Share for friends:

Read Baby Proof (2006)

Baby Proof (2006)

Online Book

Author
Genre
Rating
3.68 of 5 Votes: 3
Your rating
ISBN
0312348649 (ISBN13: 9780312348649)
Language
English
Publisher
st. martin's press

Baby Proof (2006) - Plot & Excerpts

Because someone once told me that Emily Giffin’s books are formulaic, fluffy, and devoid of any real plot, I’ve avoided them. But I was looking for a light pick-me-up last week, found Baby Proof at the library, and after being captivated from the very first page, I finished this book in 2 days flat.I don’t recall who told me to avoid Emily Giffin’s books, but whoever you are, you have bad taste in books! Anyway, this is the story of 35-year-old Claudia – a successful editor, a loyal sister, and a loving wife. Claudia’s life seems perfect until her husband Ben suddenly decides he wants to have a child, despite their previous decision to remain childless by choice. After her unexpected divorce, Claudia buries herself in her work, and turns to her family and friends for support as she tries to pick up the pieces.Although she never stops loving Ben, she eventually moves forward and begins dating her dashing colleague Richard. And it is Richard, along with Claudia’s sisters, her best friend, and a smattering of other well-developed supporting characters, who allow Claudia to see what sacrifices she is willing to make to have the life that she really wants.Thanks to Giffin’s engaging writing and thought-provoking characters, Baby Proof isn’t your typical chick-lit beach read. The author cleverly manages to include several strong supporting story lines, each with their own baby-related/marital issues, and these parallel stories allow the reader the benefit of seeing the challenges of parenthood and marriage from a number of opposing viewpoints. As someone who always thought she was too selfish to have children, I can understand Claudia’s thought process perfectly. But as a mother who is now so lucky to have the unconditional love of a kid with a heart of gold, I can understand Ben’s need to have a child of his own. In short, Giffin’s remarkable insight allows the reader to relate to each character, and often on more than one level.Bottom Line: Baby Proof is moving, honest, and thoughtful. An easy read, I finished this book quickly and have now moved on to read the rest of Emily Giffin’s books.

I was curious to read this book as I myself have made the choice not to have children. So the premise of the book intrigued me - woman doesn't want children, has trouble finding man that feels the same, finally meets said-man and marries expecting happily-ever-after, then bombshelf of mind-changing happens. The idea of discovering after marriage that your spouse does or doesn't want children when you feel the opposite is not a good thing and should definitely be a discussion BEFORE saying "I do". But what about the agreeing on the issue and then after being married a while having your spouse change their mind? How do you compromise on that? You really can't. I think if 1 spouse is not ready or wanting to have kids, it's best to wait. But what if you want them and your spouse is a "never want them" side of the coin? This is a serious issue in marriage and can definitely be the cause of ending the relationship.Overall this was a pretty good book. The bombshell seemed to be early on in the book and I wasn't sure what the rest of the book was even going to be about. But it did have a story and was pretty good. It made me think what would have happened if this had happened in my marriage. Both my husband and I discovered during our engagement that neither of us wanted children. We were both excited to discover that we felt the same way. Now, almost 11 years later, neither one of us has changed our mind. But what if one of us had? I'm pretty sure that if my hubby had changed his mind and wanted to have children, that I would have given in and had them. I'm not sure if I had changed my mind what would have happened. He probably would have talked me out of it. :-)Though chick-lit, this book dealt with some tougher issues - infertility as well as adultery.

What do You think about Baby Proof (2006)?

Deciding early in life not to be a mother, invited a myriad of confrontations…Even as a little girl, Claudia’s decision was very clear. When she played dolls with her sisters, she only wanted to be an aunt, so she could move on to more exciting pursuits. In later years, discovering boys didn’t change her mind. When her high school prom night rolled around, the number of children she wished for was a firm zero. Claudia, now in her thirties, is a well known book editor in New York City. Her personal convictions are still unaltered. Life is filled with work, friends, and enjoyable pursuits, minus children. Love, that’s a different story. Everyone needs emotional attachments of the enduring kind. But for Claudia, her relationships quickly dissolved when the “no kid’s factor” came up. That was true, until she met Ben. It just seemed they were soul mates, everything just clicked.Claudia was thrilled when Ben was a firm believer in the “no kid’s factor” and they have been married for three years. The impulsiveness they enjoy, while being unencumbered with children, is a vital part of their relationship. They share many common interests and dreams, life just couldn’t be better. However, when their idyllic relationship is hit by a tornado, everything changes. Their best friends, ardent supporters of the “no kid’s factor”, have decide to have a child! Ben becomes absorbed in the entire process and when the baby arrives, he is hooked!Claudia is confident this is just a passing phase and eventually Ben will move out of it. He makes numerous attempts to convince her that a baby would be a wonderful experience to share. Claudia, on the other hand, emphasizes how a baby will burden and alter the life they now enjoy.What will be the outcome of this dilemma? Family influences, stubbornness and pride, will definitely have an impact.Baby Proof is an insightful look into personal choices and how they deeply affect those you love. However, it felt like the first person viewpoint occasionally droned on and on, with surplus information.
—Diane A Brown

This book is terrrible, horrible, awful, hideous and abominable. Not to mention that it's too boring and have no action. The protagonist is Claudia Parr, a woman in her 30's who doesn't want children and never has. Claudia has had a difficult time finding a partner due to the lack of maternal gene but a few years before the events of the book takes place she met Ben, her prince charming, who is like her in every way - including having no interest in becoming a parent.Ben is seriously one of the most unlikable characters I have ever read about in a book. I am not overexaggerating. Ben comes off as so shallow, whiny, and selfish that I couldn't stand him, and couldn't comprehend why Claudia wanted him back.(view spoiler)[So Claudia and Ben live happily until for no reason at all except that he saw a pregnant woman (seriously, has he never seen a pregnant woman before?), Ben does a complete 180 and decides that he wants kids and that Claudia had better well agree with him. Then Claudia and Ben finally split up (actually it's not that far in but you'll already feel like you've been reading forever) and Claudia goes about making her life her own. I was hoping that Claudia would find a nice new guy who doesn't want children and live happily ever after with him while Ben gets hit by a bus the next day. Nope. Of course Claudia finds someone but he just doesn't live up to Ben (!!!).Then towards the end, Claudia finally gets lonely and beaten-down enough to try to get back together with her husband by offering to have his baby. The book stopped being chick lit and became, for me, a very subtle horror story about how loneliness and relentless, soul-deadening social pressure force unmaternal women into having unwanted children just to get along in a world that treats non-mothers like second-class citizens. Yet, Giffin depicts this slow erosion of her protagonist's true self as PROGRESS. Gee, glad to know that even women who are 100% sure they don't want children really-truly always want one deep down. (hide spoiler)]
—Desislava

From the author of the smash hits Something Borrowed and Something Blue comes a novel that explores the question: is there ever a deal-breaker when it comes to true love?Women who don't want children? Are they monsters? That's how society makes us feel if you don't want babies. I was like that for awhile... slightly still am (I rather have dogs than babies) so maybe that's why I enjoyed this book, because I was able to relate to the main character. However, I gave it four stars because Claudia annoyed me in some parts.
—Love Fool

Write Review

(Review will shown on site after approval)

Read books by author Emily Giffin

Read books in category Fiction