For readers of Dolly Alderton or Rufi Thorpe, Martha Wants a Baby is an incisive debut set against the backdrop of a trendy spin studio, where two women are chasing the dream life they think they should want—only to find out that the goalposts never stop moving. This limited-print, deluxe first edition of April Vellacott's sharp and witty debut about friendship, ambition, and the messy ways women try (and sometimes fail) to feel like they're "enough" is a must-have for book lovers and collectors. Premium features include:
- Ombré stained edges
- Premium case stamp
- Illustrated endpapers
"Brimming with feeling . . . Tense, tender, and COMPELLING. I loved it." —Emma van Straaten
"A BRILLIANTLY OBSERVED, sharp novel." —Celia Silvani
Martha has done everything right. She has the dream job at Velora (a sleek cycling empire with a cultlike following), a dependable fiancé, and the perfect house. But one thing still haunts her to-do list: motherhood. Meanwhile, Velora's beloved instructor Georgie seems to have it all—Instagram fame, adoration at work, an already-gorgeous face now glowing from pregnancy—but behind the flawless facade, she's barely holding it together. When their lives collide, these two women form an unexpected but necessary bond—one that helps Georgie navigate her boss's subtle bias against mothers and offers Martha a safe place to reveal the secrets that could unravel her perfectly ordered world.
Sharp, witty, and heartfelt, Martha Wants a Baby is a story about ambition, identity, friendship, and the messy ways we try (and sometimes fail) to feel like we're "enough."
Praise
“I flew through this warm, wry, astute novel. They say comparison is the thief of joy and this book encapsulates it in a fresh, witty way—the unknowing ways women compete with each other and the damage it can do. Deeply relatable, it airs our darkest thoughts and really explores what it feels like to inhabit a woman's body. It is sharply observed yet brimming with feeling. Tense, tender, and compelling. I loved it.”
—Emma van Straaten, award-winning author of Creep
“Martha Wants a Baby is a brilliantly observed, sharp novel. It captures the complicated pressures young women put on themselves and each other so perfectly. I laughed, I shuddered at the accuracy, and I got goosebumps. I can’t believe it’s a debut.”
—Celia Silvani, author of Best Day Ever
