ACCORDING to recent research, women make an average of nine new friends in the year after giving birth. In Amy Bratley's Antenatal Group, it's more like five, but these very different women become each other's best friends before birth - and are the first port of call for help afterwards.

It opens with Mel being dumped by her boyfriend Leo outside their very first antenatal class. She stoically goes inside, and then bursts into tears in front of the other four women: high flier Katy, who's set to suffer depression; young Rebecca, who's estranged from her own parents; Lexi, who's used a sperm donor; and Erin, who's still trying to get over a previous trauma.

Slowly, as the spotlight is turned on each woman, their stories are revealed and, as they get closer, you feel almost as though they're your friends too. But not quite, because cliches abound in Bratley's book.

Great for a quick beach read, especially if you're expecting, but it falls short of compelling plotlines and ultimately believable characters.

6/10
Review by Kate Whiting