Stepping Up: the joyful and emotional Sunday Times bestseller and Richard and Judy Book Club pick 2023. Adored by readers

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It had me laughing out loud, on a bus no less, crying and laughing. This book is a tonic! I read it in one go. I was rooting for Beth the whole way through!!'

What a fantastic read - it had me in tears! This book grabbed me by the heartstrings and didn't let go! It has it all - warmth, humour and brilliant observations on love, life and loss. An emotional rollercoaster of a read and one that is well worth taking! * Sarah Pearse, author of THE SANATORIUM * Without going into too much, the tragic event was dealt with so brilliantly, it really showed the feelings across all characters in a sensitive and realistic way. The whole storyline was just written perfectly. The instant Sunday Times bestselling debut from The Unmumsy Mum, rated 5-stars by readers. 'Marries comedy with deep and raw emotion. I loved it' Giovanna FletcherBeth is such a great character and we see her change and grow as she adapts to suddenly being thrust into parenthood – in what ways do you think motherhood has changed you as a person? An unspeakable tragedy turns Beth’s life upside down, and she finds herself guardian to her teenage niece and toddler nephew, catapulted into an unfamiliar world of bedtime stories, parents’ evenings and cuddly elephants. Having never been responsible for anyone – or anything – it’s not long before she feels seriously out of her depth.

The characters around her are also so interesting!! I LOVED Albert (so wholesome and pure omg the way he always uses CAPS FOR HIS TEXTS and he calls emojis THE LITTLE PICTURES 🥺🥺) Stop EVERYTHING and read this! Funny, tender and beautifully observed. Loved, loved, LOVED it!' Cathy Bramley, author of THE LEMON TREE CAFE There was also a mysterious theme throughout that I enjoyed because it added a unique flair to the story✨I found this book to be emotional, I cried (a lot). I found it to be completely heart warming. The "journey" that Beth goes on despite there being a undercurrent of emotion and sadness, there is still some joy and laughter to be had. Turner has mixed in the humour into this story effortlessly without detracting from the foundation of the story. She has to contend with a teenage niece, Polly, who is hormonal, emotional and has so much she is holding in, away from everyone else. The way their connection develops and goes from breaking point to a true sense of connection is wonderful. Life is full of unexpected challenges but Beth has always avoided anything resembling responsibility. That is until the unthinkable happens. Emmy, Beth's sister and her husband Doug have been in a tragic car accident and it's time for Beth to step up. Overnight Beth becomes guardian for her teenage niece and toddler nephew and her own mother is hellbent on reminding her of her own shortcomings. Is this a step too far for notoriously flighty Beth? After all, up until now the only commitment she's ever held down is Friday drinks at the village pub. But, nevertheless this was a funny, sad, happy and difficult read. I certainly felt all the emotions. I loved & hated how much this book made me feel! I wasn’t prepared to feel such wonderful raw emotions for fictional characters! It has to be said that of late I’ve turned into a more emotional person but still…My heart is so full but aches so much at the same time! How is that possible?!

Stepping Up is a story about Beth, now Beth hasn't really got her act together. She's a 30 year old singleton, still living with her parents. Flitting from one job to the next. Nobody really has high expectations of her. But one day something happens and she has to step up to the challenge and become an adult. Het verlies van haar schoonbroer + mogelijks haar zus zorgt meteen voor een emotionele start in het verhaal. Ik werd meteen meegesleept in Beth’s zorgen om goed voor haar neefje & nichtje te zorgen, haar hoop die ze blijft koesteren op een goede afloop voor haar zus en het feit dat ze haar moeder wilt bewijzen dat ze wel iets goeds kan doen. I loved Albert and his shouty texts, and Jory, who I was rooting for the entire read! Beth was funny, and I couldn’t help but laugh with her. Beth is the perfect protagonist – strong, lovable, frustrating and perfectly flawed. As a reader, it’s clear she needs to go through a rite of passage – and you soon experience her pain along this journey. I felt deeply for Beth dealing with her family tragedy and during the daily mishaps, which often followed with sarcastic mutterings from her mother or Beth’s inner critic. Here I should mention the flipside to these moments – like many parenting stories; there were moments of hilarity, such as the sharply observed description of a modern children’s party.

Summary

A moving and beautifully-told tale of parenthood but not as you know it. I just loved it. Gillian McAllister I really related to Beth constantly feeling lost and not really knowing what she wants to do with her life (anyone can relate? pre-graduation crisis things alshddkskak) With a little help from her best friend Jory and her lovely next-door neighbour, Albert, Beth is determined that this time she's not giving up.