Man of the Month Club
by Jackie Clune
Quercus, HK$165
'She has it all. But something's missing ...' With a catchline like that Man of the Month Club tells readers they'll be reading about a woman in need of a) a man, b) a baby, c) a life. But to have a baby (the priority) Amy Stokes realises she needs a man. And to find a mate the 39-year-old protagonist is required to take time out from her successful business - a babyware company that caters to the very women she mocks: yummy mummies who want their little darlings looking just so. When a baby is abandoned on the doorstep of her store, Amy's biological clock sounds a threatening 'tock'. So that as soon as the child is deposited at a hospital, she embarks on the challenge of getting pregnant before her 40th. Because she's not consciously looking for a long-term relationship Amy forces herself to attend singles meets. Which is where comedian-turned-author Jackie Clune lends her sense of humour: the excruciating pick-up at a Mensa gathering will have any girl thinking twice about going out with men with more brains than balls. Man of the Month is chick lit with a purpose. And, for those feeling clucky, it provides vicarious fun.
