The Bump by Sidney Karger 
Published by Berkley on May 21st 2024
Genres: Contemporary
Pages: 368
Format: eBook
Source: Netgalley
I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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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?
An enjoyable adventure.
Biz and Wyatt have been together for several years when they decided they wanted to become fathers and began their journey to fatherhood with a surrogate. It’s been nearly two years of planning, selecting egg donors and surrogates and preparing. Now that the big day is on the horizon and they begin their “babymoon” trip across the country towards their surrogate, both men are beginning to stew in what they feel is their own failings as a future dad. This is especially sad since the bar they set as the perfect Dad is each other. Their separate stewing is affecting their relationship and both men feel the gap spreading between them as they travel west. Each time one is ready to have the discussion, something comes are so it “isn’t the right time” to get into it. Both fear whether they will still be together by the time they make it to their baby’s birth.
A trip to Wyatt’s family and then to Biz’s gives us a great idea of what molded them to be as they are. Wyatt is from a small family with just his mother and brother and his brother’s small family. They are the type to quietly stew rather than discuss their feelings. While Biz comes from a large, loud family who yell out their feelings, if necessary, and make up quickly. This makes Wyatt the planner and Biz the fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants free spirit.
Biz is concerned since Wyatt won’t ever discuss getting married and Wyatt is dealing with his own father issues with this own non-existence Dad.
After years of happiness, will turning their relationship from couplehood to family be the one thing to tear them apart.
THOUGHTS:
This was toted as a Planes, Trains and Automobile type adventure and I was ready to laugh, laugh, laugh my way through Biz and Wyatt’s adventures towards their new baby. While this was a nice story, it wasn’t the hysterical entertainment I was anticipating.
This is also the perfect example of how bad things happen when we are too much in our own head and don’t speak out to our families or significant other. We have to remember to actually discuss things with other people and not just give them a voice from our own suffering subconscious. We don’t want to hear the negative from them, but issues only get worse when people keep their pain to themselves.
Both Biz and Wyatt are wonderful characters and a perfect of example of opposites attract. We see how happy they are together and yet what is tearing their relationship apart is the fear of their own lacking not any issue with the other man.
While this story wasn’t hysterical, it was enjoyable and I waited impatiently to see which one would be brave enough to speak out before it was too late.
Favorite Scene:
“We’re like two stowaways unleashed into an empty yacht,” Wyatt says.
In between lip smacking, I say, “It’s too bright in here. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
“The ballroom,” we say at the same time.
Three chandeliers in the shape of starbursts. They slowly lower from the vaulted ceiling. The illuminated crystals rival the ones inside the metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center. Wyatt dims them to perfection.
“It seems the only reason these guys have a ballroom is so their wedding guests could sneak away and have sex inside of it,” I say.
“Imagine being so rich you hold your wedding somewhere other than your own ballroom,” Wyatt says.
We woo each other the old-fashioned way pretending we’re in a costume period drama; quietly noticing each other form across the length of the room with demure smiles.
We move closer toward each other like animals stalking our prey.
Until finally we’re a foot apart.
“May I have this waltz?” I fling my arm out, both of us laughing hysterically. We do a clumsy old timey dance to the music thumping outside under the tent, taking turns on who’s leading. We speak in faux posh accents and transport ourselves into a Jane Austen story.
“You’re a natural, Mr. Petterelli,” Wyatt says.
“Why thank you, Mr. Wallace,” I say.
“I’m impressed by your lightness of foot.”
“Don’t make me blush, your lordship.”
We pretend to spot an acquaintance among the polite society across the room.
“Is that Mr Farnsworth of East Sussex in Derbyshire?”
“I believe it is him looking rather inebriated and foolish.”
We spin around dramatically and draw each other closer, our mouths almost touching, resisting any urges.
“If I may be so bold, Mr. Wallace, I would like nothing more than to ravish you.”
“Oh, Mr. Petterelli!”
We slam against the red velvet curtains, smearing each other’s faces, neck and chests through our unbuttoned dress shirts with our mouths. We’ve broken a light sweat from our dance and our bodies against each other become even more heated.
“I’ve never been quite this invigorated!”
“And I as well.”
“I dare say we move our tryst to somewhere more…private?”
“I’m perfectly delighted to oblige!”
We swing open the door to…where else?
“Gift wrapping room!” we both say at the same time again.
