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Sophie Mills #1
The Accidental Mother
14 hours, 4 minutes
Sophie Mills has worked her Manolo Blahniks off to reach the near-top of her profession. And she's very happy with her priorities in life: her job, her neurotic cat Artemis, and her passion for shoes. After all, relationships only get in the way. And as for children? She hasn't even begun to think about them yet.
Until one day an unexpected visitor brings news of a strange inheritance and Sophie is suddenly, out of the blue, in sole charge of two children under the age of six. But motherhood can't be all that hard, can it?
Within 24 hours, her make-up is smeared all over the bathroom, Artemis has taken up residence on top of her wardrobe, and Sophie is in despair. And all her unconventional mother can suggest is Dr Roberts' Complete Dog Training and Care Manual.
Determined to rise to the challenge, Sophie soon realises that she'll need more than a business plan to cope with all this...
Sophie Mills has worked her Manolo Blahniks off to reach the near-top of her profession. And she's very happy with her priorities in life: her job, her neurotic cat Artemis, and her passion for shoes. After all, relationships only get in the way. And as for children? She hasn't even begun to think about them yet.
Until one day an unexpected visitor brings news of a strange inheritance and Sophie is suddenly, out of the blue, in sole charge of two children under the age of six. But motherhood can't be all that hard, can it?
Within 24 hours, her make-up is smeared all over the bathroom, Artemis has taken up residence on top of her wardrobe, and Sophie is in despair. And all her unconventional mother can suggest is Dr Roberts' Complete Dog Training and Care Manual.
Determined to rise to the challenge, Sophie soon realises that she'll need more than a business plan to cope with all this...
Audible Audio
First published January 1, 2005
About the author
Rowan Coleman
45 books821 followersRowan Coleman lives with her husband, and five children in a very full house in Hertfordshire. She juggles writing novels with raising her family which includes a very lively set of toddler twins whose main hobby is going in the opposite directions. When she gets the chance, Rowan enjoys sleeping, sitting and loves watching films; she is also attempting to learn how to bake.
Rowan would like to live every day as if she were starring in a musical, although her daughter no longer allows her to sing in public. Despite being dyslexic, Rowan loves writing, and The Memory Book is her eleventh novel. Others include The Accidental Mother, Lessons in Laughing Out Loud and the award-winning Dearest Rose, a novel which lead Rowan to become an active supporter of domestic abuse charity Refuge, donating 100% of royalties from the ebook publication of her novella, Woman Walks Into a Bar, to the charity. Rowan does not have time for ironing.
Rowan would like to live every day as if she were starring in a musical, although her daughter no longer allows her to sing in public. Despite being dyslexic, Rowan loves writing, and The Memory Book is her eleventh novel. Others include The Accidental Mother, Lessons in Laughing Out Loud and the award-winning Dearest Rose, a novel which lead Rowan to become an active supporter of domestic abuse charity Refuge, donating 100% of royalties from the ebook publication of her novella, Woman Walks Into a Bar, to the charity. Rowan does not have time for ironing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 358 reviews
January 4, 2023
First book of the year, and of the holiday.
I stumbled across this title on a S&S email promoting titles for ‘Fans of Gilmore Girls’. I couldn’t source it on audio, so I requested on of my public libraries add this to their Overdrive collection, and voila, they did! This was a perfect summer beach read, and a literal beach one as some of it was done on the beach.
Sophie was a career girl, loved her Manolo’s and climbing the ladder. Leather lounges and an empty fridge; her little life was very adult and self-focused. Her own mother was more committed to her dogs than Sophie, this suited her, she could go to work and do her own thing.
Out of the blue she was contacted by a social worker, her best friend died leaving the care of her children to Sophie. There was an agreement years ago that she would be the girl’s guardian, why not, as if anything would happen needing follow through. It was a promise she didn’t even remember making.
Sophie had to adjust quickly, a three- and six-year-old having suffered trauma, she had a lot to get her head around. She stumbled through as best she could, saying this was temporary and hiring a private investigator to find the absent father who had abandoned the little family years before. Bella and Izzy were the cutest, most adorable and comical little gals I've read about for some time. So delicious!
This book was light and heavy hearted in equal measure, with lessons learned and hearts captured. I had not heard of this author and will now look out for him. Well read by Juanita McMahon, fans of contemporary fiction with a touch of romance, too. A well written gem with equal measures of light and love and discovery.
I stumbled across this title on a S&S email promoting titles for ‘Fans of Gilmore Girls’. I couldn’t source it on audio, so I requested on of my public libraries add this to their Overdrive collection, and voila, they did! This was a perfect summer beach read, and a literal beach one as some of it was done on the beach.
Sophie was a career girl, loved her Manolo’s and climbing the ladder. Leather lounges and an empty fridge; her little life was very adult and self-focused. Her own mother was more committed to her dogs than Sophie, this suited her, she could go to work and do her own thing.
Out of the blue she was contacted by a social worker, her best friend died leaving the care of her children to Sophie. There was an agreement years ago that she would be the girl’s guardian, why not, as if anything would happen needing follow through. It was a promise she didn’t even remember making.
Sophie had to adjust quickly, a three- and six-year-old having suffered trauma, she had a lot to get her head around. She stumbled through as best she could, saying this was temporary and hiring a private investigator to find the absent father who had abandoned the little family years before. Bella and Izzy were the cutest, most adorable and comical little gals I've read about for some time. So delicious!
This book was light and heavy hearted in equal measure, with lessons learned and hearts captured. I had not heard of this author and will now look out for him. Well read by Juanita McMahon, fans of contemporary fiction with a touch of romance, too. A well written gem with equal measures of light and love and discovery.
February 15, 2008
First and foremost, I was afraid The Accidental Mother would be just like the movie Raising Helen with Kate Hudson. After reading it, I can say it pretty much is. There are a few slight plot variations and the ending of the movie could be different, it’s been so long since I’ve seen it that I can’t remember how it all turns out. Anyway, the point is that this book really, really reminded me of that movie.
Not that it’s an entirely bad thing. I liked the movie, I liked the book. In case you’re not familiar with either of these I’ll give a very quick summary, no spoilers of course! Two orphaned girls are turned over to their career-oriented, parenting-skill-challenged Godmother after their own mother dies in a car accident and their father has been gone for the past two years. Once their father has been tracked down the custody issue has to be dealt with amidst all the usual child-related mayhem, a love triangle, and Sophie (the career-oriented, parenting-skill-challenged Godmother) trying to balance her personal life with her work life.
It’s well written and overall I enjoyed it. I’d give this book 3.5 stars out of 5. It’s a good book to read in between heavier material. A beach read!
Not that it’s an entirely bad thing. I liked the movie, I liked the book. In case you’re not familiar with either of these I’ll give a very quick summary, no spoilers of course! Two orphaned girls are turned over to their career-oriented, parenting-skill-challenged Godmother after their own mother dies in a car accident and their father has been gone for the past two years. Once their father has been tracked down the custody issue has to be dealt with amidst all the usual child-related mayhem, a love triangle, and Sophie (the career-oriented, parenting-skill-challenged Godmother) trying to balance her personal life with her work life.
It’s well written and overall I enjoyed it. I’d give this book 3.5 stars out of 5. It’s a good book to read in between heavier material. A beach read!
July 27, 2019
This book absolutely sucked me in. Heart-breaking and really funny, it was predictable but so sweet.
July 12, 2014
Goodreads Description- What do you do when you are a child' s last hope?
From bestselling author Rowan Coleman comes a deeply touching tale of a fast-track career woman whose life takes a sharp right turn when motherhood unexpectedly lands in her lap.
Sophie and Carrie were childhood best friends, but in the last few years they've lost touch. While Carrie chose motherhood in a small town, Sophie is powering up the London career track. She's a corporate manager poised for her next promotion. Sure, she doesn't have much time for men, but she has a great shoe collection and a cat who's never going to let her down.
And then Sophie is told that Carrie has died, with nobody left to care for her two daughters, Bella and Izzy, aged six and three. Their father, who left before Carrie's death, is nowhere to be found; their grandmother is moving into assisted living. Sophie once promised Carrie she would take care of her children if the worst ever happened...and now that day has come.
Witty, wise, and filled with genuinely powerful emotion, The Accidental Mother is the heartwarming, heartbreaking story of a woman who is woefully under-equipped to be suddenly thrown into motherhood, but who through the eyes of two little girls learns more about loss, commitment, and true love than she had ever realized existed.
The Accidental Mother was really a joy to read! I absolutely loved it! The were so many relationships that the characters had that were so beautiful and engaging. Each relationship- between Carrie and Sophie, the main character; Bella and Izzy and Sophie; Sophie and Louis; Louis and the girls; and Louie and Carrie as described in the book- was unique and expressed so much emotion. Overall, my favorite thing about this book was the feelings it evoked. I loved that reading it let me in on all the emotions the characters dealt with and how the readers got to experience those feelings right along with the them. Rowan Coleman is great at providing that experience to readers.
Most of all, I thought the relationship that Sophie comes to have with Bella and Izzy was the most beautiful and most enjoyable part of the book. The way the author dealt with the death of Carrie and notifying Sophie that she was now their guardian seemed to be written with the hand of a very experienced author. It is difficult thing to do to write about such an emotional scene with both grief and humor without putting the reader off. I think Coleman did a great job. The first days of having Izzy and Bella at home were absolutely hilarious and filled with the truth of what little kids are really like. I was laughing out loud when she sent the kids out to eat dinner on her expensive sofa. Oh and by the way...the girls' dinner consisted of 2 different frozen meals mixed together so they wouldn't fight over who gets what (well at least that was Sophie's reasoning LOL!). If you are a parent, you could see right off that Sophie was way in over her head. What 3 year old kid do you know eats frozen Lean Cuisines? And of course the end result was the ruination of her sofa...and Sophie cried over it! It was so funny!
I also loved how when Sophie finally called her mother for help (who is a dog fanatic) and her help came in the form of a dog psychology and training manual. At first Sophie thought this was simply idiotic of her mother, but after flipping through the book Sophie realizes that there is a lot more in common between dogs and children than one might think and starts to use some of the guidelines in the book which she modifies for the girls and what do you know...they work.
If you are a mother or want kids than this book is one of those that makes your heart ache because of the sweetness of Bella and Izzy and their fragility, not to mention the fact that they are such sweet and special little girls. Their emotions leaked onto the pages yet it was difficult to read at times because you truly saw how much they were hurting inside due to the loss of their mother and having been bounced around from home to home until Sophie was found.
Sophie finding herself through Bella and Izzy was an important part of the plot. Sophie has lived her life not making choices on her own but living the life that is thrown at her. She lives for her job and is diligently working towards the top of her company. She has no real friends and is afraid of having a relationship, not acknowledging the real fact is that she is afraid of someone leaving her at the end. It is the girls that change her without Sophie even knowing it. Izzy and Bella bring out the best in her and make her realize what kind of life she was missing. Once their father, Louis came back into the picture, Sophie didn't realize that she was falling for him. Once she did, her old instincts kicked in. She make excuse after excuse not to be with this great guy but she soon realizes she is miserable without him. Will she change her ways or return to the daily grind of her non-existent life or will she remember what she learned from Izzy and Bella about love?
This is a wonderful book about love, loss, and opening up yourself to others. It is about trust, friendship and what truly matters in life. If a person can find the right balance of things, one CAN find true happiness, but you have to let yourself be open to it. I will definitely be looking for the next book to read by Rowan Coleman. 4 stars!
From bestselling author Rowan Coleman comes a deeply touching tale of a fast-track career woman whose life takes a sharp right turn when motherhood unexpectedly lands in her lap.
Sophie and Carrie were childhood best friends, but in the last few years they've lost touch. While Carrie chose motherhood in a small town, Sophie is powering up the London career track. She's a corporate manager poised for her next promotion. Sure, she doesn't have much time for men, but she has a great shoe collection and a cat who's never going to let her down.
And then Sophie is told that Carrie has died, with nobody left to care for her two daughters, Bella and Izzy, aged six and three. Their father, who left before Carrie's death, is nowhere to be found; their grandmother is moving into assisted living. Sophie once promised Carrie she would take care of her children if the worst ever happened...and now that day has come.
Witty, wise, and filled with genuinely powerful emotion, The Accidental Mother is the heartwarming, heartbreaking story of a woman who is woefully under-equipped to be suddenly thrown into motherhood, but who through the eyes of two little girls learns more about loss, commitment, and true love than she had ever realized existed.
The Accidental Mother was really a joy to read! I absolutely loved it! The were so many relationships that the characters had that were so beautiful and engaging. Each relationship- between Carrie and Sophie, the main character; Bella and Izzy and Sophie; Sophie and Louis; Louis and the girls; and Louie and Carrie as described in the book- was unique and expressed so much emotion. Overall, my favorite thing about this book was the feelings it evoked. I loved that reading it let me in on all the emotions the characters dealt with and how the readers got to experience those feelings right along with the them. Rowan Coleman is great at providing that experience to readers.
Most of all, I thought the relationship that Sophie comes to have with Bella and Izzy was the most beautiful and most enjoyable part of the book. The way the author dealt with the death of Carrie and notifying Sophie that she was now their guardian seemed to be written with the hand of a very experienced author. It is difficult thing to do to write about such an emotional scene with both grief and humor without putting the reader off. I think Coleman did a great job. The first days of having Izzy and Bella at home were absolutely hilarious and filled with the truth of what little kids are really like. I was laughing out loud when she sent the kids out to eat dinner on her expensive sofa. Oh and by the way...the girls' dinner consisted of 2 different frozen meals mixed together so they wouldn't fight over who gets what (well at least that was Sophie's reasoning LOL!). If you are a parent, you could see right off that Sophie was way in over her head. What 3 year old kid do you know eats frozen Lean Cuisines? And of course the end result was the ruination of her sofa...and Sophie cried over it! It was so funny!
I also loved how when Sophie finally called her mother for help (who is a dog fanatic) and her help came in the form of a dog psychology and training manual. At first Sophie thought this was simply idiotic of her mother, but after flipping through the book Sophie realizes that there is a lot more in common between dogs and children than one might think and starts to use some of the guidelines in the book which she modifies for the girls and what do you know...they work.
If you are a mother or want kids than this book is one of those that makes your heart ache because of the sweetness of Bella and Izzy and their fragility, not to mention the fact that they are such sweet and special little girls. Their emotions leaked onto the pages yet it was difficult to read at times because you truly saw how much they were hurting inside due to the loss of their mother and having been bounced around from home to home until Sophie was found.
Sophie finding herself through Bella and Izzy was an important part of the plot. Sophie has lived her life not making choices on her own but living the life that is thrown at her. She lives for her job and is diligently working towards the top of her company. She has no real friends and is afraid of having a relationship, not acknowledging the real fact is that she is afraid of someone leaving her at the end. It is the girls that change her without Sophie even knowing it. Izzy and Bella bring out the best in her and make her realize what kind of life she was missing. Once their father, Louis came back into the picture, Sophie didn't realize that she was falling for him. Once she did, her old instincts kicked in. She make excuse after excuse not to be with this great guy but she soon realizes she is miserable without him. Will she change her ways or return to the daily grind of her non-existent life or will she remember what she learned from Izzy and Bella about love?
This is a wonderful book about love, loss, and opening up yourself to others. It is about trust, friendship and what truly matters in life. If a person can find the right balance of things, one CAN find true happiness, but you have to let yourself be open to it. I will definitely be looking for the next book to read by Rowan Coleman. 4 stars!
August 9, 2021
I enjoyed reading this book!
November 18, 2008
The cover of this book states that it is written by an "international bestselling author." Surely it would be a well-written book, right? Rowan Coleman should fire her copy editor because the book was riddled with grammatical errors and many typos - easily over a 100 throughout the book. Someone before me began to correct these mistakes with a pen. I could easily have picked up my pen too and added to the previous reader's editing marks. However, I didn't because I read to enjoy and I feel this would have taken away from my enjoyment. I am just glad I didn't spend my money on this book - the library helped me here.
The main character of this book is Sophie who spends her entire life at work and rewards herself with material goods. She has no time for friends or to even have a boyfriend. One day a social worker shows up at her office to tell her a good friend that she has not seen in years has died and in her will appointed Sophie as their guardian. Reluctantly, Sophie takes the children home and begins to search for their absent father. She finds him, but over the weeks she has cared for the children, she falls in love with them. She sadly relinquishes the children to the father and throws herself back into her work. After a few months she realizes that she cannot live without the children and has (gasp!) a crush on the father. She reenters their lives at the end of the book and the author allows the reader to draw their own conclusions as to how Sophie, the children, and their father continue.
The main character of this book is Sophie who spends her entire life at work and rewards herself with material goods. She has no time for friends or to even have a boyfriend. One day a social worker shows up at her office to tell her a good friend that she has not seen in years has died and in her will appointed Sophie as their guardian. Reluctantly, Sophie takes the children home and begins to search for their absent father. She finds him, but over the weeks she has cared for the children, she falls in love with them. She sadly relinquishes the children to the father and throws herself back into her work. After a few months she realizes that she cannot live without the children and has (gasp!) a crush on the father. She reenters their lives at the end of the book and the author allows the reader to draw their own conclusions as to how Sophie, the children, and their father continue.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2017
Rowan Coleman je božská! Akejkoľvek témy sa chytí, podá ju precítene. A vyberá si skutočne nezvyčajné témy, čo dokazuje aj tento román, v ktorom 29-ročná hrdinka, karieristka Sophie, rožšíri svoju rodinu - ktorú dovtedy tvorí len ona, jej kocúr Artemis a práca -, o dve ďalšie bytosti. Tými sú dve malé dievčatká, 6-ročná Bella a 3-ročná Izzy. Tieto dievčatá jej nečakane skomplikujú život.
Zdedí ich po svojej kamarátke Carrie, ktorá náhle zomrela pri autonehode a zanechala za sebou závet, že kedykoľvek by sa jej čokoľvek stalo, tak práve Sophie sa postará o jej dve ratolesti. Na tento sľub Sophie dávno zabudla a v podstate ho kamarátke dala bez toho, aby verila, že by sa niekedy niečo také mohlo stať. Osud je nevyspytateľný a... stalo sa. Zvyšok recenzie nájdete tu: http://kokina1.blogspot.sk/2016/03/ma...
Zdedí ich po svojej kamarátke Carrie, ktorá náhle zomrela pri autonehode a zanechala za sebou závet, že kedykoľvek by sa jej čokoľvek stalo, tak práve Sophie sa postará o jej dve ratolesti. Na tento sľub Sophie dávno zabudla a v podstate ho kamarátke dala bez toho, aby verila, že by sa niekedy niečo také mohlo stať. Osud je nevyspytateľný a... stalo sa. Zvyšok recenzie nájdete tu: http://kokina1.blogspot.sk/2016/03/ma...
June 10, 2012
This book really blew me away. I never read a Coleman book before,and after reading this book I was really suprised.
This book has everything; love,friendship,fun,...
I thought that Sophie wouldn't get all this 'familiy stuff',but she did it great. This two girls,Bella and Izzy were really amazing; Bella helped Sophie to accept them just the way there are and to learn how to love them.
Sophie also helped them more than everyone could in this hard period,she showed Bella how to love her own father when he arrived to London,she helped Izzy to forget the car accident that happend.
I like them all very much and I am happy that they went again to St.Ives,because they belong together,as a real family.
This book has everything; love,friendship,fun,...
I thought that Sophie wouldn't get all this 'familiy stuff',but she did it great. This two girls,Bella and Izzy were really amazing; Bella helped Sophie to accept them just the way there are and to learn how to love them.
Sophie also helped them more than everyone could in this hard period,she showed Bella how to love her own father when he arrived to London,she helped Izzy to forget the car accident that happend.
I like them all very much and I am happy that they went again to St.Ives,because they belong together,as a real family.
June 26, 2008
This was chicklit but more of a "deeper" chicklit with morals and a real storyline: What do you do when you're faced with 2 kids that just lost their mother (your best friend)when you have the "perfect" life? I enjoyed it and polished off the almost 400 page book in 2 days. I would actually recommend it.
March 29, 2008
It took sometime to really get into this book; the main character was a little shallow at first. I stuck it out and was glad I did because by the end the fairy tale romance had me turning the page in anticipation and staying up way to late. I am such a sucker for romances!!
February 17, 2024
The story was great, but the editing was distracting. So many missed words! I felt like I needed a red pen. That said, I was happy with the way the story ended. Definitely a Hallmark storyline.
March 22, 2022
3.5*
Perfectly pleasant chick-lit with cute kids, great sidekick GBF and the inevitable happy ending. Good bedtime reading.
Docked half a star because Sophie picks the wrong bloke IMHO and I was quite miffed.
Perfectly pleasant chick-lit with cute kids, great sidekick GBF and the inevitable happy ending. Good bedtime reading.
Docked half a star because Sophie picks the wrong bloke IMHO and I was quite miffed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 16, 2009
I first read The Accidental Mother a few months ago but I managed to find The Accidental Family, which is the sequel, a few days ago and so decided to read The Accidental Mother again. I enjoyed it just as much as I did the first time around.
The story is a unique one, a woman, Sophie, who made a pact with her best friend, Carrie, that if anything happened to her (Carrie) then Sophie would be the legal guardian of Carrie’s 2 children. Having made that promise when she was a bit drunk she forgot all about it until the unexpected happened and she found herself with two kids under 6 to look after.
It was a great read and I just had to read one more chapter. The whole cast of characters were brilliant but the story belonged to Bella and Izzy, the two children. Sophie and Louis were important and a huge part of the story, as with all the minor characters, Cal, Jake, Sophie’s mum, Carrie’s mum and Tess the social worker but it was all about the children. They carried the story along and made it what it was.
I enjoyed how Sophie got to know the children and how her maternal instincts kicked in eventually. I loved that even though she came around the idea of having kids and really didn’t want them to go with their father, Louis, she helped Bella like her father again. Louis was well-written – started out the villain but once you heard his side of the story it all became clear just what went on in his and Carrie’s marriage.
Izzy and Bella were hilarious. I’ve got no idea how three-year-olds (Izzy) and six-year-olds (Bella) really act but I thought Rowan wrote the children really well. Izzy was hilarious and how I would expect a three-year-old to be. Bella was a different story, she was far more mature than six.
I liked Sophie’s mother, her advice was to give Sophie a dog training manual. Cal, Lisa and all at Sophie’s work were great particularly Cal with his fake language skills.
Overall it was a well-written story that I really enjoyed. Who knew a chick-lit book could involve death and still be amusing but also sad, too? I also enjoyed the romantic element between Louis and Sophie and cannot wait to read The Accidental Family. A brilliant read and I can add Rowan Coleman to my growing list of favourite authors.
Rating: 5/5
The story is a unique one, a woman, Sophie, who made a pact with her best friend, Carrie, that if anything happened to her (Carrie) then Sophie would be the legal guardian of Carrie’s 2 children. Having made that promise when she was a bit drunk she forgot all about it until the unexpected happened and she found herself with two kids under 6 to look after.
It was a great read and I just had to read one more chapter. The whole cast of characters were brilliant but the story belonged to Bella and Izzy, the two children. Sophie and Louis were important and a huge part of the story, as with all the minor characters, Cal, Jake, Sophie’s mum, Carrie’s mum and Tess the social worker but it was all about the children. They carried the story along and made it what it was.
I enjoyed how Sophie got to know the children and how her maternal instincts kicked in eventually. I loved that even though she came around the idea of having kids and really didn’t want them to go with their father, Louis, she helped Bella like her father again. Louis was well-written – started out the villain but once you heard his side of the story it all became clear just what went on in his and Carrie’s marriage.
Izzy and Bella were hilarious. I’ve got no idea how three-year-olds (Izzy) and six-year-olds (Bella) really act but I thought Rowan wrote the children really well. Izzy was hilarious and how I would expect a three-year-old to be. Bella was a different story, she was far more mature than six.
I liked Sophie’s mother, her advice was to give Sophie a dog training manual. Cal, Lisa and all at Sophie’s work were great particularly Cal with his fake language skills.
Overall it was a well-written story that I really enjoyed. Who knew a chick-lit book could involve death and still be amusing but also sad, too? I also enjoyed the romantic element between Louis and Sophie and cannot wait to read The Accidental Family. A brilliant read and I can add Rowan Coleman to my growing list of favourite authors.
Rating: 5/5
October 14, 2011
Overall, this is a fast-paced, entertaining story of a young single career woman who agreed to become the godmother of her best friend's two daughters. Years later she becomes the "accidental mother" of those two girls, now ages 3 and 6, when their mother dies in a car crash and their father flew the coop years ago. That storyline in he book I really liked. There were some very poignant thoughts on grief, loss and friendships.
That said, since I'm not a big fan of chic lit there were times when the main character, Sophie, drove me nuts with her goofy indecision and game-playing. When the book starts sounding like a soap opera to me, I get really bored. So, for me, it was the storyline about the girls and Sophie that kept me plugged into finishing the book; not the romance that enters into the picture.
If you like chic lit and you're a die-hard romantic, you'll like this bok. It's got all the elements that will make you happy!
That said, since I'm not a big fan of chic lit there were times when the main character, Sophie, drove me nuts with her goofy indecision and game-playing. When the book starts sounding like a soap opera to me, I get really bored. So, for me, it was the storyline about the girls and Sophie that kept me plugged into finishing the book; not the romance that enters into the picture.
If you like chic lit and you're a die-hard romantic, you'll like this bok. It's got all the elements that will make you happy!
December 26, 2008
This book probably doesn't deserve five stars by literary standards but I have to say that I enjoyed it more than I've enjoyed a book in a long time and that's worth something, right? It is somewhat predictable and maybe a bit too charming but the writing is good and the characters stay true. Unlike another reviewer, I found six year old Bella, as well as three year old Izzy, to be wildly unrealistic though still charming. This is the Mrs. Field's Cookies of books. Yummy and satisfying with absolutely no nutrition.
February 25, 2009
I picked up this book mostly because of the title about becoming a mother unexpectedly, which is not all that different from my own circumstances. However, in the book the main character 'inherits' her two children from a deceased friend and is on a mission to find their missing father and reunite the family. The book won't win any literary awards, but the story is sweet and touching and moves quickly. I enjoyed it as a pure pleasure read.
June 2, 2015
My first thought was that this book was very much like Kate Hudson's "Raising Helen" although the film was released in 2004, while this book was published in 2006.
The main character, Sophie, was the best friend of Carrie. Years ago, they decided that If anything should happen to Carrie, then Sophie would become the legal guardian of Carrie's two daughters. Unfortunately, everything changes for not only Bella and Izzy but it also everything changes in Sophie's life also.
The main character, Sophie, was the best friend of Carrie. Years ago, they decided that If anything should happen to Carrie, then Sophie would become the legal guardian of Carrie's two daughters. Unfortunately, everything changes for not only Bella and Izzy but it also everything changes in Sophie's life also.
January 17, 2013
An enjoyable read. Sometimes I don't want to wade through a heavy/deep book and this type of book is perfect for these times. So, maybe it was a little far-fetched at times (seriously, could any one be THAT clueless about kids? Was she never a kid herself?), but I really don't think this detracted from my enjoyment of the story itself.
October 11, 2007
Character development was a little spotty. Louis was a little too perfect a person, but six-year old Bella was written perfectly. All in all The Accidental Mother is a bit better than the usual chicklit. Excellent reading while decompressing.
May 13, 2008
Sweet book, predictable in parts but all in all a good read.
October 20, 2008
This was a cute, sweet read. Fairly predictable, and I wasn't totally sold on the ending, but it was a nice, light read at a time when I really needed some fluff to read.
November 3, 2008
Good vacation read.
May 4, 2022
"What do you do when you are a child's last hope?"
*Backstory*
I recently was looking for a new book to read, since I didn't have enough money or time to actually buy one. I chose this one because of the title. I like the newfound family trope, and this book was the one that I liked.
*Review*
There should be a saying the opposite of "don't judge a book by its cover". I loved the cover. The little girl in her fairy costume, which is Izzy, is really cute. The book itself through me off. I knew what I was signing up for, by reading the summary.. but I didn't expect her to fall in love with the EX-HUSBAND!! I also believe that the 6-year-old, Bellarina, was too wise for her age, but it makes sense because the story is placed in England.
*Recommendation*
I recommend this to people of the drama genre. Also, anyone who loves the newfound family trope.
*Age Rating*
I give this book a 13+. It does say that they hook up, but they don't give any details.
*Trigger Warnings*
Anyone who doesn't/like children; anyone who has lost a parent through an accident.
*Similar Books*
Another Woman's life by Rowan Coleman; Forever by the Sea by Traci Hall; Returning Home by the Sea by Traci Hall
*Average Costs*
ThriftBooks: $4.79
Amazon: $15.00
B&N: $10.99 (Ebook)
Walmart: $4.35
*Backstory*
I recently was looking for a new book to read, since I didn't have enough money or time to actually buy one. I chose this one because of the title. I like the newfound family trope, and this book was the one that I liked.
*Review*
There should be a saying the opposite of "don't judge a book by its cover". I loved the cover. The little girl in her fairy costume, which is Izzy, is really cute. The book itself through me off. I knew what I was signing up for, by reading the summary.. but I didn't expect her to fall in love with the EX-HUSBAND!! I also believe that the 6-year-old, Bellarina, was too wise for her age, but it makes sense because the story is placed in England.
*Recommendation*
I recommend this to people of the drama genre. Also, anyone who loves the newfound family trope.
*Age Rating*
I give this book a 13+. It does say that they hook up, but they don't give any details.
*Trigger Warnings*
Anyone who doesn't/like children; anyone who has lost a parent through an accident.
*Similar Books*
Another Woman's life by Rowan Coleman; Forever by the Sea by Traci Hall; Returning Home by the Sea by Traci Hall
*Average Costs*
ThriftBooks: $4.79
Amazon: $15.00
B&N: $10.99 (Ebook)
Walmart: $4.35
November 28, 2016
This was my first book by this author and it was really good. There was more depth to it than your average chick lit book. There were times it was very predictable; however, it didn't matter because this author had sustenance in this book that a lot of other chick lit books don't have. I'm starting the second book in this series next and looking forward to it although I have a feeling it will be more predictable than the first. I would recommend this book.
April 18, 2018
It took me a few tries to get going on this book. The subject, cover and title intrigued me. But the main character was so completely foreign to me (and I don’t mean that she’s British and I’m American) that I found her unsympathetic, uninteresting. But I persisted, and I’m glad I did. Little Bella tore my heart out! At the end, although Sophie grew as a human being, I still didn’t “get” her, but I liked her a lot more. Good story.
October 10, 2018
Found the character a bit dense! I mean most adult females know that children go to school! First and foremost the foster agency should have directed her toward trying to find a stable moment and encouraged finding a school/ nursery! Plot was unrealistic in these term!
Annoying main character who took forever to come up with a decent plan from a flipping dog behaviour book!! Ummm not sure about contemplating another read.
Annoying main character who took forever to come up with a decent plan from a flipping dog behaviour book!! Ummm not sure about contemplating another read.
December 9, 2019
A slightly sappy, slightly silly, somewhat predictable story isn't usually my "thing", but I enjoyed it. The kids were mostly written like actual kids their age, except for the 3 year old "painting" the couch and pillows with her supper. That is something a 2 year old might do, but I didn't buy it from a 3 year old but after that their behavior and speech was very believable. I didn't particularly like Sophie to be honest; I think Cal was actually my favorite character in the book.
January 27, 2022
This was another random grab from the library. The title caught my eye, the blurb was interesting, and the cover was cute. But as the saying goes, “don’t judge a book by it’s cover.”
The story felt very forced and flat. I didn’t care enough about the characters to even be rooting for them. Except the girls of course, I wanted to see them happy.
Speaking of the girls, Bella was only 6 years old. Why was it written like she was 40? Give me a break.
The story felt very forced and flat. I didn’t care enough about the characters to even be rooting for them. Except the girls of course, I wanted to see them happy.
Speaking of the girls, Bella was only 6 years old. Why was it written like she was 40? Give me a break.
July 15, 2022
Three and a half stars rounded up to four. Sophie is a career woman who is on the fast track. Out of the blue, she finds out that her best girlhood friend, Carrie, has died and she, Sophie is the legal guardian of Carrie's daughters. Bella is six and Izzy is three. Will Sophie be able to cope whilst they look for the girls' father?
This story has been done before a million times but it still felt fresh and I enjoyed it. Am now on to the sequel.
This story has been done before a million times but it still felt fresh and I enjoyed it. Am now on to the sequel.
October 26, 2023
Well, I had high hopes for this book after reading several books by Rowan Coleman a long time ago. I thought this was a great story, but … (there’s always a but if it’s not 5 stars!) it was kind of… annoying. I mean, Sophie drove me a little crazy! Thank goodness she redeemed herself at the end. I think. The end was too abrupt. And there were so many typos in this book! Not just easy to miss stuff — a TON of mistakes, words left out, the wrong word used… that also drove me crazy!
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