The Bump by Sidney Karger - charming LGBTQ+ parenthood journey / Books Teacup and Reviews

The Bump is a captivating and charming LGBT contemporary with unique plot, interesting characters and their heartfelt parenthood journey.

The Bump

The Bump by Sidney Karger

Publication Date : May 21, 2024

Publisher : Berkley

Read Date : May 31, 2024

Genre : Contemporary / LGBTQ contemporary

Pages : 368

Source : Many thanks to Publisher for eARC via NetGalley.

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Synopsis

Two men expecting a baby via surrogate go on the road trip of a lifetime in this hilarious and poignant novel by Sidney Karger, author of Best Men.

Wyatt Wallace is a practical, super organized director of TV commercials. Biz Petterelli is a child-actor-turned-magazine-writer who thrives on spontaneity. Though polar opposites, they are fully committed to their relationship and their life in Brooklyn with their dog, Matilda. They’re also about to have a baby together.

And they’re freaking out.

They’ve both dreamed of becoming parents, but now that it’s happening, they’re doubting everything. Their baby is due in a few weeks and instead of flying to California just before the birth as planned, Biz has a better idea. They could use one last hurrah, along with some serious “us-time” to mend the issues they’ve been having lately—before they get tied down by fatherhood and its impending responsibilities. So the daddies-to-be load up their 1992 Volkswagen Cabriolet and embark on an epic cross-country babymoon. They attempt to recharge at the beach in Provincetown, stumble through their impromptu baby shower in Chicago, and endure a Star Wars -themed wedding in Colorado before heading west for the baby.

But when they take several unexpected detours, old wounds are reopened and secrets spill out that could change their relationship for better or for worse, forcing the couple to reexamine the meaning of family while building their own. After all, what’s a road trip without a few bumps along the way?

Review

The Bump is heartwarming and heartfelt story of Biz and Wyatt’s journey to parenthood and the bumps they feel along the way.

Biz and Wyatt always wanted kids, in fact having their own family is one of the things that connected them. 8 months searching donor and then finding a surrogate mother, Flora, they are going to have a baby in a month in California where Flora lives. But this one thing that they wanted most also brought anxiety and strain in their relationship.

As differences surface between them, Biz and Wyatt realize the need to fortify their bond before the imminent changes parenthood will bring. Opting for a one-month road trip, with visits to various gay resorts, they hope to reconnect and address their concerns.

Yet, their journey takes unexpected turns. Detours, shocking revelations, familial discord, and a string of comical mishaps continually thwart their attempts at meaningful conversation. It was interesting to see whether this road trip will mend or fracture their relationship.

The portrayal of two gay men in their 30s embarking on a babymoon is refreshingly unique. I never read a story of gay partners’ journey to parenthood before. The storytelling is seamless, effortlessly drawing readers into the lives of Biz and Wyatt.

I felt like I know the characters. There is right amount of fun, lightheartedness, serious topics like abandonment and commitment issues, and flashbacks of their relationship that made me feel depth of their relationship. It’s not just Biz and Wyatt’s journey to parenthood but it’s journey of their relationship.

Wyatt Wallace is as serious, organized, and control freak who needs plan for everything. Biz Petterelli is fun loving, breezy and spontaneous. Their differences in nature caused lots of friction but it’s easy to see they make a perfect team.

It’s was amazing to see how going through many bumps on their journey, Wyatt learned to be spontaneous and go off the plan. Through learning about his father he could get past his fears and commitment issues and recognize the value of his relationship with Biz.

I loved Biz for understanding Wyatt and having patience to wait for him to realize how important marriage is for him. While I could understand Wyatt’s anxiety it took a time for me to get Biz’s fear and after knowing that I wanted to hug him and reassure him he had nothing to fear. While I loved development in Wyatt, Biz and his family were the highlight for me and also their first baby, their dog, Matilda.

My only issue with the book is I wanted a little more fun I was expecting with gay resorts mentioned in the beginning but that obviously never came with all the detours and deeper issues they needed to solve. Also, that required conversation didn’t happen until last 20% of the book.

Nevertheless, The Bump is filled with heartfelt emotions and genuine moments of connection. I loved that epilogue in the end. The whole journey and the end left huge smile on my face. This sure would make a perfect read for a vacation or road trip.

Overall, The Bump is a captivating and charming LGBT contemporary with unique plot, interesting characters and their heartfelt parenthood journey.