Member Reviews
Not my usual read but I felt pulled into this book as I felt drawn to Vivian's journey of change and uncertainty. I was definitely cheering for Vivian throughout as she discovered herself, her worth and her needs.
This is all about what you do when your plans go sideways. Or upside down. Vivian is stunned when her husband Mitch says he wants a divorce after 25 years of marriage and it hits just as she becomes an empty nester. So what to do but make videos and award mom badges! This is poignant and funny at the same time with good characters (well maybe not Mitch). Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.
Relatable. I think if you are a woman, wife, parent, or friend there will some part of this story that resonates with you. If you live or have ever lived in a planned community with a Home Owners Association you will nod your head at that annoying rule following know-it-all nosy neighbor who won’t even let you enjoy your outside wine time.
I loved each and every character in this book. I even appreciate the main character’s (Vivian) husband (Mitch) who sets into motion the story by asking for a divorce.
It’s a story of mass self realization and growth. It’s for all of us that’s had to dig deep to figure out that the status quo isn’t for the best and yes, maybe your parent was right after all. It’s about friendship and the celebration of newness even when it’s hard.
I loved this one.
A good story about surviving divorce, middle age, and female relationships. Vicki Quackenbush finds divorce papers that her husband was serving her and her world shatters. But she is a survivor and with the support of her mother & friends, she comes out stronger than ever. Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake books for this advance read. Look for this on December 1st publishing day!
There’s something about second chances, I just love them. Don’t you?
I had so much fun reading this story, I loved Vivian’s character and the way she handled her second chance, and of course her supportive mother another strong female character.
This is one of those stories that’s easy to read with relatable characters, lots of drama and funny moments. I had a great time reading it.
Thank you Suzy Approved Book Tours for this tour invite.
𝗡𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆’𝘀 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 by Sally Kilpatrick releases December 1, 2024.
A quick, light-hearted read with some serious undertones, I highly recommend this book for any mid-life readers who are at a crossroads in their life.
I have never read a Sally book but if they are all this fun...I need to read more!
Vivian gets a blow when she straightens her husband Mitch's sock drawer. He wants a divorce. Vivian is famous in her circle for her Mom Badge channel (I absolutely loved that you could earn a "badge" for pretty much anything and call the badge whatever you felt like!) on YouTube and after a drunken video goes viral, her world is turned upside down.
I LOL'd so much at Mitch and his self-centeredness. He was pretty ridiculous and demanding. He felt that Vivian had to fit into this mold that she didn't want to fit in. Vivian wasn't perfect and made some mistakes, but don't we all?
I loved her friends by her side. I love that all these things that she goes through make her finally SEE her mother in a different light. They had a good relationship but it could have been better. I loved how Vivian jumped in to help the new neighbor Parker and his daughter Cassidy. I loved that Parker gets Vivian to see how wonderful she is and how much more free she is without Mitch.
I’m almost disappointed that Vivian’s mom scouts channel isn’t actually a real thing, because it sounds pretty entertaining! This is a book about identity and personal growth, women supporting women and in a way, how society has changed. I really enjoyed reading about Vivian’s journey and the ending was a beginning too. Excellent book - once I got into it, I struggled to put it down. Thank you to the publishers and #netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy.
This was my first book by this author and I am happy I took a chance because I really enjoyed it. I would categorize this as Women’s Fiction even with an underlying looming possible future romance. It is a bit of a different take on a woman, in this case Vivian, taking charge of her own life and trying to figure out her next steps, after her husband of 25 years decides he wants a divorce. She was a stay at home mom to her son who is now in college, and now she needs to find a new sense of purpose and to figure out who Vivian is without Mitch.
It’s funny, quirky, and tugs at your heart strings as Vivian tries to navigate, or maybe more like create, a new normal where she is making her own money.
There are some very funny scenes but also some that made me feel bad for her friends and neighbor Parker. Her heart is always in the right place but she doesn’t always execute very well so she hurts them all including her mom without really meaning to.
Happy that things work out in the end and definitely enjoyed the ride.
I will be checking out more books from this author.
This was a bit meh. I think it had potential and heart in a lot of places but it also fell flat. I enjoyed the relationship with the mom growing, and the evolution of the main character herself. However, I felt like she was too childish at times to be relatable. Also the book was not steamy at all - and the connection between her and the neighbor did not make sense to me. Why do they want each other? There wasn’t a lot of build up in that direction. It felt more like she grew more within other areas of her life but then the book didn’t fully go with that, or with the rom com genre. It was a bit in the middle so it was harder to know how to engage with it.
**Book Review: _Nobody's Perfect_ by Sally Kilpatrick**
_Sally Kilpatrick's_ _Nobody's Perfect_ is a delightful blend of humor, heart, and southern charm. With witty dialogue and well-drawn characters, Kilpatrick crafts a story that is both entertaining and deeply human. The novel follows the ups and downs of life in a small town, exploring themes of love, redemption, and the beauty found in life's imperfections.
Kilpatrick’s storytelling shines with warmth and authenticity, making it easy for readers to connect with the characters and their journeys. _Nobody's Perfect_ is a feel-good read that reminds us that, while nobody may be perfect, everyone deserves a shot at happiness. A truly charming and uplifting novel!
A lukewarm 3 stars. Admittedly, this book was not originally on my radar, but I was offered a physical copy and a lovely personalized note by the author herself and couldn't turn down the opportunity to give it try. So why 3 stars? I suppose it is personal preference in what I look for in a book, which is depth and growth, and there was very little of that in this story. On the contrary, it felt like Vivian's growth went backwards from where it began. Yes, this is about a woman to survives divorce, but there is very little of the pain and heartbreak that divorce really brings. Instead, we have a 40-something woman acting more like a 20-something, drinking way too much wine and often putting herself before others. The writing was competent, but I could not get past the superficial characters. If you want a very light read, then this is it. But as a child of divorce and a firsthand witness to its harsh rippling effects, it was not for me.
Vivian and Mitch have been married 25 years and they just sent their only son off to college. Vivian has been a stay at home mom. Suddenly without any warning signs Mitch proclaims that he no
Longer loves her and wants a divorce. This throws Vivian’s life into a tailspin. She had no clue that their marriage was in trouble. Her entire identity is wrapped up in being Mitch’s wife and a mother. She is faced with some serious life changes. She needs to figure out how to pick up the pieces and move on with her life.
For the most part I enjoyed this book. It was funny and sweet. It was an entertaining light read. I absolutely loved the first half of the book. If you are looking for something light and breezy you will probably like it.
There are a few things that I didn’t like about this book. It tackles some really hard life situations like a parenting, empty nesters, divorce, social media and friendships. I thought the author could have done a better job of showing the gray areas. Things are not always black and white. It shouldn’t be an easy decision to end a 25 year marriage. That is a lot of time spent with someone. Also the portrayal of instantly reuniting with an estranged parent seemed a little too easy. It felt a Little bit hallmark and unrealistic. I wish the author would have delved a little deeper into the complexity of human relationships.
Overall I enjoyed this book. I recommend it if you love a book about finding yourself in the chaos of life.
Thank you to netgalley for a copy of this book.
Getting wine drunk and posting a YouTube video ranting about your soon to be ex husband may not be advisable, but Vivian Quackenbush hasn't always made the best choices.
Going viral has it's perks. Maybe you can monetize your video, maybe you can go on TV, maybe you get to travel and be gifted products. Or maybe you jeopardize relationships and alienate your friends and family.
Vivian has had few roles after dropping out of college. Wife to Mitch, mother to Dylan, and distant daughter to Heidi. Sure, she has her friends on the cul-de-sac and Wine Down Wednesdays, but typically it's surface level chat because they don't dive too deep.
Nobody's Perfect is about truth and consequences. It's about finding yourself after giving it away for nearly 25 years.
I loved this book, the humor is fantastic, the characters feel like real people. There is a one eyed cat with a ton of personality. The chemistry Vivian has with the new single Dad neighbor is also delicious! Read this book to follow Vivian's journey, the ups and downs, and the Mom Scout badges she earns along the way.
Vivian is asked for a divorce after 25 years of marriage and discovers her husband is sleeping with his secretary. He also refuses to move out . While drunk, she posts to her YouTube channel about all of it and goes viral. Her mother comes to help get her husband out. This is a story of moving on.
I loved this book! It's a great story about a middle-aged woman who realizes she's lived her whole life for everyone else. It was great watching her figure out who she is as a person, and what she wants out of life! Thank-you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
this was a good book. I was surprised by the attachment I had to the main character. Her having to learn life again and her husband being a butt about everything was sad. I felt for her having to o through all that. I was proud of her son standing up on her side and both of them growing together.
What an abolutely fantastic plot! Could not put the book down once I began reading it. Cannot wait for it to be released. I will recommend it to everyone I know!
Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for allowing me to read an ARC of Nobody's Perfect by Sally Kilpatrick, in exchange for my honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I loved going on Vivian's journey with her; watching her process, grow, and move forward.
I also loved each of the secondary characters - most especially Heidi, Vivian's mom. A fantastic portrayal of being mom to a grown "child".
The writing was witty, thought-provoking, and heart-felt.
I look forward to reading more by Sally Kilpatrick.
It’s been a hot minute since we got a new offering from Sally Kilpatrick. The good news is that her latest release Nobody’s Perfect was worth every second of the wait. Full of richly drawn characters, authentic conflict, and delightful dialogue, Nobody’s Perfect finds Kilpatrick stretching her wings with a story of self-discovery. It’s a perfect (pun fully intended) for readers who haven’t had the pleasure of reading one of Kilpatrick’s previous works. And it’s in the running for one of my favorite reads of this summer and year.
For the past twenty-five years, Vivian Quackenbush has put her family first, from supporting her husband’s career to raising their son. Now, as Vivian and Mitch should be making plans for the empty nest phase of their lives, Vivian discovers Mitch has secret plans to file for divorce hidden away in his sock drawer*. Thrown for a loop, Vivian’s whole world begins to crumble around her as she and Mitch begin a contest of wills to see how will get the house (it’s in Vivian’s name due to Mitch’s poor financial decisions early in their marriage) and to see what the next stage in life might be like.
*Underscoring that no good ever comes from organizing your sock drawer.
In an inebriated state, Vivian opens up about her struggles to her online following via YouTube and suddenly goes viral. As Vivian’s online footprint as an influencer grows, she finds herself straddling a line between pleasing those could support her burgeoning career as an influencer and the friends and family rallying around her. As Vivian navigates the waters of divorce, she finds herself finding a new connection with her oft-divorced mother. She also finds herself drawn to her new sexy widowed dad, who needs Vivian’s help on several occasions in situations that arise with his teeange daughter (things like hemming a skirt on the night of the concert).
Vivian’s journey to get her groove back while not losing sight of who and what’s important in her life make for a delightful, page turning experience. Nobody’s Perfect is a change of pace for Kilpatrick and one that this reviewer fully appreciated. Much of this comes from the superlative first-person narration of Vivian, who barrels forward making decisions -some good, some not-so-good — and trying to make sense of her changing world and situation. Like many of Kilpatrick’s previous protagonists, Vivian is delighfully quirky and down to earth. Hearing Vivian analyze her life with Mitch and the highs and lows of their relationship is one of the novel’s strong points.
Nobody’s Perfect is a delightful but thoughtful story that had me engaged from start to finish. I wouldn’t mind spending a bit more time with Vivian and her family (both related and chosen) in a future installment. But if this is all we get, I can say that Vivan’s journey and story are completely satisfying and self-contained.
I received a digital ARC of this book via NetGalley from the publisher and author in exchange for an honest review.