A baby shower, what can go wrong? A group of friends, their struggles and different approaches to motherhood in a fun and though provoking story.

From the first few pages, I was struck by how deeply human and real the narrative is. I read this in two days and couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Each of the four friends gathered for Nicki’s baby shower are having troubles. Nicki’s having a dream baby shower, but her marriage is struggling. Charlotte is throwing the baby shower of her dreams, for someone else’s baby. Lauren is caring for a 9 month old whilst suffering post-partum depression from a traumatic birth, but no one seems to be paying attention to mother over baby and Steffi is having an amazing break through at work but as a happily childfree woman by choice, isn’t given the acknowledgment of her achievements because they don’t involved marriage or children. The narrative seamlessly weaves back and forth from present day, the day of the baby shower and their past. It brings to the forefront the inescapable problem of being a woman, whatever path you choose in life, you will be judged for it.

The media glamourises female friendships through franchises like Sex and the City . It shows the highlight reel of best friends who spend every day together for years and years with very little change. The reality is so different and this book really encapsulates that. The miscommunication and misunderstanding is heartbreaking to read. Each of the four women believe the grass is greener, each one being painfully self-absorbed whilst ignoring the reality of their friend’s difficulties. The lack of empathy for each others situations was startling and at times unsettling. Each women’s story is so poignant, particularly Lauren’s, my heart broke for her. There’s a visceral pain that oozes through every page of this book. The prose flows so well, with a small mystery running through to keep the audience guessing until the conclusion.

This book was truly beautiful and heartbreaking. I can’t wait for it to be released so I can recommend it to people.

✨4.5 stars✨

I really enjoyed this book!

I have read and enjoyed Holly Bourne’s YA novels so I was really excited to receive an ARC for this book as the premise sounded really interesting.

This book focused on the realities of pregnancy and motherhood with a brutally honest exploration of infertility and the struggles that go along with this, post-natal depression, but also the on the flip-side looking at the women who decide not to have kids. Bourne’s honest storytelling highlights all of this and more whilst making you feel for all of the characters as you come to understand their actions and feelings, along with a sprinkle of mystery as the reader tries to unravel what really occurred at the ill-fated baby shower.

I would 100% recommend this book!

I received an ARC via NetGalley from the publishers in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

I dont think I can put into words how much I enjoyed this book!

I read it over 2 days, and sacrificed a lot of sleep because I could not put it down.

Centred around a group of female friends that met at university, and are now in their 30s. They are having a baby shower for one of the four, which ends terribly and results in a police investigation and a "whodunnit" element to the story.

The story is told from all four points of view, which I absolutely loved. It also jumped between past and present, which was a perfect way to find out more about each persons back story. The author did such a good job with the characters, I found myself hating, and relating to each one at different points. The complexity of female friendships is captured well, and motherhood/pregnancy and the issues that come alongside it were also well represented in my opinion.

I would recommend this book to anyone, while it was a tough read in places due to dealing with some different topics, it was humorous and entertaining and ultimately a quick, enjoyable read.

College friends Nicki, Lauren, Charlotte and Steffi gather at Nicki's parents country house for Nicki's baby shower organised by Charlotte.
This story explores new motherhood and society's expectations around wanting and having children.
But this baby shower goes off with a bang, literally with a misfired firework causing a big fire. Told from all the girls' view.

A well-crafted story with plenty to appreciate. The pacing, characters, and plot twists kept me interested throughout. I'm looking forward to seeing how readers respond once it's released!

As someone who is still battling with the will I /wont I / can I / can’t I have children, I found this book challenging to read at times. That said I really appreciated the different perspectives on motherhood and how women are judged regardless of their choices. By both men and other women alike. I found it incredibly thought provoking. I think I would have actually enjoyed it more if I wasn’t going through it myself, however I wouldn’t have related to it so much.

I read this in one sitting over the weekend and am OBSESSED - I don't think I've ever read anything like it on motherhood and it was weirdly cathartic to be so immersed in the topic under the guise of reading a gripping, wildly entertaining novel. The whodunnit element is a neat framework - I loved the snippets of the police investigation and social media fallout interspersed between chapters, and can honestly say I didn't see the grand reveal of the culprit coming - but what really stood out to me was the balance between the author's sharp eye for satirical detail (more tips for the world's most OTT baby shower than you can shake a stork-shaped cake topper at; a *literal tinderbox* of a setting) and the compassion of her writing. The Little Women's views and experiences of pregnancy and motherhood are set in stark relief without ever feeling like one has more merit over another, and I found myself empathizing with Lauren, Charlotte, Steffi, and even Nicki in almost equal measure as their unspoken hopes and struggles came to light. Clever and knowing, and by turns horrifying and hilarious, this is one for everyone who's ever looked at a baby and thought . . . well, anything really.

Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the ARC.

I cannot believe how much I enjoyed this book. The blurb gave me a slight chuckle, to me as someone in their early 30s the idea of my friend group celebrating each others successes and suppressing internal eye rolls is all too familiar. 10% in and I was absolutely engrossed with the real humour, the little womens thoughts on eachothers joy but pure hatred for their own self efficacy. The mixture of "who done it" and cringe at their life choices. This was an absolute joy to read and cant wait for my friends to read this upon release.

Just an amazing book hands down. I’ve been a fan of Holly’s books since I was a teenage and have tried to keep up with all the releases she has had. When I saw this come up for request, I jumped at the chance.

This tells the honest complexity of women’s relationships and Holly gets it right everytime. We see a group of friends come to terms with big changes and struggles they’re going through whilst in the setting of a baby shower for Nicki.

Seeing the downward spiral happening from past and present points of view was brilliant as you got the full story which avoided the book stagnating from being set in one day.

Also my heart went out to Lauren and Charlotte. Both struggles written so heartbreakingly that I wanted to reach out and just try to soothe them.

Well done Holly! This was another winner!

Not for me, as I was definitely not thrilled by this book. I gave up at 17%, because by then I still didn't feel any wee bit of warmth towards any of these characters. Just one would have been nice. Disliking the woman with her own business she was running from her apartment enough to almost resent myself for it, I knew it was time to quit.

Having grown up with Bourne’s books sparking some feminist conversation for me, this adult mystery was an excellent evolution. It is unflinchingly honest about the perils of motherhood and the way mothers are viewed in a patriarchal society, but also remains focused on love and friendship in its ultimate goals.

In the midst of the worst heatwave ever to hit the UK, Nicki is having a baby shower. Not that she really wants it. Her old friend from university, Charlotte has organised it and to be honest Charlotte is a bit of a nightmare. The story focuses on these two and their other two friends Lauren and Steffi.. Did I say friends? Frenemies more like. There are some pretty unpleasant vibes going on here with lots of grudges being held.

I enjoyed this book on the whole. There's a lot about motherhood here, most of it negative. A lot of it is quite old hat but worth saying again.. I find it depressing that things don't seem to have changed much in the 45 years since I had my first child. The issues remain the same: medical intervention or not; natural childbirth or not; breastfeeding or not; what to do with the baby who won't sleep; how to stop yourself killing the annoying new mother who has the perfect baby who does everything right. Some of it is funny, a lot of it is sad and some of it is just unrealistic.

So overall, a mixed bag. The formatting of the book made it quite hard to read which may have affected my rating so to be fair i'm rounding it up from a 3.5 to a 4. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

What I enjoyed about this book is how absorbed I was with each of the characters.
I identified with Lauren the most. The way that her PTSD and postnatal depression are described is brilliant and I hope that readers who are suffering from depression can find support and help.
I was so caught up in the story that I didn’t even try to guess who started the fire.
At times I thought that I was too old to be reading this book, but friendships are important whatever your age.

Book review : so thrilled for you by @hollybourneya @netgalley .

DESCRIPTION

Under a sweltering hot summer day, tensions rise - and by the end of the evening, nothing will ever be the same. Someone started a fire at the house - and everyone’s a suspect... Is it Steffi, happily child-free but feeling judged by her friends? Is it Charlotte, desperate to conceive and jealous of those who have? Is it Lauren, who is finding motherhood far, far worse than she imagined? Or is it Nicki herself, who never wanted a baby shower anyway?

First book I have read by this author and it was a rollercoaster of emotions, hormones , jealousy, sadness.
The friendships of these women was so complicated but on the other hand beautiful.
The storyline pulled me in from chapter 2 . I loved all the characters different points of view . The experiences of each of these friends are so diverse . Holly mastered the topic of postnatal depression beautifully as it shows that we can look like we are functioning great but behind it all everything is falling apart.
Some of the friends experiences with motherhood was just so real and painful.
I am definitely going to be reading more if @hollybourneya books as if they are anything like this one I will be in for a rollercoaster of emotions .

Thank yous much @netgalley @hollybourneya for my advanced copy was a pleasure to read.

Absolutely raced through this,;; which was one of the most unflinching, honest looks at motherhood, PPD and friendships in your 30s that I've read. While some elements felt a bit exaggerated, much of what the characters were experiencing felt extremely real and almost relatable too. The four perspectives worked well too, to make each character and their motivations feel real and believable. I didn't love the police extracts quite so much (they felt a bit unreal and fever-dreamy, much like early motherhood I guess). But otherwise I loved this and while I'm not sure I'd recommend it to mums-to-be, I definitely would to those coming out the other side.

4.5, rounded up. Such an excellent and engaging read.A relatable exploration of female friendships and the expectations and supposed life milestones , mixed with a who dunnit - this so cleverly done.

This was such a thought provoking book for me. Although we are faced with a cast of four characters who are flawed in their own way, Holly Bourne has done an ASTONISHING job of making her readers think about the worst of their characters that we each carry.

There is talking behind people's backs, thinking things about our friends we would never say to their faces, selfishness, jealousy and manipulation. It's uncomfortable to read at times because it's meant to be. It's meant to make you question your own behaviours. I found myself getting so angry at these characters at times, wishing I could reach into the pages and grab their shoulders to shake some sense into them. But I also found myself blushing at the moments where I could see myself and my thoughts written on the page.

But the representations of motherhood - from being childfree by choice, to infertility, to pregnancy and finally to motherhood itself - are so viscerally and painfully shared that you just feel like Bourne really get these emotions because she's felt them herself (or has certainly spoken in depth to women who have).

This book really showcases the complexity of female friendships and motherhood. You will get annoyed at the characters but you will also empathise with them. It's very cleverly done and well worth the read.

So Thrilled for You is a raw, thought-provoking exploration of friendship and the different aspects of motherhood.
It’s unflinchingly honest, intertwining the perspectives of the characters, showcasing the dynamics of the group and how each one is struggling on their own and in their own way.

I appreciate the visceral portrayal of PPD (which at one point had me in tears) to the exploration of motherhood, whether that being you’re desperate to have a baby to not wanting one at all.

I enjoyed that it humanises these experiences.
The friendships are flawed and complex, HB is great at writing women who can do and say awful things but fundamentally aren’t awful people.
The multiple perspectives added depth, emphasising how perceptions often differ from reality.


On the other hand, whilst I appreciated the authenticity. Nicki, in particular who was the most selfish and judgmental of the group, never really acknowledged anything she did. Whilst her actions are explained to some extent, she’s absolutely vile to Steffi throughout and for the most part it’s just accepted, which was very frustrating.

Overall, ate this up and Holly Bourne is a must-read author for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.
5/5 ⭐

I've never read anything by Holly Bourne but like the sound of the story and thought I'd give it a go. I really enjoyed it up until about 80%. Although none of the characters are particularly likeable their individual stories were interesting. 4 friends from uni (the little women) gather at Nikki's baby shower. Organised by Charlotte, who sounds like complete nightmare (everything has to be perfect!!!!) Lauren who has 9 month old son and has barely sleep a wink in that time and Steffi who is child free and focused on the best day of her life as her publishing company takes off. All very nice. But boy are these people toxic. They are all so self obsessed that they can't see outside of their own little bubble.
The last 20% was just a manic rant which left me unable to sleep, as my heart was thumping away Iin distress! I get it. Our lives are messy even scary at times but this was a story about women and motherhood and I found the lack of sisterhood a bit troubling. I am a mother and found my first baby very hard. An emergency c section and a baby who wouldn't sleep. All very real. But this book would make any would be Mum scared silly! Also the police investigation was silly and didn't ring true. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read an advance copy in return for an honest review.