I loved this book!1

I found it interesting and very well written. It is very lifelike - there are always these sort of PTA mums at every school, all pushing you to make cakes etc. for the summer and Christmas fairs so I related to it well! There are ways playground groups too so I found it completely believable.

The story was unpleasant in parts and so well written - I did not want this to end. All the characters were believable and I would not hesitate to recommend this book - it was fabulous. A great read.

A definite page turner. Thoroughly enjoyed reading Other Parents, as it was so different to the murder mystery novels I usually read. . I suppose to sum the book up its all centred around gossip and rumours, but so real to life. A mix of great characters , some I liked but some I certainly didn't like. Rachel Saunders is a great character who now has her girlfriend living in the family home. Not everyone is happy about this There is so much going on with the different characters but all relevant to the story.. Al9ng with prejudices and humour this a very interesting read

A pageturning tale about the playground politics involved around the PTA in an 'outstanding' school. I really enjoyed the passive aggressive interactions between the mothers which at first seems quite superficial and amusing but it soon turns quite sinister. Some members of the PTA are against their primary school children learning that there are same sex couples as part of their curriculum, they decide to create a petition and try to canvas support. As it happens one of the Mums has recently ended her mariage and begun a love affair with a woman. The moral outrage by these two busybodies is quite spiteful and they are obviously jealous of the well off, intelligent Rachel who appears to have it all. However as the novel progresses it becomes apparent that you never know what is really going on in someones life and we should all be kinder to each other. I really enjoyed this novel, it deals with serious issues and has some well drawn characters.

I enjoyed this book enough to finish it, however I did think it could've had more of a thriller and Suspense aspect as the synopsis made out, I felt like it was lacking any real thriller and focused more on a bunch of bitchy school mums.

Such a good read.

Every small community has its secrets and scandals and Burntridge is no different.

Other Parents brings together the trials and tribulations of three families who all have a connection to the local Primary School.

All struggling with their family lives, all thinking that everyone is living the perfect existence.

However the families problems spill over into each other’s lives and things are about to get messy and give the village gossips plenty of material to discuss at the school gates.

A really enjoyable read, tackling serous subjects, I laughed and cried and also was left wondering what the future would hold for a couple of the characters.

Absolutely worth a read.

Wow this was so good. Brilliantly written, managing to simultaneously be hilariously, uproariously funny and also extremely serious, touching sensitively on some very emotive, powerful issues. Such a cleverly written book with fantastic characters. I absolutely loved it.
If you like Liane Moriarty and Diane Chamberlain, you will love this book.
Many thanks to NetGalley, HQ and Sarah Stovell for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me this arc

i really enjoyed this book after seeing it all over instagram i thought it was more than time to pick it up and it did not disappoint. sometimes i find it hard to follow multiple POVs but this one made it so easy and it dealth with a lot of difficult topics which made it also a difficult read for many, myself included.

I hope many people pick this up as it was a fantastic read that addressed really important issues.

I was left really disappointed by this book.
The premise of this book sounded right up my street, and as a teacher myself I love reading about school and parents.
I had so many problems with this book.
Firstly, it was an incredibly slow burn and took over 50% for anything major to kick off.
Also, there were just too many characters and too many sub-plots. I always struggle with books with too many characters, and I struggled here. Also, there were subplots with each of these characters, none of which seemed very important. All the subplots just confused me, I think Stovell should have just focussed on one or two plots not so many. It felt like she didn't know where the book was going at times. It felt like multiple books in one. This made the plot all over the place, and just couldn't keep my interest.

Other Parents centres around a small group of children and parents in the town of Burntridge, and the kind of events that can split a community.
We begin with a disagreement over the plans for the school to teach about inclusion. Some of the PTA parents - and we definitely have the caricature yummy mummy group in this camp - object to their children being taught that same-sex relationships are valid. When one of the mums - who has recently divided the community by coming out as a lesbian - calls them out for their bigotry, the lines are drawn.
What then follows actually depended on so many strands and storylines that it was hard to work out exactly what the focus would be. We tapped into the lives of a number of the mums and their offspring/partners, and as events progressed we got to see that plenty of secrets were going to come out. Some of which have more bearing on events than others.
By the time the book drew to a close, few people actually seemed to have learned from their experiences. Many were hurt. Lots of the strands were left unexplored and there was a definite sense for me of things simmering, ready to bubble up the next time someone ‘forgets their place’.
I’m grateful to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this before publication though it wasn’t quite the book I expected I was going to be reading.

I really enjoyed this book. It is relatable and I read it in a matter of a few days. Would read more from this author

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily.
The story takes place between the October half term break and Christmas, although there is very little written about Christmas preparations or Christmas spirit in this absorbing read. The school is the link for the relationships between families which are presented and explored realistically. Emotions run high with topics covering various issues familiar to everyone, and some of the characters are extremely vociferous about their beliefs leading to some comical moments. I thought the issues were presented sensitively and without prejudice albeit that some of the language used was unexpected in such a middle class setting. The book is well written and I particularly liked the way most loose ends are tied in the final few pages. I recommend this interesting read and I am signing up to follow this author.

Anyone who has ever spent time at the school gates will recognise the personality traits of some of these characters but, although the school is the main link, the book goes much further than the school gates.
There are quite a few characters in this book but it is told from the perspective of the main five.
Laura is struggling the most, Jo is firmly stuck in the middle and needs to maintain a professional approach and Rachel, Erin and Maia have their own interwoven relationships to work out.
Throw in the (controversial to some) introduction of a new element in the school curriculum which divides opinions and battle lines are drawn. Rachel is the one you would want on your team, she is outspoken and funny and doesn't care how others view her but sometimes this just causes more tension.
The book delivers a range of emotions including humour, empathy, concern, anxiety etc and weaves them into a story of modern day life with a diverse mix of characters.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy for my honest review

If you have ever been a parent on the school run, you will know the characters in this book. Funny yet with deep moments and really of the times, this follows Rachel as she divorces her husband and sets up home with her girlfriend - with repercussions she was not expecting. Well written and beautifully paced. A great fun read.

I reviewed this book for a blog tour.

http://ramblingmads.com/2022/01/18/blog-tour-other-parents-sarah-stovell/

Jo is head teacher of a first school which has an excellent reputation. As part of the curriculum, the children have to learn about families including LGBTQ families. This sparks a debate amongst parents about the suitability of this with children of this age. Depending on each family setup, their slant on this issue will be coloured differently. Throw in other family issues into the mix and give it a stir.
I really loved this playground drama and empathised with most of the characters and their family issues. Told from different characters' point of view it was well rounded.

Rachel is in a new relationship with Erin, this has taken its toll on the whole family after splitting up with her husband Will.
Maia is Rachel’s middle child and is struggling with her mums new found happiness, after walking in on her mum and Erin Maia goes a bit mad and has a new outlook on love.
Jo is the headmistress of the local first school and best friends with Rachel until a major event with her son Luke is set to rip their friendship apart.
Laura is a single mother to Max a five year old who has a lot of problems. She struggles to make ends meet and her life is hard work.
I enjoyed this book, it took me a bit to get all the characters names and life’s into my head but once they were in WOW!
A great story to show how life isn’t always what it looks like from the outside. Will definitely look for other books by Sarah Stilwell.
Thank you HQ and NetGalley for an early copy of this book.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. looking forward to more from this author. Recommended.

There is a lot of darkness and sadness in this book but I love the way people pulled together to support each other, despite numerous attempts to pull them apart. I thought the focus on an LGBTQ couple was great and I adored Rachel - I wish she was my friend! Such a straight talking, no nonsense, strong female character - loved her.

Other Parents
Sarah Stovell

There really is quite a lot going on in this story of a small town, centred around the local primary school. I enjoyed the fact that the story was told from multiple view perspectives and I thought some of the themes explored were really interesting. Unfortunately I also felt that there were too many themes, resulting in a not very satisfactory result for the reader. Really good writing however with lots of potential. Possible mini series?
Many thanks to HQ and to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review Other Parents.

This is an absorbing read, which I found extremely relatable and hard to put down. I wince when I remember the playground cliques that I encountered when I was involved in the dreaded school run, and the characters that Sarah creates will resonate with many readers.

The theme of teaching primary school children about the LGBTQ community is modern and refreshing and the author handles this extremely well. There were some cringe-inducing moments, as well as funny incidents, which took me on an emotional rollercoaster yet didn't drain me.

Told over the character's points of view, this is a character-driven plot. Each of them has their own flaws which are exposed steadily. This would be an ideal book club read as there are many things and opinions to discuss, however, I do not want to add any spoilers in this review!

If you love scandals, secrets, and exploring different characters, then this is the book for you and I definitely recommend it.