My most recent book binge kept me glued to the pages ALL weekend long. I got a hardcover copy of The Perfect Mother by Aimee Molloy as a PaperBackSwap trade.

When I had my first child, we didn’t have internet at our house.  I was only online at work, so most of my first-time-mommy questions were answered by my friends and co-workers.  These days, things are very different!  In The Perfect Mother, new mom groups in NYC seem fairly typical of any mom group you’d see in other areas of the US.  They get together for coffee, taking time to coo over each other’s infants while simultaneously bemoaning the nights without sleep.  In contrast, author Aimee Molloy capitalizes on the social expectation that mothers should be the epitome of selfless behavior.

The chapters contain multiple perspective shifts, which can get confusing.  It’s intentional, serving a purpose in keeping the reader a bit dizzy on the details.  It’s not unlike the fuzzy brains that moms of newborns can experience.  I loved it, and was completely surprised by the ending.

One thing that made me smile throughout the book was the deep resolve of friendship.  Shared circumstances make for strong relationship glue, and The Perfect Mother is the perfect example of that.  This is a book that many suspense readers would enjoy, but those who have struggled through the first days of motherhood can truly appreciate its intensity.  The Perfect Mother would make a great book club choice!