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Until Next Weekend
Brought to you by Penguin.
The unforgettable new novel from the author of Saturdays at Noon .
Noah and Kate were meant to be together forever.
Married with two gorgeous sons, it looked like they'd got their happy ever after.
But marriage isn't easy. And one day, Kate left, taking their two boys with her.
These days, Noah is a weekend dad - and it breaks his heart. He misses the chaotic meal-times, the bedtime stories, the early mornings and the late homework.
Suddenly, he decides enough is enough - he has to win his family back. Starting with Kate.
The only problem?
In six weeks' time, Kate is getting married to someone else....
The unforgettable new novel from the author of Saturdays at Noon .
Noah and Kate were meant to be together forever.
Married with two gorgeous sons, it looked like they'd got their happy ever after.
But marriage isn't easy. And one day, Kate left, taking their two boys with her.
These days, Noah is a weekend dad - and it breaks his heart. He misses the chaotic meal-times, the bedtime stories, the early mornings and the late homework.
Suddenly, he decides enough is enough - he has to win his family back. Starting with Kate.
The only problem?
In six weeks' time, Kate is getting married to someone else....
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Published April 29, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews
June 27, 2021
I find it really hard to rate this. In the beginning, I didn't like Noah at all, I thought he was annoying and pathetic and constantly feeling sorry for himself. It turned out the book was a lot deeper than I expected and after a little while, Noah even grew on me and I could somewhat see why things were so hard for him. I still don't understand how he can be telling others what not to do but do it himself, but oh well, we all have inconsistencies.
I did love all the other characters in the book though, so that made up for Noah's noahness to some extent!
What I really didn't like was the Africa storyline towards the end of the book. Actually, I was already annoyed when he said he didn't want to waste food because of the starving children in Africa. I know what the saying intends, and yes, it is important not to waste food for a number of reasons (wasted resources, the environment, etc.) and be grateful to have enough in the first place, but why does it have to be Africa? There are starving children everywhere, even in the UK where really nobody should be lacking in food and shelter. Food insecurity is a problem in many areas and the saying just affirms the mindset that poverty is a problem in "far-away Africa", completely disregarding the West's complicity in its issues in the first place. Additionally, we have enough food in the world to feed everyone, but we don't because it's simply not profitable enough.
My last complaint is closely related to this but I don't want to give too much away. Firstly, if we're talking about a specific country in Africa, it helps to say its name. We don't say we go on holiday in Europe, we say we are going to Spain. If we go to Tanzania, why would we speak about Africa? Secondly, we don't need another story of white saviourism, of a white person traveling to an African country to, within weeks, make life better for the people there. It's harmful and does nothing more than perpetuate the idea that the people there have little agency and need someone from the outside to come in and educate those who are seen as incapable and inferior. If we want to help, it's much more meaningful to financially support local actors and to partner with those who want to change the way leadership is organised.
I know, some might be wondering why I give this author such a hard time, but to be honest, it's important to be mindful when writing books. This is not your average chick-lit either, the author talks about mental health and loss so I think a lot of thought went into the storyline.
I did love all the other characters in the book though, so that made up for Noah's noahness to some extent!
What I really didn't like was the Africa storyline towards the end of the book. Actually, I was already annoyed when he said he didn't want to waste food because of the starving children in Africa. I know what the saying intends, and yes, it is important not to waste food for a number of reasons (wasted resources, the environment, etc.) and be grateful to have enough in the first place, but why does it have to be Africa? There are starving children everywhere, even in the UK where really nobody should be lacking in food and shelter. Food insecurity is a problem in many areas and the saying just affirms the mindset that poverty is a problem in "far-away Africa", completely disregarding the West's complicity in its issues in the first place. Additionally, we have enough food in the world to feed everyone, but we don't because it's simply not profitable enough.
My last complaint is closely related to this but I don't want to give too much away. Firstly, if we're talking about a specific country in Africa, it helps to say its name. We don't say we go on holiday in Europe, we say we are going to Spain. If we go to Tanzania, why would we speak about Africa? Secondly, we don't need another story of white saviourism, of a white person traveling to an African country to, within weeks, make life better for the people there. It's harmful and does nothing more than perpetuate the idea that the people there have little agency and need someone from the outside to come in and educate those who are seen as incapable and inferior. If we want to help, it's much more meaningful to financially support local actors and to partner with those who want to change the way leadership is organised.
I know, some might be wondering why I give this author such a hard time, but to be honest, it's important to be mindful when writing books. This is not your average chick-lit either, the author talks about mental health and loss so I think a lot of thought went into the storyline.
May 27, 2021
#UntilNextWeekend
By Rachel Marks
- Noah and Kate were meant to be together forever. Married with two gorgeous sons, it looked like they'd got their happy ever after. But marriage isn't easy. And one day, Kate left, taking their two boys with her. These days, Noah is a weekend dad - and it breaks his heart. He misses the chaotic mealtimes, the bedtime stories, the early mornings and the late homework. Suddenly, he decides enough is enough - he has to win his family back. Starting with Kate. The only problem? In six weeks, Kate is getting married to someone else. —
Noah was a very likeable and realistic character who I enjoyed reading about immensely. The antics of the children that Noah, as a primary school teacher endured were true to life and it was obvious that the author has used her first hand experience and knowledge as a teacher herself, to help give Noah the perfect character. As a parent, I too recognised the intricacies of the very young children and sympathised with Noah as he tried to get through the school day with all the different temperaments of the pupils.
What was immediately obvious to me was how well Rachel, as a female author, captured the essence and emotions of a male’s first person perspective as a weekend dad and this made the story feel real and thoroughly entertaining.
This book had everything, funny moments, laughs, heartache and sadness. The story features a lot of real life emotions - grief, love, relationships, suicide, depression and child neglect amongst others but the author made sure the story wasn’t bogged down with heavy and serious narrative. Interspersed with witty dialogue and funny anecdotes, the reader is treated to an authentic story that is both heart breaking and delightful.
I loved this book and for me it was a five star read from the start and I shall certainly be looking out for futher novels from this author in the future.
Rachel Marks studied English at Exeter University before becoming a primary school teacher. It wasn’t until 2016 when she realised that writing could be more than a hobby that she published her first book “Saturdays at Noon” in 2020. “Until Next Weekend”is her second novel.
You can find out more about the Rachel Marks and “Until Next Weekend” from the following link -
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/312/3...
Thank you to Chrissie at Michael Joseph for inviting me on the tour and for my copy of the book in return for an honest opinion.
By Rachel Marks
- Noah and Kate were meant to be together forever. Married with two gorgeous sons, it looked like they'd got their happy ever after. But marriage isn't easy. And one day, Kate left, taking their two boys with her. These days, Noah is a weekend dad - and it breaks his heart. He misses the chaotic mealtimes, the bedtime stories, the early mornings and the late homework. Suddenly, he decides enough is enough - he has to win his family back. Starting with Kate. The only problem? In six weeks, Kate is getting married to someone else. —
Noah was a very likeable and realistic character who I enjoyed reading about immensely. The antics of the children that Noah, as a primary school teacher endured were true to life and it was obvious that the author has used her first hand experience and knowledge as a teacher herself, to help give Noah the perfect character. As a parent, I too recognised the intricacies of the very young children and sympathised with Noah as he tried to get through the school day with all the different temperaments of the pupils.
What was immediately obvious to me was how well Rachel, as a female author, captured the essence and emotions of a male’s first person perspective as a weekend dad and this made the story feel real and thoroughly entertaining.
This book had everything, funny moments, laughs, heartache and sadness. The story features a lot of real life emotions - grief, love, relationships, suicide, depression and child neglect amongst others but the author made sure the story wasn’t bogged down with heavy and serious narrative. Interspersed with witty dialogue and funny anecdotes, the reader is treated to an authentic story that is both heart breaking and delightful.
I loved this book and for me it was a five star read from the start and I shall certainly be looking out for futher novels from this author in the future.
Rachel Marks studied English at Exeter University before becoming a primary school teacher. It wasn’t until 2016 when she realised that writing could be more than a hobby that she published her first book “Saturdays at Noon” in 2020. “Until Next Weekend”is her second novel.
You can find out more about the Rachel Marks and “Until Next Weekend” from the following link -
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/312/3...
Thank you to Chrissie at Michael Joseph for inviting me on the tour and for my copy of the book in return for an honest opinion.
April 21, 2021
Noah and Kate were married with two sons. But marriage isn't easy. One day Kate leaves taking her two boys with her. These days Noah is a weekend dad - and it breaks his heart. He misses family life so he decides to try and win Kate back. But there's only one problem - Kate's getting married in six weeks time.
This is a heartwarming and heartbreaking read. Noah is a lovable character who has flaws. You can't help but root for him even though he can go the wrong way about doing things. There's also some humour in this story. It's told from Noah's perspective. Some sensitive subjects are dealt with but they're done compassionately. This is an engaging read from beginning to end.
I would like to thank #NetGalley. #PenguinMichaelJosephUK and the author #RachelMarks for my ARC of #UntilNextWeekend in exchange for an honest review.
This is a heartwarming and heartbreaking read. Noah is a lovable character who has flaws. You can't help but root for him even though he can go the wrong way about doing things. There's also some humour in this story. It's told from Noah's perspective. Some sensitive subjects are dealt with but they're done compassionately. This is an engaging read from beginning to end.
I would like to thank #NetGalley. #PenguinMichaelJosephUK and the author #RachelMarks for my ARC of #UntilNextWeekend in exchange for an honest review.
January 27, 2021
I loved Saturdays At Noon by Rachel Marks so I was really excited to get an advanced copy of her upcoming book Until Next Weekend through Netgalley! Thank you michaeljoseph
I loved it! It's a brilliant book with a flawed but likeable main character, Noah and a whole host of other interesting and realistic characters, including a troubled little boy Noah teaches in his class, Harley.
I found it really interesting to read a book about a divorced couple, from the dad's point of view as he comes to terms with being a weekend dad. This is something that is quite close to my heart and I loved reading about it and how realistic it felt.
Noah has his demons and whilst trying to love on in the present day he needs to look back to his past to come to terms with some things that happened. He makes friends with a barmaid, Mimi, and together they try and sort his life out and take him off his path of self destruction with the hope of winning back his ex-wife.
Whilst being a light-hearted, uplifting read it does also deal with some dark topics and I think it was the perfect mix of heavy and lightheartedness. One minute I would be laughing and the next crying. It's a beautiful book to read and left me feeling all warm and fuzzy at the end.
After enjoying both her books, Rachel Marks is a total autobuy author for me now and I'm so looking forward to her next one!
I loved it! It's a brilliant book with a flawed but likeable main character, Noah and a whole host of other interesting and realistic characters, including a troubled little boy Noah teaches in his class, Harley.
I found it really interesting to read a book about a divorced couple, from the dad's point of view as he comes to terms with being a weekend dad. This is something that is quite close to my heart and I loved reading about it and how realistic it felt.
Noah has his demons and whilst trying to love on in the present day he needs to look back to his past to come to terms with some things that happened. He makes friends with a barmaid, Mimi, and together they try and sort his life out and take him off his path of self destruction with the hope of winning back his ex-wife.
Whilst being a light-hearted, uplifting read it does also deal with some dark topics and I think it was the perfect mix of heavy and lightheartedness. One minute I would be laughing and the next crying. It's a beautiful book to read and left me feeling all warm and fuzzy at the end.
After enjoying both her books, Rachel Marks is a total autobuy author for me now and I'm so looking forward to her next one!
April 21, 2021
Noah Carlton. Single. Divorced from love of his life Kate. Weekend Dad to sons Gabe,8 and Finn, 4. This wasn’t how life was supposed to turn out for primary school teacher Noah who sees more of his reception class kids than he does his own children. Cramming all his love and affection for his boys into weekend hours, spoiling them with too much screen time and too much sugar is not his idea of what fatherhood should look like. Somewhere along the way Noah has lost sight of the man he’s meant to be, burdened by his own emotional baggage carried over from childhood, morphing into someone who bears little resemblance to the man Kate originally fell in love with. Instead this 30 year old has his finger constantly hovering over the self destruct button, despising the fact Kate is now living with new partner, the boring Jerry, who gets to enjoy the messy, chaotic family life that Noah so carelessly chose to throw away. He’s certainly not going to win any dad of the year awards if he carries on with all his binge drinking and tendency to cancel his weekend visits at the last moment, using the anonymity of one night stands to block out his pain and guilt and sorrow at having royally screwed up his life. But the time comes for Noah when even he can see that he needs to clean up his act especially if he’s to stand any chance of winning back his ex wife’s love and respect. Maybe if he can turn himself from Weekend Dad into SuperDad surely Kate will realise that Noah is still the man for her and welcome him back with open arms? But he’s going to require some assistance to bring his plan to fruition and that’s where newly acquired friend Mimi, (of the incredible bum!) comes in. But will Noah’s makeover be too little too late?
Rachel Marks new novel explores the problems associated with being a part time dad, the difficulties of confronting a painful past and the importance of letting go. She does so with the humour, warmth and compassion that made her previous novel, Saturdays At Noon such a joy to read. This author looks set to achieve similar success with another set of extremely likeable, lovable if sometimes frustrating characters all caught up in the aftermath of a marriage breakdown. Taking her readers from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other she tackles issues such as depression with delicacy, nailing all the nuances of parenthood, the highs and lows of falling in and out of love and the general messiness of life with a precision and sensitivity that makes her stand out from the crowd. Rich in humanity this is a novel to relish.
Noah does not win over any fans with all his immature, irresponsible and selfish behaviour but there is something about this damaged, flawed character that allowed me to turn a blind eye to his evident failings and focus on his more positive attributes. I accepted him, warts and all and found him to be an engaging and complex main character who I thought deserved a second shot at happiness. As a teacher of a class of four year olds Mr Carlton earned my immediate respect; the humour that accompanies tales of daily school life, shepherding, mollycoddling, guiding (and sometimes educating!) these little monkeys, moulding them from babies into more capable human beings is utterly delightful. I adored them all, even the not so angelic ones! They are a wonderful source of amusement, providing the reader with plenty of giggles as well as some more heartbreaking moments. Away from his professional life Noah’s love for his sons is unconditional and unwavering although he struggles to sometimes channel his feelings in the right direction. His pain, stemming from the past is so raw, debilitating and intense that I felt overwhelming pity for the man; his vulnerability is heart rending but I loved him all the more for his insecurities, rooting for him all the way. Yet I also felt every inch of Kate’s frustrations with her ex and felt thankful that Mimi could see beneath Noah’s anger, despair and guilt enough to befriend him.
The messages conveyed in this type of fiction rarely alter but that doesn’t make reading them any less pleasurable or rewarding. The author hits all the right notes with a narrative that convinces its main character to look forward and not back, to accept they cannot change the past and to try and conquer their demons whilst grabbing a second chance at happiness and love. Its always the characters who breathe life into these wise words but without a certain je ne sais quoi, plus some magic and sparkle and inherent goodness in them the storylines can often fall flat. That’s not the case here, the author doesn’t inflict you with any middle of the road characters so I gelled with Noah, Kate, Gabe, Finn and Mimi without hesitation; it required no effort to take these characters to my heart and hold them close for the duration of the novel. From Rachel Marks pen flows a fictional fractured family with whom I didn’t want to part company, wishing each and every one of them a future full of all the best things life can offer. I adored this novel, finding it deeply emotional and poignant one moment, funny and lighthearted the next but the balance between sensitive issues and humorous interludes is brilliantly poised. I’m so happy (and relieved!) that Until Next Weekend lived up to my high expectations and I am so excited for book number three!! Perfect fiction for lifting your spirits! My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read.
Rachel Marks new novel explores the problems associated with being a part time dad, the difficulties of confronting a painful past and the importance of letting go. She does so with the humour, warmth and compassion that made her previous novel, Saturdays At Noon such a joy to read. This author looks set to achieve similar success with another set of extremely likeable, lovable if sometimes frustrating characters all caught up in the aftermath of a marriage breakdown. Taking her readers from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other she tackles issues such as depression with delicacy, nailing all the nuances of parenthood, the highs and lows of falling in and out of love and the general messiness of life with a precision and sensitivity that makes her stand out from the crowd. Rich in humanity this is a novel to relish.
Noah does not win over any fans with all his immature, irresponsible and selfish behaviour but there is something about this damaged, flawed character that allowed me to turn a blind eye to his evident failings and focus on his more positive attributes. I accepted him, warts and all and found him to be an engaging and complex main character who I thought deserved a second shot at happiness. As a teacher of a class of four year olds Mr Carlton earned my immediate respect; the humour that accompanies tales of daily school life, shepherding, mollycoddling, guiding (and sometimes educating!) these little monkeys, moulding them from babies into more capable human beings is utterly delightful. I adored them all, even the not so angelic ones! They are a wonderful source of amusement, providing the reader with plenty of giggles as well as some more heartbreaking moments. Away from his professional life Noah’s love for his sons is unconditional and unwavering although he struggles to sometimes channel his feelings in the right direction. His pain, stemming from the past is so raw, debilitating and intense that I felt overwhelming pity for the man; his vulnerability is heart rending but I loved him all the more for his insecurities, rooting for him all the way. Yet I also felt every inch of Kate’s frustrations with her ex and felt thankful that Mimi could see beneath Noah’s anger, despair and guilt enough to befriend him.
The messages conveyed in this type of fiction rarely alter but that doesn’t make reading them any less pleasurable or rewarding. The author hits all the right notes with a narrative that convinces its main character to look forward and not back, to accept they cannot change the past and to try and conquer their demons whilst grabbing a second chance at happiness and love. Its always the characters who breathe life into these wise words but without a certain je ne sais quoi, plus some magic and sparkle and inherent goodness in them the storylines can often fall flat. That’s not the case here, the author doesn’t inflict you with any middle of the road characters so I gelled with Noah, Kate, Gabe, Finn and Mimi without hesitation; it required no effort to take these characters to my heart and hold them close for the duration of the novel. From Rachel Marks pen flows a fictional fractured family with whom I didn’t want to part company, wishing each and every one of them a future full of all the best things life can offer. I adored this novel, finding it deeply emotional and poignant one moment, funny and lighthearted the next but the balance between sensitive issues and humorous interludes is brilliantly poised. I’m so happy (and relieved!) that Until Next Weekend lived up to my high expectations and I am so excited for book number three!! Perfect fiction for lifting your spirits! My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read.
May 14, 2021
Okay so I missed something major here - let me just preface this by saying I loved Saturdays At noon by Marks. It's one of 4 books that I've rated 5 stars this year..
That being said - I could not stand this book - and particularly Noah. Ugh he felt so narcissistic, poor me, misogynistic. I felt like the entire book he blamed everyone around him and his circumstance for his failings. Like seriously take some responsibility, I also felt there was very little growth from any of the characters. And none of the side characters felt engaging or relatable- they all annoyed me too.
That being said - I could not stand this book - and particularly Noah. Ugh he felt so narcissistic, poor me, misogynistic. I felt like the entire book he blamed everyone around him and his circumstance for his failings. Like seriously take some responsibility, I also felt there was very little growth from any of the characters. And none of the side characters felt engaging or relatable- they all annoyed me too.
July 16, 2021
Until Next Weekend is narrated by Noah Carlton, weekend dad to eight-year-old Gabe and four-year-old Finn and primary school teacher by day. After marrying ex-wife, Kate, at the age of twenty and eleven years as a couple, Noah’s drinking, habit of running away whenever things got tough and tendency to let her and the boys down eventually caused their split. Having been apart for two years and with Kate now having lived with reliable Jerry for over a year, Noah is well and truly fed up and missing his sons yet still failing to turn up for his arranged weekends with them and sniping at anyone who tries to help him. The news that Kate is getting married again in six weeks leaves him in a bad place and when barmaid, Mimi, suggests that he still has time to show his ex-wife that he has changed his ways and stop the impending nuptials she offers her assistance.
Initially I found the book hard going not due to the fact that I disliked Noah but because I found the early stages repetitive and frankly quite boring. I am fine with unlikeable characters but there is never any excuse for dull characters and I had limited patience with Noah’s self-pity, unbelievably sympathetic Kate and what felt like an uninspiring plot. Whilst I don’t expect everything in the genre of escapist fiction to be completely credible I do find it helps if it is reasonably believable and there were several occasions when that wasn’t the case, including when Noah’s sons come to stay and he even asks his married family man brother to babysit so he can go out, get drunk and bring a woman back. Things livened up and improved hugely when snarky barmaid Mimi began to feature significantly at about twenty percent of the way through the book. Derailing Kate’s marriage to Jerry is just one part of the plot that also includes boisterous four-year-old Harley joining Noah’s class, complete with his own chaotic home life.
Gradually the story of Noah’s past unfolds and with it his own troubled childhood, explaining to a degree his inability to handle difficult emotions and whilst he still occasionally behaved like a child at the end of the book he was generally much less of a twat. I would have been slightly more convinced by his characterisation however if he hadn’t altered his affections so easily over the four months timeline! I was disappointed that the writing didn’t feel a little fresher and slightly more original, with barely a few pages passing between Noah making another joke about how much sex he is getting and reeling out the cringeworthy “little man” and “buddy” whenever a child was within sight. At 400 pages the book definitely felt overlong, especially given it is essentially a fairly formulaic heart-warming read.
Initially I found the book hard going not due to the fact that I disliked Noah but because I found the early stages repetitive and frankly quite boring. I am fine with unlikeable characters but there is never any excuse for dull characters and I had limited patience with Noah’s self-pity, unbelievably sympathetic Kate and what felt like an uninspiring plot. Whilst I don’t expect everything in the genre of escapist fiction to be completely credible I do find it helps if it is reasonably believable and there were several occasions when that wasn’t the case, including when Noah’s sons come to stay and he even asks his married family man brother to babysit so he can go out, get drunk and bring a woman back. Things livened up and improved hugely when snarky barmaid Mimi began to feature significantly at about twenty percent of the way through the book. Derailing Kate’s marriage to Jerry is just one part of the plot that also includes boisterous four-year-old Harley joining Noah’s class, complete with his own chaotic home life.
Gradually the story of Noah’s past unfolds and with it his own troubled childhood, explaining to a degree his inability to handle difficult emotions and whilst he still occasionally behaved like a child at the end of the book he was generally much less of a twat. I would have been slightly more convinced by his characterisation however if he hadn’t altered his affections so easily over the four months timeline! I was disappointed that the writing didn’t feel a little fresher and slightly more original, with barely a few pages passing between Noah making another joke about how much sex he is getting and reeling out the cringeworthy “little man” and “buddy” whenever a child was within sight. At 400 pages the book definitely felt overlong, especially given it is essentially a fairly formulaic heart-warming read.
May 18, 2021
Oh this book! Heart warming and saddening in equal measures, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry as I made my way through its pages. Noah, our protagonist, is struggling to adjust to life without his family. It's not often we read stories like this from a male perspective and it was so refreshing to see the emotions of a male character being explored so openly. Noah has a complicated backstory and he often finds himself unintentionally pushing the people he loves away and then tries to cover how he is feeling with a cocky attitude or too much alcohol. (He's unbearable at times but you can't help but root for him.)
Until he meets and befriends Mimi, who encourages Noah to become the best version of himself whilst trying to win back Kate. Of course, his plan to win back Kate is far from straight forward, resulting in upset and Noah being forced to face up to the truth. However, the novel focuses on much more than just Noah's quest, when he takes a troubled pupil, under his wing things get ugly and the secrets of his past come back to haunt him. Noah's story is messy but it's many meaningful interactions and satisfying conclusion had me grinning from ear to ear!
Full of wonderfully genuine characters, laugh out loud moments and plenty of tear-jerking situations* 𝘜𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘕𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘞𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘦𝘯𝘥 is an emotional rollercoaster that was an absolute joy to read!
🍧💛
*ɪɴᴄʟᴜᴅɪɴɢ ꜱᴜɪᴄɪᴅᴇ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴍᴀʀᴋꜱ ʜᴀɴᴅʟᴇꜱ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀꜱꜱɪᴏɴ.
Until he meets and befriends Mimi, who encourages Noah to become the best version of himself whilst trying to win back Kate. Of course, his plan to win back Kate is far from straight forward, resulting in upset and Noah being forced to face up to the truth. However, the novel focuses on much more than just Noah's quest, when he takes a troubled pupil, under his wing things get ugly and the secrets of his past come back to haunt him. Noah's story is messy but it's many meaningful interactions and satisfying conclusion had me grinning from ear to ear!
Full of wonderfully genuine characters, laugh out loud moments and plenty of tear-jerking situations* 𝘜𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘕𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘞𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘦𝘯𝘥 is an emotional rollercoaster that was an absolute joy to read!
🍧💛
*ɪɴᴄʟᴜᴅɪɴɢ ꜱᴜɪᴄɪᴅᴇ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴍᴀʀᴋꜱ ʜᴀɴᴅʟᴇꜱ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀꜱꜱɪᴏɴ.
March 25, 2021
Noah is now a ‘weekend’ dad. Primary school teacher and nursing a broken heart. He is insanely jealous watching his boys with his ex wife Kate and her new partner Jerry. He and Kate were together from teenagers...surely they belong together forever? Don’t they?
We see Noah navigate life as a single dad, ex husband, reception class teacher, brother, son and friend. We see the layers peeling back as he tries to come to terms with the past and realise that he’s got a whole future to look forward to!
A highly entertaining read with relatable characters and situations. You find yourself laughing and crying with Noah in equal measures. Touches on some serious issues but a highly recommended read!
Thank you to Penguin Micheal Joseph UK Publishers and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
We see Noah navigate life as a single dad, ex husband, reception class teacher, brother, son and friend. We see the layers peeling back as he tries to come to terms with the past and realise that he’s got a whole future to look forward to!
A highly entertaining read with relatable characters and situations. You find yourself laughing and crying with Noah in equal measures. Touches on some serious issues but a highly recommended read!
Thank you to Penguin Micheal Joseph UK Publishers and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
April 18, 2021
Another cracker from Rachel, I knew this would not disappoint. Until Next Weekend is narrated by Noah, a primary school teacher, who has split from his ex-wife Kate with whom he shares two boys. Noah finds himself in a bit of a bad place - drinking a lot, sleeping around etc. - whilst Kate is settling down with a new man Jerry. The story primarily follows Noah as he tries to come to terms with what has happened in his life thus far to push him down this route and follows him as he tries to get his life back on track. But, as this is a Rachel Marks novel, this is very much a simplified version of the plot by me and there is of course a whole host more going on with some fabulously endearing characters.
One of my favourite things about Rachel's writing is just how easy it is to read, despite the often tough topics that she addresses. I find myself turning and turning the pages right from the start and all of a sudden, a few hours have past and I'm deep into the story! In the same vein, I always find Rachel's stories extremely accessible; she writes about children and families in a sensitive way and makes her stories fun as well as meaningful. I especially love the little every day very British things that she throws into her books, even when it's just something simple like a Kit-Kat or Peter Rabbit! Without a doubt this book will having you smiling, laughing, and maybe even crying all at the same time. It's a beautiful story and another one that has pride of place on my shelf. Please do just pick it up, I urge you! 4.5 stars.
Thanks to Michael Joseph for a copy of this book.
One of my favourite things about Rachel's writing is just how easy it is to read, despite the often tough topics that she addresses. I find myself turning and turning the pages right from the start and all of a sudden, a few hours have past and I'm deep into the story! In the same vein, I always find Rachel's stories extremely accessible; she writes about children and families in a sensitive way and makes her stories fun as well as meaningful. I especially love the little every day very British things that she throws into her books, even when it's just something simple like a Kit-Kat or Peter Rabbit! Without a doubt this book will having you smiling, laughing, and maybe even crying all at the same time. It's a beautiful story and another one that has pride of place on my shelf. Please do just pick it up, I urge you! 4.5 stars.
Thanks to Michael Joseph for a copy of this book.
November 19, 2024
This was a charity shop sweep and am I glad I came across it! I did question Noah’s decisions throughout the book but it was the perfect representation of people just being people that simultaneously are going through things and finding ways to cope. I loved the deeper topics in this book, how grief was described so beautifully and how mental health played a part. I did not expect the ending one bit but am I happy that the story went that way, absolutely yes! I really felt involved in all the children’s lives from this story, and their character development. Loved it!
April 29, 2021
Written from Noah’s perspective on life this is a funny read about family, marriage, love and children. Although flawed, Noah comes across as a decent character trying to do the best for his family. I really enjoyed his relationship building with Mimi. This story has lots of lighthearted moments which are mixed with emotional topics written sensitively and with feeling. A really enjoyable read. Thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for the e-arc.
December 28, 2020
I was a huge fan of 'Saturdays at Noon' so was very much looking forward to the next novel by Rachel Marks, and it has not disappointed!
The first thing I would say is never judge a book by its cover. The cover leads you to think this is a classic, chick-lit type book of a man on a quest to win back his ex wife. But it is SO much more than that. I loved it, this would make a great TV series, I devoured it in a day!
We meet Noah, a primary school teacher who has two young sons with his ex wife. He is clearly struggling with the breakup, making some poor life choices and I thought it might be the standard 'man turns life around to get woman' kind of story. But about a third of the way in, I could see that it certainly wasn't as straightforward as that.
Noah being a primary school teacher is really important to the story, not only for the story to unfold but also to provide some very comedic moments!
One of the many things I like about Rachel Marks' writing, is that she does not shy away from challenging topics. I do not want to give away any elements of the plot but some of the story lines are heartbreaking, the views expressed by some of the characters are brave and I found myself completely absorbed in what was going on.
Overall, a fantastic, heartbreaking, sometimes very comical read. And one to remind us never to judge a book by its cover! Can't wait for book number 3!
This book is released on 29th April, 2021.
Thank you to @netgalley and @michaeljbooks for the opportunity to review.
#libraryatsevern #bookworm #book #reading #bookstagramuk #londonreader #bookreviewfeature #bookreview #bibliophile #bookstagrammers #readersofinstagram #reader #igreads #untilnextweekend #bookblogger #goodreads #bookshelf #bookreviewer #bookshelf #michaeljbooks #penguinmichaeljosephuk #netgalley #lockdownreads #stayhomeandread #bookstragram#bookstagrammer #femalewriters #rachelmarks
The first thing I would say is never judge a book by its cover. The cover leads you to think this is a classic, chick-lit type book of a man on a quest to win back his ex wife. But it is SO much more than that. I loved it, this would make a great TV series, I devoured it in a day!
We meet Noah, a primary school teacher who has two young sons with his ex wife. He is clearly struggling with the breakup, making some poor life choices and I thought it might be the standard 'man turns life around to get woman' kind of story. But about a third of the way in, I could see that it certainly wasn't as straightforward as that.
Noah being a primary school teacher is really important to the story, not only for the story to unfold but also to provide some very comedic moments!
One of the many things I like about Rachel Marks' writing, is that she does not shy away from challenging topics. I do not want to give away any elements of the plot but some of the story lines are heartbreaking, the views expressed by some of the characters are brave and I found myself completely absorbed in what was going on.
Overall, a fantastic, heartbreaking, sometimes very comical read. And one to remind us never to judge a book by its cover! Can't wait for book number 3!
This book is released on 29th April, 2021.
Thank you to @netgalley and @michaeljbooks for the opportunity to review.
#libraryatsevern #bookworm #book #reading #bookstagramuk #londonreader #bookreviewfeature #bookreview #bibliophile #bookstagrammers #readersofinstagram #reader #igreads #untilnextweekend #bookblogger #goodreads #bookshelf #bookreviewer #bookshelf #michaeljbooks #penguinmichaeljosephuk #netgalley #lockdownreads #stayhomeandread #bookstragram#bookstagrammer #femalewriters #rachelmarks
June 6, 2021
I didn’t enjoy this book, it was very predictable and I didn’t like the way it was written. I did like the way it dealt with mental health though, very open and honest.
April 20, 2021
I was lucky enough to be sent a proof copy of Rachel's first novel Saturday's At Noon early last year and I absolutely loved it, so I couldn't wait to read her second novel and I was not disappointed.
Until Next Weekend is told through the protagonist Noah, we learn that he's divorced, has two children and is still madly hung up on his ex-wife Kate who is due to get married to a new man, Jerry and Noah can't stand him. Unfortunatley Noah isn't exactly making himself look the part of doting Dad and loving husband. He's struggling to open up and come to terms with past events and spends most of his time going out and getting drunk. He eventually strikes a friendship with Mimi, who works at the bar. She agrees to help him change his life round, in a bid to win back Kate. But is it too late to change Kate's mind and remind her of why she married Noah in the first place or is Noah not realising what is right in front of him? Well you'll have to read the book to find out!
The one thing I loved about Rachel's first book was the way she brought the characters to life through her writing and the same can be said for the characters in Until Next Weekend. They seemed so real and normal, that it was hard not to get sucked into the storyline. They had ups and downs, like we all do, and that was told through the story and you learnt to love the characters for their flaws as well as their perfect parts too.
I found it really interesting to read a novel like this which was told from the male perspective and Rachel's writing style and how she adds the light in the darker moments of the novel is ingenious. There were parts that made me emotional and other parts where I was laughing out loud, it really is a great page turner and I've already started recommending it to friends and family members.
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin UK/Michael Joseph for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review prior to the publication date.
Until Next Weekend is told through the protagonist Noah, we learn that he's divorced, has two children and is still madly hung up on his ex-wife Kate who is due to get married to a new man, Jerry and Noah can't stand him. Unfortunatley Noah isn't exactly making himself look the part of doting Dad and loving husband. He's struggling to open up and come to terms with past events and spends most of his time going out and getting drunk. He eventually strikes a friendship with Mimi, who works at the bar. She agrees to help him change his life round, in a bid to win back Kate. But is it too late to change Kate's mind and remind her of why she married Noah in the first place or is Noah not realising what is right in front of him? Well you'll have to read the book to find out!
The one thing I loved about Rachel's first book was the way she brought the characters to life through her writing and the same can be said for the characters in Until Next Weekend. They seemed so real and normal, that it was hard not to get sucked into the storyline. They had ups and downs, like we all do, and that was told through the story and you learnt to love the characters for their flaws as well as their perfect parts too.
I found it really interesting to read a novel like this which was told from the male perspective and Rachel's writing style and how she adds the light in the darker moments of the novel is ingenious. There were parts that made me emotional and other parts where I was laughing out loud, it really is a great page turner and I've already started recommending it to friends and family members.
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin UK/Michael Joseph for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review prior to the publication date.
July 29, 2021
“I always thought that being heartbroken was just an expression, a state of being, but it’s not. It’s a physical thing, a real pain, like something in your chest is actually cracking.”
Reading this book, it kinda hits home to me. My family too had our issues and it deeply impacted me when I was a kid but not so anymore now and in a way, I feel like both of my parents, my dad especially, could relate to Noah’s character or the situation that Noah and Kate are going through in this book.
It’s lovely how Noah’s relationship with Mimi developed from simply supportive friendship into something more, though I wish they had more time together towards the end, I’m happy with their progress. We all need a Mimi in our lives really. She’s a really nice character truly.
We also get to see Noah’s character development very well in this book. I love the way the author wrote his character very realistically in this book. His thoughts and his feelings are very relatable. In a way, you could also sort of feel his pain having to be apart from his kids at times, including his ex-wife too.
As Nana said while we’re reading this book together, it is a story of how sometimes your soulmate, your one true love, is not the person you’ve been chasing, but the person that has always been in front of you. And that truly, perfectly, describes the story so well, no other words needed.
If you need something light, romantic, yet hits your emotion and feels, this is it. It was such a great read between my hectic schedule right now 🖤
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January 18, 2021
I very much enjoyed Rachel Marks' previous book, Saturdays at Noon, so appreciated the opportunity to read and review her new one, Until Next Weekend.
The story is narrated by primary school teacher Noah (that rare thing - a male teacher of young children, in this case the reception class). I liked his character, despite his many and acknowledged flaws. It's fair to say that Noah's life isn't going particularly well. Ex-wife Kate - a woman of admirable tolerance and forbearance - is with someone new, the much maligned (by Noah) Jerry. Noah's time with his two young sons is limited to every other weekend, and it's time he values hugely, yet often self-sabotages. Yes, Noah's a bit of a mess, filling his empty evenings with too much alcohol and casual sex, yearning for the family life - and much-loved wife - he threw away through his own behaviour, and apparently unable to move on.
Until Next Weekend deals with some serious themes - bereavement, suicide, mental health, family breakdown, the lasting impact on children of their parents' issues - but is never less than compulsively readable.
There are some great characters here - I really liked Mimi. the girl Noah meets when she's working behind the bar he frequents, and all the children are excellent. The descriptions of Noah's class of four-year-olds were lovely, and for the most part extremely believable, even down to the names of the children - the Ethans and Baileys and Olivias of today's primary schools. The dialogue - both of adults and children - is excellent throughout.
A very enjoyable and satisfying read.
The story is narrated by primary school teacher Noah (that rare thing - a male teacher of young children, in this case the reception class). I liked his character, despite his many and acknowledged flaws. It's fair to say that Noah's life isn't going particularly well. Ex-wife Kate - a woman of admirable tolerance and forbearance - is with someone new, the much maligned (by Noah) Jerry. Noah's time with his two young sons is limited to every other weekend, and it's time he values hugely, yet often self-sabotages. Yes, Noah's a bit of a mess, filling his empty evenings with too much alcohol and casual sex, yearning for the family life - and much-loved wife - he threw away through his own behaviour, and apparently unable to move on.
Until Next Weekend deals with some serious themes - bereavement, suicide, mental health, family breakdown, the lasting impact on children of their parents' issues - but is never less than compulsively readable.
There are some great characters here - I really liked Mimi. the girl Noah meets when she's working behind the bar he frequents, and all the children are excellent. The descriptions of Noah's class of four-year-olds were lovely, and for the most part extremely believable, even down to the names of the children - the Ethans and Baileys and Olivias of today's primary schools. The dialogue - both of adults and children - is excellent throughout.
A very enjoyable and satisfying read.
May 9, 2021
What a book to end the weekend with!
I really enjoyed this book, it was moving, emotive & had me laughing out loud in places. Beautifully written with characters you immediately warm to, that feel like part of the family.
Primary school teacher has been divorced from his ex wife Kate for two years now but it still hits him like a sledge hammer when she announces she's getting married to her new partner...as he's still madly in love with her!
With the help of his 'friend' Mimi, he sets about sorting his car crash of a life out in order to win Kate back before its too late.
'Kate & Noah were meant to be together forever'
𝗜 𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮 5 ⭐ 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴
I really enjoyed this book, it was moving, emotive & had me laughing out loud in places. Beautifully written with characters you immediately warm to, that feel like part of the family.
Primary school teacher has been divorced from his ex wife Kate for two years now but it still hits him like a sledge hammer when she announces she's getting married to her new partner...as he's still madly in love with her!
With the help of his 'friend' Mimi, he sets about sorting his car crash of a life out in order to win Kate back before its too late.
'Kate & Noah were meant to be together forever'
𝗜 𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮 5 ⭐ 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2025
I was surprised by having a guy as the main character but happily sat in that with the authors expertise.
I was pretty much not liking Noah for most of the book. Like a dog returning to its vomit, Noah kept making the same mistakes that he should have learnt from by now.
There was, in the end, more depth than I expected, which was good.
I was pretty much not liking Noah for most of the book. Like a dog returning to its vomit, Noah kept making the same mistakes that he should have learnt from by now.
There was, in the end, more depth than I expected, which was good.
August 22, 2022
As suspected, loved this one! Seeing a male character have such meaningful development is a nice change. The storyline was super realistic and wonderful to read. I can't wait to see what Rachel Marks writes next.
August 11, 2023
Oh I absolutely LOVED this and couldn't stop reading it! The characters all felt incredibly real, and Rachel Marks did a beautiful job of describing some very complex emotions. I'll definitely be buying more books by this author.
March 7, 2021
Very enjoyable read. Tackles several different themes, all of them well I felt. It was at times tough to read, you could feel the emotion seeping from the pages.
July 25, 2021
loved this so much. a very emotional read tbh
September 6, 2021
The premise on the book doesn’t match with what the book really is about. The idea is
good but the book drags on and on, characters doing stuff that doesn’t make sense, and no one really heals or moves forward, they just keep circling around.
good but the book drags on and on, characters doing stuff that doesn’t make sense, and no one really heals or moves forward, they just keep circling around.
August 10, 2023
Too easy a read, typically I wanted a different ending.
July 9, 2024
i liked the book but it did get a little boring within the middle of the book and it was very repetitive but very enjoyable.
February 24, 2025
2.75 ⭐️ I did actually enjoy this book but it was just too predictable in every aspect which is why it’s not quite a 3 star
October 26, 2022
A great easy read over half-term that I could delve into. I especially loved the narratives from Noah as a primary teacher which were hilarious and relatable.
January 22, 2025
This book actually made me cry!! I didn't like Noah at the beginning but as the story progressed I understood him better!! Beautifully written.
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