Slow start, much better middle (when the family imploded), disappointing end. A pleasant read with some funny lines but no more than that unfortunately. I think that if the author is to develop these characters into another book perhaps more emphasis should be put onto the business acumen of the daughter Mikey!
My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I don't understand why I couldn't get on with this book. It appealed, it sounded like something I would love. But I didn't. Sorry, I couldn't empathise with any of the characters.

I really struggled to finish this book, I didn't warm to any of the characters and most of them came across as wet lettuces.

The story is about a very wealthy family losing their money during an economic crash and the fall out that ensues. Sally is the mother/wife of the house and lets the house staff take full advantage of her meek and mild personality. I mean having a nanny when your youngest is 11, a nanny mind you that is overfeeding one of the "children" which nobody does anything about, was incredibly frustrating to read.

I kept waiting for Sally to take charge and make some sensible decisions but to me she made some weird ones instead. Going to live in the golf club for example, how did she think that was going to work out in the long term?

Unfortunately this book just wasn't for me.

I love a book that points out familiar places, throughout this book places are mentioned like Fetcham, Epsom, and leatherhead that are all near to me, I feel as though it makes the book more special when you know the place. I thoroughly enjoyed this entertaining read. I can almost see this as being made into a sitcom, I am sure it would have high ratings. The characters especially Sally are all wonderful, you can understand her and I really did feel for her on some occasions. I found it a really easy book to get on with and I hope to enjoy more of Mel's books in the future.

Very disappointed with this book, I had to give up on it. I felt it was too wordy and I didn’t like the characters.

I really like Mel Giedroyc on the tv but not a fan of her book.

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.