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In Case of Emergency: A feel good, funny and uplifting book that is impossible to put down
'It's a joy to read a debut that has such heart, humour, and pathos' Taylor Jenkins Reid'The book of the summer!' Stylist'A witty and thought-provoking read' Woman and Home___________________________________________When Bel Kumar leaves for work in the morning, the last thing she expects is to wake up in hospital later that day - with her ex from four years ago by her bedside.It turns out She has had a near-death accident outside work2) She urgently needs to replace her ex with another next of kin on her HR formBut who can Bel turn to in a crisis? She's never been good at asking for help, but she knows she needs to reconnect with the most important people from her past.Within days she is navigating complex family history, old school friendships and romantic encounters - with consequences she never could have predicted.Perhaps the worst day of Bel's life will turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to her . . .___________________________________________'An instant rom-com classic!!' Lindsey Kelk'A novel of self-realisation and the freeing power of defying both familial and societal expectations. It is simply impossible not to root for Bel' CultureFly'This book reminds us all that no matter how capable we might be, we are nothing if not properly connected to those around us' Laura Jane Williams'A gorgeous read full of warmth, humour and relatable moments that make you realise you are less alone in the world. The perfect book to curl up with this summer. I adored it!' Salma El-Wardany'Funny and clever with a ton of swagger' Stacey Duguid'I inhaled this book. You really root for Poorna's characters. They are both relatable and relevant' Natasha Devon'We loved this warm and thoughtful read' Sun on Sunday'Journalist Bell writes with panache about a young woman finding herself. . . and what matters' Daily Mail'This smart and incisive debut novel explores the pressures placed on women and reflects the full intricacies, joys and nuance of life as a British South Asian woman in the UK today' Stylist'Bel is wonderfully flawed and relatable, and this is a witty, thought-provoking read. Great 90's references too' Woman Magazine'There is a moment in which the author describes the first sparks of love, a feeling so small yet unstoppable, with such aching delicacy it took my breath away!!' Ranvir Singh'In Case of Emergency explored some intricacies of growing up British Indian and the way Bel and her sister have taken radically different paths in life' Better Words
400 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 7, 2022
73 people are currently reading
1546 people want to read
About the author
Poorna Bell
10 books88 followersI'm an award-winning journalist of 21 years, author and a digital editorial expert, having previously worked as UK Executive Editor and Global Lifestyle Head for HuffPost. I’ve also published three non-fiction books and my second novel is out in 2024.
I specialise in women’s issues, diversity, fitness, pro-ageing and mental health, and have freelanced for The Times, The i Paper, Grazia, The Guardian, Red magazine, and Stylist among others. I work across written features, video and podcasts.
I’m an experienced public speaker, from doing keynotes to moderating events for FTSE 100 companies, hosting and running seminars for corporations. I’m also accomplished in broadcast, having spoken on Channel 5, ITV, and BBC News, and am a regular fixture on BBC radio.
And, did I mention I’m a competitive powerlifter?
I specialise in women’s issues, diversity, fitness, pro-ageing and mental health, and have freelanced for The Times, The i Paper, Grazia, The Guardian, Red magazine, and Stylist among others. I work across written features, video and podcasts.
I’m an experienced public speaker, from doing keynotes to moderating events for FTSE 100 companies, hosting and running seminars for corporations. I’m also accomplished in broadcast, having spoken on Channel 5, ITV, and BBC News, and am a regular fixture on BBC radio.
And, did I mention I’m a competitive powerlifter?
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July 15, 2022OK, well, the first thing to point out is that this is not a rom-com despite the publisher's quote deployment to lie about that. It's not a romance at all. Quite why publishers can't content themselves with saying "this is a book about women", I don't know. (I do know: the romance pound is irresistible.)
Bel is an advertising exec who has a wake-up call after a could-have-been-fatal accident and realises that she's basically let most of her relationships drift away, and is now distant with her family, has only shallow friendships, and contents herself with sexual encounters rather than a steady relationship. A lot of this is down to her difficult relationship with her own ethnicity: she's British Indian but doesn't date Indian men, has mostly white friends, and lives in a very white world (yet is still constantly tagged to be the diversity face of her company). This aspect is intriguingly explored, as Bel has to start looking at her own issues and the many compromises she's made. I also loved how she basically decides that the relationship part is the least important, and that she needs family and friends far more than she needs a man. (Which is another reason the "romcom!" marketing is so annoying: way to undermine the book.)
What's not quite addressed, though, is how much of Bel's problems are down to her main character syndrome. Pretty much every relationship difficulty she has is because she's harbouring a resentment about someone else's behaviour which is, in the end, explained by other people having things going on in their lives too (things which Bel isn't there to help with because she's off feeling offended at not being centred). And while that's made very clear to the reader, it's not obvious that Bel sees the recurring pattern herself, which means it's not entirely sure that she's going to make a better fist of things. I'm not quite sure how to feel about that: it feels like we leave Bel part-way through her transformation, in a better place but still liable to make the same mistakes again. Possibly that's just realism.
Entertainingly written, the secondary characters have a lot of heft and hinterland, and it gets over a lot of heavy ground with a relatively light touch. Well, it kept me fully engaged while I was emerging from covid, which is a testament in itself.
Bel is an advertising exec who has a wake-up call after a could-have-been-fatal accident and realises that she's basically let most of her relationships drift away, and is now distant with her family, has only shallow friendships, and contents herself with sexual encounters rather than a steady relationship. A lot of this is down to her difficult relationship with her own ethnicity: she's British Indian but doesn't date Indian men, has mostly white friends, and lives in a very white world (yet is still constantly tagged to be the diversity face of her company). This aspect is intriguingly explored, as Bel has to start looking at her own issues and the many compromises she's made. I also loved how she basically decides that the relationship part is the least important, and that she needs family and friends far more than she needs a man. (Which is another reason the "romcom!" marketing is so annoying: way to undermine the book.)
What's not quite addressed, though, is how much of Bel's problems are down to her main character syndrome. Pretty much every relationship difficulty she has is because she's harbouring a resentment about someone else's behaviour which is, in the end, explained by other people having things going on in their lives too (things which Bel isn't there to help with because she's off feeling offended at not being centred). And while that's made very clear to the reader, it's not obvious that Bel sees the recurring pattern herself, which means it's not entirely sure that she's going to make a better fist of things. I'm not quite sure how to feel about that: it feels like we leave Bel part-way through her transformation, in a better place but still liable to make the same mistakes again. Possibly that's just realism.
Entertainingly written, the secondary characters have a lot of heft and hinterland, and it gets over a lot of heavy ground with a relatively light touch. Well, it kept me fully engaged while I was emerging from covid, which is a testament in itself.
July 11, 2022
After a difficult meeting and a no-show, too,
Bel Kumar is texting, not looking as you should do.
She falls into a cellar and is knocked out
She wakes up in hospital wondering what it is all about.
Whilst not injured physically the effects of the fall
Make her rethink her life, relationships and all.
It starts her on a journey to reconnect at last
And to resolve things with folks from her past.
It shares events from the present and then
Recalls what happened when she was sixteen again.
It is a story of key events in her life
And how they impact now in times of trouble and strife.
A moving story with laugh out loud moments, too,
One in which the need to reconnect keeps shining through.
For my complementary copy, I say thank you,
As I share with you this, my honest review
Bel Kumar is texting, not looking as you should do.
She falls into a cellar and is knocked out
She wakes up in hospital wondering what it is all about.
Whilst not injured physically the effects of the fall
Make her rethink her life, relationships and all.
It starts her on a journey to reconnect at last
And to resolve things with folks from her past.
It shares events from the present and then
Recalls what happened when she was sixteen again.
It is a story of key events in her life
And how they impact now in times of trouble and strife.
A moving story with laugh out loud moments, too,
One in which the need to reconnect keeps shining through.
For my complementary copy, I say thank you,
As I share with you this, my honest review
August 24, 2022
This book is kind of like having an annoying friend who is constantly moaning to you about their life but then never takes any of your advice onboard. Repetitive and whiny. Though, I did appreciate how the author dealt with institutional racism.
May 10, 2023
4.5* A book I’d categorise as a “millennial” read (like Dolly Alderton’s “Ghosts”). Friendship, families, romance, careers, independence…
July 7, 2022
*Thank you to the publisher for sending me an early copy of this book to review!*
I had no idea what to expect from this book going into it, but I’m so glad I picked it up. I started with the intention of reading a couple of chapters, yet once I started it was hundreds of pages later before I could put it down. I felt so immersed in the story and took such an immediate liking to Bel that I had to keep reading.
Sometimes I’m sceptical about books written by authors older than me that attempt comedy as it can often feel very aged and a little cringe - but this book seemed to find the perfect balance and absolutely nail it. It was well written, snappy and full of genuine dry wit that made me laugh out loud on a couple of occasions while remaining believable and not too over the top or trying too hard. Apart from a couple of tiny TikTok references which I hated, I got on really well with the style of writing and found myself flying through it.
The characters in this book, especially Bel, felt very real and their experiences were very relatable and honest. I absolutely loved the journey that we go on with her throughout the story, even with all of its flaws and messiness, to get to a real place of understanding. The reflection she takes the time to do on her life so far, her relationships and experiences was so open and refreshing it was nice to explore that, and watch as she unpacked a lot of learnt behaviours and trauma.
There was a real emphasis in this book on self love, but it didn’t neglect the other relationships in Bel’s life either which I loved. It had such a great exploration of family relationships and nurturing friendships and romance. Though the romance subplot was cute it was definitely downplayed and didn’t overshadow the rest of Bel’s growth. This book was such a gem.
I had no idea what to expect from this book going into it, but I’m so glad I picked it up. I started with the intention of reading a couple of chapters, yet once I started it was hundreds of pages later before I could put it down. I felt so immersed in the story and took such an immediate liking to Bel that I had to keep reading.
Sometimes I’m sceptical about books written by authors older than me that attempt comedy as it can often feel very aged and a little cringe - but this book seemed to find the perfect balance and absolutely nail it. It was well written, snappy and full of genuine dry wit that made me laugh out loud on a couple of occasions while remaining believable and not too over the top or trying too hard. Apart from a couple of tiny TikTok references which I hated, I got on really well with the style of writing and found myself flying through it.
The characters in this book, especially Bel, felt very real and their experiences were very relatable and honest. I absolutely loved the journey that we go on with her throughout the story, even with all of its flaws and messiness, to get to a real place of understanding. The reflection she takes the time to do on her life so far, her relationships and experiences was so open and refreshing it was nice to explore that, and watch as she unpacked a lot of learnt behaviours and trauma.
There was a real emphasis in this book on self love, but it didn’t neglect the other relationships in Bel’s life either which I loved. It had such a great exploration of family relationships and nurturing friendships and romance. Though the romance subplot was cute it was definitely downplayed and didn’t overshadow the rest of Bel’s growth. This book was such a gem.
July 18, 2022
This book tried to do way too much, and ends up doing none of it particularly well. It is the story of Bell, who is Indian and her self-reflection after she realises she has no-one she is close enough to to put down as an emergency contact. I don't think she really reflects on why this is.
She contacts a child hood friend and they reconnect, but she still feels she is "owed an apology for what happened then". Get over it, you were 16, now you are 38, she doesn't owe you anything. That Bel cannot see that the problem might not be everyone-else and that she is the common denominator makes her whole growth thing feeling so fake.
As well a Bel's relationship with her (nasty, mean and spiky) friends the book tries to tackle racism, internalised self-hatred, sibling issues and toxic workplaces. It's a lot.
And the thing at the end with Karen is so unnecessary, unrealistic and overdramatic.
Mainly I had an issue with the writing. It's actually quite well written, but for every action there is a musing. Its a lot of telling, but very little showing, particularly in relation to her old school friends, who wronged her SO BADLY.
I very nearly DNFd this at 60 percent, but decided I wanted to know what happened.
She contacts a child hood friend and they reconnect, but she still feels she is "owed an apology for what happened then". Get over it, you were 16, now you are 38, she doesn't owe you anything. That Bel cannot see that the problem might not be everyone-else and that she is the common denominator makes her whole growth thing feeling so fake.
As well a Bel's relationship with her (nasty, mean and spiky) friends the book tries to tackle racism, internalised self-hatred, sibling issues and toxic workplaces. It's a lot.
And the thing at the end with Karen is so unnecessary, unrealistic and overdramatic.
Mainly I had an issue with the writing. It's actually quite well written, but for every action there is a musing. Its a lot of telling, but very little showing, particularly in relation to her old school friends, who wronged her SO BADLY.
I very nearly DNFd this at 60 percent, but decided I wanted to know what happened.
May 2, 2022
36-year old Bel thinks she's got a great life. She's successful at work, she has her own flat and she has loads of friends to chat with via Whatsapp and to have boozy lunches with. One day, whilst paying more attention to her phone than her feet, she falls through an open hatch into the cellar of a pub. She could have killed herself but she didn't. Remarkably, she walks away unscathed - physically, at least. What shakes her up is that she wakes up to find the hospital has called her employers to get the 'in case of emergency' phone number and her very ex-boyfriend is standing by her bed, hoping she'll hurry up and get discharged so he can go home and bathe his twin toddlers.
What's so great about a life if you can't find a more appropriate ICE contact than a guy you split up with years ago?
Bel is unsettled by the realisation that she's got a ton of 'friends' who don't reply when she tells them she's had an accident, she has no idea what's going on in her elder sister's life, and she's totally out of touch with her parents. Oh, and she hasn't got a boyfriend either and her workplace has toxic racist undertones that suddenly seem a lot less acceptable than before.
This is a book about rediscovering yourself, putting old ghosts to rest (there's a long theme about stuff that happened in her friendship group 20 years earlier), working on her present and building for a future based on strengthening bonds with her past and present. It's also about losing your 'roots' when your immigrant parents aren't playing the immigrant game and bring you up just like all the other kids at your school. Bel has to come to terms with why she's refusing to date fellow 'brown' people and whether she really is the 'coconut' somebody accuses her of being.
A lot of readers tend to get a bit snooty about first-person narratives. I think it works in this book.
I loved a lot of the characters - especially her sister, Devi. I enjoyed watching her dawning recognition that most of her friends were only acquaintances, that her sexual encounters were mostly rather hollow and valueless, and her rediscovery of what mattered in her life. The avoidance of a classic 'happily ever after' (romantically speaking) was also appreciated.
It's a good one! It adds to the genre of 'brown children of immigrant stock working out where they fit in a mostly white Britain' which is (I'm happy to say) a rather booming sub-genre at the moment. I think it's the third book with that theme that I've read this week.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this enjoyable read.
What's so great about a life if you can't find a more appropriate ICE contact than a guy you split up with years ago?
Bel is unsettled by the realisation that she's got a ton of 'friends' who don't reply when she tells them she's had an accident, she has no idea what's going on in her elder sister's life, and she's totally out of touch with her parents. Oh, and she hasn't got a boyfriend either and her workplace has toxic racist undertones that suddenly seem a lot less acceptable than before.
This is a book about rediscovering yourself, putting old ghosts to rest (there's a long theme about stuff that happened in her friendship group 20 years earlier), working on her present and building for a future based on strengthening bonds with her past and present. It's also about losing your 'roots' when your immigrant parents aren't playing the immigrant game and bring you up just like all the other kids at your school. Bel has to come to terms with why she's refusing to date fellow 'brown' people and whether she really is the 'coconut' somebody accuses her of being.
A lot of readers tend to get a bit snooty about first-person narratives. I think it works in this book.
I loved a lot of the characters - especially her sister, Devi. I enjoyed watching her dawning recognition that most of her friends were only acquaintances, that her sexual encounters were mostly rather hollow and valueless, and her rediscovery of what mattered in her life. The avoidance of a classic 'happily ever after' (romantically speaking) was also appreciated.
It's a good one! It adds to the genre of 'brown children of immigrant stock working out where they fit in a mostly white Britain' which is (I'm happy to say) a rather booming sub-genre at the moment. I think it's the third book with that theme that I've read this week.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this enjoyable read.
July 18, 2022
I loved this. I moved to London alone, when I was 22, so trying to navigate family (and old friendships) whilst being abroad for twenty years comes with a lot of challenges. Bel faces a lot of those same created and imagined distances within her own family and friends. I loved the premise, and the individuals portrayed for the good and the bad and the ugly. It’s a gently, kindly done look at how we balance relationships encompassing identity, work, racism, sexism and love.
April 30, 2023
I adored this book! Brilliantly written, pulled on my heart strings big time. The book looks at love, but not necessarily romantic love, all the other types, friendships, families. Beautiful - it had me crying more than once and I laughed a lot! 🥰
July 10, 2023
What a bloody fantastic book. 5 stars. A book about women, family, friendship and love in all its forms. I could read this over and over again. Bloody amazing.
July 13, 2023
This felt like a long story where the main character was immature and completely wrapped up in herself and her own circumstances. I wanted to like it but I just couldn’t.
August 2, 2023
Actual rating: 4.5 stars
In Case of Emergency follows Bel, who after accidentally falling down a hole into a beer cellar, finds herself waking up in the hospital to the face of her terrible ex-boyfriend, who was still listed as her emergency contact. While there were no physical injuries, Bel is thrust down a figurative hole of re-examining her life decisions, primarily the distance she has created with those she was once closest to.
First off, Bel was literally me as a teenager, and I hope after her self-examination and rediscovery, she resembles me as an adult. (Maybe I need to find a beer cellar to fall down just in case I still have some life decisions to re-examine!). I loved every single reference to a 90s TV show or music that I remember fondly from my own youth. Plus, Doc Martens really is the best footwear of choice, for any occasion!
The pacing of this book was really spot on! Not once during any of Bel's existential crises or blunt outbursts did I feel the desire to roll my eyes or slap myself in the face. No moment felt forced, but naturally, as you would expect it to progress.
The ending was perfection, the long awaited moment of clarity for Bel, her letting go of the past and putting her mind forward into what she wanted most from her life, taking one decision at a time based off what she could take control of first.
In Case of Emergency is a heartwarming exploration of family relationships, nurturing friendships, and a splash of romance. But its main focus is on self-love and self-growth that can only become enlightened by walking through the darkness (or falling down a big hole!).
In Case of Emergency follows Bel, who after accidentally falling down a hole into a beer cellar, finds herself waking up in the hospital to the face of her terrible ex-boyfriend, who was still listed as her emergency contact. While there were no physical injuries, Bel is thrust down a figurative hole of re-examining her life decisions, primarily the distance she has created with those she was once closest to.
First off, Bel was literally me as a teenager, and I hope after her self-examination and rediscovery, she resembles me as an adult. (Maybe I need to find a beer cellar to fall down just in case I still have some life decisions to re-examine!). I loved every single reference to a 90s TV show or music that I remember fondly from my own youth. Plus, Doc Martens really is the best footwear of choice, for any occasion!
The pacing of this book was really spot on! Not once during any of Bel's existential crises or blunt outbursts did I feel the desire to roll my eyes or slap myself in the face. No moment felt forced, but naturally, as you would expect it to progress.
The ending was perfection, the long awaited moment of clarity for Bel, her letting go of the past and putting her mind forward into what she wanted most from her life, taking one decision at a time based off what she could take control of first.
In Case of Emergency is a heartwarming exploration of family relationships, nurturing friendships, and a splash of romance. But its main focus is on self-love and self-growth that can only become enlightened by walking through the darkness (or falling down a big hole!).
August 6, 2022
I deserve 10 pounds for every second I spent reading this trash. it's the worst book I've read this year by far
May 21, 2023
In Case of Emergency is a book about identity, racial belonging and expectation, love, and the impact of long-held pain on our growth. All of which is brought to the surface when the main character - Bel - encounters a near death experience and is met with a feeling of loneliness, dissatisfaction , and implacable irritation. This setup enables Poorna Bell to dive deep into the biggest considerations that occur when we find ourselves in such life-altering positions - namely, what now? and what if my life had ended?
Despite the book tackling large issues - familial tensions, the history of friendships and unspoken hurt, being confident of her place in the world as a South Asian Woman and more - it doesn't ever feel as if these are topics it can't handle. Often, books will throw many a subject at us but not give them the time, justice, and exploration that it deserves. In ICOE, Bell leaves no stone unturned, and everything is given as much respect as it needs. I think the book picks up especially in terms of its tone, readability, and substance in the second half, where we find no annoyance in moving from 1999 to 2019 and back. It's a transition that always feels natural and never jarring, filled with nostalgia and longing yet with a seam of bitterness running through it such that we await the full reason, like awaiting the fall of rain at the smell of Petrichor.
Overall, ICOE is an accessible read with as much grit as it has geniality and humour as it has heartache and, as ever with a good book, offers several moments of value for its reader. It's ending is a satisfying enough resolution that wraps it all up nicely, but tonally, in my opinion, is a slight whiplash at times given the speed of events, but nonetheless does what it needs to. A worthy read, for sure.
Despite the book tackling large issues - familial tensions, the history of friendships and unspoken hurt, being confident of her place in the world as a South Asian Woman and more - it doesn't ever feel as if these are topics it can't handle. Often, books will throw many a subject at us but not give them the time, justice, and exploration that it deserves. In ICOE, Bell leaves no stone unturned, and everything is given as much respect as it needs. I think the book picks up especially in terms of its tone, readability, and substance in the second half, where we find no annoyance in moving from 1999 to 2019 and back. It's a transition that always feels natural and never jarring, filled with nostalgia and longing yet with a seam of bitterness running through it such that we await the full reason, like awaiting the fall of rain at the smell of Petrichor.
Overall, ICOE is an accessible read with as much grit as it has geniality and humour as it has heartache and, as ever with a good book, offers several moments of value for its reader. It's ending is a satisfying enough resolution that wraps it all up nicely, but tonally, in my opinion, is a slight whiplash at times given the speed of events, but nonetheless does what it needs to. A worthy read, for sure.
June 6, 2023
Somehow this book really spoke to me. I think because it was much more about the trickiness of adult friendships than it was about romance. I also I appreciated that Bel wasn’t constantly teetering on the brink of chaos as you get in some versions of this book - I really don’t connect with that.
Bel is realistically set up with the blocks of a pretty good life in lots of ways, but she needs to work on them. Which feels a lot more realistic, we all ultimately have to keep searching and growing.
Bel is realistically set up with the blocks of a pretty good life in lots of ways, but she needs to work on them. Which feels a lot more realistic, we all ultimately have to keep searching and growing.
September 16, 2022
Bel Kumar is re-evaluating her life after a near death experience and she doesn’t like what she finds. She’s distant from her family and lost touch with her friends causing her to question her decisions and think about where things went wrong. An interesting take on how childhood experiences can dominate your life and the shadows of racism lingers. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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June 21, 2025DNF. Felt like 90% telling 10% showing. The dialogue in particular let this book down. It was noticeable that this is the author's first fiction, because at times I felt like I was reading an autobiography.
September 14, 2024
This book had everything and did it all so well. Very rare that I go through this many emotions in a book and even shed some tears🥹
April 24, 2022
Bel is a young executive navigating life's troubles until, distracted by her phone, she walks straight into the open cellar of a pub. Crashing 10 feet to the ground, Bel wakes up in hospital, disoriented and unsure about what has happened, to find that her ex boyfriend has been called - because he is her emergency contact. Distanced from her family and with few real friends, Bel is at sea about who to call to confide in. Forced to reassess her life she finds that she is not happy - single, barely tolerant of her family, with a job she isn't happy with and colleagues that she doesn't like, she miserably scrolls through her friends list realising there is no one to call.
And then she finds inspiration and looks up her best friend from childhood. Ama and Bel haven't spoken since they were 16 and fell out during their first holiday without parents. Ama is pleased to hear from Bel and the years seem to slip away - until Ama invited their other friends, Marina and Ling, to her hen do. Blindsided, Bel is forced to confront exactly that happened all those years ago and how this has impacted on every part of her life since then.
Reunited with her sister, Devi, Bel starts to build bridges, make changes and try to enjoy her life more by cutting out the toxic people and things that don't enhance her life. Pleasingly, the story doesn't end where you think it will and serves as a reminded that we don't need everything to feel happy.
This is a pleasing read and one that kept me coming back to it several times throughout the day. It is a cosy read and the characters are flawed and that is what makes them so relatable.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
And then she finds inspiration and looks up her best friend from childhood. Ama and Bel haven't spoken since they were 16 and fell out during their first holiday without parents. Ama is pleased to hear from Bel and the years seem to slip away - until Ama invited their other friends, Marina and Ling, to her hen do. Blindsided, Bel is forced to confront exactly that happened all those years ago and how this has impacted on every part of her life since then.
Reunited with her sister, Devi, Bel starts to build bridges, make changes and try to enjoy her life more by cutting out the toxic people and things that don't enhance her life. Pleasingly, the story doesn't end where you think it will and serves as a reminded that we don't need everything to feel happy.
This is a pleasing read and one that kept me coming back to it several times throughout the day. It is a cosy read and the characters are flawed and that is what makes them so relatable.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 3, 2022
Went into the book with no expectation and ended up loving this so much. Bel is such a memorable and likable character, and the entire book is intimate and touching :,)
September 9, 2024
Loved the depictions of Asian family dynamics, Bel however become such an insufferable character for me. Far too ‘woe is me’ about everything, the ending with Karen felt a bit random as well? Enjoyable in parts, a lot of it could’ve been left out or shortened.
August 16, 2025
I loved this? I'd only read Poorna Bell's memoir before, and I thought that was beautifully written. And this didn't disappoint at all. I thought it was going to be a romance and it wasn't at all, unless you consider Bel falling back in love with friendships and her sister and even herself. There was something very real about being the focus of your own story and realising you're not the only person living that storyline, and building a context for your own past traumas and heartbreaks etc etc etc. Anyway, this was exactly what I wanted to read today.
May 21, 2023
I really enjoyed Bel's journey, and having grown up in the 90s I found I had a lot in common with her, despite our very different cultural upbringings. This book is very London, the issues that Bel deals with as female Londoner in her late 30s felt very relevant to my own life, so it was like a warm mug of tea for the soul.
Quotes that stayed with me:
On friendships: "There are many parallels between romantic relationships and close friendships. Certainly when they break up, they look the same. The pain, the anguish, the hurt, the void. But the perfect knowledge of someone that comes only after a long-established friendship, the familiarity of who they really are, is something that never truly vanishes."
On parents: "It was about the moment you realise as an adult that they don't have all the answers, that they never did, that half of what we thought was parenting was a game of smoke and mirrors and guesswork. It's irreversible, and you see in that moment their fragility and fallibility."
Quotes that stayed with me:
On friendships: "There are many parallels between romantic relationships and close friendships. Certainly when they break up, they look the same. The pain, the anguish, the hurt, the void. But the perfect knowledge of someone that comes only after a long-established friendship, the familiarity of who they really are, is something that never truly vanishes."
On parents: "It was about the moment you realise as an adult that they don't have all the answers, that they never did, that half of what we thought was parenting was a game of smoke and mirrors and guesswork. It's irreversible, and you see in that moment their fragility and fallibility."
February 12, 2025
3.75 ⭐
Sisters are nice, and I like to read people's musings on their own behaviours
Sisters are nice, and I like to read people's musings on their own behaviours
October 1, 2023
I picked up a copy of this a few months ago from my local bookshop. The blurb and the publishers quotes led me to be this would be a romance, but just so you know, it is not. I did however really enjoy this book! I found Bel to be a bit frustrating in her choices and thought processes, but I enjoyed her journey of reconnecting with herself by connecting with her past.
I will definitely look out for more by this author!
I will definitely look out for more by this author!
August 5, 2023
Was echt mn comfort boek geworden🥰 Geen gekke verhaallijn met plottwists maar wel inspirerend en leerrijk over het leven ☺️ Zeker aanrader
May 23, 2023
DNF after around 150 pages. This book is ok just not what I thought it would be and the story is quite jumpy and choppy. It's confusing because you can't really tell what the book is trying to be. I thought it would be a fun romance but it was not.
April 9, 2022
This was a great book and I loved the main character. Bel has an unfortunate accident one day and her “in case of emergency” person turn out to be an ex boyfriend she has not seen for years. What follows is the realisation that things need to change in Bel’s life but where does she start? With her mum & dad? Sister, niece, friends she’s not spoken to in 20 years? This is a lovely gentle read that does touch on some tough subjects but in a very calm and gentle manner, unlike some of Bel’s rants and rages. Great escapism.
June 9, 2022
"I realised something had shaken loose in me since the accident. Nothing that would show up on a brain scan, perhaps more a loosening of the internal framework I'd painstakingly built to separate the different parts of my life."
Present day London and thirty-six year old advertising executive, Bel Kumar is making a mess of her life. In a well-paid, but soulless job, it takes a freak, near-fatal accident to make her realise she has isolated herself from those who care about her, leaving her emergency contract her ex, who she broke up with four years ago. As she recovers, Bel is determined to make changes, to re-connect with the important people in her life - her sister, mum & dad and her best friend from childhood. Will she unravel her past, can she ask for help and what will she discover about herself, her friends and family, on the way?
I loved Bel immediately, her relatable experiences, humour and spirited determination. The characters, particularly her family and immediate friends, are well-drawn and real with flaws and needs and the plot moves along at just the right pace to keep me reading. The focus on female friendships and familial relationships was a refreshing change from romantic relationships often found in novels, as were the astute observations about how those relationships work, struggle to work and even fail. Bel's friendships demonstrate joy and connection as well as sadness and betrayal. Her experiences in a South Asian British woman as well as her experiences with privileged, white men (and their "mental Rolodex of reference points for people who looked like me: corner-shop owner's daughter, demure, frigid onion chopper, garlic masher, terrorist's wife") are, I expect, spot-on. Witty and warm whilst covering complex issues, experiences and emotions with panache, I highlighted so many of the author's wise words. I absolutely loved this and would definitely like to read what Bel does next.
Present day London and thirty-six year old advertising executive, Bel Kumar is making a mess of her life. In a well-paid, but soulless job, it takes a freak, near-fatal accident to make her realise she has isolated herself from those who care about her, leaving her emergency contract her ex, who she broke up with four years ago. As she recovers, Bel is determined to make changes, to re-connect with the important people in her life - her sister, mum & dad and her best friend from childhood. Will she unravel her past, can she ask for help and what will she discover about herself, her friends and family, on the way?
I loved Bel immediately, her relatable experiences, humour and spirited determination. The characters, particularly her family and immediate friends, are well-drawn and real with flaws and needs and the plot moves along at just the right pace to keep me reading. The focus on female friendships and familial relationships was a refreshing change from romantic relationships often found in novels, as were the astute observations about how those relationships work, struggle to work and even fail. Bel's friendships demonstrate joy and connection as well as sadness and betrayal. Her experiences in a South Asian British woman as well as her experiences with privileged, white men (and their "mental Rolodex of reference points for people who looked like me: corner-shop owner's daughter, demure, frigid onion chopper, garlic masher, terrorist's wife") are, I expect, spot-on. Witty and warm whilst covering complex issues, experiences and emotions with panache, I highlighted so many of the author's wise words. I absolutely loved this and would definitely like to read what Bel does next.
October 13, 2025
I needed a few days afterwards to recover because this story was so close to home for me. Poorna does an incredible job of illustrating a later-in-life coming-of-age self discovery journey of the protagonist, Bel Kumar.
Bel (short for Beryl) is a successful, single Ad Exec who lives on her own, has a vibrant enough social life, and a lacklustre dating life. Her perspective shifts after a near death experience lands her in a situation where her “in case of emergency” contact is someone she hasn’t spoken to in years, forcing her to re-evaluate her relationships, life choices, and future.
Poorna is a whizz at dipping in and out of the protagonist’s psyche to share key details about context, explore complex societal and cultural issues, and tell an authentic and grounded story that’s interesting enough to keep turning the page.
Favourite quotes:
“Many immigrant parents fail to understand that by making a better life for their children, they automatically give us more choices. Yet the narrow world view from their own upbringing, with worries about scarcity or the need to protect their own heritage…means they expect us to make the same choices as they did.”
“Very often we live our life in fear, and we spend so much time trying not to get hurt that we end up living out our worst fears anyway: being alone; not being loved; not being happy.”
Bel (short for Beryl) is a successful, single Ad Exec who lives on her own, has a vibrant enough social life, and a lacklustre dating life. Her perspective shifts after a near death experience lands her in a situation where her “in case of emergency” contact is someone she hasn’t spoken to in years, forcing her to re-evaluate her relationships, life choices, and future.
Poorna is a whizz at dipping in and out of the protagonist’s psyche to share key details about context, explore complex societal and cultural issues, and tell an authentic and grounded story that’s interesting enough to keep turning the page.
Favourite quotes:
“Many immigrant parents fail to understand that by making a better life for their children, they automatically give us more choices. Yet the narrow world view from their own upbringing, with worries about scarcity or the need to protect their own heritage…means they expect us to make the same choices as they did.”
“Very often we live our life in fear, and we spend so much time trying not to get hurt that we end up living out our worst fears anyway: being alone; not being loved; not being happy.”
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