A very enjoyable read! Faith shares with us what is essentially her musings about motherhood, working, femininity and life as a woman in general.

I enjoyed her confident voice and there are some absolute pearls of wisdom scattered throughout the book. There are moments that make things make sense, and others that make you question or think a little more deeply about the role of being a mother, in fact it prompted a little self reflection and appreciation for me actually! I've seen this described as a 'one sided sermon' but I disagree, it is more like a monologue that you can choose to dial into or appreciate as an audience member. She shares raw feelings, highs and lows but without any need for pity...more out of wanting to explore and explain I felt, allowing a space for mother's to have complex feelings. I enjoyed the structure of it and how her musings are interspersed with conversations with her mother, wishes for her children or entertaining lists.

It's very wittily written, but would you expect anything less from Paloma Faith?!

I was drawn towards reading this after seeing a clip on Fearne Cotton’s Instagram which said that Paloma talks about her experiences of IVF and miscarriage – which I hadn’t known that she had been through. As someone who has also experienced both of those things, I was intrigued.

I didn’t know very much at all about Paloma before reading this book, and I’ve really come to like her now! She’s a very straight-talking, down-to-earth kind of person!

The book is split into lots of short chapters on different aspects of being a woman, a mother, a partner, and a human being! And there are a lot of crossover themes around the battles women face trying to ‘have it all’ – versus how this goes for men. There was so much that I agreed on (not all, but plenty) – to the point that there were times that I was furiously nodding, and saying out loud, “Yes, Paloma, YES.” It was quite cathartic to realise that famous and successful women also go through the exact same things as us regular women! Including the stress of being the one that always has to plan and manage everything at home – the yearning that your partner just take the initiative with things instead of asking what they can do to help!

Reading this was a good reminder to me to have more open and honest talks like this with friends, because I’m sure we are all experiencing the same things but you don’t really end up talking about it and then it can sometimes feel isolating when it needn’t be.

There were a couple of pages that I even took photos of because they resonated with me so much – one was about wanting a t shirt to describe her everyday feeling – ‘Bandwidth exceeded’. The other says ‘if you are the mother of children, all the roads lead to you, and you are always both in the moment you are in, and thinking about twenty other things you need to organise for them as well.’ Yes!

At times it was a little bit stream of consciousness but overall an affirming read that gave me a bit of space to reflect on my own ‘bandwidth exceeded’ behaviours! I enjoyed the input from Paloma’s mum as well, which added another way of looking at things.

I was really excited to read this after hearing Palma on the How to Fail podcast but it fell a bit flat for me. Maybe because I’m ten years older than she is and so pretty much everything she is saying feels, to me, fairly obvious. Having said that, I do admire and applaud her honesty and maybe younger readers will get more out of it.

I think this is a very honest, raw book.
There's a lot about motherhood (stating the obvious as it's in the title) and not being a mother myself, I wasn't sure if I would like it, but I loved how she explained things - her ups and downs, and actually how women probably often feel, but aren't able to be honest about it.
I respect her a bit more after reading it.
Enjoyed it and liked reading about her different experiences.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Snappy and insightful. It's the kind of book that, when I was younger and branching into feminist reading, I'd have enjoyed. Now as a working mum of two trying to navigate how you balance life and feelings and the priorities when joy stems from your little ones vs anywhere else, a lot of this hit particularly hard. Amidst the complexity of emotions and things you face, it honestly by the end just made me want to hug my kids.

I love paloma and this did not disappoint. An honest and emotional look at motherhood and the issues faced. Not normally a fan of a celebrity book but paloma definitely changed my feelings with this one. Top feminist and writer. Thanks

When I found out I was pregnant, I decided to keep a journal, my plan was to write in this journal throughout my pregnancy, and up until my baby turned 1. I don't think I got far past the first scan tbh. But if I had, it would probably read much like this book! To know, that someone as inspirational as Paloma Faith, who I genuinely look up to as a working Mother, who I thought had it all, feels the same way I do about pregnancy and motherhood, honestly it was just so affirmative. I absolutely devoured this book, I laughed out loud, I felt emotional and found myself wiping tears away, I felt rage as a Woman and the amount of snippets I showed to my husband to try and reaffirm some of the things I've been telling him for the last 2 years (since having our son).
I can understand why some people may have seen it as a 'winge fest', but isn't it time Women spoke up about all things womanhood, in such a raw and honest way? I really wish there were more books like this. I wish it were more common place to talk about our lives and our bodies and experiences as humans in such an open way. Why are Women's bodies still so taboo?!

Thank you Paloma for writing this book and being so honest, and Thank You NetGalley, as always for giving me the opportunity to share my thoughts in exchange for this wonderful book.

I really like Paloma Faith, she is quirky and personable and an amazing singer. I could relate to her on a lot of things and her description of motherhood was absolutely spot on. She is a strong character and talks about things a lot of women shy away from. She adores her daughters and that shines through this book, but she admits that quite often children's activities bore her and I totally get that!
However, I do feel a bit of sympathy for the children's dad. He seems to be a good guy who is now relegated to weekend visitation rights.
I am a bit older than Paloma but as a single mum -not through choice - at her age, I have experienced the dating scenarios with children at home and I can admit I made more than a few mistakes. But nowadays with grown up children I just can't face the stress!
Short but very enjoyable and relatable read.

A graphic and personal account of Paloma Faith's experiences of life, particularly motherhood, bodies and relationships. The short chapters make it easy to read. Paloma's fans will love this.

Thank you Paloma Faith, Netgalley and Penguin for this advanced copy. Paloma’s words really resonated with me and I loved reading her insightful and honest words about her female health experiences and life. I am sure that this story will resonate with many women in their 40s who have had struggles conceiving and fought the battle with being a working Mum. Thank you Paloma for writing this and stating the things so many of us feel.

Raw, honest, funny. Paloma's voice jumps off the page.
Really great layout, the short chapters make it easy to dip in and out of.
5 stars.

I loved the raw honesty of Paloma Faith in this book. She holds nothing back

Feminists and fans of Paloma will love this.

MILF by Paloma Faith explores issues that are faced by women especially mothers based on her personal experiences and relationships.

Normally, I avoid ‘celebrity’ books - they bring me out in a rash. However, I find Paloma Faith an interesting character. And this book doesn’t disappoint. Partially, is an attempt to reclaim the word and give it a positive spin. But that is only partially the purpose of it.

She is brutally honest about her own sexuality, miscarriage, motherhood, IVF, the break up of the relationship with her children’s Dad and her own life. Mixed in with that, is her perceptions for what it is like being a woman artist, raising two kids as a single parent and contrasting her own life with her Mother’s.

In broader terms, she talks about her own hopes for what the future of feminism looks like. And if that is the intention of this book - one that changes the world - time will tell. But it’s that non-linear, snapshot style of the book that shouldn’t work, does. Paloma Faith has added her another string to her bow in being such a skilled, candid and funny writer.

It is a pleasant surprise to find something that is both glitzy and gritty. It’s published by Ebury on June 6th and I thank them for a preview copy. #MILF

I love Paloma Faith and always found her to be so refreshing and honest in an era where people hide their true feelings, This book definitely held her true voice for me in many topics that are not often discussed as openly or honestly.

Great book that really gets to the heart of how it feels to be a mum. Isn't gonna change anything but nice to feel like someone else is there with you.

really enjoyed the short, punchy chapters, transcriptions and lists that this book delivers all kinds of aspects of Paloma Faith's life experiences and opinions on those. I especially loved the transcribed chats with her Mum, who she clearly has a great relationship with but they differ in their opinions and perspectives and it was so wholesome to read this in their interactions. There's souch honesty, openness and a degree of TMI you'd probably expect from Paloma's writing, but I loved it, it was so interesting to see her point of view on so many topics particularly motherhood and dating.

Having had five children and a career i thought i would find this more interesting than i did.
Sadly it felt mostly like someone having a rant and that only there opinion was correct.
I struggled through it and became more irritated the further i got.
Hate giving such bad feedback but this was not for me.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

MILF by Paloma Faith
(Motherhood, Identity, Love and F*ckery)
Rating: 3/5
Release Date: 6 June 2024

In this impassioned, witty, and bold manifesto, Paloma Faith delves into the myriad challenges confronting women today. From navigating puberty and sexual awakening to confronting the pressures of patriarchy and the myth of the Supermum, she fearlessly explores these issues.

Infused with Paloma's trademark humour and unfiltered honesty, the book offers a poignant reflection on the struggles of IVF and the early stages of motherhood, celebrating the often unseen labor of women.

Transitioning from discussions on identity and the impact of motherhood to the elusive concept of being a 'good mother,' Paloma advocates for embracing imperfection and prioritising self-care. She shares her own journey of growth alongside her mother, highlighting the evolution of parent-child relationships into adulthood.

Through Paloma's personal anecdotes, readers glimpse the complexities of balancing romantic love, heartbreak, and dating with the responsibilities of motherhood, offering a nuanced portrayal of life's joys and challenges.

Despite my initial anticipation, I found myself disappointed upon reading this book. While I expected a personal exploration of Paloma's experiences, it felt more like a one-sided sermon directed at the reader. The lack of interaction between Paloma and the audience left me feeling as though she was solely focused on imposing her opinions rather than fostering a meaningful connection.

Although the book is a quick read, I'm hesitant to recommend it based on my own experience.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Ebury Publishing, Penguin Random House | Ebury Spotlight, and the author, Paloma Faith, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

This is an interested read about popstar Paloma Faith's experience of conceiving, childbirth and parenthood. It's a very personal account so some of her opinions can come off as quite preachy. It's a quick read and gives good insight into her particular experience.