*4.5 stars*

I think every woman of a ‘certain age’ will recognise at least some part of themselves in Grace Adams!

It’s a blazing hot day in London, and Grace Adams is on her way to pick up a birthday cake for daughter Lotte’s 16th birthday. She’s currently stuck in traffic, stuck in the intense heat when suddenly, the terrible events of the last few months/years become too much, she feels overwhelmed and steps out of her car and simply walks away, abandoning it to the sound of beeping car horns and shouts from irate drivers.

She’s bought the cake regardless of the fact that Lotte wants nothing to do with her, she’s left home to live with her father now - mother and daughter uncommunicative. Things aren’t any better with husband Ben - he’s divorcing her - so many things left unsaid, something so devastating that they can’t talk about it, never the right time, always an excuse - oh to turn back the clock, and then suddenly it’s too late. Well enough is enough - Grace Adams is determined to take the bull by the horns and get back control of her life.

‘Amazing Grace Adams’ is heartbreaking, with raw and visceral grief that I don’t mind admitting had me shedding a few tears, it’s also amusing at times, an absolute roller coaster of emotions, but more importantly, it’s a celebration and portrayal of womanhood, of women everywhere trying to do their best, seeking perfection. There just aren’t enough hours in the day and with problems so overwhelming that they don’t know which way to turn. So many tasks to complete, in so little time, a juggling act that would win first prize in a talent contest. On top of that there’s the unlimited love and need to protect one’s family members like a comfort blanket (whether that love is reciprocated or not). At the same time it demonstrates what it means to be a Mother, and how, (coming as it does without an instruction manual), most of us are really just winging it! But, against all the odds, and all of life’s tragedies and obstacles and problems, we will do our best - and that includes the amazing Grace Adams!

An exceedingly well-crafted depiction of a woman’s life, marriage and motherhood told across just one day. Grace Adams is a force of a female protagonist and one that you cannot help but love. This book will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions, from joy, despair, hysteria and back again. I’m sure it will be a bestseller!

I chose to read this book purely on the synopsis thinking it was going to be a bit of a humourous look at women who become invisible and some adventure regarding her reclaiming her space, which to some extent it was, but it became clear quickly it is so much more.
There is a depth to the storytelling and powerful undercurrents regarding the continuous micro-aggressions, knocks, pressures and expectations of perfection that women encounter. It isn't a man-hating book, I found Ben's character in many ways more likeable and relatable to me than Grace, however as the book went on and all of her experiences are revealed I felt closer to Grace and a true empathy to what has led her to the actions of the current day.
Parenting teens is hard especially in this era of social media where they grow up overnight, in a hidden world and this book is brilliantly terrifying at conjuring the fear & bewilderment of that scenario where your child is emerging as an adult but not quite out of your grasp. I felt the palpable anxiety bubbling from the pages from Grace when trying to connect to her teenage daughter Lotte when she senses something terrible is happening.
I went from feeling Grace was out of touch and losing her marbles to feeling a kinship & complete understanding over her reactions, which I think is the magic of this storytelling.

An unusual read.
As other reviewers have commented, I was not fully committed to this book until I was over half way through. It is written in an amusing chicklit style with some well drawn descriptions of how Grace feels. The opening scene, where she is stuck in traffic in a heatwave is one that most of us can identify with and was well drawn, in minute and sometimes uncomfortable detail. There were similar sections throughout the book, and I began to feel rather irritated by Grace, but as the story develops a fuller perception of her character emerges through other people and you start to wonder what has gone wrong.
The action happens on a single day, with flash backs to twenty years ago, but also to several months ago. The timescale on the more recent flash backs moves forwards as events in the single day trigger memories. I found this confusing the first few times the technique was used but once I grasped what the author was doing I was able to follow more easily.
The love affair is beautifully and sensitively drawn, in all its surprising developments. The complexity and difficulty of the realtionship between Grace and her daughter is well articulated. The tragedy that undermined them is gradually revealed. The unfolding drama tackles issues that are relevant and troubling in western society.
I was left with the feeling that we are all amazing in our own way but that life can throw us some curved balls to knock us off our stride. Grace was amazing, not because of her outstanding abilities but because of her determination to hang on to what was most important in her life.
I have only given four stars because I found the very detailed description overdone in places - too much about her sweat glands - and because the rational behind the shifting timescales was not signposted sufficently clearly for this reader but overall an interesting read, tackling some serious topics in an accessible way.

This was for me a very strange book! Even at the end when all is revealed I still felt that not only did I love the book but I also disliked it at the same time. I am not a fan of the style of going forwards and backwards in time and found myself ( short attention span ) skipping some of the past sections in order to move along to the present and then going back again. This sounds and looks like a funny, light read but in fact it is often very dark and disturbing. However most of us feel helpless and angry at some things in our lives and can relate to Grace Adams, we all react to the problems in our lives in one way or another. I do feel that the cover of the book gives the impression that this will be a fun read, it is not!
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

I loved this book, i laughed and I cried reading it. Grace could be anyone of us (women). I definitely recommend this book.

For about 3/4 of this book I wondered why it was written and where it was going. It’s a lot darker than I had expected, and at times made me feel down, but there are moments during the book that you just think -yes! and you can empathise with and root for Grace. There are no real instruction manuals given out when you have a baby; you can be told the basics but you have to wing it most of your and their lives. And when something happens to your child you find you will do anything to protect them and stop them hurting. This is probably not the book to read if you’re feeling down or vulnerable, but once started, it’s worth reading to the end.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Don't be fooled by the bright and cheery cover, there is a dark side to this story with some quite distressing themes.

Grace Adams has had enough. Stuck in her car on a blazing hot day in a traffic jam, something inside her flips and she abandons her car in the road and heads to her ex husband's house where her estranged daughter is having her 16th birthday party.

The story in present day form takes place over the course of one afternoon and evening and there are also flashbacks where we eventually learn why her daughter is not speaking to her and why her husband is now her ex.

As mentioned, it's quite traumatic in places - Grace has dealt with a lot in the last 10 years or so. You find out what throughout the story and there were 'gasp out loud' moments a plenty.

There are some funny moments too and Grace is a force of nature. A strong main character who I was cheering on, although my heart broke for her too. Her daughter, Lotte, is also fiercely independent. I love how strong both of them are.

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Michael Jospeh for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Great book. Loved Grace and the characters come alive and you can relate to them. Makes you think. Would make a great film. Lovely easy read.

This book would make a great film! It is an exploration of marriage, relationships (the ups and downs), parenthood, losing your identity and purpose, tragedy and life in general: the good, the mundane and the bad. It is how a mother survives, a tale of resilience and tenacity. I enjoyed reading this book, not my usual genre but well written and absorbing.
Thankyou to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to review this advance e copy. .

I loved this book, I was gripped from the very beginning and followed Grace on her journey with a mixture of amusement, horror and sympathy. Falling Down is a brilliant film and I liked the gender-flipped similarities combined with the flashbacks. This was far deeper than I first thought it was going to be and I was genuinely moved by the story. Brilliant read, would highly recommend.

A quick and easy read that I found myself picking up after a long day to unwind. The characters are beautifully written and I came to love them within the first few pages and was rooting for them all the way to the end. At times I wanted to stop reading because I just wanted the experience to go on for longer.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a deeply sad yet at the same time deeply uplifting read. The author draws you in to the story and you can really relate to the characters. Well worth reading.

An enjoyable read and one that no doubt will be on many people’s piles at the beach over the summer, it’s characters are very engaging

I have such mixed feelings about this book. For the first three-quarters I was completely irritated by Grace. She was hell-bent on self-destruction. Her irrational, and at times violent, behaviour infuriated me and meant I couldn’t empathise with her at all. It was only in the final quarter of the book that the reason for her behaviours became apparent.

I really wish her story had been revealed much earlier in the book and I’d love to ask the writer why she chose to develop the novel in this way.

The jumping back and forth between time lines took a while to get used to but it served a purpose in building up an effective backstory.

By the end, I understood Grace and all my sympathies lay with her. Some events in the book are heart-breaking so be prepared for a difficult read towards the end.

This was an enjoyable read which touched on a number of emotional topics. I think Grace will be relatable for a lot of readers in one way or another. It does have upsetting points so if you're looking for a lighter read I wouldn't recommend.

4.5 rounded up

In 2002 Grace meets Ben at the Polyglot of the Year which she wins with Ben in second place and well, let’s just say their relationship starts dramatically in Cornwall. In the present day, their daughter Lotte is shortly turning 16 and it’s tricky to say the least. Grace ignores the warning signs even the explicit ones, because of guilt. She contemplates, not happily, the aging process as she is now perimenopausal and that her life is on a distinctly downwards trajectory. What happens next is not just a midlife crisis it’s bigger than that as both Grace and their lives unravel. The story is told from 2002, four months ago and in the present day and is done so well you barely noticed the time differences.

Yes Grace, you are actually pretty amazing, you’re fierce, funny and currently faltering but you’re certainly unforgettable. I am going to channel my inner Grace with some of the “twits“ (keeping it clean) she and women generally can encounter daily. All the characterisation is exceptionally well done especially teen Lotte whose rebellious turmoil is palpable.

Not only is Grace amazing I think Fran Littlewood is too. It’s hard to believe this is a debut so accomplished is the storytelling and the creativity in some of the phrasing. This is a clever novel as on one level it’s about motherhood, family dysfunction and individual fears which is so well done it’s emotionally raw at times. They have to face huge difficulties and surmount enormous obstacles. On another level it’s about language which is what brings Ben and Grace together, it’s about a different and often secretive language of Lotte’s generation and it’s also about the inability to find the right language, the right words at the right time.

The day of Lottie’s 16th birthday is brilliantly done, it’s full of drama and emotion but we are left feeling optimistic. I can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next!

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Michael Joseph for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

This was an unusual read with a character who is slowly falling apart. Caught in stationary traffic on the way to pick up a birthday cake for her estranged daughters sixteen birthday Grace Adams snaps, leaves the car and continues her journey on foot. Although the journey to pick up the cake and deliver it to her daughter isn’t very long as such what this book does is take you on Grace’s personal journey right back to when she met her husband which shows why she’s broken within herself, why her marriage fell apart and why her daughter is no longer speaking to her. It’s a great character study with a lot more depth to it than I anticipated and it’s very easy to see why Grace is where she is now yet ultimately this is an uplifting read about healing whoever long it takes. 7/10

Funny, haunting , laugh out loud and equally sad . A beautiful read , quite precious. I definitely felt for Grace , a wonderful woman who just wanted the best for her family.
I laughed and cried a really nice story .

Really enjoyed this story, got a bit confused at times due to the story being told in two different dates. Felt very much with Grace at times due to the menopause symptoms. Wasn’t what I was expecting, but really enjoyed the timeline once I got it. It was very sad and understanding at times, but the explanations felt very life like. Will recommend to friends and family.