Not what I was expecting... I thought this would be a cute and funny story on the backdrop of heartbreak and wanting a baby, but it was anything but that. The depth and level of misery in this was seriously off-putting - should be marketed differently as it's not a light & fun read as implied by the blurb and cover

I really loved this book and found myself not wanting to put it down. The main character is extremely likeable but her family isn't as they kept taking her experiences and making them about them, but this didn't stop my enjoyment of the book. There were a few parts of the storyline where I thought it was going to go somewhere and I was ready to DNF if it did - thankfully it didn't!

However - I do wish there were trigger warnings in regards to miscarriage.

There are a few reasons this one wasn't 5 stars for me, and that's because at times I felt like the chapters were all over the place and the time jumps weren't obvious so I found myself wondering what characters were talking and when. I also expected there to be more to the main characters "fk it list" than just having a baby alone.

I enjoyed this easy read, it made me laugh and wanting to know what happened next. I red this in one sitting.I would recommend

On Daisy’s 40th birthday, she finds her partner having sex with his colleague in the bushes. So instead of finally embarking on their journey to starting a family, Daisy finds herself unexpectedly single. Daisy wants a child more than anything. Her partner Jack was forever telling her that it wasn’t the right time, but now that she finds herself single again, Daisy knows that she might just have lost her chance at becoming a Mum.

That is until she decides to enact the f**k it list, and bravely decides to go it alone, using an anonymous sperm donor. Her family are particularly wary, but best friend Bee and business partner Marcus are there for her. True to reality, the process doesn’t run smoothly and Daisy unfortunately suffers a miscarriage. A traumatic event that unexpectedly bonds interior designer Daisy and architect Benedict. Their friendship grows into something special and I loved their deep conversations. Their relationship was something so very unique but rooted in love and it was completely heartwarming. Benedict is the push Daisy needs to try again, as we see her continue her journey to becoming a mother.

From the title alone, I didn’t expect this book to be what it was. It was so much deeper, so much more emotional, so much more poignant than I thought it was going to be. The final few pages brought tears to my eyes. It really was just so lovely. It tackled such raw and real issues and societal expectations but in a way that was still uplifting and positive. And there were little sprinklings of lightness throughout too, Daisy’s dad’s ‘episode’ on Christmas Day had me laughing out loud! I enjoyed the relationships in this story and how they evolved, not just Daisy and Benedict but Daisy and Eve, and even Daisy and her Mum.

A touching, empowering story that truly challenges the expectations of society.

This book was okay. An upbeat reflection on having your heart broken. This gave me Sophie Kinsella vibes

This book shows that any time is the right time for a f**k it list. As someone who is rapidly approaching 40 this book hit me hard - disasters and all.

There are definite trigger warnings which you may want to research on before reading. Its a book full of emotions!

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC.

"The F**k It List" is a novel by John Niven that tells the story of a man who, after receiving a terminal diagnosis, decides to live life to the fullest by creating a list of things he wants to do before he dies. It's a tale of self-discovery, adventure, and embracing life's uncertainties. The book explores themes of mortality, regret, and the pursuit of happiness in the face of limited time.

As soon as I saw the cover I knew it would be relatable! Loved loved this, so we’ll written good story line, will definitely be recommending

Ah the fabulous 40s. Unless off course it turns out to be your four-oh-NO.
Realing after a break-up and back at home in your childhood bedroom at 40 is enough to drive anyone crazy so why not throw caution to the wind and tick off every last item on the f**k it list? Including that one about wanting to have a baby, but with no significant other in sight, it might prove a bit tricky.
And funny, and heartwarming, and just so good.

Funny, tender and heart wrenching non-traditional will-they-won’t-they which is (almost) equally as satisfying as a romantic connection: Benedict is the kind of friend everyone needs.

I was sucked in straight away bu the title but then when THAT thing happened !! Don't want to give a spolier away but wow, it happens straight away. Daisy has to sort her life out at 40 with disasters along the way but she certainly gives it all she's got. Unputdownable, funny, sad book, but be warned ⚠️ there are triggers.

Trigger warning this book covers infertility, miscarriage, bereavement.

I was chuffed to get this on netgalley, and a long commute by train gave me the opportunity to speed read the second half earlier this week.

Daisy finds herself unexpectedly single at 40 and makes a momentous decision that causes shock waves amongst her family and friends. The trigger warnings might make it sound thoroughly depressing, but it’s really not.

What follows are the ups and downs of that decision. There’s also some not-always-nice characters, Daisy’s ex Jack is a cad of the highest degree, and her dad (and even her mum to a point) are at times less than supportive and more worried about appearances than Daisy fulfilling her dream. But Daisy is surrounded by great people who are incredibly supportive and there’s lots of love, fun and humour in their relationships as she takes control of her life.

I really enjoyed this book and having read the blurb of the authors previous book, I’ll soon be reading another Melanie Cantor

Interior Designer Daisy appears to have everything. Rich boyfriend, lovely house, plans to have a baby.....but when she catches him shagging someone else on her 40th birthday, everything goes tits up. Overnight all her future plans disappear and she has to start again.
She decides that having a baby is very important to her and creates a f**k it list about the pros and cons of having a baby solo.
Funny and touching in places, this isn't just about a women on a mission to have a baby, but it's also about relationships people have, not just with friends, but those we have with our families and what they demand.
A good enjoyable read.

I really liked the premise of this book and how Daisy took the events from her 40th party and turned it into an empowering mission to take back her life and live it how she wants to.

Daisy was an exhausting character though and if she was my friend I think I would have left her to it pretty early on!

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House and author Melanie Cantor for this eARC.

Unfortunately this book was not for me. When I requested it on NetGalley I thought it was gonna go in an entirely different direction.
I do not think that I, as a child-free woman, was the intended audience for this!
Nevertheless I did enjoy some aspects of this book and think it's well written and touches on some interesting/important topics.
3.5 stars

Meet Daisy. She’s just caught her boyfriend shagging someone else at her fortieth birthday party. She’s camped out in her childhood bedroom. And it looks as if her dream to have a baby has gone down the pan.

Time for a F**k It! list?

The F**k It! List gave me everything I was looking for based on the (cracking) cover alone: humour, relatability, tough topics, and a down-to-earth main character. Daisy experiences all the emotions in this book, exactly as you would expect for someone going through what she does. Heartbreak, regret, fear, triumph, desperation and grief; all at the hands of circumstances mainly beyond her control. She's a well-written character that you support and root for, and I found myself actually believing and agreeing with *almost* all her decisions. Tackling raw and authentic issues for women as they get older - wanting a baby and feeling the time is slipping, missing your chances, the risks of IVF - it's a topic lot's can relate to and is handled well.

I feel like the title and premise of the 'f**k it list' was rather shoe-horned in, and didn't play the role I thought it was going to - but that could be a me problem. I would also argue that the book was a good 50 pages longer than it needed to be, although the pacing is good, as is Cantor's writing and wit. I also appreciated the focus on friendships rather than relationships, and it was a refreshing change from your usual format.

All in all, a fun little read that doesn't get too intense but still tackles the hard stuff. Judging a book by it's cover has done me well once again.

LOVE LOVE LOVE! I could not put this down! I need Daisy to be my real life friend! This book gave me all the feels and I wish I could go back and read it for the first time!

I enjoyed this book, I liked the short chapters and was witty in parts and had some deep topics which I did not expect . I was thinking it would be alot more light-hearted. The main character Daisy was likeable & overall a nice read and I would probably check out more from the author in the future. Thanks to netgalley & the publisher for a copy of this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review. I was expecting a humorous, lighthearted book and so I was completely taken aback as the story developed. The book deals with many hard hitting topics including miscarriage and grief. I was completely drawn into Daisy’s story and so proud of how she overcame the challenges life threw at her. Great characters and a really good story of friendships and families. Highly recommended. 5 stars.

When life doesn’t turn out as expected, newly single Daisy takes the brave step to explore IVF to fulfil her dream of being a mother on her own. We follow her journey alongside a supportive set of friends, traditional and seemingly baffled parents, and a terrible, toxic ex. This was an enjoyable read, exploring a topic I haven’t read about before despite how relatable it is for many modern women. The chapter were short and well-paced, the supporting characters believable, and Daisy likeable and witty without overdoing the ‘quirkiness’ which seems to plague contemporary female characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC to this book.