The four main characters, Nicki, Steffi, Lauren and Charlotte have been friends since university. Their lives have gone in different directions and now, in their early 30s, Charlotte is arranging (down to the last box on an excel spreadsheet) a baby shower for Nicki. Charlotte longs for a baby but IVF has so far been unsuccessful; Lauren has a nine month old baby, Woody, but is suffering from both undiagnosed post natal depression but also trauma as a result of a very difficult birth. Steffi meanwhile is happily child-free and open about it; she's just launched a literary agency and is on the verge of making a life-changing book deal not only for one of her authors but also for herself and her new agency.

But all is not as serene and happy as Charlotte's OTT plans would suggest - all four of them are hiding things and over the course of the afternoon they will all have a massive falling out, secrets will be revealed and their friendship will be re-made in the face of adversity.

I found this very readable but a bit tiresome in places - Charlotte's almost militant determination that everything about the baby shower would go to her very precise plan somewhat set my teeth on edge and I could not understand - even by the end of the book - how she'd managed to be such close friends with the other three for so long. Also, for such close friends, I was a bit bemused that none of them seemed to have even the faintest clue that Lauren was struggling with motherhood - or indeed how did Charlotte not realise that Nicki would've wanted a far more low key baby shower than the grand affair Charlotte was arranging? Charlotte invites Phoebe, someone who Nicki hasn't seen for a year, and again, none of them seemed remotely aware of the significance of Phoebe in Nicki's life - which would suggest that, during the time Nicki was friends with Phoebe, she obviously didn't communicate much with the others. Still, once you've started it, you definitely want to know what the secrets are and who really did start the fire ...

First Holly Bourne book I have read. Entertaining and enlightening with four girls who were at University meeting up and organising a baby shower with unanticipated consequences. A story well told and a good plot to keep the reader guessing the outcomes. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

You realise how good an author is when, despite not really liking any one of the four main characters (four women, friends since university), despite the dreadful editing (neither author nor editor seemed to know the difference between lie and lay, when to use an adverb or when to use me and I: "through Matt and I's marriage" (Really? REALLY???), or how to use an apostrophe) and despite the complete lack of a nod to her readers by the author in her acknowledgements—publishers, friends, family, advisers, experts…oh yes, Uncle Tom Cobley, but not all….despite all that (yes, I know it's a lot!), you simply can't put this down.

The above aside, it's very well written with (whether you like them or not) characters with a lot meat on them (figuratively!). There's Lauren with severe post-natal depression, Nicki with a mend-my-marriage pregnancy, neuro-divergent Charlotte who can't get pregnant, and career-girl Steffi who has no need of babies in her life. And then, Nicki's baby shower changes everything.

I enjoyed this a lot but for me to read anything else by this author, I want better editing…and less nonsense like "It’s no coincidence that every woman in this country over the age of 60 has some kind of clinical anxiety disorder." Clearly, I'm unique…'nonsense' is a ladylike word for what I actually think of that.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed regarding this book are entirely my own.

So Thrilled for You by Holly Bourne. This book will stay with me for a very long time. I would say it is one of the best books I have read this year.
The topic of the book centres around motherhood, whether it is a choice and societies' views around having children, not having children and how we celebrate great events in a woman's life. It is a topic that I have personally been thinking of a great deal. The choice on whether to become a mother and the expectations placed on mothers from the birth of their child and how they lose themselves in the process of bringing up their children and how they become invisible. With more and more women choosing a path without children, does society celebrate other life achievements other than getting married and having children? This is the first book that I have had such an emotional, visceral reaction to. The explanation of the trauma of giving birth really resonated with me and my experience as a Student Midwife and mother..

I would highly recommend reading this book, I wanted to keep reading to get to the conclusion and learn how each person in the story turned out. I look forward to reading anything else by Holly Bourne

I can see why this is on so many lists of 'Books to Watch for 2025'. Such an intimate, honest and bare story of four women getting through the trials of your 30s and a brilliant portrayal of never knowing what another person is going through, and therefore why they react in the way they do. So brilliant, so exposing, so liberating.

I really enjoyed So Thrilled for You! Holly Bourne nails the ups and downs of female friendships—how they can be loving, messy, and a bit competitive all at once. The characters felt so real, and I couldn’t help but see bits of my own friendships in their struggles.

It’s funny, honest, and emotional, though a few parts were a bit predictable. Still, it’s a great read if you’ve ever felt left behind by someone close to you.
Thanks NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC.

So Thrilled for You by Holly Bourne is a captivating, character-driven novel that delves into the complexities of friendship, motherhood, and the emotional tensions that arise when life pulls people in different directions. The story kicks off with a chaotic and disastrous baby shower for Nicki, which ends in a fire that leaves everyone a suspect. The novel then unfolds in a unique way, with each chapter providing the perspective of one of the four women involved, as they recount their version of events leading up to the unforgettable night.

Nicki, Charlotte, Lauren, and Steffi—once close friends at university—now find themselves at vastly different points in life. Their bonds have been strained by time and changing circumstances. Nicki, who never wanted a baby shower in the first place, is overwhelmed by the pressure of impending motherhood. Lauren, already a mother, is struggling with the harsh realities of raising a child. Charlotte, desperate to conceive, is consumed by envy of those who have children. Steffi, happily child-free and focused on her career, feels increasingly judged by her friends for not wanting to have children.

Through these four women’s perspectives, Bourne explores the many facets of motherhood—new motherhood, the longing for motherhood, and the choice to remain child-free—and how these experiences shape the relationships between them. Each woman’s personal struggles and desires reveal the growing resentment, jealousy, and misunderstandings that have taken root in their friendships.

The emotional depth of the characters is what truly makes this book compelling. Bourne masterfully captures the complexity of women’s lives, the expectations placed on them by society and each other, and the tension that builds when they feel misunderstood. As the story unfolds, the reader uncovers more about each woman’s emotional journey, leading to an unexpected and shocking conclusion that will leave them questioning what they thought they knew.

So Thrilled for You is an insightful and poignant exploration of the messy realities of friendship, motherhood, and the choices women face. Holly Bourne weaves an engaging, thought-provoking narrative that tackles deep emotional truths while delivering an unforgettable and, at times, uncomfortable look at relationships. It’s a novel that resonates long after the final page, providing a heartfelt look at the ties that bind and the forces that can tear us apart.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

This novel follows four women on the day of a baby shower, all at different life stages - hands-full of a baby; heavily pregnant; struggling with IVF; proudly child-free. I couldn’t put this down, it’s got everything - relationships, flashbacks, inter-friend group beef, social commentary and what seems like (from what I’ve heard) a really honest account of motherhood. I didn’t enjoy the last 10% as much, but the rest of it was so good it’s 100% worth reading.

What should have been a happy fun filled baby shower ends in the implosion of a friend group amid a literal fire.

I absolutely raced through this book.
It shows how life change can create chasms between friends will they all try to be the picture perfect wife/friend/mother.

The format of past & present and the small inclusions of police interviews is a great format and keeps you hooked.

Such a great read.

I saw another reviewer comment that this book was 'so good she forgot she was reading' (I'm paraphrasing) and I had to repeat those words because I really resonates with them. I got absolutely lost in the world built by the perspectives of those 4 women - the way the 4 different voices interact with each other to illustrate each character's own unique way of seeing the world and the way they all navigate the same issues while repeatedly misunderstanding each other is pulled off incredibly well.
I'm being especially generous because I notably hate mystery / crime novels - and when I picked this book I did not realise that that's what it was (though it's definitely a bit of a mix of genres) so I was instantly turned off after the first chapter of two. But the book proved me totally wrong and showed that you can, in fact, have a good dose of intrigue while still doing real and incisive character explorations and painting a really painfully sharp picture of issues surrounding motherhood, fertility, being a woman in her 30s, sexuality, and just generally trying to figure out your place in the world.
I did find the end a little underwhelming, but then again I always do at the end of mystery novels so I'm trying not to hold this against the book. I do almost wish the ending was a little darker, a little less 'all's well that ends well'. The entire tone of the book is this downward spiral that intensifies with each page and reaches its climax (the fire) but then the last few moments felt like they went against that. I wish the book had leaned into the disaster and discord a lot more than it did (but maybe I'm just a pessimist!)

So Thrilled For You was a book I couldn’t put down.
Four friends, one baby shower and a fire!
Nikki is holding her baby shower at her parents home in the middle of nowhere, it is blistering hot but she’s lucky as Charlotte has organised everythIng for her. Charlotte has had several rounds of IVF and unfortunately hasn’t fallen pregnant yet but she’s putting everything into this event. Lauren is struggling with being a new mother herself and is finding the adjustment hard. Steffi is landing the deal of the century so doesn’t really want to be there as she has no interest in babies at all. Tensions are high and eventually arguments ensue but are cut short due to a fire starting outside the house. Who has caused the fire and why?
This was a really good read that I enjoyed. The book flowed well and all the girls were flawed but realistically. The storyline was different and the culprit even more so! A few sensitive subjects were touched on but done well.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

ARC - Thank you NetGalley For Advanced Review Copy

After reading the blurb for So Thrilled For You, I was so thrilled for myself to be able to read this on advanced review. This was my first book by Holly Bourne, but won’t be my last as 50 pages in I was already hooked by the writing.

The book opens on the aftermath of a baby-shower-gender-reveal party - where you know a fire has occurred, but is it an accident or arson.

Through the book post-fire there are interviews and news story snippets are peppered in, giving us more clues and reminding us through the happy build up devastation is coming, where 4 university friends now young-30-somethings dub their group as the Little Women are visited from their point of views with each chapter.

Within the group we have Nicki the new-mum-to-be whose baby shower it is, Charlotte the friend who has excessively organised the party with a slightly eccesntric and OCD personality, Lauren recent new mum with an under one year old, and Steffi the friend who actively does not want children.

We are building up to who or what caused the fire at Nicki’s baby shower - but honestly it feels like a subplot to what was more interesting to me of the journey of the characters, whilst it is quite predominately about motherhood from different perspectives, it’s also about the push and pull of long term friendships, bitterness that can long term reside and brew and also loyalty out of what feels like requirement.

It was a really interesting read and whilst I’ve not been through the motherhood part yet, I’ve definitely over the past few years gone through friendship adjustments, grieved the loss of friendships that were important to me and noted change in my friends in their journeys - and overall it felt like a really relatable book or women in their 30s navigating this change.

A 400 page book on average might take me around 5 or so hours to finish, this felt like a very long 400 pages - in some cases I was barely scraping 10% of the book done in an hour. There is a lot of internal monologuing in the POVs and pages where my kindle was wall to wall text - as a result there’s not pages of active conversation where there’s lots of gaps between lines which effected the pacing and felt like in places some of this maybe could have been edited down more.

I initially thought Woody, who started the fire was going to be a red herring and we'd find out that it was in fact one of the girls. My initial gut reaction was disappointment, followed by immediately thinking it was infact genius - metaphorical for the characters experiences with babies burning their lives down.

i really enjoyed this. It was raw and relatable. The characters were all a little flawed all had their own issues. It was a really good read and I recommend all women to read this. The ending was great I was so glad that the author wrapped it up the way she did. A few taboo subjects were acknowledged in this book such as post natal depression, women that don't want children and infertility issues

Four once close friends attend the baby shower from hell, an activity that ends not just in tears but in devastation by fire. Pregnant Nicki has chosen to do the conventional thing and allows Charlotte to organise everything at her parents’ strange, glass-walled hous, but is unsettled by a guest from her past.. Lauren struggles with her own baby and the chaos he has brought into her life, but tries desperately to be a good mother. Steffi, child-free by choice, is on the verge of launching an exciting new career project, but is hurt by the way the others treat her. Charlotte longs for her own baby and puts her all into the baby shower she has not been able to have herself. As tensions spiral in the sweltring heat, everything comes to a head as the event literally goes up in flames. Bourne writes brilliantly, skewering the instagram-friendly baby shower with a relentless eye- “fertilised” cupcakes! identify the baby food flavours in the nappies! the vulva pinata!-and ruthlessly satirising the natural birth brigade. The book is hilarious, often pretty dark but also compassionate and moving about the contradictions in the lives of young women and the price paid for whatever choices they make-whether to become mothers, focus on careers, pursue relationships or just have fun, and whether they will regret the paths not taken. The four main characters are all flawed but relateable, and the importance of female friendships becomes very clear. Biting, raw and emotional, this is a cracking and hugely enjoyable read.

This book has exceeded my expectations by light years.
I read it one sitting.
Four college friends in their thirties tell us of a few hours of baby shower going in all ways and their friendship over the years.
This was not normally a book that would be among my favourites, but rather among “enjoyable reads”, but Bourne crafts this story so well, via distinguishable characters, relatable situations and important themes, and the writing flows so well.
I laughed out loud in at least two instances, and wanted to cry in about two, mostly near the end.
Contemporary, witty, raw and genuinely engaging.

- At first, I thought a particular aspect of the plot that was sometimes given via interrogation ‘transcriptions’, would not be engaging. I was wrong! It was integral to the story.
- The reader’s attention and patience are rewarded.
- Well-paced.
- I absolutely loved the commentary on motherhood and everything that comes and is lost with it.
- Although especially two of the characters of the quartet have backgrounds and lifestyles that are very different from what I experience, they made sense and I could totally see them as described in this book.
- Steffi and Lauren.
- Woody Woody Woody.
- Very cinematic.
- Not representative of many diverse backgrounds but the dynamics and struggles in friendships and womanhood are relatable.

So Thrilled For You is structured around a police investigation into an arson that began at a baby shower, and it's written from the perspective of four friends from university who are now in their thirties. I found it to be a thought-provoking and emotional exploration of different experiences of motherhood, pregnancy, fertility issues, and choosing not to have children. It was slow to get going, but part way in it picks up pace and I was hooked. I was a little uncomfortable with the stereotypical attitudes towards social care services, which weren't challenged.  This is only the second book I've read by Holly Bourne and I'll absolutely be reading my way through her other books!

Thank you to Holly Bourne, NetGalley and the the publishers for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this so much!!! There’s just something about these types of lit fics that speak to my soul. I was truly hooked from the start, and I don’t think I was fully prepared for the journey it was going to set me on. There’s so much I want to say but I truly think you should go into this without knowing much. Just… trust me! I absolutely cannot wait to read more and get a physical copy.

This is a wonderful funny true to life story about friendship and motherhood. I absolutely enjoyed this book. Absolutely amazingly written and so heart warming and relatable. Thoroughly recommend this for anyone that needs some comfort, encouragement or some light hearted entertainment whilst going through the joys of motherhood.

5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to review this amazing ARC copy.

I loved the storyline and was engaged with all the characters. As far as they were concerned it would have rated five stars. I just find it distracting when there is too much unnecessary swearing, which is why I’ve reduced it to four stars. For anyone not finding that a problem then I would heartily recommend this book.

This book viscerally hurt to read at times - it was simultaneously easy to pick up because I wanted to know who started the fire but also so hard because it was just so painful to read the experiences of some of the characters.

Starting early chapters with a police interview with the character that the chapter is from was a really good and enticing way to introduce the reader to a bunch of different main characters. The four main character's plots are so different, however, that they'd be hard to mix up.

Two of the plots are so pro-motherhood and the other two are so anti-motherhood that it's kinda funny, in a way. Although, also, it's really not funny because what both Charlotte and Lauren are going through, in contrast to each other, is so tragic and heart-breaking. Yet this book manages to keep being darkly humorous most of the time.

So dark and hopeless. I never felt the usual message of "motherhood is worth all the trouble" that you usually get from books about people who've just had children. Which is refreshing, in a way, but also it was so hopeless. For example, men are literally useless in this - every male character is pointless at best and harmful at worst. Healthcare services, according to this book, are so useless that they're actively trying to kill you - doctors and nurses won't listen to you at all and will just do things against your will because they're monsters and they don’t care. IVF is a pointless waste of money because you'll either conceive naturally or you won't.

I have to say that Steffi's career and friendship-focussed plot was a breath of fresh air when we got her chapters because she was the only one not obsessed with babies. Which is a wild prospect when you go into a book expecting it to be all about motherhood and you find yourself yearning to read about the only character with no interest in it at all because the motherhood-centric plots are so depressing.

I wasn’t especially fond of the first world problems at times - most of these women are the kind of rich where they don't have to worry about money at all, especially Charlotte and Nicki. I can't fathom having or wanting a child and not having to worry about how to afford a child, it's a very foreign concept to me.

The way the women turn on each other based on old resentments they've kept buried for years was so well executed and realistic of friendships that have been going for years. The fact that, as a reader, I felt compelled to sympathise with all of their plights whilst simultaneously empathising with their feelings of injustice at one another was fantastic writing. I couldn't help but hope for a happy ending and a reunification of the friendship group at the end of the story, in part to offset how dark the rest of the plot was, and in part because I didn't want to see 10+ years of friendship die between 4 women just because of one horrific disaster of a day.