Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up (Confessions, 1)

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The author has done a stellar job in conveying these social issues through humour and I end this review with one line from the book -

Three woman who join together to rent a large space along the beach in Los Angeles for their stores—a gift shop, a bakery, and a bookstore—become fast friends as they each experience the highs, and lows, of love. Confessions of a forty-something f##k up is the story of 40 -something Nell Stevens who at the very outset of the book asks herself — ‘How the hell did I get here?’ She has just returned to the UK after her life and relationship in California have fallen apart. Her friends in the UK have moved on with their lives, they are married, have children and she no longer seems to have anything in common with them. Her financial situation is dire enough for her to flatshare with eco-conscious Edward and out of desperation, she has taken up a job writing obituaries to make ends meet.More Confessions is set 18 months after the end of the first book and follows Nell's journey as she and the rest of the UK navigate the return to normal after Covid. Having spent a large amount of her time alone in her flat, she's looking forward to being able to get out and about again with her boyfriend, Edward, and her friends. Finally they can gather at each other's houses with no restrictions, they can go to the pub and enjoy a drink and they can even have weddings again! The story of Nell Stevens’ struggle through her imperfect, messy life doesn’t just make brilliant fiction, it’s turning into a cultural revolution!' – Matt Cain Of course, I realize this is just a new stage of life, and one that–if all this midlife stuff is to be believed–I should be embracing. But what if you’re not ready for this new stage? What if you haven’t even reached the old stage yet? Even if you’re not sure about having kids it’s comforting to know you’ve got options. No one wants to be The Woman For Whom Time Ran Out. You want to be the one making the decisions. Sitting on the fence is one thing, but what happens when the fence is taken away from you? Do you jump off joyfully or fall crashing to the floor?”

I highly recommend this book, it is for every one of us, for the ‘outcasts’ like me (childfree by choice, gasp!) who try to walk life through a different path than one that is deemed acceptable, or for someone like you who may have achieved the so-called ‘milestones’ in life, is considered a ‘success’ by society but like Nell’s friends in the book may feel like a f-up nonetheless. Watch now] ‘Challenging the Lazy Stereotypes of Childless Women in Fiction and Films’. A free World Childless Week webinar: Thursday 14 September 2023, 7pm BST The author has done a stellar job in conveying these social issues through humour and I end this review with one line from the book - Alexandra Potter is a British author, whose first novel ‘What’s New, Pussycat?’ was published in 2000, a week before her 30th birthday and immediately made the top ten. She has since written twelve novels of romantic comedy including ‘Be Careful What You Wish For’, ‘Me and Mr Darcy’ (which won Best New Fiction Award at the Jane Austen Regency World Awards) and ‘Love From Paris’ which was shortlisted for the RNA Comedy Award. The inspiration for NOT DEAD YET, ABC’s “Most Watched Comedy Debut in More Than Four Years” ( Deadline )Funny but layered, light-hearted but surprisingly deep, this is a perfect and inspiring new year read' - Red Confessions of a forty-something f##k up is the story of 40 -something Nell Stevens who at the very outset of the book asks herself — ‘How the hell did I get here?’ She has just returned to the UK after her life and relationship in California have fallen apart. Her friends in the UK have moved on with their lives, they are married, have children and she no longer seems to have anything in common with them. Her financial situation is dire enough for her to flatshare with eco-conscious Edward and out of desperation, she has taken up a job writing obituaries to make ends meet. A funny and heartfelt novel for any woman who wonders how the hell she got here and why life isn't quite how she imagined it was going to be. First of all, thank you NetGalley, Pan Macmillan, and Alexandra Potter for allowing me access to this e-ARC! FREE: REGISTER NOW] Why do we need role models of childless elderwomen? Join us for our December 2023 ‘Fireside Wisdom with Childless Elderwoman’ session, Wed 20th December, 8pm

In this hilarious, un-put-downable follow-up to the bestselling Confessions of a Forty-Something F## k Up, now the basis for the major TV series called Not Dead Yet, there are laugh-out-loud lessons to be learned, truths to be told, adventures to go on and joys to discover. Nell’ faces the dilemma that I, and so many other women arriving childless at midlife face. How the hell do we do this when everything around us has prepared us for something different? Mothers & Childless Daughters – a very hot topic for our next free Fireside Wisdom with Childless Elderwomen webinar I loved the way Alexandra Potter incorporated the pandemic into the start of the novel. It was the perfect way to have Nell reevaluate herself after finding peace with her life in the first novel. It reminded me of how much our lives got completely tipped upside down thanks to COVID-19. Alexandra Potter is a guest for January 2021’s Nomo Book Club, hosted within the Gateway Women Online Community by Lisa Kissane, the Host of the Nomo Book Club. Come and join Lisa, Alexandra, and plenty of other forty-somethings (or fifty-somethings now in my case!) on Saturday 23rd January 2021 at 10am UK time as together we show that it’s not only in rom-com that we get to write our own endings.

WATCH NOW: Fireside Wisdom with Childless Elderwomen. What does it mean to be a ‘Radical Old Woman?’ [Recorded 21 June 2023] May 9, 2023 ] ‘Calm After the Storm’ and other treasures to support your childless heart on Mother’s Day FREE: REGISTER NOW] Gateway Women Masterclass: ‘Reclaiming Your Childless Festive Season!’– Sat 8th December, 7pm UK (and recorded) A novel for any woman who wonders how the hell she got here, and why life isn't quite how she imagined it was going to be. And who is desperately trying to figure it all out when everyone around them is making gluten-free brownies.