Gloriously girly. Gloriously giggly. Boy, this particular walk is giddy or what! The back page jacket has a quote by author Carmen Reid who claims to have “laughed like a drain” after reading this book. I too laughed, not like a drain perhaps, but unfemininely enough to raise my husband’s eyebrows. It made the whole experience of reading this book more delicious, as the story is all about women as women understand them. Husbands, boyfriends and lovers, go take a walk.

Now for the story. Carly Cooper, flexi-time journalist, bored homemaker, loving mother of two super-cute sons and sex-deprived wife, (her husband loves her and she loves him; just that he is a libido-less lawyer in work loop) is out to inject some excitement into her suburban life. Her first novel has sold somewhat; Carly lives in the hope that some Hollywood bigshot will spot her talent and roll out the red carpet. And dreams come true.

Her ex-boyfriend, now a Hollywood hottie, invites her to his Beverly Hills mansion for a summer of rekindled love, cozy script-reading sessions and doing the rounds of producers’ offices. Carly’s all set but hubby dearest turns up his nose and refuses to buy her Hollywood dream. So brave little woman that she is, she sets off with her two brats. All in pursuit of fame.

Troubles begin right within the flight from London to Los Angeles with one brat jumping up and down the seat and the other spending all his time bawling, (the end result of which is a Carly who’s unable to visit the loo for around nine hours!) The story then goes on to describe Carly’s many funny Hollywood encounters, her expert management of her suddenly-on-the-overdrive sexual urge (thanks to hunky ex-beau) and her tear-jerker experience with literary agents.

There are some great whoop-inducing sentences: Like this one: “I discovered that I had polycystic ovaries. And that was before they were trendy. Now, everyone’s got them.” Or this one: “The kids were great for our hearts and souls, bad for our sleep patterns and nuptials.”

The book’s a racy, hilarious read thanks to the perky language, several insights into a woman’s psyche (womenfolk, watch out — there are many Eureka moments where you feel you might have been Carly yourself!) and a story that’s indeed good enough for Hollywood (complete with the ‘purrfect’ ending).

And when I put down the book after a marathon reading session, giggling and girlish, and my hubby raised his eyebrows, yet again, my perfect ending was made. Go, read.

Book: The Motherhood Walk of Fame
Author: Shari Low
Publishers: Avon books
Price: Rs 195
Pages: 374