"Children and hangovers do not mix.”
I honestly didn't think I could love Alexa Martin's books more until I read Mom Jeans and Other Mistakes. It shows tremendous range to be able to write a novel so different from your last series, but still entertain and make the reader feel. This book is not a romance, but it does have hints of it along the way. This book is about friendship, motherhood, and the struggle to be all the things.
Lauren and Jude could not be more opposite, yet they are the best of friends, and have been since middle school. Now the pair are down on their luck and moving in together to help each other pick up the pieces of their lives. Single mom Lauren is the rule follower. Social media influencer Jude dances to the beat of her own drummer. But together, they are the definition of what it means to be a friend.
Lauren and Jude had such distinct voices. They were both hilarious and extremely relatable. As a mom, I felt Lauren's plights with her daughter Addy, who hands down stole the show for me. I mean seriously, how can kids lose their socks and shoes constantly?!?!?! I easily placed myself in her shoes with the day to day demands of motherhood and wanting to be everything to everyone and still follow the rules along the way.
While Lauren's struggles as a mom spoke to my heart, I also found myself relating to Jude's sailor mouth and unapologetic pursuit of her dreams. Jude has a lot on her plate and this leads to a very frank depiction of mental health struggles and alcoholism. I am so glad this was included in the book. At times, Jude's story was hard to read, but it was an accurate depiction of how complicated relationships and outside pressure can ultimately cause people to break.
Addy stole the show for me. That 6 year old tiny budding feminist captured my heart from the first pages. Whip smart and extremely funny, she's likely to rule the world one day. The authentic relationship between Jude and Addy is extremely endearing and sweet. I also adored Hudson, Lauren's love interest, who was a true stand up guy. Tender and so completely into Lauren, he had me swooning, but only after his disaster of an opening line, "reproduction is dope."
Mom Jeans and Other Mistakes is a must read. It celebrates true friendship and motherhood. It examines life in a digital age, where people have their outward persona that doesn't necessarily match the true state of their life and the toll it takes on a person. It delves into tough topics of mental health and race. It was everything I was expecting and more.
Thank you Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
Mom Jeans and Other Mistakes publishes September 7.
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