Another absolutely brilliant book by Milly Johnson. Wonderful characters who stand their ground and find friendship amongst the hormones.
Grief, loss, love and friendship make this a wonderfully uplifting read for those who struggle with their hormones and menopause.
As a woman with PMDD and on perimenopause, I felt seen and heard. So much to smile about and some laugh out loud moments. 5 stars all the way.

Oh, Milly Johnson, you’ve done it again! Same Time, Next Week is like a warm, comforting cuppa with a sneaky splash of something stronger—utterly delightful, laugh-out-loud funny, and packed with heart.

From page one, I was hooked, and not just because I was trying to avoid housework. The characters felt like old friends (the kind who would hold your hair back after one too many proseccos), and the banter had me snorting unattractively in public. The storyline? A delicious blend of fate, romance, and good old-fashioned chaos—the kind that Milly writes so well.

But what truly sets this book apart is its marvellous and much-needed representation of the menopause. Finally! A novel that doesn’t just brush it under the rug but tackles it head-on with warmth, honesty, and (of course) humour. Hot flushes, brain fog, mood swings—Milly gives them the attention they deserve, showing that life (and love!) doesn’t grind to a halt just because your hormones have declared war. In a world that still whispers about the menopause like it’s a state secret, this book is a breath of fresh air, and I sincerely hope it encourages more open conversations. Because, let’s be honest, we should be talking about it far more!

So, if you’re looking for a book that will make you laugh, cry (the good kind), and swoon in equal measure, this is it. Five glorious stars from me—now, if you need me, I’ll be singing Milly Johnson’s praises at the same time next week!

Another fabulous tale of friendship from Milly Johnson. This one features an eclectic cast that seemingly have nothing more in common than searching for a friend.

Joining a local group meeting weekly to discuss the various trials they are facing, the women come together and put the world to rights giving them the confidence to take charge in their own lives.

What a particularly love about Johnson's books, is that there is always a glance back at previous characters and this one is no different. This story feels like catching up with friends, new and old!

This has all the cosy, calming vibes that I love from a book!! Set around a cafe, it shows a group of women all facing different struggles in their lives and this story allows little snapshots from each of their lives to be shown and I loved it!

The local cafe is now under new management and the new relaunch is having a very slow start! Amanda, a carer for her elderly mum, offers the new owner, Ray, some advice and instantly build up a rapport. He listens to her and the advice pays off with the locals starting to frequent the cafe, and this is where we get introduced to the other characters - there's Astrid, a cleaner, Sky who restores teddybears to name but 2 and they've all got different things going on.

I enjoyed the relatability to the stories featured - there's family struggles, medical issues and just finding that place - the cafe - where someone will listen when the women's club begins offers such support to each of them - sometimes it's easier to open up to strangers and this is what the women find as they share their problems and issues and find a way of resolving them.

Loved the positivity, humour and compassion throughout the book - highly recommended!

Milly Johnson can especially well look into reality of being a woman. She can brilliantly write about emotions and relationships, touching upon many important issues but also touching them with a bit of humour. In this book she also explores female friendship, second chances, growing to recognise what's important in your life.

The friendship group felt a bit forced for my liking, I like it when the characters are really somehow connected, from the beginning. Here we were introduced to, what felt like, thousand of character that didn't have anything in common - we were told their background and histories, the point of view switched all the time, sometimes a few times in one chapter and until 80% I had to think hard which character is Erin or Mel or the others and what's their story. It was hard to keep up with the characters and I had a feeling that we are being introduced to a new character all the time. The friendship group met perhaps a few times in the book and this is why I was not so keen on the connection between the characters.
The other thing that bothered me is the fact that when reading a Milly Johnson's book I have a feeling that it's sad and negative in receiving mode. Even if there is a happy end, there is a lot of "schadenfreude" - I mean, it's not bad when the "badies" don't go unpunished but it's often done in a negative and jaundiced way.

Nevertheless, the book was brilliantly written and had some powerful life lessons in it and despite all my issues, I still enjoyed it. Refreshing, filled with strong women - a great read, told in an engaging way.

Milly Johnson is back with a refreshing novel full of community spirit and a new solid supportive friendship group I am in awe of.

We are introduced to a host of wonderful women who are all at a mid point in their lives where big changes are being faced and decisions need to be made and at such a daunting time they have each other to lean on and be a listening ear.

There isn’t a single character who takes centre stage in this book each of them take a big chunk of the focus and this worked really well because it kept the pace of the storyline moving because there was always a new step forward or at times backwards for each of the women and I was so invested in them all and I was eager to jump in the pages and be a part of their group as they help each other navigate, health, relationships, loss and career battles.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and found it relatable in some respects and uplifting in others.

It’s always a great day when there is a new Milly Johnson book out. Milly knows how to write about women like myself with her trademark sense of humour. A fantastic read.

Sky, Erin, Mel, Astrid and Amanda don’t really have anything in common other than needing a friend and when they meet at a friendship club all of their lives change for the better they go from invisible women with problems to realising their self worth. With some recurring characters and places, I love when people get their comeuppance .

A heartwarming & insightful exploration of female friendship, second chances, & the power of community.
Milly's signature blend of humour & emotional depth shines through as she delves into the lives of these relatable characters. Each woman faces her own unique challenges, from navigating unexpected changes in long-term relationships to coping with loss & guilt. As they gather weekly at Ray's Diner, their shared experiences create a bond that helps them navigate life's ups and downs.
The novel's strength lies in its authentic portrayal of female relationships. Milly captures the nuances of friendship, the unspoken understanding, & the unwavering support that women offer each other. The characters are flawed & real, making their struggles & triumphs all the more resonant. Brilliant!

Molly Johnson knocks it out of the park once again with another inspiring and heartfelt take on life through the eyes of a group of very diverse women trying to make like happen for themselves. I could really relate to Amanda and her role as a caregiver and it was so fun to see how their journeys where to trying to make a better life for themselves

The story is set around a group of ladies all going through different changes in their lives (with the menopause being a familiar change for all of them), they meet through a Tuesday night friendship group and support each other through the various different situations they find themselves in.

It annoys me when people belittle “chic lit” or romance stories because books like this really tackle real life situations and hard subjects. This story covers difficult sibling relationship relationships, death, grief, legal implications following separation or deaths, divorce, and others besides. Yes, this is a romance book, but the true Romance and love in the story is the love between a group of women who become friends. There is nothing more powerful than female friendship.

Loved loved loved this book.

As a woman in her early 50’s (who is in denial about her age), I absolutely adored the female characters in this fabulous book. I wish I could join the Tuesday evening group (and I’m craving American style cookies!!).

Milly’s main characters are all facing challenges and I love how their support for each other helped them move forward. I laughed a lot and I cried a little through this story (it reminded me of the sadness of losing my dad recently).

Milly’s books should be prescribed on the NHS - an enjoyable book to escape into, with a reminder to live your life for you - not for others. I’m off to make some changes and will be buying a copy of the book next month.