It took me a little while to warm to this book, despite being the same age as Lisa my life is so different than hers that I couldn't relate to it at all, I am pleased that I kept on as by the end I was fully invested in this perimenopause wish fulfilment, feel good fiction.

We read to learn more about people and while I'd love to see myself reflected in a book featuring female characters of a certain age this romcom one me over.

I thoroughly enjoyed and related to this book! Mum life, juggling work, parenting, friends, to do lists.... this was a really great read which had me giggling and nodding in agreement!

It's fun and binge worthy. I took this on holiday with me and I can highly recommend this book as a light hearted poolside read.

I've read many books by Catherine Isaac and I've always enjoyed her writing ... so I was more than thrilled to see a new book by this author under the name of Jane Costello. The latter being more rom com, and I can see she has a back list of great titles that I need to catch up on!

This book was fun, but also really relatable covering perimenopause and life as a parent ... I felt seen at times ha! Women of a certain age will relate but also it's such an enjoyable read for everyone who likes a bit of rom com and second chance love 🔥.

Read this if you enjoyed "Confessions of a 40 something f up!

I can't wait to read more Jane Costello books!
4.5 stars

This was a book I dragged myself through as I really didn't care about anything that happened in it. I didn't care about the characters. I didn't care about the plot. I suppose that this is the natural progression for Chick Lit - all the stupid young women have now made it to their late 40s - and we're going to have incessant mentions of brain fog, getting a bit hot and HRT.

There are multiple issues with this novel and a lot of them could be solved by making this a third-person narrative. It would move us away from the inside of the main character's head, a person with whom we are supposed to sympathise but are actually thankful they are stuck in the pages of the novel and we don't have to deal with in real life.

I could also do without the how-to-write-a-novel adherence to descriptions. Every new character who has the misfortune to walk into this novel is treated to a paragraph of physical descriptions. If they're desperately unlucky like the main male character they will keep getting them. There are only so many times I can be told what colour shirt someone is wearing before I lose my mind.

And why the bolted-on storyline about the sick friend? This isn't the first time Costello has used this coercive device to try to make readers care, god willing this will be the last.

Ive read a lot from this author in the past and I was excited to read this latest book. It is absolutely fantastic. The story and characters are just wonderful. Very easy to read. Loved it. Will definitely recommend this book.

I gasped and then jumped for joy when I discovered that there was after a long long wait, a brand new Jane Costello novel available.

And having just devoured it I'm very happy to say she hasn't lost her touch, her writing is still as fabulous and enjoyable as I've always found it, and this is a book that had me giggling out loud from the end of the first chapter. I also felt right at home within the pages of this book within the first few pages, which always helps my enjoyment.

It's just brilliant, a look at motherhood, menopause, juggling work and family, friends, the insanity that is the PTA and well an incredibly good looking new colleague, who is only there for a short while, and those are just some of what is covered in this.

Lisa Darling is a fabulous new character, she has regular to do lists, of which there are some items that literally never ever ever, leave it, seems slightly obsessed with socks (or at least there is far more mentions of socks than I can recall in other books), she has a million and one apps on her phone to in theory streamline and improve her life - if only there weren't constant notifications for them all and she is mother to Jacob and Leo.

Leo is a typical teenage boy, and appears to be turning into an unrecognisable monster of a thing by the day - so I suspect many parents of teenage boys will totally relate to this. And Jacob is 10 years old and loves joining clubs, and seems to have new interests continually. I loved Jacob!

I loved Lisa's job working in a streaming service and coming up with new programme ideas, and her colleagues suggestions for shows at times bordered on the bizarre - so probably would be very watchable!

She is a single mother who has totally sworn off men, so naturally she is attracted to her best friend and colleague's temporary replacement, although she is convinced it's due to HRT rather than lust! And I loved the interactions between her and Zach Russo.

There is just so much going on this, with plenty of sub plots and action to keep you enthralled the entire time.

It's a joyous romantic comedy, from one of my auto-read (without looking at the blurb) authors, and I just really hope we don't have so long to wait until her next book. I'd also love a sequel, as I was enjoying these characters so so much.

Just brilliant, and relatable, and entertaining and many other superlatives!

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I always enjoy Jane Costello’s novels and this was no exception. It was very relatable and I found myself laughing out loud at many comedic moments. It would be a great holiday read as it’s easy going and the characters are well portrayed.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for providing a free advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

A funny, funny book which in parts makes you laugh out loud, other parts, you could be crying as its a bit of an emotional roller coaster.
Lisa's intense job comes to a head when Zach from the USA is drafted in as a short term measure to work with her. Cue a rocky start, their friendship blossoms and thy both realise they want more than friendship. Add to the subplot mix of bringing up teenagers, getting dragged into school events and a friend that is overcoming illness, its a winner of a novel. Thanks to Net Galley for the advanced copy.

Funny, relatable and down to earth stories at their best!

Perfect for those who enjoy:
- Bingeable chick lit
- Second chance stories
- Juggling life and endless to do list reads
- Light hearted fiction

With thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for an ARC copy in return for an honest review.

Another fantastic read from Jane Costello, particularly relate able to myself as a women of a certain age!! But great reading for any age!
Perimenopause and its effects are rife in the life of single mum Lisa as she struggles with the daily mutinae of work, home and parenting! Not forgetting the PTA and all that it entails! An errant teenager, a best friend with cancer and a useless ex added into the mix !
Enter the devishly handsome heart throb that is Zach who is working with Lisa and sparks start to fly! Lisa finds her drive, lust for life and libido and everything else starts to fall into place!
It’s never too late for second chances and life is not over once you are menopausal! A great read for any women!
Thank you NetGalley for this early read

What a fantastic book, I was going to say for woman of a certain approaching age, but in all honestly I think everyone would find something in this one, I am so tempted to make my husband read it so he knows what I go through every day, as it was like reading my own diary at points, the craziness of remembering things that you have forgotten, and having to send apology flowers, as some helped you and you forgot that important detail and they find out just before bed!! It was so funny I sorted wine through my nose at one point after a badly timed gulp!! Darling Lisa, I would buy you coffee and cake any day, (and by coffee and cake I mean wine). The story isn’t all laughter and romance though, there are tough parts as well, supporting people through anything is hard, but the mortality angle is so well done, its not glossed over, and all appointments aren’t just sat chatting and having coffee, like you often see. Life is hard, but with good support we can make it, and this story will provide some of the best support you need.

This was a fun and relatable read about life as woman in your late forties. Lisa is juggling a full time job, bring a single parent to two boys (one of whom has started being a challenging teen), perimenopause, and not to forget PTA duties. She has a never ending to do list and her long time best work friend is on long term sick whilst she undergoes cancer treatment and Lisa doesn’t know what to make of her replacement. This combines the day to day commitments of Lisa’s life along with the realisation she’s still very much a woman, she hasn’t been actively looking to date but she can’t deny her attraction to her new coworker. This has a lot of fun moments, I especially loved her junior colleague Daisy’s pitches for new tv shows. It does also touch on the subject of eating disorders but not in depth. Overall this is a lighthearted and seductive read that reflects well on perimenopausal and parental life and it’s great to read about characters in this age bracket.

A light-hearted easy read from Kane Costello. Lisa is a 40-something single mum experiencing menopause when she meets the enigmatic Zach.
Full of passion, this was an enjoyable read.

This book was brilliant from start to finish and I just could not put it down.
Lisa a single Mum of 2 boys is constantly juggling, between work, the PTA, childcare, Peri menopause and her best friend so she never seems to have a minute to her self.
This book was totally relatable and had me laughing out loud at some of the things that happen to Lisa.
The romance between her and the gorgeous Zach was just the icing on the cake.
A fantastic five star read I will be recommending to everyone and I cannot wait to read about the mini break.
Thanks to NetGalley, Jane Costello and Hodder and Stoughton for an advance copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Jane Costello wrote the most perfect chicklit read for the perimenopausal crowd, and I can’t get enough! Heartfelt and comical, this book will give you all the feels!

I am guessing that Lisa's life is not that different from the lives of lots of women: thinking they need to keep everything up and running. Their day job with working more than fifty hours a week, raising two kids on her own, taking care of her best friend, doing fundraising for school... not to mention going through menopause on top of that.
Hopefully, she'll come to her senses (even if this sounds unkind), but I am not going to continue reading to find out. I gave up at 19%.