Shay has been juggling so many responsibilities for so long and the balls are about to come crashing down. She gets little support or help around the house from her husband Bruce, who doesn't seem to notice her anymore and takes her for granted. Her daughter Courtney has always been headstrong and given Shay plenty worries and grey hairs. She's worried about her son Sonny who is about to get married but Shay feels there's something a bit off about the relationship. Her own parents are separated with her dad having recently having had a debilitating stroke and her mother needing more care as her memory starts to fail. Everything seems to land at Shay's door, especially since her sister does very little to help. And in the background we know that there has been a tragedy which has shaped her life. No wonder she feels under pressure.

There was a lot about Shay's life I could relate to being of a similar age and with older relatives starting to need more help and attention. Thankfully, I don't have the marriage issues she does nor the worries about her children.

The Woman in the Middle had a rather different feel about it from most Milly Johnson books I've read. It seemed like a more personal, heartfelt story was being told and I think that many women of a certain age will feel like this is a reflection of their own lives. So much seems to be expected of women nowadays and sometimes it's hard to find time for yourself as you are pulled every which way. I found the second part of the book particularly moving. So much happens in a short time for Shay and I thought that Milly Johnson conveyed brilliantly just how this affected her.

The Woman in the Middle is such a relatable and warm read. There are some truly awful characters in this book but there are plenty of wonderful people who come into Shay's life too. Sometimes the most unexpected people make the biggest difference to her. You'll take Shay to heart and so hope that she'll put herself first for once as she most certainly should. I was cheering Shay by the time I reached the heart-warming conclusion!

Yet another amazing book from Milly. I love her style of writing and don’t even need to read the blurb to know I want to read it. Look forward to the book as always.

Having read all but one of Milly's previous books I knew this would be a good read.
This is the story of Stay, who feels like she is in the middle of a sandwich with her children, parents and husband.
The story weaves the past in with the present day and pulls you in with the cleverness if the writing. It is a heartwarming and funny story if family, friendship, love, grief and betrayal; and one that I would highly recommend everyone to read.

Shay is the woman in the middle. She likens herself to part of a sandwich. Caring for her parents, her children and her husband Bruce and holding together the family unit. Shay's the sandwich filling and is beginning to feel squashed beyond recognition.
A series of major events occur within the family - no spoilers here - and Shay is expected to remain strong and fix everything. When the final straw breaks, Shay takes herself back to her childhood village to resolve some past issues and finally fix herself.
Milly Johnson writes such excellent characters and interesting, engaging storylines. Her books elevate her to the absolute top of this genre. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC.

I literally jumped for joy when I was approved to read a copy of this book.. Milly is the only author whose books I have copies of in both e-book and regular paperback or hardback and I re-read them regularly. There isn't a single book of hers that I haven't absolutely LOVED! This was no exception. I really engaged with the lead character, Shay, who is juggling so many plates in her life as a mum, wife, sister, daughter and friend and who faces and deals with so many issues in her own marriage and the lives of her closest family. She certainly is the middle filling of a very unappetising sandwich at times with tragedies, death, grief and problematic teenagers and elderly sick parents all requiring her attention. Fighting the authorities to obtain justice for her mum in a housing dispute is just another heavy weight placed upon her shoulders. Despite all of this, Shay is a strong and determined lady and she returns to her childhood home where she faces past demons and solves some long held mysteries. If this all sounds a bit gloomy then you have to remember that this is a Milly Johnson book and whilst you may be in tears on one page you will be laughing out loud on the next. What a fantastic author it takes to achieve so many varied emotions within even a single chapter. There are so many lines that had me giggling as Milly has such an incredible sense of humour and a unique way with words that make you fall in love with her characters. This book had me reaching out for it in the middle of the night to read 'just a bit more'. There simply aren't enough stars to award that would do justice to writing like this. Wonderful, uplifting and just BRILLIANT! My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my review.

I’m a massive fan of Milly’s books and she is my go to author for fabulous writing.

The Woman in the Middle focuses on Shay and her life of being the filling in a sandwich. Meaning she’s there for her parents, her son and daughter, her husband and her friends. I really identified with Shay as it’s hard to be there for everyone you love and care about but not so much thinking of yourself so much. Shay’s life is full of ups and downs but she just carries on with sheer determination.

This book took me on a whirlwind of emotions, the ups of happiness and laughter and the downs of sadness. Milly takes you on an adventure of new characters and places which you want to be part of. Her writing style captures your imagination for what these characters and places look and feel like. I couldn’t stop turning the pages but at the same time didn’t want this to end!

‘The Woman in the Middle’ is about giving yourself a chance in life and changing priorities, as well as taking care of the ones who deserve your love and attention❤️

I have a huge book hangover from this story and it has to be my favourite read by Milly to date! I give ‘The Woman in the Middle’ a dazzling 5*/5* however it deserves a lot more! 😊

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley.

I feel very lucky to have had my wish granted to review The Woman in the Middle. Milly Johnson is the queen of fiction as far as I’m concerned. Such a clever author who writes comedy and tragedy equally brilliantly. Her books are guaranteed to get to the top of my to be read pile.

Shay is being pulled in all directions by everyone, she has her elderly parents and her two kids who even though they are grown you worry and then her husband Bruce who she wants to spend more time with but seems increasingly distant. Milly makes you care and root for Shay as you find out more about her life and past heartache .

Cracking read and I feel jealous of people who have only just discovered Milly Johnson because they get to read all of her backlist titles.

I do love a Milly book, you can tell that she writes from the heart.
Shay is the woman who feels that she is in the middle of a sandwich. She has a hopeless husband, a selfish daughter and a son who she hardly hears from. On top of this she looks after her mother who has dementia.
This is by no means a doom and gloom book. It just portrays life and how we juggle the day to day stuff like running a home and working.
Although Shay's children have flown the nest she still worries about them.
Milly writes about love, loss, grief and happiness.
There wasn't anything I didn't enjoy about this one although I wanted Shay to give her husband a kick up the b*m.
Thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster UK for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Having read all of Milly Johnson’s novels I had high expectations for this and my goodness did it exceed them. For me this had a bittersweetness to it as I could relate so well to Shay’s emotions even though my circumstances are very different but to say it was relatable is a total understatement. Milly has created a fabulous character in Shay - very selfless but with a complicated family background, still grieving her close friend and feeling the loss of her children who have flown the nest and balancing her elderly parents too. I really felt for her mum and her struggles with her new neighbours, how she tried to protect Shay from the full impact they had on her and separately Shay’s son who was being slowly destroyed. Among the the incredibly strong storylines was so much of the humour that you would expect from Milly, this had me feeling broken in parts and laughing out loud just pages later. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that got me on such a personal level, Milly has done a truly phenomenal job here.

A fantastic book. I love the depth of Shay, she is such a strong personality, so much stronger than she initially realised.

I love all of Milly Johnson’s books and had the privilege of meeting her a couple of years ago.

I would recommend this book to all my friends!

My Kindle and bookshelves are full of Milly’s books, so when this review copy appeared on my NetGalley shelf, I had to postpone my planned next read, pick up my Kindle, ignore my family and head off to Yorkshire virtually to meet Shay.

Shay is the woman in the middle of this story, sandwiched between caring for her ageing parents and her young adult children. At the start of the book we discover just how many plates Shay is juggling, as she looks after her family and job. Both parents have health issues and she recently lost one of her best friends, Tanya. So Shay is looking forward to a romantic weekend away with her husband to celebrate their wedding anniversary and to escape the every day routine. But will the reality meet her expectations?

As the story continues, Shay needs to deal with many issues, some unpleasant people and to make some tough decisions. This is her time to shake off her past, and to make decisions about what she really wants from her life. With help from some unexpected people, it is time for Shay to shine.

Although the book deals with tough issues including grief, guilt, loss, and relationship issues, because the book is written by the amazing Milly Johnson, it is never a depressing book. The story is emotional, but includes humour, love and warmth. Shay became so real, it was as if she were a friend and I was sad to say goodbye when I closed my Kindle at the end of the story.

Thank you to Milly Johnson for another fabulous book full of northern people and phrases. As a mother of two teenagers and a daughter of ageing parents, being the filling in the sandwich is both a privilege and a worry, and Milly has captured those feelings perfectly. This was a five star read for me and I’m happy to recommend it. The book will be published in Hardback and Ebook on 14th October 2021 (and in paperback in 2022).

This book really hit a nerve. I am at that time in my life where my kids are getting older (almost 21, 18 and 13) and they need me less and I am finding that I have time to re-discover myself. I am fortunate that my parents aren't elderly and demanding of my time, but I do want to spend time with them and do stuff with them. 

Shay is at that crossroads. Her marriage is a bit stagnant, her elderly parents have failing health, her kids have flown the nest and she worries about the choices they are making. And, alongside this, Shay has some things from her past that she has never dealt with. 

I really loved the little threads of stories that Milly wove into this book - and with Shay being the centre, like a maypole. I'd love to see another book set in the village Shay grew up in. My favourite part of the novel is where Shay goes back to revisit her past. 

This is a great book - and easy read (I hate that term) but one which tackles tough issues: Loss/grief, mental health, adultery, parenting, identity...... I also think it's one of the darkest Milly has written (no spoilers, but when you read it you will see what I mean!).

Completely recommend this book, a perfect read as the long autumn nights draw in.

5 stars just isn’t enough!
I instantly liked the main character Shay, I felt like I would be friends with her in real life. She really went through the ringer and I’m over the moon that she came out on top at the end. Milly's style of writing is an absolute joy to read, if I hadn’t had to go to work I could have devoured this book in one sitting. Prepare to feel so many emotions while reading this fabulous book

Thanks to the publishers for granting my wish - #TheWomanintheMiddle #NetGalley - I love Milly Johnson’s books and this one is a cracker. I didn’t want it to end.

This is the story of Shay and her family, parents, children, friends. It opens on Shay’s anniversary weekend away with husband of 24 years, Bruce. Let’s just say it’s not the best weekend Shay’s ever had. From there on in we learn about Shay’s mum’s dementia, her sister’s thoroughly unpleasant character and her children’s lives.

The story weaves in the past with present day and the reveals are well-worked into the narrative - you want to find out more but there’s so much else to keep you interested along the way that it’s not one of those ‘get to the point’ stories.

Full of the usual Johnson wit, humour and acute observations, it’s a thoroughly enjoyable read. Definitely get a copy!

The Woman in the Middle by Milly Johnson

Isn’t one of the joys of reading that there is always a perfect book for how you’re feeling at any given time? Milly Johnson is an author whose books never fail to cheer when I am feeling low, because she writes about women whose lives aren’t perfect but who find a way to cope with whatever life throws at them.

The Woman in the Middle perfectly reflects what it’s like to be the glue in a family – the woman who looks after elderly parents, worries about their children, and keeps on trying to be the wife she thinks her husband wants. Somewhere underneath all that is the real Shay Bastable (our heroine), soldiering on, until a series of events, triggered by the arrival of a big orange skip on the estate where her mother lives, brings the whole edifice tumbling down around her ears.

Long-hidden secrets emerge, old friendships are renewed while others are re-assessed, and through it all, Shay’s warmth and humanity remain in place while she copes with everything that’s thrown at her. She’s just so real, someone I’d love to be friends with, and that’s the joy of this book – and all of Milly’s books – is that she really understands what makes women tick. Warm, witty and wise, this was a delight to read, thoroughly recommended for a day when you need to be reminded that love, in all its forms, wins.

Here’s some advice. Before starting this latest book by Milly Johnson, there are a few things that you need to do……… 1. Clear your diary, 2. Turn off your phone, 3. Close the curtains and pretend you’re out of the doorbell goes, 4. Make yourself comfy 5. Make a flask of tea 6. Buy a packet of Hobnobs…….. this is all required as you will not want to put this book down until you’ve finished it! From the first page I was hooked. I love Shay and felt real empathy for her being part of the sandwich generation myself. Milly has written a beautiful book about how it feels to be middle aged with grown up children who still need you, parents who may not be in the best of health, trying to keep a marriage fresh, whilst juggling housework, work, friendships and life in general. A heartbreaking, funny, heartwarming story of love, friendship, betrayal, family with a cast of well written and believable characters. An absolute corker! I loved it! Highly recommended.

I love Milly Johnson books and this one did not disappoint!! An absolutely lovely story which gave me all the feels

No one, and I mean no one, can make me feel emotions in a book like Milly Johnson can.

The Woman In The Middle is every bit as wonderful as I had hoped, every bit as wonderful as every book she's written before it. Maybe a little bit more wonderful.

Shay is a fantastic character. I absolutely adored her and her family. They made me laugh, cry, sigh, swoon and smile. What more can you ask for from a book?

Milly has done it again, she has brought out another cracker of a read. I couldn't wait to read this book and I didn't want to put it down either. I like the way Milly writes about real life situations and I am sure people will be able to relate to one or another of the characters in this book. I really warmed to Shay, I really felt sorry for her what she has and is going through, she doesn't have any support from home, her mum and dad are not very well, her sister is a right pain and her husband well don't get me started on Bruce. Shay is always the person in the middle and she literally can't take that much weight on her shoulders anymore so needs to break away. I think this book showed me that even at your lowest there is a way out of there and you just got to take the bull by the horns and believe in yourself that you can do it. A powerful novel that is relatable and you just wont want to put it down.