however, she’s a total disaster. She has a strained relationship with her fame-hungry mom and her latest bad decision emptied out her entire savings account.
Lauren Turner had a plan: graduate medical school and become the top surgeon in the country. But when she became unexpectedly pregnant, those plans changed. And when her fiancé left her, they changed again. Now navigating the new world of coparenting, mom groups, and dating, she decides to launch a mommy podcast with all the advice she wishes someone had given her.
Jude and Lauren don’t have much in common, but maybe that’s why they’ve been best friends since the third grade. Through ups and downs, they’ve been by each other’s sides. But now? They’re broke, single, and do the only thing that makes sense—move in together, just like they talked about when they were teenagers. Except when they were younger, the plan didn’t include a five-year-old daughter and more baggage than their new townhouse can hold.
Review:
Mom Jeans and Other Mistakes by Alexa Martin is a wonderful novel of friendship and motherhood.
Lauren Turner is a single Black woman with a precocious five-year-old daughter, Addy. She has never quite gotten over her break-up with Addy’s dad, Ben, and she is not looking for love. Lauren is trying to adjust to Ben’s new interest in fatherhood and she is uneasy about their visitation schedule. Just as she and her best friend, Jude Andrews, move in together, her world is turned upside down by a shocking custody fight. With so many changes and unexpected upheaval in her life, will Jude convince Lauren to give a new man in her life a chance?
Jude is a popular social media influencer who never lets her fans see what her life is really like. In reality, she is a hot mess with a dysfunctional relationship with her actress mother. Jude relies too heavily on alcohol to numb her feelings instead of facing her problems. Despite her issues, she and Lauren have a strong friendship that has survived all of their respective ups and downs over the years. Jude adores Addy so when the custody fight begins, she has the necessary contacts in social media that might give Lauren the edge she needs to win. But will Jude’s issues and her inability to deal with them cause problems between her and Lauren?
Mom Jeans and Other Mistakes is a delightfully charming novel with a relatable storyline and likable characters. Lauren is a fantastic mother with a successful career but she does not feel like she lives up to her mother’s strict standards. Jude has a bit of a devil may care attitude, but she feels things deeply. Both women are flawed but Jude’s problems definitely outweigh Lauren’s insecurities and fears. Addy is absolutely adorable and she is quite the scene stealer! With their friendship hanging in the balance, Alexa Martin brings this captivating novel to a very uplifting conclusion.
