Review: Happily Ever Before

Happily Ever Before by Aimee Pitta and Melissa Peterman

Format: eBook (ARC)
Pages: 315
Published: September 2012
Publisher: Self
Genre: Fiction, Chick Lit

My Rating: 4/5

Summary (from Goodreads.com):

Years ago, Grace and Clair Higgins made a drunken pact while watching a Lifetime Movie Marathon (is there a better time for drunken pact-making between sisters?). In a nutshell, the free spirit older sister, Grace, promised her control freak younger sister, Clair, that she’d have her baby, should the need arise. But she certainly never thought she’d have to deliver on it. Now everyone is dealing with situations they never dreamed of. Will Clair’s WASP-y in-laws accept that Grace, the black sheep of the family, is carrying their grandchild? Will Diane, Grace and Clair’s mom, be able to stay out of it and focus on moving forward with her own life, which has been on hold for so long? Will Clair’s husband Henry stop giving Grace bizarre and overly personal pregnancy gifts? Will Grace be able to navigate true love while being “scientifically knocked up” by her sister’s husband? Will Grace’s best friend George find someone else to drink with if Grace is busy with gestation? And the more importantly will the sisters be able to navigate the slippery slope of sibling surrogacy with their relationship intact?

Review:

**NOTE: A copy of this book was provided by the author.  However, no compensations were made and this review reflects my honest thoughts and feelings.**

This book was blurbed to me with the following:

Happily Ever Before is what would happen if the hit comedies Bridesmaids and Baby Mama had a love child. It tells the story of two sisters and the biggest, most important question anyone has ever been asked: would you, if I for some reason couldn’t, loan me your womb and have my baby?

Um, yes please!!

To start off, I can't imagine being the sister that is asked to carry her sister's baby... especially if I hadn't had a child of my own.  Would I say yes?  Would it be horrible if I didn't?  It just seriously makes my brain hurt even thinking of the pain and anguish that both sides would go through in figuring out what and how to do this.

Going into this book with my head already full of questions, I wasn't sure what to expect as it is a super heavy topic and yet putting together two hilarious movies - Bridesmaids and Baby Mama - left me a little stumped.  However, within the first two chapters, I was hooked and knew exactly what the authors meant when they blurbed the book.  It was hilarious in so many ways... and a lot of them, wrong ways! 

I loved Grace!  It's as simple as that... she was a character that is so full of love for her family that she is willing to go above and beyond the call of duty to keep everyone happy.  I would like to think that, in her shoes, I would do the exact same thing.  Her spirit is just so beautiful.  Clair and George are also fabulous supporting characters... the three of them together - hilariously funny!

Aimee and Melissa write so perfectly together that I had to email them to see if the story was indeed a fictional one or if it wasn't based loosely on a true story. 

Overall, an absolutely wonderful story of the true bond of sisterhood.  One that I believe will stand the test of time and be a true story for all those who have a sister or even a best friend.

Stay tuned... tomorrow there will be a feature with the author as well as a GIVEAWAY!!!