Mom Jeans and Other Mistakes focuses on a social media influencer (Jude) and a single mom (Lauren). The two women have been best friends since third grade. They both find themselves down on their luck after disastrous breakups. They decide to move in together while raising Lauren’s five year old daughter, Adelaide. After more drama is heaped upon them, they create a podcast as an outlet for their stress. The book follows their adventures with playgroups, influencer events, and family drama.

I really enjoyed this book. It felt like a strong girl-power anthem. The bond between Jude and Lauren was very refreshing. Watching both of them navigate tense relationship with their moms was very relatable. I was also able to identify with them picking up the pieces after their failed relationships.

I found this book to be witty and fun. Alexa Martin brought so much authenticity to her characters. I felt like I would love to have happy hour with the leading ladies. I was expecting a super sweet, yet unpredictable love story. That didn’t happen and I am totally okay with it. The romance played out in the background very nicely. The ending was emotional and touching, but not sappy. My only issue is Martin’s continued theme of lovable Black women becoming completely unraveled at the hands of the dreamy white man. I’d love to see her put that theme to rest.

This is a strong 4 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read that I would highly recommend. Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group, and Alexa Martin for the opportunity to review this book.

Thanks to Berkley for an advanced copy of Mom Jeans and Other Mistakes!

Mom Jeans and Other Mistakes is a book about friendship and growing up and supporting each other. Alexa Martin writes wonderful books where female friendship are shown in such a fun yet real way.

Lauren is a single mom to her 5 year old daughter. She wanted to be a surgeon, but found herself pregnant and her fiancee cheating on her and she's now struggling. So she decides to move in with her best friend Jude, who is Instagram famous. Can their friendship survive living together as they balance their own relationships with difficult moms, co-parenting, dating, mommy group drama and everyday life?

This book has some of Alexa's humor and love of cocktails, Real Housewives and witty newsletters. Though the book hits a lot of serious topics such as alcoholism, racism, custody cases and happiness.

While I enjoyed the book, it didn't quite resonate as strongly with me as the Playbook series did. I think if you are a mom you would love this book!

While I'm happy to promote the novel with a spotlight on my blog I've come to the conclusion that I'm past the point of enjoying this sub-genre (mommy lit, etc). It gave me a Kate and Allie vibe (1980s era sit-com) but just wasn't for me. Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for allowing me to read a digital galley.

I am a huge Alexa Martin fan! And what’s the one thing she can write even better than sparkling romances? Ride-or-die female friendships that practically jump off the page. Although really, who am I kidding….she could write a shopping list that I wouldn’t be able to put down, she’s a genius.

Lauren Turner has split up with her fiance and moved herself and her five-year-old daughter into a townhouse with her best friend Jude. Jude is an Instagram influencer who just had her dream of starting a pilates studio crushed when her beau ran off with her seed money. The two of them have been friends since the third grade, and have been there for each other through everything….but shit’s about to get real. Can their friendship withstand it?

This book explores female friendships, and mother-daughter relationships in a way that will have your heart aching, but also make you smile and want to call your bestie. I’ll admit there were a few aspects of the story that were so real for me I had a little trouble keeping my anxiety in check. But that’s the beauty of Alexa’s writing, you’ll swear you know these people, and feel as if you are right there with them.

QOTD: what are some qualities you love about your best friend(s)?

My husband makes me laugh more than anyone I know. My BFF @chrisj_viola likes all the things I like (hello, Starbucks, beach, target, we see you 👀). Idk that I’ve ever had those like, ride or die girlfriends that you do life with, but reading about Jude and Lauren in, Mom Jeans and Other Mistakes by Alexa Martin, gave me major FOMO

If you’d have told me I’d have died over this book about a social media influencer whose brand is Pilates and her mommy BFF that starts a podcast with her a year ago, I’d be like, bye, girl 👋 But 1. Hello, peloton, my 2021 obsession! 2. It read so relatable and was fresh and modern in such an authentic way.

Both Jude and Lauren are a little messy in completely different ways (definitely a bit of an opposites attract friendship), but they constantly have their hands on each other’s backs urging the other forward. Their friendship is inspiring and their dialogue hilarious. I will 💯 be picking up
@alexambooks’ Playbook series once football season is in full swing 🏈

Thank you @netgalley and @berkleypub for this early look, Pub Date 07 Sep 2021. I couldn’t recommend it more enthusiastically, you guys!

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Sometimes when life doesn’t go exactly as planned you have to make other arrangements. For Jude and Lauren life has veered off course but they at least have each other!
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They decide to move in together and help each other pick up the pieces of their lives and what better way then with your best friend at your side? Jude is an Instagram influencer trying to work her way out of debt and her mother’s shadow. Lauren was going to be a doctor then she found herself unexpectedly pregnant and with an ex. Instead of navigating the operating room, she is operating the sticky world of playgroups and preschools.
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These two friends could not be more opposite but their love for each other outweighs their differences, plus their love for an absolutely magical five year old.
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This one had me laughing so hard at times but there is real problems and emotions on display. It’s quite the balancing act that I think the author did really well.
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Thank you #lovearctually for a great discussion for this one! This book is available September 7th.
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Thank you @berkleypub and @netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review

Children and hangovers do not mix.”

I honestly didn't think I could love Alexa Martin's books more until I read Mom Jeans and Other Mistakes. It shows tremendous range to be able to write a novel so different from your last series, but still entertain and make the reader feel. This book is not a romance, but it does have hints of it along the way. This book is about friendship, motherhood, and the struggle to be all the things.

Lauren and Jude could not be more opposite, yet they are the best of friends, and have been since middle school. Now the pair are down on their luck and moving in together to help each other pick up the pieces of their lives. Single mom Lauren is the rule follower. Social media influencer Jude dances to the beat of her own drummer. But together, they are the definition of what it means to be a friend.

Lauren and Jude had such distinct voices. They were both hilarious and extremely relatable. As a mom, I felt Lauren's plights with her daughter Addy, who hands down stole the show for me. I mean seriously, how can kids lose their socks and shoes constantly?!?!?! I easily placed myself in her shoes with the day to day demands of motherhood and wanting to be everything to everyone and still follow the rules along the way.

While Lauren's struggles as a mom spoke to my heart, I also found myself relating to Jude's sailor mouth and unapologetic pursuit of her dreams. Jude has a lot on her plate and this leads to a very frank depiction of mental health struggles and alcoholism. I am so glad this was included in the book. At times, Jude's story was hard to read, but it was an accurate depiction of how complicated relationships and outside pressure can ultimately cause people to break.

Addy stole the show for me. That 6 year old tiny budding feminist captured my heart from the first pages. Whip smart and extremely funny, she's likely to rule the world one day. The authentic relationship between Jude and Addy is extremely endearing and sweet. I also adored Hudson, Lauren's love interest, who was a true stand up guy. Tender and so completely into Lauren, he had me swooning, but only after his disaster of an opening line, "reproduction is dope."

Mom Jeans and Other Mistakes is a must read. It celebrates true friendship and motherhood. It examines life in a digital age, where people have their outward persona that doesn't necessarily match the true state of their life and the toll it takes on a person. It delves into tough topics of mental health and race. It was everything I was expecting and more.

Thank you Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Mom Jeans and Other Mistakes publishes September 7.

I absolutely adore Alexa Martin's Playbook sports romance series and was thrilled to read her latest women's contemporary, Mom Jeans and Other Mistakes. Martin's latest has many of the same elements you would expect from her books – laugh-out-loud funny dialogue, sarcastic and witty characters, and strong women protagonists who are easy to cheer for right from the opening pages. While this effort from Martin features strong female friendships rather than swoony romance, it was still a very fun read. This book has so much heart and realistic, messy relationships. I devoured it. Thank you so much NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with an e-arc.

Heartfelt and heartwarming. A recommended purchase for collections where lighter women's fiction is popular.

This week, @lovearctually read Mom Jeans and Other Mistakes by @alexamartin. The other club members raved about Alexa’s books and so this is my first book of hers I’ve read.

I’m told this is a big departure from her other series. Two best friends are renting an apartment together for support and companionship. Lauren is a single black mom of a spunky young girl and is figuring out life after her fiancé leaves her for another woman. Jude is her Instagram famous BFF, but trying to get back on her feet after a manager steals all her money. They decide to start a podcast to help Lauren’s custody case and to promote Jude’s Instagram.

Both women have interesting relationships with their own mothers and that definitely plays a large part of the story. The book was more serious that I expected with serious talks about racial issues and alcoholism. I was very surprised to read about Lauren’s relief that her custody case was handled by someone black and she thought it would really help her case. It definitely made me think think about custody in mixed race relationships.

Overall, it was a good book and I would like to read Alexa’s Playbook series. Thank you so much to @berkleypub and @netgalley for the advanced copy. Mom Jeans and Other Mistakes is out Sept 7 so get your preorders in now!

To be honest… I almost DNFd this book. It was so incredibly stressful for me. I’m not an especially anxious person, but I do read to be happy after a long day at work and this book was not doing it for me. Lauren is living with her five year old daughter and BFF for life and influencer, Jude. Together, Lauren and Jude decide to start a mom-fluencer podcast.

Spoiler alert but also trigger warning, Lauren’s d-bag ex is fighting for full custody of her daughter, and Jude is an alcoholic, but hiding it/in denial. It’s just a disaster waiting to happen. This is what made the book so stressful for me. I almost gave up at several points, but others who finished and loved it pushed me to keep reading.

And the book did get better, especially knowing a little bit more about what happens, and being assured it’s an HEA. There’s no doubt that Alexa Martin is a beautiful writer with a talent for creating great, interesting characters. But for fans of her sports romances, this is quite the departure.

Thanks to Berkley for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3 stars - 6/10

⭐️⭐️⭐️½

All Olive McCormick has ever wanted is to perform. She loves to sing and dance for an audience and the stage is where she belongs. When she has an opportunity to be a Ziegfield chorus girl in one of their popular productions, she runs with it and eventually she becomes a Ziegfield star. She loves the glamour and glitz of being on the stage and the nightlife in New York. But when she meets Archie, a wealthy and handsome suitor, she may have to give up the life that she loves so much.

I always like a story about performers and the glitz and glamour of stage productions. Olive's rise to stardom was entertaining, even though I thought it was a little contrived considering how easy it was for her to rise to the top. I like my lead characters to have some challenges in their rise because I feel like that's more realistic.

Archie and Olive's love story had me wanting to turn the pages to see how their relationship would pan out. Archie had me swooning with his gentlemanly ways and his professions of love for her. It broke my heart that Olive as keeping secrets from him that she shouldn't have kept.

Nicola Harrison does a great job of describing the productions in this novel. I was really impressed! I felt like I could easily visualize what was going on during the performances, which I imagine is hard to do on the page. I would have liked a bit more depth to the story and characters, but overall, this was an enjoyable read.

⚠️: sexual harassment

As besties with a podcast, this book gave us all the feels! We were so surprised at how much we loved it. Originally, we didn’t think either of us would like it at all but we related so well to Jude & Lauren. Both of us to each! Bumpy motherhood relationships and surprise pregnancies?! Literal story of my life and I love reading about how different characters and thus personalities navigate those curveballs. And this one just hit it out of the park

Two best friends decide to solve their housing problems by being roommates, but can their friendship survive the messiness that comes with everyday life.

The women's friendships have always been my favorite part of Alexa Martin's romances (the Lady Mustangs are a delight in her football romance series). So I was excited to see she was branching out into women's fiction, focused on friendships; and this book didn't disappoint. Very appealing!

I loved Alexa Martin's Playbook series and was excited to see how she did in the realm of women's fiction. Alexa Martin did not disappoint, Mom Jeans and Other Mistakes had me hooked from the beginning and I stayed up late to finish and find out what happened.

Mom Jeans and Other Mistakes follows millennial childhood best friends Jude and Lauren. They decide to move in together to help each other out while they're both down on their luck after being burned by men, Jude by a business partner and Lauren by her ex. While they are best friends, they are living completely different lives. Jude is a social media influencer and Lauren is a Black single mother raising a vibrant and precocious daughter, Addy.

At times I wondered why Jude and Lauren were still friends, they seemed so different and like they were unable to fully trust each other. But as the story progressed I began to understand their relationship better, it can be hard, to be honest with someone that knows you well. I appreciated how both of their problems felt real and valid. Their friendship gets tested in big ways and the real question is can it survive their mistakes?

I was so stressed throughout this book when Lauren's ex decided to go for custody of Addy. I was literally screaming because he seemed like such a manipulative jerk. I love that everything worked out in the end, even if it seemed to do so easily. I don't think my heart could have handled anything different from what happened.

I appreciated that Alexa Martin showed the many facets of motherhood. From Lauren as a single mom, to both Jude and Lauren's relationships with their own mothers, as well as Lauren and Addy's relationship with Addy's bonus mom. It showed how complex motherhood can be and that as a child you don't always see what's truly going on behind the scenes.

As always Alexa Martin touched on real issues, like mental health and racism with honesty and focus. The friendship felt flawed and real. I loved how this book discussed self-empowerment and that sometimes important relationships can be unhealthy and toxic.

I can't wait to see what Alexa Martin comes up with next!

CW: alcoholism, child custody battle, medical gaslighting, depression

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

My favorite part of Mom Jeans & Other Mistakes is its premise: two adult best friends move in together to co-parent one of their children. Lauren is the slightly type A mother to 5-year-old Adelaide, and Jude is the carefree social media influencer who is sometimes the second mother and sometimes the second child. Throughout the book, we get a close look at their relationships and dynamics with their mothers (arguably the biggest subplot), other mothers, and Lauren's ex and a new love interest. I do appreciate a good relationship-driven story like this, but the pacing felt off to me in that for the first 60% of the book or so, it felt like Lauren and Jude were both being portrayed as amazing people whose problems all stemmed from being victimized by the bad characters in their lives, who only ever did bad things. Thankfully it turns out to be a bit more realistically complex than that, but for a while there it was feeling kind of saccharine. I like a little more bite to my narrators. The writing does remind me of a lot of contemporary romance novels in this regard though, and I think it will be a great pick for anyone who usually prefers those but wants to branch out and read a story that focuses on female friendship.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this really did not do it for me. I don't think there was anything that I read and thought, "oh, I like that!" From the start I found Jude grating in her influencer status and her emotionally abusive relationship with her mother, I found Lauren's inability to stand up to Ben insulting, and I found Adelaide to be way too perfect for a child. I could see the mistakes coming from a mile off and when they happened I could not help but roll my eyes.

I really disliked the way almost every conflict in this book was resolved, from the custody battle to the forgiveness of Jude at the end. So many of these things felt unrealistic to me and it made me wonder why so much of this happened in the first place -- clearly, neither of these women are good friends, though they think they are because they allowed each other to get into absolute disasters as every turn.

So, this was 2 stars for me. I did not feel close to the women and did not care a ton about what happened to them.

3.75 but I rounded up
I really enjoyed this read, which was somewhere between a comedy and a drama for me if it were playing on the big screen.
I loved the friendship that was portrayed and really appreciated the depth of the characters. There was a fun sassiness to the writing I really enjoyed and as an insta user/mini influencer I really connected with some of the “influencer” moments.
Overall I would definitely recommend this one to millennial readers looking for a fun, yet important, book about friendship and female power.
Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for an eARC of this book!

This book was adorable, and relatable. I loved the characters in relationships and the romance. This book had me from the cover and it did not disappoint. I have recommended this to two friends and a book group.