The Snag List: A smart and laugh-out-loud funny novel about female friendship

by Sophie White

'I loved it!' Marian Keyes

'Laugh-out-loud funny, sharp as a tack and compulsively readable ... I loved it.' Louise O'Neill

'Astutely observed, whip-smart and very, very funny.' Sarah Breen

'Laugh-out-loud hilarious ... White's pages fizz with earthy wit and [Marian] Keyes fans will definitely find plenty to enjoy here' Sunday Independent

If you could go back and follow the road not taken ... would you?

For thirty-somethings Lindy, Ailbhe and Roe, the move to new, hyper-polished, luxury housing development Monteray Valley feels like slow death by Netflix, neighbourhood Whatsapp groups and Saturday nights in. The potential for exciting new possibilities seems to be withering faster than you can say 'postnatal dryness' as the women's lives are consumed by other halves and domestic obligations.

Lindy's realising that her ambitions have been hijacked by her son's career. He's eleven.

Meanwhile, despite years of self-sabotage, Ailbhe 'has it all': a successful business, a husband, a baby. If only having it all didn't also include having a fairly colossal secret.

Then there's Roe who is busy trying for a baby -- a risky business when you're not sure you want one.

Compiling a snag list to send to their builder sees the new friends contemplating their own personal snag lists -- their regrets and unfulfilled dreams - and inspires a business idea that's about to see life in Monteray Valley get a lot more interesting.

Getting a second chance to carpe diem is irresistible, but can do-overs ever really work? And will revisiting past regrets threaten the lives they've made now?

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Irish Literature

398 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 21, 2022

About the author

Sophie White is an Irish author, journalist and podcaster. She is the co-host of the podcasts Mother of Pod and The Creep Dive.

Reviews

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Snag List is irish author Sophie White’s third work of fiction (her non-fiction book; Corpsing, is excellent too, I’ll link a review to it in my stories).

In The Snag List we meet Lindy, Ailbhe, and Roe, the latest inhabitants of a very exclusive, futuristic housing estate in the back arse of nowhere that claims to cater to your every need, before you’ve even thought of it. Strong Black Mirror/Stepford Wives vibes, which I’m always here for.

The three women find their new living conditions isolating and a bit weird. Added to that, they’re also dealing with the repercussions of the secrets they’re hiding from their own families, and so they immediately find solace in each other and their new friend group. The real question is whether they can sort their lives out before everything completely falls apart.

I really enjoyed this book; I shared a snippet on my stories recently to demonstrate how funny and natural the dialogue is in it; I laughed out loud more than once. I appreciated how fleshed out each of the three main characters are too; they felt completely distinct and different to each other; I was rooting for them all!

I think this is the perfect book if you’re looking for some escapism; I looked forward to returning to it every night after a day of listening to Ulysses 😂 (Bloomsday is almost here and then I’m done with you forever, James 😅).

Highly recommend, I can see this one being packed in a lot of suitcases for holidays this summer!

With many thanks to @sophwhitewhoop and @hachetteireland for the opportunity to read The Snag List; available to buy now!

Content warnings for alcohol and drug use, coercive control and dysfunctional relationships.

[Aoife · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I received this book from Hachette Ireland in exchange for an honest review.

Lindy, Ailbhe and Roe are all three women who seemingly have it all. They've all moved into an exclusive housing estate with their other halves - a commune like development where everything you need is at your fingertips from grocery shopping, babysitting and even marriage counselling. But underneath the perfect exteriors, cracks are showing - Lindy is realising her man-child of a husband cares more about himself and YouTube fame than his wife or child, Ailbhe is keeping a huge secret from her long-distant husband and Roe is having trouble opening up to her partner about her reservations about starting a family. Through it all, the three new friends have each other and their The Snag List Whatsapp group to help each other out.

This is a fun, adult contemporary book with characters who are going through different things yet all of it is relatable in some way (except perhaps Lindy's YouTube family channel). I loved how the book focused on a life 'snag list' and the things you've regretted not doing or doing in the past, and are there ways of rectifying this in the present. Challenging yourself to face a fear grows scarier as you grow older and this was reflected in the characters from Lindy's fear of being alone, Roe's lack of self-confidence and Ailbhe's fears of facing her addiction issues (and where they stem from).

The friendship between the women was the highlight of the book, and really testifies that often when you find those girls that you can just be yourself around, it can be glorious - messy but glorious. And with the shadow of Monterey Valley and some of its farcical elements from underground tunnels for spouses to live separately, to assistants that pop up with a Bellini the minute you order one. things were even more comical and crazy.

I also enjoyed the look at influencer culture and the dark side of internet fame within Lindy's story as her son and husband run a family YouTube channel and despite never being on it, Lindy is the subject of horrible trolling. Sophie White also makes excellent points around the future of such enterprises for children and the pressure it puts on them from a young age to be lucrative - and shouldn't kids just be kids without having a camera shoved in their face for every second of it. This also reinforced something I've always believed it which is ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS have a separate bank account from your other half.

I definitely recommend this for a fun read about female friendship, and the general ups and downs of adulthood and everything that can entail!

[Trish at Between My Lines · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Fun, witty and goes very deep at times

[Kim de Ronde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ailbhe is first time Mammy to Tilly. Tilly is a feeding and pooing machine! All Ailbhe needs are a few harmless glasses of wine to get her through it all! That and the fact that her husband Tom lives on another continent means she is at breaking point. Will moving to Monteray Valley solve all her problems?

Roe is married to Eddie and all he can think about is settling down and starting a family. One tiny problem is that she’s still taking the pill and hoping he won’t notice.

Lindy is the CEO of Maxxed Out, a YouTube channel with her Son Max as the main star. They’ve been sponsored up to the hilt to go and live in Monteray. Her life is so full of social media that she doesn’t know how to be around her husband when the cameras are off.

Monteray sounds like a dream place to live. Nannies, Butlers and an app to order cocktails! What more could you want?
When the girls form an unlikely alliance and one has the idea to start a business called The Snag List. What could possible go wrong?

I loved this from the moment I opened the first page. It’s overly Irish I won’t lie but at the same time that’s my favourite type of book and I may be biased. Monteray Valley gave me major Stepford Wives vibes at least that’s what the creators were hoping for until the Snag List gals were let loose on the place!

As well as a fun read with a lot of laugh out loud moments, this story also touched on a lot of in-depth matters. Such as addiction, controlling husbands, infidelity and that’s only the tip of the iceberg.

I would strongly suggest you give this a try for yourself. It’s the first of White’s books that I have read but will absolutely not be the last!

[Aoife Cassidy McM · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

I think it must be so hard to write a book that makes a reader laugh out loud. Kudos to Sophie White who has done it here with her latest novel, The Snag List.

Lindy, Ailbhe and Roe have moved into Monteray Valley, an exclusive new housing development on the outskirts of Dublin that promises to take care of your every need, from interiors, food, childcare, birthday parties to marital strife.

Lindy, suddenly desperate to extricate herself from her YouTube family business (think Ryan’s Toy Review), sets up The Snag List with the aim of helping others to address regrets in their life. Will their snags be the making or the undoing of them?

I wasn’t sure if this would be my cup of tea, but I found it smart, irreverent and hilarious in parts. Imagine a blended combo of suburban dystopia, dysfunctional relationships, life online and comedy drama. I was more invested in Lindy and Ailbhe’s stories than Roe’s, but really enjoyed this as a bit of light relief between heavier books. Perfect holiday reading. 3.5/5 ⭐️

*Many thanks to @hachetteireland for sending me a copy of the book, which was published in May. As always, this is an honest review.*

[booksofallkinds · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I voluntarily reviewed this book from the Publisher.

Funny, intelligent, and current are just some of the words that I could use to describe THE SNAG LIST by Sophie White, but if I had to pick just one it would be unputdownable.

Three smart, strong, and extremely likeable women find themselves living in a super exclusive, luxury housing estate where everything is discreetly managed by their smart system and staff - seriously, there is nothing that this development will not do for their picture-perfect residents. Except nobody's life is perfect.
Lindy has lost a part of herself ever since her son's YouTube hobby became their sole business, and she's worried that she is about to lose her marriage to it too.
Ailbhe is attractive, assertive, and has a wonderful husband and baby to boot. But her whole life is based on a secret that could bring her whole world tumbling down around her.
And then there is Roe - quiet, unassuming Roe who yearns for her parents' approval and who has buried her own dreams to the back of her mind as her boyfriend plans their future, starting with a baby that she doesn't know if she even wants.
When these three women become an unlikely trio of friends, they soon realise that burying their heads in the sand isn't going to work long-term, and as they try to help each other out with 'fixing' their issues, their friendship and love may just be the last thing standing.

THE SNAG LIST by Sophie White is everything you could wish for in a novel and more. The characters are expertly crafted (loveable, relatable, flawed, hilarious, and inspiring), and the plotline is just plain addictive. Social Media is wonderful in so many ways but the harsher, nastier side of it is a reality too, and I loved how this was deftly woven through the story too. A snapshot of someone's life is just that, a snapshot.

Female friendship and love are given centre stage in this story and I think that is what makes it the most special for me - no judgment, no cattiness, just women being there for women in the most supportive way they can, and I loved that.

THE SNAG LIST by Sophie White is a must-read for 2022 and I have to say would make the perfect Irish tv drama (fingers crossed!).

[lorrainelowereads · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Entertaining enough but I didn't like any of the characters (especially the men), the dialogue was OTT and contrived, the plot was happily ridiculous in some ways and cringe ridiculous in others.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love a gated community vibe to bring girlie friendships to the forefront! Took me a while to get into it but once I’d figured out who everyone was I really enjoyed it. However some of the characters forgiveness was absolutely mental x

[Katharina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
Read this if you feel like your life is falling apart because the chances are, that it's not as terrible as the lives of these women.

[Kate Worthington ❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

My fave of Sophie White’s books. Super easy read but once I got into it I didn’t want to put it down. Finished in a day!

[tracey cloxton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I took ages to get I thought this book I never really got invested in the characters, I got quite frustrated with them, I was more concerned about Max and Tilly, the idea was good and some good descriptions and story line but not for me, It felt quite flat at the end even the happier paragraphs.

[Ashley Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

This didn't light my fire at all, sadly. The writing was probably a little too 'contemporary' for me, too many slang words and although I don't mind the odd swear word here and there (goodness knows I swear enough in life!) there was the odd word I don't really like to see in print. But that's a personal preference and certainly not something I'd hold against a book! I simply didn't enjoy the book, sadly.

I didn't warm to the main characters, and there was such a huge ensemble cast around them that it took a while to get my head around the individual situations surrounding the 3 main girls, and not confuse them. I didn't feel like the three main characters were any better than the Monteray Valley residents they took a disliking to. It took a while to get going, I felt. The premise seemed super fun but it didn't play out the way I'd have hoped and about half-way in I found myself wanting to just finish it.

I will say that the book did delve into the sinister world of internet fame and how rosy it isn't. The perfection we see on social media and the beautiful lives of influencers may be entirely fake, and behind the scenes could be worse than we imagine. So bravo to the author for that.

[Georsan Caruth · Rating 1 out of 5]

Content alert: coercive control, drug & alcohol use

Plot summary: Ailbhe, Lindy & Roe meet when they move into a planned neighbourhood that promises to alleviate all the problems of modern life. When asked what the builders may have missed, they compile a snag list for their lives. The resolution of these regrets is the body of the book. I won’t spoil it for you to say how it turns out but Sophie White got 400+ pages out to tell the tale.

Act 1 took a third of the book. The setup was excruciatingly long and yet I didn’t connect with any of the characters. 2 are entrepreneurs and are successful we’re told but none of our trio actually seem to be steering their own ships. They’re all minding large secrets and avoiding various fears but forced to make decisions when placed in the very Truman show/Stepford Wives arrangement that is Monterey. One woman of color and a single queer character make an appearance to helpfully drop pithy comments at the appropriate times.

Don’t get me wrong, I love mess and toxic protagonists, but this story felt formulaic and the ending contrived. I know SW is a popular author so I’ll try one of her earlier works.

[Colette O'meara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another book from Sophie White in which we meet three women Lindy, Ailbhe and Roe. They are moving to a luxury housing development called Monteray Valley which seems like miles from everything and a bit Stepford wives.

Lindy knows that her own ambitions have been submerged by her son's Youtube career and her husband's involvement in same - is now the time to step away and follow her dreams?
Ailbhe - on the surface she seems to have it all after some difficult years , husband, baby and career but she's hiding a secret,
Roe is living with her mother's constant dsapproval and is supposed to be trying for a baby with her partner Eddie but does she want a baby or is there something else she wants to do instead.
Whrn compiling a snag list to send tom their respective builders Lindy comes up with the idea of creating a personal snag list- a list of unfulfilled hopes and dreams. But could revisiting the past threaten the lives they have now and their futures?

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the The Snag List💜

Lindy, Ailbhe and Roe are such relatable characters and I could definitely see a bit of myself in each character that’s for sure. I liked how even though they are totally different when the 3 women came into meet in a exclusive housing development Monteray Valley they instantly gelled together and a friendship formed💜

I loved the concept of a Snag List I know we all have some regrets whether it be big or small in life that when we look back on it that we kick ourselves for not doing it then.

The Snag List is definitely a easy read I found myself reading way over 100 pages yesterday, there’s so many hilarious bits in this book l😅

This is another gem by Sophie White that I’ve really enjoyed😊 She is definitely an author that when I see she is releasing a book I know I’ll have to read it for sure!

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I literally don't know how to describe this book.

It has shades of a Stepford Wife vibe to it.

There are three women who are trying to iron out an odd regret from their lives, in order to lice a more fulfilling life.

There is a father and son youtubing channel, all manner of secrets being hidden in all of our characters lives.

And above all is shows how three new friends can make an apparent mess of their lives, which may or may not be a good thing in the long run.

It's very good fun and incredibly enjoyable, and yes the story felt a tad bonkers at times, and I have absolutely no desire to live in Monteray (no matter how much of a paradise it seems to be).

I loved this story, and really am looking forward to seeing what this author will write next.

Thank you to Hachette Book Ireland and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

[Sophie Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book didn’t fully work for me, but there were still aspects I appreciated.

I struggled to connect with the main characters, and with such a large ensemble cast, it took me a while to keep track of everyone’s storylines. The story took some time to find its momentum, and while the premise sounded like a lot of fun, it didn’t unfold quite how I’d hoped. Around the halfway mark, I found myself more focused on finishing than fully engaged.

That said, I really appreciated the book’s exploration of internet fame and how the perfect lives we see online are often far from reality. It did a great job of highlighting the darker side of influencer culture, which added depth to the story. While it wasn’t a favorite for me, I can see it appealing to readers who enjoy fast-paced contemporary fiction with a sharp look at social media.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley, Sophie White and Hachette Books Ireland for the ARC of The Snag List. This is my personal review.
This is the first book I have read by this author. As I was reading about the three women in the story- Lindy, Ailbhe and Roe I was taken into their lives. It was about what each woman wanted- what each woman had and what each woman was unsure of what was next for them in their lives.
I grew to like each of them in their own way. The story had me filled with so many emotions as I turned each page.

[Sarah O'Riordan | travelseatsreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Snag List is a clever and wildly funny book which follows Lindy, Ailbhe and Roe who have moved into the almost dystopian suburban perfection of Monteray Valley.

It's clear from the early pages that all isn't what it seems in each of their lives and that they are all longing for something more, even if they're not quite sure what that something is.

Witty, sharp and fantastically dysfunctional I was here for ALL of the drama.

Full review to come.

[Georgina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an OK read. I liked the characters but not the situations they got themselves into. I did like the fact that they didn't take themselves too seriously but most of it didn't feel very real. It was fun at times and the women supporting each other was great. For a light read, this probably works but maybe I am not the intended demographic 😄

[Rachel Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cracking read, I thoroughly enjoyed it - so many terrible people but that’s what makes it great. Really funny in places and a lot of actually really interesting and deep observations beneath the humour that means it will linger behind the “page turner” tag line

[Laura Pritchard · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a lot of ways a good assessment of how messed up people have felt post pandemic. However felt like it was straddling the line between Sci fi and realism in a dodgy way with some v strange characters....that said it was fun and I love embracing women who simply aren't perfect:)

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

found it difficult to get into the characters minds at first after over a quarter of the book this got easier as we dived deeper into their experiences. Lots of comedic moments that keeps you reading

[Ellie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately, I really had to force myself to finish this book. I didn’t find it enjoyable at all rather a collection of odd, slightly tragic stories that I simply couldn’t relate to. I kept hoping it would get better, but sadly it just felt dull and uninspired. Not for me, I’m afraid.

[Noelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely inhaled it. Love Sophie, her writing and her podcasts. This was fun, and funny, deeply relatable at times, and wildly escapist at others. Read it.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
Enjoyable

[Katie Landy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5.

[Brook · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ☆☆☆ light summer read... not my usual book but enjoyed it for most part & funny

[Marie O'Neill · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Enjoyable but too many unbelievable elements to rate any higher

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

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