Saturdays at Noon

I was intrigued by the premise of this book; a feel-good book where the two main characters meet at an anger management course - it sounds so wrong - but on reading the book it is 100% right!
Emily’s first impression of Jake is not a good one - and not just because the venue is an anger management course. Jake is short-tempered with his wife, Gemma, and son, Alfie. Emily has already met Alfie moments before when they bond under a table over a Bourbon biscuit. Jake finds Emily harsh, judgemental and in denial.
However, Alfie likes Emily. Alfie doesn’t like many people. Alfie doesn’t like much at all.. Can Jake and Emily tolerate each other for the sake of Alfie?
Such a superb debut novel. Could not put it down. Had to continue reading to see what happened, especially to dear little Alfie.
Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Jake and Emily meet at anger management, neither of them feel they belong there. Jake is there because his wife wants him to be, in what seems to be a last ditch attempt to save their marriage. For Emily, these sessions are mandatory. Alfie is Jake's 6 year old son, Jake cannot fathom why his child, who never likes strangers has taken such a shine to Emily, as he finds her completely exasperating.

I enjoyed this book so much, such a wonderful combination of genuine hilarity and heartbreak. I wanted to hug Emily, Jake and Alfie in equal measures, I really found myself caring about these misunderstood characters. It's unusual for me to read a book narrarated by both adults and a child, but Alfie is a little superhero, wise beyond his years and the triple narrative really works. More than anything, Saturday's At Noon is uplifting and a wonderful lesson in compassion and empathy. I think it will resonate with anybody who has a child like Alfie, any parent who has endured those judgemental looks and comments from passers by when their child has gone into a full public meltdown beyond their control. I hope this book helps them to know that they're not bad parents, that their child isn't bad and that help is available, even if you have to insist on it.

I l0ved this book. As in LOVED it.

It was exactly what I needed at the right time. It follows both Jake and Emily's stories as they meet in anger management class and their lives start to twist and entwine thanks to a very special boy named Alfie.

Neither Jake nor Emily are perfect which really resonated with me. Both are understandably human and as a mother who sometimes also has that anger / despair / feeling of hopelessness rise up within her from time to time, some of the passages with Saturdays At Noon really struck a chord. It really showed that sometimes it really is possible to love your child completely but hate their behaviour. I was with them every step of the way on their journey to understanding Alfie and I loved how hard it worked to normalising some of his challenges.

Saturdays At Noon is far more than a romance. It is filled with love, anger, understanding, acceptance, individual growth and personal connections. Beautifully written and filled with emotion, I genuinely couldn't recommend Saturdays At Noon enough.

This is a family novel about self importance and acceptance.
Written with warm honour, likeable characters and a great storyline. The characters come alive in the pages.
This is more than a romance. A must read

A special one!
I'd say this book is more than a simple romance. It's also a family book about self acceptance and working to be better. Written realistically, with warm humour, the characters and the story is gripping - a rare thing for a book that is far from a thriller!

Emily and Jake meet in an anger management class. They clash, she sees him as arrogant and a poor father. He sees her as a skin-head in denial about her anger. They soon learn there's more to what they first saw. They both have issues, 'messed up' lives. Jake is struggling to parent his son, Alfie who may be autistic. Emily is struggling with moving forward. But being together, against the problem, they just might come on top...

Rachel Marks writes with heart. Her characters are touching, and vulnerable, and they bring life to the page! This is an unassuming book which has a lot going for it; the stuff you can't see right away. Indeed, I'm struggling to put into words how original this book is.

It's been compared to The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary, which is a wonderful book in its own right, but this one is very different. Not all romances have something more, but this one has that for sure! I worry that reading as many romances as I do, (seriously I can't resist) all my reviews are beginning to sound the same! I certainly can't do this book and its many themes justice...

Just don't miss this one! :D

Themes: parenting, dark character back-stories, abuse, broken families, autism, love.

Note: I received this book through NetGalley for review consideration. All opinions are honest and completely my own.