Cover Image: Saturdays at Noon

Saturdays at Noon

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Member Reviews

This was definitely worth a read. 2 people meet at an anger management course and connect through his difficult son, who is also one of the narrators. The multiple narrators actually works as more details about each of the characters emerges.

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Saturdays At Noon is something very different to my usual reads so I was really intrigued in how I would get on with this. Straight away I liked Emily, I found her to be really relatable and I liked how honest she was about her struggles. It took me a while to grow to like Jake but over time I found myself gaining more and more sympathy for him and his situation, at times I found myself questioning how I would cope if I was in his shoes. I like that the book was a multiple person narrative and we heard from both Emily and Jake, aswell as even little Alfie at times. It really gave me an insight into how his mind works! Overall, an incredibly enjoyable book that I'm glad I took a chance on. I didn't want to put it down and I loved the ending

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I can’t praise this book highly enough. I was expecting some light little tale of two people who meet, argue a bit, reconcile and live Happily Ever After. How wrong I was! What it is, in fact, is humorous, thought-provoking and at times heartbreaking . Jake and Emily are trying to unpick the causes of their anger at a class run by the even-tempered and understanding Sam. Both are there because they feel they have to be; Jake because he wants to try and salvage his marriage and have more patience with his young son and Emily for reasons that are only revealed towards the end of the book. The path of their relationship does not run smooth (and at times you doubt they will even have one besides that of Employer and Nanny)
It is immensely heartening to find a character who is on the autistic spectrum without being portrayed as a savant or a pedantic solver-Of-mysteries. Alfie is in turns a typical 6 year old, a confused and distressed little boy and an absolute joy to be with. The descriptions of his emotions, how he looks at the world and how he tries to organise things and people around him to lessen his own upset are absolutely spot on. Never patronising, never trite, this author knows exactly what’s in his head and every scene with him in rings true.
There are a couple of plot developments that seemed a bit convenient, but enough veracity in the character portrayals for this not to be an issue.
I look forward to other books by the author and to echo the thanks in The Acknowledgements I’d like to thank her and the publishers for the opportunity to read this proof copy.

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I did take a few attempts to read this book as I was distracted by other books in my reading list. When I finally got going it was a very worthwhile surprise.

The setting for the story is quite mundane you meet Emily and Jake who are both attending anger management classes. Both of which you learn why they are at these classes over time. You also get to meet Alfie, Jake's son who Emily bonds with very quickly. Alfie has his own challenges in life, which is told in a sensitive way and even from Alfie's point of view.

This made the story even more emotional for me. I did cry at the end and here we are a few days later after finishing the book, I am still thinking about it.

Wonderful story that is beautifully written about how life does't quite work out as planned however can still be a happier path for everyone.

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

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This is an amazing book which sympathetically and sensitively deals with behavioural problems encountered with a child on The Autism Spectrum. Rachel has obviously experienced this at first hand and so produces an incredibly insightful read. It is a compelling read and draws the reader in totally with a mixture of humour and heartbreak which is written from the viewpoint of the three main characters. It is a romance, but not in the usual way due to the believable ordinary characters dealing with real issues within an original story line which will stay with the reader long after the book is finished. I hope we hear more from this author.

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When I started reading this book, I wondered if I would keep going. I am very glad I did. The reason was that the description of the behaviour of Alfie,a six year old who turns out later to suffer from a form of autism,is so good and insightful it is hard to read about. The description of this boy and the factors that control his behaviour is superbly and accurately described. The father won't accept his son's need for anything more than a disciplined routine although his mother has her doubts. As for many people,that causes marital problems. The father is helped by someone he meets at an anger management course. She is the most unlikely source of advice but makes the father understand his son's issues. All of this is contained within a well told family story that makes the book an unusual but important read.

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What an amazing first book! As a teacher and a friend to a few parents who have children that have been diagnosed with autism, I was able to empathise a little with the story of Alfie and his dad Jake who seems to be permanently confused; by his wife, his son and life in general. It is a really lovely story - I hate to use cliched words like 'nice', but it is! It's a really interesting and POSITIVE insight into the life of an autistic child and the people close to him, which I gather the author has some experience of, and it shows. A great debut and I look forward to seeing what Rachel Marks delves into next.
Netgalley sent me this book in return for an honest review....

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I absolutely loved this book ... delving into the world of autism in the delightful character of Alfie we see relationships around him and how he copes day to day. When’s Alfie’s dad Jake meets Emily at Anger Management classes we see the beginning of a friendship developing with Alfie bring the one bringing them together. When Jake’s wife Jemma decides she needs a break Emily steps in as ‘the nanny’ ... her special relationship and understanding of Alfie’s special needs bring this book alive ... a real treasure of a read !!!

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An absolutely wonderful read, a novel full of very important messages and issues, the most important about acceptance, family, and self esteem. It’s very well written with relatable strong characters, more than just a romance, this is a wonderful story and highly recommended

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

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I really didn’t know where this book was going to take me but the adventure I had I would like to take all over again. This book is definitely a special read full off wonderful moments with big messages behind each of them, I’m sure we can all take something from this book.

I work with people with complex needs and I could sort of tell what was going to happen with Alfie’s however it was very surprising and refreshing to read parts of this book in his perspective which I truly think added a lot more depth into the plot even though at first I was afraid it was going alter the flow and overall plot but I was truly gripped throughout.

I’m not usually the person to enjoy different perspectives especially three in one book but it truly helped this book become something more than the average book and that’s without the added surprises within the plot. I was gripped throughout this read and I can’t wait to reread this book soon because I definitely think It will become a favourite of mine to keep in rotation of my rereads.
I was slightly concerned with some parts of this book especially about the romance part as I thought it was going to be dragged out too far that I’d loose interest but instead it was written in away that begged me to continue as I truly wanted Emily and Jake to finally make it official however I was slightly disappointed with the ending but that’s solely personal taste as o would have loved to “seen” the reunion in the perspective of Jake but nevertheless in context with the rest of the book Alfie’s ending fitted seamlessly.

Thank you to netgalley for allowing me to review this book, it’s definitely a wonderful read and I would urge others to dive into this adventure.

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What a wonderful book. Really enjoyed the characters and the storyline. Alfie sounds like a nightmare to live with and Emily has the patience of a Saint. Look forward to reading more books by this author

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I l0ved this book. As in LOVED it.

It was exactly what I needed at the right time. It follows both Jake and Emily's stories as they meet in anger management class and their lives start to twist and entwine thanks to a very special boy named Alfie.

Neither Jake nor Emily are perfect which really resonated with me. Both are understandably human and as a mother who sometimes also has that anger / despair / feeling of hopelessness rise up within her from time to time, some of the passages with Saturdays At Noon really struck a chord. It really showed that sometimes it really is possible to love your child completely but hate their behaviour. I was with them every step of the way on their journey to understanding Alfie and I loved how hard it worked to normalising some of his challenges.

Saturdays At Noon is far more than a romance. It is filled with love, anger, understanding, acceptance, individual growth and personal connections. Beautifully written and filled with emotion, I genuinely couldn't recommend Saturdays At Noon enough.

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This is an adorable novel with great characters. A tiny bit predictable at times but I still couldn’t put it down, and it has been a while since I’ve found a book I’ve felt this way about. It is similar to “Me Before You” but I liked it better. I absolutely loved Alfie’s story and the way Jake revealed that it is possible to love your child whilst also being totally infuriated with them, as well as the doubt it can inflict about parenting skills.

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This is an amusing and very witty novel - with plenty of engaging characters and familiar conflicts. Jake is a great character - I've met many like him and the central premise of "anger" is one that works well to propel the characters forward. A very rewarding unputdownable read that I sincerely enjoyed.

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I wasn't prepared for how much this book would wind its way into my brain. I started reading it on the bus to work and spent the whole day thinking about finishing it. A moving, funny, sad tale of families, the stories that make us and the things that break us.

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This is a family novel about self importance and acceptance.
Written with warm honour, likeable characters and a great storyline. The characters come alive in the pages.
This is more than a romance. A must read

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I really liked this book. The authors writing style is great...easy to read and flows logically. The characters are well written.

Thank you for the advanced copy.

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Excellent writing and the characters were very likeable and easy to warm to. Emotional, funny and written realistically. An interesting read, and one that keeps you involved with the characters right to the end.

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The story revolves around two people who meet at an anger management class and this premise was intriguing right off the bat. I loved the two main characters and they were written really realistically. I loved the way the story developed and the ways the characters changed and adapted. I found it absorbing and would highly recommend.

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A special one!
I'd say this book is more than a simple romance. It's also a family book about self acceptance and working to be better. Written realistically, with warm humour, the characters and the story is gripping - a rare thing for a book that is far from a thriller!

Emily and Jake meet in an anger management class. They clash, she sees him as arrogant and a poor father. He sees her as a skin-head in denial about her anger. They soon learn there's more to what they first saw. They both have issues, 'messed up' lives. Jake is struggling to parent his son, Alfie who may be autistic. Emily is struggling with moving forward. But being together, against the problem, they just might come on top...

Rachel Marks writes with heart. Her characters are touching, and vulnerable, and they bring life to the page! This is an unassuming book which has a lot going for it; the stuff you can't see right away. Indeed, I'm struggling to put into words how original this book is.

It's been compared to The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary, which is a wonderful book in its own right, but this one is very different. Not all romances have something more, but this one has that for sure! I worry that reading as many romances as I do, (seriously I can't resist) all my reviews are beginning to sound the same! I certainly can't do this book and its many themes justice...

Just don't miss this one! :D

Themes: parenting, dark character back-stories, abuse, broken families, autism, love.

Note: I received this book through NetGalley for review consideration. All opinions are honest and completely my own.

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