Review: What came first by Carol Snow

Paperback, 368 pages
Expected publication: October 4th 2011 by Berkley Trade
ISBN 0425243036 (ISBN13: 9780425243039)

First comes love, then comes marriage, then . . . things can get a little complicated.
Vanessa wants just one thing for her twenty-ninth birthday: an engagement ring from her longtime boyfriend, Eric. But when the ring turns out to be a mix CD and Eric turns out to be a guy who doesn't want to get married or have children, Vanessa considers a new path to having a family.
When Wendy and her husband, Darren, couldn't have children the old- fashioned way, a sperm donor seemed like the perfect solution. She never imagined she'd have out-of-control twins who'd drive her to cookie binges and scrapbooking while Darren escaped into the virtual world of computer games.
Single and career-driven, Laura didn't need a man to have a baby - at least not one that she ever met. Thanks to an anonymous donor, she shares her life with her adored eight-year-old son, Ian. She'll do anything for Ian - even fill their backyard with a bunch of noisy chickens. But the one thing Ian really wants is something Laura's never been able to give him: a sibling.
Now, to grant Ian's wish, Laura starts a search that will not only change her life but Vanessa's and Wendy's as well...

          My Thoughts: 


     Having a baby is huge deal. And some women struggle to get pregnant and when they can't conceive naturally. They'll go through the extreme to have a baby. Now a days, there are so many options you can choose from to have a baby. Well that's what this book was about. This is the first book I've read that was based on artificial insemination. It's about three women that eventually end up in each others lives through sperm donation. All in need of one thing. A baby.

          Each character touched me in their own ways. And I'll explain how as I introduce them to you.

     The first character I'll talk about is Laura. She's a very successful lawyer whose totally in love with her son.   Laura is a mom of an I believe an 8 yr old. Now her son is at a stage were he's asking her for a sibling. And she wants nothing more than to grant him his wish however the donor she used to conceive her son has not made any more donations to the bank.
     Now here's where I relate with Laura. My son is 10 years old and he keeps begging me to give him a sibling. He asks for a baby sister. And it breaks my heart, because unlike Laura, I have no desire to have another baby. Maybe if I felt that I was emotionally or financially ready, I would probably consider it. Because like Laura, she fears her son would stay alone if something were to happen to her. And so do I. So you can see how Laura's story touched me. But Laura's ready to make it happen and she'll jump through whatever loops she gotta jump through to make it happen.

                                                 Motherhood is not a Baby Gap Ad.


     Now let's talk about Wendy. Wendy's a married woman with twin toddlers. She has her hands full, husband and two toddlers. And like Laura, she conceived her children through artificial insemination. But it seems she feels like she got the short end of the stick. She loves her twins. But they are extremely hyper and disobedient. They drain Wendy's energy and easily becomes overwhelmed.
     Now here's where I connect with Wendy. When my son was a baby and even now at times, he was/is extremely hyper. And as a child whenever he had one of his temper tantrums or went through defiance stage, there was nothing anyone can say to calm me down. Just like Wendy, I cried and at times cried right along with my son as she did with her twins. Motherhood was a blessing but at times it felt like a nightmare when you couldn't get a grip on things. It hurts me to say that, but I know I'm not the only one. So I know how Wendy felt, when she just couldn't take it anymore and just lost her cool. But the sad thing with Wendy was, her husband instead of helping, he'd rather sit in front of a computer and play SIMS. Having toddlers with behavioral issues and a non-compliance husband can lead any woman to a mental breakdown.

     And lastly you have Vanessa, she was highly anticipating an engagement ring for her 29th birthday, but instead she received a mix CD. She wanted nothing more than to marry the man she loves and begin having a family. But he had different plans. He didn't want to get married or have any kids. Right there, would have been the perfect time to get out of the relationship. However, like many women, she stayed because she loves him and she thought she can change his ways. But one phone call changed everything in their relationship. The link that connects them all together. What she will do? How she touched me, you may ask? I, like Vanessa have stayed in a relationship just because I loved the person, even when their dreams weren't the same as mine. But luckily, I got out before I got in too deep.

     I really really enjoyed this book. Once, I started reading I couldn't put it down. Carol did her job as an author to entertain and she did her job to research everything in the topic of sperm donation. She gave each character a great story. She made it believable. And that is why I was hooked the moment I started reading. I connected quickly with her characters and I loved that about her book. This is definitely a 5/5 stars and a Good Choice for Reading. For more information on the author you can visit her website here.