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Motherfaker
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Expected 24 Feb 26Rebel-in-a-smock-dress Barri Brown has spent years slaving away as an English teacher in Guernsey, covering for colleagues with kids and barely tolerating the unhygienic staffroom etiquette. With a distant family and a husband who has just vanished along with her life savings, Barri dreams of escape.
Her wild plan? Pretend she’s having a baby and use the paid year off work to start over somewhere new. And so Barri tells the school she’s pregnant, orders seven bumps on the internet and sets the wheels in motion for her great pregnancy heist.
All she has to do is blag it until she can disappear for good, without getting caught and being sent to prison for fraud. How hard could it be?
On a small island like nightmarish. Especially when her student, fifteen-year-old irredeemable troublemaker Callum, discovers her secret. To make matters worse, Barri's fake pregnancy forces her to make genuine connections with friends and family for the first time in years and she begins to understand the true cost of her deception.
It turns out scamming your way to a better life is harder when you start liking the life you're supposed to escape from . . .
Her wild plan? Pretend she’s having a baby and use the paid year off work to start over somewhere new. And so Barri tells the school she’s pregnant, orders seven bumps on the internet and sets the wheels in motion for her great pregnancy heist.
All she has to do is blag it until she can disappear for good, without getting caught and being sent to prison for fraud. How hard could it be?
On a small island like nightmarish. Especially when her student, fifteen-year-old irredeemable troublemaker Callum, discovers her secret. To make matters worse, Barri's fake pregnancy forces her to make genuine connections with friends and family for the first time in years and she begins to understand the true cost of her deception.
It turns out scamming your way to a better life is harder when you start liking the life you're supposed to escape from . . .
Kindle Edition
Expected publication February 24, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
November 1, 2025
I was not expecting to love this as much as I did. I went into this book assuming it’d be a fun, lighthearted comedy, but it was so much more than that. Barri was extremely unlikeable at first, but hilarious. She grew on me quite quickly (like her fake bump…) and I found myself rooting for her, hoping she wouldn’t get caught out. I also loved Trish and Callum, both were excellent supporting characters.
The emotions and themes of regret, abuse and grief took me by surprise, but they were weaved into this story so brilliantly. There were several moments where I found myself tearing up after laughing out loud. I didn’t want this to end, I’d read another book about Barri watching paint dry, her humour and inner monologue were the most entertaining thing I’ve read in ages. A real stand out story.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #MotherFaker #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
The emotions and themes of regret, abuse and grief took me by surprise, but they were weaved into this story so brilliantly. There were several moments where I found myself tearing up after laughing out loud. I didn’t want this to end, I’d read another book about Barri watching paint dry, her humour and inner monologue were the most entertaining thing I’ve read in ages. A real stand out story.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #MotherFaker #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
November 30, 2025
I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher, in return for an honest review. This review is based entirely on my own thoughts and feelings.
Overall rating: 4*
Writing: 4*
Characters: 4*
Pace: 3*
Plot: 3*
I don’t read many funny books, I prefer a serious thriller on average, so it took me a bit of getting used to the calamitous ways of our MC. But after 15% or so I was laughing out loud. The characters were really great, Callum for me was the best side character in any book I’ve read this year. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how this was going to play out and I liked the build up to the end. Will definitely be recommending this book when it comes out next year. A real feel good, lighthearted, funny read.
Overall rating: 4*
Writing: 4*
Characters: 4*
Pace: 3*
Plot: 3*
I don’t read many funny books, I prefer a serious thriller on average, so it took me a bit of getting used to the calamitous ways of our MC. But after 15% or so I was laughing out loud. The characters were really great, Callum for me was the best side character in any book I’ve read this year. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how this was going to play out and I liked the build up to the end. Will definitely be recommending this book when it comes out next year. A real feel good, lighthearted, funny read.
September 11, 2025
POTENTIAL *MILD* SPOILERS!!
Firstly, thank you so much to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC copy of this book.
~
HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO FOR A YEAR OFF WORK?
Meet Barri Brown. Respected teacher. Upstanding citizen of Guernsey. Down for a bit of law-breaking . . .
Barri is preparing for a year’s paid maternity leave but there’s a catch:
She isn’t pregnant.
With seven foam bumps, a wardrobe full of smock dresses and a great pregnancy heist planned, all Barri has to do is blag it until she can disappear for good, without getting caught and being sent to prison for fraud. Child’s play.
But can she really get away with telling the mother of all lies?
~
I thoroughly enjoed Anna Brook-Mitchell's style of writing - I found it clear and easy to read. The book follows the story of Barri on her journey to faking pregnancy. As you can imagine, the situation in itself is bizaare and almost funny. I found the book very humourous and I related heavily to Barri's character and her dislike for others touching her/ her awkwardness. I think the storyline in itself is unique - I have never read a book with a plotline even remotely similar.
I found 'Motherfaker' to be an enjoyable read. 'Motherfaker' explores topics such as abuse, mid-life humour, parental abandonment and found family. I enjoyed reading Barri's trajectory from hating everybody to warming up to certain people. I would've liked to see more of the fall out from her fake pregnancy - I do think some details were "glossed over" in a way. The characters in the book forgave her quickly and easily - it seemed slightly unrealistic.
I would definitely read this book again.
Firstly, thank you so much to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC copy of this book.
~
HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO FOR A YEAR OFF WORK?
Meet Barri Brown. Respected teacher. Upstanding citizen of Guernsey. Down for a bit of law-breaking . . .
Barri is preparing for a year’s paid maternity leave but there’s a catch:
She isn’t pregnant.
With seven foam bumps, a wardrobe full of smock dresses and a great pregnancy heist planned, all Barri has to do is blag it until she can disappear for good, without getting caught and being sent to prison for fraud. Child’s play.
But can she really get away with telling the mother of all lies?
~
I thoroughly enjoed Anna Brook-Mitchell's style of writing - I found it clear and easy to read. The book follows the story of Barri on her journey to faking pregnancy. As you can imagine, the situation in itself is bizaare and almost funny. I found the book very humourous and I related heavily to Barri's character and her dislike for others touching her/ her awkwardness. I think the storyline in itself is unique - I have never read a book with a plotline even remotely similar.
I found 'Motherfaker' to be an enjoyable read. 'Motherfaker' explores topics such as abuse, mid-life humour, parental abandonment and found family. I enjoyed reading Barri's trajectory from hating everybody to warming up to certain people. I would've liked to see more of the fall out from her fake pregnancy - I do think some details were "glossed over" in a way. The characters in the book forgave her quickly and easily - it seemed slightly unrealistic.
I would definitely read this book again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2025
Barri Brown is fed up. A hard-working teacher on Guernsey, she’s fed up of people telling her that her biological clock is ticking. She’s fed up of being told that she’ll ‘change her mind’ when she tells her family, friends and colleagues that she doesn’t ever want children and she’s fed up of being overwhelmed, overloaded, unappreciated and overlooked for promotion in favour of people she’s spent years covering for when they have been off on repeated maternity leave. Not only that but she doesn’t really have any friends; her family is exasperated by her, despite what she sees as her best efforts to be a good Sister and Aunt (I fully empathise with her sister here), and worse still, her husband Sean has disappeared and is ghosting her, and she doesn’t know why or where he is. She has had enough.
So when she stumbles, Barri-style, into a conversation that leads her colleagues to think she’s expecting a baby, she starts to think…why not? As everyone seems so desperate for her to have a baby, and is insistent that she will one day she decides to lean into it. She can pull this off, right? With the help of progressive fake ‘bumps’ bought online and a solid game face, she can pretend to be expecting, enjoy all of the positive attention that comes with it, pop the house on the market, pocket her share of the money, take the maternity leave and disappear. Travel the world for a while as the fuss dies down, then settle somewhere new – she thinks she quite fancies Nashville although longer term, Edinburgh has quite a pull.
Enter Trish, a new neighbour who ends up becoming unwittingly embroiled in Barri’s plans and becomes her first real friend. With her support, things are going to plan until Barri discovers that Sean, the errant husband, has remortgaged the house without her knowledge and all her plans go up in smoke…but she’s still there…trapped…fake pregnancy and all, but no money on the horizon. How the hell is she going to get out of this one? When one of her students gets involved with criminal activity and resorts to blackmailing her, she knows she’s really messed up and the prospect of what will happen if she’s outed (or indeed, if she isn’t!) over the next few months is terrifying.
Motherfaker is quite unlike any book I’ve read before. The main character is so beautifully written that she’s believable in her absurdity, but there is a serious message that underpins this book which covers societal attitudes to women and how they are so often defined by their parental status – mothers are judged on their choices in the same way that childfree women are, just in a different context. When a woman is pregnant she effectively becomes public property and her body is discussed and touched, often with seemingly little choice from her. When a woman chooses to be childfree, she is often viewed with suspicion and distrust and the perception is frequently thrown around that a woman who doesn’t have children is devoid of empathy and has no idea what ‘real love’ is. Just look what is said about female MPs or CEOs without children – it’s rarely, if ever raised by way of similar criticism for males in the same situation. This book reiterates that women are often made to feel as if they do not have a choice, and also that motherhood is not always achieved by giving birth. Women may be mothers through blended families, fostering, adoption, and some will play the role of mother many times without ever having the official ‘label’. On the other side of the coin, they may decide that motherhood is not for them at all – and that’s ok too. I think the really sad thing that this book exposes is that she felt left out by the women in her life until she ‘got pregnant’ and in reality – she was. Once she was ‘in the club’, literally and figuratively, she was a different person to them. This is something that many women have felt over the years – constantly expected to have children, and then left out of so much if they don’t, or can’t. It’s a message that really makes you think.
On a more positive note, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s one of my best reads of the year so far (and we are in November now so that’s some going!). It’s got so much going for it – the nervous feeling that Barri’s lies are going to be exposed and the internal struggle of whether you want her to be found out or not? I mean she’s doing something pretty awful here, but based on her experiences, can you really blame her? She’s actually making friends for the first time in her life, she’s maturing emotionally and she’s opening up and making herself vulnerable. Her life is changing in a way she never expected and just when she’s starting to experience real friendship, she’s going to have to blow it all open with a massive expose. Somewhere down the line, while taking on the bad guys, she has become the bad guy. The unjustness of this just emphasises her frustration with the societal expectations on women to have babies and the way attitudes change towards the if and when they do – as I mentioned earlier this will ring true and strike a chord with many women. The themes of feeling ‘othered’, of trying so hard to fit in, and eventually feeling that inclusion, but knowing it’s all based on a lie and she’d never have experienced that warmth and friendship if she’d not deceived them into thinking she was expecting. To have Barri shoulder that burden, and the events that unfold as it all starts to unravel, with such humour and poignancy is a real triumph and I think Anna Brook-Mitchell has a big hit on her very talented hands.
So when she stumbles, Barri-style, into a conversation that leads her colleagues to think she’s expecting a baby, she starts to think…why not? As everyone seems so desperate for her to have a baby, and is insistent that she will one day she decides to lean into it. She can pull this off, right? With the help of progressive fake ‘bumps’ bought online and a solid game face, she can pretend to be expecting, enjoy all of the positive attention that comes with it, pop the house on the market, pocket her share of the money, take the maternity leave and disappear. Travel the world for a while as the fuss dies down, then settle somewhere new – she thinks she quite fancies Nashville although longer term, Edinburgh has quite a pull.
Enter Trish, a new neighbour who ends up becoming unwittingly embroiled in Barri’s plans and becomes her first real friend. With her support, things are going to plan until Barri discovers that Sean, the errant husband, has remortgaged the house without her knowledge and all her plans go up in smoke…but she’s still there…trapped…fake pregnancy and all, but no money on the horizon. How the hell is she going to get out of this one? When one of her students gets involved with criminal activity and resorts to blackmailing her, she knows she’s really messed up and the prospect of what will happen if she’s outed (or indeed, if she isn’t!) over the next few months is terrifying.
Motherfaker is quite unlike any book I’ve read before. The main character is so beautifully written that she’s believable in her absurdity, but there is a serious message that underpins this book which covers societal attitudes to women and how they are so often defined by their parental status – mothers are judged on their choices in the same way that childfree women are, just in a different context. When a woman is pregnant she effectively becomes public property and her body is discussed and touched, often with seemingly little choice from her. When a woman chooses to be childfree, she is often viewed with suspicion and distrust and the perception is frequently thrown around that a woman who doesn’t have children is devoid of empathy and has no idea what ‘real love’ is. Just look what is said about female MPs or CEOs without children – it’s rarely, if ever raised by way of similar criticism for males in the same situation. This book reiterates that women are often made to feel as if they do not have a choice, and also that motherhood is not always achieved by giving birth. Women may be mothers through blended families, fostering, adoption, and some will play the role of mother many times without ever having the official ‘label’. On the other side of the coin, they may decide that motherhood is not for them at all – and that’s ok too. I think the really sad thing that this book exposes is that she felt left out by the women in her life until she ‘got pregnant’ and in reality – she was. Once she was ‘in the club’, literally and figuratively, she was a different person to them. This is something that many women have felt over the years – constantly expected to have children, and then left out of so much if they don’t, or can’t. It’s a message that really makes you think.
On a more positive note, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s one of my best reads of the year so far (and we are in November now so that’s some going!). It’s got so much going for it – the nervous feeling that Barri’s lies are going to be exposed and the internal struggle of whether you want her to be found out or not? I mean she’s doing something pretty awful here, but based on her experiences, can you really blame her? She’s actually making friends for the first time in her life, she’s maturing emotionally and she’s opening up and making herself vulnerable. Her life is changing in a way she never expected and just when she’s starting to experience real friendship, she’s going to have to blow it all open with a massive expose. Somewhere down the line, while taking on the bad guys, she has become the bad guy. The unjustness of this just emphasises her frustration with the societal expectations on women to have babies and the way attitudes change towards the if and when they do – as I mentioned earlier this will ring true and strike a chord with many women. The themes of feeling ‘othered’, of trying so hard to fit in, and eventually feeling that inclusion, but knowing it’s all based on a lie and she’d never have experienced that warmth and friendship if she’d not deceived them into thinking she was expecting. To have Barri shoulder that burden, and the events that unfold as it all starts to unravel, with such humour and poignancy is a real triumph and I think Anna Brook-Mitchell has a big hit on her very talented hands.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5 stars
I'd read a number of great depression books before this and this one just sounded really fun and I was excited to read it.
Barri was a fabulous protagonist. I think we're meant not to like so much and I did dislike her to begin with but I couldn't help it, I just fell in love with her. Yes she has her faults as we all do, but she's just so much fun and I loved her story.
I loved how Barri stood up for women without kids. I don't want to spoil the book or the ending, but I will say she is quite vocal about omen's rights not to have children, and she stands up to those women who say "but what if yo change your mind", and I think it's ridiculous that women are still having to defend their choice not to have children. And so she had my respect there.
I mean, morally, it's a bit questionable, but I still loved her and the story.
I expected it to be light-heart, fun, frivolous, a kind of silly novel, and it was in parts but it touched on a range of difficult topics that were surprising but it gave the story more gravitas.
Now, about the ending...did I like it? Yes, I think it worked well. However, I did find everything a bit too neat and tidy, I'd have liked to have seen more of the repercussions of everything, it just seemed to gloss over a lot of things.
It did dip a bit in the middle, and got a bit repetitive and felt stagnant and stilled, but I think the rest of the pacing was good and so overall it worked well.
For it's positives and its flaws, I read it in one afternoon as it was just so easy to lose myself in.
I'd read a number of great depression books before this and this one just sounded really fun and I was excited to read it.
Barri was a fabulous protagonist. I think we're meant not to like so much and I did dislike her to begin with but I couldn't help it, I just fell in love with her. Yes she has her faults as we all do, but she's just so much fun and I loved her story.
I loved how Barri stood up for women without kids. I don't want to spoil the book or the ending, but I will say she is quite vocal about omen's rights not to have children, and she stands up to those women who say "but what if yo change your mind", and I think it's ridiculous that women are still having to defend their choice not to have children. And so she had my respect there.
I mean, morally, it's a bit questionable, but I still loved her and the story.
I expected it to be light-heart, fun, frivolous, a kind of silly novel, and it was in parts but it touched on a range of difficult topics that were surprising but it gave the story more gravitas.
Now, about the ending...did I like it? Yes, I think it worked well. However, I did find everything a bit too neat and tidy, I'd have liked to have seen more of the repercussions of everything, it just seemed to gloss over a lot of things.
It did dip a bit in the middle, and got a bit repetitive and felt stagnant and stilled, but I think the rest of the pacing was good and so overall it worked well.
For it's positives and its flaws, I read it in one afternoon as it was just so easy to lose myself in.
December 30, 2025
Motherfaker is motherfaking brilliant! I couldn’t put it down, whizzed through the gloriously short and snappy chapters, literally laughed out loud multiple times and also cried a couple of times too.
In summary - Motherfaker is about a woman called Barri who fakes a pregnancy to get paid maternity leave…but it’s SO much more than that! There are lots of little sub-stories going on that you end up becoming just as invested in as the baby sham.
We are told the story through Barri’s POV and her inner monologue is absolutely hilarious, as are many of her interactions and conversations with the brilliant cast of characters we meet along the way.
I got so lost in the laughter that the emotional bits always caught me off guard and hit me beautifully, but I felt that everything was really sensitively done without taking away from the humour, which is tough considering the subject matter.
Motherfaker is out in February 2026 and I whole heartedly believe it is going to be an absolute sensation. Thank you so much to the publisher for the early proof of this 5 star read.
In summary - Motherfaker is about a woman called Barri who fakes a pregnancy to get paid maternity leave…but it’s SO much more than that! There are lots of little sub-stories going on that you end up becoming just as invested in as the baby sham.
We are told the story through Barri’s POV and her inner monologue is absolutely hilarious, as are many of her interactions and conversations with the brilliant cast of characters we meet along the way.
I got so lost in the laughter that the emotional bits always caught me off guard and hit me beautifully, but I felt that everything was really sensitively done without taking away from the humour, which is tough considering the subject matter.
Motherfaker is out in February 2026 and I whole heartedly believe it is going to be an absolute sensation. Thank you so much to the publisher for the early proof of this 5 star read.
October 26, 2025
This book is about Barri who really doesn’t like children or have any desire to have one, however, she decides that to get time off work and be able to travel, she is going to pretend she’s pregnant.
She buys several strap on bumps for every stage of her pregnancy and starts to convince everyone she’s pregnant with sometimes hilarious results. I found myself laughing out loud at some points.
As well as her story, there is also a teenage boy who she befriends and a neighbour who has a secret.
I found this book to be funny, yet heartwarming as Barri comes to understand about pregnancy and even though it’s not what she wants for herself, but how sometimes you don’t have to give birth to a child to make a difference in another child’s life.
I enjoyed this book as it was different which is why I gave it a 10/10.
She buys several strap on bumps for every stage of her pregnancy and starts to convince everyone she’s pregnant with sometimes hilarious results. I found myself laughing out loud at some points.
As well as her story, there is also a teenage boy who she befriends and a neighbour who has a secret.
I found this book to be funny, yet heartwarming as Barri comes to understand about pregnancy and even though it’s not what she wants for herself, but how sometimes you don’t have to give birth to a child to make a difference in another child’s life.
I enjoyed this book as it was different which is why I gave it a 10/10.
December 1, 2025
How far would you go just to escape your own life for a little while, to take time off work, step away from responsibility, and simply start over? This book takes that question and spins it into a story that is brilliantly written, funny, captivating, and unexpectedly heartbreaking. At its center is Barri, a woman whose life feels like it is slowly collapsing around her. She is dealing with the ruins of a broken marriage, the emptiness of having no real friends, and a family she cannot seem to connect with. She is lonely, stuck, and desperate for change.
In a moment of reckless hope, she makes a wild decision. She is going to fake a pregnancy, take the maternity pay, and vanish into a fresh new life. It is outrageous, messy, and hilarious, but it is also the spark that forces her to confront what she truly wants and what she has been running from.
As the plan unfolds, Barri begins to discover that her life is not as empty as she once believed. People she barely noticed start to matter. Strangers become allies. And the ties she thought were broken reveal themselves to be stronger and more complicated than she ever imagined. What follows is a roller coaster of blackmail, unlikely friendships, risky schemes, and a pregnancy heist that is as chaotic as it is entertaining.
If the premise alone does not convince you to pick up this book, the blend of sharp humour and deeply moving emotional moments certainly will. It is a story that will make you laugh, make you think, and maybe even break your heart a little, but in the most satisfying way.
In a moment of reckless hope, she makes a wild decision. She is going to fake a pregnancy, take the maternity pay, and vanish into a fresh new life. It is outrageous, messy, and hilarious, but it is also the spark that forces her to confront what she truly wants and what she has been running from.
As the plan unfolds, Barri begins to discover that her life is not as empty as she once believed. People she barely noticed start to matter. Strangers become allies. And the ties she thought were broken reveal themselves to be stronger and more complicated than she ever imagined. What follows is a roller coaster of blackmail, unlikely friendships, risky schemes, and a pregnancy heist that is as chaotic as it is entertaining.
If the premise alone does not convince you to pick up this book, the blend of sharp humour and deeply moving emotional moments certainly will. It is a story that will make you laugh, make you think, and maybe even break your heart a little, but in the most satisfying way.
January 8, 2026
Oh Anna I absolutely loved this book so much it’s so different from anything I’ve ever read and so special in the message that threads through your words.
Barri was, as you said, a little prickly but to give her a chance and honestly, how real was she? I also loved her sense of humour and she made me chuckle on more than one occasion.
The writing and pacing was great, fresh and a story I think everyone would enjoy. It was such a heart warmer and just want to give you and all your characters a big hug!
Well done and massive congratulations on your debut novel, I can’t wait to follow you on this most successful journey.
Thank you and Book Break for the proof and amazing baby shower party. I will never forget it 🤍
Barri was, as you said, a little prickly but to give her a chance and honestly, how real was she? I also loved her sense of humour and she made me chuckle on more than one occasion.
The writing and pacing was great, fresh and a story I think everyone would enjoy. It was such a heart warmer and just want to give you and all your characters a big hug!
Well done and massive congratulations on your debut novel, I can’t wait to follow you on this most successful journey.
Thank you and Book Break for the proof and amazing baby shower party. I will never forget it 🤍
September 20, 2025
***Advance review copy received from NetGalley in return for an honest review***
Barri Brown is a respected teacher in Guernsey who decides she needs a break from her life. She isn’t pregnant, but she plans to fake a pregnancy to take a year’s paid maternity leave. With foam bumps, smock dresses, and a heist of a plan, all she has to do is keep her lie under wraps until it’s too late to look back.
I thought this was a solid read. The comedy is screwball at times and the emotional stakes underneath it are real. Barri is eccentric, logical, exasperating and charming all at once. Some of the twists are very fun and unexpected. Occasionally the premise runs the risk of feeling a bit too bonkers, but mostly that’s part of its charm.
If you enjoy novels about found family, messy personal lives, and the absurdities people get into trying to reclaim control, you’ll likely enjoy this. People who loved The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion or Me Before You by Jojo Moyes may find Barri’s wild ride appealing.
Barri Brown is a respected teacher in Guernsey who decides she needs a break from her life. She isn’t pregnant, but she plans to fake a pregnancy to take a year’s paid maternity leave. With foam bumps, smock dresses, and a heist of a plan, all she has to do is keep her lie under wraps until it’s too late to look back.
I thought this was a solid read. The comedy is screwball at times and the emotional stakes underneath it are real. Barri is eccentric, logical, exasperating and charming all at once. Some of the twists are very fun and unexpected. Occasionally the premise runs the risk of feeling a bit too bonkers, but mostly that’s part of its charm.
If you enjoy novels about found family, messy personal lives, and the absurdities people get into trying to reclaim control, you’ll likely enjoy this. People who loved The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion or Me Before You by Jojo Moyes may find Barri’s wild ride appealing.
January 5, 2026
⭐️ 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 ⭐️
When I read the synopsis I was immediately like OMG UNHINGED 😱 And honestly… Barri is unhinged. Her idea is wild. Truly. But also? I get it.
Sometimes we all just need a year off from real life. To disappear for a bit. To breathe. Although granted, most of us don’t pretend to be pregnant to make that happen 🤰😅
This book is sharp, witty, genuinely funny, and full of twists. What completely caught me off guard was how much heart ❤️ it had. It slowly softens, becomes warm and a bit fuzzy, and turns into an exploration of what motherhood actually means, in all its forms.
By the end, it was less what I expected and much more what I think I needed 🥹✨
When I read the synopsis I was immediately like OMG UNHINGED 😱 And honestly… Barri is unhinged. Her idea is wild. Truly. But also? I get it.
Sometimes we all just need a year off from real life. To disappear for a bit. To breathe. Although granted, most of us don’t pretend to be pregnant to make that happen 🤰😅
This book is sharp, witty, genuinely funny, and full of twists. What completely caught me off guard was how much heart ❤️ it had. It slowly softens, becomes warm and a bit fuzzy, and turns into an exploration of what motherhood actually means, in all its forms.
By the end, it was less what I expected and much more what I think I needed 🥹✨
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5 rounded up.
I was drawn to the plot because I loved a Japanese book with a similar synopsis called Diary of A Void. And honestly wanting a year off work in this current corporate climate? Good for her.
I do think it's a solid book. The writing is good, the characters are well fleshed out and Barri is a memorable character. It got off to a strong start but I did feel my interest wain slightly towards the end. It was a super entertaining read though that did a great job of balancing subjects like parenthood, marriage and societal expectations with great humour. I had so much fun reading this and I think others will too!
Thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for an ARC!
I was drawn to the plot because I loved a Japanese book with a similar synopsis called Diary of A Void. And honestly wanting a year off work in this current corporate climate? Good for her.
I do think it's a solid book. The writing is good, the characters are well fleshed out and Barri is a memorable character. It got off to a strong start but I did feel my interest wain slightly towards the end. It was a super entertaining read though that did a great job of balancing subjects like parenthood, marriage and societal expectations with great humour. I had so much fun reading this and I think others will too!
Thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for an ARC!
November 1, 2025
This was such a fantastic book! I went on a real journey with the protagonist, Barri - at times despising her and sympathising with her equal measure. Towards the end of the book I really did wonder how it could possibly end satisfactorily, but it did, somehow. Genuinely funny and light-hearted but with some real meat thrown in to avoid it feeling flippant and disrespectful. I would whole heartedly recommend this book for a quick and enjoyable read. Appreciative ARC reader.
December 16, 2025
I haven’t had a book make me laugh out loud in ages, but this book did that pretty much during every chapter!!
Our main character Barri is experiencing a big betrayal from her husband and facing rock bottom, she decides on a whim to fake a pregnancy (because she could do with time off work). The heist soon starts to spiral out of control but along the way she realises how much comfort and enjoyment she is getting from becoming closer to her family and friends.
This is a truly funny book but also heartwarming and I’m sure it will be a big hit when it comes out!
Thanks so much to the publisher for giving me an advanced copy.
Our main character Barri is experiencing a big betrayal from her husband and facing rock bottom, she decides on a whim to fake a pregnancy (because she could do with time off work). The heist soon starts to spiral out of control but along the way she realises how much comfort and enjoyment she is getting from becoming closer to her family and friends.
This is a truly funny book but also heartwarming and I’m sure it will be a big hit when it comes out!
Thanks so much to the publisher for giving me an advanced copy.
September 17, 2025
As soon as I read the synopsis, I knew I had to pick this up. It sounded so different and intriguing!
I’ll admit, the writing style felt a bit different to what I usually read, so it took me a little while to settle into it. But once I did, I found it had a mix of heart, sadness, and some genuine laugh-out-loud moments.
Barri’s plan to fake a pregnancy and run off to Scotland sounded simple enough, but of course nothing goes as planned. Watching her try to juggle fake bumps, nosy colleagues, and her ex turning up made for such an entertaining ride. And underneath all the chaos, there’s that question of whether her life is really as bad as she thinks.
I normally reach for predictable rom-coms, but this was refreshingly different and kept me on my toes.
A really enjoyable read!
Thanks to NetGalley for the copy.
I’ll admit, the writing style felt a bit different to what I usually read, so it took me a little while to settle into it. But once I did, I found it had a mix of heart, sadness, and some genuine laugh-out-loud moments.
Barri’s plan to fake a pregnancy and run off to Scotland sounded simple enough, but of course nothing goes as planned. Watching her try to juggle fake bumps, nosy colleagues, and her ex turning up made for such an entertaining ride. And underneath all the chaos, there’s that question of whether her life is really as bad as she thinks.
I normally reach for predictable rom-coms, but this was refreshingly different and kept me on my toes.
A really enjoyable read!
Thanks to NetGalley for the copy.
September 2, 2025
If this isn’t a Netflix series one day, I’ll eat my hat! This debut novel is funny, emotional, heart wrenching and action packed, with an idyllic Guernsey location and some brilliant characters.
Barri is having the worst time ever. Her husband Sean has texted her to say he’s leaving her, her annoying boss has promoted someone else instead of her (but still expects Barri to do all the grunt work), and she feels like her family are excluding her from all the fun. She’s always been a bit of a lone wolf anyway but Barri’s brain wave is to sell her house and go on the trip of a lifetime.
When she finds out that Sean has remortgaged the house without her knowing, Barri is completely stumped and can’t see a way out. Surrounded by pregnant women who seem to have it all, in a fit of madness she decides to fake a pregnancy and disappear before the ‘baby’ arrives. But as the fake pregnancy develops, her connections to friends family and location deepens and she’s left in a bigger bind than ever.
The story is wonderfully written and structured, my heart was in my mouth at times, so nervous for what was in store for Barri, willing her on but also wanting her not to be so hasty!
The island setting is an absolute dream as well, the Guernsey tourist board should sponsor Anna’s writing- I definitely want to visit now!
Barri is having the worst time ever. Her husband Sean has texted her to say he’s leaving her, her annoying boss has promoted someone else instead of her (but still expects Barri to do all the grunt work), and she feels like her family are excluding her from all the fun. She’s always been a bit of a lone wolf anyway but Barri’s brain wave is to sell her house and go on the trip of a lifetime.
When she finds out that Sean has remortgaged the house without her knowing, Barri is completely stumped and can’t see a way out. Surrounded by pregnant women who seem to have it all, in a fit of madness she decides to fake a pregnancy and disappear before the ‘baby’ arrives. But as the fake pregnancy develops, her connections to friends family and location deepens and she’s left in a bigger bind than ever.
The story is wonderfully written and structured, my heart was in my mouth at times, so nervous for what was in store for Barri, willing her on but also wanting her not to be so hasty!
The island setting is an absolute dream as well, the Guernsey tourist board should sponsor Anna’s writing- I definitely want to visit now!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
When Barri's husband ends their five year marriage over text, she is determined to take the opportunity to leave behind her hometown, her exhausting job and toxic colleagues, and travel the world like she never had the chance to do when she was younger. However, when she learns that her finances are not quite where she thought they were, Barri realises that her travelling plans will have to be put on hold. Desperate to escape, Barri blurts out the first thing she can think of which will allow her some time out - she's pregnant. What follows is a funny, unexpectly moving story (the first from debut novelist Anna Brook-Mitchell), as Barri tries to work out the logistics of faking a pregnancy (with the help of seven singing Austrian children) while figuring out who she wants to be now she's on her own once and for all - or so she thinks.
The conflicting feelings she has for her hometown (well, home island in this case) will be familiar for many readers. Her love for, and pride in, Guernsey percolates the narrative, but her frustration at the small, insular community where everyone knows everyone's business is also apparent. The freedom she feels cycling the island's lanes and swimming and ormering at the unspoilt beaches contrasts with the limitations Barri feels are imposed on her by living in the same place she has spent her whole life, surrounded by people who made up their minds about her, her marriage and her family long before. Brook-Mitchell's writing is infused with specific cultural and geographic details which convey the uniqueness of the setting and - as much as the relationships in her life which we see developing over the course of the story - provide the first hints that Barri's plan to cut ties and leave Guernsey behind for good might not come to fruition.
Barri is unashamedly bitter towards her colleagues and family members who have children, feeling that she is expected to pick up the slack at work when they have childcare emergencies, resenting being expected to be engaged in the lives of her two young nephews just because they are related, and rightfully enraged by the incessant assumptions by everyone she knows that she will eventually succumb to motherhood. She bemoans the fact that she believes she is expected to work harder because she has chosen not to have children, likening her situation to smokers being permitted breaks at work that non-smokers don't get. Barri can be thoughtless and incredibly self-involved. She notes how she has never given any thought to getting birthday presents for her nephews that they would actually enjoy, complains about being expected to attend said birthdays, and is dismissive of all her sister's and colleagues' attempts to connect with her. However, as we learn more about her marriage, we start to understand that much of Barri's abrasiveness is a defence mechanism; it becomes apparent that her feelings for Sean, her estranged husband, are inextricably bound up in her grief for her father, who died not long before they met, and that their dynamic is far more complicated than it first appears.
Some of the themes - of grief and abuse - were heavier than I anticipated from the blurb, but they lend a weight to the novel which elevates it from a light-hearted read to something far more textured.
Brook-Mitchell does an excellent job of writing believable, satisfying character development for her protagonist at the same time as she peels back the layers of protective armour Barri has built up and allows the reader to understand the truth behind some of her somewhat unhinged life choices. The supporting characters, even those who only appear briefly, are thoughtfully drawn and add extra dimension to Barri's story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The conflicting feelings she has for her hometown (well, home island in this case) will be familiar for many readers. Her love for, and pride in, Guernsey percolates the narrative, but her frustration at the small, insular community where everyone knows everyone's business is also apparent. The freedom she feels cycling the island's lanes and swimming and ormering at the unspoilt beaches contrasts with the limitations Barri feels are imposed on her by living in the same place she has spent her whole life, surrounded by people who made up their minds about her, her marriage and her family long before. Brook-Mitchell's writing is infused with specific cultural and geographic details which convey the uniqueness of the setting and - as much as the relationships in her life which we see developing over the course of the story - provide the first hints that Barri's plan to cut ties and leave Guernsey behind for good might not come to fruition.
Barri is unashamedly bitter towards her colleagues and family members who have children, feeling that she is expected to pick up the slack at work when they have childcare emergencies, resenting being expected to be engaged in the lives of her two young nephews just because they are related, and rightfully enraged by the incessant assumptions by everyone she knows that she will eventually succumb to motherhood. She bemoans the fact that she believes she is expected to work harder because she has chosen not to have children, likening her situation to smokers being permitted breaks at work that non-smokers don't get. Barri can be thoughtless and incredibly self-involved. She notes how she has never given any thought to getting birthday presents for her nephews that they would actually enjoy, complains about being expected to attend said birthdays, and is dismissive of all her sister's and colleagues' attempts to connect with her. However, as we learn more about her marriage, we start to understand that much of Barri's abrasiveness is a defence mechanism; it becomes apparent that her feelings for Sean, her estranged husband, are inextricably bound up in her grief for her father, who died not long before they met, and that their dynamic is far more complicated than it first appears.
Some of the themes - of grief and abuse - were heavier than I anticipated from the blurb, but they lend a weight to the novel which elevates it from a light-hearted read to something far more textured.
Brook-Mitchell does an excellent job of writing believable, satisfying character development for her protagonist at the same time as she peels back the layers of protective armour Barri has built up and allows the reader to understand the truth behind some of her somewhat unhinged life choices. The supporting characters, even those who only appear briefly, are thoughtfully drawn and add extra dimension to Barri's story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 5, 2025
"It's good for the soul to jump aboard a hare-brained scheme every now and again."
It's time for the mother of all lies in this tumultuous, messy comedy drama as one woman risks everything to just have a god damn break. Meet Barri, our eccentric main character who doesn't look like she'd commit maternity fraud but … that's the plan.
Did she mean to? not exactly.
Is that a bit shady? absolutely.
Is this some kind of breakdown? probably.
But do I find myself not only wanting her to get away with it but wondering if I could pull it off? yep!
She's had a bad time recently, between a runaway husband, horrific colleagues, overbearing parents and a total lack of direction. I felt for her, even though she is frustrating as hell and I wanted to scream at her sometimes. Despite that, she's written so brilliantly that her ridiculous ideas, stubbornness and strangeness become quite endearing. She's frank and honest in the way she tells her story, like she's casually chatting to the reader before meandering off into her own thoughts.
Barri finds herself in the most absurd situations, from befriending a shellfish thieving student to blackmail - trying not only to keep her secrets but solve a whole host of new problems and figure out what her asshole ex is hiding.
Our leading lady and the supporting cast were lovable oddballs in the best way; full of beautiful, sometimes relatably awkward moments of love and family that just made me smile. I'll admit I felt a little rambling at certain points with a bit of filler that did make me want to read ahead, but it still wasn't exactly out of place and just made it a bit of a slower read for me.
Despite being a story about a fake pregnancy, this book definitely brought up some relevant and frustratingly familiar conversations about modern motherhood - the absurdity of the double standards and expectations on mothers, how pregnant people are treated as community property, but also the judgement and treatment of women who don't have, or don't want to have children. I adored the interwoven message about chosen families, as someone who has plenty of mothers who didn't give birth to me. I felt every single line and honestly, I might do a Barri and do something drastic the next time a stranger thinks they're entitled to information about my vagina or expects me to fold my life around their child.
"I'm sick to the back teeth of people telling me how big I am, how small I am, giving me their predictions over whether it's a boy or girl. It is like my pregnancy is now the only thing that defines me. Like I am not a human being that exists beyond being pregnant."
Riotously funny and utterly, unbelievable bonkers, Motherfaker has all the stomach-churning anxiety of getting caught doing something red-handed but the heart and soul of a good old comedy. It does delve into some more tough topics as part of the journey, including divorce, sexism and fertility but they're considered with care, these catalysts being explored as part of Barri's life and looking at the lasting impacts.
Messy and mad but full of warmth, this is at its core the story of a woman taking back control of her life and figuring out what she wants - albeit through very questionable methods.
It's time for the mother of all lies in this tumultuous, messy comedy drama as one woman risks everything to just have a god damn break. Meet Barri, our eccentric main character who doesn't look like she'd commit maternity fraud but … that's the plan.
Did she mean to? not exactly.
Is that a bit shady? absolutely.
Is this some kind of breakdown? probably.
But do I find myself not only wanting her to get away with it but wondering if I could pull it off? yep!
She's had a bad time recently, between a runaway husband, horrific colleagues, overbearing parents and a total lack of direction. I felt for her, even though she is frustrating as hell and I wanted to scream at her sometimes. Despite that, she's written so brilliantly that her ridiculous ideas, stubbornness and strangeness become quite endearing. She's frank and honest in the way she tells her story, like she's casually chatting to the reader before meandering off into her own thoughts.
Barri finds herself in the most absurd situations, from befriending a shellfish thieving student to blackmail - trying not only to keep her secrets but solve a whole host of new problems and figure out what her asshole ex is hiding.
Our leading lady and the supporting cast were lovable oddballs in the best way; full of beautiful, sometimes relatably awkward moments of love and family that just made me smile. I'll admit I felt a little rambling at certain points with a bit of filler that did make me want to read ahead, but it still wasn't exactly out of place and just made it a bit of a slower read for me.
Despite being a story about a fake pregnancy, this book definitely brought up some relevant and frustratingly familiar conversations about modern motherhood - the absurdity of the double standards and expectations on mothers, how pregnant people are treated as community property, but also the judgement and treatment of women who don't have, or don't want to have children. I adored the interwoven message about chosen families, as someone who has plenty of mothers who didn't give birth to me. I felt every single line and honestly, I might do a Barri and do something drastic the next time a stranger thinks they're entitled to information about my vagina or expects me to fold my life around their child.
"I'm sick to the back teeth of people telling me how big I am, how small I am, giving me their predictions over whether it's a boy or girl. It is like my pregnancy is now the only thing that defines me. Like I am not a human being that exists beyond being pregnant."
Riotously funny and utterly, unbelievable bonkers, Motherfaker has all the stomach-churning anxiety of getting caught doing something red-handed but the heart and soul of a good old comedy. It does delve into some more tough topics as part of the journey, including divorce, sexism and fertility but they're considered with care, these catalysts being explored as part of Barri's life and looking at the lasting impacts.
Messy and mad but full of warmth, this is at its core the story of a woman taking back control of her life and figuring out what she wants - albeit through very questionable methods.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
MOTHERFAKER – REVIEW
By: @annabrookmitchell
Published by: @panmacmillan
Ad|Pr|Gifted
Thank you to @netgalley and Pan Macmillian for this early copy.
Out: 26.02.26
Book Blurb:
Barri Brown is an upstanding citizen, working as a schoolteacher in Guernsey. Barri enjoys her job, but she feels overlooked, especially when it comes to the mothers and pregnant women that work at the school. They seem to be treated so much better. This pushes her to hand in her notice and leave the school … to escape. The only problem is, one thing leads to another, and she accidentally tells her boss she is pregnant. Things get very complicated, very quickly and her plan to eventually escape seems to be getting further and further away.
•••••
My Thoughts:
How far would you go to get time off work?
This story was a little crazy, very funny, and very heartfelt.
Barri is our MFC and to begin with I wasn’t too sure she was very likeable. But she quickly grew on me. Sarcastic, awkward, guarded, smart, and painfully honest.
She had absolutely no desire to have children, but when she accidentally tells her boss she is pregnant she finds herself buying fake bumps on the internet.
This book had me chuckling most of the way through. The predicament Barri found herself in kept getting deeper and deeper. One lie following another.
The writing was engaging, smart, and laugh out loud funny, but there was also a deeper undertone to the story. It not only raised the moral and ethical questions of faking a pregnancy, but grief, abuse, and the effects of a difficult upbringing rang true throughout the story as well.
My favourite part was the relationship between Barri and Callum. It was tumultuous one, but it was so lovely as well. I loved their honesty with one another. They were a comical duo for sure, but their connection felt so special.
It may sound a bit cliché, but I felt like Barri really went on a journey throughout this story, confronting the person she is, flaws and all.
I would describe this story as a laugh out loud read but with deeper elements woven through, and a throughly heartwarming ending.
A fun, unique read that I recommend.
By: @annabrookmitchell
Published by: @panmacmillan
Ad|Pr|Gifted
Thank you to @netgalley and Pan Macmillian for this early copy.
Out: 26.02.26
Book Blurb:
Barri Brown is an upstanding citizen, working as a schoolteacher in Guernsey. Barri enjoys her job, but she feels overlooked, especially when it comes to the mothers and pregnant women that work at the school. They seem to be treated so much better. This pushes her to hand in her notice and leave the school … to escape. The only problem is, one thing leads to another, and she accidentally tells her boss she is pregnant. Things get very complicated, very quickly and her plan to eventually escape seems to be getting further and further away.
•••••
My Thoughts:
How far would you go to get time off work?
This story was a little crazy, very funny, and very heartfelt.
Barri is our MFC and to begin with I wasn’t too sure she was very likeable. But she quickly grew on me. Sarcastic, awkward, guarded, smart, and painfully honest.
She had absolutely no desire to have children, but when she accidentally tells her boss she is pregnant she finds herself buying fake bumps on the internet.
This book had me chuckling most of the way through. The predicament Barri found herself in kept getting deeper and deeper. One lie following another.
The writing was engaging, smart, and laugh out loud funny, but there was also a deeper undertone to the story. It not only raised the moral and ethical questions of faking a pregnancy, but grief, abuse, and the effects of a difficult upbringing rang true throughout the story as well.
My favourite part was the relationship between Barri and Callum. It was tumultuous one, but it was so lovely as well. I loved their honesty with one another. They were a comical duo for sure, but their connection felt so special.
It may sound a bit cliché, but I felt like Barri really went on a journey throughout this story, confronting the person she is, flaws and all.
I would describe this story as a laugh out loud read but with deeper elements woven through, and a throughly heartwarming ending.
A fun, unique read that I recommend.
November 4, 2025
Barri Brown is a teacher on the Channel Island of Guernsey who’s taking her husband’s recent desertion hard. Her contempt for the small pleasures in other people’s lives has left her without close friends and distanced from family, colleagues, and pupils. The island, where everyone knows each other, is growing oppressive, and she wants out.
Synchronicity surrounds her with expectant mothers who appear smug - winners in a game she isn’t even playing. In a moment of desperation Barri begins to plan a fake pregnancy, hoping for a paid holiday and an escape from the island.
This premise really appealed, and I was curious to see how the author would handle the potential, emotive, flashpoints.
I struggled with the first few chapters. They’re short, and the author seemed to be packing in a lot of groundwork while trying too hard to be funny, as if to soften Barri’s scornful seething. The last paragraph of chapter five, though, landed a great joke just when I needed it and from that point on it seemed to gather itself.
As the tone settles, we grasp how Barri’s marriage has reduced her sense of self worth and cut her off from genuine connection. Where we see true warmth from others she sees condescension and pity. We, and they, know what her marriage has been like, but she’s unable to confront it.
As I came to know Barri, I began to see the strain of those early gags as character beats—a use of desperate humour to hold things together as she lurches between disasters.
Her fake pregnancy brings her closer to the people she knows, surrounding her with an unexpected joy that she sees must sour into guilt, anger, and betrayal when her hoax is revealed. Barri’s dawning awareness of the love she has—and how she’s testing it to breaking point—is carried off so well as Brook-Mitchell softens her humour and opens her heart.
There are some lovely touches—reading Sean’s letter —and serious themes are tackled with warmth as Barri realises the true power of who she is and begins to put her life back together.
Synchronicity surrounds her with expectant mothers who appear smug - winners in a game she isn’t even playing. In a moment of desperation Barri begins to plan a fake pregnancy, hoping for a paid holiday and an escape from the island.
This premise really appealed, and I was curious to see how the author would handle the potential, emotive, flashpoints.
I struggled with the first few chapters. They’re short, and the author seemed to be packing in a lot of groundwork while trying too hard to be funny, as if to soften Barri’s scornful seething. The last paragraph of chapter five, though, landed a great joke just when I needed it and from that point on it seemed to gather itself.
As the tone settles, we grasp how Barri’s marriage has reduced her sense of self worth and cut her off from genuine connection. Where we see true warmth from others she sees condescension and pity. We, and they, know what her marriage has been like, but she’s unable to confront it.
As I came to know Barri, I began to see the strain of those early gags as character beats—a use of desperate humour to hold things together as she lurches between disasters.
Her fake pregnancy brings her closer to the people she knows, surrounding her with an unexpected joy that she sees must sour into guilt, anger, and betrayal when her hoax is revealed. Barri’s dawning awareness of the love she has—and how she’s testing it to breaking point—is carried off so well as Brook-Mitchell softens her humour and opens her heart.
There are some lovely touches—reading Sean’s letter —and serious themes are tackled with warmth as Barri realises the true power of who she is and begins to put her life back together.
November 26, 2025
As someone who is child-free, the blurb, concept and title of Motherfaker made me laugh which is why I chose to request it.
Barri is fed up with picking up the slack for the pregnant women at work who seem to have so much time off and get away with so much more than she can in the name of family. So when she finally snaps and tells someone a lie that she’s expecting, it starts a chain reaction of deception and problems that she could not have foreseen coming…
This is Anna Brook-Mitchell’s debut book, although she has some credits in screen-writing, but it feels so assured, so well-plotted and so well written that I wouldn’t have guessed it. Barri is such an interesting main character - she can come across quite unlikeable in places, and she makes some crazy decisions, but as a reader we empathise with her and are inexplicably rooting for her to succeed. The plot is centred around this woman who pushes people away and keeps secrets but slowly learns to allow people in and accept a found family which is heartwarming. She felt so well-rounded, so realistic and so relatable that you couldn’t help but warm to her. There’s a lot of chaotic situations to get us to this point though, and I was almost reading through splayed fingers as the plot progressed and things got more and more out of control.
Setting the story of the Island of Guernsey was also a brilliant choice to ensure that everything felt just a little more claustrophobic as Barri tried to keep her secret when everyone knows everything and island gossip is so prevalent. Without giving spoilers, I thought the conclusion felt realistic – it would have been very easy for Brook-Mitchell to write an out for Barri but the way the ending was handled felt well balanced.
Overall, Motherfaker is a brilliant story – a great premise and a story filled with humour and warmth whilst also balancing high stakes and drama. Thank you to NetGalley & Pan Macmillan for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For more of my reviews check out Kindig Blog
Barri is fed up with picking up the slack for the pregnant women at work who seem to have so much time off and get away with so much more than she can in the name of family. So when she finally snaps and tells someone a lie that she’s expecting, it starts a chain reaction of deception and problems that she could not have foreseen coming…
This is Anna Brook-Mitchell’s debut book, although she has some credits in screen-writing, but it feels so assured, so well-plotted and so well written that I wouldn’t have guessed it. Barri is such an interesting main character - she can come across quite unlikeable in places, and she makes some crazy decisions, but as a reader we empathise with her and are inexplicably rooting for her to succeed. The plot is centred around this woman who pushes people away and keeps secrets but slowly learns to allow people in and accept a found family which is heartwarming. She felt so well-rounded, so realistic and so relatable that you couldn’t help but warm to her. There’s a lot of chaotic situations to get us to this point though, and I was almost reading through splayed fingers as the plot progressed and things got more and more out of control.
Setting the story of the Island of Guernsey was also a brilliant choice to ensure that everything felt just a little more claustrophobic as Barri tried to keep her secret when everyone knows everything and island gossip is so prevalent. Without giving spoilers, I thought the conclusion felt realistic – it would have been very easy for Brook-Mitchell to write an out for Barri but the way the ending was handled felt well balanced.
Overall, Motherfaker is a brilliant story – a great premise and a story filled with humour and warmth whilst also balancing high stakes and drama. Thank you to NetGalley & Pan Macmillan for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For more of my reviews check out Kindig Blog
September 14, 2025
Barri Brown is not ok. Her husband has left her via text message, she has been passed over for promotion at work....again, and she is fed up with her boring solitary life. So she makes a plan. She is going to sell her house and go travelling to all the places she has wanted to visit before settling in Scotland. However, her plan goes off the rails when she finds that her husband has remortgaged her house and had stolen her inheritance. Barri panics and announces her pregnancy at work to prevent her boss from reading the scathing resignation letter she has written....the problem being that Barri isn't really pregnant,
With the help of 7 fake bumps, each named after one of the children from The Sound Of Music, Barri sets about pulling off a heist. She will claim a years parental leave, go travelling as planned and never come back. But things aren't that straight forward. People begin making a fuss of Barri and she suddenly finds herself surrounded by friends and enjoying a lovely relationship with her family...that is until complications arise in the form of her husband returning, and the local teenage bad boy, Callum discovering her secret...
This is a genuinely laugh out loud book. There are some very funny moments involving Barri and her bumps - most notably when she has a collision with a glass door at her solicitors office. The characters are funny and individual and the story is easy to keep a track of but also keeps you reading to find out what happens. The one criticism I have would be how the story wraps up - it is all kind of quick and some things are brushed over super fast. Other than that, it is a great read and I will definitely be looking out for more books by Anna Brook-Mitchell.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
With the help of 7 fake bumps, each named after one of the children from The Sound Of Music, Barri sets about pulling off a heist. She will claim a years parental leave, go travelling as planned and never come back. But things aren't that straight forward. People begin making a fuss of Barri and she suddenly finds herself surrounded by friends and enjoying a lovely relationship with her family...that is until complications arise in the form of her husband returning, and the local teenage bad boy, Callum discovering her secret...
This is a genuinely laugh out loud book. There are some very funny moments involving Barri and her bumps - most notably when she has a collision with a glass door at her solicitors office. The characters are funny and individual and the story is easy to keep a track of but also keeps you reading to find out what happens. The one criticism I have would be how the story wraps up - it is all kind of quick and some things are brushed over super fast. Other than that, it is a great read and I will definitely be looking out for more books by Anna Brook-Mitchell.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 7, 2025
Just how far would you go and what lies would you tell to get a year off work?
This was the predicament Barri was in. Sick of having to cover for all her colleagues at the school she teaches in in Guernsey, constantly being on maternity leave, having sick days to care for their children, leaving early for appointments or to watch their childs performance.
Barri decides she's had enough. Her husband has dumped her by text. She keeps her mum, sister and family at arms length. Nothing is keeping her in Guernsey, so why not sell up and travel?
Answer.... because her (ex) husband is a massive kn*b, and their marital home is only in his name! The huge deposit they put down using the inheritance from her dad's death has been squandered, and she's been left with nothing.
Formulating a plan, over a bottle or two of wine, Barri thinks she has it all worked out. Pretend to be pregnant, order fake bumps, go on maternity leave, and never return. But life doesn't always go to plan, and in Barri's case, usually fall apart.
I thoroughly enjoyed this debut novel. The writing style was really enjoyable, clear, and flowed brilliantly.
The characters were extremely well written, as was the location. The whole book from start to finish was so easy to visualise, and I can easily see this made into a 'Bridget Jones' style movie.
Hilariously funny, totally bizarre and implausible at times, but also really heart warming. I loved reading about the relationships that were built through the whole story and Barri's character growth.
A solid, bonkers read that would be perfect for a holiday as it's super easy to put down and pick up again.
Thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the ARC.
This was the predicament Barri was in. Sick of having to cover for all her colleagues at the school she teaches in in Guernsey, constantly being on maternity leave, having sick days to care for their children, leaving early for appointments or to watch their childs performance.
Barri decides she's had enough. Her husband has dumped her by text. She keeps her mum, sister and family at arms length. Nothing is keeping her in Guernsey, so why not sell up and travel?
Answer.... because her (ex) husband is a massive kn*b, and their marital home is only in his name! The huge deposit they put down using the inheritance from her dad's death has been squandered, and she's been left with nothing.
Formulating a plan, over a bottle or two of wine, Barri thinks she has it all worked out. Pretend to be pregnant, order fake bumps, go on maternity leave, and never return. But life doesn't always go to plan, and in Barri's case, usually fall apart.
I thoroughly enjoyed this debut novel. The writing style was really enjoyable, clear, and flowed brilliantly.
The characters were extremely well written, as was the location. The whole book from start to finish was so easy to visualise, and I can easily see this made into a 'Bridget Jones' style movie.
Hilariously funny, totally bizarre and implausible at times, but also really heart warming. I loved reading about the relationships that were built through the whole story and Barri's character growth.
A solid, bonkers read that would be perfect for a holiday as it's super easy to put down and pick up again.
Thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the ARC.
August 27, 2025
I read Motherfaker by Anna Brook-Mitchell in a day. I couldn’t put it down and I just had to know what was going to happen to Barri Brown! I really couldn’t guess what was going to happen.
Barri Brown is an English High School Teacher on Guernsey in the Channel Islands. She’s recently been overlooked for a promotion at work, she feels isolated and invisible at work and her family, and to top it off her husband Sean has literally left her high and dry by fleeing the island and stealing her inheritance from her father and taking a second mortgage on the house.
Barri decides that she needs a break from her life on Guernsey and as her husband has left her high and dry, she’s going to fund her extended holiday to Nashville and Dollywood with Maternity Pay! Then she’ll relocate to Edinburgh to start anew because no-one will miss her on Guernsey.
Obviously what Barri does is unethical. That said, the book is a joy to read and there are some truly laugh out moments of Barri’s fake pregnancy and the scrapes she gets into with her fake ‘bumps’. However, it’s all a journey of discovery and ironically, during Barri’s fake pregnancy, she discovers who she really is and where she should be.
There are some topics including coercive behaviour and I think the tone was right in the context of the book itself. But overwhelmingly the book is a feel-good book with humour and warmth.
I can’t wait to read what else Anna Brook-Mitchell writes!
Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Pan Macmillan, for making this e-ARC available to me in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Barri Brown is an English High School Teacher on Guernsey in the Channel Islands. She’s recently been overlooked for a promotion at work, she feels isolated and invisible at work and her family, and to top it off her husband Sean has literally left her high and dry by fleeing the island and stealing her inheritance from her father and taking a second mortgage on the house.
Barri decides that she needs a break from her life on Guernsey and as her husband has left her high and dry, she’s going to fund her extended holiday to Nashville and Dollywood with Maternity Pay! Then she’ll relocate to Edinburgh to start anew because no-one will miss her on Guernsey.
Obviously what Barri does is unethical. That said, the book is a joy to read and there are some truly laugh out moments of Barri’s fake pregnancy and the scrapes she gets into with her fake ‘bumps’. However, it’s all a journey of discovery and ironically, during Barri’s fake pregnancy, she discovers who she really is and where she should be.
There are some topics including coercive behaviour and I think the tone was right in the context of the book itself. But overwhelmingly the book is a feel-good book with humour and warmth.
I can’t wait to read what else Anna Brook-Mitchell writes!
Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Pan Macmillan, for making this e-ARC available to me in exchange for a fair and honest review.
December 31, 2025
How far would you go for a year off work? Most of us might blag a few days with a sickness bug or a conveniently timed family emergency. Barri Brown, however, is about to pull off the biggest fake pregnancy heist the island of Guernsey has ever seen.
Motherfaker is a brilliant debut from Anna Brook-Mitchell. The characters are sharp, witty and relatable, and her storytelling is simply exquisite. The biggest lie I’ve ever told on the spot is that I couldn’t go out because my dog was “unwell” and needed looking after. Barri, meanwhile, is planning to fake a pregnancy, claim maternity pay, and disappear for good.
I adored the claustrophobic small-town setting — where everyone knows everyone, and everyone knows everyone else’s business — which makes the stakes even higher as Barri fights like hell to conceal her deception. What begins as a single lie soon snowballs into something far bigger; cracks start to show, and regret creeps in with the realisation that this is not going to be easy.
I loved this book and felt all the feelings while reading it. There are themes I won’t spoil which are very real and may be triggering for some, so do check the trigger warnings or message me before reading if you’re unsure. The exploration of societal pressure on women who choose not to have children is handled brilliantly and truthfully. It’s twisty, surprising, and I genuinely did not expect to be repeatedly picking my jaw up off the floor — yet here we are.
Motherfaker is simply excellent, and I adored every moment. It’s out on 26 February, and you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t pre-order it now. Huge thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the early copy.
Motherfaker is a brilliant debut from Anna Brook-Mitchell. The characters are sharp, witty and relatable, and her storytelling is simply exquisite. The biggest lie I’ve ever told on the spot is that I couldn’t go out because my dog was “unwell” and needed looking after. Barri, meanwhile, is planning to fake a pregnancy, claim maternity pay, and disappear for good.
I adored the claustrophobic small-town setting — where everyone knows everyone, and everyone knows everyone else’s business — which makes the stakes even higher as Barri fights like hell to conceal her deception. What begins as a single lie soon snowballs into something far bigger; cracks start to show, and regret creeps in with the realisation that this is not going to be easy.
I loved this book and felt all the feelings while reading it. There are themes I won’t spoil which are very real and may be triggering for some, so do check the trigger warnings or message me before reading if you’re unsure. The exploration of societal pressure on women who choose not to have children is handled brilliantly and truthfully. It’s twisty, surprising, and I genuinely did not expect to be repeatedly picking my jaw up off the floor — yet here we are.
Motherfaker is simply excellent, and I adored every moment. It’s out on 26 February, and you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t pre-order it now. Huge thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the early copy.
September 13, 2025
Motherfaker follows Barri, a high school English teacher who is preparing for a year’s paid maternity leave; but she’s not pregnant. With seven foam bumps, a wardrobe full of smock dresses and a great pregnancy heist planned, all Barri has to do is blag it until she can disappear for good, without getting caught and being sent to prison for fraud.
I had such a great time reading this book! It was laugh out loud funny, with sharp wit and millennial humour. Although it’s definitely a lighthearted, humorous story, there was emotional depth and some heavier topics explored (coercive relationships, parental abandonment, grief) that gave the book depth.
Barri gets into some hilarious fake bump related situations that had me on the edge of my seat worrying she was about to be found out! She was a great FMC and I found myself relating to her in some aspects. She starts off the book as a bit of a recluse, but her fake pregnancy forces her to put herself out there more. She had excellent character development, and seeing reconnect with her family and make new friends was really heartwarming.
The ending was satisfying, and it even made me a bit teary! However, I do wish that there was a little more to the ending, as it felt a little abrupt.
Overall, this was a fun read that I’d definitely recommend. I can’t wait to see what Anna Brook-Mitchell writes next! I’d also LOVE to see Motherfaker as a series adaptation.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for providing me with an eARC. This review is being left voluntarily and all opinions are my own.
I had such a great time reading this book! It was laugh out loud funny, with sharp wit and millennial humour. Although it’s definitely a lighthearted, humorous story, there was emotional depth and some heavier topics explored (coercive relationships, parental abandonment, grief) that gave the book depth.
Barri gets into some hilarious fake bump related situations that had me on the edge of my seat worrying she was about to be found out! She was a great FMC and I found myself relating to her in some aspects. She starts off the book as a bit of a recluse, but her fake pregnancy forces her to put herself out there more. She had excellent character development, and seeing reconnect with her family and make new friends was really heartwarming.
The ending was satisfying, and it even made me a bit teary! However, I do wish that there was a little more to the ending, as it felt a little abrupt.
Overall, this was a fun read that I’d definitely recommend. I can’t wait to see what Anna Brook-Mitchell writes next! I’d also LOVE to see Motherfaker as a series adaptation.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for providing me with an eARC. This review is being left voluntarily and all opinions are my own.
November 6, 2025
Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
I really liked Brook-Mitchell’s style, cadence and flow of the story. This story follows Barri, a woman whose husband has just left her and is surrounded by judgmental (sorta) women, who is about to fake a pregnancy for the maternity leave. It isn’t without its drama, including a teenager who catches on, and a suspiciously kind (and okay with Barri’s plan) neighbour who happened to be a doctor.
I related to Barri’s initial feelings on children. Her desire to not be touched, who liked being alone and in her own version of a happy place. At times, the book hits close to home. It tackles difficult emotions and I liked that Barri had moments where she wondered morally if she could do this.
The relationships she had with the other women, including her sister, was so lovely to see developed. I liked that things grew with her work colleagues when they realised they had something to relate to her about.
The ending though felt a little too wrapped up in a bow. When it’s discovered what Barri’s been doing, things seem to be sorta swept to the side too easy. I understand her family in some aspect, but it was also a BIG lie. But I did like the friction at the baby shower, I just think I wanted a bit more. I didn’t want her to “pay” just more face the consequences more of what she’s done .
Overall, though, a good book! It was enjoyable, I liked the plot—and how unique it was—as well as the hilarious situations Barri found herself in keeping up this lie.
I really liked Brook-Mitchell’s style, cadence and flow of the story. This story follows Barri, a woman whose husband has just left her and is surrounded by judgmental (sorta) women, who is about to fake a pregnancy for the maternity leave. It isn’t without its drama, including a teenager who catches on, and a suspiciously kind (and okay with Barri’s plan) neighbour who happened to be a doctor.
I related to Barri’s initial feelings on children. Her desire to not be touched, who liked being alone and in her own version of a happy place. At times, the book hits close to home. It tackles difficult emotions and I liked that Barri had moments where she wondered morally if she could do this.
The relationships she had with the other women, including her sister, was so lovely to see developed. I liked that things grew with her work colleagues when they realised they had something to relate to her about.
The ending though felt a little too wrapped up in a bow. When it’s discovered what Barri’s been doing, things seem to be sorta swept to the side too easy. I understand her family in some aspect, but it was also a BIG lie. But I did like the friction at the baby shower, I just think I wanted a bit more. I didn’t want her to “pay” just more face the consequences more of what she’s done .
Overall, though, a good book! It was enjoyable, I liked the plot—and how unique it was—as well as the hilarious situations Barri found herself in keeping up this lie.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 11, 2025
Not my usual genre but I really enjoyed this book.
I loved Barri and was routing for her throughout this entertaining tale.
Barri is a schoolteacher, her husband Sean has left her, her colleagues and family repeatedly tell her that her biological clock is ticking but Barri has always been adamant that she does not want children.
Lately though she has been a bit fed up, she is slightly irritated that one of her colleagues is expecting again, which means she will be once again be going off on maternity leave leaving Barri to pick up extra work again! Barri thinks she would like the paid maternity leave and she could plan ahead and go to Nashville like she has dreamed of - relocate after the maternity leave.
So she decides to fake a pregnancy, so the adventures of her fake pregnancy begin, she orders pregnancy bumps, different sizes, each bump has a name and before long the fabricated pregnancy is twins!!!
Barri has never really had friends and has never been close to her sister, but as her pregnancy progresses she develops a closeness with those around her which she wasn’t expecting, she is starting to feel bad that she has lied to people who care about her and who are expecting her to have babies! How can she leave, is it too late to tell the truth?
This is an entertaining read, I loved it, loved seeing hard hearted Barri make friends and receive love and care from those around her.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
I loved Barri and was routing for her throughout this entertaining tale.
Barri is a schoolteacher, her husband Sean has left her, her colleagues and family repeatedly tell her that her biological clock is ticking but Barri has always been adamant that she does not want children.
Lately though she has been a bit fed up, she is slightly irritated that one of her colleagues is expecting again, which means she will be once again be going off on maternity leave leaving Barri to pick up extra work again! Barri thinks she would like the paid maternity leave and she could plan ahead and go to Nashville like she has dreamed of - relocate after the maternity leave.
So she decides to fake a pregnancy, so the adventures of her fake pregnancy begin, she orders pregnancy bumps, different sizes, each bump has a name and before long the fabricated pregnancy is twins!!!
Barri has never really had friends and has never been close to her sister, but as her pregnancy progresses she develops a closeness with those around her which she wasn’t expecting, she is starting to feel bad that she has lied to people who care about her and who are expecting her to have babies! How can she leave, is it too late to tell the truth?
This is an entertaining read, I loved it, loved seeing hard hearted Barri make friends and receive love and care from those around her.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
January 5, 2026
Barri Brown is fed up. Her husband has walked out, leaving her penniless. She’s tired of covering for ungrateful colleagues. Her family barely notice her. More than anything, Barri wants a clean break. She hatches a plan: fake a pregnancy, get a year off work, and leave for good. How hard can it be?
As Barri’s antics escalate, she starts to form real connections over her fake pregnancy, and realises that maybe she was too quick to judge those around her…
I loved this book! After meeting the brilliant author, I knew I was in for a great read, but I couldn’t put it down! Barri is wickedly funny, the writing is sharp and witty, and the tension steadily simmers as the stakes get higher. It’s an emotional rollercoaster - one moment I was laughing at Barri’s biting commentary, the next page saw Barri softening and opening up about grief and loneliness, and the next packed a punch with a stunning plot twist. Barri really grew as a character. What began as a sardonic, standoffish comedienne was revealed to be a complex, misunderstood woman. I also loved the Guernsey setting, which felt like another character in the story. This book is hilarious, it’s heartbreaking, and it’s beautiful 💖
If you like books with a strong, unapologetic, slightly unhinged, complex female main character - this is one for you. It reminded me of How to Kill Men And Get Away With It meets Bridget Jones. It’s darkly funny, packed with twists and emotional gut-punches, and has a main character that keeps you hooked!
Big thank you to NetGalley and PanMacmillan for the advance copy
As Barri’s antics escalate, she starts to form real connections over her fake pregnancy, and realises that maybe she was too quick to judge those around her…
I loved this book! After meeting the brilliant author, I knew I was in for a great read, but I couldn’t put it down! Barri is wickedly funny, the writing is sharp and witty, and the tension steadily simmers as the stakes get higher. It’s an emotional rollercoaster - one moment I was laughing at Barri’s biting commentary, the next page saw Barri softening and opening up about grief and loneliness, and the next packed a punch with a stunning plot twist. Barri really grew as a character. What began as a sardonic, standoffish comedienne was revealed to be a complex, misunderstood woman. I also loved the Guernsey setting, which felt like another character in the story. This book is hilarious, it’s heartbreaking, and it’s beautiful 💖
If you like books with a strong, unapologetic, slightly unhinged, complex female main character - this is one for you. It reminded me of How to Kill Men And Get Away With It meets Bridget Jones. It’s darkly funny, packed with twists and emotional gut-punches, and has a main character that keeps you hooked!
Big thank you to NetGalley and PanMacmillan for the advance copy
October 12, 2025
ARC courtesy of Pan Macmillan via Netgalley.
3*
"Morally Grey' is no longer a trope reserved for romance novels.
If you like your main characters flawed and your plots as compelling as they are conflicting, you just might enjoy this one.
As someone with complex feelings pertaining to parenthood, I was intrigued as to the protagonist's perspective, and further to that, her motivations regarding the deception central to the novel's premise.
With regard to the former, I found I more often than not aligned with the protagonist's thinking; so far as her motivations were concerned, however...? Let's just say I had to suspend disbelief. Which admittedly was made easier by the story's being altogether far-fetched.
Think bingeable Netflix drama that's no less engaging nor enjoyable for its stretching the bounds of credulity. Indeed; my flabbers were suitably gasted by a late in the game twist, and I found myself gasping and commending the author for keeping me reading til the end.
The ending itself wasn't satisfying necessarily; though it did at least serve to redress the balance somewhat, being that throughout my reading I felt frustrated by plot points which furthered the narrative at the expense of deserving characters getting their comeuppance.
Overall, Motherfaker is a challenging read likely to incite discussion - around attitudes and ethics, and also as concerns storytelling and the particular merits of melodrama.
3*
"Morally Grey' is no longer a trope reserved for romance novels.
If you like your main characters flawed and your plots as compelling as they are conflicting, you just might enjoy this one.
As someone with complex feelings pertaining to parenthood, I was intrigued as to the protagonist's perspective, and further to that, her motivations regarding the deception central to the novel's premise.
With regard to the former, I found I more often than not aligned with the protagonist's thinking; so far as her motivations were concerned, however...? Let's just say I had to suspend disbelief. Which admittedly was made easier by the story's being altogether far-fetched.
Think bingeable Netflix drama that's no less engaging nor enjoyable for its stretching the bounds of credulity. Indeed; my flabbers were suitably gasted by a late in the game twist, and I found myself gasping and commending the author for keeping me reading til the end.
The ending itself wasn't satisfying necessarily; though it did at least serve to redress the balance somewhat, being that throughout my reading I felt frustrated by plot points which furthered the narrative at the expense of deserving characters getting their comeuppance.
Overall, Motherfaker is a challenging read likely to incite discussion - around attitudes and ethics, and also as concerns storytelling and the particular merits of melodrama.
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