Q: Do you think there will ever be a time where, like men, women don't have to "choose"?

"Q. [The Other Mother] alternates between the thoughts of two mothers, each living a very different lifestyle. The characters make assumptions about one another that aren't always accurate. How often do you believe we do that, as women: judge one another based on external lifestyle, filling in the blanks based on appearance?"

Read Gwendolen Gross' response and the full interview here from Gina Hannah's interview with Gwendolen Gross at "The Parent Trak: Balancing Family, Work, and Everything Else" in the online edition of the Huntsville Times.

Mom Gets Booked! 3 Top Holiday Gift Books for Moms

No Coal This Year: What Does Mom Want For the Holidays?

Have a mom on your holiday gift list? Looking for a new, well-reviewed book as a holiday present? Here are three thought-provoking, popular new motherhood books with great reviews.

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Recommended Holiday Gift Books for Moms

The Other Mother: A Novel by Gwendolen Gross

Why moms will love this book:

"By using the alternating points of view of each intensely multifaceted woman, Gross paints an electrifyingly complex and explosively gripping portrait of contemporary, have-it-all motherhood."
- Carol Haggas, Booklist

5-star Amazon book review and top 100 Amazon bestseller in - books - mystery and thrillers - thrillers - psychological and suspense

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I Was a Really Good Mom Before I Had Kids: Reinventing Modern Motherhood
by Trisha Ashworth and Amy Nobile

Why moms will love this book:

"This is the perfect book to read on those days when the thousand expectations of the world on mothers are too heavy. It made me laugh and cry. Give this to that Supermom you know but read yourself first."
- Joyce Frohn, Apple Blossom Books of Oshkosh

4.5-star Amazon book review and top 100 Amazon bestseller in books - parenting and families - family relationships

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The Rest of Her Life by Laura Moriarty

Why moms will love this book:

"Moriarty's honest novel about an ordinary family whose life changes in one extraordinary moment resonates like an emotional tuning fork."
- Jodi Picoult, bestselling author of My Sister's Keeper and Nineteen Minutes

4-star Amazon book review and top 100 Amazon bestseller in books - literature and fiction - genre fiction - family saga

"This Mama’s Trip" Reviews The Other Mother

Here is an excerpt from the "This Mama's Trip" review of The Other Mother.

"I LOVED this book [The Other Mother]. For me, the best part of this book was the look inside the stay at home mom's house. Since I work full time and always have, I have no idea what it would be like to be a stay at home mom. This book gave me a glimpse into this life."

The Metropolitan Mama interviews Gwendolen Gross and offers chance to win a free copy of The Other Mother

In a recent interview, The Metropolitan Mama (Stephanie) chats with Gwendolen Gross. Take a look at the full interview here.

One question Stephanie asks Gwendolen is about tips for aspiring writers. Gwendolen replies:

“Writers are people who write. The whole business bit is separate and comes later. Write every day, even if the only time you have is in the school parking lot waiting for your kids. Give yourself permission to find your way, to write until you get to the truths you want to tell.”

Also, Stephanie is offering a random drawing for a free, signed copy of The Other Mother. To enter, leave a comment and your e-mail address by Thursday, November 15, at midnight on the Metropolitan Mama website here:

http://metropolitanmama.blogspot.com/2007/11/meet-author-gwendolen-gross.html

The winner will be announced and contacted by e-mail on Friday, November 16.

New Novel – The Other Mother – Is Generating Intense Discussion Among Moms

Inspired by the release of the new motherhood novel "The Other Mother," contributors to the Silicon Valley, Chicago, Washington DC Metro, and New York City Moms Blogs are currently engaging in an intense discussion about balancing work and family.

In many of the comments on the Chicago Moms Blog, moms relate their own lives to the main characters in the novel: Thea (the stay-at-home mom) and Amanda (the working mom). Moms are exploring the question of how we allow and trust other people to care for our children.

Jill Asher writes on the Chicago Moms Blog, “I could totally relate to both Thea and Amanda. At some points in the book, I kept yelling (to myself)... just talk to each other! Get your issues out on the table and you will both feel a lot better. At other parts, I wanted to give them each a big hug and tell them that they were doing a great job as a mom.”

Gwendolen Gross, the author of The Other Mother, comments, “I wrote this novel with one narrator who is a stay-at-home mom and the other a working mom to accomplish something I thought non-fiction couldn't. What I wanted was to be able to stand in shoes of both moms, in hopes of illustrating how we judge each other unnecessarily, and understanding, myself, how important it is to respect other people's methods and choices even if they don't match my own.”

The discussion continues and all blog readers are invited to participate on the Chicago Moms Blog.


The four Moms Blogs are the brainchild of Jill Asher and Pamela Miller Hornik, and they have received national media attention for their coverage of parenting issues in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, San Jose Mercury News, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Sun Times and on ABC News.

What Moms Are Saying About The New Motherhood Novel: The Other Mother

Mom blogs across the country are writing about how the new motherhood novel - The Other Mother - explores the joys and struggles of motherhood. Mom reviewers describe how this suspenseful novel inspires them to think deeply about their own choices in balancing work and family, as well as their judgments about decisions made by other mothers.

Gwendolen Gross, the author of The Other Mother, shares her thoughts saying, "I wrote this novel with one narrator who is a stay-at-home mom and the other a working mom to accomplish something I thought non-fiction couldn't. What I wanted was to be able to stand in shoes of both moms, in hopes of illustrating how we judge each other unnecessarily, and understanding, myself, how important it is to respect other people's methods and choices even if they don't match my own."

In recent reviews, moms tell how they relate closely to both mothers in the novel. The Mom Blog My Life As It Is writes, "As the story continues we truly get to know both Moms. OMG – I loved them both. I hated them both. I wanted to hug them both. I wanted to shake them both. I wanted to crawl into the pages and bang THEIR heads together. There was so much of ME in both of them." Jill Asher writes on the Chicago Moms Blog, "I could totally relate to both Thea and Amanda. At some points in the book, I kept yelling (to myself)... just talk to each other! Get your issues out on the table and you will both feel a lot better. At other parts, I wanted to give them each a big hug and tell them that they were doing a great job as a mom."

The balanced portrayal of the challenges of motherhood for both stay at home and working moms is noted in many reviews. Super-Mommy Blog says, "This book really touches on some of the deepest issues that come with motherhood, and no matter what side you belong to, you can really get a feel for the other side’s life." According to Work It: A Blog For Working Moms, The Other Mother "displays with pinpoint accuracy the challenges for both stay-at-home moms and working moms - and the delicate balance that all women face on a daily basis." Go-Go Mommy says "The Other Mother clearly illustrates the self-doubt that is a part of parenthood, the firm convictions that we carry with us - be they right or wrong, and the special treat of being able to really see issues from a perspective other than our own."

Mom reviewers are also talking about the deep emotional impact of Ms. Gross’ novel. The Mom Blog Reviews From the Couch says, "Some experiences in the book led me to tears. I cried because it hit too close to home. It is difficult to not have the power, trust, or heart to stick up for one’s choices, and then nearly have a heart-attack of fear and regret when one finally does. I can understand being simultaneously brave and cowardly." Along the same lines, The Mom Gadget Blog writes "the characters are so believable and are sure to leave a lasting impression, long after the final page has been turned. While I can’t tell you how the book ends, I will tell you that it’s the first time I’ve ever had to reach for the box of tissue while reading a book."
Working Moms Against Guilt sums up her thoughts, "What I really like about this book is how the characters experience doubts and emotions that every mother experiences. Though Thea and Amanda fixate on one another, the real conflict lies within themselves. In the end, this book isn't about The Other Mother, it's about being a mother in general." Karianna - Reviews From the Couch also writes "The Other Mother is enjoyable, thought-provoking, and definitely an excellent book club book because not every woman will read it the same way. It is bound to create lots of heavy discussion and introspection."

Gwendolen Gross - Author of The Other Mother - Speaks to Rockaway MOMS group

Gwendolen Gross was guest speaker at the inaugural meeting of the Rockaway MOMS Club book group to discuss her new novel, The Other Mother. The group met at the Rockaway Borders bookstore on Mt. Hope Avenue and had an engaging 2 ½ hour discussion.

The conversation touched on how each mom viewed the two main characters: Amanda — a high-powered book editor and conflicted mother from New York City and Thea — a suburban stay-at-home super-mom. Ms. Gross confirmed the group's thoughts on how the women are both drawn to and repelled by each other. She voiced how many mothers struggle with balancing work and family, and that all mothers share in many of the same joys and regrets.