What do you think?
Rate this book
More Than Enough
Voted Mumsnet Best by Mumsnet readers! When does a friendship become an affair? Katie is pregnant. Again. She loves being a mum but having three kids under the age of three may be more than she can handle. Thankfully her marriage is solid enough to withstand the blast. Or is it? With husband Anthony working long hours and Katie fearful of letting him see she’s struggling to cope, could someone else become a shoulder to cry on? What line does a seemingly innocent friendship have to cross to jeopardise a family’s future? Meanwhile Katie’s sister Amy has problems of her own. Her 20s are fast disappearing with no sign of romance when along comes Charlie, an up and coming actor. Amy is smitten by Charlie (not to mention the world of celebrity he draws her into) and he seems to be falling head over heels too. But as Charlie’s star rises their relationship begins to change and Amy must work out if they want the same things. Will Charlie prove to be her perfect match? Fans of Lisa Jewell and JoJo Moyes will love this heart-warming chick lit story of love and romance, marriage and motherhood. Download your free sample now! REVIEWS “More Than Enough is a fabulous chick-lit book, it is humorous and entertaining, but also touches on some much more serious topics. It kept me hooked throughout, and I almost missed my stop on the train, as a result of reading this on my commute.” Rachel’s Random Reads blog “A superb read with wonderfully flawed and authentic characters that you will instantly connect with. I would recommend this book to all women who like a good chick-lit read, young or old, whether a mum or not. There is something in this story for everyone.” Book Bunny blog “A truly fantastic book that captures you right away – a brilliantly easy read” Echoes in an Empty Room blog Mumsnet reviewers "Must Read!" "Fab chicklit" "A great holiday read!" "An easy read with a bit of depth” “An addictive, sweet and very easy to read novel with likeable character and a realistic plot”
280 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 2, 2015
11 people want to read
About the author
Liza Hoeksma
16 books4 followersLiza is the author of the novel 'More Than Enough' as well as a number of non-fiction books. She worked in PR until voluntary redundancy provided the perfect opportunity to change direction and start writing. She lives in Hertfordshire, works part-time for a charity, can easily lose hours on Pinterest and spends much of her life helping people spell and pronounce her Dutch surname (think Hook-smar).
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 22, 2015
When does friendship cross the line and become something more? This wonderfully refreshing story follows two characters; Katie and her younger sister Amy. On the surface, Katie appears to have the perfect marriage and family. She has two young children and unexpectedly finds herself pregnant with a third. With her husband working long hours and spending hardly any time at home, Katie has already begun to buckle under the strain. Feeling too ashamed to lean on her husband for support, she instead turns to a close family friend who happens to be in the right place at the right time. But could he become more than just a shoulder to cry on?
Meanwhile, Katie’s younger sister Amy has her own problems to contend with. She is fast approaching her thirties but is dis-satisfied with where life has taken her and equally unhappy with her single status. But all this changes when she meets Charlie, an up and coming actor who sweeps her off her feet. She cannot believe her luck but all is about to change when Charlie’s celebrity status begins to rise steadily and in doing so leaves Amy wondering if they are in-fact suited to each other.
I really enjoyed this book. It had been a while since I read from the chick-lit genre but “More Than Enough” reminded me of just what I had been missing out on. For me, this book was a real comfort read. It is one of those books that makes you glad of a rainy day just so you can curl up on the sofa and shut the world out.
From the moment I started this novel, I was absorbed. The story was well structured and I liked the short chapters. The characters were hugely relateable. Being the mum of a young child, I could relate a lot to Katie. She was a likeable character and her struggles were very real. You would be hard pressed to find a mum who hasn’t faced feelings of anxiety, isolation and guilt at some stage along the journey of motherhood. These are the emotions and feelings that Katie is struggling with and we get to share this with her. These emotions were captured amazingly by the author and were treated with the greatest of sensitivity.
I really liked the character of Amy too. She is at a crossroads in her life. She has placed a lot of emphasis on being in a relationship and believes this will be the key to her happiness. She is drifting aimlessly through life in a job she doesn’t like, yet is a woman with many creative talents. She would love to travel and start her own business but believes that she needs a man by her side to pursue these dreams.
Another character that I just can’t leave out is Louisa, Amy’s best friend. Although she is a peripheral character, it was in fact her story that impacted me the most. Her experience of childbirth and the months that followed were executed so well that I felt the author could have been writing my story.
I would recommend this book to all women who like a good chick-lit read, young or old, whether a mum or not. There is something in this story for everyone. If you are going on holidays this would be a perfect read. It is equally suited to a day under the duvet.
What I enjoyed most about this book was the fact that I could relate to all of the female characters on some level. I felt very at ease with the writing style of the author and it was an easy book to digest. This book will absorb you from the very beginning. While it has its fair share of emotional dilemma’s, it has humour in equal measure.
I am giving “More Than Enough” 4 STARS. It was a superb read with wonderfully flawed and authentic characters that you will instantly connect with. I am taking off 1 star as I felt personally that the conflict could have been drawn out a little longer and the ending was a little rushed for my liking. That said, I would love to see a sequel as I am already missing Katie and Amy and desperately want to know what happens next.
Meanwhile, Katie’s younger sister Amy has her own problems to contend with. She is fast approaching her thirties but is dis-satisfied with where life has taken her and equally unhappy with her single status. But all this changes when she meets Charlie, an up and coming actor who sweeps her off her feet. She cannot believe her luck but all is about to change when Charlie’s celebrity status begins to rise steadily and in doing so leaves Amy wondering if they are in-fact suited to each other.
I really enjoyed this book. It had been a while since I read from the chick-lit genre but “More Than Enough” reminded me of just what I had been missing out on. For me, this book was a real comfort read. It is one of those books that makes you glad of a rainy day just so you can curl up on the sofa and shut the world out.
From the moment I started this novel, I was absorbed. The story was well structured and I liked the short chapters. The characters were hugely relateable. Being the mum of a young child, I could relate a lot to Katie. She was a likeable character and her struggles were very real. You would be hard pressed to find a mum who hasn’t faced feelings of anxiety, isolation and guilt at some stage along the journey of motherhood. These are the emotions and feelings that Katie is struggling with and we get to share this with her. These emotions were captured amazingly by the author and were treated with the greatest of sensitivity.
I really liked the character of Amy too. She is at a crossroads in her life. She has placed a lot of emphasis on being in a relationship and believes this will be the key to her happiness. She is drifting aimlessly through life in a job she doesn’t like, yet is a woman with many creative talents. She would love to travel and start her own business but believes that she needs a man by her side to pursue these dreams.
Another character that I just can’t leave out is Louisa, Amy’s best friend. Although she is a peripheral character, it was in fact her story that impacted me the most. Her experience of childbirth and the months that followed were executed so well that I felt the author could have been writing my story.
I would recommend this book to all women who like a good chick-lit read, young or old, whether a mum or not. There is something in this story for everyone. If you are going on holidays this would be a perfect read. It is equally suited to a day under the duvet.
What I enjoyed most about this book was the fact that I could relate to all of the female characters on some level. I felt very at ease with the writing style of the author and it was an easy book to digest. This book will absorb you from the very beginning. While it has its fair share of emotional dilemma’s, it has humour in equal measure.
I am giving “More Than Enough” 4 STARS. It was a superb read with wonderfully flawed and authentic characters that you will instantly connect with. I am taking off 1 star as I felt personally that the conflict could have been drawn out a little longer and the ending was a little rushed for my liking. That said, I would love to see a sequel as I am already missing Katie and Amy and desperately want to know what happens next.
July 20, 2015
4.5 Stars
More Than Enough is a fabulous chick-lit book, it is humorous and entertaining, but also touches on some much more serious topics such as post-natal depression, loneliness, and coping with two children under 3 years old.
Katie has just found out she is expecting her third baby, but she isn't exactly delighted with the news. Husband Anthony seems very excited, but Katie is struggling with her two children currently, with them both needing her constant attention, and both being under 3. She starts feeling very isolated and Anthony's long hours at work, don't help her in feeling much better.
It is friend, to both of them, Adam, who has just moved in, that catches Katie when she is feeling her lowest and gets her to talk. And from that a bond starts to grow.
Then there is Amy, Katie's sister. She is fed up being single, and when she meets Charlie in a supermarket, she thinks her dreams have come true. He is an upcoming actor, working in a minor soap, and catapults her into a world of fine dining, expensive gifts, exclusive parties and generally the world of Celebrity. Charlie appears to be everything she has ever wanted in a man, but you need to read to find out if he really is too good to be true.
The other main character we see a lot of is Amy's best friend Louisa, who is pregnant with her first baby. It is great to see how the friendship between Louisa and Amy changes and grows, once the baby is born.
There are plenty of comic moments in this book, as well as quite a bit to think about. I loved reading about the various family and friendship dynamics that are in play, and whether any of the relationships would even last until the end of the book.
I found Amy very easy, in some respects to relate to, since I am a single lady in her thirties, I know how the pressure feels to be in a relationship, or more the whole time, by people that aren't you. However Amy seems to think that you need to be with a man, in order to travel, or set up a business on her own and that screams to me that she was lacking in self confidence.
Katie was lovely, but with her we also see her trying to bow to social pressures of being supermum, and I'm guessing that if you are a parent you will completely relate to her and how she is feeling.
Overall I loved every second of More Than Enough, it kept me hooked throughout, and I almost missed my stop on the train, as a result of reading this on my commute.
Thank you so much to Liza Hoeksma for approaching me to read this book, and for the review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and honest.
More Than Enough is a fabulous chick-lit book, it is humorous and entertaining, but also touches on some much more serious topics such as post-natal depression, loneliness, and coping with two children under 3 years old.
Katie has just found out she is expecting her third baby, but she isn't exactly delighted with the news. Husband Anthony seems very excited, but Katie is struggling with her two children currently, with them both needing her constant attention, and both being under 3. She starts feeling very isolated and Anthony's long hours at work, don't help her in feeling much better.
It is friend, to both of them, Adam, who has just moved in, that catches Katie when she is feeling her lowest and gets her to talk. And from that a bond starts to grow.
Then there is Amy, Katie's sister. She is fed up being single, and when she meets Charlie in a supermarket, she thinks her dreams have come true. He is an upcoming actor, working in a minor soap, and catapults her into a world of fine dining, expensive gifts, exclusive parties and generally the world of Celebrity. Charlie appears to be everything she has ever wanted in a man, but you need to read to find out if he really is too good to be true.
The other main character we see a lot of is Amy's best friend Louisa, who is pregnant with her first baby. It is great to see how the friendship between Louisa and Amy changes and grows, once the baby is born.
There are plenty of comic moments in this book, as well as quite a bit to think about. I loved reading about the various family and friendship dynamics that are in play, and whether any of the relationships would even last until the end of the book.
I found Amy very easy, in some respects to relate to, since I am a single lady in her thirties, I know how the pressure feels to be in a relationship, or more the whole time, by people that aren't you. However Amy seems to think that you need to be with a man, in order to travel, or set up a business on her own and that screams to me that she was lacking in self confidence.
Katie was lovely, but with her we also see her trying to bow to social pressures of being supermum, and I'm guessing that if you are a parent you will completely relate to her and how she is feeling.
Overall I loved every second of More Than Enough, it kept me hooked throughout, and I almost missed my stop on the train, as a result of reading this on my commute.
Thank you so much to Liza Hoeksma for approaching me to read this book, and for the review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and honest.
May 20, 2015
I enjoyed this, although I had to remind myself on several occasions that different people bring their small children up in very different ways (I wasn't really one to make sure my children were fed and bathed at the exact same times every day. I practiced an 'approximate time' style of parenting!). However I could empathise with how overwhelming it can all be, and I knew friends who felt isolated and parented to a large extent on their own because partners were busy at work.
The characters were very likeable (again, I just wanted to force Katie into a chair and tell her to stop fussing around the children so much - take it easy!), and the progression in the Katie-Adam-Anthony story wasn't out of the realms of possibility.
I'm glad Katie's sister, Amy, reached the conclusion that she did. I was rooting for her to wake up throughout the book!
All in all, I enjoyed this. It was a fast read, read whilst I was on holiday (it makes a good holiday read!).
The characters were very likeable (again, I just wanted to force Katie into a chair and tell her to stop fussing around the children so much - take it easy!), and the progression in the Katie-Adam-Anthony story wasn't out of the realms of possibility.
I'm glad Katie's sister, Amy, reached the conclusion that she did. I was rooting for her to wake up throughout the book!
All in all, I enjoyed this. It was a fast read, read whilst I was on holiday (it makes a good holiday read!).
May 18, 2015
I really enjoyed this story. Although fictional it was something that could really happen in real life which made it easier to relate to. It was written in a way that was gripping without being overly dramatic. A tale of love and life and the struggles that we come across along the way. Showing that things aren't always easy but if we work hard and persevere, things will work out. I got the sense that everything happens for a reason which is something I take on board. A book I recommend everyone reads.
May 13, 2015
More Than Enough is a can't-put-down novel, and certainly one you come away with thinking of the characters as friends. It's a very real look at life, love, relationships, parenting and friendships. For me it was refreshing to read about forgiveness and hope. This is a highly recommended read, you will laugh and you may cry. It's a beautifully, honestly written novel which you won't be able to help but become involved in.
June 24, 2015
I was given a copy of this book from Liza for an honest review. This is a truly fantastic read, it captures you right away, once I started it, I found it hard to put down. It is all about katie's story, you will find romance, relationships and motherhood in this story. I love the fact that the characters are so down to earth and I am sure many women can relate to Katie and Amy, I felt like I really wanted to know what was going to happen next. A brilliantly easy read.
September 9, 2015
On the surface this book is a fun novel to take on holiday and enjoy by the pool. Yet there is a great deal more to it than that. It poses interesting moral questions about emotional intimacy that definitely keep you think beyond the last page. Loved it, and can't wait to see what Liza Hoeksma does next!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews