Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. Friends get together and each chapter is from the three characters’ perspectives. Life has its ups and downs along with throwing a curveball here and there. Sometimes you think you have life all planned out but things change in an instant. Even though they all have ups and downs in life; they still make time for each other and discover what really matters in life.

Rainbows and Lollipops is the story of friendship, love, loss, grief and secrets.

I enjoyed reading Rainbows and Lollipops with its diverse characters, interesting story and portrayal of queer and trans themes.

I found the characters interesting and their stories unique but equally touching on sensitive topics and beliefs. The interesting character development played out nicely and was engaging enough to keep me reading and wanting more.

The only places it fell short for me were the ending and the script-style chapter headings. The ending wasn’t really what I hoped for - which I realise is a completely personal viewpoint.

Personally, I found the chapter headings distracted from the flow of the story and on some occasions I had to reread them to make sense of place. I just feel that ‘place’ could have been addressed in a less jarring way. I do however, applaud the author for stepping out of the box in this way. It just wasn’t for me - again, a completely personal viewpoint.

I will recommend this book, I will share what I liked about it and I will definitely seek other writing from Mo.

Thank you to NetGalley, Mo and Spring Street Books for the ARC to read, enjoy and review.

‘Rainbows and Lollipops’ by Mo Fanning is a contemporary novel that follows three people whose lives intertwine one fateful summer: Jake, dealing with an unexpected change in his circumstances that leaves him living back in his childhood bedroom; Vicky, a high-flying lawyer and self-imposed loner, working a normal family law case that takes a strange and possibly dangerous turn; and Lucy, who is busy planning the most perfect wedding to her fiancé, who she’s known less than a year - not that it matters, right? As we wander through each episode, the threads begin to emerge and what is revealed will change all three of their lives…

The novel is set in Birmingham in the summer of 2024, following our three main characters, Jake, Vicky, and Lucy. The novel is formatted in 6 episodes, complete with stage directions, but written in traditional third person narrative. Throughout the story, themes of grief and loss, identity and pride, and love - be it familial, romantic, and platonic - are explored. It’s a slice of live novel that allows us to peak into these people’s lives and experience their highs and lows as the plot unfolds.

I really enjoyed this novel - like a good Netflix miniseries, once you’ve finished the first episode, you feel helpless to switch it off. You must consume it as quickly as possible. Our three main characters were very different and each of them had a role to play in the story. Jake, back living with his parents, is having his ‘what do I wanna do with my life because I’m now in my forties and Not Happy’. Vicky is very much a high flyer but severely lacking in any semblance of a social life. Lucy has it all: money, a wedding to be featured in a bridal magazine, friends all around her, but somehow still feeling hollow. Jake and Vicky were, by far, the more compelling characters. Jake’s navigation of grief was particularly impactful, and his character’s journey was by far the most emotionally compelling. Vicky, similarly, had a wonderful journey, in a different way. Someone who is doing well, career-wise, but so beautifully human underneath the power suits and badass heels. Lucy, unfortunately, didn’t stand a chance for me. Her character was, in comparison, just not as interesting and her storyline fell flat, despite her being the link between both Jake and Vicky.

As I approach my thirties, I become more of a fan of novels that explore ‘real life’ in transparent and uncompromising ways. Being from the UK, I think the book was relatable for me and I was a real fan of how the representation felt so natural, and not just a box-ticking DEI exercise. It was a very grounded piece of work that deftly tackled darker themes in an unflinching manner, without becoming contrived. I thought the format using stage directions added an additional layer to the book, which brought the narrative to life even more.

If you’re looking for a queer, almost slice-of-life, emotional, and quietly profound read, I would highly recommend this book.

4.5 🌟

The novel is set from the perspective of 3 characters whose lives become more intertwined as the story develops. This was a plus for me.
My favourite character was Vicky with Jake a close second. I thought their stories deserved more depth however. Lucy is the connecting piece, but I was least interested in her, and skim read most of her chapters.
I would have liked to have known more about Jake and Tom’s relationship, and Jake and his dad’s illness for example.
The whole story is written as if it is a TV series, so we have little intro’s on where the scene is set etc. This felt totally unnecessary and did not add anything at all, and I could not grasp what the author was trying to achieve setting it out like this.
Some of the dialogue was funny, but I found the writing a bit dated and predictable. It’s a shame as I really wanted to love this book.

Oh yes, the pain of people othering... it is real. Regardless of what lies behind it, whether it is fear or contempt, there is no such thing as normal and there should be no such feeling as the feeling of being unworthy or less. But with the world being on fire, all sorts of shite going on on so many levels, can we please allow a fellow human being the right to exist, instead of fighting for it?

Let me admit it took me a while to get the feel of this book, the first part with Jake being a bit heavy. Yet I am so glad I kept on reading as I always love a story about chosen or found families.

I loved the idea of following 3 different people's paths into the same found family. The struggle I had was that I loved each character's journey but the depth of their connections to each other got a little lost in the details.

Victoria's chapters were my absolute favourite. They kind of felt like a self contained detective story rather than part of an over all narrative, though. The way she unraveled the mystery whilst dealing with personal threats was such a compelling story.

Jake's chapters were also wonderful but in a different way. As he's dealing with a fresh grief, his chapters are painful to read at times, however he's very relatable as a character.

Lucy's chapters I kind of struggled with. It felt like she was sort of being used as the reason that Jake and Victoria meet and her chapters felt like filler to me.

Overall I found it sort of difficult to read because each character's vibes so different. It also kind of felt like as I was getting more invested in one plotline, it would move to one of the others and by the time it got back to them again the timeline had moved on and it often felt as though I was missing chunks of plot and character development.

All that being said, the writing was beautiful and I enjoyed the fact that it was set in Birmingham. If this was split into 3 smaller books and each character was given the room they needed to really shine, I think I would have enjoyed it even more.

Rainbows and Lollipops by Mo Fanning was a heartwarming and uplifting read that left me with a smile on my face. I loved how the story combined humor, charm, and deep emotional moments, creating a perfect balance that kept me engaged throughout. It was the kind of book that made me feel good about life, full of hope and optimism, and I found myself genuinely rooting for the characters as they navigated their ups and downs.

Oooo this is nice and intertwine-y!

We meet three characters who are each facing their own hardships, but eventually the three's lives begin to twist together.

There's a lot of sadness each character is facing - whether from loss, rejection, or trying to be who they're not, but it's deeply touching.

It's set up in an interesting way with the play like setting of the scene at the start of each scene.

If you're also a fan of found family, definitely recommend!

From the very first page, Rainbows and Lollipops caught me off guard—in the best way possible. Don’t be misled by the title or the cover; this is not a light, fluffy (or even particularly happy?) read. But don't let this deter you. It’s sharp, unflinching, and deeply human. This is an absolute must-read for 2025.

The writing is fast-paced and vivid, with quick, naturalistic dialogue that pulls you right into each character’s world. The format—part novel, part screenplay—might seem unconventional, but it works here. It amplifies the story’s urgency and immediacy, giving each scene a cinematic, visual punch. I only found it distracting for the first few "scene changes." Make no mistake, once you settle into this book, you won’t want to look away.

What struck me most was how seamlessly Fanning tackles serious, often painful themes—grief, vulnerability, mental health, and the complexity of queer identity—without ever feeling preachy or forced. Within the first 50 pages, the book unpacks the raw reality of being in a long term, committed queer relationship without the legal recognition, exposing the fragility and added emotional labor that comes with it. Like many of the themes that Fanning touches on—these are not the central plot, but they are woven in so effortlessly, it catches your breath. Without realizing it, you’ve absorbed a stark, poignant truth about the world. That's exactly what great fiction does and Rainbows and Lollipops is no exception.

At its heart, this is a story about broken, beautiful people. Early on, the book deals with a tragic loss, and (having experienced something similar recently) I had a very good cry in the first few chapters of the book, but in a cathartic, healing way. My heart ached for Jake, Vicky, and Lucy, who find each other at exactly the right time. Although their connection and the manner in which they find each other might have seemed contrived under different circumstances, Fanning makes it seem like a plausible coincidence that these characters all found each other. Somehow, even a third of the way in, this author has buy-in with the reader. The characters' lives and friendship are messy, healing, and full of heart. I was continuously struck by how real these characters feel.

Rainbows and Lollipops is sad. It’s beautiful. It’s full of grit and soul and heart. I wasn’t expecting the format. I wasn’t expecting the depth. But this story gripped me from page one—and it didn’t let go. Just read it. You won’t regret it.

i could see this book as if it was a tv drama in my own mind. but so much more than that because of course a book gives you so much more fleshing out of characters and plots that tv drama wouldnt.
i poured over the words of these three. thir connection was just as beautiful as their lone parts. i wanted these three to be ok in the end. and felt like i want to know how they years later to make sure they truly truly were ok.
this is such a wonderful book for me and so much more than i thought it would be. i love a book like this. it holds so much heart within the people and the writing. it is told so it wraps you up in a hug even when its talking about some delicate or difficult topics.
i want to be the fourth in this friendship. they are all golden and im so glad they found each other.

Jake is grieving his partner. but life is hitting him hard because at the same time hes now facing eviction by his partners sister who still blames him for her brothers death. then there are problems at his work.
Vicky is having her own troubles. shes fierce and brilliant but shes a workaholic and not as strong as she makes out. and someone seems determined to break her. shes vulnerable and all she wants is to be safe and feel safe in herself and around others.
Lucy is the one we all hear of being the shining one, the perfect one. but inside she doesnt feel it and instead feel its all a veil to the vulnerability she faces underneath. especially towards her father who just keeps pushing and her husband to be who doesnt give her the feelings she surely should have right now. she about to break.
what comes next is a meeting of three people who all need eachother and are there. they are there for eachother for all of it. to trust, to support, to love. to create a family where they all finally belong.

Woah, this was not what I expected. It's a great story, really riveting, fast-paced. But definitely incongruous with the title, cover and tagline.


What I expected:
A low-stakes, slice of life contemporary novel about a group of interconnected mostly queer people finding connection in Birmingham. 


What I got:
A thrilling and sometimes sad story about an interconnected group of mostly queer people, all with their own interesting and fleshed-out backstories, with a hint of conspiracy and lots of intrigue, that reads like a gritty BBC/Channel 4 drama limited series. 


I loved Jake and Vicky's connections and the fast-paced nature of uncovering those connections. And while it might be controversial, I also loved how the part-screenplay, part-novel format encouraged my brain to fully visualise each scene. I'm not usually one for a format 'gimmick' in a book, ala One Day, but the scene introductions helped further set the story the way the author intended (I assume). It worked.


Rainbows and Lollipops is the first book by Mo Fanning I've read, but I'll definitely check out more from him.