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Mum on a Mission: A laugh-out-loud, chaotic and uplifting women’s fiction read from Carmen Reid for 2026
Breaking working mums really CAN do it all 🍼💼 A funny, uplifting read from BESTSELLER Carmen Reid about the trials and tribulations of being a working mum. Perfect for fans of Gill Sims, Fiona Gibson, Alexandra Potter and Motherland 🍼👶🏼 Jo's to do ✍️ Turn in her next article
😅 Survive the school run
🥊 Avoid throttling the terrible ex
There aren't enough hours in the day for Jo Randall, overworked, sleep-deprived newspaper reporter, newly single mum, and logistical genius (when it comes to Barbie-themed birthday parties, anyway). Between wrangling her two young daughters, dodging her smug ex-husband and his new girlfriend, and trying to remember where she last saw her car keys, Jo’s barely got time to breathe — she's not just breaking news, she's at breaking point.
But she is on to something big. Really breaking news big! All she has to do is knock on the right doors, ask the right questions, and not get distracted by the ridiculously delicious chef who keeps popping up in her path.
The deadline is looming. And this mum is on a mission to make sure she isn't up all night... unless it's to finally get that scoop!
Please This book was previously published as Up All Night
Praise for Carmen "A satisfying slice of escapism" The Daily Mail
"Bold, stylish and full of twists, turns and unexpected detours, this is Carmen Reid at her very best!" #1 Bestseller Shari Low, author of One Snowy Day
"Escapist Summer reading at its best" Bestseller Jill Mansell
"Reading Carmen Reid is the most fun you can have" Bestseller Katie Fforde
"This is like a slice of real life!" ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Reader review
"Carmen Reid is a fantastic writer ,her books just keep you enthralled all the way through and sad when you've finished." ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Reader review
"The perfect balance between laugh-out-loud hilarity and genuinely touching moments" ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Reader review
"A great balance of light hearted fun and more serious stuff that will touch your heart and mind." ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Reader review
"Great characters, well written , good realistic storylines, touches on issues which are very much current but with sensitivity . A good all round read and highly recommended." ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Reader review
😅 Survive the school run
🥊 Avoid throttling the terrible ex
There aren't enough hours in the day for Jo Randall, overworked, sleep-deprived newspaper reporter, newly single mum, and logistical genius (when it comes to Barbie-themed birthday parties, anyway). Between wrangling her two young daughters, dodging her smug ex-husband and his new girlfriend, and trying to remember where she last saw her car keys, Jo’s barely got time to breathe — she's not just breaking news, she's at breaking point.
But she is on to something big. Really breaking news big! All she has to do is knock on the right doors, ask the right questions, and not get distracted by the ridiculously delicious chef who keeps popping up in her path.
The deadline is looming. And this mum is on a mission to make sure she isn't up all night... unless it's to finally get that scoop!
Please This book was previously published as Up All Night
Praise for Carmen "A satisfying slice of escapism" The Daily Mail
"Bold, stylish and full of twists, turns and unexpected detours, this is Carmen Reid at her very best!" #1 Bestseller Shari Low, author of One Snowy Day
"Escapist Summer reading at its best" Bestseller Jill Mansell
"Reading Carmen Reid is the most fun you can have" Bestseller Katie Fforde
"This is like a slice of real life!" ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Reader review
"Carmen Reid is a fantastic writer ,her books just keep you enthralled all the way through and sad when you've finished." ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Reader review
"The perfect balance between laugh-out-loud hilarity and genuinely touching moments" ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Reader review
"A great balance of light hearted fun and more serious stuff that will touch your heart and mind." ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Reader review
"Great characters, well written , good realistic storylines, touches on issues which are very much current but with sensitivity . A good all round read and highly recommended." ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Reader review
- GenresChick Lit
298 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2005
51 people are currently reading
173 people want to read
About the author
Carmen Reid
68 books238 followersCarmen was born and brought up in a chilly and windy corner of Scotland in the depths of the countryside.
This may explain her lifelong phobia of cows and abiding interest in cities, department stores, books, the cinema and newspapers.
She is currently working on her eigth novel for grown-ups and her third novel for teenagers. Well, she likes to keep busy.
Carmen did once study English Literature at University College London, but, ignoring everything she’d learned, she spent most of her 20s working as a local, regional and then national newspaper reporter.
Knowing deep down that she was supposed to be an author not a journo, she left her day job to have a baby and write her first novel. (Hey, and just four sleepless, penniless years later it was published!)
Although there is a corner of her heart that will always belong to London (property developers welcome) she now lives in Glasgow, Scotland, with her husband, Thomas, and two children, Sam and Claudie, plus Jimmy the (lunatic) Jack Russell and Clive, Orangey and Gorcha, the fish.
Fortunately her hobbies are cooking, cleaning, arguing about whose turn it is to walk the dog, clean the fish tank, take out the rubbish, do the laundry... and so on.
This may explain her lifelong phobia of cows and abiding interest in cities, department stores, books, the cinema and newspapers.
She is currently working on her eigth novel for grown-ups and her third novel for teenagers. Well, she likes to keep busy.
Carmen did once study English Literature at University College London, but, ignoring everything she’d learned, she spent most of her 20s working as a local, regional and then national newspaper reporter.
Knowing deep down that she was supposed to be an author not a journo, she left her day job to have a baby and write her first novel. (Hey, and just four sleepless, penniless years later it was published!)
Although there is a corner of her heart that will always belong to London (property developers welcome) she now lives in Glasgow, Scotland, with her husband, Thomas, and two children, Sam and Claudie, plus Jimmy the (lunatic) Jack Russell and Clive, Orangey and Gorcha, the fish.
Fortunately her hobbies are cooking, cleaning, arguing about whose turn it is to walk the dog, clean the fish tank, take out the rubbish, do the laundry... and so on.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 18, 2020
Up All Night starts off as a light fun read about Jo’s friendship with Bella, and her lusty relationship with her post-divorce toyboy, but it then takes on a far more serious shift.
Jo is an investigative journalist and although the book was originally written in 2005, the storyline is just as prevalent today as it was back then. She investigates the controversy of childhood immunisations whilst struggling with the complexities of life post-divorce when you have children.She also interviews a hopeful Green MP who talks about her lifestyle and the effects of the modern world and infantile allergies. Although this is fiction, the issues are still very real now and it’s rather sad how little progress society has made in many respects.
Interesting story. Not at all what I thought it would be but I’d definitely recommend it. A good one for post-read discussion.
Jo is an investigative journalist and although the book was originally written in 2005, the storyline is just as prevalent today as it was back then. She investigates the controversy of childhood immunisations whilst struggling with the complexities of life post-divorce when you have children.She also interviews a hopeful Green MP who talks about her lifestyle and the effects of the modern world and infantile allergies. Although this is fiction, the issues are still very real now and it’s rather sad how little progress society has made in many respects.
Interesting story. Not at all what I thought it would be but I’d definitely recommend it. A good one for post-read discussion.
April 8, 2018
This is just fluff with no real meat to the tale.
August 19, 2018
Not bad. An easy read
February 15, 2012
I generally like Carmen Reid for a light chick lit read, but this one wasn't very good unfortunately. The story was a bit whingy and worst of all, there was a gaping plot hole! Not an important part, but a bit irritating non the less. I didn't invest in the main character (perhaps because she was a mom, and I'm not) but liked the humanization of the ex-husband through his interaction with their children. Meh. Give it a miss unless you are really addicted to Carmen Reid.
April 27, 2008
I got "Up All Night" because I really enjoyed "The Personal Shopper" and I wanted to check out more Carmen Reid books. This one, however, just bored me and I've just decided to shelf it for now. I may give it another go later. Maybe it's just a bit too hard for me to relate to a divorced w/two kids character, I'm more down with the singletons ;)
January 2, 2012
Pants, pants, pants. Big Bridget Jones pants!
Very slow at starting then when it finally did seem to be going somewhere it didnt. Such a let down. There were soooooo many loose ends, that if my 15month old had not been sleeping beside me as i finished the book it would have been bounced off the wall on the other side of the room!!!
Big disappointment. But make up your own mind obviously.
Very slow at starting then when it finally did seem to be going somewhere it didnt. Such a let down. There were soooooo many loose ends, that if my 15month old had not been sleeping beside me as i finished the book it would have been bounced off the wall on the other side of the room!!!
Big disappointment. But make up your own mind obviously.
November 29, 2013
Cute Book but a very open ending which would leave room for a second book
July 27, 2012
A good book to keep you entertained while on a beach holiday by the pool...there's nothing much to it and is easy to read.
November 17, 2012
A story of a SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUPRWOMAN!!
June 4, 2013
Standard chick lit. Fluffy but lacking substance.
Ok for a quick read but don't expect anything life changing.
Ok for a quick read but don't expect anything life changing.
August 13, 2014
I've liked the two other Carmen Reid books I've read but this was a dull read. Not much happens and the ending is weak...I started so I finished but not one of my faves!
May 24, 2012
Enjoyable, but slightly predictable.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews