So let me start by saying that the relationship isn't of step kids, it's a single woman taking on her sisters children. I was expecting more of a funny rom com style book if I'm being honest, this didn't quite hit the mark for me. A good story, just not for me.

When I received Can I give my step kids back by Aurelie Tramier, before I read the burb, I thought this would be a romantic comedy, but it was completely different to what I was expecting.
Morgan is manager at a children’s nursery. But she is anything, but the maternal type needed for her job. So, when after a tragic accident and her sister and her brother-in-law dies. Her sister gives her sole custody of their two children Elliot and Lea, to the disappointment of her mother that thinks that she will not be able to look after the two children. As Morgan is single with a busy job. How will she look after them?
Morgan takes the children in. But must learn how to look after the children from scratch which is hard as her mother is breathing down her neck and the children hasn’t got over their parents’ death. It is not plain sailing and by doing this brings back old demons that Morgan has kept hidden for years.
I found this at bit a hard to get into at first and found Morgan quite selfish to begin with but, as the story unfolds you find out why she is like and acting like she is. Besides that, I did enjoy this heartfelt story especially Elliot with his letters to his parents and yes there was a bit of romance in it too.

When Elliot and Lea lose their parents in an accident they go to live with their Aunt Morgan. The book deals with the tragedy and unexpected loss of a family member and everyone adjusting to this and their new situation.
I really enjoyed this book, I laughed and cried along with it. I really liked the fact it was told from a few different points of view. The only downside I felt was that when Elliot told his parts they didn't feel as if they were coming from a 10yr old boy and could have been written that way for a bit more authenticity.
That was absolutely my only criticism though and I'd definitely recommend!

I’m sorry to say that this book just didn’t do anything for me.

The premise —which is what attracted me to the book — sounded very promising. Two children tragically orphaned and placed, at their dying mother’s request, into the care of a spinster aunt. With the addition of some interesting back story, it had the potential to be deep and powerful, to explore some difficult themes. Instead, I found it trite and unconvincing.

The narrative alternates between the voices of step-mum, Morgan, and 10 year-old Elliot and includes letters written by Elliot to his dead mum. These should have been heart-rending, but were so far off the mark in terms of language and observations, they just didn’t ring true as the words of a child. In fact, the whole narration from Elliot’s point of view felt contrived and implausible.

As for the adults, I couldn’t drum up much sympathy for either Morgan or her mother. There was little in them that I could warm to. Morgan’s transformation from brittle, tetchy aunt to caring step-mum seemed especially forced.

Not for me, I’m afraid.

A very satisfying read, full of emotion tinged with humour. I think the only thing that lets this book down is the very misleading title. On the shelf it will give the appearance of a light romcom read. It is not. It is a story that will make you think. It is written with literary style, although I question the maturity of the letters written by Elliott to his dead mother. I felt they were more the work of a twelve - thirteen year old. This is a minor point though. I thoroughly recommend this novel. Without my two negative points this would have been a five star read.

When life suddenly changes and you are named guardian for your nephew and niece. Following the adjustments they all have to make, grief and family dynamics with grandparents on both sides all added to the mix adding more emotional turmoil and in some cases pure selfishness.
A heart breaking story of triumph out of disaster, learning to live together, understand each other and appreciate the difference despite the difficulties.

The title of this book is slightly misleading. I was expecting the main charater having to deal with disliking their partner's children, but the book is actually about a woman who takes in her sister's children and goes from being resolutely single to a Mum overnight. Family relationships are bought into the story showing that all is not as it seems. An enjoyable read even if not what I expected.

Wow!!! This was an excellent book. It was very realistic. I could not put it down. The characters were lifelike. Their interactions and activities were realistic. This was the first book I’ve read by the author, but it won’t be the last.

This book was surprisingly captivating. Which may come as a shock to anyone who was following my updates AS I read this book. I really struggled with it. In part because it is severely mismarketed.

THIS IS NOT A ROMCOM. If you are going into this story expecting something similar to the movie 'Raising Helen' where an aunt's life is thrown for a loop when she is suddenly in charge of her late-sisters kids and there are sad but wacky hijinks as they learn how to adapt and she falls in love and its all wonderful ... you will be sorely disappointed. They also are NOT her Stepkids, but her Niece and Nephew. and considering the French Title appears to be "paint the rain in color" I am confused why they veered so far on the translated title... it is confusing and doesn't do a good job of explaining what the story is truly about.

This a Family Drama told in dueling perspectives of Morgan, and her nephew Elliott. The narrative voices are distinct and while I originally felt like Elliott's voice was too young for the intended audience, in that, his chapters felt more like reading Middle Grade which isn't BAD but the tone shift was a bit jarring. I however quickly got over that and his perspective quickly became my favorite.

Morgan is dealing with a lot of trauma from her past which is slowly revealed to us throughout the novel while she is actively trying to be a good parent to her niece and nephew. She struggles with accidental favoritism because she has a better understanding of how to relate and help Lea than she does Elliott and she is in a constant state of war with her mother.

and while we are on the subject. Morgan's mom is actually awful. She is absolutely suffering from Narcissistic Personality Disorder and I truly despised how she carried herself throughout the ENTIRE book.

<spoiler>her redemption arc actually had me seething. I don't know if something got lost in the translation but I never felt her apologies were real and it truly felt hollow to me. Family means a lot, but cutting toxic people out of your life IS OKAY.</spoiler>

I do think there is something lost here in the translation and that is just par for the course at times, there were a few times the language wasn't quite as natural but overall it doesn't detract from the story.


I will say, I do hope the Kindle Version of this book is formatted properly upon release as the copy I received from NetGalley had pretty bad formatting and made the book difficult to follow at times, and made for a poorer reading experience.

Overall this story is really good, the characters motivations make sense and feel authentic. Just know going in it is a much darker and emotion filled story, and not a happy love story for MOST of the book.

A wonderful story of how a devastating accident takes away a mum and dad and how their two children have to cope. Their mum has put their lives in the hands of her elder sister who even though she runs a nursery hasn’t the slightest idea about kids. The story is about there journey with its ups and downs , likes and dislikes and finally finding happiness and most importantly love.

This well written novel showed a totally different reason for wanting to give back step kids! I found it enjoyable, thought provoking and plausible. Morgan, the stepmom had a lot of relationship issues which made adapting to the children’s needs difficult.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this, as it's not my usual genre and is translated from French. However, I was gripped from the start. A really emotional read from start to finish. Strong characters, great story, kept me turning page after page. Morgan is an amazing character, and you just want to keep reading to find out more of her story. Just brilliant....

Can I Give My Stepkids Back? by Aurelie Tramier is a novel that took me completely by surprise in the best possible way. Based on the cover and accompanying blurb, I was set for a lighthearted read with a few laughable moments, but what I got instead was an emotionally engaging, beautifully written story about a family energing from tragedy, finding strength and resilience in the power of love, and in each other.

When solitary Morgan's sister and brother-in-law are killed in an automobile accident, it falls to an initially reluctant Morgan to take in the children, Elliot and Lea. Struggling with the demons of her past, and locked in a battle with her own mother regarding the children's guardianship, Morgan tries to bond with the children at a time when all three are reeling from loss.

Told from the alternating perspectives of Morgan and Elliot, the latter primarily speaking in letters to his departed parents, this one is guaranteed to tug at the heartstrings. Recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Morgan loves her sister, and when she's killed in a pointless car accident, she is deeply in mourning. But so are others, namely the mother she hasn't ever really gotten on with and Emilie's two children, Elliot and Lea. Overnight, Morgan, the cool, aloof, unfeeling, unmaternal Morgan, becomes a parent.

What then transpires is a struggle, for Morgan to accept that Emilie knew what she was doing when, on her literal deathbed in the back of an ambulance, she granted custody to her sister, and for the children to accept that things will never be the same, and that, despite appearances to the contrary, Morgan does care for them, and then grow to love them. Horrendous secrets long buried are unearthed and more than Morgan has to face the truth.

I chose this book thinking it to be a comedy. It isn't. I'm not entirely sure it isn't a translation - there's nothing in the arc I read to suggest definitely it is, but I do expect it to be a translation from the original French - the language is just a tad 'out' in places which is easily explained if it is a translation. It doesn't harm the book, but does hint at the even more beautiful prose of the original.

There is in truth, little to dislike in this novel; it may not be the most sophisticated (see above about translations) but what it definitely is, is stuffed full of emotion that makes you cry. I read this, if not exactly in one sitting, certainly in one 24 hour period, I just had to keep reading and dinner was postponed until I'd finished. In parts gentle, in others brutal, this is a novel that will stay with you, not necessarily for the plot - that isn't entirely original - but the raw emotion that is so real and honest, and characters who are unforgettable.

This story about Morgan who becomes the guardian of her niece Leah and nephew Elliot when her sister and her husband are killed in a car accident, had me sad, laughing, and experiencing every human emotion that exists. I loved that it was told through the alternating perspectives of Morgan and Elliott, to understand the two sides of the story. I was surprised at just how many layers the plot had, with so many new developments as the book progressed.
The only downside, was that at times Elliott’s telling of the story seemed to be coming from an adult narrator and not written like a 10 year old would speak. This made the book a little less realistic in my eyes.
Overall, it was a quick and fun read that I would recommend!

Struggled to get into this.

Also misleading book title and cover.

2.5

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my review.

Morgan is given custody of her sister's children, Elliot and Lea, after an accident. She struggles looking after them and this story covers their developing relationship.
I did struggle getting into the book to start with, however persevered and was rewarded with a story that grabs at your heartstrings. The synopsis calls this a humorous romance, this is not strictly true as the romance is a very small part of the story and the humour is interspersed with really sad moments. The story actually is turns out to be a very moving, emotional story of two children recovering from the death of their parents and their aunt struggling from the loss of her sister, the strain of bringing the children up against a backdrop of her own loss years before. She also has a very poor relationship with her own mother, so is suffering with no support.
I can recommend this book for those who enjoy emotional dramas with traces of hope in them.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influence my review of the book and I enjoyed it so much that I also pre-ordered it

As usual in my reviews, I will not rehash the plot (plenty of reviews like that out there already!)

FIrst of all, let me say that the title of this book is a tad misleading...as the relationships in question are those of an aunt and her niece and nephew (rather than her step-children).

So if you are looking for a light and fluffy read, this isn't it!

I myself had expected this book to be a light and humorous read, but it was far deeper than that.

Whilst there are some comical moments, the novel touches on many of the darker aspects of life - fractured families, bereavement, divorce, child abuse, and adoption. That's not to say that it's a gloomy book - it's as much about how the characters overcome events as about the events themselves, and about how people can change if they have others relying on them.

There are some great characters - I particularly liked Jean-Michel, and ended up liking Morgan (who I found rather spiky to begin with). I liked the way the book ended up, on an optimistic note.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

Can I give my Step-Kids back by Aurelie Tramier a heartfelt four-star read. This confused me as I did not read the blurb so was expecting a husband and such as per the title -step kids, but once I realised that it was easy to understand, I did read the blurb after and I am glad I did not as I would have been even more lost. Lea and Elliot are great characters and will keep you hooked, as they tell you their story. It was not what I was expecting as I was thinking a sweet rom com, about a single woman marrying a someone with custody of his kids, it wasn’t that it was something very different, but still a god story non the less.

Actual rating 3.5 stars.

Can I Give My Stepkids Back is Morgan Mercier’s tale of life caring for her niece and nephew, Lea and Elliot in the immediate aftermath of her sister and brother in law’s sudden deaths. Set in France, Morgan, a nursery manager who would prefer to be in charge of dog kennels rather than a bunch of infants, is unprepared for such a dramatic change in her circumstances. Despite her less than motherly demeanour Morgan is willing to fulfill her sister’s wishes and take on custody of these two orphans, even though her own mother Cat is aghast at such a proposition. What follows is a storyline designed to capture all manner of emotions whilst acknowledging the positive effects that can ultimately arise from a tragic event.

In the telling of this tale the narrative switches between Morgan and her nephew Elliot so that you have two perspectives of their new family life as experienced through the heart and mind of a cynical, somewhat miserable woman and an innocent yet perceptive young boy. Morgan’s narrative is often concerned with her role as nursery manager, a role to which she seems unwholly suited and her lack of parenting skills. She ends up making her fair share of basic errors but you have to commend her for trying! Still, you’d be forgiven for thinking she cares more for her beloved beagle Snoopy than for these grief stricken, broken hearted children, reluctantly embracing a role that’s been foisted upon her. Morgan’s grumpy closed off persona is far from the lovable,welcoming auntie figure that Elliot and Lea are in dire need of to help them through their bereavement but flashbacks to her past will make sense of her aloof,unsmiling nature. Elliot together with sister Lea steals the limelight in the way only children can (although Snoopy has a fair shot at this!) His heart rending letters written to his mum and dad left me feeling if anyone can unite Morgan and her mother, calling a truce to their long standing arguments, then it’s this little boy. That his grief manifests itself in some troubling ways only reminds the reader that it’s imperative the Mercier family find a way to heal their broken hearts together. Thankfully it’s Elliot and Lea’s childhood innocence coupled with being thrown in at the deep end parenting wise that teaches Morgan a great deal about her strained relationship with her mother, Grandma Cat, as the children call her and her need to face up to her troubled past which is long overdue. Only then can she move forward and embrace ‘motherhood’ showering her niece and nephew with love they so richly deserve.

I preferred the latter half of this novel, gradually warming up to the themes the author is keen to convey and finding the humour in the developing relationships between aunt and niece and nephew. However for me something is definitely lost in translation when it comes to the style of writing, with a disjointed feel to the narrative so words don’t flow as fluently as I’d have liked. I think the essence of this novel, one that is sweet and charming and hopeful isn’t completely lost but unfortunately the cover and the title mislead the reader into thinking this will be a lighthearted piece of escapist fiction. Parts of this novel do fulfill that criteria but I wasn’t expecting the underlying dark tone that is responsible for Morgan’s behaviour and outlook on life. There’s much unhappiness and sadness that creeps into these pages overshadowing the more lighter moments so it isn’t the laugh out loud novel the synopsis would lead you to believe. Instead it’s a novel that has a great deal of emotional depth exploring themes such as accepting loss, confronting the truths of a difficult past, forgiveness and the trials and tribulations of adjusting to a new way of normal. Granted there ARE also some sweet funny moments thanks mainly to Elliott, Lea and Snoopy the beagle which do jump out at you lending a more lighthearted tone to proceedings. These more uplifting moments are also accompanied by a smattering of romance so in spite of my initial reservations I did actually end up quite liking this novel. There’s a quirkiness to it, especially in the depiction of some of the background characters which I’m not entirely sure is intended but added an unusual take on events outside of Morgan, Elliott and Lea’s home life. I’m happy to announce that the more pages I turned the more the main characters won a place in my affections although Elliott remains my favourite of all. Overall I’m glad I persevered with this novel and would be interested to read more by this author in the future. My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read.