Wishful Thinking: A Novel

By Kamy Wicoff

Jennifer Sharpe is a divorced mother of two with a problem just about any working parent can relate to: her boss expects her to work as though she doesn’t have children, and her children want her to care for them as though she doesn’t have a boss. But when, through a fateful coincidence, a brilliant physicist comes into possession of Jennifer’s phone and decides to play fairy godmother, installing a miraculous time-travel app called Wishful Thinking, Jennifer suddenly finds herself in possession of what seems like the answer to the impossible dream of having it all: an app that lets her be in more than one place at the same time.

With the app, Jennifer goes quickly from zero to hero in every part of her life: she is super-worker, the last to leave her office every night; she is super-mom, the first to arrive at pickup every afternoon; and she even becomes super-girlfriend, dating a musician who thinks she has unlimited childcare and a flexible job. But Jennifer soon finds herself facing questions that adding more hours to her day can’t answer. Why does she feel busier and more harried than ever? Is she aging faster than everyone around her? How can she be a good worker, mother, and partner when she can’t be honest with anybody in her life? And most important, when choosing to be with your children, at work, or with your partner doesn’t involve sacrifice, do those choices lose their meaning? Wishful Thinking is a modern-day fairy tale in which one woman learns to overcome the challenges—and appreciate the joys—of living life in real time.

• Language: English
• Publisher: She Writes Press
• Release date: Apr 21, 2015
• ISBN: 9781631529771

Kamy Wicoff

Kamy Wicoff is the founder, with author Deborah Siegel, of SheWrites.com, the world's largest online community for women who write. She is also the founder, with publisher Brooke Warner, of She Writes Press. Wicoff’s first book, the best-selling I Do But I Don't: Why The Way We Marry Matters, was published by Da Capo Press in 2006. Her work has appeared in Salon.com, and has been anthologized in Why I’m Still Married: Women Write Their Hearts Out On Love, Loss, and Who Does The Dishes (Hudson Press, 2006), and About Face: Women Write About What They See When They Look in the Mirror (Seal Press, 2008). She serves on the board of Girls Write Now, a mentoring organization in New York City, and also formerly served on the Advisory Council for Stanford University’s Clayman Institute for Gender Research. Wicoff lives in Brooklyn with her sons, Max and Jed.

Reviews for Wishful Thinking

[karenvg3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the characters, especially the doctor, but I'm still very curious about the reasoning behind the shoes! As a divorced mom of two children I could totally relate to the main character and could see myself wanting exactly what she did. A very fun, enjoyable book I would recommend to everyone.

[whitreidtan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

If you're a parent, you've probably found yourself wishing for more time to accomplish something or maybe just for time to slow down. Our world is so crammed full of commitments and everything important seems to pass in such a blink of an eye that there never seem to be enough hours in the day to do everything you need or want to do. Now imagine that you are a single mother whose ex hasn't been particularly helpful in the past but now wants to reexamine your custody agreement, especially in light of everything you've been missing lately, and a stranger gives you the ability to be in more than one place at a time. It sounds like a godsend, doesn't it? At least at first it did to Jennifer Sharpe, the main character in Kamy Wicoff's novel, Wishful Thinking. And then it didn't.Jennifer is a single mom in New York City. Norman, her ex, has been pretty non-existent in her boys' lives since the divorce so she's had to shoulder everything. She switched jobs to have more time with her boys, Julien and Jack, but recently her lower key, lower paying non-profit housing authority job has ramped up to not only mimic the private sector but even to exceed its pressures and workaholic expectations. At the same time, her long time babysitter wants to cut back on her hours so she herself can go back to school. Jennifer is frazzled and overwhelmed by all the competing claims on her time. When her wealthy new boss offers her a bonus if she and her new coworker, Alicia, get their project, originally called It Takes a Village and re-dubbed One Stop, a single community center designed to house all social services offices and centrally located in the neighborhood they serve, Jennifer has to devote even more time to work. Since there's no way to make a day have more than 24 hours, her time with her boys suffers. Losing her phone, with its jam-packed calendar, is just the latest disaster in a life getting out of control. Miraculously, a neighbor finds and returns the phone, having installed a new app called Wishful Thinking on it. That it purports to be for women who need to be in more than one place at the same time makes Jennifer skeptical but when she has to work late and is faced with missing Julien's guitar recital, on a whim she decides to try this strange and intriguing app. Amazingly, it works. But in order to use it again, Jennifer has to track down her neighbor, Dr. Diane Sexton, the inventor and a brilliant physicist, and convince her that she, Jennifer, is the perfect person to be used in a clinical trial of this time travel technology. She has to agree to limit her use of the app and after she tells her best friend, Vinita, a doctor, about it, she agrees to medical monitoring as well.At first she is thrilled to be able to be superwoman at work and still spend quality time with her boys, no longer missing the events of their lives. But she soon discovers that work expands to fill the time she has available and instead of feeling fully present at the important moments in her life, she is still juggling everything: a crazy work schedule, the needs of her boys, and the sleep deprivation that is a symptom of her increased, clandestine overuse of the magic app. Jennifer has more time than ever before but it is every bit as filled as before she could travel through wormholes and gain extra time in her day. The question is not whether she can do it all with Wishful Thinking's help but whether she is happier and more fulfilled as a person as a result and what the ultimate fallout of relying on this technological miracle might be.Wicoff has written a fanciful and entertaining look at the impossibility of having and doing it all and the costs for those who try. No one can do everything all by themselves, something that Jennifer easily recognizes for the people she's designed One Stop to benefit but she is unable to see the value and necessity of help and community in her own life, at least until she's pushed to breaking. This novel is both a mother's wish fulfillment--after all, who hasn't wished for more hours in the day--but also a cautionary tale about the connections we make, the value of vulnerability, asking for and accepting help, and the importance of finding your own personal balance and contentment. The novel hits at the myth of the Supermom, that impossible socially constructed role model, who unfortunately makes so many women feel inferior or incapable, but in an accessible, light, and engaging way. There is a light romance here as well as looks at the various different relationships that make up our lives and the people who form our community. You'll zip through this frantically paced, sometimes predictable novel without any of the panic that the pace induces in Jennifer, simply enjoying her interactions with the people around her at work and at home as she learns what it means to be present in the here and now of life. A fun and frothy read, it might just cause you to look at your own self-imposed expectations about what you can and should be accomplishing in your daily life.

[justacatandabook · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Jennifer is a busy single mom, struggling to keep up at work while still spending enough time with her two young boys. One day her lost smartphone shows up on her doorstep and Jennifer discovers a new app has been installed. This app, she soon comes to realize, allows her to time travel -- to basically be in two places at the same time. Suddenly Jennifer is able to keep the long hours her boss is demanding, while still picking her boys up from school and getting in quality time Mom/kid time. She is the superwoman she's always dreamed of being. But is it too good to be true?

I'll confess that a good portion of this book made me cringe. Not because it's bad. In fact, it's the opposite. It's a smartly written, captivating novel with a harried heroine who captures your heart pretty quickly. For me, the book was stressful because it hit home! A busy working mother who has demands at the office, but who also wants to spend time with her kids? That certainly describes a lot of us. Much like when I'm watching an action or horror movie for a first time, I felt myself tensing, anxiously wondering what was going to happen to Jennifer. Was she going to get caught using the app? Was the Jennifer at the office going to somehow show up with her kids? Would her co-workers find out? Her kids? Would the app make her sick? This couldn't go on forever, right?

And that's basically the premise behind Wicoff's clever novel. Of course, being in two (and over time, as Jennifer becomes dependent on the app, three places) places isn't all it's cracked up to be. Jennifer is tired, experiencing some strange sensations, potentially losing friendships, and wait, is she aging rapidly when she's living two days in the span of what should only be one?

Wicoff does a great job of showing the pressures many working parents feel. It's true - sometimes you do feel like you have to be a superwoman! Her book is also populated with fun characters -- in particular, Dr. Sexton, Jennifer's kooky neighbor, who also happens to be a genius scientist and inventor of said app.

If it all sounds a little improbable, it is, and you'll have to be prepared to suspend disbelief a bit, but Wicoff does such a great job, that it isn't really that hard. The book veers off a bit in its final quarter, turning more from the harried working mom scene, to a bit of an almost mystery/avenger plot, which is also completely improbable, and a very strange twist, but it's fun, too. You can't help but rooting for Jennifer (and Dr. Sexton, too). Overall, a crazy 3.5 star rating.

(Note, I received an advanced copy of this book in return for an unbiased review.)

[voracious_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jennifer is an overworked mom of two boys, who struggles to balance her highly demanding job with her desire to be a full-time mom. Her ex-husband, Norman, is a flaky actor who had previously failed to do his part to support the kids or be there when Jennifer needed him. One day, after Jennifer loses her smart phone, a kindly neighbor (who is also a brilliant physicist) returns the phone with an extra app attached. This app, called "Wishful Thinking," allows the user to schedule appointments so that two events in the same period of time can be attended sequentially. Similar to Hermione's use of the time-traveler spell in Harry Potter, Jennifer learns that she can put in extra face-time at the office AND attend her children's after school activities at the same time. As could be expected, Jennifer soon begins using the app more and more frequently, until she is sometimes at three places at the same time. It is not until Jennifer's best friend threatens to withdrawal her friendship that Jennifer considers how her dependency on time travel was impacting her life and the lives of those around her. This was a very interesting novel about the choices we make (or lack of choices we have) impacts the expectations that others have for us. For example, as Jennifer was able to work 80 hour workweeks, It negatively impacted the other working moms in the office, as she was seen as an example of what all of the moms should do. And yet, working longer hours just increased her workload over time. Similarly, Jennifer overlooked her natural support systems who could help with the boys in her effort to become Supermom, robbing the boys of time with their father. The book also explored how women in poverty have even fewer options to "do it all" since they can't rely on paid help such as nannies or housekeepers. This would make a fantastic book club book due to the interesting discussions one could have about how the fight to "have it all" sometimes sabotages us individually and collectively in the end. #SRC2015 #BookSparks

[indygo88 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a light but fun read, and one that I raced through pretty quickly. Jennifer is a working mom living in New York City. Divorced with 2 young boys, she struggles to balance all aspects of her life. When an app called Wishful Thinking mysteriously appears on her phone, she curiously tries it out. It basically allows her to be in two places at the same time (via wormhole/time travel), essentially supplying her with extra hours in the day in order to achieve everything that needs to be done (supermom, committed employee, girlfriend, etc.). As the reader might expect, things are great for a while, but then the fallout begins.Though this story was somewhat predictable & one where the reader must suspend belief a little bit, it provides a new spin on managing the "working mom" lifestyle by incorporating today's technology. A bit fluffy, but fun, and should spark good book club conversation.

[angelalam-300700 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An entertaining and thoughtful novel about a woman who has an opportunity to add more hours to her day through a cell phone app and the consequences that result from being able to be two places at one time.

[vicki_weisfeld · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

On Amazon, this book is categorized as “women’s fiction,” which is probably a more politically correct designation for “chick-lit,” but whatever, it’s a genre I don’t usually read. It turned out to be a lot of fun and a refreshing change from serial killers trading in body parts. Jennifer Sharpe is a stressed-out, divorced Manhattan career woman with two young sons who struggles to fit everything into her schedule. She’s wracked with guilt that her kids are getting too little of her time. Add an ex-husband who has documented her missed appointments and such and wants to renegotiate their custody agreement to have more time with the kids. Then add a nanny whose school commitments mean she has less time to help out, and a work project that will be Jennifer’s dream come true (plus some much-needed extra $$$), if only she can reach the boss’s ambitious productivity targets. Of course, her life is impossible—that is, until someone puts an app on her cell phone called “Wishful Thinking” that lets her be in two places at once. There are so many ways this little technological boost (involving wormholes and—don’t ask, you just have to go with it) can go wrong and does. Wicoff has written a believable Jennifer, plausible friends and work colleagues, a self-absorbed but not totally worthless ex, a dishy new boyfriend, and a sympathetic genius physicist who is behind the whole thing. All in all, an interesting cast of characters. The book is both good-humored and grounded in the frantic reality of many working moms’ lives (minus the wormholes). Christina Baker Kline (author of the best-selling Orphan Train) calls Wishful Thinking "A thought-provoking, gimlet-eyed satire of contemporary motherhood in the guise of a romantic comedy." If you’re looking for a fast-paced, mostly light-hearted book to enjoy on your winter vacation—one that really lives up to its title—this could be just the thing.

[kris_anderson-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Wishful Thinking by Kamy Wicoff is a humorous and engaging book. Jennifer Bideau is divorced, works full-time (with the housing authority), and has two young boys. Her ex-husband, Norman, who is an actor (which means the child support is pitiful), has not been very helpful and only sees the boys once a week. Jennifer’s new boss, Bill, believes she should be working more hours per week. Forty hours a week is not enough for this man. He is trying to implement private sector ideas into the government. Jennifer does not know how she can work more hours. Bill offers an incentive of bonuses.Jennifer’s needs help. One morning before work she cannot find her phone. They turn on the phone finder and they find the phone in an envelope outside her front door. There is a note inside. Her kindly neighbor, Dr. Diane Sexton (Jennifer and the boys call her The Shoe Lady) found the phone and installed an app on it. The app is called Wishful Thinking. Diane is in a hurry and decides she will investigate it later. In the afternoon when Diane is wondering how she can get more done within a 24 hour day, she looks at the app. It states that she can be in two places at once! The note states she is to contact Dr. Sexton before trying out the app. Of course, Jennifer decides to try it without checking with Dr. Sexton. The app requires that you schedule an “appointment” stating start time, end time, leaving coordinates, and arrival coordinates. Jennifer would love to attend her elder son’s recital. She is hiding in a bathroom on the eighteenth floor (a nice quiet place) when she tries out the app. Next thing she knows she is across town. What just happened? Diane gets to attend her son’s recital (who is thrilled) and then she goes back to work. It was like she never left. She returns back to the bathroom at the same time she left! How wonderful! What ensues is hilarious! Jennifer becomes superwoman. She can be with her children, get word done (making her new boss happy), and find time for a boyfriend. You just know something is going to happen!Read Wishful Thinking to see how Jennifer handles the app and the lessons she learns along the way. I give Wishful Thinking 4.25 out of 5 stars. I found that the book was sometimes a little too wordy (some more editing was needed) and the physics parts were down right confusing (made my brain hurt). Wishful Thinking was a fun book to read. It had romance, humor, a mystery, and unique characters (Dr. Diane Sexton). I look forward to reading more books by Kamy Wicoff.I received a complimentary copy of this novel from NetGalley (and publisher) in exchange for an honest review.