The Two Week Wait

I loved this book! It was heartwarming and strong. It was exactly what I needed with everything going on in the world! A happy little escape!

The two week wait was an interesting read for me as I’ve never experienced fertility issues so was enlightening to read about the issues other couples experience whilst trying to get pregnant!
A group of women who are trying to get pregnant but are having issues get together in an online forum to provide a support network to each other and in doing so develop a friendship although they are all very different in age, outlook, circumstances etc!
An easy read that makes you appreciate your own fertility.
Thank you net galley for this early read.

Jane has been desperate to have a baby for what feels like forever – twenty years to be exact. Her and her husband Keith have spent most of their married life wishing for their own children; while enduring heartache, expensive rounds of IVF, BFNs (big fat negatives) and countless TWWs, the acronym for the agonising two week wait between ovulation and the start of a woman’s period. Monday 1st of February, after a lunch with her sister Annie and her children, Jane gets ready to begin another agonising two week wait to see if she will be welcoming any of her own. She signs in, for the twentieth time, to a TWW forum and creates a new chat. “The big wait starts today, anyone fancy sitting it out with me?”, she asks.

The replies come in from four other women, all at different stages of their lives and fertility journeys. Becks, already a mum to one-year-old Hunter; Fern, a determined, glass-door-smashing career woman, who has her doubts on how a child will impact her career; twenty-one-year-old Mandi, who is married to a much older man and is desperate to become a mother, if only in part to appease her pushy mother-in-law; and Star, or Stacey as she’s known to her parents, an Insta-influencer, who is looking to do motherhood on her own. The reader is invited along with the five women as they support each other through their closed forum, discussing insensitive partners, old wife’s tales, and their infertility struggles on the fourteen torturous days that stand between them and potential motherhood.

I finished this little gem of a book very quickly and it was an enjoyable read. I think the author tackled a very sensitive subject with the right amount of tact that kept this book light and hopeful, while carefully considering how the subject of infertility can affect lots of women and their partners. I thoroughly enjoyed that the author included switching POVs from a wide range of characters and that we got to delve deep into the lives of very different women on their fertility journeys. It was nice to read how the experiences of the women varied and I think it will help tackle stereotypes for other readers and show how anyone can face fertility struggles, regardless of their age. I do think the topic of fertility remains very taboo and it wasn’t something I was too familiar with before reading this book. I haven’t ever read a book on this topic before, and this really sets this book apart from others, and I believe it will be an interesting read to women from all walks of life as a result of the diverse perspectives covered.

While I enjoyed this book, there were aspects which I enjoyed less. I did like the switching between the message board format, and the prose as this helped us learn more about the characters, however, I do feel like some characters received more exposure throughout the story. I know it’s completely natural to have favourite characters, but I found myself wanting to know more about some more than others, and I think the style of the novel prevented us from learning more. I also know that the book was focused on the experiences of the women and less so on their partners, despite touching on the idea throughout the novel that the two week wait affects men too, but I found some of the partners to be one-dimensional characters. It appeared that they were either good, or bad, and there wasn’t much space for development of these men beyond how they fitted in to what their partner shared about them in the forum.

I also HATED how the women were constantly at odds with each other in what was supposed to be a supportive forum. I appreciate that their tensions and hormones were all over the place, but as I really felt for Becks and her experiences of being a stay-at-home mum, with a difficult partner (kudos to the author; Mike was one of the best developed partner characters, I found myself both hating him and wanting him to get better), I despised seeing the women jump on her all the time and diminishing her experiences and feelings, just because she already had a child. It made them come across as very jealous and bitter, and I just can’t see why Becks would have remained in the group. I understand the novel needed some tension, but it just wasn’t a realistic plot point in the manner it was played out, especially when there was tension between the women and their partners, or family members. I also could have read a whole book just about Becks and her story.

To summarise my final thoughts, this was not a book I thought would appeal to me. I am a single, career-focused, twenty-four-year-old with not a smidgen of maternal instinct (maybe I’ll be a Fern in ten years’ time), but I did find myself enjoying it. As I said earlier, I do think it would appeal to a range of women but would err on the side of caution suggesting it to those who may be struggling with infertility. I did find it hopeful and light, but I appreciate that I cannot speak for women experiencing the heartache of longing for a child but seemingly being unable to conceive one.

Jane has been trying to get pregnant for twenty long years and this month decides to go through the dreaded two week wait with others going through the same thing. She puts a forum post online and soon four women respond to it saying they are going through the same thing. While all very different women in very different circumstances, the women all connect through their shared experience... will they all get their happy endings?

A fantastic book that is perfect for anyone who has been through that awful two week wait countless times. It gives you hope but even more than this is shows that you aren't alone. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of the book in return for my honest feedback.

3.5 Stars

Having never had fertility issues this book was an eye-opener to me. How agonizingly sad to have to go through this. I am one-hundred percent feminist and believe a woman doesn't have to have children, or a man, to be complete...BUT if it is something you truly desire it must be devastatingly painful to have your heart broken month after month.

This was an easy read, with simplified dialogue and multiple narrators. It is sort of an epistolary style book as a lot of it is simple chat-room dialogue and there are some journal entries as well. I don't usually go for that but it worked here for some reason.

While the overly-simple writing style drove me nuts at times, I did like the intent of the story. The somewhat contrived parts were too convenient but the overall theme was interesting and, in the end, hopeful.

P.S.
I rounded up because the book has such a low rating and I don't think it deserves it simply because the author didn't have the same struggle as some readers. It does say in the blurb I read that Lucy J Lewis based the story on her own experiences.

Great book! It tells a great story about the power of women and friendships. If you need a pick me up book then this is it.

Waiting for anything is rough, waiting 2 weeks to find out if your pregnant, is also rough. This is a good book, women on a forum about waiting two weeks, and how much they learn about themselves and each other in this time.

Lucy J Lewis’s novel follows five women as they suffer the agonising “two week wait” to find out if they are pregnant, sharing their experiences on an online fertility discussion forum.

Having experienced fertility “issues”, I’m no stranger to the horrors of the two week wait, although it’s all thankfully a number of years in the past now. I’ve also done my share of posting on online forums on the subject, and in fact had the idea at one point of writing a novel based on the forum chat. Well, it turns out that’s what Lucy J Lewis has done (though it’s not entirely forum chat). It was interesting and nostalgic, kind of, to be reminded of the jargon – TTC, BFP, and the rest, and the endless and usually fruitless symptom-spotting, and definitely brought back some memories, not necessarily good ones!

The writing feels a fraction heavy handed at times and there’s rather too much information dumping towards the beginning. Within a few lines of meeting Fern, for instance, we’ve learned that she has a Rolex (that’s in the first sentence), a Smythson notebook and a Fendi bag. Ok, we get it, she’s rich. Once the story settles down, though, I did enjoy it (and the brand-dropping thankfully ceases).

There are a lot of characters – I was expecting three, maybe four, so by the time it got to 5 I was wondering how on earth I was going to keep track of them all. In fact it wasn’t difficult, as Jane, Becks, Fern, Mandi and Star (who’s an “Instagram influencer” - I’m afraid I did roll my eyes at that) are very different, varying widely in age, situation and general attitude, from twenty-year TTC veteran Jane, to Fern who is not even sure she wants a baby. I didn’t hugely identify with any of them, but that’s not a problem, and I did appreciate the diversity.

I think women who have had or are having difficulty conceiving will definitely relate to a lot in this story - the author clearly writes from experience and it all rings true. (Online fertility forums clearly haven’t changed much, as I recognised everything here.)

The focus is very much on the women’s pregnancy aspirations, although relationships - good and bad - also get a look in (and certain people’s behaviour had me fuming at times.) Fern seems to be the only one, though, with a job she actually cares about, and apart from the fact that she works in TV we didn’t really learn anything about it. (By the way, I hadn’t realised anyone still used the surely outdated term “career woman”! Who ever heard of a career man?) On reflection, I think Fern was probably my favourite of the five women.

An enjoyable read which will resonate with many. And I do want to know who the little nameless bit at the end refers to!... my money’s on Fern... Do let me know, Lucy, if you read this!

Thank you to Net Galley and The Book Guild for an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. I enjoyed this book a great deal. Several women, hoping to be moms, enter the "two week wait," when they believe they might be expecting, but it's not yet time to take the test. They meet online, with very different backgrounds, expectations, ages and hopes. They grow, and they support each other. The ending was very clever.

Book Review for The Two Week Wait by Lucy J. Lewis.

Full review for this title can be found at: @fyebooks on Instagram!

The Two Week Wait was an inspiring and emotional read about five very different women who are brought together by wanting a baby. Jane, who has been suffering from infertility issues for 20 years starts a forum for those waiting in the dreaded two week wait. Four other women join the forum and together they discuss their emotions, relationships, and fertility issues. As someone who is going through infertility issues, this was a very emotional and relatable read but one that deeply moved me. I loved how each of the characters were all so different but going through the same thing, and I loved learning each of their stories and seeing how the two week wait affected each of them. I also loved that the feelings of their significant others/families were addressed throughout the story as well. I don’t want to give away too much so I’m choosing to keep this review relatively short. I will say though that the book finished with a perfect ending and left me feeling very hopeful and inspired. Thank you to Netgalley and The Book Guild for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Two Week Wait by Lucy J Lewis

This book follows five women who are trying to conceive. They connect on an online forum one day and decide to go through the two week wait together for support. The writing goes between their chats on the forum to diving deeper into each character’s backstory. The heartbreak, loss, waiting and excitement were all told in great detail. I enjoyed the fast pace of this book. Each woman had their own relationship depicted. The stress and strain fertility issues can place on someone was eye opening. I felt for these women and found myself wanting to know what path each of them were lead down.

Just finished this heart wrenching story about the two week wait that women with fertility issues go through between the time of ovulation and taking their pregnancy tests.

It was truly eye opening and I recommend for anyone who knows someone that is going through this, or has/is going through it themselves.

The story is set based on five women that talk on forum for support as they go through the process. I truly enjoyed the book and found myself fully invested in the journey of each woman

This heart wrenching story about the two week wait that women with fertility issues go through between the time of ovulation and taking their pregnancy tests.
They help each other through this hard time via a support group!
I did struggle to keep up with the amount of characters and information for each of them and it did get confusing at times.
I loved the overall story.... And I hope it brings hope to someone out there.

This story follows five woman during their two week wait from ovulation to the point they can take a pregnancy test.

This story brought me back to 4-5 years ago. I had a hard time getting pregnant (and staying pregnant) and that two week waiting period to find out if you’re pregnant is real and emotional.

Lewis did a lovely job putting infertility on paper and showcasing how everybody’s journey to parenthood is different. It was also very real and relatable (online mom-shamers, symptom spotting, stress).

Though I related to this story on so many levels, I had a hard time connecting with the characters. I also wish that if we’re touching a topic such as infertility, that miscarriages were also brought up in this book. Statically speaking the chances are that at least one of these women would have had one.

Overall though, it was an interesting read that I enjoyed and I wish I had this book five years ago.

For those that don't know, the two week wait is the waiting period from ovulating to pregnancy test and it can be a loooooooooong wait.

I've never cried at a book before... until this one. Without going into too much detail, this hit a spot. I found this so relatable and realistic. It was quick a read and I wish it was longer. I want to know more about the women, their lives and trying to conceive journeys. I felt like it was just getting started when it ended!

Some conditions are briefly discussed such as endometriosis and PCOS. The line of 'if this was a male disease there would be a cure by now' was a particularly favourite! These are conditions that are not widely discussed but are so common and are effecting women every

This book may not be for everyone though. I approached it with caution and was very aware of how I may respond to it. So please be prepared for that.

But I will absolutely be coming back to this book. It has brought me some comfort at a time when I needed it.

⭐ 4/5 stars

The Two Week Wait is a story of bonds, friends and the struggle of conception many experience. Is it better to experience it alone, with strangers online or newly formed bonds with said internet users?

First of all, thank you NetGalley, Lucy J Lewis and Book Guild Publishing for the ARC of The Two Week Wait.

I really, really enjoyed this book!

The subject matter was a sensitive one; infertility, but it was heartwarming to read about the coming together of five different women from different walks of life all with different experiences of infertility via an online forum.

I found all the characters likeable in their own ways. I found all five offered something different to the story which aided it in its progression.

I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style of the online chat and diary entries from each of the five women. I liked that we got to see their stories from their own perspectives rather than that of a third person.

This book does have a lot of characters introduced in quick succession at the beginning of the book. However, I found it easy to keep up with them all and didn’t get confused about whose who.

I did find the abbreviations confusing at the very beginning, but found them easier to understand as the story progressed.

My only gripe with this novel was the ending. I wanted a tad more, as I felt some of the womens endings were left quite loose.

Overall, a pleasant read, one which I would recommend to anyone wanting a quick, easy, heartwarming read.

WOW, this book was more than I expected. I loved it!! I read it so quickly because I loved each and every one of the characters so much, they had authenticity and it pulled on my heartstrings the situation of each woman in their want for a baby.

The Two Week Wait describes some women's life perfectly and it is great that this is being brought into literature so freely. I loved this book so much and would recommend it to anyone!!

I thought this was a very lively story. We follow five strangers on a two week wait online forum ( two weeks being the wait time between ovulation and being able to test for pregnancy) as they support each other through the tough wait. The ladies are sounding boards for each other, and I liked how each one brought something different to the table that could benefit the other women. The women all learn about themselves through the waiting process, and it was nice to see their character development in discovering who they are meant to be and who they may or may not be meant to be with. There were some surprising end results, but I expected to see one of them become pregnant by the end of the book. I was glad to see that everyone wasn’t granted a positive result on their test at the end of the novel because that isn’t realistic. I was surprised about the cliffhanger at the end and wished it could have been resolved instead of left open. All in all this was an easy comfortable read.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

The Two Week Wait is the story of five women during the two week waiting period go find out if they're pregnant who talk on a forum. They're all widely different characters but have the waiting period in common.

I really did enjoy this book because l couldn't wait to find out who was pregnant. My favorite person in the book was Star and her yogi perspective. I'd really love to know her story after the book.

Most of the book was done in a "forum chat" so it was a quick read. I would love to read more of this authors book!

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. What a nice read this was, good storyline and good characters. I really enjoyed it.

Thank you @netgalley for the ARC. This is a story of infertility where a group of women finding solace on an online forum during their "two week wait". I liked how all the characters bonded since they were all going through it together. Each of the characters came from different backgrounds and had a different life but all wanted one thing, to have a baby. I was real rooting for the characters by the end. Overall would recommend.

This book was a very interesting insight into the mindset of those trying to conceive and waiting for what could be the happiest time of their life. I must say I enjoyed the writing style as it was an easy read, and I imagine it would be very comforting for women going through the same situation as Jane and the other women featured in the book.

I will say, this was a difficult read in terms of the formatting of the ebook I received from Netgalley. I do not know if this was simply an issue with just my copy or if it was an issue with the formatting in general, but the actual prose sections had few paragraph breaks, and the sections featuring posts from the main characters had the tags of who posted what with inconsistent line breaks. I think this would be a 3.5 without the formatting issues but this one is a 2.5 for me with the formatting -- it just makes it very difficult to get through.

First off, this book has really good intentions and the storyline is really great focusing on 5 women who are all having fertility issues, a very upsetting topic. I really liked the way the author wrote this book with a simple and easy writing style and this shows by me finishing it the same day I started, I liked how there were inserts of the ‘TWW’ forum that were put between days of the two weeks period as well as having inserts of diary entries from each person.

However, I did struggle to keep up with the amount of characters and information for each of them and it did get confusing at times. Some points I didn’t realise who I was reading about and at the end I was still getting a bit muddled with each of them. I also felt that there was a huge perception on how it is believed that women need men, yet there was so much focus on the other halves being horrible to the women whilst they were going through this two week wait, which is clearly shown that it is incredibly tough and heartbreaking when you just desire one thing and that is for a positive test. Although not all partners were like this and some were incredibly nice and supportive, Keith being one of them. Jane was one of my favourite characters and one I would believe to be most relatable to those reading who are suffering with the same issues.

It does show that there has been a high amount of research put into this book. Overall, this book was an easy read and would recommend to those who want to fly through a book but I would obviously bare in mind the upsetting topics as I imagine it would be a difficult read to those going through the same thing. I would recommend to those who want to learn more about the topic and understand what it is like for those people having struggles when trying to conceive. As a younger reader I didn’t relate to the topics discussed so I don’t feel I can comment on whether those who are struggling with the same thing would confide in reading this book or whether it would make them feel worse.

Five women, coming from very different backgrounds, meet on line in a forum chat during their two week wait, that is those 14 days of the month during which you don't know whether you've conceived or not and you can only wait to test.
I really liked the outline of the book, part prose, part forum posts, it made the reading very easy, entertaining and quick, even though a bit ripetitive.
The theme of infertility is treated lightly, with a right amount of humour.
It was good to follow these women, so different, in age, background and motivation, during their 14 days journey, getting to know each other and getting to understand each other's motivation, doubts, hopes and struggles.
I also liked the ending and would like to know, from someone who has read the book, who your guess is on in the last post :-)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Two Week Wait follows a diverse group of women starting out their two-week wait between ovulation/possible conception and the pregnancy test. Each story was engaging and heartwarming and it genuinely felt like being dropped into a group of friends (even though they were strangers) who are going at possibly the hardest experience of their lives. I also appreciated that each person was coming from such different backgrounds and stages in life and the stories didn't feel fake or repetitive. I'm hoping for a part-two to continue to follow these women and their families.

5/5 Stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and The Book Guild for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As a child free by choice 30 something, I enjoyed this quick easy read much more than I was expecting to. I really connected to the different characters and was rooting for them all by the end. I think this would be a difficult read if you have personal experience of infertility though. I read this all in one sitting when I couldn’t sleep one night and it passed a few hours very nicely. I would enjoy a sequel as I would like to know what happens next for these ladies.

In The Two Week Wait by Lucy J. Lewis, main character Jane has been trying for a baby for the last 20 years. She knows the disappointment that comes with taking the test and seeing the dreaded BFN (big fat negative) and she is all too familiar with the TWW (two week wait) between ovulation and testing. This time around, she decides to post on a TWW forum "Anyone else starting their two-week wait? Shall we wait it out together?"

Later that day, 4 women (Mandi, Becks, Star, and Fern) respond to Jane's message as they are all embarking on the same TWW in hopes of one thing at the end. A baby. The novel highlights each woman's life as well as their struggles as they go through the TWW in their own different way and discover a deep connection with the other women in the forum that they confide in along the way.

This novel was light-hearted, funny, and a fast-paced read. I really enjoyed the variety of the characters and I felt as though I was hanging out with them as I was reading. As someone who is not TTC (trying to conceive), this novel was informative in a subtle and bittersweet way and really demonstrated the struggle that many women go through to conceive a child. It also elaborates on the social pressure that women feel to bring children into the world and how that pressure can place strain on relationships with family, friends, and partners. I would definitely recommend this novel!

Though I haven't gone through struggles with fertility, I have dear friends that are so this book was eye-opening into the things they are going through, the emotions they feel. I loved having the chance to read this and highly recommend it!

as someone who is not a mother nor actively planning to conceive i thought hmm this book might not be for me but i was so wrong
this book follows a group
of women who are all doing the dreaded two week wait. Some parts of the book are life out loud funny whilst other parts will have you reaching for the tissues , but you find yourself wanting nothing but the best for all of these women. I really enjoyed this and can’t wait to read more from the author

A lovely read, lots of heart. Enjoyed the dialogue and the character development and it all felt very “real”.

An open ended novel which paves the way nicely for a sequel too.

Easy to read and lose yourself in. Recommended.

Before I start I want to be clear that this book does contain trigger warnings regarding infertility and low self-esteem.

The Two Week Wait was an incredibly emotional but quick read that deals with a topic that isn't discussed enough in the media. This is a story of five women at different stages in their lives who are all going through the same thing.

Having polycystic ovaries myself I've always known that having children in the future is going to be hard for me and since I was a little girl one of the main things I've ever wanted out of life is children. Whilst I'm not at that stage of my life, this story hit home and left me feeling sad yet hopeful. It was an emotional rollercoaster to go on this journey with these woman and see how each of their lives were affected.

It's hard for me to write this review as there is so much that goes on in this book in terms of the waiting and their own individual lives. I've literally just sat with my mum and discussed the book with her even though she's not even read it because I needed to discuss it!

Lewis writing is beautiful and captivating that I found it so hard to put down. I really recommend giving this book a go, but only if you can deal with the trigger warnings!

Thank you to NetGalley and The Book Guild for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Really cute book about women waiting two weeks to find out if they are pregnant. You cheer them on as they explore their reasons for wanting this and the decisions they make.

Honestly I just didn't like the writing style of this book, much of it was written as posts in an online forum style which I found irritating. The story was interesting but much more superficial than I expected. It was however an easy read for a sunny day and I finished it in one sitting.

The concept of 5 woman wanting to become mothers, starting a online chat group to be able to talk with others going through the TWW, was interesting. But, for some reason, I really could not connect to any of the 5 woman doing the TWW. Each one comes from different cultures, ages and hopes....not one of them were relatable to me.
Overall, I enjoyed the story but, did not love it. Maybe I couldn’t relate as I have not gone through fertility issues.
Thank you to NetGallery, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book was a quick and easy read. Even though there were five main characters with separate lives to keep track of, it was easy to follow each woman's story throughout the book. The Two Week Wait can be agonizing but I felt as though Lewis brought light to this sensitive subject as well as hope for those on a similar fertility journey to those in the book. I really enjoyed how this was written as a combination of prose as well as forum messages. This book may be triggering for people who are current experiencing issues with infertility.
Full review will be available at the links below on March 8th.

I was interested in this book to see how these 5 women came together during the 2 week wait of waiting for a BFP (+ pregnancy test) but I was not a fan of reading so many different view points and it made it difficult for me to follow along. I wanted to like this book as I am interested in fertility/family planning due to work but I was just not a fan.

Well i have to say, i did enjoy this book

Ive read something similar to this years ago.
This book certainly rings true with the thoughts and feelings of women (and men) who are going through the TTC (Trying To Conceive) process and it it true that the 2ww is the hardest part of it. Emotions are running high.

The only thing that was missing from the 2ww was mucus (i know), believe it or not when things get desperate then you start looking at everything and mucus is top of that list, is it fertile or not. Oh and forgot to mention the tearing apart of the test and holding it up to the light, which happens normally from day 6 onwards for those of us without willpower and cant wait the full 14 days. Im sure many women have been there.
There also seemed to be argumentative moments between characters, im sure this is to show how emotional and desperate the characters are, but its not something ive come across personally.

I did enjoy the switching between each individual character and the forum posts, it gave a deeper insight to each of the private lives of the characters.

The book was a lovely quick read, well written and the short chapters meant i read it quicker than id planned too. It was funny in parts (heart breaking in others) and it covered a lot of the characters that you would come across online on a baby forum. It was also left open ended?? maybe a sequel coming??

I would definitely recommend this book and try others by this author

I read this in two days!! This never happens! These two weeks in this were unbearable to the point of me having to keep reading. I usually find thrillers are my page turning go to books but this has turned me. So dam good!
Thank you!!!

An eye opening story of five women who are all embarking on the journey to be pregnant & find themselves in a two week wait forum.
As they all wait it out together, they challenge & heal each other a long the way.

ARC review.

This wasn't the book for me. I knew I was older and at a different stage in life than these women, and luckily infertility was not the cross I was chosen to carry, when I chose to read this book. I liked the premise of an online support group as I have (and do) belong to some, but I never really warmed up to any of the women and in the end, well, I hated the ending.

Chapters are dated throughout the 14 days between ovulation and pregnancy test. Each chapter contains the messages on the forum, which are full of internet forum lingo (DH, TWW, etc) and then the story of what is happening in the characters' lives.

As I said, I hated the ending. Toward the end, one of the women tells the others she is pregnant--and we know who she is. The others have all gotten negative tests and say their goodbyes--maybe they'll get together again in two weeks to start another TWW. Then one posts to the forum that she too has a positive test--but no one responds and we don't know who it is. Nope. Not the way I like a book to end. If you are going to get me invested in characters, tell me what happened to them.

I'd like to thank the publisher for making a review copy available via NetGalley. Grade: C

This novel is about women who are trying to get pregnant and the Two Week Wait that they have after they have ovulated to check if they are pregnant. The book follows the women as they join a forum where women support each other through the two weeks. It delves into their lives outside the forum and their different circumstances and desire to be pregnant. While the premise is interesting, I felt the novel was a bit dull and the characters were not well drawn. The women’s partners were particularly stereotypical. The book is a light, easy read despite the subject matter. Thank you to Matador, The Book Guild and Netgalley for an arc of this novel in exchange for a review.

The Two Week Wait follows 5 women and their infertility journey. They meet on a chat forum and stick together during the 14 days that lead up til you can take a pregnancy test.

I loved the layout of this book! It's laid out in the chat format with chapters mixed in via each woman's perspective. The topic of infertility is very hard and deep, but I thought the author did a great job of covering the topic with some humor but still showing how difficult the struggle could be. Each woman comes from a different background, and relationship. As the book went on you were really rooting for each woman and I couldn't wait to find out what their test results would be at the end.

My one compliant with the book is that the women tended to be a little harsh toward each other on the forum. I know they were each going through something so difficult, but sometimes I was like wow I'd never talk to another woman like that.

Thank you NetGalley and Troubador Publishing for letting me read the ARC copy.

This was a really fun concept for a book. I myself have been in the “two week wait” many times, and know the large ranges of emotions that you deal with.

I felt like this book tackled half of what it could’ve. I think it could’ve gone more in depth with the deeper feelings you experience and longing for motherhood. I felt like it was all pretty surface level.

I did not like or really identify with the characters. Most of them didn’t even seem like they were in a good place to welcome a baby into the world and that was concerning. I think all of them could’ve benefitted from some therapy.

I really liked the ending though and the concept of the book overall is something I have never read about before.

Thank you NetGalley for this copy of “The Two Week Wait.”

I very much enjoyed this intricate multi character story, focusing on the biggest challenge of all - bringing a child into this world. A great read!

3.75/5

Things I didn't love: The book follows five characters, which can be overwhelming at times. It was difficult to keep track of each of their stories, which is probably why other books that bounce between POVs usually only explore two or three characters. I will also give the disclaimer that if you're the kind of reader who gets distracted by grammatical errors, you might want to skip this one.

Positives: That being said, this novel broaches a topic that is sorely under-discussed. Lewis, a holistic fertility coach, uses this charming story to bring attention to the multitude of challenges faced by folks with ovaries when trying to get pregnant. Each character has a unique barrier to her pregnancy, which allows readers exposure to that many realities that slow or block a person with ovaries' pregnancy attempts. Lewis uses the chat room that the characters are in together to demonstrate how important it is for people to talk about the trials and tribulations of getting pregnant. Although covering what can be a very emotional and taxing topic, the novel was light, entertaining, and easy to read.

Fertility issues are something I have never considered and this book was really interesting with five different women connecting on a forum to wait their two weeks to find out if they are pregnant. Their perspectives were completely different and I enjoyed all the different narratives. I liked some characters better than others (although there is developments for each character by the end which I appreciated!). A good read overall!

This book was a pleasant read. The characters were a joy to get to know and understand. They are definitely relatable women and this book gives a great insight into what it'll be like to go through the two week wait.

My favourite part about this book is that all the characters are different. Jane has been trying for a baby for nearly 20 years, giving up after this try to move on with life and get a puppy. Becks is a mum of 1 who has a neglectful husband and wants desperately for her child to have a sibling. Ferne is a workaholic who isn't even sure she wants a baby but wants one for her husband. Star is a social media influencer for positive thinking, the outdoors, and yoga. Finally, Mandi, a young twenty-year-old who is married to a much older man and an insufferable mother-in-law.

This group of women are all different. Star is going to be a single mother, Becks already a mother, and Ferne is a hard-headed businesswoman. They are all different but at the end of the day, they all have the same goal, and no matter how much one may have compared to the other, the two week wait is something no one can avoid and everyone will have to go through together.

I really enjoyed the concept of this book. I joined forums when I was pregnant so it brought back memories of that. I was finding myself wishing there was more content in a few places but overall I enjoyed the different stories of each of the women. Loved the cliffhanger at the end, hoping for a 2nd book now. definitely recommended for an easy read.

I was sent a copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The two week wait follows 5 women who all want the same thing: to have a baby. But things haven’t been easy for them in that department and they find themselves at the beginning of the two week wait and connecting with eachother through an online forum.

I feel this book tackled struggles with fertility in a really good way and it was unique. I can’t say I’ve ever come across a book about that. The characters are all very different women and you could connect with at least 1 of them.

My only problem with this book was that I didn’t find the characters very likeable. I didn’t find myself rooting for them and didn’t care for what they really had to say. But this is a personal thing and nothing that actually reflects on the book itself.

I thought the book was wonderful and written in such a lovely way. I just feel if I had cared for the characters more I would have felt a lot deeper about this book.

This book was a unique perspective into the lives of five women struggling with infertility, and utilizing online forums to support each other through the two week wait; the time between ovulation and when you can expect a positive pregnancy test.

While I found that this book had some interesting insight into the struggles of infertility, and how those of us who do not share in these struggles can be more sensitive and thoughtful when talking about pregnancy and child rearing expectations, I had a hard time connecting to many of the characters. I didn't feel that many of the stories were well developed enough to feel invested, or to truly be able to keep the stories straight as far as who was who, and what their specific circumstance was. A couple of the husbands in this story were just plain awful, and in one particular situation there was some significant emotional abuse and gaslighting that was difficult for me to read.

That being said, I enjoyed the forum chats between the women (although they were sometimes unbelievably catty!), and getting to know our leading ladies -- My favorite was Jane. There was some significant growth in a couple of the women, which was fun to see develop over the course of the two weeks. I liked flipping back and forth between the forum and offline portions of their lives and think this story could have been strengthened by less characters with a more in depth look into their off-forum lives that the reader could have connected to a little better.

Overall, it was a quick, fun read with some helpful insight into the realities of infertility; I appreciate the author for giving this topic a platform in literature.

Thank you to The Book Guild Ltd for providing me with an ecopy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

This was a cute book. As someone who has experienced the TWW many, many times, a lot of what was written hit home to me. If you are someone who has ever been on a message board and grew relationships with friends in that manner, you may enjoy this story. The characters were easy to get to know and enjoy. This book was given to me as an ARC for my honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this opportunity.

The Two Week Wait was a particularly fast read. I really enjoyed the format that vacillated between forum posts, journal entries, and prose.

Initially, I had a tough time liking any of the characters, but as you get to know them, you begin to appreciate them, flaws and all. You root for them, their relationships (or the ending thereof), and get happy/angry on their behalf. There were even some surprises which allowed the characters, even ancillary ones, to have dimension.

There were a few times through where the organization got a little confusing. As though something was left out. I had to go back and re-read to be sure I hadn’t missed something, so that took away from the experience somewhat. I also felt that there was a bit of a bias against women being single moms, which put me off some. That is something that happens more and more and not something that I think needs to be glossed over.

Overall it was an engaging read.

The Two Week Wait tells the story of five women, via a chat room, sharing their stories of the anxious two week run up to their possible positive pregnancy tests following fertility treatment.

It should be heralded for its ability to capture the nuances of fertility struggles, from vastly different angles, evidencing that not all fertility experiences are the same or in fact for the same reasons (but even with the same reason the experience and outcome can vary greatly). Each woman showcases some of the more common worries, concerns and relationship dilemmas that such women might find themselves in and Lucy Lewis does a fantastic job of compelling the reader to listen to them.

I found the chat room dialogue most compelling actually, because I think we can all admit that the first place we look when we worry is online. It just felt very raw and even the emotional outbursts felt so real. The larger sections of writing though outside of the chat room were less interesting for me, feeling, somewhat ironically, quite disjointed and blocky comparatively.

I think this is a nice book and I'm sure it will be a genuine education for anyone who hasn't been through fertility treatment or struggled to have a baby themselves.

ARC provided from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars
Before I start this review I should say I am not a mother and have not gone through infertility struggles.
I thought this was very cute.
I loved that comradely throughout the novel and the bonds between these women.
I liked that we got to hear all of their stories, and I felt for all the characters and all they were going through.
It was a very quick read and I liked the chat/ email style.
These are very serious and heart breaking issues, and I thought this was written with the grace it deserves.
I’m sure a lot of women will relate to this story, and find a sense of hope in it.
The end left some strings open, and I do wish we could’ve seen all these women’s stories to completion.

The Two Week Wait follows five women who are in different parts of their fertility journeys.

Jane has been trying to conceive for twenty years. This is her last attempt at getting pregnant. Her husband, Keith, and her have decided that if this time doesn't work, they're getting a puppy.

Becks and her husband, Mike, already have one child, Hector, who is a handful. Becks is dealing with a troubled marriage, and thinks getting pregnant with their second child will complete their family. Becks and Mike were the most intriguing couple in this book.

Star is an Instagram influencer, who wants to have a go at having a baby by herself. She doesn't think she needs or wants a man in her life. She's also living at home with her parents, who don't quite understand her lifestyle.

Fern is a career woman and isn't quite sure she wants to have kids, unlike her husband who is very ready to step into the stay-at-home dad role.

Lastly, we have Mandi, who is the youngest of the bunch. She's dealing with a husband and a MIL who blame her for the couple's fertility problems. She has PCOS and it's unfortunate they make her feel like less of a woman for it.

Overall, this book was an enjoyable read. I rated it 3/5 stars because I felt like some points of the book dragged on. It also focused on some characters more than others. Some of the character development was amazing, but some of it felt forced.

The Two Week Wait shows the very powerful emotions and circumstances that couples face when they are experiencing fertility issues. As someone who has never carried a child, but with friends that have had great success along with friends that have faced harrowing issues, it's good to have a deep dive into the couples experiences. As much as we think we can be there for our friends, this book shows that the issue is far more complex than most couples share with their friends and family. I liked having an inside experience to this large issue that faces many couples.