Book Review: Absolutely Smashing It By Kathryn Wallace

As soon as I read the blurb for this brand new release I knew it was a must-read for me and I was thrilled when the lovely Kirsteen Astor at Little Brown UK offered to send me a proof copy. Promising to be similar to the novels written by Gill Sims by offering a humorous take on parenthood, I couldn’t wait to get reading and fast-tracked it to the top of my TBR.

Synopsis

“SAM! AVA! Get downstairs, NOW. Have you done your TEETH? HAIR? SHOES? Come on, come on, come on, we’re going to be bastarding late again. No, I haven’t seen Lego Optimus Prime, and nor do I give a shit about his whereabouts. Sam, will you stop winding your sister up and take this model of the Shard that I painstakingly sat up and created for you last night so that I wouldn’t be in trouble with your teacher. I mean, so that you wouldn’t be in trouble with your teacher. No, it doesn’t smell of ‘dirty wine’. Well, maybe it does a little bit. Look, Sam, I haven’t got time to argue. Just hold your nose and get in the car, okay? AVA! TEETH! HAIR! SHOES!”

Gemma is only just holding it together – she’s a single parent, she’s turning 40 and her seven-year-old daughter has drawn a cruelly accurate picture which locates Gemma’s boobs somewhere around her knees. So when her new next-door neighbour, Becky, suggests that Gemma should start dating again, it takes a lot of self-control not to laugh in her face.

But Becky is very persuasive and before long Gemma finds herself juggling a full-time job, the increasingly insane demands of the school mums’ Facebook group and the tricky etiquette of a new dating world. Not only that, but Gemma has to manage her attraction to her daughter’s teacher, Tom, who has swapped his life in the City for teaching thirty six to seven year olds spelling, grammar, basic fractions – and why it’s not ok to call your classmate a stinky poo-bum…

It’s going to be a long year – and one in which Gemma and Becky will learn a really crucial lesson: that in the end, being a good parent is just about being good enough.

Review

Gemma has been a single parent since her Ex ‘Nick the dick’ decided to trot into the sunset with his secretary. Left alone she has spent the last two years attempting to keep all the balls in the air whilst juggling a full-time career and her two somewhat spirited children. Not always managing to do everything successfully or remembering to complete those tricky school projects on time Gemma is doing her best under the circumstances.

Becky is married to lovely Jon and to the outside world seems to have the perfect life with 2.4 children and a doting husband, but she has lost herself after spending her days at home being a Mum. With Jon working late most evenings, Becky wishes she could get out and work too, but with childcare an issue her goal looks impossible. However when she moves in next door to Gemma the pair soon become firm friends. Making a pact they agree  to make sure that before Gemma turns 40 she will end her sex drought and get laid whilst Becky will have found flexible employment. Cue disastrous internet dating and job interviews all mixed together with the everyday trials and tribulations of parenthood and what you have is a laugh out loud read.

I loved every second of this book with it’s honest, relateable glimpse of parenting that is sure to resonate with Mum’s & Dad’s everywhere! I wasn’t aware of author Kathryn Wallace before I read this book, but have since liked her Facebook page which offers an honest insight into her own family’s life – a great way to realise your not alone in this game of parenthood.! Absolutely Smashing It is a fantastic fictional extension of Kathryn’s popular Facebook page and I would personally love to see a follow up book to see what happens next – I don’t want to give away too many spoilers!

This book has a bit everything, family, friendship and romance with far too many hilarious moments in this book to mention- I found myself nodding whilst chuckling like a mad woman as my family gave me strange looks! The premise of the story may be a little predictable at times, but that’s exactly what I love about this genre of books as they offer some light-hearted, easy reading after a long day of dealing with my own munchkins! I read Absolutely Smashing It in two days- really quick for me considering my other commitments – I just couldn’t put it down! Highly recommended by me and I am keeping everything crossed for another instalment.

All About The Author

Katherine Wallace is an experienced Blogger, whose writing career pinnacle to date was when a little blog post she wrote about her front bottom’s run in with some mint and tea tree Original Source shower gel went viral and ended up being read by more than 30 million people globally. #lifegoals

A full time working parent, Kathryn somehow finds the time in between regularly losing her shit and screaming “TEETH! HAIR! SHOES!” on repeat, to update her blog I Know, I Need To Stop Talking, which has around 140,000 followers on Facebook and is growing rapidly.

Absolutely Smashing It is available to purchase from Amazon*

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