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45 Things To Do Before You're 45
Not yet published
Expected 26 Mar 26Uproariously funny and deeply human, 45 Things … is an all-too relatable story of what it means to be alive and how much living we all still have to do.
Meet Charlie; unfulfilled and perimenopausal, Charlie’s suburban life is a far cry from the Manhattan glamour she once dreamed of. Her husband is incapable of talking about anything other than his latest Ironman challenge, her sex life consists of fictional encounters with Hollywood stars, her kids need constant management, and to make things worse, her optician has just prescribed her reading glasses. Oh, and she can’t stop crying at TV adverts…
In the hope of re-discovering her sense of self, Charlie begins writing a 45 things to do before she’s 45. Eat an oyster, Take up parkour, Read War and Peace, Take ecstasy, Try stand-up comedy, Go to a sex club.
Determined to complete them all, Charlie embarks on a chaotic odyssey through her own spectacular midlife crisis, challenging herself to become the person she wants to be. But what happens if we’re not that person? How do we learn to let them go? Or does something else have to give?
Meet Charlie; unfulfilled and perimenopausal, Charlie’s suburban life is a far cry from the Manhattan glamour she once dreamed of. Her husband is incapable of talking about anything other than his latest Ironman challenge, her sex life consists of fictional encounters with Hollywood stars, her kids need constant management, and to make things worse, her optician has just prescribed her reading glasses. Oh, and she can’t stop crying at TV adverts…
In the hope of re-discovering her sense of self, Charlie begins writing a 45 things to do before she’s 45. Eat an oyster, Take up parkour, Read War and Peace, Take ecstasy, Try stand-up comedy, Go to a sex club.
Determined to complete them all, Charlie embarks on a chaotic odyssey through her own spectacular midlife crisis, challenging herself to become the person she wants to be. But what happens if we’re not that person? How do we learn to let them go? Or does something else have to give?
335 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication March 26, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 22, 2026
Well, as midlife crises go, this one of Charlie's is an absolute doozy. Freshly turned 44, and in denial about any possibility of entering peri-menopause, Charlie decides that this next year is one in which she will reassess her life, take time out to do all of the things that she has most wanted to do, life changing things like climbing Everest, eating oysters, dating George Clooney ... You know, the usual. But in thinking about all of the things she would like to do next, she also starts to find fault in all of the things she has already, including her family. Making a list of 45 things she would like to do before her next birthday, Charlie embarks on a journey of discovery. Whether she, or anyone else in her life, will like what she finds ... well that is what remains to be seen.
Now this is a book that will likely appeal to 'women of a certain age' and by that, I mean any woman who has ever sat back and wondered just what the heck they are doing with their lives. Much of what Charlie determines she would like to do is actually pretty reasonable, and in that Julia Tuffs really has captured the mental machinations of millions of women across the globe. Where Charlie differs from most is that her quest for self fulfilment turns decidedly self destructive, and whilst some of it leads to moments of great humour, the kind of alcohol fuelled embarrassment that friends love reminding you of for years to come, some of it has a decidely darker slant, and this balance of light and shade is perhaps the books real pull.
Don;t get me wrong. Charlie is not a particularly likeable character for pretty well most of the book. There is something a little ironic in her desire to write a best selling book in which she acknowledges that people won't read a book where the protagonist is unlikeable. For most of this book Charlie finds herself in situations that would make most people, her best friends included, just want to slap her. She has a lot of good in her life, but, whilst some of her needs are not unreasonable, some of what she seeks is just self indulgent and makes her often far more objectionable than relatable.
But, strangely, this is exactly what does make her situation really relatable, as anyone who has been through the disrupted sleep, overactive hormones, anxiety, manic behaviour and fear of the hormonal changes of perimenopause will know well. Charlie is who she is exactly because she ignores and denies her position, and I like how Julia Tuffs draws attention to this. Highlights the many ways in which 'the change' really does impact some women more than others, and how those changes can really be disruptive to life and relationships. Don't get me wrong, Charlie is a bit of a knob at times, and we all know it's never really possible to recapture your youth, no matter how hard you try. But what she is going through is real and, whilst you may not always have sympathy for Charlie's plight, particularly the way in which she regularly lets down her best friends Emily and Cath, new larger than life School-gate Mum friend, Dorit, and her long suffering family, the book really does draw attention to the perils of hormonal changes in women. Kind of our equivalent of the male teenage puberty years, only we can't hide away in our bedrooms and ignore society whilst in a sulky mood.
This is a book rich in humour, but which will also make you think. At times strangely poignant, an really taking an honest look at the impact of menopause, I read through this in one day. You won't always like Charlie, and if you have come here looking for a kind of Sex and the City, women living loud and proud fun time story, this will and won't answer that craving. Visits to sex clubs, noodle obsessions and embarrassing bodily moments aside, there is a serious side ot this story, a kind of reminder to women that the need to be kind to ourselves in those terrible years is paramount and it's never too late to ask for help. Thought provoking as much as laughter inducing, I still rather enjoyed this.
Now this is a book that will likely appeal to 'women of a certain age' and by that, I mean any woman who has ever sat back and wondered just what the heck they are doing with their lives. Much of what Charlie determines she would like to do is actually pretty reasonable, and in that Julia Tuffs really has captured the mental machinations of millions of women across the globe. Where Charlie differs from most is that her quest for self fulfilment turns decidedly self destructive, and whilst some of it leads to moments of great humour, the kind of alcohol fuelled embarrassment that friends love reminding you of for years to come, some of it has a decidely darker slant, and this balance of light and shade is perhaps the books real pull.
Don;t get me wrong. Charlie is not a particularly likeable character for pretty well most of the book. There is something a little ironic in her desire to write a best selling book in which she acknowledges that people won't read a book where the protagonist is unlikeable. For most of this book Charlie finds herself in situations that would make most people, her best friends included, just want to slap her. She has a lot of good in her life, but, whilst some of her needs are not unreasonable, some of what she seeks is just self indulgent and makes her often far more objectionable than relatable.
But, strangely, this is exactly what does make her situation really relatable, as anyone who has been through the disrupted sleep, overactive hormones, anxiety, manic behaviour and fear of the hormonal changes of perimenopause will know well. Charlie is who she is exactly because she ignores and denies her position, and I like how Julia Tuffs draws attention to this. Highlights the many ways in which 'the change' really does impact some women more than others, and how those changes can really be disruptive to life and relationships. Don't get me wrong, Charlie is a bit of a knob at times, and we all know it's never really possible to recapture your youth, no matter how hard you try. But what she is going through is real and, whilst you may not always have sympathy for Charlie's plight, particularly the way in which she regularly lets down her best friends Emily and Cath, new larger than life School-gate Mum friend, Dorit, and her long suffering family, the book really does draw attention to the perils of hormonal changes in women. Kind of our equivalent of the male teenage puberty years, only we can't hide away in our bedrooms and ignore society whilst in a sulky mood.
This is a book rich in humour, but which will also make you think. At times strangely poignant, an really taking an honest look at the impact of menopause, I read through this in one day. You won't always like Charlie, and if you have come here looking for a kind of Sex and the City, women living loud and proud fun time story, this will and won't answer that craving. Visits to sex clubs, noodle obsessions and embarrassing bodily moments aside, there is a serious side ot this story, a kind of reminder to women that the need to be kind to ourselves in those terrible years is paramount and it's never too late to ask for help. Thought provoking as much as laughter inducing, I still rather enjoyed this.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The main character of the book is Charlie. Charlie is a perimenopausal Mum of two and a wife to her husband Dan who is totally consumed by his Ironman training but Charlie is also exhausted and overwhelmed by the demands of life. She is always looking after her family but feels she never has time for what she wants and she has lost who she really is. Approaching her birthday, now is the time where she wants to make a change!
Charlie wants to find herself again, to be more than the roles of wife and mum, which she loves, but she wants to feel like her true self once more.
When Charlie finally admits she needed more than just surviving, she writes a list: 45 things to do before she turns 45. The list is full of everything you could imagine, and some which may surprise you! We then follow Charlie ticking off as many as possible and trying to be the different person she wants to be. For Charlie, this is a reboot.
It is a very funny book but so many readers in their forties and other ages will relate. Turning 40 or any big milestone for many makes you look at your life, what you have achieved and what you want to achieve. I have seen so many wish lists online, but this story captures what really happens when someone decides to follow theirs for real.
You may already have your own wish list or if you want to start your own list, this will definitely give you some ideas! Some you may definitely want to give a miss! Some of the scenes in the book were very chaotic! But this book will make you smile, make you laugh and most of all you will root for Charlie!
This is a book about reaching midlife and all the physical and emotional feelings that come with it, whether you are ready for them or not. But it also a book about hope, about finding yourself and being on the right path. It is a time to find out what is right for you, to be who you want to be and be where you want to be. New doors may be waiting for you just round the corner, giving you the chance to be your true self.
I definitely think after you have read this book, you may well write your own list! It is never too late to make changes to your life.
Thank you very much to Fox & Ink Books for my advanced copy. This review is based on a proof copy provided in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
Charlie wants to find herself again, to be more than the roles of wife and mum, which she loves, but she wants to feel like her true self once more.
When Charlie finally admits she needed more than just surviving, she writes a list: 45 things to do before she turns 45. The list is full of everything you could imagine, and some which may surprise you! We then follow Charlie ticking off as many as possible and trying to be the different person she wants to be. For Charlie, this is a reboot.
It is a very funny book but so many readers in their forties and other ages will relate. Turning 40 or any big milestone for many makes you look at your life, what you have achieved and what you want to achieve. I have seen so many wish lists online, but this story captures what really happens when someone decides to follow theirs for real.
You may already have your own wish list or if you want to start your own list, this will definitely give you some ideas! Some you may definitely want to give a miss! Some of the scenes in the book were very chaotic! But this book will make you smile, make you laugh and most of all you will root for Charlie!
This is a book about reaching midlife and all the physical and emotional feelings that come with it, whether you are ready for them or not. But it also a book about hope, about finding yourself and being on the right path. It is a time to find out what is right for you, to be who you want to be and be where you want to be. New doors may be waiting for you just round the corner, giving you the chance to be your true self.
I definitely think after you have read this book, you may well write your own list! It is never too late to make changes to your life.
Thank you very much to Fox & Ink Books for my advanced copy. This review is based on a proof copy provided in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This book completely surprised me in the best way.
On the surface, it’s uproariously funny and painfully relatable, but underneath the humour is a deeply human, quietly emotional story about identity, ageing, and what it really means to feel alive. I laughed a lot… and then found myself unexpectedly reflective.
Charlie is unfulfilled, perimenopausal, and stuck in a suburban life that looks nothing like the glossy Manhattan future she once imagined. Her husband is obsessed with Ironman challenges, her kids require constant emotional and logistical management, her sex life exists almost entirely in her head, and to top it all off, she’s been prescribed reading glasses and can’t stop crying at TV adverts.
Her decision to write a list of 45 things to do before she’s 45 ranging from the mildly terrifying to the wildly unhinged is what kicks off a chaotic, often hilarious midlife spiral. Parkour. Oysters. Ecstasy. Stand up comedy. A sex club. The list is absurd, brave, and oddly moving, and watching Charlie attempt to tick things off is both cringe inducing and endearing.
Highly recommended for readers who enjoy:
- sharp, self aware humour
- honest takes on ageing and identity
- LOL moments with emotional depth
- messy, relatable reinvention stories
On the surface, it’s uproariously funny and painfully relatable, but underneath the humour is a deeply human, quietly emotional story about identity, ageing, and what it really means to feel alive. I laughed a lot… and then found myself unexpectedly reflective.
Charlie is unfulfilled, perimenopausal, and stuck in a suburban life that looks nothing like the glossy Manhattan future she once imagined. Her husband is obsessed with Ironman challenges, her kids require constant emotional and logistical management, her sex life exists almost entirely in her head, and to top it all off, she’s been prescribed reading glasses and can’t stop crying at TV adverts.
Her decision to write a list of 45 things to do before she’s 45 ranging from the mildly terrifying to the wildly unhinged is what kicks off a chaotic, often hilarious midlife spiral. Parkour. Oysters. Ecstasy. Stand up comedy. A sex club. The list is absurd, brave, and oddly moving, and watching Charlie attempt to tick things off is both cringe inducing and endearing.
Highly recommended for readers who enjoy:
- sharp, self aware humour
- honest takes on ageing and identity
- LOL moments with emotional depth
- messy, relatable reinvention stories
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews