This book is a follow-up to a previous novel, Why Mummy Drinks, and is essentially in a similar format featuring the trials and tribulations of mummy coping with two nasty yet normal children, Peter and Jane, and a typical (lazy, comfortable, insensitive, unobservant) husband, Simon. The previous novel gets a mention as the app which has made the family a little more financially comfortable.

Gill Sims' targets are fairly straightforward; school, summer camp and other activities, trying to have a job, being shown up by other mums, getting a job, agonising about it, trying to get hubby to help, being 42, coping with dog crises and, eventually, fighting a way through to a slightly better place.

The book is based on a calendar year so Gill has to cope with all of those regular events that happen to children while surviving on drink and swearing. Jane is thirteen years old and wants an Instagram account while Peter is turning into his dad! The PTA and its activities are something of a running joke.

There is not too much swearing if you are a sensitive soul and while some of the targets are obvious the book is funny and every parent will find something familiar in there. If you wanted to dig a little deeper you might wonder if the book was slightly misogynistic since other wives seem to get a hard time. I did wonder cynically at one time if it could have been written by a man but I think he would have to be fairly insightful into the female condition. The book is also extremely middle-class, possibly slightly wealthy middle-class, and that probably provides easier targets so there's not a lot about female emancipation or whatever. In the end it's a comfortable, reassuring read to tell you that it's all right not to have to compete with everyone else at the school gate and beyond and it's also okay because things will come right in the end.

I'm looking forward to the sequel, Why Mummy Smokes Crack, where Jane has a teenage pregnancy, Peter has joined a gang and Simon has run-off with the au-pair! I can see some possibilities there!

Great summer read, light-hearted, humorous, laugh-out loud moments. Once again Gill Sims has written a book that is relatable to real life and is a wonderful insight into marriage and parenthood, which are not perfect but throw us constant reminders of why we ventured there.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I am not a Mum but still laughed out loud!!!!
More of a set of stories rather than one story so you can read this in between other books and wont ruinanything or your concentration re other books

I have to admit that I read this more out of curiosity more than want, I had seen the Peter and Jane posts on Facebook and giggled every now and then at them, however, I feel like it's a saturated market now; to write profanities whilst complaining about your children. That being said,I did find some of it laugh out loud funny.

The book follows Ellen, her husband Simon and her two children over the course of the year, beginning in the dreaded six week school holidays (for any working parents) and ending in the next 6 week school holidays. Many capers ensue.

I have to say I am indignant at the eleventy billion times she used the words "indignant" and "eleventy billion"and how many times does the reader need to be informed her family is "middle class"?! I also really hope her family are made up or that they still speak to her after this book!

Other than those slight annoyances, the book is a nice easy ready, with humour and also highlights some of the issues encountered by woman in the workplace.

I absolutely loved this book! It is a must-read and although every mum in the land will identify with Ellen, I read scenes which were so vividly described, to my husband and 21 year old daughter too and needless so say we were all crying with laughter! I really couldn't recommend this book any higher and think that it should be a compulsory purchase for anyone even thinking of having children. This will be your life too!!

I really enjoyed reading "Why Mummy Swears" by Gill Sims. It made my weekends so much more enjoyable! Ok, so some aspects of being a mum are slightly exaggerated here. But this is fiction after all. And still, I can relate to many of them. What I admire the most about this book is how bravely and honestly the author describes how we - mums - often feel. These are the kind of thoughts and feelings we wouldn't often discuss. But having the author talk about them in such an open manner, made me realise that I am not the only person who feels this way. And that it's ok to not be a perfect mum. And finally, what made reading "Why Mummy Swears" so enjoyable is the humour. This book is simply hilarious! Thank you so much to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC.

The perfect summer read, ‘Why Mummy Swears’ is just as hilarious as the previous book in the series. Laugh out loud funny, this is a must read for all parents out there, especially now at the start of the long school summer holidays. Highly recommended.

Hilarious as ever and so on trend. I flew through this funny story, relatable and full of life. Feel good reading for the summer holidays!

Great fun, a touch of Bridget Jones in this book equally as funny as the first book. 'Why Mummy Drinks.' A read for all mothers hilariously amusing-definitely a must read.

Just like her previous book, Gill Sims has written a hilarious, over the top, sweary view of motherhood that makes you chuckle, despair and groan.

There's no let up in any of the swearing or exasperated humour but that becomes tedious after a while, even if there are still moments of domestic hilarity.

Sims also made an attempt at pointing out the challenges a working mother faces when dealing with colleagues - however a few mumbles apologies at the end meant that she copped out of any significant message.

I also know the husband is supposed to be a funny and exasperating figure, and the wife is irrational and shouty for comic effect - but a whole novel of stereotypes gets exhausting.

*I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Very funny and well observed insight into married life with children! We start as the kids break up for the summer and follow Ellen and her family over the course of a year.

If you've read Why Mummy Drinks then you will already be acquainted with the characters, but it's not necessary to get the enjoyment from this one.

A hilariously funny, easy to read book which you can dip in and out of as time permits!! Very relatable and I really 'got' so much of it! Full of wit and the story flowed well.

This is not the sort of book I regularly read however I decided to mix things up. I was hooked from the start. It is almost as if the author has spent some time in my home over the last year and picked up on the most hilarious, and ridiculous, scenes and then encapsulated them in this book. I read this book from cover to cover in 3 sittings and was disappointed when I got to the end. If you want a nice easy read, to laugh out load from time to time, and feel happily satisfied at the end, this book is worth buying.

Pure fun, this is a book that really has some important things to say about inequality both in the work place and in the home and gets them across in a fun, non pushy way.
Sims is a master at telling the truth but in such a fun light-hearted way that it is only on closing the book you realise how on the money she is and how cross the situation makes you.
Dare I say that I think these books are the modern day Bridget Jones and waaaaaaaay funnier.

Why Mummy Swears was a great book.
Written in a light hearted way, discussing problems of modern parenthood.
A great laugh out loud book.

I don't normally read this sort of book but the title really jumped out at me so u thought I give it ago, well all I gotta say I literally laughed out loud. Ellen and Simon just are trying to get through life as working parents but it written in such a way it made me by the author other book.

I was really looking forward to reading this; I am the leading character - working mum of two, trying to keep all the plates in the air all the time. Maybe this is why it disappointed a bit. Yes, it was funny in a 'been there done that' kind of way but it didn't have me rolling with laughter as I was hoping.
A fun read if you want to remember there are people in the same boat as you, but if you're a working mum you probably know that already.

Why Mummy swears is so much closer to the truth about modern families, children and relationships than most other books written about and around this subject that perhaps it should be read by any woman with a career BEFORE she decides on starting a family. I went through all of this, without an au pair or cleaner, in the eighties and was hoping for the next generation of women that things were substantially different. Sadly if this is the truth for modern women we have come no further!
However, this has been written with the understanding that humour can be found in the most trying of circumstances. Gill is obviously such a dog lover that the times I laughed out loud and cried were those incidents about Judgy her dog. Many thanks to Gill for giving me an insight into the lives of today’s women.

Ah. Think I am just not the right audience for this book. It didn't make me laugh, although I can understand that if you were in the think of parenthood it probably would. I've gone past that stage and I didn't feel part of the club. Judging by other reviews, it is hilarious. I think that there was also a lack of plot throughout, just "amusing"incidents about how gross parenthood is, loosely linked together. Definitely one for mummys but not particularly for anyone else.

Mummy blogger Gill Sims has written the perfect 'self-help' book for mums everywhere! It doesn't contain tips on meditation whilst standing on a muddy football field or how to produce a three-course meal in fifteen minutes, this book actually does HELP! You may develop a stiff neck from profuse nodding in agreement and the laughter therapy will have a greater effect than that first glass of wine when the kids have (finally) gone to bed!

There's no sugar coating here, it is obvious that Ellen adores her kids but she tells it how it is and the book is completely relatable. honest and laugh out loud funny.

My favourite part

Ellen returns from a camping trip to find the house in complete disarray but the kitchen cupboards have been completely reorganised by husband  Simon and anything over its sell-by date has been thrown away. When Ellen discovers that Simon has discarded a tin because it was six years out of date she is outraged.......

If there is a nuclear apocalypse tonight, we needn't bother trying to survive, because we will all starve anyway because YOU THREW OUT MY EMERGENCY SPAGHETTI HOOPS!

Mums, if you're facing hours of soft play, endless days of sitting on park benches or watching gymnastics, judo and swimming classes treat yourself to Why Mummy Swears, you won't be disappointed!

I'm not going to lie, I found "Why Mummy Drinks" a bit underwhelming so I was a little reluctant to pick this up but as I love the facebook/insta posts I see I thought I'd give it a shot. Well, I'm glad I did! This book far outweighs her first. It starts in July with the summer holidays looming and as we are right at that time of year now it just sat right with me. As a 40 something woman with a grumpy 11 year old of her own (and a couple more) who is endlessly trying to juggle the nuances of her life I could relate to so many things. Some of the incidents have already happened to me, the others are probably lining themselves up for the summer. If nothing else this book just makes you feel like you're not alone! Perfect for the beach this summer- if of course you're left along long enough to actually read!