A very enjoyable escapism reas. Cathy Collins, age 48, is given a motivational diary, and takes us through the next year of her life. At the end of the year she is able to see how much her life has changed. A light-hearted read, with some emotional times thrown in.

Well this really lifted my lockdown blues.....A very relatable book ( I think I am Cathy) about a year in a middle aged ladies life! It was humerous, thought provoking, sad and blinking marvellous!

A very funny book, written in the form of a diary of a Mum with 2 teens 16 & 17 a funny experience in real life (or is that spelt strange time) plus a husband who travels a lot in his job, plus the parents. So there is plenty of scope for fun and it comes in bucket loads. There is sibling fun as well two sisters one in America the other just down the road here in England 🇬🇧 (UK).
The tales run through the book and is just good humour of life events with a twist and some quirkiness, well there has to be because in our own way we all are or as some believe its just everyone else not them. There's a word for that but can't quite recall it🤔.
If you like a good escape for a while its one you can pick up any time even dip into but best read through to enjoy the most, Just like catching up with a good friend that you want to catch up with. Hope you enjoy it.

A charming, light hearted, easy read. Just what is needed in these weeks of lockdown. I think every forty something will relate to this!

A lovely, warm and easy read! The cast of supporting characters are wonderful, we have heartbreak in the form of two totally different ways, sibling relationships (the WhatsApp groups are SO relatable!), and you feel so connected!

From the first page this book grabbed me, late forties is where I am so it had me hooked. I read the book in 24hrs. Its pure genius.

I laughed at parts were life as a mum, wife, a forty something woman is laid bare. The reality of getting older, periods, teenagers, a role thst exceeds you as a person.

The diary of Cathy is the formation of this book, it starts in January instigated by a motivational journal bought for her as a gift by her sister. It does not quite work out as planned by her sister. But Cathy does change her life in unexpected ways without seeing the changes occur.

Highly recommend this book, for giggles and some tears but to embrace working mums everywhere. Awesome read!

#NetGalley #TheWifeWhoGotALife #TracyBloom #newin2021 #bookreview

A must-read for fans of the Why Mummy Drinks... books as well as Tracy Bloom's No One Ever Has Sex...series. Cathy is a perimenopausal English housewife. She has a sensitive daughter who may be being played by her first love, a husband who wants to quit his lucrative management consultancy job and become a teacher, a dog called Barbra Streisand and a son who isn't sure where he fits on the LGBT spectrum ('U' for 'Useless' not being an option). When her sister gets her a motivational diary, Cathy resolves to resume her career, cut down her carb-footprint and get her husband to do his share of the housework - while ideally never having another period. Sharply written and with a surprisingly touching subplot involving Cathy's lesbian neighbours - the book in general is reassuringly matter-of-fact about gay love, families and sexual fluidity - this book is a reminder that even small goals can get you somewhere that's better than standing still. I wish that Cathy had shot for the moon a bit more in her goals, but the life she ends up with isn't half bad!

I felt as though I had read this story before, or one or more in a similar vein.....taken for granted mum/housewife decides to remake her life etc.
However, this was a book that kept me engrossed. I liked the way Cathy approached her 'list' of goals, and how she bounced back up when things went wrong. Some very well treated emotive scenes. Teenage angst and ups and downs were funny and very plausible!
Thank you for the chance to read and review this book.

#TheWifeWhoGotALife #NetGalley
A good read.
Cathy Collins is left open-mouthed when her husband hijacks the family’s New Year resolutions and throws in a midlife bombshell, so after years of school drop-offs and housework, Cathy decides it’s time to take control of life before it takes control of her. She makes a list of monthly goals that she hopes will set her up for the coming of middle age.
Can she Ditch Cooking by spring?
Or Get a Life Outside the Family by summer?
Will her husband still be listening in October when it’s time to have a Really Important Chat?
And can she FALL IN LOVE AGAIN by December?
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK Harper Fiction for giving me an advanced copy of this book.

Absolutey brilliant. I loved it. There were sad parts with Hazel and Paula. For woman of a certain age it is true. But any one will love it. I could not put it down. The sisterly parts were great. It had humour and tears. Fantastic. Ten out of ten

I love Traceys books and was excited when received this one to review. Very disappointed the story really didn’t hold my attention and the 19% i read was as much as i could manage. The story that a motivational diary is given as a gift was one that i thought i would give a go but i found it to be honest boring.
Sorry Tracey but didn’t like it!
Two stars because i do like your other books

This book arrived at an opportune moment, I found myself agreeing with everything said within the first two pages...I suddenly didn’t feel alone with the voice in my head screaming ‘why is it always me?’ When I read the comment ‘We let other people live the way they want while we adjust our way round them’ I knew this might be the consolation prize for not being able to meet up with my closest friends to have a whinge about my life.

‘Reaching for several more ferrero rocher’ equates to me eating a whole bag of jelly babies in one sitting and taking far too much pleasure in biting their heads off. After taking the whole day off to enjoy this book in one session I can sincerely recommend it to anyone who feels a little low, a little taken for granted. That it also makes you laugh and feel sad is yet another reason and also that when finished it feels as if a valued friend has just empathised and made you feel better about whatever it was that made you sad/unhappy/irritated/worried or all of them! Thank you Rachel, Harperfiction for emailing me this invitation to read The wife who got a life, Netgalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review and most especially Tracy Bloom for being an amazing writer.

Tracy Bloom is an author that I had heard of but never read. This book is not in any genre that I am familiar with, however it was offered to me by the publishing agent who has asked my opinion on some books that I have found to be interesting.
Like most of the world I am now into my 1oth month of quasi lockdown because of the Covid-19 virus and strangely I related strongly to the main character who is a good decade younger than me and has teenage children. I think this is because of the strong female friendship theme, I have found in lockdown how important my middle-aged female friends have been in keeping my spirits high via WhatsApp and calls.
Cathy's catalyst is an unwanted motvational diary her rich, successful, older sister gifts her. The story follows Cathy, her husband, kids, parents, sisters and CRUCIALLY her old and new friends as she seeks a more fulfilling life.
I emoted with Cathy and truly wanted her to gain fulfillment without losing her core values.
Ms. Bloom writes well and apart from the sister in L.A. (my digression) her characters are credible and rounded. Love is well described.
Death is also approached with care.
A well crafted 'year in the life of a perimenapausal English mother'.
A must read....