I knew before reading it that this book would be right up my street and I wasn’t wrong. It’s a sinister uncovering of the tangled webs that make up a seemingly perfect community. There are multiple revelations, murky secrets and hastily hidden truths at the core of this sleepy Northumberland village and I was hooked from beginning to end.

The characters were excellent, I particularly liked Rachel, a very outspoken mother of three, and thought the dynamic depicted between her and eldest daughter Maia was really interesting. This book looks at the whole class spectrum from those basking in comfortable wealth and those living on the breadline and literally doing whatever it takes to make ends meet - a stark contrast and a very realistic portrait of the world we currently live in.

I definitely want to read more by this author, the words just flow off the page and although there are a lot of issues tackled, it didn’t feel overdone and I was truly invested.

Thanks to HQ and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book drew me in with it’s premise, it’s setting, and kept me hooked for hours at a time. The start of the book delivers on the promise of the blurb: at a small town’s primary school, battle is waged between an out-and-proud mother of three and the homophobic head of the PTA. Before long though, the story takes a much darker turn, as secrets are revealed and loyalties tested.

First of all, the things that worked for me: I really liked the multiple perspectives. Sometimes too many perspectives can feel crowded, but I thought it was done really well and helped us to understand all the characters’ points of view. There was very little communication between the characters or development of one particular character, so having those multiple perspectives really helped us as readers understand where all of the different characters were coming from.

This is the sort of book that you cannot put down. I read the whole thing in one day, picking it up every spare minute to find out what happened next. Every time I said to myself “okay, last chapter”, there was a big reveal and I had to know what happened next.

The problem I had though, is that the pacing and the plot relied too much on the big reveals and not enough on the actual development of the characters or storyline. The first half of the book, with the initial premise, never felt resolved or completed, as the story became something else entirely that bore little to no relation to the beginning. If I had known what the plot actually was, I don’t know if I would have picked this book up (and I recommend to anyone wanting to read this book that you check the content warnings first).

With all the big twists and reveals, I found myself being pulled out of the story as it became less believable. Some storylines, shocking when first revealed, turned out to be nothing much. Some things were extreme but didn’t feel as important as they should have. Some things felt too unrealistic; surely a headteacher would know more laws regarding minors than she seemed to in this book? Some things were just little bug bears: I have never met a homophobe who hasn’t made a point of getting the letters “LGBTQ” wrong, or similar moments where frankly the politically incorrect words would have made more sense coming from the characters thinking or saying them. All of these things are little things, but they added up as the book progressed and ultimately undermined it for me.

Overall, while I was gripped while reading this book, it was the plot that let it down for me as it progressed.

Thank you to the publishers for providing me with a free copy for review. All opinions are my own.

I found Other Parents an interesting read. I liked the characters and the storylines and the believability of the playground politics! All in all a great read.

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for my ARC.

Wow could not put this down. Thank you Netgalley and the publishers. This is the first book i have read by Sarah Stovell but not my last. I was hooked into the women's lives from the get go and the book held my interest till the end.

What a great book, interesting and loved reading about all the different characters. The book is fast paced and you want to keep reading to find out what the next character is doing. This would make a perfect film.

Rachel and her partner Erin live in a small town with Rachel’s 3 children. Tess is 6 and goes to the local primary school where the other parents come into play. Laura parent of Max is troubled and with her friend Kate lead the PTA at the school. Jo, the headmistress of the school is lovely, she’s supportive and happy. Lots of secrets happen and all of them come out in the book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

Set in a small community the story is told from five perspectives. When a few parents question the teaching of some areas in school, it appears many people have differing opinions on this. Totally relevant and honest. A refreshing read.

Brilliant! There is a lot going on in a small town and everyone really is connected to each others lives, even if they are not aware of it at first. The story starts in a courtroom, we don't know the outcome of that by the end of chapter one but you can guess it will turn out tricky for someone by the end of the book. A very absorbing read, quite dark at times, dealing with some heavy subjects but it's written with plenty of humour. I think it will strike a chord with anyone who has ever had any dealings with a primary school PTA, quite what sort of chord is perhaps up to you. Family relationships, teenagers, domestic drama, it's all there, a great read!

Loved this book! Very different from the usual , excellent characterisation, focusing on modern day dilemmas for the gaggle at the school gate. I just read and read and couldn’t put it down! A great read!

This was such a hoot to read! Brilliant characterisation and setting - all (sadly) totally believable and recognisable.

I am, thankfully, past the playground politics stage of my life now, but I knew mothers just like some of these! This is a book about relationships and the competitive nature of parenting. Ostensibly, it seems to be a story about a school community and small town life which are rocked to their core when Rachel, married with three children breaks up her family home to begin again with her new female lover, Erin. However, for me, what resonated more distinctly was the story of her eldest daughter, Maia, and the apparent fallout from their relationship. Rachel's new relationship is like the 'butterfly effect' and the impact on so many lives in unexpected ways were a revelation.

Maia, a star pupil, leaves the family home to live with her father after walking in on Rachel and Erin celebrating in what they think is an empty house. Maia's father is clearly out of his depth and unable to support his daughter through this tumultuous time and a series of bad decisions changes the direction in which she was travelling.

This book is hysterical and hard-hitting with a political commentary underpinning some of the issues so it made for uncomfortable reading at times. The playground is populated with parents from a variety of backgrounds and readers should know that poverty, sex workers, child neglect, sexual abuse and a sense of privilege, are just some so the issues addressed. The book tests friendship bonds that have been in place for years. Against some of these deep, serious moments there are hilarious moments of reality. The PTA fete is not to be missed for both its horror and humour.

Really interesting book, appears light and fluffy but has a darker centre! Don't miss it. 4 and half stars from me.

This plot immediately appealed to me! I hadn’t heard of the author before but the plot was strong enough to excite me.

Erin and Rachel are lesbians or rather they are ‘LOLS’ - late-onset lesbians. Rachel, a successful career woman, has left her husband to set up house with her children and Erin. Rachel’s 3 children are angry, hurt, frustrated and unhappy - they see their father as a victim and see their Mum as destroyer of the family. Rachel and Erin are desperate to restore some level of peace to their home. Their neighbour, Jo, has problems of her own. Her son has returned, job less, and the PTA are making things very difficult for her, especially when they start up a petition against the curriculum for sex education which, heaven forbid, includes positive discussion of same sex partnerships.

I absolutely loved this book. I loved the portrayal of small town life; the small minded pettiness; the public discussion of people’s lives; ownership of everyone else’s business. I loved the characters - Rachel is strong, outwardly confident, inwardly questioning herself and anxiously examining her parenting. Rachel made me laugh as she zealously challenges the prejudice often without filter - ‘So please take your bright red clipboard and shove it up your vagina. She had meant to say arse. She really had…’ Jo is the kind of woman you would love as a headteacher - fair and balanced, patient…She reacts to challenges both as a Mother and a head teacher which make you want to stand on a chair and whoop! Maia, a teenager who isn’t coping well with this new relationship; who feels the embarrassment most keenly, and who reacts against it most dangerously. And there is Laura, a single Mum, who struggles to feed, clothe and care for her son; forced into desperate choices. Her difficulty in managing her son seems to be deeper than economic..she is an unhappy parent.

There are many big themes in this story - friendship, loyalty, trust, love, parenting and women - women as workers, as Mothers, friends, lovers..It reminded me of Big Little Lies and Little Fires Everywhere but with more emotional intelligence in the writing . I really felt like I came to know these women.

A wonderful read. Thank you so much to Netgalley and HQ for a digital copy of this great read.

Firstly I need to say that this book was very readable. Short chapters from different people, just what I love.
The story centres around a group of people, mostly parents, in a small North Eastern community, their lives and lies. When a prominent PTA member objects to the teaching of LGBTQ+ tolerance at the local primary school, even though it is age appropriate, it starts an avalanche of huge proportions.
This is where the problem that I had with the story lies. It is as if the author wanted to shoehorn as many topics into the story as possible. Lesbianism, sex offending, prostitution, single-parenting, bigotry, feckless men, you name it it's there. I'm not disputing that these things don't happen in life it's just that I felt that there were so many issues that it was impossible to explore each topic fully and it didn't give the time to let each subject develop as it could.
As I said at the beginning of the review I enjoyed the style of the writing and the way the story was told but felt that it couldn't do justice to all the topics in it.

Great book! loved the development of characters and how Jo's character didn't bend to the defensive mother type. Really enjoyed the fiery Rachel character too!

Really enjoyed this, it was so much more than a book about school politics and covered a lot of issues in a sensitive and thoughtful way. Very readable and lively, will look out for more by this author.

Fantastic domestic noir. A cast of PTA queens ruling the school.. The story is riveting with school politics, tension, gossip, secrets and great humour. Two warring mothers on the different side of a debate, one with very personal views. The characters were relatable and real. I absolutely loved it.

I’d like to thank HQ and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Other Parents’ written by Sarah Stovell in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Rachel Saunders is a well-respected member of the affluent West Burntridge community and gossip is rife when she separates from her husband and moves girlfriend Erin into the house. Jo Fairburn is the new headteacher of the First School and soon has a battle on her hands as two members of the PTA attempt to stop her teaching certain aspects of the sex education curriculum to their children. More than one battle is due to commence!

‘Other Parents’ is one of the most enjoyable novels I’ve had the pleasure to read in a long time. The descriptions of the characters with their strengths and weaknesses are described to perfection, their manner of speaking superb, and the style of writing flows so easily I’ve just had to keep reading. I love the characters, Jo, Rachel and Erin in particular, and sympathise greatly with Laura who’s at the end of her tether as she cares for her son. Topics of importance such as LGBTQ and the treatment of women have been dealt with sympathetically but there’s also humour that’s had me laughing out loud, especially the fight at the Christmas tombola and cake stall when missiles go flying. This is a wonderful book, thoroughly enjoyable, highly readable and definitely recommended.

Blimey, what a book, it's an absolute belter. Dealing with some hefty subjects, the black humour peppering it helps to lighten the mood somewhat making it very, very readable. The interaction between Rachel and Monro at the fair is fantastic and the sentence about merely hating someone so much she could.......made me smile in complete agreement.

Other Parents
Guilty or not guilty? The book begins with a tense courtroom scene as everyone holds their breath for the verdict and then we meet the 5 women whose stories begin to intertwine with each other.
Jo is the newly appointed headteacher at the Ofsted rated outstanding West Burntridge First School in Northumberland and is expecting this to be her final job prior to retirement. She has an 80% affluent, white intake while the other 20% are from the other side of the tracks. They all live in Maltby, a small village near the school. It’s the kind of school where parents vent on Facebook about the ‘lack of vegetables on offer in school dinners’ or become outraged about the ‘poor casting choices for the class assembly.’ Maltby is a village that had has preserved its ‘quiet Victoriana so enthusiastically that Jo occasionally feared Jacob Rees-Mogg might move in and make himself mayor.’ Even the litter was nothing more harmful than ‘the occasional bruschetta or a couple of cherry tomatoes.’
Rachel, gifted, outspoken, social activist, writer and broadcaster has high expectations of her 3 children: Reuben, Maia. and Tess. She and her husband, Will, have recently divorced and she is now living with her same sex partner, Erin. Reuben will soon be off to uni but 15 year old Maia is about to embark onto the world of relationships. Rachel and Erin’s relationship is a scandal in Burntridge’s community, according to some, and especially in the competitive world of Ofsted ratings and mum-upmanship. It’s Jo’s decision to have an inclusive school and that, in accordance with the national curriculum, pupils are being taught about same sex relationships. This incurs the wrath of the PTA, a powerful body of parents who soon organize a petition against it in protest.
One of these is single, struggling mum, Laura with her young son Max. He is having extremely worrying outbursts of rage and she works nights, leaving him alone. Then his father, Drew, breezes back into their lives and wants to be a proper father to Max. Could this be the help that Laura needs?
Erin is a journalist and knows that she is resented by Maia despite her attempts to be friends. But it’s an incident at home which leads to Maia deciding to move in with her father that sets off the train of events that leads to the courtroom.
But it all culminates at the PTA Christmas fair amongst the cupcakes and the upmarket raffle prizes when simmering resentments and secrets finally come tumbling out.
This is a thoughtful, well written book which explores several themes. The impact of life choices on others, the difference between men and women’s perceptions of sex and small communities.
However, it’s the wry touches of humour that really lift this book from being a very dark tale. My only criticism is that I thought the men were a little underdeveloped and remained shadowy. But this was the women’s story and I really enjoyed it. I read it at one sitting as it was a very entertaining read, especially the bun fight at the Christmas fair and the darker elements were well handled and convincing.
The cover was a little misleading as it made the book seem a lot frothier than it actually was.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an Arc.

I absolutely adored this book, once I started reading I just couldn’t stop, kept me reading late into the night, I didn’t get much sleep last night. Great characters and very believable plot.

Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me this book in return for a review.

This is a tale of a small town and the stories of everyday parents at the primary school. After the syllabus changes so that schools are required to talk about homosexual relationships parents start to take sides. However, there are secrets in every family and not everyone is as they seem. Add in some teens and the drama builds.

There are some very interesting characters, the issues brought up are dealt with sensitively and despite the drama it felt like a story that could easily happen. I’d really recommend this book.

Thanks to @netgalley for arc of this book
The story is told via five women Rachel, the mum of three very talented outspoken writer and public speaker who now lives with another woman, Erin the other woman who is suddenly thrust into a family situation with a very resentful teenage daughter who wants the mum and dad back together so leaves to hurt the mum. Maia is the daughter she is very beautiful, extremely talented at music and excels at school but has just realised she has a hold over men with her sexuality. Jo headmistress of local first school best friend of Rachel for twenty years stayed with husband until children were grown up so as not to hurt or damage them with divorce now living alone until her son Luke turns up unexpectedly and she wants to know why? Jo also has very active PTA at her school who have started a petition against the new curriculum of inclusive learning and want their children removed from lesson that teach about LGBTQ as they deem it unhealthy. Laura member of PTA who is single parent to a child who Jo has concerns about but needs tread carefully as Laura thinks everyone is out to take her son of her, if only they knew what she really did for work and the people she met they probably would
Small town playground politics become increasingly bigger throughout this book