A simple, but simply brilliant concept for a book! I loved the idea of the real life Alexa and it gave a fresh spin to the usual menopausal women books. The relationship between Alexa / Pauline and Michelle was wonderfully drawn, and the characters were relatable and real, including Pauline’s dialect; she sounded exactly like someone I know, even down to the missing ‘the’ that I see has bothered some readers. That’s Yorkshire! The book dealt with some serious issues with humour and raw emotion and I was often switching from laughter to tears in the turn of a page. I found this an empowering read and it should be essential reading for ‘women of a certain age’ - and their families! It’s been a while since I read a book by Linda Green so I’m now off to explore her back list.

What a refreshing change and a novel idea to have a story about an Alexa speaker getting involved with a family's problems and helping to solve them. There was laughter, sadness and some very touching, teary, moments too. I enjoyed the book very much and don't think I will ever think of my own Alexa in quite the same way again! My thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for allowing me to read an ARC of The Woman with All the Answers by Linda Green, in exchange for my honest review.

4 1/2 genius stars! How many times have you seen an ad on social media that reminded you to do or get something?

This story was mostly funny, sometimes sad, sometimes heartbreaking, and most all of it relatable.

The relationship between Michelle and Pauline was so enjoyable, and the characters were all well-written and "human". I absolutely loved the ending!

I definitely recommend The Woman with All the Answers by Linda Green and look forward to reading more by Linda Green.

A Unique Premise That Lost Its Way

I was really drawn to The Woman With All the Answers because of its unique and intriguing premise. The idea of Alexa not as an AI assistant, but as a real human who builds meaningful connections with the family she serves, felt fresh and full of potential. For the first few chapters, this concept truly shone, and I was eager to see where the story would go.

However, as the book progressed, the plot started to feel weak and unfocused. The protagonist, Michelle Banks, is juggling many struggles—pre-menopause, underage sexual harassment, peer pressure, aging parents, cancer, death, marital problems, middle-age crisis, loneliness—the list goes on. While each of these issues is important, having so many packed into one story meant none were explored in depth. Instead of being impactful, they felt like a checklist, tackled on a surface level rather than given the emotional weight they deserved.

As more and more problems were introduced, the story began to feel repetitive, with new struggles piling up without a strong enough plot to support them. The resolutions and happy endings came too easily, making them feel unearned. Unfortunately, by the time the book reached its conclusion, I had lost connection with the characters and their journey, leaving me indifferent to how things wrapped up.

I appreciate what the author aimed to achieve, and I know many readers may connect with different aspects of Michelle’s struggles. But for me, The Woman With All the Answers ultimately didn’t deliver on its promising premise.

Thank you to Boldwood Books for the complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Woman with all the Answers is so entertaining. The strife and chaos experienced by the middle-aged female protagonist was so real and painful to witness, and just when I was about to hop through the pages to help, Alexa did it for me. I could not predict how things would work out, but Linda Green masterfully tied everything together. I felt more hopeful for my own struggles after having read this book. Homerun for Green! Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy in ex change for my honest review. It was a comforting and refreshing book!

I really enjoyed the premise of this book, a real person behind the well-known Alexa voice. Instead of a faceless, AI bot, there is a whole network of women who have all the answers. Fun, right?

The only problem that I had with this book was the writing style. I tend to be very grammar-sensitive, and the author tends to leave off the word "the" when describing items. It really distracted me and I hope will be corrected in the editing phase. If so, I'm happy to raise my rating because I enjoyed the content.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

It's not the book, I'm afraid it is me. It might be the influx of a lot of books that have similar themes and feature women in menopause/perimenopause making their way to my TBR, and this one just did not stand out. It's only a matter of repeated exposure to this subject, and I anticipate that readers who may not read them with as much frequency will really like this.
The idea is good, instead of a piece of software averaging to understand what responses to supply at all points, it's an actual person given 100% access to everyone's life, making the point of data being available for surveillence better than any other argument I can probably think of. A fun read, but nothing too fresh for this reader.

Review to come on the blog.

The idea of Alexa being a real person is absolutely fascinating, sadly the writer missed the opportunity to create the story this premise deserves.

A human who listens is an interesting premise for a story. This was a pretty accurate look at modern family life and had some witty and slightly dark moments as we gain insight into each of the characters lives.

What an enchanting, amusing, and delightful novel!! Quirky and laugh-out-loud enjoyable. Author, Linda Green, is absolutely brilliant in character development and storyline. Heavy in whitty, banter-like dialogue, it’s a very lighthearted and engaging journey.

Imagine if your home’s Alexa device was an actual person, rather than an AI device? Now imagine if said Alexa device were more than just an observer, but really cared about your family’s wellbeing? This is the premise of this emotional, rapid-fire story. It’s the perfect book if you need a few good laughs.

Thank you to author, Linda Green, Publisher, Boldwood Books, and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this ARC, set to be published on February 26,2025.

Linda Green writes fabulous books featuring super characters and she has done it again with The Woman with All the Answers.
Michelle is a District Nurse, mother of two teenagers with a husband, elderly father and mother in law to care for and is having to also deal with the perimenopause. Pauline works as Michelle's Alexa! Pauline sees and hears everything that happens in Michelle's household and she knows that Michelle needs help for herself and for her family.
Can Pauline get Michelle the help she and her family need? Will Michelle realise her Alexa is actually a 65 year old woman from Halifax? Will Pauline be able to help herself while helping others?
Another great read Linda. Highly recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publishers for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I liked the premise of the novel, Alexa the voice assistant is a real person working out of a call centre was bizarre and unique. However, I found the narrative quite depressing. Other readers will enjoy it though the novel was not for me.

This was my first ever NetGalley read, and I was so excited to pick up a book before its official release!

Technology plays a huge role in our lives, and we all know how much we rely on it. But what if Alexa wasn’t just a voice assistant, but a real woman who knew everything about you and your family?

Michelle Banks, a relatable, everyday woman, is juggling too much and neglecting herself. That’s when Pauline—the human behind the voice—decides to break the rules and help her, even though she’s never supposed to reveal her existence.

The plot feels so real, and the bond between Michelle and Pauline is heartwarming—something every woman would love to have in her life. Now, I just wish I had my own Alexa like this!

An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!

What a joy this book is! As a 50 + woman I found Michelle gloriously relatable and loved the glimpse into her world complete with all its trials and tribulations. Linda Green has created such a portrait of a busy family house with teenagers that I wondered if she had been my very own Pauline and had an insight into my own chaotic house. The characterisation was fabulous and you really fall in love with this family complete with all of its complications.
I loved the concept of Alexa as a real life advisor - what a great idea!
Read it - you won't be disappointed!

I really liked the originality of this take on family life, with the Alexa taking a particular interest in this family! There was lots to relate to as a woman of a similar age to Michelle. Michelle is dealing with a teen with post lockdown anxiety, another coming to terms with his first relationship and the peer pressure involved and a husband who wants to live in the past. On top of that she is dealing with menopause, elderly parents and their issues and a busy job. Throughout it all, her "Alexa" is helping her out.
It made me smile, frustrated me on Michelle's behalf, but reminded me to take time for myself!
Feelgood, easy read.

Michelle Banks, wife, mother, and daughter, is exhausted and at the end of her tether. A hectic job, combined with having to look after her family and elderly parents is pushing her to the brink, the onset of the menopause isn't helping either. Luckily her smart speaker begins to offer solutions; luckily Alexa isn't AI but a real person, sixty-five-year-old Pauline who knows the family well.

Author Linda Green has been publishing novels for almost twenty years. I've heard the name numerous times but looking at her back catalogue I honestly don't think I've read any of her previous novels. After reading The Woman With All The Answers I'm beginning to wonder why I've never read any of the author's books before as I absolutely loved this.

Categorising The Woman With All The Answers is tricky. It's uplifting and features an older protagonist, something which is very popular at the moment. Alongside this it makes you sit up and think about some of the many pressures on society today.

The Banks family is a normal family. Mum, Michelle, is the heart of the family; the organiser, the carer, the problem solver. When she changed jobs to become a district nurse she hoped that her work/life balance would improve but it only seems to have got worse. Husband Marc works from home. He doesn't enjoy his job and boredom has resulted in him buying memorabilia from the internet, something the family can't really afford. Daughter Liv is about to take her A-Level exams but is struggling with crippling anxiety, she doesn't think she'll be able to leave the house ever again. Son Callum is the only one in the family who seems ok. He's about to take his GCSEs and is all loved up.

Michelle is part of the "sandwich generation", alongside caring for her immediate family she also has to look after her father and mother-in-law. Both are elderly and cause Michelle different problems.

Sat in the corner of most of the rooms in the house is the unassuming little smart speaker. Everyone thinks the speaker is powered by AI but in reality, it's real people behind each voice and the one dedicated to the Banks family is sixty-five-year-old Pauline from Halifax. The chapters alternate between Michelle and Pauline and when it's one of Pauline's chapters her Yorkshire accent comes through loud and clear.

Pauline not only answers questions via the smart speakers, but she can also access lots of other devices and data too such as laptops, webcams, mobile phones and doorbell cameras. Pauline uses her access to all of these to prompt Michelle in the direction of help but after it becomes obvious that she is floundering Pauline makes her true identity known and together they look at solving all of the problems Michelle is dealing with.

Linda Green uses the story to raise many of the issues families are dealing with today; the pressures on teenagers, district nurses being too busy to spend any quality time with patients, and the elderly being left behind in an ever-increasing digital world are just a few. Women's health is a major topic, particularly the menopause. The nature of Michelle's job means that she is isolated, she has no close friends or colleagues to confide in. Thankfully, Pauline is there to push her in the right direction. Getting the help needed isn't always easy though. One moment I was filled with rage at the way in which Michelle was treated by a male GP, the next I had tears of laughter running down my face as she endured a cringe-worthy smear test.

Thanks to Pauline's help many of Michelle's burdens are lightened. The nature of modern life means that there are always going to be dilemmas, we just need to remember the saying "A problem shared is a problem halved".

The Woman With All the Answers by Linda Green is a witty, insightful exploration of modern life, motherhood, and unexpected friendship. Michelle Banks, a 52-year-old district nurse juggling family, work, and personal challenges, finds herself overwhelmed by life’s pressures. When her smart speaker, Alexa, reveals herself as Pauline, a quirky former voiceover artist, the two women form an unlikely bond. Through Pauline’s no-nonsense guidance, Michelle learns to navigate her chaotic life with humor and wisdom. Green’s novel combines humor and heart to tackle themes of self-discovery, family dynamics, and finding the strength to ask for help when life gets tough.

"The Woman with All the Answers" is a fast-paced and non-challenging read.

However, the mixture of world-building (probably based on a question: what would happen if behind AI assistants were actual people?) combined with the inclusion of challenging topics (perimenopause, parental estrangement, living with high levels of anxieties to name a few) really affected my ability to suspend my disbelief. Also, the focus on the "uplifting" atmosphere of the book made the plot turns truly departed from possible reality.

On one hand, it is quite likely that small changes may lead to bigger, more major ones, but I couldn't stop asking myself what makes Alexa/Pauline actually qualified to facilitate those changes. All we know as readers are snippets of her personal story and it seems like she only relies on the wisdom that should come with age?

A really unique story- imagine if Alexa really was a voiceover character 😆.

Made me laugh out loud , the main characters were interesting!