From Here to Paternity

by Matt Dunn

[Leah]

Will Jackson is a desperate man – desperate to be a dad, that is. Tired of his laddish lifestyle, he’s redecorated the spare room, traded in his beloved sports car for a 4×4, and even drawn up a list of his favourite baby names.

In fact, there’s only one thing left he’s got to do – find a female who’ll have his child. But where on earth is he going to find a woman who meets his exacting standards? Certainly not in the usual bars and clubs he frequents. But Will has a plan – you can find everything else on the Internet these days – so why not someone to start a family with? From Friends Reunited, through the weird world of online dating, even to auctioning his ’services’ on Ebay, Will’s journey to paternity is a hilarious romp through the pitfalls of procreation.

But when push comes to shove, is Will prepared to trade passion for Pampers? What do men really look for when it comes to starting a family? Can the perfect mother also be the perfect partner, or are there more important things than a nice-fitting pair of genes?

I first read about Matt Dunn when I read his second novel “The Ex-Boyfriends Handbook” and I found it hilarious and a really good read – so good in fact I’ve read it twice. From Here to Paternity didn’t have as many laugh-out-loud moments as Ex-Boyfriends Handbook but was still a good read. My favourite scene was in the Starbucks when Will had the twins, that was really funny.

It was an odd premise for a novel: a man with a biological clock. Not only that but it was ticking – loudly. So Will goes from one extreme (internet dating) to the next (putting himself on Ebay and going on national TV). Also a funny point is his job: a lifecoach with no qualifications but his knowledge of life. I wonder how many other lifecoaches have the “qualifications” Will does….

I liked Will’s character and I liked that Matt wrote him different from most men. Here was a man who WANTED to be a dad, who WANTED to be a part of a family and usually when we read novels it’s the other way around.

The supporting characters were also great, Emma, the girl who works in Starbucks with a secret, Tom & Barbara, best friends, and Jen, his receptionist. I loved reading about Tom and Barbara’s relationship and felt they were good friends to Will and they all gelled together well. I loved Emma and was rooting for her and Will, and I was surprised when we found out what her secret actually was.

It was interesting to see just how far Will would go to become a dad and to see just how desperate he was.Will Will fulfil his quest or is it all one big lesson and what he’s looking for isn’t just to become a dad but to actually find love?

Rating: 4/5