The Paperback Pursuer: Review # 141: From Zero to Four Kids in Thirty Seconds by Amy L. Peterson

Description:

Amy is single, career oriented, financially stable, and ready to seize her life - but not ready to settle down and have kids. Mark is slightly older, a divorcee, and has four children. The pair have worked around each other for years, but now that they are both single, sparks start flying- and so do tackle boxes. Amy goes from single lady to step-mom of Simone, Samantha, Conrad and Elizabeth in record time, and the events that follow - the good, the bad, and the sometimes ugly - change their lives in ways they never imagined.

Review:

From Zero to Four Kids in Thirty Seconds is a humorous and lighthearted memoir chronicling author Amy L. Peterson's unexpected journey into step-mother-hood. Amy's writing style is wonderful, ranging from laugh-out-loud funny, to heartwarming, to serious in the span of a few pages. I had to crack a smile every time I read one of her seventy tips for step-moms/step-moms-to-be. Some of my favorites were: "Tip # 56: You can't get a refund just because you're not having fun.", "Tip # 38: A woman's desire to get rid of junk is directly proportional to a man wanting to hang onto it.", and "Tip #11: "If your first meeting with the kids doesn't go well, rest assured that it won't be the last thing that won't go well." I loved Amy's down-to-Earth and authentic storytelling ability, as well as her ways of bringing characters and situations to life - just because a book is based on fact doesn't necessarily mean it sounds like fact; fortunately, this book netted the fish. Dialogue was also well written, as was the ending. I am not a mom, but this book let me in on the secrets of doing the best with what you have, and welcoming the unexpected. I would love to read more by this author - whether fiction or nonfiction - and recommend this book to women and mothers everywhere! I enjoyed the cover as well!

Rating: On the Run (4/5)

* I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

About The Author:

Amy L Peterson is a happily married wife, stepmother, author, amateur photographer, outdoors woman and keeper of numerous spoiled fuzzy animals. Her writing is diverse, her photography of animals and wildlife unique, and her pets have trained her how to get what they want.

Amy met Mark at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in the early 1990s and married him after he carried a rubber raft, oars, foot pump, camping gear, and fishing gear to 10,000 feet while backpacking in Montana. In addition to his prowess, Amy was attracted to Mark’s limitless supply of fishing tackle, and his interest in every kind of critter. The fact that he came with four children in denial about until she married him.

Amy summarized just some of the fun of entering into instant stepmotherhood in From Zero to Four Kids in Thirty Seconds. This humorous, entertaining book includes over 70 tips for stepmothers and women thinking about taking such a plunge. These tips are tried and true since all four of Mark’s children survived their time with Amy. Amongst the kids is one social worker, one mechanical engineer, and two college students.

Between bouts of being a wife and stepmother, Amy spends way too many hours photographing and writing about wildlife. Her publications and photos have appeared in Grit, Moxie, Montana, Travel Impulse, Women’s World, Bonaire Nights, and Pacific Coast Sportfishing. Her article about Nunavet wildlife was featured on the Nueltin Lodge web page, along with a photo of a monstrous pike she claims to have caught.

Amy has also co-authored numerous technical documents for the State of Michigan, all of which are really quite boring. Her favorite past time is writing mostly true stories of the various animals she’s spoiled or encountered in the wild. She is currently working on a book about all the animals Mark "always wanted."

Her blog at amylpeterson.com, is focusing on her book excepts and many a reviews she is receiving every day.

This is Amy’s humorous and compelling story of becoming a stepmother. The book has catchy chapter titles like "Can't We Just Duct Tape Them Together and Send Them Outside?" And it contains over 70 tips including "Tip #44: You can't exchange a bad child for a good head of lettuce." This book is a must read for stepmothers and future stepmothers, and a fun romance that might just make you giggle somewhere along the way.

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