When I started reading this book, I wondered if I would keep going. I am very glad I did. The reason was that the description of the behaviour of Alfie,a six year old who turns out later to suffer from a form of autism,is so good and insightful it is hard to read about. The description of this boy and the factors that control his behaviour is superbly and accurately described. The father won't accept his son's need for anything more than a disciplined routine although his mother has her doubts. As for many people,that causes marital problems. The father is helped by someone he meets at an anger management course. She is the most unlikely source of advice but makes the father understand his son's issues. All of this is contained within a well told family story that makes the book an unusual but important read.

What an amazing first book! As a teacher and a friend to a few parents who have children that have been diagnosed with autism, I was able to empathise a little with the story of Alfie and his dad Jake who seems to be permanently confused; by his wife, his son and life in general. It is a really lovely story - I hate to use cliched words like 'nice', but it is! It's a really interesting and POSITIVE insight into the life of an autistic child and the people close to him, which I gather the author has some experience of, and it shows. A great debut and I look forward to seeing what Rachel Marks delves into next.
Netgalley sent me this book in return for an honest review....

I absolutely loved this book ... delving into the world of autism in the delightful character of Alfie we see relationships around him and how he copes day to day. When’s Alfie’s dad Jake meets Emily at Anger Management classes we see the beginning of a friendship developing with Alfie bring the one bringing them together. When Jake’s wife Jemma decides she needs a break Emily steps in as ‘the nanny’ ... her special relationship and understanding of Alfie’s special needs bring this book alive ... a real treasure of a read !!!

An absolutely wonderful read, a novel full of very important messages and issues, the most important about acceptance, family, and self esteem. It’s very well written with relatable strong characters, more than just a romance, this is a wonderful story and highly recommended

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

I really didn’t know where this book was going to take me but the adventure I had I would like to take all over again. This book is definitely a special read full off wonderful moments with big messages behind each of them, I’m sure we can all take something from this book.

I work with people with complex needs and I could sort of tell what was going to happen with Alfie’s however it was very surprising and refreshing to read parts of this book in his perspective which I truly think added a lot more depth into the plot even though at first I was afraid it was going alter the flow and overall plot but I was truly gripped throughout.

I’m not usually the person to enjoy different perspectives especially three in one book but it truly helped this book become something more than the average book and that’s without the added surprises within the plot. I was gripped throughout this read and I can’t wait to reread this book soon because I definitely think It will become a favourite of mine to keep in rotation of my rereads.
I was slightly concerned with some parts of this book especially about the romance part as I thought it was going to be dragged out too far that I’d loose interest but instead it was written in away that begged me to continue as I truly wanted Emily and Jake to finally make it official however I was slightly disappointed with the ending but that’s solely personal taste as o would have loved to “seen” the reunion in the perspective of Jake but nevertheless in context with the rest of the book Alfie’s ending fitted seamlessly.

Thank you to netgalley for allowing me to review this book, it’s definitely a wonderful read and I would urge others to dive into this adventure.

I l0ved this book. As in LOVED it.

It was exactly what I needed at the right time. It follows both Jake and Emily's stories as they meet in anger management class and their lives start to twist and entwine thanks to a very special boy named Alfie.

Neither Jake nor Emily are perfect which really resonated with me. Both are understandably human and as a mother who sometimes also has that anger / despair / feeling of hopelessness rise up within her from time to time, some of the passages with Saturdays At Noon really struck a chord. It really showed that sometimes it really is possible to love your child completely but hate their behaviour. I was with them every step of the way on their journey to understanding Alfie and I loved how hard it worked to normalising some of his challenges.

Saturdays At Noon is far more than a romance. It is filled with love, anger, understanding, acceptance, individual growth and personal connections. Beautifully written and filled with emotion, I genuinely couldn't recommend Saturdays At Noon enough.

This is an adorable novel with great characters. A tiny bit predictable at times but I still couldn’t put it down, and it has been a while since I’ve found a book I’ve felt this way about. It is similar to “Me Before You” but I liked it better. I absolutely loved Alfie’s story and the way Jake revealed that it is possible to love your child whilst also being totally infuriated with them, as well as the doubt it can inflict about parenting skills.

This is an amusing and very witty novel - with plenty of engaging characters and familiar conflicts. Jake is a great character - I've met many like him and the central premise of "anger" is one that works well to propel the characters forward. A very rewarding unputdownable read that I sincerely enjoyed.

I wasn't prepared for how much this book would wind its way into my brain. I started reading it on the bus to work and spent the whole day thinking about finishing it. A moving, funny, sad tale of families, the stories that make us and the things that break us.

This is a family novel about self importance and acceptance.
Written with warm honour, likeable characters and a great storyline. The characters come alive in the pages.
This is more than a romance. A must read

I really liked this book. The authors writing style is great...easy to read and flows logically. The characters are well written.

Thank you for the advanced copy.

Excellent writing and the characters were very likeable and easy to warm to. Emotional, funny and written realistically. An interesting read, and one that keeps you involved with the characters right to the end.

The story revolves around two people who meet at an anger management class and this premise was intriguing right off the bat. I loved the two main characters and they were written really realistically. I loved the way the story developed and the ways the characters changed and adapted. I found it absorbing and would highly recommend.

A special one!
I'd say this book is more than a simple romance. It's also a family book about self acceptance and working to be better. Written realistically, with warm humour, the characters and the story is gripping - a rare thing for a book that is far from a thriller!

Emily and Jake meet in an anger management class. They clash, she sees him as arrogant and a poor father. He sees her as a skin-head in denial about her anger. They soon learn there's more to what they first saw. They both have issues, 'messed up' lives. Jake is struggling to parent his son, Alfie who may be autistic. Emily is struggling with moving forward. But being together, against the problem, they just might come on top...

Rachel Marks writes with heart. Her characters are touching, and vulnerable, and they bring life to the page! This is an unassuming book which has a lot going for it; the stuff you can't see right away. Indeed, I'm struggling to put into words how original this book is.

It's been compared to The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary, which is a wonderful book in its own right, but this one is very different. Not all romances have something more, but this one has that for sure! I worry that reading as many romances as I do, (seriously I can't resist) all my reviews are beginning to sound the same! I certainly can't do this book and its many themes justice...

Just don't miss this one! :D

Themes: parenting, dark character back-stories, abuse, broken families, autism, love.

Note: I received this book through NetGalley for review consideration. All opinions are honest and completely my own.

Charming and heartbreaking with first class characterisation. The story revolves around two people attending anger management classes for different reasons. They are drawn to each other through the man's young son who has PDA. I found this to be an extremely interesting story and love the way it unfolded, I wasn't too sure about the third voice of the son, I personally didn't feel it a necessary inclusion and tended to skim read those bits, all except the very last one, of course!

It's rare for a book of this genre to grip me like it did, the character development from page one is outstanding. I have goosebumps typing this review.
Emily, Jake and Alfie have my heart in my mouth as I read, beautifully written with an underestimated progression. The story telling by Rachel Marks is the best I have read in a long time. This story is so real and unspoken about its a breathe of fresh air to read about real life and the daily impacts on these characters. Three lives change, yes in unimaginable and beautiful ways, how Rachel Marks describes how the connections are built between the characters and how it doesn't always work out great makes this a must read book, and my no 1 Best Book of 2019
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I cannot stress enough how much I loved this book. I cared so intensely for each of the three main characters that I had a rollercoaster of emotions going on throughout! The description of Alfie and his problems in coping with aspects of life was spot on. I loved how Rachel wrote so sympathetically about Alfie but was also so real with the frustration and guilt of the people close to Alfie. The style of writing was just perfect, it really drew me into the story, I could not put it down. I absolutely can’t wait for Rachel’s next book.

Jake and Emily meet at anger management, neither of them feel they belong there. Jake is there because his wife wants him to be, in what seems to be a last ditch attempt to save their marriage. For Emily, these sessions are mandatory. Alfie is Jake's 6 year old son, Jake cannot fathom why his child, who never likes strangers has taken such a shine to Emily, as he finds her completely exasperating.

I enjoyed this book so much, such a wonderful combination of genuine hilarity and heartbreak. I wanted to hug Emily, Jake and Alfie in equal measures, I really found myself caring about these misunderstood characters. It's unusual for me to read a book narrarated by both adults and a child, but Alfie is a little superhero, wise beyond his years and the triple narrative really works. More than anything, Saturday's At Noon is uplifting and a wonderful lesson in compassion and empathy. I think it will resonate with anybody who has a child like Alfie, any parent who has endured those judgemental looks and comments from passers by when their child has gone into a full public meltdown beyond their control. I hope this book helps them to know that they're not bad parents, that their child isn't bad and that help is available, even if you have to insist on it.

Such a gorgeous book. Love, love loved Alfie, Emily and Jake and just wanted to reach in and hug them all. The alternating chapters for each character were great and the writing was excellent. A lot of heavy subjects came up and although there were moments where you didn’t always like Jake and Emily the author did a great job of making you feel for them.

It was very enjoyable watching the change and development in Jake and Emily’s relationship, with a little help from Alfie. I liked how it evolved from that prickly first meeting and the subsequent awkward encounters to something quite lovely and right. A really good read from start to finish.

This was a surprisingly compelling read with three extremely strong characters in Emily, Jake and Alfie. Jake is a very frustrated dad who struggles to cope with his son Alfie and is only attending anger management to placate his wife, Alfie just doesn’t understand why people don’t do what they say and follow his rules, Emily seems to want to keep the world away yet she forms an unlikely friendship with Alfie. To the world Emily and Alfie probably seem like misfits yet together they both bring out the best of each other. Although the book is based around anger management sessions the focus is very much on Emily, Jake and Alfie and the development and understanding between the three characters is what makes this such a solid read, it’s full of heart and empathy and Alfie is phenomenal. This is a fantastic debut and I wholeheartedly recommend it.