Kamy Wicoff

I have a lot of the same problems with weddings as the author. Namely:

1. When I knew I wanted to marry my boyfriend, why did I feel the need to sit around and wait to be asked for my hand? Aren't we equals?

2. Re: #1, why then did I enjoy my boyfriend's proposal SO MUCH (and SUPER LOVE my engagement ring when I never wear jewelry)?

3. How can I have a beautiful wedding all my friends and family will enjoy without getting sucked into the monster that is the Wedding Industrial Complex?

4. My matrimonial glee is tempered by so many things: the fact that my gay friends can't get married, the amount of money we're expected to spend, the looming question of whether I'm going to change my name, the anxiety of planning a once-in-a-lifetime event, etc., etc., etc.

So, yes, planning a wedding as a modern, progressive lady is a study in contradictions. Most of us want something between tradition and nonconformity (the author often refers to this as feeling "sandwiched"). The trouble is, you can't really have it both ways. You either change your name or you don't. You either spend big bucks or you don't. There are just a few areas where real compromise is possible, and the rest of it requires you to commit to what you're doing and try not to think too hard about the alternatives once you've decided.

The single best thing that came out of reading this book is I realized I don't have it nearly as bad as the author. She ended up having a completely huge, traditional wedding (Vera Wang gown, black tie affair, the works) and seemed to feel tortured by it all. By comparison, I feel only mildly nauseous.

And the other thing I got out of this book (or really that my fiance is getting out of me reading this book): The author bemoans the fact that women get very expensive engagement presents while men get nada (except, of course, the promise of lifelong love). So, to be fair, I'm going to buy Jeff a piece of male jewelry (i.e. a watch) as an engagement present. So there's gender equality for you. It cuts both ways, ladies.… (más)

Jennifer is a busy single mom, struggling to keep up at work while still spending enough time with her two young boys. One day her lost smartphone shows up on her doorstep and Jennifer discovers a new app has been installed. This app, she soon comes to realize, allows her to time travel -- to basically be in two places at the same time. Suddenly Jennifer is able to keep the long hours her boss is demanding, while still picking her boys up from school and getting in quality time Mom/kid time. She is the superwoman she's always dreamed of being. But is it too good to be true?

I'll confess that a good portion of this book made me cringe. Not because it's bad. In fact, it's the opposite. It's a smartly written, captivating novel with a harried heroine who captures your heart pretty quickly. For me, the book was stressful because it hit home! A busy working mother who has demands at the office, but who also wants to spend time with her kids? That certainly describes a lot of us. Much like when I'm watching an action or horror movie for a first time, I felt myself tensing, anxiously wondering what was going to happen to Jennifer. Was she going to get caught using the app? Was the Jennifer at the office going to somehow show up with her kids? Would her co-workers find out? Her kids? Would the app make her sick? This couldn't go on forever, right?

And that's basically the premise behind Wicoff's clever novel. Of course, being in two (and over time, as Jennifer becomes dependent on the app, three places) places isn't all it's cracked up to be. Jennifer is tired, experiencing some strange sensations, potentially losing friendships, and wait, is she aging rapidly when she's living two days in the span of what should only be one?

Wicoff does a great job of showing the pressures many working parents feel. It's true - sometimes you do feel like you have to be a superwoman! Her book is also populated with fun characters -- in particular, Dr. Sexton, Jennifer's kooky neighbor, who also happens to be a genius scientist and inventor of said app.

If it all sounds a little improbable, it is, and you'll have to be prepared to suspend disbelief a bit, but Wicoff does such a great job, that it isn't really that hard. The book veers off a bit in its final quarter, turning more from the harried working mom scene, to a bit of an almost mystery/avenger plot, which is also completely improbable, and a very strange twist, but it's fun, too. You can't help but rooting for Jennifer (and Dr. Sexton, too). Overall, a crazy 3.5 star rating.

(Note, I received an advanced copy of this book in return for an unbiased review.)… (más)