In Mums Like Us, Laura Kemp has written a real, funny, believable account of what it's like to be an ordinary mum. She has drawn on her years of 'just about good enough' mothering and her writings for the tabloid press (and her column in South Wales Echo) in her creation of Stella Smith, the chairwoman of The Mummy Tummy Club. The novel is the minutes of the meetings of said Mummy Tummy Club, alongside emails to his more successful brother and selective notes and match reports from Stella's long-suffering husband Matt (team captain of Dads United, a pub football team which is offering shelter to some of the new dads locally and is genuinely enjoying its disastrous season because at least they're out of the house).
Readers will love Stella and her chaotic household, her generous open house policy for mums-in-need, her rebuffing of an invitation from the spin doctors at no 10, for her mistakes and for what she does to make up for them.
Industry Reviews
What an absolute treat! I stayed up to the early hours to finish it and felt rather bereft when I had. I imagine that, like me, readers will be nodding at every turn and screaming at the page "Yes, that's just what it's like. I'm not alone - someone else is out there!" ... I love it. -- Milly Johnson, author of A WINTER FLAME
Fantastically funny; a sanity saver with a lovely laugh on every page. I plan to give it to every mum I know. -- Allison Pearson, author of I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT
Laura Kemp's debut is a very funny novel, which I'm sure will entertain and delight many mums! * bookwormink.co.uk *
My children are getting the most basic, value range, own brand level of care at the moment. Why? Because I'm reading a brilliant new book - Mum's Like Us - by Laura Kemp, and it's getting most of my attention. I can honestly say it is an absolute must read for any mother who has ever hidden the Mister Maker magazine down the sofa to avoid doing crafts. Warm and witty, it's like she's peered inside my head and describes exactly how it feels to be a mum. Truthfully. * bookclubmum.blogspot.co.uk *
Staggeringly true and absolutely hilarious! ... I can't think of one person I know who would read this book and not be in stitches before the end of the first chapter. With a million laughs a minute, and the fact that I recognised myself so many times in this book being quite a scary realisation, this is just a fabulously funny read that I think every mother should have. Laura sounds like a person that I'd love to spend an evening with over a glass of wine or two or maybe even a bottle! A lady with a sense of humour such as hers is sure to have an award-winning super novel on her hands. Very hard to believe it is her first novel, she is a complete natural and I hope there are many more of her books out in the not too distant future. It is published in paperback on 28th February so is a perfect Mother's Day pressie. It is guaranteed to make every Mom laugh and realise that they are not the only ones! I can think of loads of people I need to buy this book for! * kimthebookworm.blogspot.co.uk *
