This was a lovely read, full of the Dawn O’Porter warmth we have grown to love over the years. I follow her on social media so feel like I ‘know’ her a bit, and it’s clear that the loss of her beloved Siamese cat Lilu inspired much of this book. Spoiler alert - what happens to Porridge in this book also happened to my sweet cat Mabel. Dawn writes about the sudden loss of a pet in a way that only someone who has been through it could do. There’s a point after Porridge dies when Mia asks “what now? What am I supposed to do? What do I do now?” and I asked the very same thing as I sat with Mabel after I found her. That complete incapability to see through the shroud of grief and make a decision about what to do - I felt that so deeply and Dawn writes about it perfectly.

There are happier moments in the book, of course, also very well executed! But it was the pet loss that really got me. Wonderfully written. Pets are the best.

The first book I’ve read from dawn oporter and won’t be the last! I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others. Dawn is a talented author who makes you want to read the full book in one sitting! Couldn’t put it down!

Dawn O'Porter has smashed it again. Ive laughed, I've cried and I've woken up early to finish the book before work.
An easy, quick read that I believe would be perfect for most readers... even if youre a dog person!

Dawn O’Porter is clearly on a mission to change the connotations associated with being called a ‘Cat Lady’.
Mia is married with a step son, and more importantly a pet cat called Pigeon. Wrangling with her husband’s ex wife hanging around under the guise of wanting to be there for her son, Mia finds herself drawn to a group pet grief counselling session. Pigeon is such a huge part of her life that she is already struggling to contemplate life without her.

We slowly uncover some of Mia’s difficult past, and just why she’s so attached to Pigeon, and anyone who’s ever had a pet will likely struggle with some of the more upsetting scenes in this book. The stories of the other members of the group are very sensitively written.

This is a slightly strange book, with a few scenes that I found a little bit over the top. It’s enjoyable enough, but maybe just not quite a book for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Having read mixed reviews on this, I wasn’t sure what to expect but I didn’t hate it - I also didn’t love it either. It was readable but a bit ridiculous for me. I thought that lots of the behaviour or scenarios were too unrealistic but mildly entertaining. It tells the story of Mia who is obsessed with her cat and attends a pet bereavement group despite her cat not actually being dead. Through twists and turns in her life, the group is there for her and gives her the strength and confidence to keep going when things get tough. Although it wasn’t a favourite by any stretch, I did enjoy this book.

Sometimes you just feel like an easy enjoyable read with a few laughs and this book hit the spot. Mia is the eponymous Cat Lady whose entire life is centred on her beloved cat, Pigeon. Her husband Tristan and stepson Oliver are much further down the pecking order, Pigeon is her most important relationship.

Mia is somewhat eccentric in this regard and I found it quite hard to square that with her depiction as a successful business woman. I can't say I really warmed to her as a character, although I sympathised with some of her vulnerabilities especially having to put up with the annoying ex-wife and how she agonised over a little untruthfulness with the Pet Bereavement Group. Loved the concept of this Group, which was a great way to bring together a diverse group of characters and allow them to develop together.

All in all, a light, funny and enjoyable read for the summer holidays, especially for cat lovers.

With thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review of this book.

Not my usual type of book. Mia loves her her cat, age lives got her job too. She’s a loving stepmother to Oliver and married to Tristan pretty much in that order. She pretty messed up but manages to keep her life together until it starts to unravel.
This arc was provided by netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A modern-day tale of a high-strung woman finding her feet in London.
Filled with funny twists and turns and an eclectic array of characters.

Great for fans of Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine.

I really enjoyed this. I liked the humour in it but also that there were serious issues being dealt with.
I loved all the characters at the pet grief meeting - funny but sweet.
I would definitely recommend this book - it made me laugh but also made me think about how we perceive people.

What a brilliantly funny and emotional journey of a book! I was up til 3am this morning finishing it, I couldn't put it down.
Cat lady is a beautiful story of a woman and her cat. It is also a story of women and how society treats them by placing labels on them or dismissing them and how they are expected to behave in society. Mia is a successful business woman whose near perfect life, changes on the ‘turn of a dime’, spirals out of control and she loses everything dear to her. It is about how these type of events change women unexpectedly but it is also about women as survivors.
Mia’s story is as funny as it is heart wrenching. Brilliant humour interlocked with a salient, poignant story about women and their relationships with men and how women can unknowingly surrender their power to men.
I found this book strangely comforting and it surprised me in unexpected ways. Mostly in how important it was for me to be reading it. So I am grateful to the Publisher and NetGalley that I was given the opportunity to do so.
This is the first time I have read a book by Dawn O’Porter and I am really looking forward to my next read, of one of her other books

Dawn O'Porter, what a read!
Mia, our main character, seems to have everything she requires, on the face of it. Married, with her living situation just right for her, separate bedrooms, but enough intimacy between husband and wife, a step-son that seems to be quite happy with her, a job where she appears to be killing it, and her cat Pigeon, who she loves to bits.
But dig a bit deeper and, like everyone, there is a story, there.
For some reason, Mia starts going to a support group to help with the bereavement of pets, despite Pigeon being in rude health. Somehow, she feels at home there, and able to be herself more.
At home, she still has to deal with the ex-wife coming and going as she pleases, on the pretext of seeing her son, but she never leaves without some comment to hurt Mia, about Pigeon.
Work is organised, but not always fun, as Mia tries to maintain her image of authority, with a boss who seems away with the wealthy fairies, and employees who seem to do as they please, not what Mia expects.
Even with her family, it is hard. She only has her sister, and though there is no bad blood between them, there is a void.
The only constant is Pigeon, her beloved cat.
Over the course of the story, we learn a lot about Mia and her past which contribute to her being the way she is. Her label of Cat Lady, even though she is married, with a good job, is hung relentlessly onto her. But is that a bad thing?
I loved the character arc for Mia as she learns a lot about herself through the story, as do we, and the reasons behind her sometimes peculiar behaviours become more apparent.
It is funny in places but also hits an emotional note, too. A great read.
I am a cat lover, with my own Punjabi Cat who we would not be without, and I proudly sit here, writing this review in my Kaftan!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins Fiction for an Arc in exchange for an honest review.

I think the time has come for me to give up reading books by Dawn O'Porter. I just don't like them.

She's great, both on the telly and social media but I just don't enjoy any of her books - and I've read a few of them.

Mia is a woman in her 40's. She has a good job, a husband that she appears to like, a step-son that she loves and a cat who is her everything. Mia doesn't have any friends though and because of this she tends to go along to weekly therapy groups. She's tried them all and at the moment she is a member of a group for those who have lost their pets. Mia's cat isn't dead and technically, she hasn't lied about this but she hasn't really told the truth either.

Throughout the book we discover why Mia is so protective of her little world and as she gradually begins to let people in, will she become happier?
There are some interesting supporting characters but none that particularly stand out in any way and I found it to be very predictable.

Sadly this book just didn’t do it for me. A cat lover myself this book sounded great fun. Unfortunately I found it a bit flat. Mia attends a pet bereavement support group but her cat - Pigeon (great name!) - is still alive. She lives with her husband but his ex is there constantly so she’s seemingly constantly belittled by her. And at work too, she’s using control to keep everyone at arms length…

All in all this has been a bit of a miserable read. Not sure who found this hilariously “funny” as per the blurb, but I didn’t. A melancholy few hours reading it.

Having read previous books by Dawn O’Porter, I knew I would love this read, before even picking it up, and I certainly did! Admittingly, I am very much a cat person, so perhaps I am a little biased and this made it easier to relate to.

Due to the author’s popular writing style, ‘Cat Lady’ is an addictive, humorous, thought-provoking read, highlighting her amazing writing talents. The authenticity of the storyline is brilliantly unique and perfectly paced. There are some very emotive and moving parts, without being hard to read.

Mia is a charming main character, and her enthusiastic, poignant relationship with her cat Pigeon, provides amusing entertainment, making this an enjoyable read for all.

I can not recommend this book enough. A well-deserved five stars read, that I absolutely adored, and will be purchasing, despite already read this digital copy!

‘Cat Lady’ is available to pre-order now in all formats.

My first Dawn O'Porter novel and may be my last. The story is easy read but there is nothing endearing or likeable about the main characters. I found it forgettable and annoying, the turnaround in the main character unbelievable. Towards the end there are pieces of writing that read like they have come from an article for a magazine or newspaper. They are well written and insightful but do not fit with the character speaking, nearly as if they have been inserted into the story because they are relevant. Not for me.

An enjoyable read, sure to tug on the heartstrings of pet owners (especially cat ladies like myself!), that ultimately suggests embracing your quirks (and surrounding yourself with others who do the same) is the secret to happiness. Not quite the anti stereotype manifesto that I expected but charming and amusing nonetheless. Well worth a read, especially for fans of the authors previous work.
Thanks to NetGalley.co.uk and Harper Collins for the free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this! Easy, interesting and humorous, it's classic O'Porter. Her characters are always unexpected and interesting, and the found family elements really comforting. I loved the challenging of the stereotyped cat lady, and how other generalisations and assumptions were proved wrong about other characters too. A great summer read.

Cat Lady by Dawn O'Porter was a highly enjoyable read. As are all of their books. I highly recommend this as a good summer read

If you’ve read Dawn before you’ll know her work is irreverent, witty and will always feel familiar. Cat Lady is no exception. As brilliant as ever, Cat Lady is a worthy summer read!

YES, YES AND TRIPLE YES! I adore a Dawn O’Porter book. Somehow you never know what to expect when picking them up but when you put them down you realise they were exactly what you needed. That’s an incredible skill of speaking to your soul that Dawn has.
This one is slightly dark, funny, honest and insightful. Read it!