I've followed the lives of Carly and her crew since the first in this series, and though I’ve enjoyed each of the books, I’d say this is definitely my favourite!

Don’t be fooled into thinking this is just a light-hearted fun romp across America taken by Carly, Carol, Jess and the inimitable Aunty Val. Shari Low has definitely stepped things up a notch with this one. The ‘girls’ are now quite a few years older than in the previous books. In fact, they’re what would be termed ‘middle-aged’ And with that come a few hard-hitting realizations.

Carly has reached the point where she has finally promised to join her divine hubby Sam, living in LA, but truthfully … she’s petrified! Carol (married to Carly’s brother Callum), living an enviable, golden life, emblazoned across social media for all to see, suddenly just isn’t ‘feeling it’ any more, and has no idea why. Tough go-getter Jess has just discovered that the love of her life, Arnie, is not who she thought he was, and has decided to make a break for it! And just when they think they each think they’ve decided what their next steps will be, Aunty Val arrives with a huge announcement that surprises them all and changes their plans completely.

I loved reading about the journey they all embark on together, even though it’s all really bittersweet. Each one of these ladies is so real (although I think I’m a little bit scared of Jess!) and their strong bond is really enviable. Shari Low does a fabulous job getting to the heart of female friendship. She knows exactly how it feels to see that something’s ‘not quite right’ with the people closest to you, but then not to know how to approach it. And she also knows what makes a great ‘bucket list’!

I found some parts of the story really heartbreaking – mostly Val’s perspective. As loud and overbearing as she comes across, it’s so hard for her to be putting on a brave face all the time without her bestie Josie, not to mention the fact that she knows the coming months will be a huge challenge for her. She’s just so likeable and the way the author has written her character allows you to gain a deep empathy for those in similar situations and an understanding of how it feels to age, when you still have so much living to do!

Each chapter is narrated by a different character, and once I’d figured out who was who each time, I got into the rhythm of the book. Some tough issues are dealt with sensitively and without drama or too much explanation and back-and-forth. I’d definitely suggest reading the first 2 books before reading this one, for context. This is a really great 4 star read.

I loved the previous books in this series and this one was no disappointment!!!!! I love Shari Low's books so much!!!!! She has the ability to make you lose yourself in her stories and go through an emotional rollercoaster at the same time but love it!!!!!!

When I heard of this blog tour, it was one in which I immediately wanted to participate as a huge fan of the author. This is the third in the ‘What?’ series but can be read as a standalone novel. There is a summary of the main characters and their connections at the start which helps to set the scene for any new readers.

Shari Low’s characters are full of life, each with their own secrets and histories and all with an unbreakable bond with each other.

When Auntie Val asks Carol, Jess and Carly to accompany her on a bucket list mission in America in honour of her late friend, there is bound to be plenty of drama and excitement ahead.

Shari’s writing style is easy to read, free-flowing and full of humour. With plenty of references to everyday trends, it’s an easily relatable tale. As a reader, you can’t help but be drawn into the lives of the characters and empathise with their situations.

A thoroughly enjoyable read and highly recommended!

With thanks to the author, Rachel at Random Resources and Boldwood books for the opportunity to participate in the tour.

In What Next? you meet up with Carly who should have everything she has ever wanted within her grasp. However, life is not that uncomplicated and Carly realises just what she is about to miss- her life back in the UK. There is plenty of humour in this romcom as Carly and her friends return to the USA and cause quite a lot of havoc as they try to finish their friend, Josie's bucket list which she was not able to fulfil. Val, Carly, Carole and Jess are firm friends who know each other back to front. They all have their own concerns which have to be worked through.

This is a life affirming book, full of warmth and wit. Friendship and family are both central themes. There are also some poignant moments for what might have been. Overall, the friends will make you laugh, especially Aunt Val, but you can't help but like them all and wish them well.

In short a fast paced romcom full of laughs
#blogtour

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily.
I have not read the previous books in this series; Shari provides sufficient detail to ensure new readers understand what has gone before, although I'm certain reading the first 2 books will provide more depth to the characters and their relationships, making for an entertaining trilogy. This book is typical of Shari's work, providing a fun-filled contemporary fiction read with plenty of ups and downs, misunderstandings and miscommunication between a group of likeable characters, albeit that they frequently speak and act like teenagers rather than fifty-somethings. The 'notes to Josie' add a touching element to the completion of bucket list tasks and ensure this book isn't just a light-hearted romcom although it definitely fits the genre of contemporary women's fiction and achieves a high standard with and against work by other authors in this field.

My first Shari Low book but not my last!

A book 3 that really can be read without any prior knowledge of previous books. This story jumps in with both feet to life among these great friends.

Everyone is struggling with something but at the same time, blessed with new loves or beautiful families or great careers.

As the friends come together to help out one of their own in need, they take a hilarious journey that left me laughing and crying throughout.

I had so much fun with these gals that I wish they were real people that were in my friend circle!

A lovely romp through real-life, middle age ups and downs. A great Women's Fiction title!

Thank you to @rachelsrandomresources for having me on the blog tour for #WhatNext

Ok let’s start with the Blurb “A Thelma and Louise bucket list”!!
That should tell you this is going to be a interesting read and it was. We follow Val and a few others that are trying to complete a bucket list that was made awhile back and to honor her friend Josie, Val sets out to complete it and what a interesting trip we go on.
This is a cute heart warming story I enjoyed reading.
This is the third in this series but I read it as a standalone and I didn’t feel like I was missing anything.

Let’s see, we begin like most of the other novels, in jail.

Yep. The slammer, and we’re not just talking about Carly, but the WHOLE GANG...and what’s more, the whole ordeal isn’t even what they think it was about. Oh yeah, Val has been keeping secrets, but it was with good intentions and a desire to carry out the once-upon-a-time made wishes of two women that were meant to be friends til the end...yet that end came much too soon for one of them. But, I’m getting all maudlin here, and there’s so much more to feel, experience, and ride or die for!

Each one of the gals is at a crossroads, whether they realize it at first or it slowly dawned like the morning sun. One has everything they could ever dream of...a life among the Hollywood boulevards, the man of her dreams, and a life of luxury...but what she really wants it HOME, family, and to be surrounded by those she chose versus by blood alone. Another has presented such a front to friends and followers that she’s lost her true self, including that connection to her partner for better or worse in life’s trials and tribulations. Still another is chasing down the dreams of their younger self in the desire to carry out a plan hatched many years ago, and yet when push comes to shove, may just realize the plan was never really meant for the two of them, but the extended family she now has. Yes, there is much afoot between the pages as self realization takes them to new places, and yet another stay in the clinker...but in the end, their new beginnings will take them to heights they never knew they could reach.

A great read for Contemporary Fiction fans and Women’s Fiction fans alike.

I have loved reading about the wonderful Carly Cooper since the first book, this story picks up as she finally relocates to join Sam in LA where her next adventure with her loyal friends awaits.

What could possibly go wrong when Val, Carly, Jess & Carole decide to embark on an adventure at the request of Val to various locations across America. With photos appearing randomly of Carly in celebrity blogs and Carole not feeling quite her normal self, this book is full of highs and lows which will make you giggle throughout. From Breakfast at Tiffany's to Ice Skating this book is full of adventures and laughter amongst the tears.

I loved getting to visit these wonderful ladies again and I highly recommend grabbing a copy if you loved the previous visits to Carly Cooper.

I read this book in 2 days and really felt like I had been on a holiday with these girls and had experienced so many adventures and laughs. Val Murray is simply unforgettable! I liked the other, younger characters too, but Val definitely stood out the most.

Once again Shari has shown me why I love to read. I smiled a lot while reading and also laughed and even welled up a bit and I really feel like I spent some time with some great friends. I wish I could have been there with them for those two weeks!

This book is part of a series but can easily be read as a stand-alone.

I was a little concerned that I hadn’t read the previous books in the series. Once I started reading though it soon became apparent that I didn’t need to worry. The brilliant way in which this is written allows you to catch up with what has happened previously and I didn’t feel that it impacted my enjoyment of the book in any way. The easy to follow plot takes is on a trip across America with Carly, her friends and Aunt Val. Carly is set to move to America to be with her new husband but not before ticking off all of the things on Aunt Val’s bucket list. I absolutely loved the characters and found it really easy to connect with them and feel a part of their group. My favourite character has to be Aunt Val who made me laugh out loud on several occasions with her wit and bluntness! Told from the multiple perspectives of the friends, this was an easy read and I really liked the songs attached to the start of each chapter- I felt that this little added detail helped me to get a clue of what was coming the chapter by linking it the lyrics of the songs that I knew. A heartwarming story of the ups and downs in life and the importance of true friendship! I absolutely loved this book and would definitely like to read more by this author.

Thank you #Netgalley and #Boldwoodbooks for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an Honest review.
I really enjoyed this book, which is the Sequel to What If? written 20 years ago. I know this book had been long awaited and longed for. I have the Kindle and Audible versions, which are both well presented, so whichever the preference, both are great.

Now to the story, I don't like giving too much away, but it's a great, funny, insightful book. Heart breaking, love filled and adventurous. We follow the old gang and their grown kids as well as old and new spouses. Some very epic songs introduce the chapters and individuals, loved being reminded of songs by Lady Gaga, the late Whitney Houston, Annie Lennox, Tina Turner and so many others. We see the UK and Hollywood/ NYC visited, in essence tales from both sides of the pond.
Sex, Love, Hashtags, Podcasts. Amazing how we find how things have evolved. PHD takes on a new meaning and there is a treasured mention and welcome reminder of the epic Wonderbra of which I owned a fair few. Eva Herzigova anyone? We touch upon the loss of a friend, menopause, dementia and so much more.

It's definitely a recommended read or listen. Enjoy and sing/ hum along whilst reading the novel and lose yourself in the lives of others.

This is the third brilliant instalment of this fantastic series by Shari Low. I have yet to encounter a book of hers that I haven’t laughed, cried and wanted to be part of the lives of the characters that she describes within.

It would help to start with the first two in the series so you become involved with the characters and their complex lives so What If and What Next are definitely recommended to start with.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This sweet and funny book was a pleasure to read. I have read other books by this author and this one hit the spot for me. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I first read the other two books in this series last year and loved them. So when I heard there was a third one coming out I was super excited and even more so when I was invited to be a part of the book tour.

I love these women, I wish I was a part of their group. They have such a strong bond with each other.

Val is hilarious and she had me in stitches at some of her antics. But I really felt for Carol, she was having a rough time.

This book was like being on a rollercoaster of emotions. It was so sad in places but happy in others. It is just an amazing book and I definitely recommend it.

Carly really should be looking forward to moving to LA and finally being with her gorgeous Hollywood megastar husband Sam – but, much as she loves him, she’s rather fond of her life in London surrounded by her chaotic mix of friends and family. So when her larger-than-life Auntie Val turns up from Glasgow, asking if she can come along for the ride and take the opportunity to complete the bucket list of “experiences” she drew up with her much missed friend Josie, she jumps at it – and is even more delighted when close friend Carol, currently having a few problems of her own despite the perfect life she displays on her highly successful social media channels, decides she’d like to join them. When they arrive, they’re joined by long-time friend Jess – in fact, their arrival stops her fleeing her life in LA and her high-powered crisis management business, her private life that seemed so perfect having recently fallen apart.

The road trip that follows is simply wonderful. Val, her age no obstacle (in fact, she has considerably more stamina than her younger companions), intends to squeeze every drop of enjoyment she can possibly experience out of her trip – and following their adventures as the travel from LA to Las Vegas and on to New York, it’s a quite wonderful trip for the reader to share too. Val herself is a superb character – over-the-top and brimming over with energy, often inappropriate and gloriously uninhibited, although she does have her moments of introspection as she writes about her special moments in her diary to share them with Josie.

And, despite all the high octane fun and laughs, we find that the three friends have considerable issues that they need to tackle too – Carly must make some decisions about where her future lies, Jess has a relationship that she needs to either sort out or leave, and Carol needs to understand why she seems to have fallen out of love with her husband and is currently finding life so very difficult to cope with. Although she doesn’t let them hold her back for her instant, Val has her own significant secret worries too – and then there’s someone out there working hard to make Carly’s transition to her new life as difficult as possible, with photos of every riotous moment on their trip shared in a celebrity magazine.

I will admit that I did struggle a little with this book at the start – despite the helpful summary of the vast cast and their relationships at the beginning, I worried that I just couldn’t get a handle on who was related to who, or some of the key characters’ earlier relationships and life experiences, and I didn’t know whether that was going to be important. It’s never the best idea to join a series on the third book, and I did worry that I might have made a bit of a mistake reading it as a standalone. But everything most definitely came good – the story is told through the strong and distinct voices of the four women who join the trip, and I thoroughly enjoyed the way that allowed me into their heads and hearts, to understand their very real problems, and to slowly become exceptionally attached to every one of them.

This book really is tremendous fun – so much laughing, moments that fill you with sheer joy, always with the wonderful Val at their centre. But the author has a very sure touch with the emotional content too – the supportive female friendships, the ins and outs of the women’s relationships with their partners, and all the sensitively handled and more serious issues that emerge. I also really enjoyed the world she created – Carol’s social media activity was simply fascinating (and exhausting!), and Jess’ reputation management activity (who knew?) equally so, and who could fail to enjoy the inside track on the lives of the Hollywood rich and famous. This was a really lovely read – and one I’d definitely recommend to others.

This is pure joy in book form. I loved the previous reads from Shari Low in this series and being back with Carly, Carol, Jess and Kate again is just brilliant. I’d love to be part of their gang - the support and friendship they share with eachother is wonderful. The story this time centres on Val and her bucket list of things to tick off with the girls - all sorts of emotions filled me as we follow them on their travels - laughing out loud at some of the antics whilst sobbing for some of the emotions each of the women is experiencing, Shari Low takes us on a rollercoaster of an adventure and I loved it.

Although clearly connected to the previous books in the trilogy, this book does once again have enough merit to work well as a stand alone book. If you’ve never read anything by Shari Low, I can guarantee whichever book you pick up you will not be disappointed.

This book has been another one that I have got completely sucked into. I loved the element of travel and the notion of the girls’ trip. I also loved the poignancy and reasoning behind the trip itself.

This is a book that will make you laugh until your stomach hurts, but also cry until your cheeks burn. A beautiful balance of comedy, mostly based on friendship, as well as the emotional depth of dealing with loss and change. I found the letters written in the book particularly emotional.

I felt a connection with each and every one of the main characters, but especially Val and Carly. It’s quite rare for an author to be able to provide this level of connection with more than one main character, and once again this is just testament to Shari’s talents as a writer.

Overall, a gorgeously heart-warming read by one of my absolute faves. I’d recommend this book and author to fans of Milly Johnson, Carole Matthews and Heidi Swain.

How I love these women!!

Carrying on from What Now?, we are right back into the lives of these women who, let’s face it, are all joined at the hip! Val reveals that she and Josie had a bucket list which, now Josie is no longer with them, she intends to fulfil before it’s too late and she wants – well, demands – the company of her girls on that particular journey. Val, nieces Carly and Carol along with their best pal Jess all set off for the States but what Val doesn’t realise is that her three travelling companions are all at their own crossroads but, this time round, it seems that they’re not sharing.

Having laughed and cried my way through the first two books in this series, it didn’t take very long for me to be grinning like an idiot once again; in fact, I didn’t get past the introductory chapter, catching the reader up with all the characters and their lives over the years. We should ALL have an Auntie Val in our lives – she is a scream! With their own children almost all grown up, you would think that the wild days of these women were behind them – but not a bit of it. Beautifully written, as always, in turns hysterically funny and with moments of ponderous wonder, I could barely put this aside from beginning to end. Enthralling, entertaining and an absolute gigglefest, this one easily earns all five sparkling stars and my very highest recommendation.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley and to Rachel Gilbey for my spot in this tour; this is – as always – my honest, original and unbiased review.

The poignant line that Aunt Val delivers about living your life as you don't know what is in front of you properly encapsulates this book. In doing Josie's bucket list in honor of her death, Val, Carly, Carol and Jess truly have great adventures that certainly made me laugh out loud especially Rodeo Drive and Rock Center. The British humour was in full effect! What I also appreciated is that these strong women boosted each other up, realized what they need and made sure it happened. A true testament of friendship.