Such a lovely, warm, life-affirming read! Padma’s partner puts their relationship on a break after giving Padma an ultimatum about having kids. Around the same time, Padma is tasked with looking after her troubled teenage niece for the summer. This book charts their summer together and how their relationships with themselves and others evolve.

I’d recommend this to anyone. It’s heartbreaking in some places and laugh-out-loud funny in others. Beautifully written.

Padma is at a crossroads in her life. She's given an ultimatum by her boyfriend, to have a child with him or they split up. Then her niece, Myra, is taken to hospital with alcohol poisoning. She isn't close to her sister but agrees to look after her niece at a cottage by the sea for the duration of the summer holidays.
In a way this is a paint by numbers scenario. An idyllic seaside setting, a ramshackle cottage that needs doing up, relationship troubles, topped off with a cosy cafe and lots of lovely descriptions of Indian food. Oh and a possible new man on the horizon. But for all that I just loved this book. I could see what was happening around every corner. No surprises, twists or turns. It was just a feel good read. Readers may want to know that depression features in the book. It is dealt with realistically but sensitively. Apart from the horrible boyfriend, I loved all the characters. Especially Padma. She was filled with self doubt and had the weight of the world on her shoulders but she was so determined to get through it all. I think we've all felt like that and I found her inspirational. This is my first book by this author but I've already bought one of her previous books and will be looking forward to her next one. Thank Netgalley and the publishers the ARC.

Although Poorna Bell's name feels familiar, I can't recall ever delving into her works prior to picking up this novel. As someone who typically immerses themselves in crime and mystery novels, this was a pleasant surprise. Intrigued, I decided to give it a chance when I stumbled upon it on Netgalley.

"This Is Fine" is a narrative that delves into themes of grief, heartbreak, and depression, illustrating the profound impact of human experiences throughout life's journey. Despite the weighty subjects it addresses, the story is anything but bleak. It flows gracefully, much like a bird hopping on the sand, evoking a sense of lightness amidst the poignant moments. The storytelling is like a dance, effortlessly guiding readers through the intricacies of the characters' lives.

It's a heartwarming tale, that captivates from the first page to the last. The authors ability to seamlessly immerse readers into the story and the lives of her characters is remarkable. I'm eager to explore more of her work after experiencing the effortless charm of this novel. "This Is Fine" is an engaging read that is sure to resonate with any audience, reminiscent of a perfect rom com enjoyed on a lazy Sunday night.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this for an honest review

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK , Cornerstone for an ARC.

Caution; Mild spoilers (I’ve tried to keep it vague)
Brief review; 3 ½ star book that has the space to be 4 or more with a few modifications.

Let me begin with a positive. Most of the main cast and secondary is well written and developed. Poorna Bell knows how to say just enough about a character to give them the depth and flavour required to care about what happens to them. Of note to me was Myra. She acts her age (this is hard to do!) and her emotional regulation develops as the book progresses. A less skilled author would have struggled to turn Myra from as unlikeable as she is at the start of the story to the strong woman she grows to be over the book. Padma’s love for Myra ,despite how difficult Myra makes things at first, feels genuine and believable. I also really liked both café owners for being sweet and encouraging without being cloying.

In contrast, Wallace felt quite two dimensional for how much he factors into Padma’s life. Poorna Bell could have used spent some of the time Padma fixates on her past conflicts with her mother on their relationship. She comes across as extremely co-dependant on him until later, but we never really get to see how these residual feelings remain. The version of Wallace we see seems profoundly awful. Perhaps this was the point. Even so, Poorna Bell could have spent time showing how loving he once was to contrast the cruel man we see within these pages.

To return to the positive, I really loved to see Padma regain her confidence through cooking and getting closer to Myra through cooking too. It was fantastic to see Myra be just as encouraging to Padma as she is to her. The gradual progression of her talents being seen by the right eyes to the outcomes of the epilogue felt organic and well-paced. I would say that Pinky DishWala’s role in the video beef felt a little, unrealistic. However, I didn’t mind it. I will return to this point later.

In contrast, I found Hugo’s role in the story often harmed the message of self-love that I feel gives this book its heart. Padma learns to love herself and be happy alone only for this to feel detracted by Hugo’s presence. Perhaps some readers may enjoy that she finds love again. Me? The bond between Myra and Padma and their relationship is what got me to the end. Hugo had me skimming. In a similar thread, I find that the frequent reminisce of her troubled childhood is a little excessive. Whilst “the seaside story” and “when mom was gone” stories really work for the story, the rest didn’t feel that necessary.

To end on a more neutral thought, the final fifth and ending leaves me with some complex feelings. On one hand, it’s emotional and intense. Book long plot threads come to roost and closure is given to many questions. On the other, the mental episode feels too convenient. I didn’t like mental breakdowns as a plot device. It is also so much more intense than the rest of the book. I spent most of the book enjoying some reflective chatter and character growth. The last part was genuinely distressing.

So how would I improve this book? I have a few ideas.

Firstly, I would rethink Hugo as a character within the story. I see his value as a good friend to Padma outside of the cafes and family. However, their romance is undeveloped, and it leaves it feeling unnecessary. Poorna Bell should either give the romance more room to grow or focus on Myra’s and Padma’s self-love and self-growth journey. I think the latter is better.

Secondly, I think Padma could have participated in some therapy of her own. This would be a great way to repurpose the passages about her mother and the effect of her depression. This would have allowed Padma the space to grow beyond her food and her niece. As someone who is all too in touch with depression, there’s no such thing as the day it’s all fixed but I really think Padma should have ended the story being more in control of these feelings. As it stands, I left the story with a sense of dread that these unresolved issues might harm her happy ending.

Finally, I think Poorna Bell should decide what sort of book she wants this book to be.

Is a poolside read about women uplifting women despite their struggles ?

Is this a book that mediates on generational trauma and mental health as demons we must tame to become better that is supposed to be deeply contemplative?

Is this a love story?

Is this about self-love necessary to grow as a person?

There are two ways Poorna Bell might be able to do this.

Poorna Bell could focus on keeping the book light and airy by reducing some of the darkness surrounding her childhood and depression to give the book a more uplifting feel. This would give it a good “read by pool” experience with less moments that might get them to shut the book as to not spoil their mood.

Alternatively, Poorna Bell has the bones for a great meditation on mental health and generational trauma and how we must push beyond this darkness to grow. She could do this by Padma having a more realistic version of her mental issues. I feel things are solved a little too neatly as it stands.

To put this more simply, Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK for an ARC.

Caution; Mild spoilers (I’ve tried to keep it vague)

Brief review; 3 ½ star book that has the space to be 4 or more with a few modifications.

Let me begin with a positive. Most of the main cast and secondary is well written and developed. Poorna Bell knows how to say just enough about a character to give them the depth and flavour required to care about what happens to them. Of note to me was Myra. She acts her age (this is hard to do!) and her emotional regulation develops as the book progresses. A less skilled author would have struggled to turn Myra from as unlikeable as she is at the start of the story to the strong woman she grows to be over the book. Padma’s love for Myra ,despite how difficult Myra makes things at first, feels genuine and believable. I also really liked both café owners for being sweet and encouraging without being cloying.

In contrast, Wallace felt quite two dimensional for how much he factors into Padma’s life. Poorna Bell could have used spent some of the time Padma fixates on her past conflicts with her mother on their relationship. She comes across as extremely co-dependent on him until later, but we never really get to see how these residual feelings remain. The version of Wallace we see seems profoundly awful. Perhaps this was the point. Even so, Poorna Bell could have spent time showing how loving he once was to contrast the cruel man we see within these pages.

To return to the positive, I really loved to see Padma regain her confidence through cooking and getting closer to Myra through cooking too. It was fantastic to see Myra be just as encouraging to Padma as she is to her. The gradual progression of her talents being seen by the right eyes to the outcomes of the epilogue felt organic and well-paced.

In contrast, I found Hugo’s role in the story often harmed the message of self-love that I feel gives this book its heart. Padma learns to love herself and be happy alone only for this to feel detracted by Hugo’s presence. Perhaps some readers may enjoy that she finds love again. Me? The bond between Myra and Padma and their relationship is what got me to the end. Hugo had me skimming. In a similar thread, I find that the frequent reminisce of her troubled childhood is a little excessive. Whilst “the seaside story” and “when mom was gone” stories really work for the story, the rest didn’t feel that necessary.

To end on a more neutral thought, the final fifth and ending leaves me with some complex feelings. On one hand, it’s emotional and intense. Book long plot threads come to roost and closure is given to many questions. On the other, the mental episode feels too convenient. I didn’t like mental breakdowns as a plot device. It is also so much more intense than the rest of the book. I spent most of the book enjoying some reflective chatter and character growth. The last part was genuinely distressing.

So how would I improve this book? I have a few ideas.

Firstly, I would rethink Hugo as a character within the story. I see his value as a good friend to Padma outside of the cafes and family. However, their romance is undeveloped, and it leaves it feeling unnecessary. Poorna Bell should either give the romance more room to grow or focus on Myra’s and Padma’s self-love and self-growth journey. I think the latter is better.

Secondly, I think Padma could have participated in some therapy of her own. This would be a great way to repurpose the passages about her mother and the effect of her depression. This would have allowed Padma the space to grow beyond her food and her niece. As someone who is all too in touch with depression, there’s no such thing as the day it’s all fixed but I really think Padma should have ended the story being more in control of these feelings. As it stands, I left the story with a sense of dread that these unresolved issues might harm her happy ending.

Finally, I think Poorna Bell should decide what sort of book she wants this book to be.

Is a poolside read about women uplifting women despite their struggles?

Is this a book that mediates on generational trauma and mental health as demons we must tame to become better that is supposed to be deeply contemplative?

Is this a love story?

Is this about self-love necessary to grow as a person?

There are two ways Poorna Bell might be able to do this.

Poorna Bell could focus on keeping the book light and airy by reducing some of the darkness surrounding her childhood and depression to give the book a more uplifting feel. This would give it a good “read by pool” experience with less moments that might get them to shut the book as to not spoil their mood.

Alternatively, Poorna Bell has the bones for a great meditation on mental health and generational trauma and how we must push beyond this darkness to grow. She could do this by Padma having a more realistic version of her mental issues. I feel things are solved a little too neatly as it stands.

To put this more simply, Pinky Dishwalla has a comedic moment and easy solution to the conflict Padma has later on feels at home in a light and airy book. In a more serious novel, I think she would need to think of a different route to resolution.

To conclude, this is a book feels like it has as many positives as negatives. Some characters are well made, some aren’t. Some plot threads are compelling, others simply aren’t. A classic 3 ½ star book that could easily be 4 or more with some edits. as a comedic moment and easy solution to the conflict Padma has later on feels at home in a light and airy book. In a more serious novel, I think she would need to think of a different route to resolution.

To conclude, this is a book feels like it has as many positives as negatives. Some characters are well made, some aren’t. Some plot threads are compelling, others simply aren’t. A classic 3 ½ star book that could easily be 4 or more with some edits.

What a warm and easy read. Deals with some difficult topics on mental health with compassion and hope. Relatable characters make it easy to become involved in the story. First book I’ve read by this author but certainly won’t be the last.

This was my first time reading anything by Poorna Bell, but I throughly enjoyed it. The characters were likeable and relatable, and I found myself rooting for the main character Padma and her niece Myra. I also found the subject of mental health was handled wonderfully.
As this was an arc, there were instances I felt needed editing. Sometimes words merged, and the end seemed to continue into the acknowledgements, but I think the final product will go down well. I'd like to thank Poorna and her team for allowing me to read this arc, as I probably wouldn't have picked it up in a store due to not knowing Poorna's work beforehand. Also thanks to NetGalley.

A really lovely read, an engaging story with lovable believable characters, I loved the way it didn't shy away from what for some could be a difficult subject, but was dealt with sensitively

This was warm and uplifting read that still explores the subject of growing up with one alcoholic and one absent parent, and the aftermath of subsequent trauma. "This Is Fine" also touches on the issue of how child-free women are perceived and how their perspectives as well as choices are being invalidated by the wider society.

What I liked in Poorna Bell's novel was the portrait of the relationship between the sisters - Padma and Daisy. It was the meetiest amongst them all, very nuanced and believable. The relationship between Padma and Myra was written quite... flatly, when compared to what's going on between the sisters.

I could also live without the slowly burning romance storyline, but to each their own.

Padma and Wallace's relationship seems to be fine, until he gives he ran ultimatum.

Padma's sister thinks everything is fine with her family, until it isn't.

And these crisis points are how Padma and her 15 year old niece find themselves in a run-down house on the Kent coast for the summer holidays.

Can everyone sort themselves out?

Fantastic, with characters you care about.

This was a good read. I don't usually read contemporary, but I liked the characters and their interactions with one another. It was decently written, but the ebook had some odd formatting, leaving random spaces in the middle of sentences. Also, some words are put together that shouldn't be, like "thirtynine". These are small editing errors, but they took away from the reading experience.

Overall, I'd rate this 3 stars for the engaging and believable characters. The plot was predictable and the editing seemed to be lacking, so I can't rate it higher.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC.

A lot interesting ideas and issues explored in this book but it far too much like a romance and happy go lucky I hate to say chick lit novel. The author has made a good effort trying to make it deeper but I found it predictable and boring. There really isn't a great character journey beyond the usual plot lines and anything that would have given it more merit isn't explored enough to level into a great book. Really not have enjoyed this one but it's not what description or the cover suggests it to be. Am sure it will be popular with certain readers but for me there is no wit, smarts or real meaning all very sweet and obvious plot developments...not for me

Absolutely brilliant, loved it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me an advance copy, I will definitely be recommending.

I enjoyed the relationship dynamics that are explored in this book. It shows building relationships and also questioning current relationships, many relatable ideas are explored for me.