A review by jordanelliotbeaven
The F**k It! List by Melanie Cantor

4.0

Please look after your mental health and check the Trigger Warnings before reading this book. A quick Google search will help you find them. Here are some of them but they are not limited to: IVF, Miscarriages, Birth, Infertility, Grief, Child Loss, Pregnancy.

'The F**k It! List by Melanie Cantor is a book that has opened my eyes significantly to the struggles that some women have to face. As a transgender male reading this book, my eyes shed tears, my heart shattered and became cold but my heart also pieced back together and warmed. I laughed, I cried, I wanted to jump into the book and strangle the Characters at times, I cried when the characters cried, I felt the pain when the characters felt immense pain.

I have always known that it is difficult for people to carry their own children, I also know that from personal experiences as a person who has PCOS & Endometriosis and other health problems meaning I wouldn't ever be able to have my own biological children. Trans people can have children of their own biological children in a number of ways they wish too but for me that seems to never likely be the case.

This story touched me from personal experiences but also from the "older" ladies points as well (what does Old even stand for anymore?).

We go on a Journey with Daisy, who on her 40th birthday found out her long-term boyfriend was sh*gging someone else. The relationship ended and Daisy was devastated. She had been waiting for her now ex-partner to have a baby and as she hit the age 40 she knew time wasn't necessarily on her side. This book takes us through Daisy's self-discovery in finding happiness as a Solo Mother and how she is happy with her decision to take on parenthood on her own. She decides on a journey through IVF and we follow her through her loss + grief as well as her Happiness and contentment of her life. Daisy finds her self throughout all the heartbreak she has had to endure and comes out the other side surrounded by love and an unexpected friendship.

I absolutely loved this book and it is defiantly a book I will continuously re-read. I have only given 4* as I found some of the realistic side of things to be not accurate as such and as much as I disliked her family, I understand that taking the route that Daisy took is rather judged. I never changed my opinion on Daisy's parents and that is one of the main reasons with this book. Although I do also know that is is often the reality for many people embarking on their solo parenting journey.

This book is heavily emotional and I really do not feel I have felt this particular way about a book before. There is a huge Trigger Warning when it comes to reading this book when it comes to IVF, Miscarriages, Birth, Infertility, Grief, Child Loss, Pregnancy