Odd Mom Out

Odd Mom Out is a great beach read. I like all of Jane Porter's books and while Flirting with Forty is probably my favorite, Odd Mom Out comes in a close second. To really appreciate Marta though, you have to read Mrs. Perfect after and you realize this tough single mom has a heart of gold.

Recently, I started reading Mrs. Perfect, a story about an overachieving soccer mom whose world burns to the ground. That book is actually a sequel to another book by the name of Odd Mom Out. Marta Zinsser is not you're your everyday mother. She prefers combat boots to sensible shoes and prefers to wear jeans and a T-Shirt as opposed to clothes you would find at Lane Bryant. She has a nine-year-old daughter Eva who is desperate to fit in with her peers and constantly nags her mother about why she doesn't act or present herself like the other mothers do. Marta moved from New York to her home of Washington for a promotion, but was sacked soon after the company merged with another. Now she owns her own advertising firm called Z designs and is about to embark on her biggest opportunity yet, designing a ad campaign for Freedom Bikes a classic motorcycle company. She also moved back to be with her family, her mother was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's and she wants to be closer to be able to help and give Eva some quality time to make memories of her grandmother/ Things are starting to get very messy, however, as key parts of her life seem to be slowly slipping out of her grasp. Her mothers symptoms are getting worse, she is often wandering the neighborhood now at all hours. Eva is starting to approach that age where she begins to challenge authority and their once super-tight relationship is now becoming strained. Plus, she is trying to help Eva by making more of an effort to be a classical mom, but balancing these new duties with her parental and work ones leaves her often catching her breath. I thoroughly enjoyed Odd Mom Out. Jane has a great way of storytelling where she interweaves the past with the present rather fluidly and the ending is harder to guess then is usually the case with chick lit. Reading this book is not necessarily a must to enjoy the sequel, but it is one I recommend to give you a fuller picture as a character she interacts with is profiled.

As a stay-at-home mother of two girls, I felt this was a very important novel. Prior to having children, I was a Marta. I was determined and strong and had a very clear idea of who I was and where I was going. I made the conscious decision to stay home and raise my daughters, but I have been quite literally at war with myself over whether or not that was the right decision, the best decision. Sure, it is what I wanted to do, but what message am I sending my girls? I never feel as though I measure up. I found that I could relate to Marta and would hope that if Marta lived in my neighborhood, we would be friends. But, I had to be honest with myself, while sitting around the swim club and dance studio waiting rooms, I have become more of a Taylor Young. I write the PTO newsletter, coordinate the yearbook, volunteer for the book fair and holiday shop at my daughters' school. But I hate the gossip. And I abhorr the competition of material things, of my kid is smarter than yours and I volunteered more than you did. This book let me know that I am not alone in feeling like I don't quite fit. I think the message to be yourself is wonderful. I think many of us have a tendency to get caught up in our consumer-driven society and I think we need to be reminded that we should be ourselves and do what is right for us, not just follow what everyone else is doing. I think most parents try tell their children that, but I think many of us need to look at ourselves and see if we are "practicing what we preach". I like that Marta "gets the guy". The relationship they share is of mutual respect, they are equals and it's real. I think it is important for all of us women to remember that we can be strong and still be sexy!!!

I loved this book. As a mom who volunteers at my children's school, I can relate. As a woman, I can relate to it in so many other ways. Making life decisions, juggling work with family, ailing parents.....the whole nine yards. This was a funny, heartwarming, thought provoking read.

The ad agency Marta Zinsser works for has sent her to Seattle with her pre-teen daughter, Eva. This isn't Marta's first time in the Emerald City. She grew up here. At the same time, the city's now full of pearls-wearing, twin-set clad, Mercedes-driving alpha mommies, and she's definitely out of place. Eva wishes for a mom that was a bit more traditional. Marta worries about losing her sense of identity and additional heartbreak as she copes with the realities of bringing up a child on her own. She's not looking for a man, but Luke Flynn's been looking for her his whole life. I love Jane Porter's books. Whenever I open one, I know I'm going to walk in someone else's shoes for awhile, and I also know I won't put it down till I finish it. Marta's combat boots became pretty familiar to me as I read about the struggles of a single mom who spends her days juggling as fast as she can. I'm not a mom, but I found that Marta experiences the same insecurities and fears as all women do. Jane's characters leap off the pages of her books and lodge in your heart. "Odd Mom Out" is her best book yet. I can't wait for the next one.