Winning at Life

When #FML Means Family #2

by Kathryn Wallace

It's back to a new school term for the kids. Their mums - Gemma and Becky - are breathing a huge sigh of relief and reaching for the gin bottle. Except for the fact that Becky appears to be accidentally a little bit pregnant...But that's not the first shock for the parents in the playground. Over the summer, part of their beloved Redcoats Primary has burned down. The school needs to raise thousands of pounds to stay open - and Gemma and Becky have been forced on to the fundraising committee (just to add to the millions of messages from their online parent groups).In year that will see new babies (for Becky), new schools (for Sam) and a whole new business for Gemma, will they all keep their heads above water - and find that they're #winningatlifeReaders love Kathryn Utterly hysterical - NetGalley Reader***** Brilliant... Funny, touching and modern... just amazing - NetGalley Reader***** I have been a mum at the school gates and the observations in this book are spot on. I shall be recommending it to all the school mums I know - NetGalley Reader**** A perfect read to snort with laughter over whilst lying in a bath with a glass of bubbles (if you can get the kids to stay out of the bathroom for long enough)! - NetGalley Reader**** Kathryn Wallace has Absolutely Smashed It with this novel. I loved it and couldn't put it down... had me properly laughing out loud several times - NetGalley Reader**** This will make you giggle about life as a parent where we are all spinning plates of different sizes and at different speeds. I would recommend wholeheartedly to fellow friends who are also spinning their own plates! - NetGalley Reader***** A hilariously, honest, open, recognisable and highly relatable story - NetGalley Reader***** A light hearted but honest look at mummies, yummy mummies and can't quite manage everything mummies - NetGalley Reader

320 pages, hardcover

Published February 6, 2020

Reviews

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book, I literally couldn't read it fast enough.

After all any book that starts with "Mum! Ava keeps showing me her vagina" as an opening sentence is definitely going to grab my attention and make me think the kids in this will be brilliant.

And that was a fair assumption as Ava is totally amazing, I can't believe her logic and everything she comes out with and what she does over the course of her new school year. I actually felt sorry for her old brother Sam, who is having his own problems but it's harder to notice as Ava is a limelight grabber!

I loved Gemma and Becky's friendship and their dynamics, as they juggle parenting, new jobs (or roles at work), and being roped into the save our school fundraising campaign (which had a rather unfortunate acronym for it's real title).

This is just a lot of fun, while being a realistic look at motherhood, and with Becky being pregnant again, her comments about pregnancy especially in ante-natal classes are classic, hilarious, almost certainly truthful and real, but not really the dynamic the group leader was going for!

I had occasional sense of wonderings while I was reading this, as to whether that had been any other books, but it wasn't until I got to the back matter of the book that I knew for sure that this was actually a sequel. Which I think just shows it totally reads well as a standalone.

So many great one liners to make you giggle.

This is just a whole lot of fun, that I absolutely adored reading.

[Alison Cairns · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great follow up to Absolutely Smashing it. Gemma and Becky and their kids continue their adventures. Gemma is now in a relationship with Mr Jones, from the childrens' school. It's not all plain sailing though - well it couldn't be with Gemma's luck really! And her opinionated, hilarious children, especially the irrepressible Ava. When the future of the school is threatened, Gemma and Becky find themselves involved in fund raising - but who will really save the day? Another laugh out loud story with larger than life characters - who are all too real! I'm glad kids' schooldays are behind me! #winningatlife

[eileen fothergill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable and easy read.

It took me a while to get into the story but once I'd settled into the first few chapters I looked forward to the next one .A story of love, friendships family and the dreaded competition of the school gates .
I enjoyed the various characters particularly the young football obsessed daughter? some of her forward comments made me lol !! Completely forgot I had read the prequel, as you could read this as a stand alone book .A lighthearted easy to follow storyline which I loved.

[Shelley Humphreys · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Lady is amazing!

Since the first Biff, Chip & Kipper story that I read on her Facebook page I have loved reading what she has to say.. so talented and so relatable.. I love your books!! Just please say there will be a third?!

[Ella Fletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. At a time where everything is so heavy and worrisome, this book gave moments of laughter, lightness without being weak, and familiarity. The characters felt like I knew them.
This is a good story if you want humour and love.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this very funny book...although be warned, there is quite alot of swearing,and Ava is an incredibly annoying 7 year old!
Please hurry up and write book 3, I need to know how Gemma and Tom get on!!

[Pat Hirst · Rating 5 out of 5]

totally brilliant

Loved every word. Funny, heartbreaking and honest. There’s always a Vivienne! If I could I would have read it in 1 day. I did read it in 24 hours though. Go Beth! X

[Sara Bartlett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't realise this was book 2 of a series when reading, but it did not matter as it was easy to follow with no prior reading needed. This book was a funny read with some very dislikable characters - a sign of good characterisation! I will revisit the first book now I have read this one.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It was funny from start to finish. Fantastic read!

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny, easy-going read. Love following her blog too.

[Ceri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant sequel to Absolutely Smashint It! A fun & easy read and Ava is brilliant 😂❤️👍

[Vicky Hallam · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book for a bit of light, chilled reading.

[Lottie Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, light hearted book. Read it in a day with a 3 month old baby and 5 year old. Great!

[Karen Large · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good easy read and laugh out loud funny. Loved this even more than her first book.

[Mrs Deborah M Crawley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fabulous

I started Winning at Life this morning and kept coming back in between jobs - I loved reading it and am sad to have finished it Mrs IKINTST you are amazing

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

This book made me smile from start to finish. If you have children and you've been on the PTA , then you'll recognise the characters in this story.

[Fiona Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent

If you need to laugh this is the book for mums everywhere. The author captures the chaos of modern life perfectly

[Katie Hayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite funny in places, not as good as the first one but a good quick read.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this second book from Kathryn Wallace - the sequel to the hilarious ‘Absolutely Smashing It’ and somehow Wallace has managed to pull off the unusual feat of the sequel being even better than the first!! Whilst I loved the first book, I found this one even funnier and even more relatable. The characters feeling like they had more depth and drew you so much into their lives that I didn’t want this book to end!! If you love books that are easy to read and keep you engrossed in the lives of the characters from start to end - make you laugh at their antics and relate to their struggles then I defy you not to love this story and the ups and downs of Gemma and her hilarious kids as they navigate life! You won’t be able to put it down!!

[Skyla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sooo Good! At the end it was a bit predictable but was still so good and totally worth it.

[Jaffareadstoo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read, Absolutely Smashing It, the book that precedes this one, which first introduces Gemma and her children, Sam and Ava, but that really didn't matter as I was soon caught up in Gemma's world as she struggles with being a single parent, whilst at the same time trying to keep her home and burgeoning love life on track.

There's so much to enjoy in this novel which looks at all the vagaries of modern life, from getting your children up and ready for school, juggling a full time and demanding job, to all those other complicated bits and pieces which make up the minutiae of the daily workings of a modern family. When her children's primary school burns down, Gemma, along with her best friend, Becky, somehow gets drawn into the fund raising committee with some really funny results.

I've really enjoyed this light hearted look at families and of the very real problems which can seem absolutely huge at the time and can threaten to get out of all proportion. The author brings her characters alive with a real dollop of realism whilst at the same time keeping everything witty and laugh out loud funny. In particular, Gemma's children Sam and Ava are great little characters and I found myself laughing so much at Ava, she's brilliant and a real breath of fresh air. It's quite sweary in places but never offensive and that adds to its charm as you're never quite sure what the children, particularly Ava is going to say, or do, next.

The author writes well with a light and easy style so that it feels like you're having a chat with your best friend over a coffee or a glass, or two, of wine.

[Marilù · Rating 3 out of 5]

Incredibly funny! You don't have to be a mom to read this, I know because I'm not and yet, I found it incredibly helpful (not the having kids part, that was bloody terrifying!) especially as a woman who tends to compare herself to others and often loses sense of self. I especially LOVED Ava, the little one with her sharp mouth. A new feminist icon, to be honest! Let's raise our kids talking about vaginas and sex, if we do then we probably won't think they're still taboos and our kids can grow up knowing and understanding what it's going on with their bodies. LOVED IT!