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“Those first few days after you’ve popped out your brand-new baby are epic, and author Julie Halpern depicts this roller coaster with wit, warmth, and authenticity in her novel Maternity Leave. Edgy yet still breezy, this novel flies by faster than those weeks on maternity leave. Read it with a baby on your boob for relatable belly laughs.” ―PARENTS Magazine

“Hilarious and perceptive.” ―Library Journal

“Maternity Leave is the laugh-out-loud funny novel you'll beg all your "mommy" friends to read, and also a keenly observed portrayal of the most challenging time of life, so complex and unpredictable that all the parenting how-to books in the world aren't enough to prep you for -the first three months of your child's life.” ―Julia Fierro, author of Cutting Teeth

“Maternity Leave is a hilarious, poignant, almost painfully accurate look at the first few months of motherhood. It begins with a hysterical birth scene and takes us through Annie's transformation from a self-involved, Buffy-obsessed geek-type person into a full-fledged mom, all without losing her basic identity. It's warm and funny and very, very real. I loved this book!” ―Maddie Dawson, author of The Opposite of Maybe

"Julie Halpern is a talented writer who excels in finding the humour in humiliating and icky situations. She’s also fantastic at getting into the heads of her characters, warts and all." ―Sam Still Reading Blog

From the book flap:

The profane, profound and just plain funny story of a professional woman who thinks she's ready for a baby but her maternity leave proves otherwise.

Thirty-six-year old Annie Schwartz-Jensen and her husband, Zach, waited to have a baby until the time was perfect. Annie got pregnant as planned, she hid her puke breath from the students in her seventh grade class, and drew up a detailed birth plan. She knew what to expect. She couldn't wait to raise her child in the most expertly precise way, using the trials and errors of all the parents who came before her in her ten years of teaching. She couldn't wait to feel the unconditional love, that moment everyone told her about, when she had a baby of her own.

"Maternity Leave" begins nine months later, as Annie gives birth to Sam, who comes out perfectly formed and screaming. After all those years of dreaming about a baby, this one is real.

And he scares the living crap out of Annie.

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