Thursday, March 14, 2013

The Sunshine When She's Gone by Thea Goodman

 WINNERS: ERIN G. and SLM8803

The Sunshine When She's Gone



Enter to win one of
TWO COPIES of this novel
by debut author Thea Goodman!

This is NOT a book specifically for moms, but I’m just going to start out with this hypothetical question: “If you’re a mom, and more precisely, a new mom, what would you do with a whole weekend to yourself without your baby?"

Well, in The Sunshine When She's Gone, new dad John decides to help his wife out by taking their baby away for the weekend. THE WHOLE WEEKEND. Without letting his wife know that is his plan, which really wasn't his intentional plan in the first place actually. Would you freak? Jump for joy? Sleep all weekend? Party the day away?

Here’s the blurb:
 
A fresh, funny, and wisely observed debut novel about marriage—about the love, longing and ambivalence exposed when a husband takes the baby on a highly unusual outing


When Veronica Reed wakes up one frigid January morning, two things are “off”—first of all, she has had a good night’s sleep, which hasn’t happened in months, and second, both her husband and her baby are gone. Grateful for the much-needed rest, Veronica doesn’t, at first, seriously question her husband’s trip out to breakfast with baby Clara. Little does she know, her spouse has fled lower Manhattan, with Clara, for some R & R in the Caribbean. 
Told through alternating points of view, The Sunshine When She's Gone explores the life-changing impact of parenthood on a couple as individuals and as partners. Thea Goodman brings us into intimacies made tense by sleep-deprivation and to losses and gains made more real by acknowledging them. Here is the story of a couple pushed to the edge and a desperate father’s attempt give them both space to breathe. 
Want to know how the weekend ends up?

We're giving away TWO copies
of this hardback cover book!

Leave a comment about what you would do if you had a six-month-old and the father of your child swooped in and took the baby away without you knowing for the whole weekend and then lies to you about his whereabouts... could you just hang out all weekend and be yourself again? I personally do not think I could relax, but I think that Veronica was able to do some very interesting things in her time away from Clara and John. And you'll see what kind of parent John turns out to be as well! 

You will find this book very entertaining! 

Don't forget to go back and enter to win the other books I have on the blog that I haven't chosen winners for yet. They are here, simply click on the book titles and you'll be taken to that post where you can enter to win those books as well!


A Whole New You by Brett Blumenthal


The Crooked Branch by Jeanine Cummins

Covet by Tracey Graves Garvis  

The fine print you should probably read if you want to enter this giveaway if you've never played the Booking with Manic game before! : 

If you're new to Booking with Manic, thank you for stopping by! We love new readers! Some notes - If you're entering to win a book, please leave a comment on this post and use an identifying name when commenting. It's usually a great idea to include an email, which I will never give out to anyone else. You can only enter once please. You'll need to check back here in a few days to see if you've won the book -- I will either list the winner in a new post OR highlight the winner's name at the top of this post, or tell you where you can find the winner's name at the top of this post. I do NOT personally contact the winners. It is YOUR responsibility to come back to see if you've won. Most books are supplied directly through publishers, publicists and the authors. Winners will receive books directly from the publisher or author within 3 weeks from the time you provide me with your address, unless I send you the book (sometimes I will). Sorry, but we can only ship to U.S. and Canada so if you're from another country, thank you for coming by to read and discover new authors, but we can't send you a book. Any questions on how I run the blog or suggestions on who you would like to see featured, please email me at stephanieelliot[at]gmail.com. Thank you for your support!

44 comments:

TinaB said...

Yeah, I think I'd freak out a little!!
Brannanflooring@aol.com

Samantha said...

Sounds like an interesting take... I would certainly freak out!!
samantha.jensen@gmail.com

Kirsten said...

I'd totally freak out. I'd probably kill him.
kirstenlynn73@yahoo.com

Mary Jo Burke said...

Before or after I had a heart attack, I'd hit him upside the head.

Hailey said...

I'd freak out! I wouldn't know what to do with myself till my baby was safe and sound in my arms.

fishiegirl22@yahoo.com

Jerriann said...

I would totally freak out. As a mom I always had to have my babies close.

Books & Reviews said...

In don't have kid --- so this is hard to imagine. I suppose I'd give the house a top to bottom cleaning and read a book.

slm8803 said...

I don't think I could relax...I'd be worrying the whole time. I don't even like to leave my teenagers adn my toddler alone for too long w/my hubby. LOL

Bridget T. said...

I am thinking that I would freak out!

Iambtinrb

susieqlaw said...

I would freak out!

Anonymous said...

After my first baby, I think I was hanging on by a thread anyway and would have completely gone ballistic! However had he taken off for a weekend getaway with both kids shortly after the birth of our 2nd child, I would have skipped to the nearest spa and checked myself in for an extremely relaxing weekend!

Colbey J

Kelleyc said...

At 6 months, I think I would freak out, especially if I wasn't exactly sure where they were!!! (although, NOW if he would take the kids for a weekend, I would help them pack! Then relax and read all weekend!!)

Carly said...

I would freak out but only because of the lies. I'd trust my husband to take the kid and give me some sleep and a spa day. :)

Carly H

absolutahnie said...

i'm not a mom but my absolute gut reaction would be to freak out completely!

jdstec said...

Flip the H out.

CAnative said...

I would freak the ef out! And if he really wanted to give me some space he would be sending me to the Caribbean! lol

Nicole

Becki*** said...

Would freak.

Unknown said...

I'm not a mom...so my immediate answer was "SWEET!! ME TIME!" Then I thought more emotionally & I think I would freak out...it would obviously take a lot to calm a new mother down after an unknown separation like that. I think I'd be trying to track them down...rather than enjoy my alone time.

Bev V said...

My kids are adults now, so it's hard to remember when I wanted them with me all the time! As long as I knew the baby was with my husband, I think I would have slept the entire weekend!

Jessica said...

Well I don't have any children but I don't think I could just chill out all weekend if that happened to me! I would be terrified!

Thanks!
-Jessica M
walkingcorpse11@hotmail.com

Susan @ The Book Bag said...

It's been a long time since I was a new mom but I think I would have freaked out. Knowing what I do now, I would probably welcome the 'alone' time, knowing that everything would be fine.

TaraUB said...

Hard for me to say since I don't have children. If anyone were to take one of my cats and disappear, I'd probably go all Chuck Norris on them.

Reese78 said...

I don't think I could relax...I'd probably be even MORE stressed out than I was to start with!

bluestarbrite Steph said...

This isn't too hard to imagine, seeing as I have a one year old. I think I would freak out and then sleep. Definitely sleep! Then maybe try to scrapbook some, since I haven't done that in ages.

Nanette said...

I would most definitely flip the "bleep" out. :)

Nan

Katie said...

Totally could not do it!

Juliet Farmer said...

i would not be able to relax as i would be out hunting for my baby!

Kim W. said...

No way I could relax! I would be livid...so much so that I would never be able to try and appreciate that he was trying to be helpful. Never.

Unknown said...

I would completely flip out! I trust my husband 100%, but if he took our child without telling me where they were going, I would totally freak!

Ncsulogds said...

I haven't ever had a baby but Ibased on my friends experiences with sleep deprivation I would probably be holy to sleep. Plus I hope I would be able to trust the man I made a baby with but that's just me. I say all this knowing I would probably still worry.

Melissa said...

I'd be freaking out big time!

Melissa A from CLC

Kimmi said...

I work for an atty., so I'd think the worst and call the police. And hunt him down like a dog. I've worked for an atty for waaaaaay too long.

Rachel said...

I don't have kids but I'm pretty sure I would be freaking out and wanting to locate them and only after grilling him about what he was up to might i be able to relax! rachelkb at gmail.com

Coleen said...

I think I would freak out!!! I wouldn't beable to function til my baby was home safe and sound. I don't have children but if I did I would be so over protective. As for the father, there is a good chance he would have a lot of explaining to do.

A.C. said...

Oh wow, I would totally sleep the weekend away. Maybe go for a run alone (without the jogging stroller) and hire someone to clean the house. (Why waste my weekend?)

Melissa said...

Absolutely not, I would panic!
-tmd636

SkokieShopper said...

This would be a no-brain panic situation for me. I can see a trip to a local getaway but to the Caribbean....no way!

BrendaL71 said...

The story line of this book is literally my worst nightmare. Absolutely not! I could not relax not knowing where my child is. That would be a bad time.

Erin G said...

I would freak the "f" out!!!

Suzy M said...

I personnaly don't have any kids, but I would absolutely go crazy, panic and freak out!

your invisible pixie said...

i don't think i would be able to relax!

Margie said...

I certainly couldn't rela. I'd probably spend a lot of time on the phone trying to track them down.

Luvschocolate said...

I'd be calling the authorities , ASAP

Amelia said...

I'd freak out