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Why Mummy #3
Why Mummy Doesn’t Give a ****!
Family begins with a capital eff.
I’m wondering how many more f*cking ‘phases’ I have to endure before my children become civilised and functioning members of society? It seems like people have been telling me ‘it’s just a phase!’ for the last fifteen bloody years. Not sleeping through the night is ‘just a phase.’ Potty training and the associated accidents ‘is just a phase’. The tantrums of the terrible twos are ‘just a phase’. The picky eating, the back chat, the obsessions. The toddler refusals to nap, the teenage inability to leave their beds before 1pm without a rocket being put up their arse. The endless singing of Frozen songs, the dabbing, the weeks where apparently making them wear pants was akin to child torture. All ‘just phases!’ When do the ‘phases’ end though? WHEN? Mummy dreams of a quirky rural cottage with roses around the door and chatty chickens in the garden. Life, as ever, is not going quite as she planned. Paxo, Oxo and Bisto turn out to be highly rambunctious, rather than merely chatty, and the roses have jaggy thorns. Her precious moppets are now giant teenagers, and instead of wittering at her about who would win in a fight – a dragon badger or a ninja horse – they are Snapchatting the night away, stropping around the tiny cottage and communicating mainly in grunts – except when they are demanding Ellen provides taxi services in the small hours. And there is never, but never, any milk in the house. At least the one thing they can all agree on is that rescued Barry the Wolfdog may indeed be The Ugliest Dog in the World, but he is also the loveliest.
I’m wondering how many more f*cking ‘phases’ I have to endure before my children become civilised and functioning members of society? It seems like people have been telling me ‘it’s just a phase!’ for the last fifteen bloody years. Not sleeping through the night is ‘just a phase.’ Potty training and the associated accidents ‘is just a phase’. The tantrums of the terrible twos are ‘just a phase’. The picky eating, the back chat, the obsessions. The toddler refusals to nap, the teenage inability to leave their beds before 1pm without a rocket being put up their arse. The endless singing of Frozen songs, the dabbing, the weeks where apparently making them wear pants was akin to child torture. All ‘just phases!’ When do the ‘phases’ end though? WHEN? Mummy dreams of a quirky rural cottage with roses around the door and chatty chickens in the garden. Life, as ever, is not going quite as she planned. Paxo, Oxo and Bisto turn out to be highly rambunctious, rather than merely chatty, and the roses have jaggy thorns. Her precious moppets are now giant teenagers, and instead of wittering at her about who would win in a fight – a dragon badger or a ninja horse – they are Snapchatting the night away, stropping around the tiny cottage and communicating mainly in grunts – except when they are demanding Ellen provides taxi services in the small hours. And there is never, but never, any milk in the house. At least the one thing they can all agree on is that rescued Barry the Wolfdog may indeed be The Ugliest Dog in the World, but he is also the loveliest.
329 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 27, 2019
359 people are currently reading
1979 people want to read
About the author
Gill Sims
43 books291 followersGill Sims is a bestselling British author and blogger.
Sims is the author of Why Mummy Drinks which was the Sunday Times Fiction Bestseller of 2017, Why Mummy Swears published in 2018, and Why Mummy Doesn't Give A **** published in 2019.
In 2016, she began her Peter and Jane blog, which quickly gained a viral following. Her blog offers a comical response to issues facing parents. She has also written postnatal depression for Netmums. Sims has been regularly profiled as a leading proponent of a "Mummy Blogger."
She lives in Scotland with her husband, two children and border terrier, 'Judgy Dog'.
Sims is the author of Why Mummy Drinks which was the Sunday Times Fiction Bestseller of 2017, Why Mummy Swears published in 2018, and Why Mummy Doesn't Give A **** published in 2019.
In 2016, she began her Peter and Jane blog, which quickly gained a viral following. Her blog offers a comical response to issues facing parents. She has also written postnatal depression for Netmums. Sims has been regularly profiled as a leading proponent of a "Mummy Blogger."
She lives in Scotland with her husband, two children and border terrier, 'Judgy Dog'.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 411 reviews
June 28, 2019
Mummy not only drinks too much and swears profusely, she now doesn't give a toss (slightly more acceptable than the 'f-word') anymore about her marriage - or does she?
This third instalment of non-domestic bliss covers the most difficult phase of parenthood -i.e. coping with adolescent children. (What's that - you thought infancy was stressful ?)
Gill Sims has given us another master-class in comedy writing : a must-read for parents (but especially mums) in need of a good laugh - and much better than counselling.
This third instalment of non-domestic bliss covers the most difficult phase of parenthood -i.e. coping with adolescent children. (What's that - you thought infancy was stressful ?)
Gill Sims has given us another master-class in comedy writing : a must-read for parents (but especially mums) in need of a good laugh - and much better than counselling.
July 12, 2019
Gill Sims books just keep getting better and better. This is, by far, the funniest book I have read in a long long time. A must read for all.
January 29, 2020
If you've followed me since last year, you'll have seen my posts on the first two books in the series, and you'll know how much I loved them. Well, I finally got my hands on a copy of this one and it really did not disappoint.
Once again, we are taken on a hilarious journey following Ellen and her children. But while there are an abundance of laugh out loud moments, there are a lot of emotional moments too. I admit, I found myself sobbing along with the characters
As always, I highly recommend. It's a light hearted, enjoyable read that I finished in just over 3 hours.
Once again, we are taken on a hilarious journey following Ellen and her children. But while there are an abundance of laugh out loud moments, there are a lot of emotional moments too. I admit, I found myself sobbing along with the characters
As always, I highly recommend. It's a light hearted, enjoyable read that I finished in just over 3 hours.
August 6, 2019
I was unable to finish this book; the writing was shoddy, boring and predictable, barely any of this book about being a mummy is actually about that and she spends most of her time feeling sorry for herself due to her ex ‘Simon’. The book you’re sold by the blurb is not the book that you read at all, I’m not even convinced it deserves a space on my bookshelves.
July 12, 2019
thought the latest in the mummy series was quite funny as the domestic upheaval takes place and things start to change overall in the books as well.
June 1, 2019
I’d been awake for 30 odd hours and was looking for something light to read as I waited for the sleeping tablet to take effect when I spotted Gill Sims latest and thought it would be perfect, having read and enjoyed Why Mummy Drinks and Why Mummy Swears sometime last year.
A spin off of her successful mummy blog/Facebook page ‘Peter and Jane’, described as an ‘honest, sweary, tongue-in-cheek account of a pretty normal, middle-class Scottish family’, Sims’ books are an exaggeration of the mundanity of family life. The books are best read in order, as the family ‘grows’ through each book.
In Why Mummy Doesn’t Give a ****, Ellen’s marriage has collapsed after Simon confessed to sleeping with another woman on a business trip, and Ellen has moved into the cottage of her dreams (except for the damp, the single bathroom, and brambles rather than roses by the door) with their teenagers, Peter who is 13 and Jane who is 15.
I found Why Mummy Doesn’t Give a **** mostly hilarious, even though it doesn’t really bear much relation to my own life.
Ok, so I do have a houseful of teens (2 girls, 2 boys) so I’m familiar with the drama of teenage girls, and the ability of teenage boys to inhale the contents of the fridge within hours of it being filled, and I might have turned of the wifi once or twice in order to get their attention, but I’d never tolerate Jane’s behaviour, or her drinking habits (my kids will want to be much more subtle).
And ok, I may have a piece of furniture or two deliberately placed to hide a stain in the carpet (and a teeny hole in the wall) but I don’t have any dogs, or chickens, I rarely drink, and I still have a husband, so I don’t have to brave the horrors of online dating as a newly single woman in my mid 40’s.
Fair warning, the language is crude (those asterisks in the title barely mask the F-word which is used liberally through the novel), there’s an awkward sex scene, a passing mention of crusty socks, and a lot of drinking, but there are some brief moments of seriousness related to divorce and loss.
Why Mummy Doesn’t Give a **** , like Gill Sims previous novels, was an easy, quick and fun read.
A spin off of her successful mummy blog/Facebook page ‘Peter and Jane’, described as an ‘honest, sweary, tongue-in-cheek account of a pretty normal, middle-class Scottish family’, Sims’ books are an exaggeration of the mundanity of family life. The books are best read in order, as the family ‘grows’ through each book.
In Why Mummy Doesn’t Give a ****, Ellen’s marriage has collapsed after Simon confessed to sleeping with another woman on a business trip, and Ellen has moved into the cottage of her dreams (except for the damp, the single bathroom, and brambles rather than roses by the door) with their teenagers, Peter who is 13 and Jane who is 15.
I found Why Mummy Doesn’t Give a **** mostly hilarious, even though it doesn’t really bear much relation to my own life.
Ok, so I do have a houseful of teens (2 girls, 2 boys) so I’m familiar with the drama of teenage girls, and the ability of teenage boys to inhale the contents of the fridge within hours of it being filled, and I might have turned of the wifi once or twice in order to get their attention, but I’d never tolerate Jane’s behaviour, or her drinking habits (my kids will want to be much more subtle).
And ok, I may have a piece of furniture or two deliberately placed to hide a stain in the carpet (and a teeny hole in the wall) but I don’t have any dogs, or chickens, I rarely drink, and I still have a husband, so I don’t have to brave the horrors of online dating as a newly single woman in my mid 40’s.
Fair warning, the language is crude (those asterisks in the title barely mask the F-word which is used liberally through the novel), there’s an awkward sex scene, a passing mention of crusty socks, and a lot of drinking, but there are some brief moments of seriousness related to divorce and loss.
Why Mummy Doesn’t Give a **** , like Gill Sims previous novels, was an easy, quick and fun read.
June 30, 2019
I’ve been with “Mummy” from the start and am thoroughly enjoying every phase she has to go through! I’ve lent the previous books to one of my daughters (yes, it IS the one I lent my copy of Vox to for those of you who remember the state of the book when it was returned to me and yes, I AM worried!!) as I knew they would also appreciate this funny, relevant and honest approach to parenting! They think they are going through the worst of it at the moment with toilet training and toddler tantrums but just wait because the “best” is yet to come! Yes, it’s the teenage years and “Mummy” really doesn’t give two “hoots” anymore! The drinking, the swearing and the full on drama caused by falling out with your friends…and that’s just the adults!
Ellen once again has her work cut out for her as she finally embraces the 21st century and joins Tinder plus she’s set up an Instagram account to try to keep an eye on her errant teenagers. She also has to cope with her new life in the much longed for cosy (ie too small!) cottage with their dogs, especially Barry the rescue “horse” plus looking after “the girls” who are supposed be be laying eggs for the family but aren’t very forthcoming with their offerings! She’s also having to deal with her position as “the sandwich generation” needing to cope with ageing parents as well as growing teenagers. And talking about parents, I was rather shocked at the way in which her mother treated her! And that did made me feel sorry for Ellen as her sister (plus her entire family) obviously could do no wrong in her mothers eyes!
For me this is actually my favourite “Mummy” so far! I think it’s because I related so well to the struggles she felt as a mum of teenagers! She brought those feelings of still loving those pesky little buggers so much you could burst even though they seem to have turned into parent hating, controlled by their friends and their hormones, monsters who eat you out of house and home whilst growing Nobel Prize winning mould’s on the many plates, bowls and cups you find in their rooms…if you are ever able to sneak in and retrieve them that is! Grrrrr! Constantly on their phones or games, teenagers are such a difficult breed that it’s often impossible to have a proper conversation with them so I did understand the love Ellen also had for her dogs-after all you need someone to greet you with some love and attention when you walk through that door at the end of a long day! So this new life that Ellen is drawing out for herself makes her the architect of her own future and I can’t wait to see where it takes her. One day she thinks she will have an empty nest but I HAVE TO WARN HER NOW that it is very unlikely to EVER happen!!! With university to come she may also think that it’s the beginning of the best years of her life where she finally gets to put herself first. But after all those years of doing the termly washing and sending Tesco deliveries to those hungry students, one day they will come home unable to afford to move into their own place whilst they pay off those huge student debts. Take my advice, Ellen-charge them rent, make them help with the food shopping and cooking and NEVER DO THEIR WASHING FOR THEM or they will never leave!! Can you tell which parenting phase I’m currently going through?!
Gill Sims is my idol! She uses her own experiences to write funny, emotional and perfectly pitched books that every mother should read. You’ll feel immediately better about your parenting skills and give yourself a pat on the back for surviving the job that should come with the biggest handbook in the world! Have a large glass of wine Gill-you deserve it! And while you’re at it…pour me the rest of the bottle!
Ellen once again has her work cut out for her as she finally embraces the 21st century and joins Tinder plus she’s set up an Instagram account to try to keep an eye on her errant teenagers. She also has to cope with her new life in the much longed for cosy (ie too small!) cottage with their dogs, especially Barry the rescue “horse” plus looking after “the girls” who are supposed be be laying eggs for the family but aren’t very forthcoming with their offerings! She’s also having to deal with her position as “the sandwich generation” needing to cope with ageing parents as well as growing teenagers. And talking about parents, I was rather shocked at the way in which her mother treated her! And that did made me feel sorry for Ellen as her sister (plus her entire family) obviously could do no wrong in her mothers eyes!
For me this is actually my favourite “Mummy” so far! I think it’s because I related so well to the struggles she felt as a mum of teenagers! She brought those feelings of still loving those pesky little buggers so much you could burst even though they seem to have turned into parent hating, controlled by their friends and their hormones, monsters who eat you out of house and home whilst growing Nobel Prize winning mould’s on the many plates, bowls and cups you find in their rooms…if you are ever able to sneak in and retrieve them that is! Grrrrr! Constantly on their phones or games, teenagers are such a difficult breed that it’s often impossible to have a proper conversation with them so I did understand the love Ellen also had for her dogs-after all you need someone to greet you with some love and attention when you walk through that door at the end of a long day! So this new life that Ellen is drawing out for herself makes her the architect of her own future and I can’t wait to see where it takes her. One day she thinks she will have an empty nest but I HAVE TO WARN HER NOW that it is very unlikely to EVER happen!!! With university to come she may also think that it’s the beginning of the best years of her life where she finally gets to put herself first. But after all those years of doing the termly washing and sending Tesco deliveries to those hungry students, one day they will come home unable to afford to move into their own place whilst they pay off those huge student debts. Take my advice, Ellen-charge them rent, make them help with the food shopping and cooking and NEVER DO THEIR WASHING FOR THEM or they will never leave!! Can you tell which parenting phase I’m currently going through?!
Gill Sims is my idol! She uses her own experiences to write funny, emotional and perfectly pitched books that every mother should read. You’ll feel immediately better about your parenting skills and give yourself a pat on the back for surviving the job that should come with the biggest handbook in the world! Have a large glass of wine Gill-you deserve it! And while you’re at it…pour me the rest of the bottle!
October 12, 2024
3rd book in the series and glad to see Ellen getting her way for once. In the previous book I did wonder why she was still married to Simon and my questions about it all have now been answered. Safe to say I would be team Ellen all the way. I love how realistic the book is. Whilst I myself have not experienced most of what Ellen goes through I deeply felt as if I had. That is how relatable Gill Sims writes these characters and situations. A sign of a good book it when it affects you emotionally and this book did just that. Not just in humour bit also in sadness.
next up Why mummy is Sloshed!
next up Why mummy is Sloshed!
August 3, 2019
I am a HUGE Gill Sims fan and was hugely excited by the prospect of losing myself in her latest tales with Peter, Jane and Simon. This was so disappointing. The shouting and the stress (which was so humorous in the previous two books) came across as aggressive. In her previous two books I felt like she was a woman I’d hang out with and had so much in common with. She definitely alienated me here. She needed to calm down and really think before picking her battles.
August 7, 2019
I really enjoyed the final part of this trilogy. It was as funny and engaging as the 1st book.
July 27, 2020
Zeker wel grappig, maar niet zo leuk als deel 1 en 2.
October 30, 2020
I have read Why Mummy Drinks and this is the third in the series.
As the title suggests, a fair use of the f word.... Which I'm not a huge lover of but in this context it is funny.
Witty and made me chuckle out loud a few times.
As the title suggests, a fair use of the f word.... Which I'm not a huge lover of but in this context it is funny.
Witty and made me chuckle out loud a few times.
June 27, 2019
Although I usually find Gill Sims’ writing hysterically funny, this time, in Why Mummy Doesn’t Give A ****! there were fewer belly laughs but a more sophisticated and mature contemplation of Ellen’s life and the hazards of bringing up two recalcitrant teenagers whilst estranged from her husband Simon. Consequently, the themes felt more poignant so that I was increasingly emotionally connected to the narrative rather than simply giggling along to Ellen’s ‘FML’ comments.
The portraits of ‘moppets’ Peter and Jane are incredibly well drawn as they begin to stretch their adolescent wings. I was reminded of many of the youngsters I’ve taught in the past because their attitudes felt so real. On a more personal level, Jane’s acerbic comments to her mother still frequently go through my own mind at times, although thankfully I’ve learnt to keep them silent! I’m sure many a mother has wondered just how their son can eat quite so much as does Peter… What works so well is the fine line between wanting to be a grown up yet still remaining a child that Gill Sims presents so astutely in Jane and Peter.
I have always been dubious about Simon and I was actually pleased that he and Ellen had parted company as the main plot device in Why Mummy Doesn’t Give A ****!
However, it was Ellen who still appealed to me the most and I found her predicament of dealing with single motherhood, (along with another couple of stressful life altering events that I can’t say too much about for fear of spoiling the read), actually quite moving at times so that I shed the occasional tear. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting her more mature and contemplative persona and consequently she became a much more rounded and believable figure in my mind.
With the same effortless and conversational writing style, the plot of Why Mummy Doesn’t Give A ****! had greater depth than the other books in the series. I thought I’d guessed the resolution fairly early on, but Gill Sim kept me guessing with elements I really enjoyed and not everything worked out as I had imagined. There’s also less about extraneous characters and a more profound exploration of Ellen’s feelings and emotions so that I felt a greater affinity to the people this time.
With the same yearly plot structure, Why Mummy Doesn’t Give A ****! feels an artful and appropriate continuation of the other books and whilst Why Mummy Doesn’t Give A ****! may be less funny and light-hearted, it’s no less engaging. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
The portraits of ‘moppets’ Peter and Jane are incredibly well drawn as they begin to stretch their adolescent wings. I was reminded of many of the youngsters I’ve taught in the past because their attitudes felt so real. On a more personal level, Jane’s acerbic comments to her mother still frequently go through my own mind at times, although thankfully I’ve learnt to keep them silent! I’m sure many a mother has wondered just how their son can eat quite so much as does Peter… What works so well is the fine line between wanting to be a grown up yet still remaining a child that Gill Sims presents so astutely in Jane and Peter.
I have always been dubious about Simon and I was actually pleased that he and Ellen had parted company as the main plot device in Why Mummy Doesn’t Give A ****!
However, it was Ellen who still appealed to me the most and I found her predicament of dealing with single motherhood, (along with another couple of stressful life altering events that I can’t say too much about for fear of spoiling the read), actually quite moving at times so that I shed the occasional tear. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting her more mature and contemplative persona and consequently she became a much more rounded and believable figure in my mind.
With the same effortless and conversational writing style, the plot of Why Mummy Doesn’t Give A ****! had greater depth than the other books in the series. I thought I’d guessed the resolution fairly early on, but Gill Sim kept me guessing with elements I really enjoyed and not everything worked out as I had imagined. There’s also less about extraneous characters and a more profound exploration of Ellen’s feelings and emotions so that I felt a greater affinity to the people this time.
With the same yearly plot structure, Why Mummy Doesn’t Give A ****! feels an artful and appropriate continuation of the other books and whilst Why Mummy Doesn’t Give A ****! may be less funny and light-hearted, it’s no less engaging. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
July 7, 2019
Another momentous and slightly more serious year for mummy, Ellen, and her teenage moppets.
Mummy, Ellen Russell’s third outing follows a tumultuous year as she battles with the challenges of life, marriage and teenagers and an unexpectedly more serious set of events. Whilst Jane and Peter are now teenagers at fifteen and thirteen respectively, husband Simon’s admission of infidelity sees Ellen undergo the hell of couples counselling and a separation. For Ellen this means the chance to escape to the quaint country cottage she has always dreamed of (albeit with plenty of mildew), the arrival of some new animals including a hybrid wolf-hound and not so chatty chickens and ferrying her still embarrassed offspring from party to party whilst simultaneously stalking Simon’s Instagram feed!
Complete with the familiar group of friends who still lead her astray but also share the innumerable dilemmas of parenting teens, and appearances by her perfect sister, Jessica, overbearing mother and philandering father, readers are even treated to a brilliant cameo from Simon’s hippy sister comedy creation, Louisa! Although I have to confess that I found the second book more amusing, I appreciated this occasionally wiser Ellen as she undergoes a divorce, bereavement and a house move all with Snapchatting teenagers who are no easier to manage in tow.
A wonderfully irreverent third encounter with refreshingly modern mummy, Ellen, who not only drinks a lot, but swears profusely and decides its high time she doesn’t really give a **** either! The perfect light entertainment with plenty of snarky humour, moments that will make readers wince in recognition and the occasional more weighty dilemma. The conversational style of writing throughout makes Gill Sims’ book the perfect pick me up for besieged mummies attempting to be Strong Independent Women everywhere!
Mummy, Ellen Russell’s third outing follows a tumultuous year as she battles with the challenges of life, marriage and teenagers and an unexpectedly more serious set of events. Whilst Jane and Peter are now teenagers at fifteen and thirteen respectively, husband Simon’s admission of infidelity sees Ellen undergo the hell of couples counselling and a separation. For Ellen this means the chance to escape to the quaint country cottage she has always dreamed of (albeit with plenty of mildew), the arrival of some new animals including a hybrid wolf-hound and not so chatty chickens and ferrying her still embarrassed offspring from party to party whilst simultaneously stalking Simon’s Instagram feed!
Complete with the familiar group of friends who still lead her astray but also share the innumerable dilemmas of parenting teens, and appearances by her perfect sister, Jessica, overbearing mother and philandering father, readers are even treated to a brilliant cameo from Simon’s hippy sister comedy creation, Louisa! Although I have to confess that I found the second book more amusing, I appreciated this occasionally wiser Ellen as she undergoes a divorce, bereavement and a house move all with Snapchatting teenagers who are no easier to manage in tow.
A wonderfully irreverent third encounter with refreshingly modern mummy, Ellen, who not only drinks a lot, but swears profusely and decides its high time she doesn’t really give a **** either! The perfect light entertainment with plenty of snarky humour, moments that will make readers wince in recognition and the occasional more weighty dilemma. The conversational style of writing throughout makes Gill Sims’ book the perfect pick me up for besieged mummies attempting to be Strong Independent Women everywhere!
June 4, 2019
Wow this is Gill’s best book yet for definite !! This book had me laughing one minute then crying the next.
I loved the references to many things I remember growing up such as ; More magazine- position of the fortnight, that was such a good magazine, why ever did they stop publishing it ? The Rubber shower attachment, we had one of these and it would constantly pop off to which my mum would say we had the taps on to much , yet turning them down just caused a dribble and lastly NO17 make-up, which was actually pretty decent make-up that did the job.
As I was reading certain parts about Jane and Peter a sense of dread came over me, I’ve got all this to come with my 2 children, my daughter is 11 and already a stroppy pre-teen at times and my son is 9 and very innocent at the moment.
Gill writes what us mums want to read to make us realise we are not alone. I hope there will be another book.
I loved the references to many things I remember growing up such as ; More magazine- position of the fortnight, that was such a good magazine, why ever did they stop publishing it ? The Rubber shower attachment, we had one of these and it would constantly pop off to which my mum would say we had the taps on to much , yet turning them down just caused a dribble and lastly NO17 make-up, which was actually pretty decent make-up that did the job.
As I was reading certain parts about Jane and Peter a sense of dread came over me, I’ve got all this to come with my 2 children, my daughter is 11 and already a stroppy pre-teen at times and my son is 9 and very innocent at the moment.
Gill writes what us mums want to read to make us realise we are not alone. I hope there will be another book.
June 1, 2019
All I need now is Gill to write a book about grown up children! This series has made me laugh, cry and feel normal....the last few chapters about Christmas had to be related to my husband, just to show that my varying extreme reactions to it are not solely my own!
As always Gill writes so honestly about the emotions and situations family life throws up that she should be compulsory to all women with families, something that should be always be read before embarking on counselling.
Thank you publisher and Netgalley this was was offered for an unbiased review, but arrived at a stressful time and was better for me than any medication or counselling.
As always Gill writes so honestly about the emotions and situations family life throws up that she should be compulsory to all women with families, something that should be always be read before embarking on counselling.
Thank you publisher and Netgalley this was was offered for an unbiased review, but arrived at a stressful time and was better for me than any medication or counselling.
January 24, 2020
I have enjoyed Gill Sims from her humble start on Facebook with her Peter and Jane blog. Surprisingly, there are a lot of similarities in this book to my own life, especially in regards to the husband department. I kept thinking, "So it's not just me!!!". My daughter is a bit younger but my son is the same age as Peter. Even with my daughter only being 11, the similarities to Jane in personality were striking. The only downside to the book is maybe she had too easy a time of things, especially in the later sections, but it was still a lovely read. It is probably better for mums of a certain age or older but the book hits the target audience well. Enjoy!
August 5, 2019
Nice and really funny book altho I wouldn't call it educating (and i would like to) because if anyone in a real world is raising their kids like it's shown in this book, then it's total madness and horrible way to raise children. I am actually not even sure why would the author have the idea. But yeah you can read it for the fun of it.
January 7, 2021
Opět poctivá čtyřhvězda a tentokrát přemýšlím, jestli nedat i víc. Gill Sims zraje a každý díl je lepší. Nemůžu se dočkat čtvrtého (a závěrečného) - že by zas příští leden? :) Tyhle knížky mi vždycky dávají vhled do toho, co mě (možná) za pár let čeká. Což mi připomíná, že si musím znova přečíst tu první, kdy je Mámě 39 a Jane s Peterem cca 9 a 7. Protože mně bude 39 letos..., starší dceři je osm, synovi za chvíli šest. A plácám se v podobném zmaru jako Ellen, akorát mám míň přátel, nemám práci a nevytvořila jsem (a nikdy nevytvořím) populární appku. A taky míň piju. Teda doufám.
April 21, 2025
So relatable!
August 19, 2021
Great listen, laughed most of the way through canot wait to start the next.
September 7, 2025
Loved this book could so relate to her life...😍
February 3, 2022
Listened to the audio book, couldnt stop! Extremely hilarious, and very true 😂
January 5, 2020
This was a gift from my teen son. Turns out the female lead shares an age with me and that we both have a male and female teen of same ages. That and her mention of chickens was why I got the gift (I claim to want to keep chickens).
There the comparisons ended (or so I thought) because she opens the story with marriage breakup due mostly to cheating by her husband and partly because he has been taking her for granted.
From that point it's a fairly predictable Bridget Jones style story (not a bad thing in my view) of her dealing with the fallout, stroppy teens, and restarting her life. I gather there have been two earlier books and a blog/column but I never read those.
An event happens about two thirds in which makes her look again at her life (which also happened to me a few months ago). It's a plot twist (of sorts) so I won't blab but if I had known it was in the book I wouldn't have read it just yet. It is reasonably well handled but I could have done without it. However that's just me, don't let it put you off.
So why only three stars despite it being pretty well written? I love chick lit and romcoms and I've written a few myself so I know they're nowhere near as easy as people think BUT I am deathly tired of the plot being driven by the female lead being stupid. She took years to spot her husband patronising her, she's a grown woman who thinks getting pissed is the height of sophistication, she's surprised when a puppy grows or her teens need lifts or her son eats loads of food, she messes up dates for very little reason and despite thinking she's the best parent in the universe her kids run rings around her on multiple levels (I've yet to meet a teen parent who doesn't keep an eye on their kids social media for goodness sake and knows what an Instagram story is).
Do women in their forties make mistakes, of course. But not as many as this woman who apparently holds down a very senior job. The observational comedy is ok here, but honestly not brilliant and I simply didn't warm to her. Her stepmother was lovely, her bunch of friends all blurred into each other (Sam, Colin and Charlie all seemed the same to me, sorry) and Hannah stood out only for being pregnant.
If you want a light read, go for it, but if you'd like an English country rom com try Katie fforde, and if you like the slightly stupid female lead variety then honestly, re-read Bridget Jones - at least the heroes and friends are more interesting.
There the comparisons ended (or so I thought) because she opens the story with marriage breakup due mostly to cheating by her husband and partly because he has been taking her for granted.
From that point it's a fairly predictable Bridget Jones style story (not a bad thing in my view) of her dealing with the fallout, stroppy teens, and restarting her life. I gather there have been two earlier books and a blog/column but I never read those.
An event happens about two thirds in which makes her look again at her life (which also happened to me a few months ago). It's a plot twist (of sorts) so I won't blab but if I had known it was in the book I wouldn't have read it just yet. It is reasonably well handled but I could have done without it. However that's just me, don't let it put you off.
So why only three stars despite it being pretty well written? I love chick lit and romcoms and I've written a few myself so I know they're nowhere near as easy as people think BUT I am deathly tired of the plot being driven by the female lead being stupid. She took years to spot her husband patronising her, she's a grown woman who thinks getting pissed is the height of sophistication, she's surprised when a puppy grows or her teens need lifts or her son eats loads of food, she messes up dates for very little reason and despite thinking she's the best parent in the universe her kids run rings around her on multiple levels (I've yet to meet a teen parent who doesn't keep an eye on their kids social media for goodness sake and knows what an Instagram story is).
Do women in their forties make mistakes, of course. But not as many as this woman who apparently holds down a very senior job. The observational comedy is ok here, but honestly not brilliant and I simply didn't warm to her. Her stepmother was lovely, her bunch of friends all blurred into each other (Sam, Colin and Charlie all seemed the same to me, sorry) and Hannah stood out only for being pregnant.
If you want a light read, go for it, but if you'd like an English country rom com try Katie fforde, and if you like the slightly stupid female lead variety then honestly, re-read Bridget Jones - at least the heroes and friends are more interesting.
June 27, 2019
My thanks to HarperCollins U.K. for an eARC via NetGalley of Gill Sims’ latest ‘Why Mummy Doesn’t Give a ****’ in exchange for an honest review.
I have found both of Sims’ ‘Why Mummy...’ books hilarious and so was very pleased when HarperCollins invited me to read this in advance.
I was a little surprised by the seriousness of the opening which reveals that Mummy (Ellen) and husband Simon are separating and planning to divorce. So now Mummy is struggling with being a single mother to her former precious moppets who have now morphed into surly adolescents.
Still once she has moved into her dream home of a quaint cottage with roses around the door (with thorns), obtained three hens (Oxo, Paxo, and Bisto) as well as Barry, a rescue dog to join her Border Terrier, Judgy Dog, her distinctive snarky voice returns.
When reading in a cafe I was having trouble not laughing out loud at the sheer absurdity of the situations that Ellen gets herself into. Her accompanying Jane to a music festival was comedy gold.
Certainly this lived up to the others in the series though its themes including the breakdown of a marriage and bereavement meant that it felt a bit more serious. Readers who are sensitive to explicit language might be offended though I would expect that the title would be indicative that adult humour would be found within.
Overall I recommend it and the series highly.
I have found both of Sims’ ‘Why Mummy...’ books hilarious and so was very pleased when HarperCollins invited me to read this in advance.
I was a little surprised by the seriousness of the opening which reveals that Mummy (Ellen) and husband Simon are separating and planning to divorce. So now Mummy is struggling with being a single mother to her former precious moppets who have now morphed into surly adolescents.
Still once she has moved into her dream home of a quaint cottage with roses around the door (with thorns), obtained three hens (Oxo, Paxo, and Bisto) as well as Barry, a rescue dog to join her Border Terrier, Judgy Dog, her distinctive snarky voice returns.
When reading in a cafe I was having trouble not laughing out loud at the sheer absurdity of the situations that Ellen gets herself into. Her accompanying Jane to a music festival was comedy gold.
Certainly this lived up to the others in the series though its themes including the breakdown of a marriage and bereavement meant that it felt a bit more serious. Readers who are sensitive to explicit language might be offended though I would expect that the title would be indicative that adult humour would be found within.
Overall I recommend it and the series highly.
July 6, 2019
As i always say- I am no mother but i feel i related to the book! This book was very interesting by bringing in ideas that relate to long term family life in an unhappy relationship. As I know, being in an unhappy relationship can be tough and stressful especially when you do not get the support you feel you deserve or even the attention you feel you are owed. I myself, have been in relationships where the guy says they want me a certain way and i cant fulfil their need how they want it and then they go off ignoring me or just pushing me out of the picture without talking to me and so on. So, i understand how Ellen feels when she felt unloved and unsupported when in a relationship she deemed would survive all bumps and trips but it hadnt. This story made me feel less alone and helped me realise that these things happen and it is life but the good will always out-way the bad and that life can have its ups and downs but usually its for the best. I have learned from my experiences and i feel as though everyone does in the end! I recommend to anyone who has children (or younger family members) when you feel like all hell is breaking loose and you cant do it anymore- read this series, its one of a kind and sort if like a support system!
August 10, 2019
I do love Gill’s humour, her observations on life with children are always spot on! I have the teenage years to look forward to, although I’m spared the teenage daughter version!
This book was fabulous, filled with the usual funny comments about life minus the domestic bliss, this time it came with some very emotional moments, that did actually make me a bit tearful. Sometimes I was howling with laughter, the next gulping back some tears, it was a proper rollercoaster of a story. The book was a brilliant combination and I found it completely compelling to read . I loved seeing a new side to Ellen emerge, especially the Christmas 🎄 eve chapter, which had me rejoicing with her!
A joy to read from start to finish!
This book was fabulous, filled with the usual funny comments about life minus the domestic bliss, this time it came with some very emotional moments, that did actually make me a bit tearful. Sometimes I was howling with laughter, the next gulping back some tears, it was a proper rollercoaster of a story. The book was a brilliant combination and I found it completely compelling to read . I loved seeing a new side to Ellen emerge, especially the Christmas 🎄 eve chapter, which had me rejoicing with her!
A joy to read from start to finish!
June 27, 2019
I first heard about Gill Sims from her hilarious Facebook posts, and this book was just the entertaining read I'd been expecting and had me laughing out loud the whole time. Succeeding in capturing the experience of having teenagers this book delivers relatable, slice-of-life content that I couldn't put down. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who has or knows teenagers or to anyone looking for a hilarious book.
Thank you to HarperCollins UK and to NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to HarperCollins UK and to NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
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