Baby Bank by Sarah Robinson is an engaging rom-com that shows that you can, in fact, have it all.
Mila Torres’s life is going just fine, thank you very much. She’s a successful divorce lawyer who secretly moonlights as a comedian. She’s got a doting mother and supportive friends and even owns her own DC house which she shares with two of those friends.
After a conversation with her gynecologist, she realizes she wants to start a family now instead of waiting for that elusive perfect time. She learns about a free sperm bank app called Baby Bank and decides to check it out. She quickly finds a perfect match who is intelligent, good-looking, successful, talented, and everything you’d want your sperm to be.
It’s too bad that his sister is a reporter who she’s been dodging for months and might just have some romantic feelings for. This complication is just one complication of many for Mila as her journey to motherhood begins.
Writing
Sarah Robinson knocked it out of the park with this witty sapphic rom-com. The story contains so many bizarre circumstances and dynamics yet the whole thing just seems to work. You can’t go wrong with a story where the main character decides to have a baby instead of freezing her eggs immediately after a routine Pap smear. Add in the fact that she obtains the sperm through an app and her sperm donor has a Facebook group for all of the families he has had a hand in making. This story contains so many funny one-liners that I found I was continuously highlighting so I can go back and read them all at my leisure. Also, most chapters begin with a hilarious observation or comment that simultaneously had me chuckling and gasping at the sheer bizarreness. Mila’s first-person point of view takes readers along for the ride and being a part of her thoughts, feelings, actions, and emotions really helps to enhance readers’ understanding of her motivations.
Pros And My Favourite Parts
This book is labeled a romantic comedy, but it’s honestly so much more. It’s deep and downright moving at times. Upon reflection, Mila’s character is complex yet her self-deprecating humor put a barrier between her and her growth. It takes a long time for her to allow herself the vulnerability with herself, her framily (friends and family), and readers. When she finally does, she’s fully open, exposed, and able to go for what she wants. I found this to be really effective because I’d been privy to her thoughts throughout the book and didn’t even realize she’d been holding back. I love when her revelations bring clarity and she’s able to move ahead with obtaining the family she truly wants.
Ari is an equally complex and dynamic character. Learning about her through Mila’s eyes is really special. I found her strength and steadiness helped to balance Mila’s tumultuousness. The underlying mystery surrounding her actions kept me engaged and continuously speculating on what incidents from her past impacted her present choices.
The supporting cast of characters is absolutely fantastic. Chicky, Lukas, Anton, Nomi, Isa, Yasmeen, and Rachel are all special in their own ways and their support, love, and humor combine to make this a truly unforgettable story.
I’m also super excited to know that a Banana Filler is such a thing and I’ve already looked up where I can get mine!
Heads Up
None.
The Conclusion
Baby Bank is a delightfully witty sapphic romance that is deeper than I had anticipated and these emotions underlie the humor and sarcasm used to tell the story. Mila and Ari are perfect for one another yet just need to get out of their own heads for a moment in order to really see how great they could be. Surrounded by hilarious secondary characters that are supportive, motivating, and loving truly shows what it means to be a family. This is a book that firmly has a place on my reread list due to the humor, witty dialogue, and dynamic characters all wrapped up in a snuggly baby blanket. So kick back with a margarita or Shirley Temple and settle in for an entertaining ride!
Excerpt from Baby Bank by Sarah Robinson
I turned to face the voice calling out to me from the front entrance of Bar Moxy.
Ari Elliot was standing in the doorway, her brows furrowed. She walked toward me with a hesitancy that made my heart sink into my stomach as if I’d done something wrong. It’s like she caught me, and I was suddenly a deer in headlights and completely unsure if I was okay with being run over. Spoiler alert: I was.
“This is unexpected. What are you doing here?” she asked when she reached me.
It didn’t sound like an accusation, but I still took a step back as if it was. Rachel elbowed me, probably to get me out of my silent stupor.
“Uh…” I was not prepared with a response to that question, but my lawyer mode turned on for emotional distance and self-preservation. “Well, what are you doing here?”
The corners of her lips turned upward and the tenseness I’d felt in her approach seemed to ease…but only barely. “They make a really great Moxy Mule here. Want one?”
Rachel turned away from Ari and whispered in my ear. “Get it, girl. Go, go, go!” Say no. Absolutely say no. My inner voice got shoved into a back closet and completely ignored, but the esquire label on my business card was desperately trying to remind me of the stakes. I surveyed the room for a moment, but I didn’t see anyone I recognized. Safe enough, right? There was only one security camera in the corner, and if I kept my head down, I was pretty sure I’d be unrecognizable on it.
“I could try one,” I replied.
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Bits and Bobs
ISBN number: 978-1088029619
Publisher: Books by Sarah Robinson
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