I chose this book as I think Mel Giedroyc is a very funny lady and so hoped her humour would be mirrored in her writing and on the whole I wasn’t disappointed.

A ‘riches to rags’ story has us introduced to a family who enjoy the best things in life only to have them disappear overnight due to a financial market crash. I found the book a little slow to get into but started to enjoy it more as I read. It is a little predictable and some of the characters aren’t quite as rounded as they could be, but overall I did enjoy the book, especially with Mikey who was my favourite member of the family.

Mel’s sense of humour is definitely reflected in the story which helped keep me interested and I thank NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Glorious story telling, this is a rich  comedic feast of domesticity. Sally and Frank are the top dogs in town, richest in a field of rich neighbours, splashing out on all that their heart desires and doing the same for their 4 teenage children. When fortunes turn suddenly, who will still be there? Some excellent characters, lots to like and dislike- kept ,me gripped throughout. Well worth a read, its going to be a big hit.

The Parker family members are all a bit of a nightmare.  They’ve surrounded themselves with nightmare staff, too – at least from Sally’s point of view.  The poor woman has surrendered control of her home and family to their housekeeper and nanny, who have no respect for her and take advantage of her ineffectuality.  Or rather she has had control taken from her hands by her well-meaning husband, who wants her to be a cossetted wife who need only concern herself with being the perfect hostess of the extravagant social/business events he loves to hold in their stunning Surrey home.  I became a little irritated by all the “Sally made a mental note to…” which came fast and furious, but I feel this was intentional to emphasise Sally’s desire to get to grips with the issues in her home and family while never actually getting round to following up on her mental notes.

Despite their “nightmarey-ness”, I became rather fond of Frank and Sally, the turning point coming when we were told the back story of when they met and fell in love as teenagers.  In fact, I became fond of all the family, despite their infuriating characteristics.  The catastrophe that befalls the family offers a re-set for them all and I was cheering them on for a better future.

As for the humour, there are some cracking lines, although I chuckled, rather than LOL’d.

It took me a little while to get in to this book but once I did I enjoyed it.

The story doesn’t reinvent the wheel but it’s pleasant and well written and as such, an enjoyable easy read.

I had such high hopes for this book after reading the reviews by the stars and authors comments, but i thought is was a slow starter and very uncomfortable read for first half, seema vile wealthy arrogant family, i didn't finish the book i admit as I couldn't cope with my anxiety and loathe of the characters, so sorry Mel I don't recommend this book

I did have high expectations due to the author, but really didn't find this that funny.    I think so many of the characters were so unlikable it didn't really help the story.  It was just ok but not really a memorable read.

I love Mel Giedroyc as a comedian and thought I would love her book. Unfortunately I didn’t. It’s about a very rich family, 2 daughters, 1 son and a niece, Emily, who they’ve looked after since her mother left her with them at a young age. Sally is a stay at home mum and Frank a successful businessman. They have a lot of staff who run their large house in Surey for them so Sally doesn’t really have anything to do.

The first part of the book is rather slow and shows how pampered the whole family are in a rathe annoying way so the reader has no empathy with the family. The family starts imploding when Frank is diagnosed with narcolepsy and his business partner has a breakdown. 

The way the book finishes makes me wonder if there will be a sequel.

Well what can I say? For a debut book, this was thoroughly enjoyable!! Not many characters to like, but you're not meant to like them! Any of them! But there are a few, that you grow to love!
From 'Riches to Rags' so easily, is quite frightening for anyone, but 'thinking on your feet' is quite an eye opener for Sally the mother, as she's not been allowed to do that in the past!! 
I found myself laughing, seriously worried, angry, page after page!
For a debut book, it was wonderful, it had me engrossed from the start!

I have been a fan of Mel for ages so was very much looking forward to reading her debut novel.

This is warm, interesting, clever and funny, as well as poignant at times and you can definitely tell that Mel's sense of humour is behind the tale.

A brave heroine, a cast of strong characters and a page-turner of a story.

Already looking forward to the next book from Mel!

I could hear Mel reading this book! Terrific characters, a rather silly story but all very entertaining.

The Best Things by Mel Giedroyc a thought-provoking angle on an age-old story. This is odd as usually I enjoy a story as I love the characters but there are not that many to like in this story, they really are some of the most unlikable characters I have come across, but they are all integral to the story and you do not need to like them to like the story. This is perfect if you fancy an afternoon in your own world, with some funny though provoking reading.

I was really looking forward to reading this as I’ve always found Mel funny.  It certainly had some funny moments and lines in it.  Generally though, this book was just an ok read for me.  The second half (after they’ve lost all their money) is way better than the first half of the book and I was rooting for the family by the end.  I particularly liked the children in this book.  They were well drawn out characters and Cleo in particular was a stand out character for me.  All in all, I liked this book and I am glad I read it but I didn’t love it. 3.5 stars from me.

Like many of the other reviewers, I requested a copy of The Best Things because I love the author, Mel Giedroyc. Again, like a lot of the other reviewers, I found the novel hard to engage with. The main characters were on the whole unsympathetic and it was hard to feel any sort of sympathy for Sally and her Leatherhead  first world problems. In fact, I found the materialism and excesses in the first half of the novel really quite repulsive. I found it hard then to get over these and feel any real sympathy for the family and their plight. 
There were some hilarious turns of phrase and some memorable moments, but there was so much that was cliched and overworked. I doubt an an unknown author would have had this published.

A riches to rags romp that is hugely funny in parts, but rather cliched and over-egged in others. A number of characters felt overly stereotypical, Kyle and Cleo in particular, though Bronwen and especially Mikey were both brilliant.

Thanks to Headline and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Sally Parker has it all.  Until she doesn't.  A riches to rags story.  

This was a funny one for me - I really wanted to love it as I love Mel Giedroyc and at first I found myself plodding through, not really liking any of the characters and I almost gave up, but I didn't and I'm glad I didn't as in the end I really enjoyed it.  Love Mikey, she was my favourite!  And Janice the dog groomer!

Fun read.

Thanks for the opportunity to read and review this book. I truly wanted to love Mel's first book and hoped to feel her humour and lovely personality come through but sadly I struggled with this one. The having it all and losing it all story line is old ground and it felt like nothing was new and fresh with this book. I struggled to connect with any character and found their personalities a bit flat making it a tricky read. I hope others love it but this one didn't float my boat.  Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read the ARC and all the best to Mel.

I am so sorry but I have really tried to get into this book - the premise is good but I found it hard to get into the characters heads. There are some comedy moments but I can't engage with the book

This had a few laughs but given that it's TV comedian and presenter Mel Giedroyc's debut novel I was expecting more. It's more of a nice, relaxed, happy ever after read. With four children, two lay-about brothers, a snobby mum, estranged parent-in-laws, a feisty grandma and a brainiac business partner, the Parker family provided an interestingly diverse array of characters. But sadly I found myself getting annoyed with most of the characters particularly Sally (and Amerjit) who were frustratingly wet and Frank unbelievably defeatist - thank goodness for tenacious eleven year old Mikey. The story is nice enough but took a while to get going and finished too soon as I wanted to know what the Parkers were going to do next.

A very rich family, with a lot of 1st world problems, like how to sack an unneeded nanny, have their idyllic lives ruined by, well ruin. Along their journey, they slowly realise their wealth and ‘happiness’ was mostly a sham, and through a complex unpredictable chain of events, and a degree of hardship, they all learn what actually matters.
Some very funny but clever writing, such as ‘Frank’s love for a barbie was so legendary in the City that certain colleagues had been known to call him Ken.’ I’d love to know if all the readers get the Australia reference, Cleo takes being uneducated to a whole new level - a low one! The story, at first sight, could appear to be simple and straightforward, but as you get towards the end, it gets more multilayered, unrequited lesbian lust, a transitioned relative, a very near miss affair, the tragic problems of the very rich - I still have zero sympathy for them! The final chapter might make your eyes leaky - though it could my allergies 😁

A thoroughly entertaining book which, although predictable in parts, had many twists and turns.  The first part was a little slow and  the characters a little too archetypal of those living the high life.  In amongst all the glitz and glamour, chaos emerges and the various observations of the characters brilliant even if far fetched.  The teenagers especially, glued to their phones oblivious to those around them.  Whilst one didn't have a lot of sympathy for the characters they did produce a few chuckles as their lives got more weird.  A fun read for lockdown times.