Behind every child is a parent who's had enough...
Caroline is good at pretending everything's okay in front of her kids. But secretly she longs to kick her cheating husband to the kerb.

A silly book in my opinion, but I don't mean funny I just mean annoyingly silly. I did not connect with the characters at all.

First of all thank you for approving my request!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The authors writing style had me hooked throughout this book.

I didn't want it to end, a book I really couldn't put down.

Loved this. A handful of mums (and one incognito dad) join a new parenting website. Each have things going on and need support and guidance from the group. This is the story of them struggling to cope with their lives that somehow are all intertwined. A really great read; I thoroughly enjoyed.

Mums the world over enjoy talking about their children and family lives, bouncing ideas off each other. This book shows the importance of friendship and understanding.
The storyline focuses on an online forum where members talk freely about their challenges and seek support from strangers.
The four main characters Caroline, Susan, Mark and Lisa are relatable and honest in their feelings, parenting is different for everyone. The story unfolds as each character’s circumstances and relationship issues are revealed.
A slow build of individual experiences, how we connect with others and reflect on our choices.

Thanks to Embla Books, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The What Mums Know website is the link that brings together all the wonderful characters in this book. Mark, Caroline, Susan, and Lisa are varied characters who, along with their families, add so much to the story. I think my favourite was Mark & Caroline. I’m usually turned off by adultery in novels but they were both so miserable in their marriages & made each other so happy that I think I was ok with it. There was a little bit of everything in this book….mental health, bullying, child loss, sexual harassment and more. I very much enjoyed the ending of the story and how each character found good things in life.

Thanks to NetGalley & Embla Books for a copy of this book.

Meet the members of an online parenting forum: Caroline is trying to keep it all together. Susan lives with guilt about wanting to live her life. Mark lies about where his wife goes. Lisa thinks she isn't good enough.

There are quite a few triggers in this book: infidelity, divorce, miscarriage and infertility, and depression.

The chapters flick between the point of views of each character so you need to be paying attention in order to figure out what is happening and how to link each scene together. Due to some of the topics brought up, the book reads a little darker than what the cover leads you to expect as I thought it would be a nice lighthearted read. I'm only a parent to a tortoise so I found it a little hard to relate to the characters but it still felt very realistic.

Thank you to NetGalley and Embla Books for providing me with an advanced copy.

I absolutely adored this book so heartwarming and uplifting. I have told all my mums to buy it because I know they will love it too.

Hilarious and uplifting. I smiled as I reminised through the pages. It's nice to know that you are not alone and I love the friendship that these four parents formed.

This has been re-released under it’s a mum’s life. I think this title fits it better. I can’t believe I sat on this book for so long as it’s been on my to be read mountain for quite some time.

Sophie manages to introduce a number of characters with different issues in their life. Caroline is keen to kick her cheating husband out of her life - I personally wanted to slap him, he was so rude and didn’t treat Caroline right. Susan is a mum to a disabled daughter but feels guilty for wanting something outside of caring for her - I loved Susan and I was hopeful of her having a better friend to talk to

Mark who has two kids and has to be both parents to them - I just wanted to wrap Mark up in a hug he was trying so hard to be both parents to his kids but life kept throwing obstacles in his way. Lisa has always longed to be a mother and now pregnant she doesn’t think she will be good enough for her unborn child.

I wouldn't be fooled by the cover which makes you think this will be an easy read. Some issues are sensitive and I didn’t expect some of them. They’re tackled so well. I loved the parenting website and I wished I was able to see more on this.

There was some really lovely secondary characters- which I can’t be specific about as it’s spoilers. Also some downright nasty secondary characters that made me want to chuck my kindle!

I have a Divorce for beginners on my tbr which I’ll be reading soon.

Thanks goes to net galley and the publishers for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review and thank you for Sophie for writing it. I also just found out Sophie writes under Janey Fraser.

Thank you to NetGalley and Embla Books as well as the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #EmblaBooks #SophieKing #It’sAMum’sLife

Title: It’s A Mum’s Life
Author: Sophie King
Publisher: Embla Books
Publication Date: March 21, 2024

Themes: Parenting, single parenting, family drama, family dynamics
Trigger Warnings: Infidelity, divorce, parenting challenges, single parenthood, sex, alcohol, teenage angst, children with special needs, pregnancy loss

This book was a blast in some ways and sobering in others. From the description, I was expecting to read another comical account of the trials and rewards and parenting, which are a dime a dozen right now. I was thrilled as I always love these types of books. They’re a dime a dozen for a reason..not always a bad thing! When I started reading it, however, I discovered that wasn’t entirely true. This book tells the story of four different parents in different stages of parenthood and, yes, there’s plenty of comedy that every parent can relate to. There’s also a lot of heart as well as some heavy issues like infidelity and other marital issues, depression, and pregnancy loss. This book is told from the points We meet Susan, who loves her special needs child but seriously needs to learn the art of self care. Lisa is reeling from her previous miscarriages so her current pregnancy consumes her thoughts and actions. Mark will do anything to protect his kids, including lying about his marital status with their mother. Caroline has been betrayed by her husband and is having trouble getting over it, even for her kids’ sake.of view of four different parents and their communications through a website group forum.

The group forum setting was dated but I felt like it was executed well. It was nostalgic.
I wasn’t a parent during the times when that was popular but I remember the feeling of chatting or commiserating about various things with strangers. It was a fun aspect of this book for sure. Online forums may not be as popular as they once were, but we still seek solace through anonymity from like-minded strangers. It’s just a slightly different vehicle. Each parent has a huge parental challenge to face. The author is skillful in her ability to weave the different timelines together. I enjoyed how much this book surprised me.

This was an enjoyable book. I had some trouble with the pacing, however. I felt like the transitions between POVs were often abrupt and it would take me a second to realize that I was reading a different character. This made the overall feel a little choppy as well as a bit too long.

Overall, this book was relatable in many ways. It was fun and humorous but also a little heavy. I wouldn’t recommend it for everyone but, there are many who I feel would enjoy it.

Its a Mums Life is about a group of parents who connect through an online forum. The book alternates between the story from the point of view of each parent and is interspersed with snippets from the online chat group.

The book feels a bit dated as parents don't tend to use website forums and desktop computers as much any more, so it could be set twenty years ago.

I did enjoy following the stories of the characters though, particularly Susan and her struggles as a single parent of a disabled child.

Although the book is generally light-hearted and has some humurous anecdotes on the forum it does feel a bit dark and depressing in places, perhaps reflecting the rollerocaster of emotions experienced by parents.

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley. This wasn't really my cup of tea. Although I enjoy the genre and to a certain degree I was engaged with the plot, the characters were unlikeable in the main and this limited my enjoyment level. There were too many plot threads, some of which were rushed, and the links between them were unclear at times. That said, Susan's story was handled well.

Thank you Netgalley and Embla Books for the chance to review this book!

This follows four parents on a mom community website, and you get all four stories interspersed and connected with each other. You get to see into each families life and when you’re reading about the, all you’ll find that you too can relate to things happening. While there are some dark turns the story takes, most of it is lighthearted and fun.

First off, I was able to read an ARC of this book and I knoooww it was an ARC, but the formatting of the book was pretty terrible. I know the UK might have different grammar and punctuation use, but I've not seen (until this read) multiple people talking in one sentence/line. For example: Mark said Daphne, 'thank you for your help.' 'No problem.' 'I better go fetch the kids from holiday club.' "'No problem'" being Daphne's reponse, then Mark commenting again with "'I better go fetch the kids from holiday club.'" Is this normal in the UK? It was also distracting having "It's a Mum's Life" or "Sophie King" appear in the middle of multiple pages between paragraphs.
As for the story itself, it was a fun, easy (aside from the above mentioned). I enjoyed following the different mums' (and Mark's) daily lives and their interactions with each other through the website 'It's a Mum's Life.' Although it seems unlikely that they would actually accidentally meet each other outside of the online group, or already be acquainted with each other, I enjoyed how the main characters developed various relationships with each other. There were also a few twists thrown in that were fun surprises!
Overall, it was a decent read. Is it one I will be recommending to all of my reader friends? Probably not, but I also won't tell them to avoid it.
Thank you to the author, Embla Books, and NetGalley for a chance to read an early copy in exchange for my honest review.

I can see some people really loving this book but unfortunately it just wasn’t for me. I didn’t connect with any of the characters and thought the plot lacked depth. I understand parenthood isn’t always a walk in the park but this just seemed like a really negative view.
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Thank you NetGalley and Embla Books for the opportunity to review this book.

I have been trying to read this for a week now and i’m hardly 25% in…
The way it’s uploaded to netgalley (photo copied pages) is hard to read & i can’t get into the book in general.
I understand the concept of it, showing different real life issues moms (and dads) face everyday, with different lifestyles and life situations but it was hard for me to get into the face there are 4 different stories going on at once that hardly have any real life connections. there are cross overs briefly but they aren’t already connected and regulars in each others lives.
It could be a book for someone but just not for me.
Thank you netgalley and embla books for giving me the opportunity to try and read it.

"It's a Mum's Life" delves into the complex and often hidden struggles of parenthood, showcasing a raw and emotional exploration of the lives of four individuals connected by the challenges of motherhood and fatherhood. The narrative weaves together the stories of Caroline, Susan, Mark, and Lisa, each grappling with their own unique battles and yearnings amidst the demanding roles of parenting.

Caroline, a mother who outwardly portrays strength, is silently battling the desire to break free from her unfaithful husband. Susan's unwavering love for her disabled daughter is tinged with a constant sense of guilt for wanting personal fulfillment beyond caregiving. Mark, the protective father, is willing to go to great lengths to shield his children, even if it means concealing the truth about their mother. Lisa, on the cusp of motherhood, is plagued by self-doubt and fear of inadequacy.

As these characters navigate the complexities of parenthood, they find solace and connection in an online parenting forum, seeking advice and refuge from the challenges they face. Little do they know that their paths will intersect in unexpected ways, leading to revelations and support that redefine their understanding of family and community.

"It's a Mum's Life" is a poignant and gripping tale that delves deep into the emotional turmoil and resilience of parental love. The writer skillfully captures the intricacies of familial relationships, showcasing the power of vulnerability, empathy, and shared experiences in navigating the unpredictable journey of parenthood. This novel is a compelling exploration of the unspoken struggles and silent triumphs that define parenthood

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

The cover of the book suggested that it was going to be lighter and more entertainment than it was. But the story and characters were engaging and overall, this was a poignant read.

I appreciated a more honest look into what it's like to be a parent. It's not all happy and rainbows, but I felt like they weren't just a little too negative on parenthood for my taste.

An enjoyable tale of all different kinds of motherhood and one account of fatherhood. It’s A Mum’s Life was a fun read! Sophie King created a feel-good tale that’s just the right amount of hardships and hope. There were parents from many different scenarios, all with different struggles. The book addressed a father who has been left with his children while his wife is overseas to pursue her career (and abandon her family), a mom caring for her disabled daughter while navigating a relationship with her previously absent ex-husband and his new wife, a mom who’s trying to get over her husbands affair from years ago, and an expectant mom with a history of loss who is working with children.

Although I have not been in the same situation as these characters, I enjoyed getting to know them and their experiences. It was fun to hear the commiseration through the online support forum of ‘What Mums Know.’

I do wish the chapters were separated by characters because I was having a hard time remembering the names and differentiating who I was reading about. There were also times I found myself re-reading paragraphs because the story had jumped from one setting to the next rather quickly and it caused me to feel a bit lost. I am hopeful these are formatting issues that will be worked out.

Also, before reviewing this book, it looks like it came out in 2005 under a different title. That definitely provides a bit more context for the emphasis on email and online message boards.

Thank you to Embla Books and NetGalley for this ARC of It’s A Mum’s Life!