Cathy is a mum of 2 teenagers, in her late forties, and stuck in a rut of being there for everyone but herself. When her sister Lizzie, with the glam life in LA, sends her a motivational diary for Christmas, she initially scoffs at the idea of doing it. But then she’s persuaded by a friend to give it a go, and sets herself a mission for each month of the year and keeps a diary as she goes.
I found Cathy’s story a very easy going read, with a lot of warm-hearted laughs. I couldn’t help picturing her as Paula from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend! Amongst the light-hearted topics there are also some serious subjects tackled such as the menopause, and grief.
I enjoyed the book on the whole, but too often found myself getting distracted by the diary format in the way that absolutely everything was in the past tense. I kept thinking, when is she writing this? If you write a diary on an evening or the next day, some of it is in the past tense like “I went to the shops” but a lot is in the present tense because it’s all your ongoing experience... like “I’m finding this very hard to cope with” or something you wouldn’t say “I was finding this hard to cope with” because it didn’t stop that night! This kept annoying me, but also making me think, is this like a year later and she’s remembering? But why? And how would you remember that exact day? Then realising I’d been pondering this for 5 minutes and not reading the book. I kept thinking maybe this is going to make sense at the end of the book but it didn’t!

I have not read any books by Tracy Bloom before, but I was invited to read an early preview copy of this book from the Publishers.
I am a similar age to the protagonist Cathy, plus we both have Children of a similar age. It was easy for me to relate to some of the problems that she is facing, especially with the laundry and housework.
It is refreshing to read a book with a protagonist who is married and in her 40s. While I like contemporary romance fiction books very much, it's nice to have a change sometimes. I enjoyed the Author's writing style, and I found it very amusing at times. It written in months, rather than chapters. Cathy is trying to make changes to her life after reluctantly being given a Motivational diary for Christmas from her Sister.
I enjoyed reading this book, and I am definitely going to read some of her previous books.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.

This was a really lovely book. It had me laughing out loud on many occasions. It really does capture the life of a wife and mother who puts herself last. It was beautifully written and flowed beautifully. It certainly makes you stop and think. I really enjoyed it and loved the humour.

I really enjoyed the comedic writing of this book. I shall look into more of Tracy's books for future reading.

Some of these goals are so real for the woman of today! I couldn't live without my carbs or my husband (who I've never felt the need to have "The Chat" with so I am blessed).

It was enjoyable to see the changes she had even though some of them were easy goals for but there was some emotional moments in the book written tenderly.

So many smiley and laugh out loud moments so much so I'd get funny looks from the family. They think I read crime all the time!

Really enjoyed spending time with Tracy and will do so again

Fabulous! Really liked the characters in this book and enjoyed the exploration of their complex relationships and dynamics. It kept me interested throughout and a great ending - give it a read!

It took a little bit to get into this book but then it was laugh out loud funny!

I loved the characters, Cathy was so relatable, Freddie was brilliant, Tania was wonderful. I laughed so much at the WhatsApp messages of the three sisters as they were very realistic.

How Cathy manages her husband Mike is brilliant.

The book follows a year in Cathy’s life as she sets herself goals to achieve and works out what she wants from life now her children are getting to adulthood. In amongst this she has to manage her husband’s midlife crisis as well as many life events.

The result is hysterical! I real feel good read.

I wasn't keen on the title of this book, as it felt slighty patronising as I think a lot of wives have lives already.
However, I did really enjoy spending time in the company of Cathy and her family and friends. The things that happened to them seemed believable and, although the book was mainly lighthearted the author dealt with the deeper, sadder issues with a light and empathic touch.
This is the first Tracy Bloom book I have read and I will definitely read others,
Thank you to netgalley and Harper Collins for an advance copy of this book

Honest and hilarious story about family, friendships, love and the menopause! The 'funeral speech' is one of the most touching things I have ever read; despite feeling the moment and having a tear in my eye, I was congratulating the author on her superb writing. This is a book for middle aged, book and Greatest Showman lovers, women everywhere. It all feels so real, the daughter's first love, the constantly disappointed mother, the sibling rivalry. Brilliant.

Cathy is having one of those moments. We've all had them. When you actually stop and take a look at your life, and decide that changes are required. Cathy's is prompted by her husband wanting a complete career change. So she decides to make a plan for the year ahead, and hopefully work towards making the changes happen.

What is utterly brilliant about this book is that the story is real. Some of the changes that Cathy wants to make are quite big, but some of the others are just normal every day stuff. That's what makes the book so appealing, the things that happen are the things that happen to all of us. Like arguing with siblings (in your head) and facing the reality of ageing parents.

There's a lot of laughs thrown in for good measure too, and some tears. But that's what real life is like. The Wife Who Got a Life is inspirational, not in a hippy self help way (which is clearly not my cup of tea). But in a down to earth, you can make small changes kind of way, and that's enough for me.

A great success by Tracy Bloom! This was extremely inspiring and hilarious. I loved it! We should all be a little more Cathy!

This is the first book I’ve read from this author. The cover of the book immediately grabbed my attention and I was happy to be approved for an advanced copy of the book.

Cathy is very relatable. As a 40-something married mum, I felt connected early on with the main character.

I liked the writing style, and found the supporting characters to be well described and enjoyable.

I read this book pretty quickly. It didn’t wow me, but it was a good quick read.

3.5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for my advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review 📚

Thanks to Netgalley, Harper Collins UK and Harper Fiction for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Cathy is given a motivational diary by her sister as a Christmas gift and sets some unconventional goals for the coming year. Unconvential maybe but I'm sure ones to which we can relate! Funny and with a great cast of supporting characters I really enjoyed this book.

Hadn't read any Tracy Bloom books before but I'll be sure to look them out in the future.

Oh I loved this! My age (44) definitely helped me find the whole story totally relatable.

Cathy is a mum with a mission. When husband, Mike, drops a bombshell that could affect all of them she decideds it's time to take her life back. She is going to start doing things for herself and stop letting herself be dictated to by husband, teenagers, mum and sisters. This totally didn't go the way I expected and there are some really sad and heart wrenching storylines in amongst the non-stop numour. Feel good, fun, fabulous fiction!

Cathy is in her late forties and drifting through life, put upon by family and struggling for direction. At first dismissing her sister's idea to create a list of New Year targets, she eventually comes up with her own, unique list of goals for the year ahead.

This book was very relatable and it did make me laugh. There were aspects that were just pitch-perfect - the siblings' whatsapp group, for example, and the love-hate marital bickering, I thought were really well done. There is a down-to-earth quality to Tracy Bloom's writing which is lovely - everyone has a normal name and lives a normal life. She really does character, and dialogue, very well indeed.

Where the book falls apart for me is in the narrative. The goals that Cathy sets for herself are a bit weird and don't particularly drive the plot forward in an interesting direction. Two of Cathy's friends experience ill-health during the course of the novel and I don't feel that these aspects were particularly well-handled either - they felt peripherally added to create some emotional depth, which the novel didn't really need in the first place.

I love an author that can make me laugh so I would definitely read another novel by Tracy Bloom.

This is my first book written by this author. Written in a diary style the book follows the life of Cathy a Mum who has always put others before herself. . I didn’t find it easy reading this style although it was easy to follow way but just not my favourite. Thanks to Tracy, Harper Collins and NetGalley.

An uplifting story that, as a mother of grown-up children, I found relatable, funny and endearing. It’s an easy read, which I finished in one day, but it was an enjoyable way to pass the time.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This is the second book by Tracy Bloom that I have read. I can only say that I enjoyed both immensely. The situation are relatable, honest and true to life. Maybe it's my age, long term marriage, grown up child but I felt as if Tracy was writing about my life at times. I will definitely be looking out for more books by Tracy. Wanting changes but not run away and change everything but tweaks that have a massive impact but keep the foundations strong. If you like this book find Tracy's first book I recommend it.

Take a section of a busy Mom's life and that is this book. Cathy, mom of two teenagers husband and Barbara Streisand the dog. Midlife crisis, teenage first love, friendship and death its all here. The family concept works well including sibling troubles. A really well written book that keeps you interested right to the end.

Reviewed on Facebook too

I read this book in a day , I loved it so much and would recommend it, with thanks to Netgalley & The publisher for the arc of this book in exchange for this honest review

The Wife Who Got a Life by Tracy Bloom
Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, for this review copy. This is my unbiased review of the author's work and style.
Let me start by saying I am impressed. I came to the book with no lofty expectations and found a delightful story, an author who writes original prose, also one with a light sense of humour and a real eye for the things that delight and bug people.
If during the lockdown you had promised to do so many of those jobs, take up a hobby, get fit, slim down and sort out your wardrobe, but looking back you've realised that few of these ambitious endeavours have been achieved you need to read this wonderful book. It will swill away the feelings of guilt and may inspire you to get motivated in the nicest possible way..
Tracy Bloom has the lightest of touches with the deepest of understanding. I look forward to her future works and will now track down a copy of her debut novel "No one has sex on a Tuesday".
Given there is promised freedom during the coming summer, and may one dare to hope of sunny days on the downs with a picnic, I have promised myself time to re-read this book more slowly and wallow in its sheer joy.
Five stars all the way