Well I thought I knew what to expect from Sarah’s writing after being a long time reader/follower, but wow. This has got to be her best work yet.

Fran, freshly back at work from maternity leave after having baby Sonny, is delighted to get a hint from her boss that a promotion may be on the way. It’s just what she needs to help support her partner and his daughter as well as their new son….but all is not what it seems and Fran is in for a shock. A shock that starts an absolute rollercoaster juggernaut of chain reactions as a result….meaning Fran’s to do list briefly comes back under control before her entire life spirals out of all control.

I was really intrigued by the premise of this book (as a busy working mum of 3 myself) but this book took me away from myself and my worries as I read it quickly, desperate to find out what happens to Fran and her clan.

Sarah’s best book yet! Keep them coming!

Love, love , loved it! Our heroine is Fran, who is trying to keep 100 plates spinning at the same time- something has to give! This is a heart-warming, true to life funny book that I could relate to 100%, so well written, like I said funny and heartfelt - bravo!

💙 Well, That Escalated Quickly ~ Sarah Turner 💛

My third and final read in April was one I was so happy to get to read as an advanced copy, ahead of its publication on July 2nd - a huge thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Books and Sarah Turner for this opportunity which I so appreciate. 🥰

“Well, That Escalated Quickly” follows Fran, a busy mum juggling the pressures of work, home life, school gate relationships and her own expectations of herself, when she finds herself caught in a lie she can’t quite extract herself from. Fran begins to see all the areas of her life slightly differently as she navigates paths in career and friendships she couldn’t have anticipated, while trying to hang on to the anchor of her family and work out what is most important to her.

Sarah has been one of my favourite writers since I came across her blogs and very first book The Unmumsy Mum over eight years ago when my oldest child was a tiny baby - back then I was drawn to all her writing as it was such a warm, funny hand-hold in the adjusting to parenthood of a tiny baby; and those very same qualities of understanding, humour and relatability translate so beautifully to her fiction and are woven through all three of her novels.

#books #bookstagram #readingjournal #book15of2026 #wellthatescalatedquickly

I thoroughly enjoyed Sarah Turner’s previous forays into fiction, and have continued to follow her life on social media, as I have done since The Umumsy Mum years – so was delighted to be granted an advance review copy of her new novel ‘Well, That Escalated Quickly’ which is out early July 2026. Here’s the blurb:

“Meet Fran. This is her to-do list:

buy milk
get promoted
book dentist
swerve PTA meeting
practice gratitude
be a better friend
stop crying in Morrisons
rescue relationship
organise life
stop keeping secrets
Not on her to-do list? Being made redundant when she was expecting a promotion.
And when one tiny, impulsive decision leads Fran to tell a lie she can’t quite keep up with, suddenly everything starts to unravel.
But could rock bottom be a golden opportunity instead of a complete and utter disaster? With the help of her friends and family, Fran’s about to blow her life wide open…and start piecing it back together. Her way.

Well, That Escalated Quickly is a hilarious, painfully relatable novel about the magic of what happens when you finally stop trying to have it all.”

I really liked Fran from the start. She is juggling trying to be the perfect step Mum to Cora, who is 7, and Mum to her new baby, Sonny, who is 6 months old, as well as expecting a promotion at work. Then – she actually loses her job rather than getting the promotion – but doesn’t quite get round to telling everyone straight away that this has happened. The book shows how easily one tiny omission can lead to a complete double life!

I loved lots of the little details – like Cora being an obsessive Plymouth fan! My 15 year old daughter’s best friend and her family are Argyle fans too (not common in Worcester!) so what with their influence and those of Josh Widdicombe on one of my favourite podcasts – Plymouth have become a team I’m always interested in the results of! #UpTheJanners #GreenArmy. (Weirdly, the aforementioned friend’s big brother is also called Sonny – spooky!)

Fran ends up being known as Chesca to a whole new group of people due to confusion over an email address that she doesn’t correct. I have a very similar situation with our local postmaster who assumed that as I’m officially Elisabeth, I would be known as ‘Liz’ so has called me that for YEARS (rather than Libby, which is what most people know me as). It’s gone on so long it would be awkward to correct him now………

It is clear that Sarah is writing about what she knows – from the big picture stuff like being a busy working Mum – but also more niche things like kids’ grassroots football and coworking spaces (I feel like a bit of a stalker for referencing that – but write what you know is always advised!) It feels incredibly authentic and Fran is a fully rounded – and perfectly imperfect – person.

Fran’s relationships with her immediate family, extended family, friends – old and new, and PTA frenemies are all explored and add to the tapestry of the storyline.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book – and think there is something in there that most people will empathise with. I’ve already pre ordered it for others!

A huge thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for my ARC – and for Sarah for another cracking read.