The No-Kids Club by Talli RolandMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
'At almost forty, Clare Donoghue is living child-free and loving it.
Then her boyfriend says he wants kids, breaking off their promising relationship. And it’s not just boyfriends: one by one, her formerly carefree friends are swallowed up in a nonstop cycle of play dates and baby groups. So Clare decides it’s time for people who don’t have children to band together. And so the No-Kids Club is born.
As the group comes together—Anna, who’s seeking something to jumpstart a stale marriage, and Poppy, desperate for a family but unable to conceive—Clare’s hoping to make the most of the childless life with her new friends.
Will the No-Kids Club be Clare’s route to happiness, or will the single life lose its sparkle?'
I had never read any of Talli Roland’s books before, but when she contacted me via twitter asking if I would like to review her new book, I decided having read the blurb I would enjoy it.
Clare is almost forty, child free but in a relationship with Edward. Clare has no desire to want children, Edward on the other hand does, and with all her friends talking about babies and biological clocks Clare needs a break. She decides to set up The No Kids Club, for others like her, who do not want to have children.
To begin with Clare is thrilled that she has two members in her No Kids Club, however it is soon apparent they are there for different reasons than Clare. Anna is happily married, she is a housewife and children do not enter her and her husband’s lives. Poppy is a primary school teacher and has longed to have children with her husband Alistair, unfortunately they haven’t been able to conceive naturally and have just been through their fourth round of IVF.
I feel that many people will be able to relate to this book, those who haven’t wanted children and those who can’t. Regardless of reasons behind why you haven’t got children this club has bought these women together. I feel that sometimes it is a bit of a taboo for women to suggest they don’t want children, however it today’s society I think it is becoming more common. IT is nice that this has been addressed in this book and also that you shouldn’t tar a woman with the same brush for not having children, as you have no idea the reason why they don’t.
I enjoyed the style it was written in, in that each chapter we visited another character. I enjoyed reading about all the characters in the book; however I feel that Clare and Poppy were the strongest two. Their personalities came across well in the book. I felt the struggle that Poppy was going through and at times confusion from Clare. I also liked the mystery surrounding Nicholas; I did feel though this could have been extended a little longer. I enjoyed the fact that all the characters entered The No Kids Club thinking certain things; however they all got a lot more out of it than what they expected.
I found this to be a very quick read and kept my interest throughout. I will now be getting hold of other books by Roland. I would like to thank Talli for sending me this in exchange for an honest review.
Great review, I definitely want to read this book. It sounds really good and it's indeed a topic that should be a lot more out in the open than it is now. It's often like you have to feel ashamed because you don't have children and you keep having to answer all those uneasy questions.
ReplyDelete