The Grown-Up to do List is a funny and quick read. A wonderful palate cleanser. Cleo is an interesting main character and I went from liking her to no liking her and back again. Overall I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a uplifting quick read.

A story that seemed very promising from the premise, but it's a bit flat, at times very predictable, I wasn't able to empathize with Cleo, I found her a bit childish. Thanks to Netgalley for this arc.

The Grown-Up To Do List explores the definition of grown-up in the modern world through this cute rom-com after the protagonist, Cleo, who is 27 and living in a small seaside town with her parents, working at a job she loves, gets a blast from the past which makes her question her life and success as an adult. Her wake-up call comes in the form of a successful old-school pal who has her comparing her life to her school peers who have gone on to forge snazzy careers, flash houses/ cars /gyms, and possess picture-perfect families.

Jennifer Joyce's writing is charmingly funny, spinning a story about coming into your own and finding happiness. There are no massive plot twists, just a fun read about how sometimes the grass might look greener on the other side, but happiness can be simple with the right people and attitude in life.

The characters were a loveable, quirky bunch of relatable characters from all age groups and walks of life – a nice representative cast that showed everyone has problems, flaws, and needs a bit of support now and again. Cleo was a hilarious main character on her adulting journey – she has buckets of grit, tenacity, and a fantastic sense of humour comes across, especially in her amusing bullet journal entries pepper at the start of each chapter.

A feel-good, entertaining, and thoughtful rom-com read about the challenges of adulting, finding happiness, and coming of age isn't just for teenagers. I've never read anything by Jennifer Joyce before, but I will be looking out for more books by her in the future as I chuckled my way through this book. If you love stories with thoughtful themes like those spun by Emily Henry with humour and relatable characters facing their challenges, finding their spark, and their happy ending, The Grown-Up To Do list is one for your TBR!

I have never read anything by this author, but I will be looking out for other books they write in the future. I really enjoyed the story as well as the pacing of the story.

Cleo, oh Cleo, what on earth are we going to do with you. You are fixated on a chance encounter from an old crush, and seem to think that when he is back in town in three months time that it will be the start of a whole new life with him - on the back of one conversation.

You gotta love a dreamer, and Cleo is definitely relatable. She in her attempts to be the person she claimed to be to Paul, decides she has a few months to get her life together and become what she believes is a grown up.

Now some of the things on her list I definitely agree, probably do need to be done, and her utter cluelessness about things are a mix of irritating and utterly charming. She has a certain naivety to her, and it is lovely to see.

Amongst other things she decides that she needs a "career" as all her friends from school have left her behind in the efforts of growing up and getting on with life., but she has no idea what she wants to do with her life, while its obvious she enjoys her current job in a fish and chip shop.

She wants to learn to drive, and some of her descriptions of early lessons I can definitely identify with from her early attempts. She also amongst other things wants to move out of her parents home, and feels like she might need things like a hobby too!

Now reading her growing "grown up to-do" list at the start of each chapter, I couldn't help by compare her 25 year old self, with myself and based on the majority of the entries - it's official at 40 years old I'm definitely not a grown up - ah well!

I loved getting to know her friends, colleagues and family, especially her gran, and James, her gran's new lodger. Only Cleo is rather suspicious of James, well she does have an overactive imagination!

This was a fun and light hearted story, that I was definitely entertained by.

Thank you to Hera and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

This was a good read but I felt like the ending wasn't really what the author originally planned it to be, it kinda felt a little rushed and the characters I felt lacked a little bit of progression.throughout their stories. Lovely concept tho

I am still unsure how I feel about this one. It was cute and the characters were funny but I feel unresolved with her progression throughout the book. It just seemed rushed at the end which was a shame.

Feeling like she's stuck and falling behind, Cleo decides it's time to grow up, and she draws up a list to help her improve her life.

This was such a cute, lighthearted, very quick read. The characters were very easy to like, and the story was charming enough, even though it had its slow moments. It truly just has such a feel-good vibe to it, and it has a lot of heart and some incredibly funny moments. Truly just a cozy, warm read.

Many thanks to Canelo & NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

Jennifer Joyce’s The Grown-Up To Do List is a heartwarming and relatable journey into adulthood, self-discovery, and the societal pressures of "growing up." The story centers around Cleo, a 27-year-old living in a small seaside town with her parents, working in a fish and chip shop. While content with her simple life, she starts questioning her choices when her childhood crush announces his return to town. In an effort to reinvent herself, she creates a "grown-up to-do list" filled with aspirations like moving out, learning to drive, and finding a more "adult" job.

The novel balances humor with poignant moments, capturing the universal struggle of measuring oneself against societal expectations. Cleo’s journey feels authentic and heartfelt, especially as she learns that adulthood isn’t about meeting others’ standards but embracing her own path. The book is peppered with quirky characters, touching family dynamics, and a slow-burn romance that adds depth to the narrative.

Fans of contemporary romantic comedies, especially those who enjoy authors like Emily Henry or Beth O’Leary, will appreciate the humor, relatable struggles, and life-affirming messages in this story. It’s a delightful read for anyone who has ever felt stuck or unsure about where life is heading.

There should be a legal limit on the use of parentheses in a novel (it’s very distracting when every other thought the main character has is written like this). I did not like the narrative style of this book, nor did I like the main character. I think she felt very cringey and not relatable, but trying very hard to be. Just not my cup of tea at all.
Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for an ARC of this novel!

When Cleo meets an old high school mate, she realizes how all her friends have matured chasing their dreams, while she is stuck in her teen life, still living with her parents in her little coastal town, and working at the fish & chips. So she decides to change her life, becoming a responsible and independent adult. She has only a few months to show her new self to her friend, so she starts a To Do List.

This was a great romcom that I really enjoyed.

Cleo wants more from her life and constantly feels like she needs to be better and more of a grown up. Her list of achieving that grows throughout the book and I loved seeing what she was going to add rather than cross off 😂.

Cordy was my favourite character. She was brilliant and I just think everyone needs a Cordy in their life. I was skeptical of her relationship with James to start with but I thought it was lovely how she was backing him up and trying to get Cleo to like him.

The ups and downs of Cleo’s life were comical and her reasons behind things did make me laugh out loud. She was relatable for most 20 year olds and I think it taught a good life lesson.

My only reason for not giving 5stars was that I wasn’t constantly picking it up to read and it took me a while to get into it.

Cleo is generally happy with her life working at the chippy and living at home with her parents until she runs into an old school crush and lies about where she's at in life. She decides she needs to start adulting and making some changes in life. But does becoming a grown up really mean giving up everything you love or can you do both?

I really enjoyed this I liked watching Cleo grow and realise what she really wanted in life. The characters were really well written and I enjoyed watching new friendships grow. Cleo seems a bit annoying at first but I really grew to love her as she came into herself. Highly recommend.

This was an ok read not my favourite. I usually love a good Rom com but I found the story went a bit slow.

I think it was just personal preference though so others may love it

This was a very cute, likable twentysomething coming of age book. I didn't always like Cleo's actions/decisions, but I thought she was a realistic protagonist worth rooting for. The lists were amusing and the book as a whole made me smile.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

A thoroughly enjoyable and laugh out loud, feel good book.

Although you can work out what happens in the end, I still thoroughly enjoyed reading this "growing up" book, following Cleo in her attempts to feel more like an adult.

Such a fun and relatable story!
I really enjoyed following Cleo's journey in "The Grown-Up To Do List". The book is a quick and easy read ideal for everyone who enjoys a good rom-com.

I absolutely adored this book. The colourful cover and the quote on the cover 'A relatable romcom about NOT having it all' made me want to read it. Cleo is 25 and after bumping into a old crush, realizes that she is not successful and has done absolutely nothing impressive in her adult years. She's stuck at a dead in job, doesn't know how to drive, and still lives at home. So she devises a plan to become a grown up - hence the Grown Up To Do List. Cleo soon finds out that the list isn't as easy to follow as she thought - she has some struggles - but perseveres. With a cast of great side characters, she grows as a person and a 'grown up'..

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

The premise of this seemed interesting but the main character wasnt really likeable so I just could not get into the book unfortunately.

Really enjoyed reading this. I think we’ve all been Cleo at some point in our lives and I really was cheering her on all the way. I loved how she handled herself when bad things did happen and I don’t think she gave herself enough credit throughout the book.