Review of Bridget Jones’s Baby by Helen Fielding… or maybe just a recap of my love for the series

I have to admit, I’m a total unashamed sucker for chick-lit and Bridget Jones may just be a major cause of that.

Bridget Jones, beloved Singleton and global phenomenon, is back with a bump in Bridget Jones’s Baby: The Diaries. 

8:45 P.M. Realize there have been so many times in my life when have fantasized about going to a scan with Mark or Daniel: just not both at the same time.

Before motherhood, before marriage, Bridget with biological clock ticking very, very loudly, finds herself unexpectedly pregnant at the eleventh hour: a joyful pregnancy which is dominated, however, by a crucial but terribly awkward question – who is the father? Mark Darcy: honourable, decent, notable human rights lawyer? Or Daniel Cleaver: charming, witty, notable fuckwit?

9:45 PM It’s like they’re two halves of the perfect man, who’ll spend the rest of their lives each wanting to outdo the other one. And now it’s all enacting itself in my stomach.

 In this gloriously funny, touching story of baby-deadline panic, maternal bliss, and social, professional, technological, culinary and childbirth chaos, Bridget Jones – global phenomenon and the world’s favorite Singleton – is back with a bump.

Available on Amazon.

I remember reading my first Bridget Jones book back in my first or second year of university. It was around the time the first movie was about to come out too. Not much about my life at the time was relatable to Bridget, but I loved her anyway. Heck, haven’t we all put our foot in the mouth at least once while mooning over a romantic interest. Bridget practically made that a past time!

I loved the movies, by the way. People can criticize René Zelwegger’s English accent but they cannot deny that she is Bridget! And well, I’d watch Collin Firth read the dictionary if I had to!

Anyway, I read the second book in the series while living in London, like Bridget, and felt a little more kinship with her at that time. Even if my life was never as crazy as hers. The diary format of the book never bothered me as I thought it was cute and suited the story. Plus, I was a journal keeper also in those days.

Somewhere along the way, I didn’t realize that Bridget Jones’s Baby was out, but I did catch the movie. Jeez and ages… Collin Firth and Patrick Dempsey! I’m so feeling a movie marathon coming on! (But there is one huge difference between the movie and the book… Jack! But, both storylines work, in my opinion and I enjoyed both depictions, quite a lot)

Despite watching the movie first, I wanted to get caught up on the story, so I got the book and settled in to read it last month. I’m now much closer to Bridget in age. I won’t say which of us is older… mostly because I havent quite worked it out. All I can really say is that I loved the book. Admittedly, I’m incredibly predisposed to liking the story. I’ve known these characters for almost 20 years now. I’ve watched the movies, several times, and I’m fine with the writing style. This book felt like coming home to chill out with some good friends.

There are roll your eyes moments but there are also a few genuinely touching ones as well. There are issues of dealing with your friends as your lives and situations evolve. Some friends change with you and some you may grow away from. Yet, it’s the bonds of friendship that help hold Bridget up when she’s at her lowest. She’s willing to be there for her friends and family and they for her.

Even though I already knew the identity of the baby’s daddy, I still felt the suspense of Bridget not knowing as it’s written quite convincingly… from Bridget’s embarrassment to Mark’s insecurities to Daniel’s arrogance.

The writing hits the right spots, balancing humour and emotion perfectly.

Overall, I fully enjoyed my visit with these old friends, and for that feel-good factor, I give Bridget Jones’s Baby 5/5 espresso shots.