This was my first book by this author and won’t be my last. This was such a heartbreaking yet heartwarming and poignant read which really makes you think and covers a lot of sensitive topics in an insightful and intuitive way. There were moments in this book where I was laughing out loud and others where I was in floods of tears.

The book showed how humans and animals can form a powerful connection and the ability to change each other’s lives and how they can provide comfort to one another in times of need.

Once I had started reading I couldn’t put it down. Am definitely going to look out for more of this authors books.

I got to 25% and found it too boring. I hate giving up on books but it was so tedious I couldn’t spend any longer on it.
I felt nothing for Mia. Maybe if I’d continued I would have but just didn’t feel it.
I am a cat woman.. that’s why I thought I’d like it.

Oh my goodness, how I sobbed. Not delicate, pretty weeping but great heaving sobs whilst sitting on a train. This book takes us through the self-discovery of Mia as she learns more about her husband, relationship with her stepson, her colleagues, her sister and her cat, Pigeon. As the story unfolds, so does information about Mia's past that influences her present and her future and explains some of her rather bizarre life choices. She finds new, strong friendships that see her through a challenging time in her life.

A great tale that's well told. I'm glad I read it but now I need a lie down!

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

I absolutely adored this book. I’ve not read any of Dawn O’Porter’s books before, but I’ll certainly be reading some more. I am not usually happy with the term ‘Cat Lady’ as it is often used a derogatory term and is therefore, offensive; however it is exactly the correct title for this book. As a life time lover of cats ( married, with children and a professional career…..) I was interested to see how the story panned out. Initially, Mia appears to be the stereotypical cat lady, but as her story develops and you uncover her past and understand why she is, as she is, all becomes clear. Mia reminds me quite a lot of Elinor Oliphant as she is an odd, misunderstood and damaged woman. Her relationship with her beloved cat, Pigeon, who saved her life, is beautifully told and resonated with me. She copes with her flawed relationships, lack of friends and stressful work life by knowing that Pigeon will always be there for her. It is refreshing to find a book where a cat is a main character, so many rely on dogs as companions for their characters…….. as well as touching on the distain that some dog owners appear to have for cats ( I myself have sat in the vets on more than one occasion where a dog owner has commented, loudly, to their dogs that they don’t like cats - how rude! - I’m always tempted to reply, ‘if you don’t like cats, how can you pretend to be an animal lover?!’)
Anyway, if you have ever loved a cat (or any pet), you cannot fail to love this book. However you WILL need tissues - I sobbed for the last half hour of the book and was so glad I wasn’t reading it in public. Highly recommended ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Absolutely brilliant book. I devoured this in two sittings! Mia is a very lovable character who is struggling with her life and then the death of her beloved cat and a divorce but with new found friends she finds a way to move forwards. Very engaging and well written!

Thank you for my advanced copy of ‘Cat Lady’.
I agree with the other reviewer in that there are similarities to ‘Eleanor Oliphant’ in terms of how the main character is developed. The story dragged slightly towards the end but it is a delightful summer holiday read. I hope the spelling mistakes I noticed get changed before the main publication!

I found Mia very lukewarm and not that likeable but I did smile and cry reading parts of this book and it was some of the other characters that made it for me,

You know it’s a good book when you hope there’s a sequel as you’re sure this can’t be the end for the heroine! As strange as Mia is you can’t help but root for her and want the best for her life

I rate this a very fair 3 stars. The premise of the book is somewhat original following the London life of Mia, an eccentric cat loving business woman. It’s very much focused on friendship and being proud of who you are, eccentricities and all. That was interesting enough but I did find the whole plot a touch bland. I read it in one sitting by the pool so it’s very easy to digest and maybe one to pick up for your holiday read. It’s inoffensive and girly but lacks a bit of depth.

What a beautiful story, filled with wonderful charecters, just couldn't put this Dow, enjoyed every single page, think theres a crazy cat Lady in us all

I love the way that Dawn O’Porter explores people’s perception on women and their expectations of women.

Not all women fit into a box. This book shows us that there shouldn’t even be a box.

It is clever and funny relatable.

We have probably all judged a ‘cat lady’ at some point in our lives, and we probably do so at the beginning of this book too. But then we are shown that all of us are so much more than that.

I’ve always loved Dawn O’Porter and her work, there is always an inspiring feminist undertone that makes her books stand out and this is no different! Loveable yet fallible characters, page-turner!

There isn't much of a synopsis for this novel so I wasn't sure what I was going to get but it day say 'very funny'. It wasn't!

I like the author Dawn O'Porter and find her funny in real life. She's very funny on her Instagram as well but I've read a few of her novels now and her humour just doesn't translate to her novels and I'm not sure why? Is it because the writing is just not that good? I'm afraid it might be.

The heroine Mia is in her 40's with a successful career. She married her husband in her 30's and he's divorced and has a son who she is Stepmother to. However, her husband's ex still spends a lot of time at their house and Mia doesn't like her. Mia has a cat called Pigeon and neither her husband or his ex particularly like the cat. Her husband doesn't like the cat in their bedroom so they have separate rooms. Mia is quite a cold fish as a wife!

Aspects of this story reminded me of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. Mia is a bit of an oddball and has quite a few quirks! She's a Managing Director and a bit of a stickler for rules at work. I found it hard to like her character. Even want she went through and by the end I still didn't really like her.

Mia hasn't had a great life and she often attends support groups even though she hasn't got the problem that they relate to. In the book she attends a support group for people whose pets have died as she is so scared of Pigeon dying but obviously doesn't tell them her pet is still alive.

I won't say anymore on the plot as presumably with the lack of synopsis the reader is supposed to go in blind, so I've put this under a spoiler just in case it spoils it for anyone.

I've found with other Dawn O'Porter novels that her characters aren't fleshed out very well and it's still the case in this novel. I also think you need to be a cat lover to really appreciate some aspects of the story, so it didn't help that I am not a cat lover! I found some parts a bit off putting where she talks about her and Pigeon's special relationship! There are other parts that I won't spoil that I found even more off putting.

A lot of the story was predictable. I felt Dawn got a few digs in...a joke about Boris Johnson, a dig at nasty Journalists who write upsetting stories about people. She also covered most current topics like racism (her boss she works for says some racist things), sustainability etc. There's a brief mention of covid but then next minute she's in a hospital environment with filthy hands and no mention of any mask wearing or the fact you still can't really visit people in hospital! Also, I'm surprised that as a mother herself, Dawn writes about Mother's Day being on a weekday as Mia is going to work and the stepson is going to School! It's called Mothering Sunday for a reason Dawn!!

Would I recommend it? If you're a cat lover then yes, you'll probably relate to it and like it but I wouldn't call it funny. I found a lot of it quite depressing really. It's not a book I would recommend to friends.

I really enjoyed Dawn Porter's other books so was so happy when I was given an advanced copy to read.

Cat Lady begins with us meeting Mia attending a pet bereavement session - although her cat 'Pigeon' is alive and well. Straight away I realised that Mia has quite a strange set up with the fact that her husbands ex wife Belinda still comes for dinner and to visit often as their son Oliver still lives with them in their old home.

The book made me laugh lots of times and some of the situations Mia ends up in are hilarious. This is a feel good book under strange circumstances and I loved Mia as a character and her ways.

I will be recommending this book and looking out for more from Dawn.

Mia is a cat lady; she's married and has a job, but she's knows she's a cat lady, and frankly....is there anything wrong with that?

The story is so well developed; it flows beautifully without feeling contrived or being predictable. The characters are realistic - she's captured a snapshot of society incredibly well. The ending somehow manages to be not cliché at all but seamlessly natural and satisfying. I really enjoyed it - despite not being a cat fan myself! I loved how current the book is- it features so many relevant topics and current trends.

Blunt and unapologetic yet engaging and sentimental. This is the first book by Dawn O'Porter that I've read, despite enjoying following her on Instagram, and I'll be reading her others.

I loved Dawn O'Porter's previous novels, so was excited to read this. It's narrated by Mia - second wife to Tristan, stepmother to Oliver, managing director of Isabella May Jewellery, and - probably more importantly than any of the above - human ("owner" just doesn't feel right) to her beloved cat, Pigeon.

I wasn't sure about Mia for a while - she seemed a bit weird and obsessed with her cat - but I liked her better as the story sent on (and her life began collapsing around her ears) even if some of her decisions remained a bit questionable. But then whose aren't, sometimes? Some people in this book behave really appallingly badly, naming no names, and my jaw was probably hanging open at times. And yes, there were also a few tears along the way.

A couple of minor points: I wasn't sure why American spellings were used throughout despite it being set in London (particularly noticeable as the main character works for a "jewelry" business), or why Mother's Day apparently fell on a weekday. The word "nonplussed" is also used incorrectly a few times (Dawn seems to use it to mean something like "unperturbed", which is the opposite of what it actually means). I had an advance copy so hopefully stuff like this will be fixed.

Cat Lady was a great read about the profound connections between humans and their animals (and with each other), and ultimately an affirmation of living the life you're made for rather than the one you think you should be living.

Many thanks for the opportunity to read an advance copy!

Devoured. Read this in one day, I couldn't put it down. I've been a fan of Dawn's for a long time. Loved her books, her podcasts and her blog, which got me through lockdown, so I was excited to read this. Massive thanks to @netgalley and @harpercollinsuk for the ARC.

Dawn's great strength is character development. You really feel like you know the people she's writing about. I loved the lead, Mia and the supporting cast were all well crafted too. Mia has some traits that irked me in the beginning, but you understand why as the story progresses.

It's a beautifully written story about trauma, loss, the power of friendship and cats, obviously! It made me laugh out loud but cry too. One of my top 5 reads of the year so far.

Kaftan's and cats... it sounds like something Dawn O'Porter could be in, as much as writing.

I really enjoy her style of writing, it's amusing, yet throws some proper issues in there.
Some things feel ridiculously exaggerated, others totally relatable, but all in a good way.
I wasn't very far into the book before it had me smiling, or laughing out loud.
There's an overall feeling of warmth too, for as much as this crazy cat lady thinks she is aloof, the love between her mother and sister is quite something.
Very enjoyable.

Mid-forties manageress Mia lives in a loveless marriage of convenience and shares her husband with his omnipresent bitchy ex-wife and her nine year old stepson. The only living being Mia has any real feelings for is her cat Pigeon whom she is obsessing about 24/7 to the extent of joining a self-help group for bereaved pet owners ….The quirky plot and lots of scurrilous unlikeable characters make this an easy quick read to while away a few hours. I was kindly allowed to read an ARC in exchange of my honest review.

As a self titled cat lady I was very keen to get this ARC, bonus was that it was written by the lovely Dawn O’Porter who’s writing I have always enjoyed, so was happier than a cat getting fresh fish when I was approved for this ARC. Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers here is my fair and honest review in exchange for this kindness.

Where to begin…if you are a cat lady or man this is for you.


This book is everything you would expect from a Dawn if you have read her previous works, the plot and the characters are exaggerated but believable as true life with some added sparkle. It is joyful, mad, sad, funny, cringy , uplifting, emotional and down right fabulous. It is original with fast wit and smart observations. As with all Dawns work she tackles serious issues with great skills, showing empathy and true understanding all with subtle humour.

The story is told in first POV by Mia, while I liked Mia I found her quite disjointed to begin with however as the book progressed this started to make sense and I really began to warm to her on all levels not just the initial connection I felt with her on the cat things. Mia breaks the mould when she comes into her own and we find out more about her. The book is full of unlikable annoying characters but like Mia as the book progresses you start to understand why they are the way they are. One character you will love from the get on is the little grey buddle of fluff and whiskers that is Pigeon the cat… she is just purrrrrfect.

The plot follows Mia and Pigeon in their daily life set against the back drop off a major life change for Mia one that will impact them both.

Dawn captures the love between cat owners and their fur babies perfect I could identify with so many of the little quirks Dawn put in( the dressing gown cord, cat kisses in the morning etc) although some were a little way out there for this cat lady. She also captures the divide between non cat people and cat people so well, all I will say is the dinner party and on yourself Pigeon, brilliant scene , furthermore she captures the double standards between how society treats cats and dogs and their owners, the judgments and jokes is identifiable and true to life this really adds flesh to the story and adds to the bigger feminist message Dawn makes in this novel .

The book is well paced and a easy read with a good underlaying deeper message, there were parts I found a bit too out there, and the plot got lost slightly but in the end it came good. I felt some plot lines were underdeveloped but this didn’t distract from the main plot or underlaying message I just would I have personally liked to hear more about some, all though Dawn ties them all to the conclusion nicely.

This woman's contemporary fiction at its finest, it has a quirky heroine who isn’t obsessed with men, babies or dogs but a women who loves her own company, her cat and cares about her career, it sends the message that love doesn’t have conform and nor do you. It is a book that shows there is so much more to life than what society wants us all to conform to, because they are uncomfortable with your choices, a must read for modern women. If you are a cat person this book is for you for sure but even if you not a cat person for whatever reason put that aside and read this you might surprise yourself.

This book highlights it is time for the negative connotations from being labelled as a cat lady to stop, as it sends out a much bigger negative message about judging peoples own choices for their life , mental health, male and society patriarchy. It is time to incite this meeting to rebellion and reclaim the term for the positive.

This is four paws up for this proud cat lady.I laughed, cried, cringed and enjoyed reading this along aside my own little grey cat.