cover image What Do You Do All Day?

What Do You Do All Day?

Amy Scheibe, . . St. Martin's, $21.95 (308pp) ISBN 978-0-312-34303-3

Scheibe's hilarious debut is rife with wry observations from one overwhelmed mother of two, Jennifer Bradley. Jennifer's life goes awry when her husband, Thom, sets off on a three-month business trip to Singapore, leaving her in New York to deal with their five-year-old daughter, Georgia, a princess in training, and their rambunctious toddler, Max. The author wittily explores the questions that plague modern-day, middle class moms: What does it mean to be a good mother? Is it possible to balance work and home life? How do you preserve your identity when you are being pulled in so many directions? With her husband temporarily out of the picture, Jennifer, a former antiques expert, seeks companionship with other Stay At Home Moms ("SAHMs") and finds common ground with some of them. There is Sven, the buff, gay part-time swimming instructor at the Y, who has adopted a Chinese girl with his partner, and Angela, a high-powered exec who was let go after her maternity leave. With a light touch and a sparkling plot, Scheibe takes on the conundrums—and beauty—of motherhood for driven yet nurturing women. (Oct.)