This is a story of a woman who chooses to have a child-free life and meets a man who feels the same way, yet changes in mind. Claudia is a successful Manahattan book editor and has decided to never have children as she considers being already fulfilled in her life; she has a great family, great friends and a great career. She meets a man, Ben, who turns out to be her soul mate. Not only are they madly in love with one another, they both value a child-free life. They marry, move in together and are very happy until Ben decides he wants a child after all. Claudia divorces Ben as she refuses to give up on this life she had environed. She moves in with one of her friends and starts dating again. She gets involved with a coworker but after a while, she reflects upon her behavior and reasons for not wanting a child. She realizes she is being selfish and didn't want a baby so as to not have her life disturbed in the least and being able to take vacations whenever she wanted. She also realizes she misses Ben and so contacts him. They get back together and Claudia tells Ben she is willing to do whatever it takes to stay with him, even have a child. Ben then tells her he doesn't mind having children anymore as long as he is with Claudia. The book ends with both Claudia and Ben back together, yet we never learn whether they have children or not.
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The book if about love and parenthood and the extent one is willing to give up one's deepest values for the sake of another human being; for love's sake.
Best part of story, including ending:
I didn't like this story because Claudia changed her mind with respect to the deepest values she had ever held.
Best scene in story:
When they get back together in the end and Ben tells Claudia he now only wants her and doesn't mind not having children. It seems they might be getting their happy ending after all, both happy together while holding their own personal beliefs.
Opinion about the main character:
She is selfish and self-centered. She didn't want kids to not have her life disturbed, yet she never stopped to really consider whether bringing another human being into this world and having a family would be what is best for her and her couple.
