Godmother

Tessa King is the perpetual Godmother: Godmother to six of her friends' children, but no children of her own. While she had always been content with her role as uber-Godmother, she's now ready for a family of her own. There's only one problem: the man she's in love with is married to someone else. As Tessa becomes more involved in her godchildren's lives, she quickly realizes that parenting isn't always giggles and cuddling: it's a life-long contract and you never get to read the small print. She witnesses first-hand that babies can drive their parents apart, children can be very sick, and seemingly overnight a loving little boy can turn into a dope-smoking, foul-mouthed truant. Is Tessa really ready to become a mother—to give up a life that her friends truly envy?

Publishers Weekly

While 30-something Londoner Tessa King questions her no-strings-attached lifestyle, she also witnesses her friends' difficulties in marriage and parenthood while playing godmother to their broods. Nick and Francesca battle to keep their sullen teenager out of serious trouble; Billy, a single mom, can't break ties to her now remarried ex-; Helen and Neil, fairy tale parents to twin boys, are hiding something; successful Claudia and Al struggle to conceive; and Ben and Sasha have no plans to have children. But Ben also happens to be Tessa's best friend, and perhaps the love of her life. When tragedy eventually strikes the group, bonds are tested, and Tessa is forced to re-examine what she thinks will really make her happy. A painful look into the fears, doubts and desires that make and break marriages, this debut novel from Londoner Adams is notches up from the usual chick and mom lit fare. (Sept.)

The Godmother is the first novel for author Carrie Adams, who lives in London with her husband and their two children.