Scrabble in the Afternoon by Biddy Wells delves into the intricate dynamics of a mother-daughter relationship, exploring the challenges and complexities that arise when a daughter becomes the primary caregiver for her elderly mother. With a mix of humor, insight, and unflinching honesty, Wells takes readers on a journey through the trials and revelations that come with the role reversal between parent and child.

When Biddy's mother falls ill, she moves her into her spare bedroom, unknowingly embarking on an extended period of caregiving. As the months pass, Biddy and her mother must navigate their way back into a shared domestic space, reacquainting themselves with the emotional intricacies and unspoken resentments that had shaped their relationship for decades.

Biddy's narrative is marked by self-reflection and introspection, as she grapples with her own feelings of dependency, resentment, and the need for emotional connection. The author skillfully captures the nuances of these complex emotions, allowing readers to glimpse into the inner workings of a strained mother-daughter bond.

Wells explores themes of maternal instinct, love, and the desire for connection, presenting a story that is both frustrating and rewarding. The candid portrayal of the daughter's struggle to reconcile her own childhood experiences with her evolving role as a caregiver brings a raw authenticity to the narrative.

The writing style in Scrabble in the Afternoon is straightforward and heartfelt, allowing readers to connect with Biddy's experiences on an emotional level. Wells's use of humor and wry observations adds levity to the often challenging and poignant moments shared between mother and daughter.

While the exploration of the mother-daughter relationship is the primary focus of the memoir, there are moments when the narrative feels fragmented or lacking in cohesion. Some readers may find themselves wanting a deeper exploration of certain themes or a more conclusive resolution to the story.

In conclusion, Scrabble in the Afternoon offers a sincere and candid portrayal of the complexities inherent in caring for an aging parent. Biddy Wells's honest and introspective narrative invites readers to contemplate the intricacies of mother-daughter relationships, highlighting the challenges, frustrations, and ultimately, the rewards that can emerge from such bonds.

A very insightful look inside a relationship between a mother and her daughter. Such an emotional loving story. Biddy Wells is the care giver of her sick mother. Also some heart breaking moments but an all-round great read.

This is a memoir about the author, Biddy Wells, and her time spent taking care of her elderly mother. Biddy gives a great description of what daily life is like when caring for an aging parent. She talks about the loneliness, the daily games of scrabble, the struggles with decisions about the best care for her mom, and how she never got a break unless someone came over for a few hours to help. Biddy does mention what she learned about herself during this time and how it helped her to grow. I would recommend this book to readers who are in similar situations or someone who loves reading about other people's experiences!

Thank you to NetGalley and Parthian Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

🧩 Scrabble In the Afternoon 🧩
By Biddy Wells
Publisher: Parthian Books (Sept 1. 2021)

Slow and poignant. Like taking a Sunday drive.
At 170 pages, it’s not a large book but it definitely takes on an emotional side of what happens when a woman takes on the care giving for her elusive mother who withheld the nurturing she needed as a young girl.

When I read it, I didn’t realize it was a memoir. It read like fiction with the theme of a mother-daughter relationship and all the emotions that can come within. However after reading more about Biddy, I realized that it was indeed based on her own experience of finding herself as the caregiver for her mother.

If you enjoy books that deal with self reflection or digging in to what we owe our parents (and what they owe us)… then you’ll enjoy this. And I use the word “owe” quite purposefully… this short novel will let you gather your own thoughts on that twilight zone on living your own life vs. Caregiving for the older loved ones in your life. I enjoyed it. As I said, like a slow country drive where your mind wanders about your own journey and future. 3.5 stars ⭐️

Biddy Wells' memoir of caring for her elderly mother as she recuperates after a fall is thoughtful, concise, and moving. Grateful to have no tension with my own mother (aside from the occasional heated disagreement because we are, after all, both humans), I appreciate the seemingly honest portrayal of her struggle between love and resentment as she reflects back on her perception of her mother's selfishness and her childhood.

Introspective to an extreme, this memoir was written in a sort of vacuum, focusing only on Biddy and her mother, leaving me with questions about the other characters, mentioned and not, who featured in the background--and foreground--of these stories. Who was David? Where were Wells' siblings? What was the mother's relationship with her grandchildren? To that end, I couldn't quite figure out the purpose of this memoir. Well-written, certainly, and refreshingly honest, Wells' memoir didn't seem to have a particular angle justifying its publication to a wide audience. Indeed, I felt very much like I was reading a diary, albeit not a particularly significant or enlightening one.

Furthermore, the defining feature I had been expecting from the title was practically irrelevant. Biddy and her mother played Scrabble only a few times over the course of the book, and never was a Scrabble game described in any sort of detail, likening the word play to the fraught mother-daughter history or using the game as a metaphor for communication. As a language lover, I was excited to see how Scrabble would be incorporated into this vulnerable, emotional story and was disappointed that it wasn't at all.

Short and sweet, I imagine this book could be a comforting read for someone struggling with a filial relationship or the pain of a parent's illness. As a regular reader with (thankfully) healthy relationships and healthy parents, I can't say this was worth the time.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Thank you to Parthian Books and author Biddy Wells. Opinions stated in this review are honest and my own.
Release Date: 1 April 2021

I choose this book specifically because of the cover not realizing exactly what it was about. There is nothing wrong with it, it is just not my cup of tea. It might be good to get inside a daughter-mother relationship, since the book is written at the daughter's perspective and be involved in their feelings, but nothing really happens, the story just drags on through the pages and through the years. I am not sure who would be audience for this book, maybe someone that is going through the same phase, not me, not yet.

I picked this book because I am trying to expand my genre list, and this seemed like something completely out of my comfort zone. I found out exactly why these stay out of my usual reading list, though. That is not to say it doesn't have good writing, but overall I feel personal relations with a parental figure would change how different people would view the book.
The author is an adult with grown children of her own when one day she gets a call about her mother. This starts a chapter of her life that redefines a lot of her perspectives. She has a genuinely complicated relationship with her mother but has a sustaining love and feeling of responsibility for her well-being. Long term care (of any duration) of anyone ill and chaffing at the loss of their independence is something that is universally acknowledged to be complicated. In this particular book, the author has vented in the form of catharsis. She uses that description when discussing the possibility of the work's contents with her mother before she went ahead with it.
It is a short work, and the descriptions swift and straightforward, making it easy to see everyone clearly in just a few short pages. This meant that despite being a small work, I would have liked it even better if it had been even more concise.
I liked the author's style, and this book can spark a lot of conversation over people and how they view their 'responsibilities' to their parents irrespective of how they were themselves raised by said parents.
Finally, I received this book as an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

This tells a story that is quite a familiar one, that of an elderly and frail parent being cared for by their middle aged daughter. As a Social Worker for 25 years and as a daughter of an elderly mother myself, it is a story I have seen and experienced many times. I am always interested in the dynamics between people, and read this book with interest. It covers the subject perfectly well.

I enjoyed this short memoir. It was nice, in a way, without sounding horrible, that other families have struggles as well with their relationships and health etc, It was interesting how Biddy dealt with her Mother's illness. It was also an eye opener that relationships aren't always perfect partner or family wise. Also it shows how verbal abuse still occurs, even in sheltered accommodation at any age and how much is changes someone. The different attitudes of Biddy's Mother throughout her illness. I also found that there was a form of abuse in the family setting where Biddy didn't seem accepted. As horrible as it sounds, it seems like a relief when Gerald died as Biddy felt she was getting her Mother back.

This was an insightful memoir of a mother and daughter relationship. I believe this was based off the author's relationship with her mother and it reflects in the short read. I think I am not old enough to fully understand the depths of this memoir and it ran slow for me at times.

An insightful story about the relationship between a mother and her daughter. The mother is sick and the daughter becomes her caretaker, in a swap of roles that so frequently happens.
Biddy has to learn to take care of her elderly mother and the journey to get there isn't easy. The themes are mother daughter relationships, and and family.
Very well written!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A very nice read. Scabble in the Afternoon is one I can and do relate to as the caregiver of my own mom. a sweet book and sometimes a bit too close to home. Felt real, and real is what I wanted. Thanks for this

I'm sorry to say that I really struggled with this book, it gave very little background or depth to what I was reading despite being a memoir, it appeared to be a letter type book complaining about her mother without actually giving much more information. I notice this author has done other books so perhaps its just her writing style and I've struggled to connect with it but I'm sorry I just didn't enjoy it at all. All I'm left with is questions, what was her mother's disability, has this had an impact on their relationship? What exactly is the relationship with David, I know he's a romantic partner but that's about it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Parthian for allowing me to review Scrabble in the Afternoon.
It describes the relationship between a daughter and her elderly mother when due to her mother’s sudden illness and deterioration there is a reversal of roles. The daughter now undertakes looking after her mum during recovery.
It explores a previous tenuous relationship and how much should you step back and allow independence regardless of the repercussions.
I gave the book a 3 star rate because personally I felt that a more pro active approach in similar circumstances would have been more prudent.. Generally a good read.

Biddy Wells delivers a poignant recollection of the complexity of her relationship with her aging mother. She strives and achieves to relay the many feelings and challenges from both perspectives.

In one excerpt, the question is raised, “at what point should the children of elderly parents intervene and put an end to independent living”? This is a theme that so many have and will continue to face and struggle with. For folks on the cusp of, or actively living with these tough decisions, Wells’ book could provide some insight and solace.

Wells’ also tackles how she dealt with her personal demons with her mother in a compassionate and well thought out way. She delivers her own familial story in a way that will resonate with so many. How to repair what’s been broken? Should we try? How far do we go at the price of hurting a parent or oneself?

Scrabble in the Afternoon provides an honest look into the vulnerabilities that exist between mothers and daughters and gifts readers the opportunity to reflect on theirs.

I received this from Netgalley.com.

"Biddy Wells’s elderly mother is suddenly struck down with a mysterious illness, Biddy moves her into the spare bedroom, little knowing how long the period of convalescence will last."

A lovely tale of mothers and daughters. I'm sure the author found writing this to be cathartic.

2.75☆

Wells writer a touching and forthright memoir about elder care. Her mother was feeble and needed assistance so Biddy put her life on hold for almost a year to care for her. They become closer, but also friction occurs, especially when her mother allows her love interest to dominate her. This is a topic that is very relevant as children find themselves responsible for their elderly parents’ care. It was short book and it offered insight into the draining, yet rewarding experience of caring for her mother.

This book was absolutely wonderful. I loved getting to see the relationship between the author and her mother. It was honest and at sometimes hard to read. The author was open about the relationship, as hard as it was for her to explain these things to random people. The cover and title is what originally drew me in to the story and I am so thankful I read this book.

This was a charming, insightful book about the relationship between a sick mother and her caretaker daughter. Biddy talks about the trials and joys of learning to take care of her elderly mother. There are themes of family, mother daughter relationships and love. A delightful afternoon read.

A wonderfully written memoir about repairing the broken bond between mother and daughter. Through the power of memories, a unforeseen illness, harsh truths and Scrabble, Biddy Wells shares her touching tale of reconnecting not only with her mother, but the woman behind her mother; a woman who loves writing, yearns for independence and still has a flirtatious twinkle in her eye. This story has inspired me to take steps to heal the relationship between myself and my dad. Maybe Cluedo might work for us, ha-ha. Thank you so much, Biddy Wells.