Many thanks to my friends at @harperperrenial and @tlcbooks for this #gifted copy.  

 

The baby is here!  We’ve journeyed with Tab through relationships, fertility, career… and now we get to meet the little bundle.  The next generation of Black Girls has arrived.  

 

This last installment of the series takes on a different style than the previous two.  In the trenches of new motherhood, much of the storyline is an internal dialogue as Tabby finds her footing.    

 

First time moms will find Tabatha’s struggles deeply relatable, especially ones grappling with an ever evolving career scene.  Even ten years after the newborn timeframe, I was easily transported back in time, remembering the overwhelming love alongside the challenges and doubts.  Walker well captures the nuances of being a first time mom.  

 

While relatable, the new mother inner dialogue displaced some of the things I loved in the previous two books.  The other two in the series read more like a slice of life… walking in Tabatha’s stilettos as she navigates girlfriends and community.  

 

In my opinion, this book boiled her life back too far, and it made me long for the Tabitha I had come to know.  I particularly missed the deep threads of sisterhood and comradery within her girl gang (Alexis and Laila) in this book.  Where this book excelled at being inside Tabby’s head, it lacked in relationships and dialogue.  

 

If you haven’t started this series yet, make sure to begin with book one.  This series needs to be read in order for maximum enjoyment.  Also, Granny Tab is not to be missed.  

 

While this isn’t my favorite of the series, it’s definitely worth reading.  I’ll be interested to see what Allen does next.  

 

This made for a fun discussion and buddy read with my friend @wellred.bookclub.