Mrs. Perfect

Publishers Weekly

Just in time for summer, Porter (Flirting with Forty; Odd Mom Out) delivers another fine batch of mommy lit. Taylor Young has convinced the other suburban mothers of Bellevue, Wash., that she's the quintessential supermom who manages to stay impeccably coiffed while tending to her dapper husband, three amazing wee ones and picture-perfect home. But she has never shaken off her own insecurities, which include a psychic hangover from her troubled upbringing and an ongoing battle with bulimia. When hubby Nathan drops a bombshell on her, Taylor is forced to confront her fears and the reality of how her life will change, not necessarily for the better. While Taylor would be easy to loathe, her frailties and insecurities go a long way to turning her into an endearing lead, making this less dopey and more poignant than the standard mommy lit fare. (May)

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Kirkus Reviews

When the exclusive life of blonde and beautiful Taylor Young starts to fall apart, her real character, forged by a tough childhood, comes out. Taylor, her husband Nathan and their three perfect daughters occupy an upper-crust world. Among the perks for Taylor: lavish fashions (including $200 bras), sunny vacations and a Finnish nanny. But the pressure to stay on top in exclusive Bellevue, Wash., is almost too much. Between Taylor's exercise classes, manicures, pedicures and a volunteer schedule that rivals a full-time job, she barely has a moment to relax poolside with a gin and tonic, not to mention keep up with her competitive book group. So when Nathan starts acting odd, disappearing for days on a business trip, she begins to worry. Could her perfect marriage, which rescued her from a working-class background, be going the way of her friend Lucy's, broken up by an affair? The truth, when it comes out, is worse. Her billionaire husband has been fired, and he has been hiding the fact, letting compulsive-shopper Taylor ring up bills they can no longer afford. When Nathan attempts to move the family to Omaha, where he has found a job, Taylor refuses to go, trying to keep her place in a world she can no longer afford. Ultimately, she must choose between her family and her luxuries. The witty first-person narration keeps things lively in Potter's latest (Odd Mom Out, 2007, etc.). Taylor's neurotic fussiness provides both vicarious thrills and laughs before Taylor moves on to self awareness and a new kind of empowerment. The glittery high-end fantasy is delivered with enough humor to leaven the silliness, making this a feel-good read. Agent: Karen Solem/Spencerhill Associates