An absolutely brilliant follow up to Why Mummy Drinks. This had just as many tears and laugh out loud moments. I found myself as a parent could totally relate to a lot of the story and I think a lot of people will and it will make them feel better about their own lives.
I can't wait for the next one!
Hilariously good!

I ADORED the first book by Gill Sims - 'Why Mummy Drinks' when it came out last year - and so have been eagerly anticipating the sequel.  I have been stalking Netgalley in an attempt to secure a copy - not because I wanted it for free, hell no, I'd have paid double to get my hands on it - just to get it as soon as possible!  So I was DELIGHTED when I saw it pop up and did a proper happy dance when they approved me for an advanced review copy.

Here's the blurb: 

"It’s every parents’ nightmare – the start of the school holidays – and instead of sitting in the sun, reading a book over a cold, crisp glass of Pinot Grigio, Mummy has two bored moppets to attend to. After frantically booking sports camps, child minder slots, not to mention time off work, Mummy is exhausted. But this is only the beginning…

After being dragged to join the school’s PTA in the new term by an annoyingly kind-spirited neighbour, Mummy is stuck with organising the Christmas Fayre and pleasing all the overly disapproving parents. In combination with getting to know her father’s surprise new glamorous (and much younger) wife, and being forced to spend more time with her narcissistic mother, life isn’t cutting her much of a break. What more could possibly happen?"

So this picks up a couple of years down the line from the first book and puts us back into the lives of Ellen, Simon, Jane and Peter.  (I should point out I've had massive issues writing 'Jane and Peter' when 'Peter and Jane' is so much more familiar an order.  However, my brain INSISTS that children are listed in age order.  If my own children co-ordinate their joint writing of a card - to a grandparent or other family member - woe betide them if they don't do it in the correct order.  I also have to check the children in ascending or descending order at bedtime - as to randomly skip between the 4 would bring a plague on the house over night.  I realise I am digressing somewhat - a bit like Ellen in a job interview #injoke)

There was definitely no 'difficult second album' about this book - it was a corker right from  the start

It is fabulously written - and just so true to life in so many ways. 

The bits about the PTA are spot on - when I was on the committee (back when my first two kids were young, by the time it was the second two, my husband threatened divorce if I recommitted!)  the husband did ask if we could buy ourselves out with a donation rather than have to keep spending hours volunteering and not seeing our own children at events.  Although I also remember getting hideously drunk with a very good friend at a summer fayre (yes, why is it fayre not fair?!?  I thought that was just our PTA - but seemingly this is a national phenomenon) and being left in charge of the carousel - and not having a clue how long each session was.  #dizzykids  

Also the whole working Mum shizzle.  My husband is brilliant, totally hands on, great Dad - but still the day to day kids admin, the who needs to be where and when, the how we sort out holiday cover all falls to me.  Admittedly I'm a total control freak and would probably stress even more if he was in charge - but still, from what I see with most of my friends, it always falls at the mother rather than father's door.  

The additional characters around the central family are great - and you can see so many people you know in it! As with my review of the previous book - I am naming no names - unless you bribe me with gin. 

As the title would suggest - there is some fruity language - but I'm guessing you wouldn't even consider this book if that was an issue.  I can imagine a significant number of ex PTA chairs that I know wishing they'd used some of the risque language in emails to parents as happens in the book!! 

Now - I broke one of my cardinal reading rules, and abandoned another book part way through to read this - I felt like I was being unfaithful to the other book - but #whatevs. I also have no clue where it will fit into my 2018 Reading Challenge - but frankly, I don't care!  It was FABULOUS.  I was also very excited when I got to the acknowledgements (yes, I am that sad, I read those too) to find out that a friend and colleague of my lovely book industry insider friend was an editor for this - so now I can practically claim to be Gill Sims's BFF. #weirdstalkerreviewer 

A HUGE thank you to Netgalley for letting me get my paws on this a month early - and for everyone else, get your pre order in on Amazon now, you will not regret it!

A book about life from mummy’s point of view trying to juggle children,husband, parents, in laws, and full time work. It is so funny. If you need cheering up read this book, you will not be disappointed. A worthy 5 stars.

I had never heard of Gill Sims' blog 'Peter and Jane' from which this novel 'Why Mummy Swears', and its predecessor 'Why Mummy drinks' were born. When I was lucky enough to get my hands on a review copy from the publisher, HarperCollins via Netgalley I quickly borrowed a copy of 'Why Mummy Drinks' from my local (digital) library, and set about acquainting myself with the characters; titular Mummy, Ellen, her often infuriating husband Simon, their offspring, Peter and Jane, and their various PTA, school and work connections. I'll say now that you don't have to have read the first book as there are several snippets explaining relative events throughout the second, but to fully immerse yourself in Ellen's world, I suggest you read them both, in order.

This novel picks up the thread two years after the first book ends, with darling daughter Jane now 11 and DESPERATE for an Instagram account and for Ellen to leave her alone because she's virtually a grown up and her Mum is just an EMBARRASSING old person. Youngest child Peter is still farting like a champion, fiddling with everything he sees, the more inappropriate the better, and asking the worst questions imaginable, all the while eating Ellen out of house and home. Simon still doesn't 'get it'. He still expects Ellen to act as his social secretary, and now she's taken voluntary redundancy to work on her aspiring career as the next big App Designer, he thinks she has nothing better to do. To be fair, she spends most of her day browsing tabloids, playing with her beloved Judgy dog, and eating biscuits, but she's still very Busy and Important. A few weeks and a couple of Ellen-style odd decisions later, and her life has almost completely changed and she's pushed and pulled in all directions again, both inside and outside of the home. Sam and Hannah provide light relief, as do the characters that make up the PTA. Lucy Atkinson's Perfect Mummy, and Fiona Montague again make their presence known, albeit more lightly this time and the introduction of Charlie, an old flame, adds an interesting dynamic to the story. Some of the characters are almost caricatures, a bit overblown, but they're well written and add to the balance nicely.

The style reminded me a lot of the first Bridget Jones book, which as we all know, went on to huge success. There's definitely room for a sitcom/movie here. There is an awful lot of swearing, which I don't mind, but if you're not fond of a potty mouth, you might be a little shocked to say the least. The thing that did annoy me a little, if I'm honest, is that the phrase 'eleventy billion' is one I used to use quite a lot, and used to find funny, but it's so overused in this book I'll be happy if I never hear it again!

I read 'Why Mummy Swears' over 2 days - It's light, easy to read, and funny, if sometimes predictable. Mummies of children of all ages will enjoy this book and will recognise many of the situations that Ellen ends up in, along with sharing her frustration at the lack of support and understanding she gets trying to be a working Mum, juggling home and family life without losing her mind or killing anyone!

Here is a woman after my own heart – she even has a border terrier like mine, which features on the blog from which these anecdotes are taken, along with a glass of mother’s little helper. There will be few moms who cannot relate to these snippets of family life on the frontline.
If you find yourself needing a bit of light relief from worthy heavyweight literature, then you can do no worse than to give way to your guilty-secret craving for something wickedly funny and undemanding like this follow-up to Why Mummy Drinks.

Loved this book. It’s very funny and has tales and anecdotes that make sense you go “yes. YES” as you recognise the scenario.

Pants-wettingly funny!
A fabulous book that had me laughing out loud.
I now need to purchase 'Why Mummy Drinks' to go with this book

Gosh, this was good. I loved the first book and this is just the same. Brilliant observations on being a wife and mother - and daughter, friend, sister and colleague - as well as a nice story throughout. Very astute and very amusing. Highly recommended whether you’ve read Why Mummy Drinks or not.

I loved Gill Sims debut and I loved this one too. Funny, hideously accurate and enjoyable. Highly recommended.

Gill Sims did it AGAIN!
This book is as good as the first one. If you're a fan of her Facebook page you'll surely love this. Funny, light-hearted and honest.

Thank you for providing me with a copy of the book. I follow the author on facebook, and this was an amusing read

This book is hateful and disrespectful. There is no point to the storyline except for an author to rant and think they are funny doing it. This is the epitome of bad writing

I am a fan of her Facebook page so I found this book very funny. Laugh out loud fun.
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the ARC.

This is the second book by Gill Sims who rose to fame with her 'Peter and Jane' blog on Facebook which charted the ups and downs of family life with a huge dose of humour.

Here, the events described on Facebook have turned into the fictional life of Ellen and her husband, Simon, and their children, Peter and Jane (of course!) Anyone familiar with the Facebook posts will know exactly what to expect here - lots of humour, relatable family situations and a fair amount of swearing. Readers with children will recognise so much here - for me, the arguments had by working mums, the belief that TCP can cure all ills and the obsession with 'Horrible Histories' for less than honourable reasons struck a real chord!

Overall, an easy and funny read that will be all too familiar to working mums of school age children everywhere.

So, these books are amazing.
I have followed Gill for ages on Facebook to keep up with her shenanigans and this book was just as hilarious as her day to day posts.
Gill's writing flows naturally, all the characters are well developed and just so much fun to read! Can highly recommend for anyone who just wants to enjoy a book.