The Wife Who Got A Life was just the sort of book I needed to perk me back up. The book follows the hilarious daily diary of everyday mother and wife, Cathy, including her womenly problems, her amazing solution to her lack of culinary skills and her baby steps towards doing something for her, even if it involves wearing a support the sex workers top. Cathy is bad ass, histerical and just type of woman you want popping round for a cuppa. I loved the book and it had me giggling alot. I had to try and keep it quiet so I didn't wake my 1 year old. That failed. Safe to say I didn't learn from it. Though at times I found the formatting a bit off, I was reading a kindle arc and have probably been fixed for the full same version, I enjoyed the story, the vibrant cast of characters and the Daily wins and fails. But most of all I loved how it showcased the reality of being a stay at home parent, a mother and a wife. In all its glory, honesty and down right craziness. I would definitely pick up another book by this author again.

I generally read mysteries and thrillers but occasionally choose something a little more lighthearted which is why I read this book. I am glad I did!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it flowed well and the characters were so relatable. The author has a real understanding of relationships, whether it be as a mother, wife or sister and delivers with a light touch which is both amusing and believable. There were no laugh out loud moments for me just a very enjoyable and engaging read.
I considered giving 4 stars as I usually only give 5 to books that really grab me but as I cant think of any negative points it has to be 5.

Light hearted funny read, Cathy receives a diary from her Sister in America for Christmas and rubbishes off the idea of setting goals, but gives it a go.
Goals set and the journey begins.
This book is funny and relatable to wives and mothers of any age. The story follows Cathy on her pursuit of her goals and month by month her achievements and stories with family and dear friends.
Each chapter represents a month but it’s not wrote like a diary it’s a wonderfully written story that had me laughing along.

The reader will laugh and cry and empathise with Cathy as she approaches menopause. A well written book with relatable characters A lovely easy read. My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author, for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

This was a delightful story, taking peoples ordinary lives and turning them into a compelling experience. Great characters, all very realistic and uplifting.

I love a Tracy Bloom book and this one is a great addition to her collection that will not disappoint.

If you are looking for a laugh out loud easy read then this is a great choice for you.

Cathy is our heroine and in her early 50’s hoping for her periods to stop and for her sisters to help her out with their parents. Cathy has a typical family that we can all relate to, son and daughter at the cusp of adulthood and all the scares that entails for parents and teens alike. Cathy is sent a motivational diary by one of her sisters and despite initially feeling it a useless waste of time it helps guide her through a year of ups and downs, both with her family and their amusing exploits and with her book group friends.

The book covers lots of topics with warmth and humour, touching on the menopause, teenage angst, stereotypes and even death. The writing is funny and true to life with some great characters.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher Harper Collins UK and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book had fab laugh out loud moments and what i believe are good reflections of a mother looking for a life outside of her family, but in all honesty i have no idea because i;m twenty and this book definitely was not aimed at me. That being said, i did enjoy this one and would recommend it to an older audience to find some relation to the character, but i did appreciate its honesty and its humour throughout!

Cathy Collins is 48 and takes each day at a time she just has to get through the day her life is just mundane.
Cathys sister gets her a motivational diary for Christmas and things start to change.
Funny and easy to read

The Wife Who Got A Life is the perfect escape. Funny, irreverent, and life-affirming, it made me smile (and cry).

Cathy Collins is 48 and her life is just getting through the day. She's neither happy nor sad. When her sister gives her a motivational diary for Christmas, she is slightly insulted. And swears never to set goals (would only lead to disappointment). But when she finds herself sinking into unhappiness she gives it a go. And the results are a revelation. Her relationships with friends and family improve beyond measure. She gets out of her humdrum domestic enslavement and finds her groove. She shares a revelation with her husband about DSR (to find out what that is, you will have to read the book!) that has a magical effect on their marriage.

I found Cathy inspiring but not in an annoying new age kind of way. She is a woman every mother will identify with. Sarcastic at times, kind, warm and witty, she made me take a look at my own life and vow to be more Cathy.

A brilliantly life-affirming and heart-warming read.

Cathy Collins is the typical housewife-mother who has enough of being the parlour maid for the family. A motivational diary shall help her getting her own life back. And she starts by hiring someone doing the cooking for her!

I very much liked Cathy, I liked her book group where they never discuss any books, I liked her 'no bullshit' attitude when she is in professional mode, I liked her having 'the chat' with her husband Mike, I liked how she dealt with her two teenage kids. (I also liked Tanias speech in November very much, this was just incredible!)

It was great being with Cathy for this whole year. I wouldn't say that she became a whole new person, or that she finally discovered who she really is or at least want to be. She just made slight adjustments to her life - that made all the difference.

As usual in my reviews I will not rehash the plot - plenty of reviews like that out there already.

This is an entertaining and amusing read - some bits made me laugh out loud. Cathy is a well written character, and some aspects of her life definitely chimed with me...the prospect of my teenager leaving home makes me feel sad (I too find "Slipping Through My Fingers" by Abba sums it up perfectly!). I too find the idea of hippy-dippy motivational diaries rather off-putting, although I guess it's just one (expensive!) step up from a "to do" list :)

A few things felt somewhat off kilter though, such as...how can any woman in this day and age not understand how "the pill" works? I also found it a little annoying that Cathy apparently couldn't be bothered to at least try and cook some nice things for her family (I'm not the world's best cook but I've mastered a range of tasty meals that the fam enjoy!). Once I put these things aside though, I enjoyed the book.

Overall an uplifting and cheerful read. The author has a lovely style, and I'd definitely read more of her work.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

Well I've laughed and laughed at this book.

Such different read to what I normally read it was brill.

Cathy is a mum, a wife, a daughter and a sister but she doesn’t seem to be Cathy anymore. So she decides she needs to change her life and change it now.

When her husband makes the decision that he wants to change his career from management consultant to teacher thinking he has something to share with them all, Cathy is horrified.

So if she wants to change herself she needs to make sure everyone around her changes as well – not only is Cathy going to get a life so is her whole family. With some rather hilarious motivation goals for achievement, we go through as Cathy finds herself a cook. She isn’t much of a cook and for everyone to survive she needs someone else to do the cooking.

Cathy finds herself with a few new book-keeping clients and with her mum approach to some of these new start ups, she gets the acknowledgment she has perhaps been missing all of her life.

Showing her daughter, Kirsty what first love was all about and her son Freddie, what would happen if he didn’t do well were other achievements she could tick off her list. If someone could have told her you don’t need to have periods anymore years earlier then I think she might have achieved more. Her relationships with her sisters, mainly conducted over various named WhatsApp groups made me chuckle as they decide between them who should be buying the toilet roll for their parents!

I found this book very humorous but it did come across simply as someone who changed their life and in some cases some of those around them as well. It did not have a beginning, middle or end which linked. It was like a snapshot out of a year of Cathy’s life, what any diary would be I suppose. Perhaps because I am neither, wife, mother or sister I could not relate to it as much as some readers? However it was a great diversion from some of the bleakness of late and if you want a funny read then it will tick that off the list for you!

Cathy is given a life goals diary and decides to give it a try. She sets herself a goal for each month and sets out to achieve them and change her life but a sudden mid-life crisis in her husband threatens all her plans. Can she find a way through it all.

This was a fun read but didnt grab me as much as I had hoped. The story is told through diary entries throughout the course of the year. An idea that is getting a lot of traction lately. The plot is interesting and some of her goals are really smart. As a mum I can relate to much of this but I found it a little over the top at times. Some of Cathy's actions were a bit extreme for me. The story does deal with some tough issues which were handled well and in a more honest way. Funny, relatable but touching and sad.

Cathy Collins is 48 & is a mum on a mission – to change her life.
The book follows a year in Cathy’s life. I have mixed feelings about the book. It was well written, the characters had plenty of depth & the pace was good. However whilst there were plenty of laugh out loud moments & I could relate to some of the situations, I didn’t like Cathy & her whinging got on my nerves especially at the start of the book & I nearly gave up but I did persevere & found the more I read the more I enjoyed it. I did feel that the book fits perfectly in this time when things aren’t normal & we are all making changes.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Tracy Bloom does it again! She has such a comic touch. This book tells the tale of Cathy, a stuck-in-a-rut mum and housewife. Until her sister challenges her to use a diary to get motivated and get out of her comfort zone. Cue many comic mishaps; kids, husband, friends, sister etc as Cathy accepts the challenge with bells on! An absolute delight!

What a thoroughly entertaining tale this was .... I think it irritated my husband as I frequently laughed out loud. It was believable and many situations so true. As a wife and mother it is easy to lose your own identity and to forget what makes you happy. It is a must read to cheer and encourage us all.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Tracy Bloom/HarperCollins UK for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is such a joyous read both funny and moving. Cathy Collins is given a diary by her sister that asks her to set motivational goals for the year ahead. As she is a mother and a wife but her sister wants her to put herself first for a change. We live through the year with Cathy as she does motivate herself and tries many new things. She becomes involved in a book group, makes new friends and finally has a talk with her husband that puts his job prospects into perspective and she can help there too. She arranges dance classes for her friends and at the end of an eventful year Cathy feels content and then discovers that her sister did not achieve any of her goals but the year has bought them closer together. This is so funny and relevant to women of all ages. What a great read this is.

Cathy Collins, 48, is given a motivational diary by her sister who is in to that sort of thing; Cathy is not and is exceedingly sceptical about the whole business. However, after her husband, Mike, decides he is having midlife crisis which could throw her world up in the air, she reluctantly starts to use it and take control of her life.

This is a delightful observational comedy. It has truly laugh out loud moments as Cathy negotiates a new reality. The characters, especially Cathy and her son Freddie and daughter Kirsty, are really entertaining. On occasions you will really want to give Mike a stern talking to!

It was a joy to follow Cathy's journey If you are looking for a feel good read with wry humour in the vein of Helen Fielding and Gill Sims, you will love this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love Tracy Bloom and her writing and so was pretty sure would love this one,and did
Cathy writes via diary entry on how she wants to get her life back,much to her hubby’s opposition
Funny,engaging and at times sensitive the author writes another perfect read