Mother Chicks
I will admit right from the start that kids in romance/chick lit novels are not my favorite thing. Yes, children are precious and adorable and all. Not arguing their place in society - only in certain books. In general, I just don’t want all that cuteness getting in the way of a story. And, if the romance is on the hotter side, kids are the last thing I want showing up on the page.
For those who like their chick lit mixed with kids - and that is not all of you, I know, but some do - USA Today looked through the mommy chick lit offerings and picked some favs out of the new and upcoming release pile. They are:
24-Karat Kids by Dr. Judy Goldstein and Sebastian Stuart - The reviewer said: “Take a smart working-class Jewish doctor who truly loves kids and deposit her in a pediatric practice catering to the offspring of the rich, the famous, and, you guessed it, the crazy. 24-Karat has all [The Nanny Diaries] elements: designer togs, evil socialites, Type A dads and boy toys. But Goldstein’s laser-sharp observations on narcissistic parents and the damage they inflict on their kids make this bit o’ fluff special. ” This subject matter might be too close to the realities of my day job. I get enough crazy and entitled folks all day. Don’t need to read about more.
Class Mothers by Katherine Stewart - The reviewer didn’t love this. The following clued me in: “…clichéd and populated by people who are less characters than characterizations.” Maybe so, but I think the cover is worth a look.
Gucci Gucci Coo by Sue Margolis - I can’t figure out if I love or hate this title. Still working on that. The reviewer liked the premise: “Here comes a wickedly prescient novel that seeks to answer the mysterious question: Just how do stars stay slim during and after pregnancy?…Likable characters and a clever concept make this silly confection a guilty pleasure.”
Baby Proof by Emily Giffin - This one is front and center everywhere I go. Reviewer was lukewarm at best: “Baby Proof wants to be one big Sex and the City episode, right down to mentions of Manolos and questions to the reader, like: “Should I have just sucked it up and had a baby to keep the only man I’ve ever truly loved?” Problem is: Proof is missing Sex’s style, depth and characters worth caring about.”
June 26th, 2006 at 10:57 am
I’ve wondered about this myself. My primary WIP involves a widow with a four year-old. I can’t very well have a romance where the reader is wondering where the heck the child is, yet it’s kinda like actors feel when in a movie with children or animals… there’s always the danger that the child or animal will steal the stage.
Delicate balance.
I need the child in the story, because that is one of the hurdles that the hero needs to jump (confirmed bachelor –> instant family) but it happens all the time nowadays (I haven’t dated someone without kids in years).
I guess the trick is to make the child interesting yet not ever-present. Who knows. I’m still working out a few kinks (and the child isn’t really one of the kinks).
June 27th, 2006 at 11:15 am
I think kids are hard to write well in this genre. The hotter the romance, the harder it is to fit the little buggers in without throwing off the sexual tension. I’ve found that the romance novel kids (outside of series romance) tend to fall into one of three categories: (1) unseen, so it’s not clear why they’re even there; (2) too precious, which drives me nuts; or(3) annoying - that one speaks for itself. Not all the time, sure, but sometimes. Some authors have a unique talent for writing romance stories including kids. For some reason, kids in series romance doesn’t bother me at all.
The balance you’re talking about sounds like the right one. But this is a hard angle to tackle. I’ve stayed away and plan to continue to stay away from the kid issue in the near future. Good luck!