Stretch Marks: A Novel

Kimberly Stuart
David C. Cook (2009)
ISBN 9780781448925
Reviewed by Leslie Granier for Reader Views (10/09)

 

Mia Rathbun’s life is about to drastically change.  After feeling ill for a few weeks, she finally seeks medical attention.  Upon learning she is pregnant Mia is stunned because she and her live-in boyfriend Lars always used protection.  After breaking the news to Lars, she is shocked to find him gone the next morning.  Now alone, Mia is faced with the decision of whether to have the baby or terminate the pregnancy.  To make matters worse, Mia’s mother Babs, with whom she has a strained relationship, moves into the same apartment building to “help” Mia during the pregnancy.

“Stretch Marks” was written with an adult female audience in mind.  It could probably be considered chick lit but it does have more of a plot than other examples.  I would have liked to have seen Mia portrayed as a strong and independent woman, but instead she comes off as indecisive and easily manipulated.  She changed her lifestyle by becoming a vegetarian solely to please Lars.  She supported him financially and even after he deserted her all she could think about was getting back with him.  I did not even get the feeling they were in love with each other.  On the other hand, Mia perceives her mother to be the root of every problem she has ever faced in her life.  I was bothered by the way Mia pointed out all of her mother’s flaws but in her eyes Lars could do no wrong.

This book does not contain very much action.  It covers about a one-year time period but it focuses on the same things again and again.  The story itself is not bad but it needs something more to bring it to the next level.  Using the character of Babs to inject some humor into the situation helped.  Perhaps having Mia planning more for the future instead of being stuck in her past would add to the plot.

“Stretch Marks” by Kimberly Stuart is a good choice when a reader is looking for a light read or a quick break from reality after a busy day.  It showcases the fears about being a single mother, but it also provides hope that things can turn out okay.

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