"The Baby Trail" by Sinead Moriarty

Make-up artist Emma Hamilton and her rugby trainer husband James have decided that it is time to have a baby. At the age of 33 and married for two years, Emma is constantly facing the questions of "when are you going to have kids?" With her friends and family members having children, she figures it will be easy and has it all planned out - she'll go off the pill in December, get pregnant in January, have the baby in September and be back in shape by Christmas.

But things don't happen that way for Emma. And soon she finds herself immersed in a world of post-coital headstands, ovulation kits, hormone-inducing drugs, probing specialists, and in vitro fertilization. Combined with the continuing "when are you going to have a baby" questions and other criticisms about her lack of children, it all begins to drive Emma mad and the fact that she is alienating her friends and family is the least of her worries.

The Baby Trail is a smart and humorous look at a very real and difficult situation for many women. At first, one wonders if this topic can dealt with in a funny manner and still be sensitive at the same time. Sinead Moriarty has achieved that balance wonderfully in this book. While the reader laughs at Emma's obsessiveness and nuttiness, they also find themselves emotionally attached and sympathetic. The characters are well-developed and represent a variety of understanding and emotions that are involved in the fertility process. The Baby Trail is a fun and charming read that many women will find relatable.