eleanorkt93's review
3.0
3.5* Bit quirky and eccentric in places but a mostly lighthearted easy read.
coldcoffeelibrary's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
burtyjr12's review against another edition
3.0
I actually enjoyed this book a lot I think it was fun and enjoyable and an easy read, however it did leave me feeling a little uncomfortable at some points. Reading through reviews on here ( to make sure that I was not alone with this feeling of discomfort- which I wasn't ) I found a lot of comments sympathising with the antagonist, and at the time - half way through the book - I didn't really understand it, now that I've finished i totally get where they were coming from.
So the book starts of lovely and comical with a clear "villain" and a clear "heroin" which added to the lighthearted feel of it and whereas in most case I'd find this approach immature, I actually did not mind it. And then Rosie goes and sleeps with Thomas, which left me with conflicting opinions because one hand he's standing up to his controlling, manipulative missus, however he cheated on her and cheating is still wrong. Plus the fact that Thomas is literally like twice Rosie's age and his wife is Rosie's employer. Okay so Glenn may not have been the most endearing person but does that mean she deserves to be cheated on by her husband with a human who she employed, gave a home to and trusted with her grandchildren. Which leads on to the second point. Her "relationship" with teddy. This is what really bothered me. Fair play she was not employed to babysit teddy, and yes he was legally an adult, however I feel that she is a very confident 40 something year old woman and he is merely a very shy, nervous 18 year old boy. Both were drunk, she was supposed to be almost a parental figure to him and he was very vulnerable. To me the whole thing was just very inappropriate and left a bad taste in my mouth. Teddy was also portrayed as very immature and was led on by Rosie which was very unfair.
And then there was the whole situation with Kemble being very appropriate, although she did not refuse she was not in a position to consent to begin with plus earlier that evening he sexually harassed her. But suddenly that was completely fine because he's gay? So in short all three of these sexual relations were wrong for one reason or another. And then Rosie finds out she's pregnant and the baby could belong to any one of them.
Both Thomas and teddy offer to stand up and act as fathers, Kemble on the other hand slut shames the woman he practically raped and says he wants nothing to do with the baby. And teddy is told he doesn't need to worry he just go off to college, so although he was taken advantage of he still had a part to play in it and didn't even have to face the consequences, he was just immediately relieved from any "father duties". But after all this Glenn is still regarded as the bad guy, and Rosie is just completely let off the hook and is allowed to continue living in their house????
So the book starts of lovely and comical with a clear "villain" and a clear "heroin" which added to the lighthearted feel of it and whereas in most case I'd find this approach immature, I actually did not mind it. And then Rosie goes and sleeps with Thomas, which left me with conflicting opinions because one hand he's standing up to his controlling, manipulative missus, however he cheated on her and cheating is still wrong. Plus the fact that Thomas is literally like twice Rosie's age and his wife is Rosie's employer. Okay so Glenn may not have been the most endearing person but does that mean she deserves to be cheated on by her husband with a human who she employed, gave a home to and trusted with her grandchildren. Which leads on to the second point. Her "relationship" with teddy. This is what really bothered me. Fair play she was not employed to babysit teddy, and yes he was legally an adult, however I feel that she is a very confident 40 something year old woman and he is merely a very shy, nervous 18 year old boy. Both were drunk, she was supposed to be almost a parental figure to him and he was very vulnerable. To me the whole thing was just very inappropriate and left a bad taste in my mouth. Teddy was also portrayed as very immature and was led on by Rosie which was very unfair.
And then there was the whole situation with Kemble being very appropriate, although she did not refuse she was not in a position to consent to begin with plus earlier that evening he sexually harassed her. But suddenly that was completely fine because he's gay? So in short all three of these sexual relations were wrong for one reason or another. And then Rosie finds out she's pregnant and the baby could belong to any one of them.
Both Thomas and teddy offer to stand up and act as fathers, Kemble on the other hand slut shames the woman he practically raped and says he wants nothing to do with the baby. And teddy is told he doesn't need to worry he just go off to college, so although he was taken advantage of he still had a part to play in it and didn't even have to face the consequences, he was just immediately relieved from any "father duties". But after all this Glenn is still regarded as the bad guy, and Rosie is just completely let off the hook and is allowed to continue living in their house????
lauramuijrers's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
hollybickerdike's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
mrsp2603's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
notlikethebeer's review against another edition
I hate to write bad reviews: but, honestly, if I could go back in time and give myself some advice, it would be to not read this book.
Think Mary Poppins, with a lot more sex: not a bad thing in itself, but the execution is so poor it becomes awful. For one, the main character (I forget her name) takes to her new job as nanny in a way even Mary Poppins didn't, with no fight back from any of the boys at all- not even when they've never been nannied before, and have no reason to like this stranger who is, to small minds, preventing them from being with their father. Moreover, whilst I am fully in favour of women letting their genitalia have fun, sleeping with three generations of the same family, keeping each relation a secret from the others, and expecting no backlash, seems mean, inappropriate and entirely unlifelike. I think main character could- and should!- have been thrown out of the house with no look back. Instead, she takes on a weirdly 'Manic Pixie Dream Girl'-esque vibe, as it becomes clear she has helped each of the men in some way, with her magic vagina. Although unable to carry a baby to term before, she suddenly can; and who cares whether you're the father or the great-grandfather?! The only character who tries to take responsibility is told to go and 'be an eighteen-year-old' without consequences, the secrets come out, the bitter old woman comes back to her family: all's well that ends well! Whoop de doo! Add to that a nice bit of slut-shaming, and a character who is described as fat only when the author remembers, and it's a great time all round (/sarcasm).
I'm still a Dawn French fan, and I think I'll try at least one of her other books, having heard that they're much better than this- but my copy of this book is leaving my front door as soon as possible.
Think Mary Poppins, with a lot more sex: not a bad thing in itself, but the execution is so poor it becomes awful. For one, the main character (I forget her name) takes to her new job as nanny in a way even Mary Poppins didn't, with no fight back from any of the boys at all- not even when they've never been nannied before, and have no reason to like this stranger who is, to small minds, preventing them from being with their father. Moreover, whilst I am fully in favour of women letting their genitalia have fun, sleeping with three generations of the same family, keeping each relation a secret from the others, and expecting no backlash, seems mean, inappropriate and entirely unlifelike. I think main character could- and should!- have been thrown out of the house with no look back. Instead, she takes on a weirdly 'Manic Pixie Dream Girl'-esque vibe, as it becomes clear she has helped each of the men in some way, with her magic vagina. Although unable to carry a baby to term before, she suddenly can; and who cares whether you're the father or the great-grandfather?! The only character who tries to take responsibility is told to go and 'be an eighteen-year-old' without consequences, the secrets come out, the bitter old woman comes back to her family: all's well that ends well! Whoop de doo! Add to that a nice bit of slut-shaming, and a character who is described as fat only when the author remembers, and it's a great time all round (/sarcasm).
I'm still a Dawn French fan, and I think I'll try at least one of her other books, having heard that they're much better than this- but my copy of this book is leaving my front door as soon as possible.
starness's review against another edition
3.0
Not what I was expecting. I enjoyed this book, although I thought some of the characters particularly that of Rosie to be completely over the top, she was a little like a cartoon character hard to take her seriously but this book actually had a good message and lots of heart, for a light filled easily digestible read full of over the top scenarios this might be the book for you, will look forward to reading some of her other books