Don’t make the mistake of reading the title and expecting a nice cosy ride through the daily travails of domestic motherhood – this is a novel of ideas and ethics.

We find ourselves in the tetchy world of highly competitive mummy-rivalry, stuck between the haves and have-nots with all their various prejudices. It focusses on the clashes between competing social and economic tribes, and interestingly, the multiple voices proved both its greatest strength and conversely, a point of weakness.

The setting is the Ofsted-outstanding West Burntridge First School in Northumberland, where 80% of the pupils are affluent white and middle class, leaving the remaining 20% to dwindle in their shadows.
The stable anchor here is Jo, the beleaguered headteacher, providing something of a bridge between the two camps despite belonging to the more affluent camp herself.

She is one of the Maltley set, preferring to live in the idyllic neighbouring village as do several other of the ‘haves’ in this story, whereas other less fortunate residents of West Burntridge face the agonising choice between paying a bill or putting food on the table. Maltley is the kind of place where one might imagine, with mounting dismay, that ‘Jacob Rees-Mogg might move in and make himself mayor’.

One of Jo’s Maltley neighbours and her closest friend is Rachel - another of the mums and a celebrity businesswoman who provokes much of the moral outrage. Her sexual preferences and liberal views bring her head-to-head with a group of conservative mums feeling that their offspring may be damaged by the school’s inclusive approach to families, and it’s the pleasingly complex depiction of Rachel’s character that shone out for me.
She isn’t especially ‘nice’, is certainly difficult and has plenty of her own struggles, and the plus-side of switching between narrators works its magic here, as we see her behaviour through the filters of others’ prejudices and misunderstanding, but then also hear the voice of her conflicting emotions in response.

A similarly nuanced handling of character applies to the other main players in the story, questioning assumptions and deepening our interest in the characters. None of these women are as straightforward as they seem, from the glimpses of backstory revealing once-harsher lives to one key, heartrending storyline involving one of the initially least sympathetic figures – one of the morally indignant, desperate to protect her child from the evils of liberalism. She emerges perhaps the worthiest of empathy, truly desperate in quite another sense.This is Stovell’s real strength, in offering such fully rounded individuals – we see them at their worst, make our assumptions, only to see them overturned as see the vulnerabilities emerge.

So why the quibble? Only in the lack of corresponding insight to any of the male characters. As events unfold, Rachel’s daughter becomes involved in a troubling relationship and the various strands of these people’s lives become entangled, raising moral questions. The men in this are clearly not all villains, but as our conclusions must be drawn purely from the perceptions of the women around them, there were points in the novel where I felt the lack of insight into those characters complexities.

Admittedly, a shift into those psyches would dilute the emphasis on the female experience, and arguably turn it into quite a different book. The bias is definitively towards the trials of women’s’ lives, particularly the gruelling competitive push and pull of the working mother’s busy life – all priority-juggling, managing expectations, and (inevitably), guilt, guilt and more guilt.
The action intensifies and takes a truly sinister turn, culminating in a wonderful scene close to the end where tensions boil over into a moment of farce at the school Christmas Fair, and this was a stroke of genius, providing a necessary touch of lightness to counterpoint some truly dark events. Stovell refuses to shy away from the thorniest of issues, and the ending is bittersweet.
Even in the world of the privileged high achiever, it’s ‘unremarkable to be remarkable’, and the subtle shading of character and sensitivity of subject matter ultimately outweighed the negatives.

This book is so good at emotional intelligence - I was simply left wanting a more generous spread.
As one narrator muses, ‘why are all men like this?’ Why indeed.

I really enjoyed this. I loved how the lives of the different characters entwined and how it portrayed issues from different perspectives. It’s a really engaging book because it deals with important issues that are very current through characters that are all brought together by the school gates. A solid four out of five from me!

With its chapters written from multiple viewpoints and its small-town setting, Other Parents has similarities with Big Little Lies, the hugely successful novel later turned into a successful television series. Instead of a balmy coastal setting, we get cold Northumbria and a town by the name of West Burntridge, but tensions in a place where everyone knows everyone’s business nevertheless run high. From a newly-installed headteacher over a single mother to two professionals in a same-sex relationship to a single mother forced to prostitute herself to make ends meet, the novel shines a spotlight on many different ways of parenting, and there are plenty of searing questions and dramatic episodes to maintain readerly attention. Thank you, NetGalley and the publishers of Other Parents, for the free ARC I was granted to complete this honest and unbiased review.

4-5 stars.

It all starts with two women raising a ‘query’ (ie a criticism and objection) about age appropriate inclusive teaching, specifically an LGBTQ matter. However, what starts as a query builds to a protest and oh boy, does it ignite like an exploding Bonfire Night rocket sending sparks in a multiple of directions over the ‘calm’ night skies of Burntridge in Northumberland. Jo is the head of the prestigious West Burntridge First School where it all starts and she’s caught slap bang in the middle of it all in more ways than one when several women are set on a collision course with all the force of charging rhinos. The story is told from five perspectives which I’d usually consider too many but in this case it’s absolutely vital as it provides an insightful and incisive balance of contrasting and most revealing points of view.

This is a really good book - not so much a mystery thriller but more a noir examining what lurks beneath the surface in a small seemingly perfect community when prejudice breaks its surface veneer. There are so many undercurrents here that it’s fascinating reading as we witness such things as the imbalance of inequality, the impact of poverty and what that forces characters to do, the difficulties of parenthood and new relationships. The characterisation is very good especially those of mother Rachel and teen daughter Maia who are also on a collision course. Maia’s storyline becomes a very upsetting dark one but which is handled sensitively. Rachel is such an intriguing character, she’s a high flyer and very intelligent and possessing a bitingly sarcastic tongue which runs away with her on occasion. Sometimes you just want to laugh at what she comes out with as she’s often saying what people are thinking! There’s one incident towards the end that makes your jaw drop and then smile with delight as it’s literally delicious! I like the way the plot builds with layer on layer of issues making it compelling reading which leads to a most satisfying conclusion with some characters having to make tough decisions in order to live with themselves.

Overall, I definitely want to read more by this author as the writing is so accomplished. Although there’s a lot tackled in this book it doesn’t feel overblown and I applaud the way it’s all handled.

With thanks to Netgalley and especially to HQ for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

Best book I have read for a while. I loved the complex, modern day families issues which explored all kinds parents and the difficulties they face.
I can honestly say I didn’t want the book to end and would like to see a sequel with Laura finding her feet.

A book addressing currant day topics which through most of the narrative was so realistic it made me laugh as I had seen/ heard/ experienced something similar over the years as a school gate mum.
Despite a good start, the final chapters did not resonate with what came before as to reach the conclusion, the storyline became too far fetched and somewhat spoilt the build up to that point.
However it is a book for today with issues addressed in a slightly light hearted way with an undertone of mystery which many parents will enjoy.

A fabulously funny, cringeworthy, relatable book about parenting, the local school, and its hierarchy. The author introduced the characters well, it was easy to follow, sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking.
Excellent story, well worth a read.

The narrative of Other Parents unfolds in a small town in Northumbria where everyone knows everyone's business and it is almost impossible to keep secrets. However, the parents in this story have more secrets than others and an anti LGBT petition centred around the new headteacher causes tensions to rise, divisions to be sown and secrets to be spilled. The narrative weaves deftly around 5 central protagonists; we see their points of view and their allegiances shift as they begin to understand what is unfolding around them. There are some dramatic set pieces, including a fight at the school fair, relatable characters and just the right amount of dramatic tension to keep the reader interested until the final resolution. An enjoyable and engaging novel.

Thank you to HQ and NetGalley for the ARC.

A thoroughly immersive book sinking you right into the debate of opinions. A highly charged, highly typical that is gripping throughout.

Where do I start? ‘Other Parents’ is surprisingly complex and political at times which I wasn’t expecting in the slightest - more fool me. Facing the topic of divorces and family dynamics head on can be tricky to get right in a novel, but even with added complications and diversities like LGBT relationships or sex work, Stovell has navigated it all with fantastic skill.

Any parent knows the gravitas (real or imagined) of the PTA in schools, with some institutions very much reliant on the generous donations or volunteering that it provides. When Jo, as a head teacher, inherits a high achieving first school and a strong willed PTA, there’s a lot of pressure to get things right and to rule fairly.

Thanks to Rachel’s successful career, she’s a generous donor to the school, but after she leaves her husband for another woman, other members of the PTA soon turn against her. Laura, another mother, is quite the contrast to Rachel. Single and mother to a troubled young boy, she’s barely able to make ends meet and has to count every penny.

Throughout the book, you get to know such a rich and varied set of characters with their own vices in life, all so well written that they could easily have been plucked out of real life. Maia and her desire to be fully grown and independent at only 16, Erin who was essentially air-dropped straight into an existing family unit and James who learned of heartbreak a little too brutally. There are plenty more to get to know but I’ll leave that to you and the pleasure of characters changing and developing at each chapter.

A novel with a very contemporary feel. It covers many of the problems encountered by people, especially parents, in day to day life. The storyline pulled me along as I was keen to read what would happen next. There were some very good observations and insights into people’s motivations. I’m so glad my children are no longer school age.
I didn’t like the ending, the confrontation at the school fayre became a farce which I think trivialised the situations explored here. Also the obligatory happy ending for the affluent whilst the more needy are easily dismissed.

As a teacher, this book appealed to me as I wanted to see how different types of parents were depicted. I certainly recognised many I’d encountered over the years!

I really enjoyed this novel. It’s written from multiple characters’ perspectives, which I always enjoy. I’d made an assumption of how I thought the plot would unfold based on the opening of the book, and I was glad I was wrong!

My heart went out to most of the characters in this well-written story. There were plenty of surprises throughout, so many readers will enjoy this book.

I really enjoyed reading this, it had the feel of Liane Moriarty or Adele Parks to me, both of whom I love reading, and now Sarah Stovell will be on the same 'must read' list.
'Other Parents' is set in a small North England village, with a close knit community. The plot involves the local headteacher, and a number of the parents and their children with all of the infighting and fallings out that ensue, all taking place over one school term. As a PCTA member, I found the characters really distinctive and relatable with just the right size cast list to keep things interesting without being overly=complicated and the setting was very appealing too. The story is told in a very natural way and was so readable, I went back to bed in the afternoon to hide from my family and finish it off
The title is perfect too, its always 'other parents' causing conflict and disagreement - so very well chosen

Definitely one to read

In a sleepy Northern village with an outstanding school, the local women want very different things. Dr Rachel Saunders wants a fairer world and is prepared to fight for it. Her new lover Erin wants Rachel's family to stop hating her. Jo the headteacher wants one last rewarding headship before she retires. Kate Monro wants to run the PTA disco and for the school to stop 'promoting' LGBTQ relationships, and Laura Spence just wants to be able to put food on the table for her son without doing sex work.

A story of complex people and tricky situations, this book also had the unputdownable qualities of a thriller and was brilliantly written with a few laugh-out-loud lines - mainly from Jo and Rachel, who is a badass, despite Laura and Rachel's daughter Maia rightly pointing out some of her hypocrisies in being a social justice warrior who attended Cheltenham Ladies' College and not been personally affected by food banks and library closures. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, which is more than the usual mean-girls-school-gates saga by a long way, and it was also really nice to read something set recognisably in Northumberland rather than the usual North London!

I absolutely loved this book! It’s a very clever, witty and entertaining read about school politics and gossip. The main characters were appealing - irrepressible doctor turned author Rachel and her likeable partner Erin, kind headteacher Jo, struggling single parent Laura, and Rachel’s feisty daughter Maia. The story is very well-structured and I enjoyed the different points of view. It was so hard to put this book down - great pacing, lots of twists, well-handled current issues and huge dilemmas. A must read!

Many thanks to Netgalley/author/publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

This book was great! It was engaging, with a great storyline, and even better characters.

I am also a huge fan of different perspectives in books, and found the different points of view in this book enjoyable. Each character had strong views, and a good enough personality to make the switch in characters work.

The actual story itself for Laura was the most engaging for me, the whole working as a sex worker at night so she could still afford to provide for her son was incredibly saddening but also showed the difference between herself and other members of the neighbourhood who views we get to see.

All in all this was a really good domestic drama and I have already recommended to multiple people.

The Price You Pay…
Keeping secrets in a small town is nigh on an impossibility. It seems, it’s the price you pay along with gossip, scandal and schoolyard politics amongst numerous other niggles. A school curriculum debate brings tensions to the surface in this well written, claustrophobic suspense with a well drawn and credible cast of characters and difficult issues are dealt deftly with sleight of hand. An immersive read.

This reads a bit like parent behaving badly... there's a lot of behaviour in this that isn't great.
There's also some strong characters that behave exactly as you wished you could.
Primary schools playgrounds are a breeding ground of jealousies,opinions and strife. Heads will always clash.
This does a great job of weaving the separate threads together,so by the end it's all neatly sewn together.
A good page turner

Other Parents is the debut novel by Sarah Stovell and will be published in the New Year. Stovell has been referred to as Britain’s answer to Liane Moriarty and it’s not hard to see why. She breathes the same life and drama into small town England as Moriarty does to small town Australia. It’s hard not to keep turning pages, with well-developed characters and a decent (if at times far fetched) storyline that comes together in a gradual but satisfying way.

Rachel is a doctor turned successful author who has recently ended her marriage after meeting Erin, causing scandal and upheaval aplenty. Her friend Jo is principal of the local primary school. Laura is a single mother trying to make ends meet. Each of the women are so consumed with their own lives but it’s what’s going on closer to home that requires their attention.

The author captures the working mother juggle, PTA politics, and goldfish bowl small town living really well - it’s very entertaining even if some of it overegged. She delves into some topical issues for parents in the modern age. It’s a juicy pageturner and proved an excellent distraction these past few days. Right book at the right time perhaps? 3.5-4/5 ⭐️

**Other Parents by Sarah Stovell will be published on 20 January 2022. I read an advance digital copy of the book courtesy of the publishers @harpercollins @hqstories and @netgalley. As always, this is an honest review.**

I am clearly not the target audience for this book, as I am at odds with other reviewers’ enjoyment of it. It did not work for me sadly. I found it unutterably depressing, there is so much angst and negativity amongst the families featured, not one of them seems to have a contented home life. From young children, to teenagers, to parents, all seem hostile and unhappy with their lot.
The characters are all dislikable and self-centred, young and old alike.
Is the school gate/PTA mafia really this toxic? I sincerely hope not.
Not for me, this was a DNF.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this title.