Ohhh guys, do you want to read a book that’s a TONIC for the times we are living in? Then you need to read Confessions of a Forty-Something F##k Up by Alexandra Potter because it sizzles with life. And made me laugh at least once a page.

Thanks to Pan Macmillan for giving me for giving me a copy of this book for review consideration. As always, no matter what the source of the book, you get my honest, unbiased opinion.

FIRST LINE OF CONFESSIONS OF A FORTY-SOMETHING F##K UP

“Hi, and welcome to Confessions of a Forty-Something F##kUp, the podcast for any woman who wonders how the hell she got here, and why life isn’t quite how she imagined it was going to be.”

MY THOUGHTS ON CONFESSIONS OF A FORTY-SOMETHING F##K UP

OK, first off I said it’s a laugh a page. It mostly is, but lurking in the humour are heart-rendering, lump in the throat moments too. Basically all human emotions beat loud and strong from this book.

And ohhh did I relate. I too am a Forty-Something F##K Up. As much as I wanted it all, I didn’t get to tick all the boxes of perfect marriage, gorgeous kids, and successful career that I lusted over as at Twenty-Something dreamer. OK, I got some, but like so many others I linger longer over those I didn’t get, than those I did.

Nell makes herself write a gratitude list to help her survive her life, and gradually her list goes from breathing to achievements that she is really proud of. But mostly she becomes proud of herself, f##k up's and all, which is so lovely not to mention empowering to watch.

I’M GRATEFUL FOR

- this book for making me belly laugh, snort and giggle my way through the pages
- the friendships that Nell has in her life, they flounder and flourish, and reminds me that friendship needs to worked at to keep alive
- the adventures that Nell has sharing a flat. It makes me glad that I don’t have to fight with a landlord about my house thermostat. Just my husband!
- the podcast theme within this book. So relevant, funny and inspiring.

In case you haven’t guessed I loved Nell and I loved this book.

WHO SHOULD READ CONFESSIONS OF A FORTY-SOMETHING F##K UP BY ALEXANDRA POTTER?

Listen if you need a laugh, then buy this book. If you are a Forty-Something F##K Up (or any decade F##K UP), then buy this book and discover you are not alone. Fans of Bridget Jone’s Diary or Sophie Kinsella’s Shopoholic series should also enjoy this one.

When I saw an early preview copy of this book on Netgalley I was undecided whether to read it or not. I loved the Author's earlier works, but they were over 5 years ago, and very much romantic comedy. Going by the title of this book it sounded more like the main character was ranting about how bad and disappointing her life was.
I decided to chance it, given that I had enjoyed the Author's previous books, and I am roughly the same age as Nell, so I am probably the target audience.
I found the book slow to begin with, and wondered how Nell managed to find herself in her predicament.
As the story progresses I began to warm to Nell, and I liked how she managed to find something positive out of every situation.
The character of Cricket was wonderful and she was my favourite character. I would happily read a book about her, as she was so entertaining, and had lived a fascinating life.
As I read further into the book it started to become predictable in places, but still enjoyable with a few surprises along the way.
I didn't like the ending very much I found it confusing, with alternative scenarios. I think that I know what the ending was but I couldn't see the point in the other ending. Having looked at other reviews I can see that I wasn't the only person to find the ending confusing.
I liked reading this book, it was entertaining and easy to read, and the characters were relatable.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.

This was a pleasant and easy read and whilst I liked it, I just didn’t love it. I get what the author was trying to do, but like another reviewer it did become a bit cliched as the book went on. I’m sure others will love it though. Thank you to NetGalley, Pan Macmillan and the author for the chance to review.

Funny, heart warming and realistic.
The story follows the undoing a successful woman...seemingly with everything in place; until it isn’t in its place!
Lots of unlikely bonds occur within the novel, but they serve to add to the humour as well as upset which transpire through the plot.
I particularly love the violence and aggression during the children's’ sports day section!
For any women out there who regularly follow truthful blogs and podcasts...this is a realistic and funny novel to sink your teeth into!

I had high expectations about this book as the title is something that appeals to me, but I just didn't get the book at all. The main character and Cricket were enjoyable to read about but it more felt like random drivel rather than something that appealed to me and made me want to keep on reading. Whilst it wasn't an awful book, its not one that I would recommend.

I loved this. It isn’t a glossy, predictable rom-com but it’s perfect in its own way, and Nell’s story feels entirely plausible and true to life. The other characters add to the narrative beautifully and really help underpin the story that everyone is a fuck up in their own way, regardless of what their life looks like from the outside.

Brilliant. I laughed and nearly cried. Nell is a likeable character and I got totally lost in her world. I loved Cricket. She was a wonderful larger than life character.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

I nearly didn’t read this book because of the title. I half expected it to be a rant on life, rather than a down to,earth story. It was a really well written novel that had me smiling and empathising all the way through. . Nell was a very true to life character. I really enjoyed her interactions with Cricket and Edward. I did find the ending really confusing though. It was almost as though it had 2 alternative endings bolted together.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publishers for allowing me to read an advanced copy.

I enjoyed this fun read. It's well written with believable characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It was a fun and entertaining read even if a bit slow at times.
The characters are well written, relatable and realistic, the plot flows and it made laugh more than once.
It's an engrossing read, recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for a free ARC of this ebook. There was much to like in this book. Its a fun read, it's very unusual, and highly entertaining. My only criticism is that the protagonist Nell (to me) isn't quite plausible as a 40 something. Throughout the book she appears to be much younger than a 40 odd year old might be. This is just my view, and it doesn't detract from what really is a very enjoyable read. It is a long book, and I did wonder at one point if it might be better if it was broken into perhaps 2 or 3 separate books. Maybe a more detailed look at Nell and Ethan as the first, then onto the main story in volumes. 2.and 3. Just a thought. As other reviewers have noted the ending is a bit odd, I read it a couple of.times.to makesure I understood.
There are some fab characters in it especially Cricket.
I'll score it a solid 3.5 stars

Comforting and relatable if a bit slow.

There are actual laugh out loud moments but these are tempered by some slightly boring passages.

I did enjoy the book and would be good to read in the garden on a sunny afternoon.

What a great read, reminded me of me a lot, enjoyed from beginning to end, great charecters easy to get to know and relate too

This is a contemporary fiction set in London, England.

It is written in the first person and focuses on Nell Steven. A 40 something year old who thinks her life is a mess because she doesn't have the perfect life of husband, job and home with children. She lost both her business and fiancé unexpectedly. Then reluctantly moved back to London where her once single friends are all married. Wanting her independence, she ends up renting a shared flat and writing obituaries. Surprisingly, she meets Cricket, an eighty something year old widow who befriends her and makes her see life in an optimistic different way.

When I first read the title, saw the cover and read the synopsis, I thought I wouldn't like to read this book because it initially sounded like a diary account of someone complaining about their life misfortunes. However, I'm glad I obtained this copy from Netgalley and I was able to read it. I liked how the story was written in the first person so you understand what the character is going through. I liked how Nell wrote the list of things she's grateful for and the story changes positively when she meets Cricket.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Brilliant, realistic characters who dance off the page and invite you to join in with their lives. Humorous and poignant prose.

A really enjoyable, light hearted quick read. The very end confused me a bit, but didn’t detract from how much I enjoyed it.

It has been a while since I have read anything by this author and the title of her new book really caught my eye, being 40 myself later this year.
I really enjoyed this book, it was a fun and entertaining read and one that I could relate to. Definitely one to read.

I was fortunate to receive a copy of this book to read from NetGalley.

Although I'm in my 30s and married, I could relate to a lot of the tales in this book, particularly relating to Internet dating experiences 😂
I loved the friendships between Nell and Cricket and Nell and Edward and how these developed over time during the book.
I found the last chapter quite confusing though 🙈
Plenty of laugh out loud moments in the book!

This book is like a reassuring, comforting hug! For anyone needing a bit of reassurance that none of us have our stuff together all of the time, this is it!

Nell, in her early forties, moves back to London from the US after her engagement breaks up. She moves back in with her parents, discovers all her friends have moved on with family, kids and perfect lives full of swimming pools, yoga and quinoa baked goods!

This is the story of her first year back in London. She ends up in a flat share and through a job opportunity, strikes up a beautiful relationship with an older lady called Cricket.

There are so many things I enjoyed. The humour to start with, I genuinely laughed out loud in places. Then there are the life moments where you think "hold on, I need to do that too". There are some lovely quotes I highlighted as I went through, my favourite would be: "When life buries us under all its heartache and disappointment, think about a seed. It needs to be buried in order for it to grow." I liked the pace of this book, there is no build up to a big crescendo, it is a steady set of smaller triumphant (or not!) moments where over the course of a year, Nell begins to become more positive about her situation and others around her become more human. It really does leave you with a sigh of relief and a feeling of "it's not just me". Its very easy to look at other peoples lives and benchmark yourself negatively. We all do it.

Lastly, in the author's dedication, there was a poignant statement from Elizabeth Gilbert which I really liked... "They handled it in a thousand different ways on a thousand different days, but they handled it. Those women are my superheroes"

This is what we need to hear! We may all manage things differently, but we are all heroes in some way for managing, juggling and surviving.

Out on April 30th 2020. Thanks to @netgalley.

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This book was just what I needed during these hard times. I raced through this as I got drawn into Nell's world right from the onset. As a single female of a similar age I found it very relatable . I loved to see the developing friendship between Nell and Cricket and also that of Nell and Edward. In a time where we all have to cling on to positives I loved the 'things I'm grateful for' at the end of each chapter as it made you reflect on your own life and make you realise that there is always something every day which you can be thankful for. If you want a fun feel good read to escape into then I would definitely recommend this one. I was so sad when it came to and end and left me thinking about Nell for a few hours after.

"Real life is messy and complicated. Sh** happens. One size doesn't fit all. Remove all the filters and the hashtags and the motivational messages and we're all just as scared and confused as each other."

The world is very upsetting and wild right now so I picked this book up for a bit of humour and I got so much more.

Nell is loveable from the start, and straight away I wanted to be her mate and I wanted to be in her life. I love it when a book can make you care about the protagonist so quickly.

I would describe this as an almost coming of age story for middle age, but then it's so endearing and I didn't expect that. I think that Potter managed to mix the exact right amount of cheesy chic lit with a story that's actually made me quite reflective of my own life and the people around me, that's surely a skill.

I've laughed, I've cried, I've got an overwhelming urge to decorate my house in a way that Cricket would be proud of me. I was really impressed with how current this book was too, it felt like Nell could jump off the page and be living in 2020 with me which added to how much I enjoyed reading it.

Honestly great. 5/5.