Mom Jeans and Other Mistakes by Alexa Martin (Review by Jasmin Webb)

5 stars

Lauren and Jude are true BFF’s who both find themselves at a turning point in their lives and decide to live together, they always dreamed of living together but life got in the way. Jude, Lauren, and Addy (Laura’s daughter) all move in domestic bliss. They are polar opposites but yet it works. Outgoing Instagram influencer, Jude Lauren is more reserved and gave up her dream of being a doctor when she fell pregnant. But yet somehow it works!!

This book had me laughing, crying, relating with both characters for different reasons and lost for words having completed the book 2 weeks ago. I have struggled to find the words to write a review that fits this book.

I seem to always say that ChicLit isn’t my usual genre but it’s safe to say it’s clearly a genre I enjoy. There is so much in this book that far exceeded my expectations. Yes, it’s a funny book and as expected a bit of a love story but honestly that isn’t at the heart of this book. Friendship, family, motherhood, race, and perception to name a few, are some of the themes this book touches on.

I feel the racial element of this book is very prevalent in today’s 2021 world. The book conveys very well ingrained institutionalized racism, especially what many black people are forced to ‘put up with’ in different social circles. Lauren is a black mother and attends a play group which has some very snobby women who have assumptions about her up bringing and her in general purely because she is black. The author also writes very frankly about the issues surrounding ‘white saviour complex’. It’s great because I am black, and my best friend is white, and our relationship is reflected in this book and talks around race as well. So, I honestly think this area of the book although not the main focus was one that stuck out for me.

Then the idea of motherhood, again they are opposite on this. Jude doesn’t want children whereas Lauren has Addy (who I must say was my favourite character and every time she spoke I laughed so hard!). We get to witness the struggles of co-parenting and be front row during a rather vicious custody battle . Whilst also understanding why Jude doesn’t plan to have children and how not wanting children doesn’t make you a child hater or any less womanly.

The prose is written in first person, and we flip back and forth from each lady. I really thought this was done so well because it really allowed us to get a better understanding of each woman and being privy to certain things the other wasn’t. Plus, Alexa Martin has a gift as this was one of the funniest books I’ve read in a while!! I sped through this book and found myself holding my breath to see how it would conclude (I wasn’t let down)!

The Picasso really shows how friendship is important in life and if you do not have a Lauren or dude in your life, you should find one because they are awesome having that kind of relationship with her friend is often better than having a relationship with a partner and sometimes can get in the way. I really, really just loved reading these women interact with one another and seeing how the friendship develops over the snippet of time we get to be a part of. They always say that you should never move in with a friend because it will test your relationship and believe me this book does not hide that this can be a test.

So, would I recommend this book? Yeah, I 100% would recommend. I really enjoyed it and I feel there is just so many different messages we get to look at motherhood and the struggles of being single parent as well as going through custody battle and raising a really awesome child (FYI – I really hope when I have a child it turns out like Addy). You also have other issues that are mentioned throughout the book just so well that it doesn’t even feel preachy. We have racism, inequality, sexism, mental health and of course it’s just a really funny book. This is a book in the chick lit world, but I will say it holds a lot of other areas as well as being funny and having an obvious romance story line intertwined. I rate this book 5 stars.

Thank you to the publishers and The Girly Book Club for the advanced digital copy of Mom Jeans and Other Mistakes in exchange for my fair and honest opinions.