Your Roots Are Showing

by Elise Chidley

Lizzie Buckley has a life many women dream of - a gorgeous husband, a beautiful home and darling (when they're not fighting) three-year-old twins. But ever since the birth of her children, she's had a fantasy about locking herself in her bedroom for twenty-four hours with a good book and a box of chocolates.

Unfortunately, her husband James doesn't understand her feelings. And when Lizzie unburdens herself in a flaming email to her sister Janie, then hits send at the wrong moment and accidentally shoots it off to James instead, her fairytale life gets a big dose of reality. With the word "divorce" ringing in her ears, Lizzie finds herself moving out and embarking on a totally different life - working hard to reinvent herself as a runner, a gardener, and a writer of children's books.

But despite transforming her body, her neglected career, and her libido (courtesy of the local landscape gardener), Lizzie can't get over her soon-to-be ex. As Lizzie discovers, sometimes the fairytale ending is just the beginning of the real story.

Genres: Chick Lit, Fiction, Womens Fiction, Family, Contemporary Romance, Book Club, Humor

366 pages, Paperback

First published October 29, 2008

About the author

I'm a mother, writer and avid reader, currently living in Connecticut, USA. I grew up in Swaziland and South Africa, and studied in Durban, Edinburgh and Pennsylvania. My taste in books is varied, and I would read the dictionary if I was stranded with it on a desert island. I have this vague ambition to catalogue all the books I've ever read, but I think I've forgotten more than half of them. That's the joy of goodreads--you come across titles you would never otherwise remember.

I'm working on my debut Young Adult novel: such a freeing genre!

My second novel, Married With Baggage is now on shelves!

My first novel, Your Roots Are Showing is a finalist in two categories of the 2009 RITAs: Best First Book and Best Single Title Contemporary Romance.

"Chidley hits it out of the park with her debut novel. She finds humor in the mundane and absolutely nails Lizzie's character arc. With spot-on writing, Chidley has created a heroine readers will care about."
--Romantic Times BOOKreviews on YOUR ROOTS ARE SHOWING

This book will strike a chord with anyone who ever struggled to lose her baby weight, anyone who ever neglected her hair-do--or her husband--in those fraught years of early motherhood.

In this funny, uplifting novel Lizzie Buckley, mother of toddler twins, fantasizes about chucking in her picture-perfect life for a box of chocolates and an uninterrupted bath. But when she vents her frustrations with married life in an email--and sends it to her husband by mistake--her 'happy ending' begins to unravel with a vengeance. All too soon, Lizzie finds herself uprooting her children to start over in a ramshackle cottage with an overgrown garden, where she struggles to re-invent herself and forget about her soon-to-be ex.

MORE PRAISE FOR Your Roots Are Showing

"Look no further for a delicious, romantic story, written with wit and a light touch." --Elizabeth Buchan, New York Times bestselling author of Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman.

"Toe-curlingly observant and wonderfully heartwarming--I loved it!" --Gemma Townley, author of The Importance of Being Married.

"Absolutely wonderful. . . a charming debut, not to be missed." --Jane Porter, author of Flirting with Forty.
Check out Elise Chidley's blog at www.elisechidley.wordpress.com

Reviews

[Miriam · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you miss your subway stop reading a book, it should get 5 stars, right? There are some serious moments in this book, about marriage, divorce, love, depression, weight loss (and gain) and child-rearing and yet, I would say that it was a funny novel because of the voice.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It is both funny and touching and I think every new father should read it to get an understanding of what a woman experiences after bearing children. It is also wonderful in that it gives you insight into why us mothers behave the way we do after children and reassures us that we are not the only ones who feel like this. The story is about Lizzie who goes off sex in a big way after children and the terrible e-mail she sends in a moment of depression about her feelings about intimacy. It was for her sister's eyes' only but alas she sends it to her husband who takes it very personanlly. During the speedy journey towards devorce Lizzie confronts her demons and picks herself up and finds her way. She deals with her eating issues and comes to realise that her percetions of her marriage are not quite accurate. She finds her self-esteem and all ends well. Read it , you won't be able to put it down

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Splendid and delightful! Your Roots Are Showing by Elise Chidley is a perfect under the covers read. The main character, Lizzie, is an exhausted mother of twin toddlers. She inadvertently alienates her husband and finds herself starting life over (alone) from square one. Though she still is very much in love with her ex-husband, Lizzie is forced to make is best of it and re-build a life of her own.

This book runs the gamut from humorous to heart breaking to deliciously romantic. Lizzie is a heroine with spunk; if you are a mom or a wife, you’ll just get her from the first page. Chidley relays the story with impressive ease which makes for a wonderful debut. I highly recommend this novel--you simply can’t ask for a more enjoyable read.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up in London last spring (title there is Wrong Sort of Wife?) and was thrilled to discover a new favorite author. You are drawn in from the beginning when the main character does something most of us have done before-- sent an email to the wrong person. Lizzie is a well-developed character that mothers (and non-mothers, too!) will relate to easily. The writing is witty and fast-paced. My only complaint was a lack of sleep for a couple of days due to some late night reading.
Can't wait for the next novel from Elise Chidley!

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars, cute chick lit.

[★¸. • * ° * ༺*Blanka*༺*°°*•.¸. ♥★ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lizzie Buckley is having doubts about her picture-perfect world. She does love her country estate, precocious three-year-old twins, and handsome husband, James. But nobody warned her about postpartum depression and the toll it would take on her marriage. Or how she’d fantasize about chucking it all for a box of chocolates and an uninterrupted bath.
Lizzie vents these frustrations in an e-mail and her life is shattered: James gets the message by mistake. Lizzie soon finds herself uprooting her children to start over in a ramshackle garden cottage. Now facing life – and the twins – alone, Lizzie struggles to reinvent herself and forget about her soon-to-be ex. But when thoughts of James still haunt her, she begins to wonder if the best part of marriage starts after the fairy tale ends . . .


Lizzie is sleep deprived, cranky, out of shape and frustrated that her husband doesn’t understand why she’s not her perky old self. Her husband James is a more distant character, and the reader doesn’t get to know him in depth.
A lot of the misunderstandings between Lizzie and James come from a lack of communication, and part of the tension in the story comes from Lizzie not knowing what James is thinking. I would have liked to have learned more about James, and read more dialogue between the two characters, but I also understood that that would have taken the story in a different direction.
I also would have liked a longer confrontation scene between Lizzie and James in the end, considering how much anger and how many grievances Lizzie had. It would have been nice if James would have ranted too, as I’m sure his character also had many legitimate complaints. While this type of drawn out confrontation was not necessary to the plot, I think it would have been more satisfying.

[Wicked Incognito Now · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a chick/lit type book. Not standard to the romance genre, because the love interest is unclear, nor very much part of the story. This was like Bridget Jones after she already landed Mark Darcy, but more serious (and not as silly as the Carol Fields sequel to Bridget Jones).

I really liked this book, and the author's handling of the subject. I would've given it four stars, but I was SO irritated by how the whole thing ended....I feel myself just so disappointed.

More on that later.

The feelings and issues this mother/wife were going through as she dealt with the break-up of her marriage, were realistic and emotionally-wrought. I felt like laying down and crying myself while reading this. I felt her despair so acutely. I even found myself angry at my own husband, because these issues are so universal and so often unacknowledged. We all go around trying so hard not to admit that everything isn't always perfect.

So, I read this book compulsively. I even skipped out on a committment because I just couldn't put it down. The writing really is very well done, and I can't wait to read more from Elise Chidley.

HOWEVER the ending was wrapped up TOO TOO prettily. It ruined the entire effect of a novel full of realistic feelings. The lead character had VERY little actual interaction with her husband throughout the story, and it is just so darn unrealistic for them never to communicate at all. In real life, resolution is impossible without some serious hardwork acknowledgment.

[Nicola]

Elise Chidley is an exceptionally talented writer. I was totally enthralled with her debut book and couldn't put it down! Ms Chidley writes with ease, wit and an easy-to-read style. I read the English version that launched in South Africa earlier this year. Ms Chidley has received rave reviews from the South African press - which is no surprise. I'm looking forward to reading any of Ms Chidley's future novels.

[Clodagh Mccoole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun read with a likeable character that most women will relate to. Overwhelmed by children and prefering sleep to sex, she gets herself into a downward spiral by a misdirected email.
The book is set in England.A grown-up Bridget Jones who doesn't believe she deserves it all but gets it by being true to herself! A good book to get into the bath with!

[Odette Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book - I read the English version (The Wrong Sort of Wife). Lizzie is warm, funny and endearing and Ms.Chidley is a wonderfully fresh and sympathetic new voice...

Any dates for the European release of Book two?

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lizzie Buckley had it all – a huge house, handsome husband James and 2 beautiful twin children Ellie and Alex. But when Lizzie accidentally sends a moaning email meant for sister Janie in Australia to her husband, her life starts to fall apart around her. James doesn’t want her anymore, she’s left in a grotty cottage with 2 toddlers, no money, no job and feels very alone.

Lizzie is determined to win James back, so sets about getting a new body and career thanks to best friend Tessa, hoping it’s enough to get James to fall back in love with her again. But is it all too little, too late to the couple? And was Lizzie really just the wrong sort of wife?

I first saw this book in the library where I work on the new releases shelf, so I knew I was going to get around to reading it at some point! The striking black, white and pink cover makes it stand out on the shelf from some of the more wishy-washy covers out there, so its definitely got that going for it! This is Elise Chidley’s debut novel (which goes by the title of Your Roots Are Showing in the US) and what a brilliant debut it is too. Chidley has another book coming out last this year and I’m definitely going to be getting a copy of that as soon as it’s released!

Anyway, back to this book. It immediately draws you straight into the story with Lizzie moving into her new cottage with the children all alone, and the break down of her marriage being hinted at. We aren’t told immediately what happened between the pair (although it is on the blurb on the back of the book!) but the build-up to this is very well written and kept my attention. The story has little flashbacks throughout the book to happier times for James and Lizzie, so it sets the scene in your mind for the pair and makes you hope that they will get back together again as they seem such a lovely couple!

Lizzie is such a normal character, you can’t help but love her. Anyone who has a toddler at home, let alone twins, will be able to relate to everything that happens to Lizzie in this book and she seems so down to earth, it’s very refreshing! To really get into a book, I have to care about and like the main character, and Chidley has definitely delivered on both of these counts for me. James was the character I disliked, but didn’t quite want to for some reason! His behaviour was bad, but because you could see why he did it, it didn’t seem quite so bad… but because I loved Lizzie so much, I had to dislike him a little bit! Bruno was a real cad – I didn’t like him from the minute he came into the book but couldn’t put my finger on why! Tessa and Maria are Lizzie’s lovely friends and are good supporting characters, albeit somewhat irregular throughout the book.

The book travels between Kent and Gloucestershire, and through various times of course, and it’s very well written. Chidley clearly visited both places before writing this book because she brings both places to life with her vivid descriptions of the surrounding towns, countryside and the glorious mansion of James’ parents. She uses such beautiful language that it puts the place straight into your mind and you can imagine you are in there with James and Lizzie watching the action happen before your eyes. Chidley writes with such ease it is just a pleasure to read, and the third person narrative works so well for the purpose of the story, yet we still feel right in there with Lizzie, which goes to show how talented Chidley is.

As you can probably tell, I really loved this book. It is well-written, there are a good few twists and turns in there to keep you hooked, although I would have been without these anyway! I loved the characters, they are all believable people who I came to care about and consequently I couldn’t put the book down. I loved the day to day life of Lizzie which I could totally relate to as a mother of a 3 year old, and the friendships in the book were ones I wished I could have! There were some real laughs in there as well as parts to make you well up with tears – this book has it all! It’ll leave you hoping for a happy ending, and you’ll eagerly be turning the pages to get there, and find yourself so disappointed that its ended! This is definitely a super book, and I would recommend it for a great read, not just for summer but any time of the year.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lizzie Buckley didn’t have the perfect life but she did live a happy one with her husband James and her twin children. One thing Lizzie never imagined she would experience is depression…postpartum depression to be specific. Before Lizzie can even say one… two… three, she finds herself moving to the country with her children and living in a run down cottage. James has left Lizzie and it’s all her fault. Lizzie accidentally sent an email to James. Some of the items written in the email were really hurtful. Do you know just how hard it is to take care of two children, deal with your marriage; all while trying to put yourself back together? That is the million dollar question that Lizzie will try to find an answer to.

I thought Your Roots Are Showing was a simple but sweet book about love, sadness, joy, freedom and cherishment. This book just goes to show you that writing what you know can produce great results. Though I can’t say I can relate to Lizzie, I do know that I felt like I really connected with her and her family from the first moment I met them. I dare you to put this book down and walk away from it; you will find yourself having a hard time doing so. For anyone who is looking for a new and fresh voice to read then you have got to check out Elise Chidley’s debut novel Your Roots Are Showing.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I knew what this book was going to be about, and could even generally tell the road it was going to take to get to the ending, I still enjoyed the story.

You don't often find chick-lit (I dislike the term, but that's what this is) that reflects on the effects of postpartum depression on a marriage. Lizzie has gained weight, lost interest in her health and appearance, her husband, and sex. The only thing she is interested in is her children and scarfing as many carbs as possible. She's also simmering with tamped-down and unexamined rage over the limitations of her life and the freedom she has lost, especially compared to her husband's relatively carefree life.

A misdirected email brings everything in the open, and the next year is a chance for Lizzie to figure out the things about her life she's been stubbornly ignoring.

One thing that this book has in common with other chick-lit (and most soap operas) is that the entire story is based on a situation caused by people NOT TALKING to each other. If Lizzie and James had ever just spoken honestly about how they felt, and not made decisions based on what they thought the other person felt, they wouldn't have had any problems. But what's the fun in writing a book about that?

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, it made me happy, sad and occasionally angry. It was a relatively easy read but with many different and interesting characters that kept you on your toes! There were those wonderful moments when you thought "no! don't, don't, don't!" and then you wonderered if the book would head off in the 'and they all lived happily ever after' direction, or the 'life will never be the same again' direction. There are elements of this fabulous book that are very close to my experiences of motherhood and relationships, and they are brilliantly written. The emotions that go hand-in-hand with a new baby and the extreme tiredness it causes are so accurately portrayed that I could have wept all over again, as I did many times with my baby daughter. However, don't be fooled into thinking that this is a book just for women! It is a genuinely good read, and if you are a new dad there are many parts of it that you will sympathise with or perhaps it will simply give you a greater understanding. I think we should watch this author, judging by her literary nominations I think we will be seeing a lot more of her!

[Bobbie Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Your Roots Are Showing,
Written By: Elise Chidley
Published By: Hachette Book Group, New York, 2008, First Edition, 367 pages, paperback, ISBN 978-0-446-17814-3

“Your Roots Are Showing is a stirring and entertaining tale of overcoming the odds and believing in yourself.”BCM

Lizzie Buckley has everything a woman could possibly want; a beautiful home, a wealthy, handsome husband and two beautiful young children.
When an e-mailed rant accidentally goes to her husband instead of her sister, Lizzie’s picture perfect world falls apart.
She finds herself depressed and alone with her three year old twins Alex and Ellie while she looks over her new ‘home away from home’, Back Lane Cottage.
As she struggles to get her life in order, lose some ‘baby weight’ and hopefully win back her husband James, Lizzie finds herself falling...


**Please follow the link to read the whole review:
http://bookreviewsbybobbie.wordpress....

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I read the UK version (The Wrong Sort of Wife?) and was completely engaged with the story and its cast of characters from the first page. So much so, that I felt a certain kind of withdrawal when it ended! Lizzie Buckley is a likeable and sympathetic character whose comfortable life takes a turn for the worse after a misdirected e-mail, and continues to unravel with one misunderstanding after another. Elise Chidley has mangaged to write a scrumptiously, witty story about life's difficulties that is light-hearted and ultimately uplifting. A wonderful first novel... I can't wait for the next one!

[Masonbates · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book while in Kennilworth (England) at Waterstones. The title is "Wrong sort of Wife", guess they needed to change the title for the US market. Enjoyable book and a fun read. I felt that the description on the back cover did not match with the book - but maybe that will change in the US (good thing as book was better than description). It will inspire you to get your "bum" back to the gym and feel good about yourself, rather than worry about everyone else all the time. :)

[Susan Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I also bought this in London and didn't stop reading on the plane or once I was off. It's defiantely a page turner, and the central charachter is so likeable, that I felt bereft when the story came to an end. The book is funny, endearing, beautifully written and lots of fun, and I definately recommend it!
Sue.

[Cynthia Lynnch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent read

[Mary W · Rating 2 out of 5]

Decent read. After reading through all of the trials Lizzie had been through I thought the ending came a bit too quickly.

[Moya Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fab - funny - very well written - love this book.

[Chloe (Always Booked) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 star. This was a good enough book that I read physically off my shelf. I'm not sure where it came from, but its pretty classic women's fiction so I'm not really surprised. This book is about Lizzie. She thought she sent an email to her sister, Janie, venting about her husband and their life, but she actually sent it to her husband, James. He reads the email and says he wants a divorce. He makes her and their 3 year old twins move out and he really stonewalls her and I was so annoyed by how childish he was. She said things in the email that would definitely be hurtful, but also weren't that crazy outlandish for an exhausted mama raising twins without a great partner. Anywho, she goes and gets a rural, run down house with the idea of fixing it up. The first chapter made her seem like a super strong, go getter, but as the book goes on I honestly liked Lizzie less and less. There is a man that pops by and offers to help her with her gardening and landscaping and there's a sort of romance there, but it was definitely a tell not show romance. She also starts running with her best friend, Tessa, and there is a lot of conversation around weight and her body's appearance. This was written in 2008 so I get that diet culture was RAGING during that time, but I really hate all the conversation around weight and appearance changing happiness. The book sort of touched on how her body was changing as her mental health changed (improvements were seen in both) and it was just a sign that she was practicing self care, but I wanted it to be handled better. In the end, one man rejects her, one man grovels and I was so annoyed by the way that ended. This is definitely more women's fiction than romance and the romance was WEAK in this book. I hated the ending and wish there was no romance. I feel like there was no character growth in Lizzie, even though the whole book was building towards a huge reemergence and exploration of self. I enjoyed my reading experience pretty well, but I don't like the plot so I don't know if I'd read more from this author.

[Allyson Brandt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lizzie Buckley is suffering serious mom burn out. Since the birth of her twins three years ago, she’s gained weight, lost her energy and sense of self, and has no desire for her husband. When an email outlining her disdain for her husband James is accidentally sent to him instead of her sister, James announces he wants a divorce.

Lizzie relocates herself and her twins to a rental home in a village full of characters one expects to find in a British rom-com, chosen because of it’s proximity to her childhood best friend. The village is full of satisfying stereotypes: the nosy neighbor, the helpful teenage babysitter, and the handsome divorcee gardener. It is in this setting Lizzie must re-start her life because James is charging full steam ahead for a divorce.

This book is sweet, a little silly, and a bit slow. I began it assuming it would be a story of a woman losing and finding herself after motherhood, and once she did, returning to the genuine love of her life before the divorce papers could be signed.

**SPOILER ALERT!**

And that’s exactly what it was. There were a lot of extraneous characters and side quests that didn’t feel like they helped the story along, but the characters were like-able and the writing witty. At almost 400 pages, it’s a bit long and the story lags in places. But overall, a fairly engaging read with good characters.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a very slow start for me, but ended up being a great book in the end!

[Luce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicely written, made me laugh out loud several times. Good book.

[Tiffani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lizzie is overwhelmed and sleep deprived. With three-year-old twins, a husband who is always traveling, and a disapproving mother-in-law, this is no surprise. In a low moment she dashes off an email to her sister about how marriage and motherhood are not the happily ever after everyone says it is. Unfortunately, the (un)helpful email program filled in her husband James's email address instead of her sister Janie's. After reading how his wife wouldn't mind if he went on another business trip and simply disappeared forever James comes homes and starts packing his bags. Lizzie tells her husband that she was having a bad day and didn't mean anything in the email, but he doesn't buy it and moves out. Her friends and even new acquaintances tell Lizzie that she depressed and angry and that maybe she needs to talk to a professional but Lizzie insists that she is fine. In complete denial about her life and her own feelings, Lizzie interprets James's moving out as a sign that he is testing her. She decides to call his bluff by moving out herself.

Your Roots Are Showing was charming to read. Lizzie was the kind of character I wish I would reach into the book and shake. At the same time I could totally relate to her and continued to root for her as she stumbled into a series of awkward situations and jumped to one conclusion after another. Her husband was just as sympathetic. Sure he left, but can you blame him? Can you imagine getting an email in which the person you thought you were going to spend the rest of your life with says they wouldn't mind if you never came home again? Lizzie was stuck and who hasn't felt stuck in their life at some point. As for James, he was blind to what was happening but also blindsided. The email and its aftermath devastated Lizzie and James but it was exactly what their relationship needed.

Things do get better, as expected. Lizzie starts trying new things, one of which is running. As a runner myself, I loved this aspect of her transformation. There are aesthetic benefits - Lizzie runs off the baby weight. More importantly, she finds that she is stronger that she thinks. Running gives her confidence. Slowly she starts making choices, sometimes not very well thought out choices, but nevertheless choices about her life, instead of waiting for things to just work themselves out or for other people to read her mind. At the end, Lizzie comes out stronger than when she started. Watching her get stronger was like a roller coaster ride. There were lots of ups and downs and fast turns but eventually everyone ends up safely on the ground, having faced one of their fears. It was definitely worth the read.

[Maria Elmvang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every married woman has experienced it at some point in life. No matter how much we love our husbands, there will be situations where we are just plain tired of him and would like nothing better than to get some time off. Not for real mind you. Not by a long shot. It's just one of those things we vent about to our girl friends or sisters and then forget all about again.

Unfortunately that wasn't the case for Lizzie Buckley. As her sister lives in Australia, she had to do her venting by e-mail, and by accident - and because the two of them shared initials and the e-mail program's autofill couldn't read her mind - the e-mail got sent off to Lizzie's husband instead. Being a proud man and not understanding how women work, James figured there was nothing left for him to do but pack his bags and move out.

So now Lizzie's in a pickle. Saddled with divorce papers she does not want, but can't convince her husband she doesn't want, she has to pick up the scraps of her life, and fit them back together again… moving to a new neighbourhood with inquisitive neighbours, trying to find a job, coping with her 3-year-old twins and generally pulling herself back together. And all the time, James is constantly lurking in the background.

Elise Chidley presents us here with an amusing yet poignant tale of a woman who's suddenly had the rug pulled from underneath her and needs to reinvent herself. Her characters are vibrant and colourful, and her writing passionate and personal. I kept getting confused by the third-person narrative, because I got so sucked into the story that it felt like Lizzie was telling it directly to me.

Your Roots Are Showing clearly shows the dangers of not communicating, and how easily things can go awry when both parties are too proud, stubborn or just plain blind to share their issues with each other.

At times heart-wrenching, the reader knows from the start that there's a happy ending in sight, ensuring that the book at no time becomes too bleak to fulfil its job of being the perfect comfort read.

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an interesting story. I agree with others who have review this book and said it's similar to Bridget Joneses Diary but with a failing marriage and children. I was a little disappointed in the marriage / relationship between James and Lizzie. It just seemed so sad and shallow because it lacked the main fundamental of a good marriage - good communication.
Another thing that puzzled me was if depression can be classified as "postpartum" three years after someone has a child. I understand that having a child affects everyone differently, but I thought Lizzy's character stretched the term a little as well as only dealing with the depression to a level that was convenient for the story. It was almost like she was over it one page and then and the lowest point the next. A little confusing.
I was also disheartened by the counselor in this book - nothing at all like the counselors that I have encountered. She was so flat and uncaring. The author made it seem like the only thing the counselor cared about was getting paid.
It did make me want to start running because of the addiction Lizzie came to have. And I did like Lizzie's friend's spunk (especially when it came to her own childless life).
Overall - I probably wouldn't spend time reading it again, but it was ok.

-------------------------------------------
Same story also published under the title The Wrong Sort of Wife

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was a bit slow starting out, but steadily gathered steam and kept me whizzing through the pages to the very satisfying finish.
It piqued my interest initially by being about issues that I remember facing on a daily basis and sometimes still do! It struck such a resonant chord with me regarding the largely misunderstood roles of new mothers and how husbands perceive our world in that frenetic time. I could certainly relate to sleep deprivation, weight issues, and our love/hate relationship with our sexual love life.
Ms. Chidley has such an interesting way of making the character real and likable and just normal. You are able to get why she feels the way that she does and totally sympathize with her moments of temporary insanity.
Another plus for me was her take on situations and just how funny the book was. I was cracking up a number of times and had to try to explain to my darling husband what was so funny. Of course he, being nearly as clueless as James, was wasn't guite as tickled at some of it as I was!

I seriously reccomend this book for a feel good read that will make you nod your head in agreement in so many parts if you have any short people hanging on to your knees! It was sweet, funny and enjoyable.

[Katrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This remarkably realistic account of one woman's journey through postpartum depression, addiction, motherhood and divorce is the debut novel of Elise Chidley. The characterization of the main character, Lizzie is so true to life. She has all these imperfections, or more accurately, what she believes to be imperfections. All of theses flaws add up to make Lizzie who she is. She didn't have that unattainable perfection that makes so many characters unrelatable. I am only that true appreciates when I can connect with a character like I did with Lizzie.

Another thing about this novel that pleased me was the setting. I was expecting it to be set in Middle Town USA and to my surprise it was set in Bloody England. We all know how much I Bloody love England! The author has spent much of her life in England before moving with her family to Connecticut. So she knows first hand all the foods, places, sayings and mannerisms that she has put into this book.

I really loved this novel and it will have a prominent place in my top twenty books for the year. Not only was the setting and the characterization wonderful but the plot was brilliant. It kept me guessing and just when I was getting comfortable it through me for a loop.