The early days of motherhood are imagined to be full of moment after moment of quiet snuggling in a glider chair with a content and dozing baby upon your chest, sniffing that wonderful new-baby-smell wafting up from your littlest one, right? Well, for Quinn (who prefers to go by “Q”) Boothroyd, that image is just a fantasy, and the reality is a bit harsher.
In Sarah Bilston’s new novel, Sleepless Nights, Q’s beloved new son has introduced her to motherhood by choosing to cry approximately 25 hours a day, just as she has convinced her husband to step out of their regular big-city lawyer lives for a few weeks of vacation, apparently something that is virtually unheard of in big-city lawyer life. At this new point, Q struggles to find peace, first and foremost wanting to learn how to help this crying baby and discovering that in the world of colic, there’s just not much that a mom can do but persevere through those tough early days. On top of that, the date on the calendar in which she’s expected to return to the professional world looms large in her mind, especially as she begins to realize that her priorities in life have shifted and the thought of returning to the office, along with its pressure-filled, dog-eat-dog environment, literally makes her stomach turn.
Add to the story a subplot involving Q’s sister, visiting from England and trying to find her way professionally as well as in the romantic portion of her own life, and you’ve got a novel full of stories within stories, starring sisters who are not all that much alike, but who each in her turn discovers her own right path. Sarah Bilston peppers this book with spot-on portrayals of lovelorn twenty-somethings, as well as of parents on edge in the face of colic. And personally, having been there, done that, I can say that was the most poignant subplot for me!
With the kiddos heading back to school, is anyone interested in doing some reading just for fun in all those quiet moments? If you’d like to win a copy of Sleepless Nights as part of our Back to School Giveaway, please leave a comment here. (US Residents only please.)
Dawn is beyond grateful to have left her own child-induced sleepless nights in the past, and the only thing keeping her from sleeping these days is her incessant blogging at my thoughts exactly. Stop by and tell her to go to bed already.
This is part of the 2009 Back-to-School Giveaway. We’d love it if you helped spread the word!
- Leave a comment on this post as your entry.
- This giveaway is open to U.S. residents. One entry per person.
- New giveaways will be posted through August 26. Winners will be announced August 31.
- Check out the list of the other giveaways in the 2009 Back-to-School Giveaway at the main post.
I would like to enter for a copy of Sleepless Nights, it sounds like a fun book. The entry instructions mention picking which of the PakNaks I would like…hope you will include my entry anyway. 🙂
I would like a copy of Sleepless Nights. I do so like to read.
I was sold at “cries 25 hours a day!”
This sounds like it would be a really good read.
Sounds like an interesting read! Sign me up, please!
I’ve had my share of sleepless nights! This sounds like a good read even though my current sleeplessness is no longer due to colicky babies–thankfully! 🙂
i am a winner everyday [email protected]
I read the first book Bed Rest and would love to read the follow-up!
This sounds like a good book. Enter me in the giveaway. [email protected]
would love to own this book!
This book sounds good – please enter me in the giveaway.
looks great thanks
This sounds familiar around our house.
Looks great. Thanks!
This looks like a great read. Thanks for the chance.
I’d love to have a book to read just for fun while the kids are in school. Thanks for the review and giveaway!
Count me in. This one sounds like a winner!
I would love to win
Thank you for the chance
[email protected]
Thanks for the great giveaway!
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net
Looks like an interesting read!
Please include me in your giveaway.
Thanks
Debbie
debdesk9(at)verizon.net
love to win this, count me in please
Gift for mew mother
Sounds familiar
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
sign me up….please….would like to win
Sounds great! Thanks for the chance to win.
Sounds like a neat book
I would love to read this!!
Sounds like a good read. Thanks for the chance to win!
Thanks for the chance.
I would love to win this book! 🙂
Id love to win this read~!
time to win!
I would love to read this! I feel like I’ve been waiting years to the sequel to Bed Rest!
Thanks.
JHolden955 (at) gmail (dot) com
Happy Monday!
enter me
I would love to read this, thanks for the chance!
Yes, there are situations like this (where the child cries 24 hours a day and you can’t sleep), and I’d just love to win and read this book!
This sounds like a great prepatory book. 🙂
This looks like something I would like to read
I have a daughter I would like to give this to. Thanks for the chance to win
How funny! I’ve got a lot of sleepless nights to read “Sleepless Nights”
OH, that book will surely bring back many many memories, of nights of no sleep! And by the time one child slept through the night, then the NEW baby started the same regime. I am SURE i will empathize with this mother.
I would love to win. Thanks for the giveaway.
Sounds like a great book. Thanks for the giveaway.
Thanks for another greay book giveaway, would love to win this one.
My wife needs more books….
My sister-in-law just had a baby–and I stayed with them! This book caught my attention!
I would love this for my best friend who is about to have a new baby! Thanks for the chance!
I’d love a copy of this book – I’m expecting my first and I’m reading like you wouldn’t believe!