This was a cute book. There were a few funny moments throughout. I really enjoyed the story and could relate to have teenagers in the house.

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC!

A truly light enjoyable read! While I'm not in the same place Nadia is in as far as kids go, I still related to her!
It was enjoyable to see a story about a middle age woman, whose kids have flown the coop and she is trying to get her life back. I love how she take up with Jack and then one of her kids wants to come back home. My son is not a teen yet, but rather a tween at 11 and I have a feeling this will be him! You want to hug him and tell him all is fine and then in the next breathe beat the snot out of him for being so bratty. KIDS!

This is the perfect beach read (Or lake read or really any day read!) I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would and I look forward to reading more books by Fiona Gibson

The story was exactly what the title said. Nadia's twins left for college, her ex was busy with shooting his movies and girlfriend, now it was her time to live her life. The empty nest syndrome became her freedom where she met Jack a single father, and life started looking up for her in the romance department too. Till one twin Alfie popped home and stayed there, and mum title took over the girlfriend one.

Fiona Gibson's started off fine. It was humorous, gave me a chuckle or two till Alfie dominated the mother's thoughts and life. Quite a sanctimonious bub he was!! I would have kicked him out had he been found lazing around on my couch!! Never understood why main character Nadia pandered to her son's needs more than the daughter's who was hardly there.

The story went through the routine lanes with the characters revealing their past only in the end. All of them played their parts. Nothing really pulled me in the book. I read and forgot it instantly, except I still want to bop Alfie one!! And I am generally peace loving!!

Overall, the book was a quick read, done in a couple of hours. On to my next!!

I really enjoyed this book. If you are looking for a light hearted fun read, which makes you smile, you will enjoy this book.
The book begins with Nadia ‘s twins going off to university and suddenly she is not just mum! She enjoys her freedom, her tidy flat and the fact she doesn’t have to buy “big milk” anymore.
A chance meeting when shopping introduces Jack , a manager of a charity shop for an animal rescue into her life and the start of a budding relationship.
The books chapters are written by either Jack or Nadia and explore the relationships within their lives. In Jacks case his daughter, his ex wife with alcoholic tendencies and the various challenging volunteers in the charity shop. I loved the relationship between Jack and Iain .In Nadias her son and daughter , her ex and the life modelling she does in her spare time!
The story continues with the blossoming relationship between Jack and Nadia until Alfie, Nadias son, lands back home dropping out of university and bringing chaos back into Nadias life. Resulting in the fragmentation of her relationship with Jack. How will they fix it?
Set in Glasgow and Barcelona, Fiona Gibson manages to portray beautifully the different cultures of the two cities. As a mum myself of boomerang kids I could totally relate to Nadia and her feelings. It was a lovely story, bring on the next!
Thank you to Netgalley and Avon books for enabling me to read this book in exchange for an honest review
Posting to Amazon , awaiting approval

I was really glad when I found this book. Finally someone wrote a romantic story with adults with kids that I can relate to! But this book is mostly shallow. Feels more like any other romantic book and so much of it is about them travelling around and presenting the boyfriend/girlfriend to some relative. Her boy is described as a spoilt brat in his early teens, it says he is 18-19? It isn't bad, it is just shallow and filled with clichés. I really wanted to like it but I need more and I need it to feel like reality and this sadly didn't do that.

So I'll start by pointing you to previous gushes about one of my favourite authors. There's As Good As It Gets, which was the first time I came across  The Mum Who'd had enough , and then I was lucky enoufh to come across her in a series of Valentines shorts here . From the second I read my first Fiona Gibson book I sat up, revelling in the fact that I'd found someone that wrote rom coms that were about the everyday and yet written in such a way that sparkled, made you smile, laugh and nod along for the duration of the journey ( my sole goal in my own books and the reason why I actually always quote Ms. Gibson as my writing inspiration.)

And here is no exception as we follow Nadia, who thought her world would fall apart when her 18 year old twins left, but who is starting to be able to list the ways it's actually not shaping up to be so bad ( we are privy to these lists throughout the book).

When we met Jack, who's got a teen daughter and runs a local charity shop, I was pretty much taken straight away. The shop itself contained the loveliest mish mash of people and beyond added to the humour. Jack was just one of the nicest guys and I found myself thrilled when they bumped into each other in Lush, where he now thinks she works. I'll admit while I loved seeing them together, I was hankering for some drama ( in the slightest way this book was the geekiest amount less fast moving than her others) which arrived in the form of lovelorn Alfie, Nadia's son, who I have to admit was the only character I wanted to throttle!

Nadia then finds herself thrown back into a tip-toeing, whispering mother again, suddenly having to perform all of her duties again for her vegan ( but in a totally non accepting way of others), forlorn, moody son. Of course, the requirement to keep him happy pretty much puts everything else in Maria's life into a spin and leads to a totally enjoyable, read over multiple nights so I could properly savour and adore it, hilarious and romantic read that is totally recommended. I loved this book and can't wait to get back to Ms. Gibson's back catalogue (I've a huge number to read on my Kindle for when I have a bit of time!)  Thanks so much to Avon and Netgalley for this brilliant book in return for an honest review.

Rating:5/5

Loved it!! A really lovely light read. ....with lots that middle aged parents could identify with!! Nadia finds herself alone when her twins leave for Uni.....until the arrival of Jack. Jack reignites Nadia's lust for life and romance and everything is going swimmingly until the unexpected return of Alfie!! So...back to square one for Nadia, juggling romance and her son... leaving us with the question..once you've had kids, do you ever really get your life back!!? In some respects - yes and in others - no! I loved everything about this book, the setting, the characters, the humour. Well written and a new author for me. I shall be looking out for more by Fiona Gibson

5☆ A Light Hearted and Fun Read!

The Mum Who Got Her Life Back is a Light hearted, Fun read about being a Mum, letting your children go and then starting your life again, on a journey of self discovery, Romance, new challenges, Drama, Relationships and Ex Partners.

Nadia's life used to be hectic, running around after her Twin Children Alfie and Molly, but they have now grown up and left home to go to Uni and start a new chapter in their life.
Leaving Nadia in a quiet home that feels pretty empty. With no Kids to look after Nadia feels a lil lost.

So it's about time Nadia also embarked on a new chapter in her life, and what better way to start it, then with a passionate romance.
In walks Jack, to help fill her void with some fun, frolics and romance.
Well that is until Alfie decides Uni is no longer for him and he wants to come home.

Can Nadia and Jack's relationship survive now Alfie is back, or has their relationship run it's course?

I adored reading this book.
It made such a nice change to see an older Divorcee Mum, juggle being a parent to older children, deal with ex partners, find love and passion, start over and grow in confidence, so much so she even takes up life modelling.
It just goes to show your never too old to find love. My Aunt 're married in her 80s.
Life really is what you make it.

The Mum Who Got Her Life Back is a Light hearted, Cosy Warm Romance, with plenty of laugh out loud moments a dash of drama, Likeable and Endearing characters, a Relatable and Feel Good Plot, that will have you laughing hard and leave you feeling warm inside.

So grab a hot chocolate and a box of your fave chocolates and snuggle down and enjoy The Mum Who Got Her Life Back.

Thank you to Aria Fiction for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

An novel about a lady, Nadia, embracing the joy life can bring when her children leave for college. For a change, the protagonist is in her early fifties though full of all the more for that.

This isn't a novel to tax the mind, but it's a good, easy read with nicely written conflict and believable resolutions.

All in all, I'd recommend this as a very good book to read by a very good author. I shall have to keep an eye out for her other books.

My thanks to Netgalley for the review copy.

Review: I really enjoyed this book right from the word go. The books is split into multiple parts as well as chapters within those parts and each part begins with bullet points of advice for parent who've children have left home to go to university or other reasons. These pieces of advice are absolutely hilarious and yet I could definitely recognise that they were true to life, but they involve and absorb you in the story right away as well as providing a little bit of light change from the main storyline of the book.

This books follows Nadia and her life after her children leave to go to university and then again after the both come back for the summer. I really liked Nadia as a character because she is down to earth and works hard for a living. She has twin teens and a partner whom she has had an amicable separation from. This book then changes narrative every other chapter and we also get to hear from Jack. Jack manages a Charity shop and he also had an amicable separation from his partner and has a teenage daughter-I wonder what could happen when these two meet? I like the fact that Jack is involved in charity work but also thinks about his own life and his own family.

One of the things I loved most about this book was the setting. It is set in Glasgow and that is just my favourite city in the world. I loved all the other references to Scottish towns and cities and spending time with the characters moving around Glasgow either on foot or on the subway-it was great fun being back there. I read the majority of this book on a flight between Denver and Los Angeles and so it was lovely to have a little taste of my favourite place in such an alien place to me.

I think that, as I mentioned above, the storyline is definitely true to life and some of the frustrations that both these characters go through and the highs and lows they experience are definitely things that other people in similar positions might feel. There are funny moments, sweet moments and sad moments throughout this book and it is definitely structured to be a page turner that takes you between those moments seriously. Even if, like me, you are not a mum, I think you will find humour and truth in this book and enjoy spending time with Nadia in Glasgow as much as I did.

This is not my usual kind of read but I loved it. The characters were so well portrayed I felt as if I knew them all and was rooting for a "happy ending". Think I need to buy this now for my daughters.

Another wonderful lighthearted read from Fiona. Her novels always make for feel good reading.i thoroughly enjoyed it.

I always love Fiona Gibson’s books – they are very well-written, with plenty of humour. You can imagine everything happening in real life, and even put yourself into some of the characters’ shoes.

Nadia and Jack meet while they’re shopping, although Nadia inadvertently gave Jack the impression that she was a member of staff. They are both separated from their partners. Nadia’s twins have gone off to university and Jack’s teenage daughter lives mostly with her mother, so they’re free to date. Except the twins come back between terms, and Jack’s ex-wife has a drink problem, so his daughter then spends more time with him. The other characters in the book (Jack’s work colleagues and Nadia’s friends, as well as other family members) all give something to the main story.

The story is set in Glasgow, but we spend a nice few days in Barcelona as well!

A great book that I didn’t want to put down, absolutely loved it! Highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

Nadia is embracing the HEN - Happy Empty Nester - after her twins left for University. And then she meets the fabulous, funny and warm Jack - and they hit it off immediately. Going from full on parenting to a feeling of being a desired woman again is a change that Nadia enjoys very much - and of course uses the situation, the freedom of an empty house and dating again. But then Alfie comes back home earlier as expected and it turns out he's dropped out of uni - and now Nadia has to juggle her role as a girlfriend and a mother and find a balance and a happy medium. But things don't go too smoothly.

Nadia was great - in her early 50s and doing nude modelling for an art class and an illustrator and I really liked her life approach. I know, Nadia's attitude towards Alfie was sometimes soooo overblown - the way she was treating her son like a baby was getting on the nerves, but on the other hand I could absolutely understand her, the desire to help him, to save him the troubles was ringing the bell - I mean, my daughter is only 7, so I have some time still, but oh my god, I'm sure you know this feeling when you simply want to do things for your child just for the sake of it, for some serenity, and because you just cant watch how they're doing it, right? And Alfie was just such a typical teenager, you want to hug him and in the next second to bang his head on the wall. Really well developed and described, feeling like an adult but deep inside still a child relying on his mum. The ways Nadia would go to defend him only showed that no matter how old our kids are, the inner lioness is going to wake up and simply kill the ones who dare to criticise her kids - you, as mum, are allowed to do this, but not other people, don't forget it :)
Jack was also brilliant - working in a charity shop, divorced and raising his daughter together with his ex, trying to be a good dad and - in my opinion - doing a great job on this front, looking after his work colleagues as well. There was something that happened in his past that he didn't want to talk about, something really sad and difficult.

The story is told from Nadia and Jack's points of view and it was great to see their perspective on the same things - that often, as it usually happens, was different. I really liked the romantic aspect, from the very beginning to the end. It was lovely, and warm, and didn't run smooth, with some tricky moments and sharp turns. There were no silly games between the characters, however they also had problems to communicate sometimes - usually when it came to their families! It was realistically painted, showing what it actually looks like, and feels like - for all involved - when single parents meets someone.

This was a totally nice and relatable book. The pace was only right, the amount of desperation I felt towards Alfie and Nadia as well, and it felt so refreshingly honest and genuine. It's for sure going to resonate with any parent, not only those whose kids have left home - we were all teenagers, so we know how the wind blows.
"The Mum Who Got Her Life Back" is a down - to - earth story, tackling some real life problems and struggles but without being too depressive, too serious. It touches upon relationships, new and old, and their dynamics, everyday life and problems that it brings and this all written in a very accessible, light writing style. It is full of humour mixed with bittersweet moments and families and characters that will make you smile and also desperate and showing you that you're not alone here, that we all have to balance the needs of our children, family, friends, sometimes ex - partners and eventually our own. Recommended!

What lovely characters in this book; so true to life. A very enjoyable read. Was well described, one was in the places visited while reading.

A lovely, refreshing read about Nadia, whose twins have gone to university, and Jack, the man she falls in love with. Their romance doesn’t always run smoothly and we find out that even when parents think they have an empty nest, it might not always stay that way! I could relate well to the characters and situations. The novel is often very amusing. The author writes so well, with a light touch, but there are bittersweet moments too and lots of colourful characters to get to know, for example, the ones who work with Jack. A cheerful read and a nice antidote to these angsty pre-Brexit times.

This book was a quick read and very easy to get into. Nadia is now home alone after her twins leave for university, she meets a new guy and Nadia enjoys her freedom in getting to know him. Then one of her twins comes back unexpectedly and you see how Nadia navigates her new romance whilst her teenage son is back in the home. There were a few funny moments in the book which made me smile.


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

Nice, not a great descriptive word to use but there you go, this book is nice!!
Nadia’s twins have gone to Uni and she is all ‘empty nested syndromish’ then she meets Jack ( by pretending to be a shop assistant in Lush ) and the book progresses through their courtship, always bringing a smile at their antics and sometimes a genuine lol moment, Jack is the Manager of a charity shop and the staff are described ( and actually take quite main parts ) wonderfully and they brighten up what should be a cold Feb day ( however its sunny and 17 degrees so lets say add to it )
The narrative from both Jack and Nadia is quick, on point and ‘real’ and I would think would resonate with any parent whose kids have left home and the freedom ( albeit not entirely wanted ) they now have
Of course love never runs smooth and there are tricky moments and a wonderful holiday in Barcelona that they book, but Nadia’s son goes instead instead of Jack!!......does true love win in the end....well that would be telling of course but its great fun finding out!
The scenic descriptions of Barcelona are really atmospheric and also Glasgow ( where the book is set ) is opened up and I saw a different side to the City
A really nice warm fuzzy romp of a book that would be hard not to enjoy

Such a fun perspective on the boomerang phenomenon. I really enjoyed this novel which covers a slice of life that many novels ignore: The joy of the empty-nest!

Many thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

I’ve enjoyed Fiona Gibson books historically – and as I was about to start her previous one, The Mum Who’d Had Enough, I noticed this new one was available on NetGalley to download as an advanced review copy – so I jumped at the chance. However, I then didn’t love The Mum Who’d Had Enough as much as I’d hoped, so wondered if I would regret my decision……

Here’s the blurb:

“When her 18-year-old twins leave for university, single mum Nadia’s life changes in ways she never expected: her Glasgow flat feels suddenly huge, laundry doesn’t take up half her week, and she no longer has to buy ‘the Big Milk’. After almost two decades of putting everyone else first, Nadia is finally taking care of herself. And with a budding romance with new boyfriend Jack, She’s never felt more alive.

That is, until her son Alfie drops out of university, and Nadia finds her empty nest is empty no more. With a heartbroken teenager to contend with, Nadia has to ask herself: is it ever possible for a mother to get her own life back? And can Jack and Nadia’s relationship survive having a sulky teenager around?”

I am DELIGHTED to say, I enjoyed this book immediately. My sister has just waved my eldest niece off to Uni – and so the first bit of this reminded me of when they did the whole dropping off at halls thing. I LOLled. (I have a couple of years before this becomes my reality – but as it will be the first of 4, I’m not too worried about the whole empty nest thing as yet!!)

There are many different settings throughout the book. Glasgow – obviously, but also the Ayrshire coast and Barcelona – so it was good to reminisce about various trips we’ve been on (although Nadia didn’t get to see a naked bloke strolling along the beach in Barcelona, so I do feel she missed out a bit! #holidayflashbacks #notjustthesangriahonestly)

It was a really ‘nice’ book. Sometimes the characters were a bit annoying – but no one was particularly unpleasant. There were some crossed wires (and I wanted to give people a good shake!) but overall it was a lovely read.

This is a fun, easy read – which is sometimes exactly what you want / need. Nothing too taxing – but enjoyable.

Thanks to Netgalley for my advanced review copy in exchange for a fair review.