This book reminded me a lot of The Dead Friend Project by Joanna Wallace - a messy, hard-to-like woman trying to solve a mystery. I think that the less-than-perfect woman is such an interesting character to read as it goes against the traditional view that women need to be perfect in every aspect of their life...which none of us are.

That same fierce love is evident in both books too, in this instance Florence is trying desperately to protect her son at any cost, even if he has done something truly terrible. It's a showing of undying all-encompassing maternal feelings that never feels like a trope. Florence's actions feel genuine, if a little unhinged, all the time. The clever way that the events are ramped up a little at a time gives it an authenticity in that I could absolutely believe that, as each is a small step from the previous, someone could find themselves convinced that what they were doing was rational.

Everything about Florence sets her apart from the school-gate mums at her son's posh London school - she is American, single, has no job, and isn't hiding her fuzzy edges. She doesn't put on a pretence of who she feels she should be, I'm not sure she's self-aware enough to ever think of that!

The pacing of the central mystery (what happened to the wholly awful Alfie Risby) is spot-on. I tore through the book and it kept up with me, keeping me engaged all the way. A great debut.

Set in the backdrop of a preppy school in London, ex pop star Florence just doesn’t seem to fit in with the other mums.
When one of the boys from her son’s class goes missing and she finds his backpack under her son’s bed, we see how far a mother will go to protect her son, from Amazon prime deliveries to Ritz afternoon teas and flirting her way to the answer.

There’s budding friendships, plastic babies and blackmail. Not my typical read, but I was hooked nonetheless. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Fourth Estate for this early release copy. I saw this in Irish bookstores a couple of weeks back, but can see it has a UK/kindle publication date of 10th April.

At the start of this book I thought I am not going to like this and thought will I give up. I persevered and continued to read the book and it got better as the book went on.

Florence lives with her son Dylan she is divorced and shares custody with her ex Will. A boy Alfie from Dylan’s class goes missing and Dylan is a suspect. Florence becomes friends with Jenny another Mum from the school and start investigating the disappearance of Alfie will they find him.

I liked how in the end Florence seemed to change she was selfish at the start but by the end of the book she came into her own. As I said as the book went on it became more interesting and certainly it had a twist at the end which I did not see coming.

It was an easy read.

A roller-coaster of a book which was an enjoyable read. A boy goes missing on a school trip and Florence, believing her son may have something to do with it, tries to protect him by trying to solve the mystery. Funny, emotional and unpredictable.

Enjoyed this book with its occasional humorous moments and proof of a mothers love for her son. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

I found this book entertaining enough and the writing is good. Some of the one-liners made me chuckle – but I can’t say it’s a book I would recommend. The characters aren’t believable or likeable, and the plot was weak. I’m not sure whether it’s supposed to be a cosy crime, a thriller, or a comedy but it’s an easy read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, and I’m sorry I can’t really think of anything positive to say about it. 2.5 stars upped to 3 for the humorous bits,

This book got me out of a book slump! I devoured this is one sitting. The twists! The turns! LOVED IT. Florence isn't particularly likable and yet I found myself rooting for her all the way through. It was just so well written.

I know so many people are going to love this. Florence is a tricky character who feels so familiar to British comedies. I instantly felt like I knew this character in a great way. When a young boy goes missing and Florence's own son is unreadable, she goes to some lengths to keep him safe. All while dragging in a fellow school mum, Jenny. I thoroughly enjoyed watching these two try to investigate the case and it did even feel pretty suspenseful at times. A great time, I will be recommending.

I wasn't sure how it was going to go as I didn't warm to Florence but I enjoyed it as the book and mystery progress.

All The Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman is such a fast paced fun read.

Florence Grimes, former girlband member, now single mother living in Shepherds Bush in London. Her son Dylan attends the exclusive St Angeles School in the neighbouring borough, her son is a bit of a loner with no friends his own age. Florence isn’t a lady who brunches, and as the title of the book suggests, all the other mothers hate her.

When Dylan’s nemesis, Alfie RIsby, goes missing on a school trip and Dylan becomes a suspect Florence does what she can to investigate the disappearance and investigate. What follows is a rollercoaster of a ride - just when you think Florence wouldn’t dare to push any boundaries - she does!

Florence is deeply flawed and completely selfish - but you can’t help like her and root for her.

I can’t wait read to Sarah Harman’s next book!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, 4th Estate, for making this e-ARC available to me in exchange for a fair and honest review.

We meet Florence as the classmate of her 10-yr-old son goes missing. Noticing the snide comments and sideways glances of the “Other Mothers” at the fancy public school her son attends, former pop singer Florence decides to investigate the case herself, to prove her son’s innocence.

Teaming up with a new mum at the school, Jenny, Florence sets about working out what is happening, whilst trying to parent her son, keep his tortoise alive, resurrect her singing career, be a bridesmaid to her sister, and sort out the plumbing with her neighbour.

Florence is, quite frankly, awful – but the resulting book is a surprisingly funny and tender look at what mothers will do for their children. The plot is well-paced and the characters are all engaging, if not all that likeable.

My thanks to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for the arc to review.

Witty and touching. Part satire, all mirror. A book that asks what wouldn’t we do to protect our children and if that’s actually the right thing to do. I devoured it. Fans of Charlotte Vassell this will sit right up your street.

Washed up pop star Florence is clinging on to her youth and beauty whilst trying to Mariah Carey her way back to the spotlight. She’s also a single mother to her offbeat 10 year old Dylan, who attends a posh all boys school and is not the most popular boy in class. When a boy goes missing (a boy Florence doesn’t particularly like) and evidence starts pointing towards Dylan, Florence goes into full protective mum mode. The thing is, being a parent can take a village so what do you do when all the other mothers hate you?

Florence was a bold protagonist because she’s not massively likeable but it utterly works. She grows, she errs and she is totally honest. The author has nailed it! The characters are the absolute star of this book.

Part mystery, part domestic and part satire, I genuinely never knew where this going and thus I couldn’t put it down. Really loved and highly recommend.

It feels like there’s meat here for a series and if there is I am on board- Florence against my better judgement I now sort of like you.

Thank you #4thestatebooks and #netgalley for my #arc

Florence is a former singer with a girl band but now a divorced 30 yr old with a 10 yr old son, Dylan..
She has a very fertile imagination which seems to always get her onto trouble. Her ex pays for Dylan to go to a very upmarket prep school in West London as it was his Alma Mata. The other mothers all think they are above Florence so she never really makes friends with them until one of the boys goes missing. Florence then decides to play detective with another new mother. She gets a bit carried away with her sleuthing and that's when this slightly comedic book turns into a thriller.

Just finished this today and have to say I enjoyed it.

The book was paced great and had some plot twist that I didn't see coming. I did also relate with our main character in the sense of its hard to sometimes do the right thing or even put yourself out there and make friends. But when doing these things you learn a lot more about yourself and the people around it.

I recommend this book and thank you netgalley for the arc!

Florence doesn’t care that the other mothers hate her. She doesn’t like them much, either. A former girl-band singer, she drifts through the week and drags up her precocious son Dylan. But when Dylan’s bully goes missing on a school trip, all the evidence points to her son, and Florence has to start investigating to clear his name.

This is such a fun mystery, with enough twists and red herrings to keep me guessing. I loved Florence (who is admittedly a terrible mother) and her rivalries with the posh mothers of the school. I was lucky to hear the author speak at 4th Estate Live about her experiences of being American in posh London circles and that shines through here in Florence’s unique voice.

I read this in an afternoon. Is it life-changing or high literature? Probably not, but it’s not trying to be. It’s just good, old-fashioned fun, and I’m not surprised that so many readers love Florence (even though the other mothers hate her).

I'm not surprised the other mothers hate her. I wasn't best pleased with her either. I'm afraid I found this book infuriating, there were some fairly big plot holes. None of the characters are likeable nor not really very believable. I didn't really enjoy it.

I am one of them! I hate Florence 😅

When 10-year-old Alfie goes missing after a school trip, Florence embarks on a journey to find the culprit.

And why, you might ask?

Well, Alfie is somewhat of an enemy to her son, Dylan, at their all-boys private school. They’ve had issues in the past.

At this school, Florence is frowned upon, as she doesn’t fit in with the other parents' status. She is a former pop star, and her ex-husband pays for the school fees.
After Alfie's disappearance, she discovers that both children were paired up on the day of the trip. When Dylan goes to spend the week with his father, Florence finds Alfie’s backpack under Dylan’s bed. Instead of speaking with her son, she joins forces with Jenny—another outcast mother with an interest in investigation—to find Alfie. Secrets are uncovered, terrible decisions are made, and an unlikely friendship develops.

Florence is simply chaotic. How her son manages to thrive with her as a mother is unbelievable. She would be a case for Social Services, especially when she leaves her 10-year-old son alone at night to go out drinking and for casual hook-ups (are we still using this word?). She’s self-centered, impulsive, immature, and untrustworthy. She makes terrible decisions, and I found myself constantly shaking my head and rolling my eyes at her thoughts and actions.
But one thing is undeniable: the immense love she has for Dylan. She would move mountains to protect him—even if it means breaking the law.

I can’t say I liked any of the characters. They are all so obnoxious, snobby, arrogant, and toxic, yet addictive to read about at the same time. Maybe Jenny and her evolving relationship with Florence made them a little more tolerable.

Now, based on this review, you might think I’m telling you not to pick up this book—but it’s quite the opposite! I really enjoyed it, and it's so well written that it evokes all these strong emotions. The pacing is well executed, the plot is engaging and extremely humorous, and while the ending didn’t surprise me, it was still satisfying. Some parts felt like filler, and at times, the narrative dragged a little.

Although this is completely different from what I normally read, I actually really enjoyed it and couldn’t put it down.

This book will be published in the UK on April 10th.

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

All the Other Mothers Hate Me was quite the wild ride of a novel. This is a story about fitting in, the desire for a second chance and the extreme lengths people go to for those they love.

All the Other Mothers Hate me centres around the disappearance of a boy named Alfie. Alfie, a pupil at a London private school, went missing during a trip to the wetlands. For failed pop star Florence Grimes this represents somewhat of a problem given that Alfie is her son Dylan’s bitter rivalry, leaving him as one of the prime suspects. Florence has to get her act together, find the missing boy and clear her son’s name or risk losing him forever. The only problem? She doesn’t have any detective skills, she’s not exactly popular at the school gates and she’s just found Alfie’s backpack hidden under Dylan’s bed…

This is one of those darkly funny reads that has an awful lot to say within it. It is also comprised of almost exclusively non likeable, and yet total compulsive reading, characters. Florence is pretty hopeless in most respects and yet the love she feels for Dylan is so incredibly clear. She makes some absolutely terrible choices throughout the novel, yet it’s all to try and protect her son. With that in mind I did find her willingness to leave him, a ten year old boy, alone at night pretty jarring.

The mystery surrounding Alfie’s disappearance certainly keeps you guessing. I enjoyed the way the different strands came together, with the red herrings throughout, worked especially well. This is a carefully and cleverly plotted novel.

I think what I enjoyed most was the unconventional friendship between Florence and Jenny; two mums who were both on the outskirts of the school mum hierarchy and circle. Though there were some stumbling blocks along the way, what they were left with was a solid bond that you only hope will continue.

This was certainly an entertaining read, that once you hit that magic point was impossible to put down.

The title and concept of this one completely hooked me in, and such lively and engaging writing! However, the main character was so unlikeable that I wasn't sure what to make of it overall. But I definitely wanted to finish it to see what happened, so for that reason I'll give it 4/5..

All The Other Mothers Hate Me is a read that takes you on a right journey from start to finish.
Florence used to be in a girl band before she had a disastrous relationship with her manager that ended her career but gave her a son. Dylan is 10 years old and goes to a swanky private school that his father pays for. Florence is immature, terrible at time keeping, a lot younger than the other mothers and not to be trusted with gossip. Dylan’s class mate goes missing on a school trip and Florence links up with another mother that no one likes and together try to find out where the boy is and who has taken him.
This was a really good read, it had me laughing to myself in places as Florence is just so not a natural mother. The storyline was good and had a good pace. There were some red herrings thrown in to keep you off the track of the culprit. Characters were plentiful and all very different so it was easy to remember them.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Fourth Estate for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.