Babes in Captivity by Pamela Redmond Satran
Life seems picture perfect.  You live in a nice house in the burbs with your husband and two beautiful children.  But there's a price to pay for all that bliss.  As you forge on, completely absorbed by your family's needs, the person you were before diapers, feedings and play dates, begins to slip away.  And just when you think this person has been completely forgotten, the kids get a little older, and you come up for air.  You take a good look around and begin to realize that your happily ever after has gotten a little stale.  Will you have the courage to explore your own needs, or are you afraid to make waves when things appear fine on the surface?

Babes in Captivity is the story of four girlfriends who were seemingly content with their perfect lives.  That is until one of them spills the beans and admits she's not all that happy.  She wants more in her life; something just for her.  That night, instead of the usual dinner conversation about kids, husbands and decorating, the friends find themselves discussing personal goals.  By the end of the evening, each commits to taking steps to make things happen and to support each other through the changes.

Deirdre is the instigator who admitted it first.  Things aren't always as perfect as they seem.  She's the least traditional of the bunch.  The one with the most wild oats still left to sow.  She's married to a sweetheart of a doctor who, unfortunately, lacks good bedside manner in the bedroom.  She's longing for some passion and a taste of the life she left behind.  Can she rediscover the babe within by resuming her singing career?

Juliette is the sweetheart of the group.  She understates her beauty and dreads intimacy in the bedroom.  Despite having a child with special needs, she longs for another baby.  But her wealthy, controlling husband isn't so agreeable.  How far will she go to get her heart's desire?  Will she be willing to walk away from her comfortable life?

Anne is the breadwinner of her family.  She's a razor sharp, corporate business woman.  She's deeply in love with her director husband, who is always on the verge of making it big.  Her marriage is full of passion, but outside the bedroom, she seems to be the only grown-up - supporting her husband through a string of unsuccessful projects.  Can she insist he be more financially responsible so she can pursue her dream of opening a restaurant?  And what happens when she discovers he's not as devoted as he seems?

Lisa is the closest to making the perfect life a reality.  She is the picture of efficiency and organization.  Good at everything from raising her four children, to entertaining, to making sure things go smoothly in the bedroom.  Life is always on schedule until she gets news from her doctor that forces her to slow down and re-evaluate life.  Can she accept that she can't control everything and learn to enjoy life's little moments?

This story was very familiar to us at GirlfriendBooks.  In fact, it was our "what's next" after having babies that inspired us to create this site.  We know we are blessed, which sometimes makes us hesitate to ask for more.  But being a martyr isn't healthy.  We all have a right to our own lives and staying true to the women we were before mommy-hood. Being a mother is wonderful.  Being a woman with outside interests and individual ideas is wonderful.  The two can co-exist.  It's a careful balancing act.  No one said having it all was easy. 

About the author:  Pamela Redmon Satran lives near
New York City with her husband, who is an editor for Reuters, and her three children.  She is the co-author of the best-selling baby naming book Beyond Jennifer and Jason, and is a regular contributor to some of  today's most popular magazines including Glamour, Redbook, and Parenting.  The Man I Should Have Married was her first novel. 
buy now!
Babes in Captivity