This is a very relatable book which follows one woman’s love story and what it takes to keep your identity and sense of self whilst falling in love and raising children.
Set against a backdrop of British politics from 2014 onwards, Australian copywriter Coralie meats political journalist Adam when she rescues his 4 year old daughter from drowning. This begins a love story which seems all too familiar, in which Coralie’s love is tested by forming a family, and the tensions between all the juggling she has to do, of life and emotions.
I found the characters in this book very believable, and the political backdrop added context to al, the change Coralie was experiencing- I feared the arrival of the Covid lockdown, which has been brilliantly depicted. This is definitely a love story, but in a fresh and thought provoking way. Very enjoyable. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

A brutally honest decade of a relationship, through recent British turbulence.

No relationship is perfect, none keep the early bloom, not all stay the course. Stanley forces us through the good and bad with Australian Coralie and Adam, as they meet in London under unusual circumstances: it's more a meet-wet than a meet-cute, involving Adam's young daughter. Though their subsequent first courtship moments are charming. We then watch as they cement their growing love into bricks and mortar and Coralie's desperate wish for a child of her own affects their partnership as much as Adam's own growing political career.

And all the while - Brexit happens. Boris happens. COVID happens. It's a bit of a PTSD trip for those of us who also recollect the emotions of these last years, and seeing it affect this one family is quite difficult. It's very honest though in its portrayal of the rational and less rational arguments and grievances, the problems associated with getting pregnant/birthing/having a young family as well as teens, and also the blended family that Coralie finds herself being enveloped in.

Both sides of the political spectrum are represented, Coralie's own brother, father and past play significant roles in her own story and her own mental insecurities. Her mother, back home is Australia, has cancer. Adam's mother is very present and represents a different sort of parenting figure.

This is the story of an everywoman coping with all the different trials and joys of a contemporary life, living through the same circumstances that all of us did jointly, and trying to keep her family, relationship and mental sanity together.

It was quite upsetting at times, as I saw similarities with my own thoughts and experiences here and there, and taking us back to the COVID years was quite hard to put one's self through again.

I didn't know how I felt about Adam at times, but as we didn't get his perspective on the same situation, of course Coralie was going to have our sympathies more. He's a loving and good man, and I did want their partnership to weather the storms of life ultimately.

One small story as part of a bigger whole, this felt real and raw and so close to home.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

I felt like a fly on the wall whilst reading this book as it captured Coralie's life. I thought the book flowed really well and delved head-on into family situations and I must admit, I was quite invested in all the goings on.

I do take an interest in politics, however, I thought that some parts of the overly consumed with politics; although it was a revelation that Ed Milliband had two kitchens - I must have missed that story!

“Consider Yourself Kissed” is a love story set against the backdrop of life and politics in the UK from 2012 until nearly the present day. Coralie, the main character, has moved to London from Australia but is struggling to find her feet. After rescuing a little girl from what could have been a disaster, she meets the girl’s Dad, Adam. They fall in love quickly and Coralie thinks she’s going to get everything she ever wanted. But this is only the beginning of the story. Family, friends, jobs, opportunities, world events and life just happens but this means that Coralie feels like she’s losing herself and doubting her relationship with Adam. Will she ever have the time to find herself again?

I really, really enjoyed this book. The story is told with so much wit but also so much love and I really liked all of the characters and how well they were fleshed out, even the ones who appear less frequently. And I very much appreciated the author’s takes on British politics in the last decade or so. My only criticism is that there’s a part towards the end of the book which felt like it needed a bit more attention. I don’t want to say more to avoid giving spoilers but it just took the edge of what was an otherwise excellent book. Maybe in 10 years time we can have a sequel to find out what happens next in Coralie’s story and for the author’s take on what I’m sure won’t be a dull time in British politics!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

I was completely absorbed in Coralie’s life, I devoured it. I didn’t think I’d enjoy the realistic backdrop of politics and Covid, but it made the story relatable and real. I also always love a novel set in London, my favourite city. It would have been more rewarding if we’d had a more in depth look into Coralie’s suffering and how her and Adam get through to the other side, this felt a little rushed, but other than that it was an engaging, witty, modern look at family, love and motherhood.

A big, gorgeous book - it perfectly captures the experience of motherhood, the feeling of losing your identity but also loving being a mother. The voice was strong, light and extremely readable. The sort of book that you can give to your mum, sister, best friend and they will all love it and you will all find something that resonates and that you want to talk about! I loved the huge cast of characters - there was joy and warmth in every page.

When Croalie first meets Adam, she is new to London & feeling adrift. Adam is clever, witty, and his charming four-year-old daughter, Zora, only adds to his appeal. Ten years on, something important is missing from the life Coralie & Adam have built & Coralie feels, having gained everything she dreamed of, Coralie has lost something she once had: herself.

From the moment I read the synopsis of this book I instantly wanted to read and all the great reviews are right, this is such a wonderful book.

I was utterly enthralled by Coralie’s story, the way that life progresses through the chapters, the years passing cleverly dated through the reference of various political events, allowing the reader to feel part of the journey travelled - after all we can all pinpoint exactly where we were through 2020 especially thanks to Covid!

The author has superbly created a story where not everything is perfect, with relationships, marriage, children and the daily routine, all parts of life that are often filled with turbulence. By not shying away from the elements we don’t see through rose-tinted glasses, this book is totally relatable on all levels.

It’s hard to describe just how the emotions can hit you with this book, it’s not necessarily what you’re expecting but, in my view, it gives so much more. A beautiful read that I thoroughly enjoyed and can highly recommend.

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Normally I shy away from love/romance stories but I was intrigued and really glad that I read this novel.

The characters are very relatable and likeable and I found Consider Yourself Kissed to be an easy read. We meet main characters Coralie and Adam and go through the ups and downs of their relationships and heartbreaks.

A good summery read.

Thanks to the author and Netgalley for allowing me an ARC in exchange for my review.

Consider Yourself Kissed by Jessica Stanley

This is the story of the relationship between Adam and Coralie - how they meet, get together and the next ten years of their lives before a crisis - set in London and against a backdrop of political events in the UK and beyond.

Wow, I loved EVERYTHING about this book and immediately pre-ordered a copy for the publication date! The author does so much in one novel it's utterly breathtaking - the romance between Adam and Coralie when they first meet, their relationship as it evolves, their blended families of all kinds of characters, the humour and the 'OMG yessss I know EXACTLY what you mean Coralie' moments, the lightly done but momentous political and world events which took place over the last ten years... I could go on but suffice to say it's PERFECTION and sure to be one of my books of the year! Please can it be a NetFlix series or a film??

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Coralie has transferred to London from Australia where she has escaped a situation at work. She notices Adam out with his captivating daughter, Zora, and events push them together. Coralie has always wanted to write a book but life keeps getting in the way, particularly once she's involved with Adam who writes books about current affairs. We follow her attempts at juggling her life whilst wrangling her family. I found the backdrop to this novel particularly interesting as we witness the political turmoil of the last ten years through Coralie's eyes.

Well, I could not read this quick enough! I was so engrossed in the story I wanted to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next!

The book is about Coralie, it is about her life, her family, her parenting, her relationships, her marriage, her career and her friends. It is a book about life, that many of us will recognise some or if not all of what Coralie is going through. There is so much you might relate to.

Coralie is an Australian woman living in East London, married to Adam. Coralie is a freelance writer, juggling deadlines all the time. Adam is a political journalist and has a daughter called Zora, from a previous relationship. She is such a joy and I loved the relationship between Zora and Coralie. Blended families can have their challenges, but Zora and Coralie had a wonderful bond, which was very clear to see.

The book is set against a political backdrop, covering a timeline from 2013 to 2023. We therefore hear about the different political changes, different politicians including the period of Boris Johnson's leadership, Brexit and we go through the very tough times of the COVID-19 pandemic. But we also find out so much about Coralie, in so much detail which enables us to see so much about her character. It was just a brilliant brilliant read. I cannot praise this book highly enough.

I loved the political backdrop in the book because it gave us a clear timeline, we could follow through the years easily as they were so clearly defined.

The book was deeply engaging and felt incredibly realistic, as it drew from recent events we have all heard about or experienced and vividly remember. And very very sadly, many of us have been deeply and tragically impacted by Covid.

How the book is written is so cleverly done, intertwining normal everyday life against the transformative changes that occur in Britain's political landscape.

So much happened in the ten years, not only in Coralie's life but in the world too. Coralie struggled with her role as a Mother at times because she was juggling so much with Adam often away or working on his next book. Coralie feels constantly overwhelmed, her days often feeling relentless as she juggles the demands of being a wife, a mother, a stepmother, managing the household, and pursuing her career. Coralie always tried to do her best, even when the pressure of everything became too much to bear. Just like Coralie, we all have a breaking point, where the weight of responsibilities and challenges pushes us to our limits.

This is a book about finding yourself and accepting who you are and loving who you are. We need to accept and embrace who we are, love ourselves and celebrate our qualities and strengths. It is so important to be you and live as your true self. Coralie shows resilience and determination and I absolutely loved and admired her character.

This book is filled with so many relatable moments and experiences that will resonate deeply with so many readers. I found myself completely absorbed in the book, fully drawn into the world events and political events (of which we have lived through ourselves) and the story was just all encompassing - joy, sorrow, and every emotion in between.

5 Enormous stars!

Thank you to Random House UK, Cornerstone my advanced copy. This review is based on a NetGalley ARC provided in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.

Jessica Stanley, thank you! This book quite unexpectedly dragged me right out of a persistent reading slump, and while the exact how and why is difficult to articulate, but she's worked some sorcery here. I was so engrossed in this book while travelling I barely looked up for hours at a time.

"Consider Yourself Kissed" isn't easily summarized, and that's part of its charm. It's a deeply character-driven narrative, focusing almost entirely on Coralie and meticulously charting her journey through various periods and evolving stages of her relationships. I found it impossible not to connect with at least one facet of the richly drawn personalities within these pages.

While the synopsis accurately describes a "political landscape backdrop," be prepared for a rather vivid and sometimes jarring immersion back into the recent past, specifically the COVID-19 pandemic, the era of Boris Johnson, and the shadow of Brexit. It's a bit of a jumpscare if you're unprepared.

The title, "Consider Yourself Kissed," initially struck me as somewhat trite and seemingly disconnected from the story's depth and emotional resonance. However, upon finishing the book, I suspect this is precisely the subtle brilliance Stanley intended. It's a clever misdirection that ultimately adds another layer of intrigue to this compelling and thought-provoking read.

I highly recommend "Consider Yourself Kissed" to anyone looking for a character-driven story that will stay with them long after the final page.

I don't have anything good to say about this book. It was too dreary for me, and I wouldn't recommend it.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (4/5)
Sweet and swoony, this romantic comedy is full of warmth, witty dialogue, and slow-burn charm. Jessica Stanley builds chemistry beautifully, and the emotional payoff is totally worth the wait. A delightful, feel-good story perfect for fans of cozy, character-driven romance.

I absolutely loved this book - a beautifully written, smart, witty and clever literary love story. I haven't loved a book this much in a while. Coralie felt like a friend and a confidant by the end of the book. Perfect for Virginia Woolf fans. Loved this!!

Coralie leaves her native Australia and transfers to the London office of her copywriting job after a bad experience with her boss. Her future seems bright when she falls in love with Adam, divorced father to gorgeous toddler Zora, and moves in with him, yet somehow life seems to keep getting in the way. Adam’s job as a political journalist and author has him putting in long hours and takes him away from home, leaving Coralie to keep the home fires burning while juggling childcare, of Zora and later their children together, and her own work under the disapproving eye of her current boss. She feels the guilt and longing of the working mother, and far from home while her own family in Australia is crumbling. Things need change- but how? I could not have loved this book more- the plot might sound depressing, and it is certainly emotional, but it is also very funny and totally relateable. All the characters are so individual, believable and well-drawn, and Stanley is very good at portraying children- the different stages of Zora are fabulous. This turbulent period of British history really comes alive, and the occasional political observations are hilarious. A total delight from start to finish.

Firstly thank you to Netgalley & the publishers for this arc.

While there were aspects I really enjoyed about this book, it was realistic, relatable & somewhat funny in places, unfortunately it just wasn’t for me. It jumped around a lot at the start which made it confusing & hard to read, and I found it too descriptive in places where theres no need to be, while in other parts there was no explanations or descriptions where I thought it was required, adding to the confusion more. Whilst there were also hard topics being discussed which I can fully relate to & appreciate the ones I cannot, most of the time it felt like Coralie was just very overly dramatic (Australia not being a country by the time her children were old enough to visit?) even the slightest things just seemed like the end of the world and was a bit over the top

I also felt like it was more about politics than Coralies story. I felt like I was reading one of Adams books and it was so heavily about politics it was boring after a while. I dont think there was a chapter without mentioning the Tory party or Boris Johnson so didn’t feel like the title had anything to do with the book and where it did reference a romance felt like it was just slotted it after the fact - only the last 4% & first 2% really felt like the story i was expecting from the blurb. The rest was just a retelling of English politics & how much people disliked the Torys.

Overall an interesting read but unless you’re into politics, I wouldn’t recommend.

Coralie has moved to the UK from Australia after disasters at home and at work, and unexpectedly meets and falls for single-dad Adam and his five year old daughter, but what happens after that? What happens when real life enters the fray?

I was expecting this novel to be a straight-forward love story, but what I found was something much more nuanced. This is a grown-up love story with a difference, set over 10 years, which talks about the realities of life after the meet-cute and the seeming happy-ever-after, with themes of feminism, family and politics- being particularly interested in the 'wife and mother' role that many women find themselves in, and the danger in becoming the woman who takes on all the mental load and life laundry of family life at the expense of her career and her self.

There's a lot to unpack in the novel, and I've found myself thinking about it long after I'd finished. What it says about expectations on women rang so true for me, as Coralie tries to be the perfect partner, create the perfect home, be the perfect mother, succeed in her career and support Adam in everything he does. It's also a book about what makes a family, and I really loved the bonkers cast of characters who make up the very chaotic blended (and dysfunctional!) family that Coralie becomes part of, which contrasts greatly with the family that she grew up with. The landscape of the book is also noteable as its set against Brexit, the post-Brexit mad political landscape and the Covid years. As an aside, it's the first time I've been able to read about those things with any distance, and it really brought it home the mayhem of these times which gives an extra drama to the whole piece.

Some of the scenes are pretty devastating, as well as funny and there are some great set-pieces.

This would be a great read for a bookclub, with so much to discuss, and I'd recommend it to anyone who loves intelligent fiction, particularly on the role of women in relationships, work, and in wider society, and those who love novels about dysfunctional families.

Thanks to netgalley and Random House for this digital proof

A modern romance but warts and all. Meeting, moving in, having a family, lockdown, juggling and losing your sense of self.
Dysfunctional nuclear family that leaving Australia and an obsessive boss leads to a fresh and exciting start in London.
Lots of this book will resonate with lock down mums. The daily juggle of children, blended families and trying to do your best whilst your own needs come way down the list.
An honest and emotional book.

I was completely absorbed in Coralie’s life, I devoured it. I didn’t think I’d enjoy the realistic backdrop of politics and Covid, but it made the story relatable and real. I also always love a novel set in London, my favourite city. It would have been more rewarding if we’d had a more in depth look into Coralie’s suffering and how her and Adam get through to the other side, this felt a little rushed, but other than that it was an engaging, witty, modern look at family, love and motherhood.