Book review: Confessions of a forty-something f##k up.

I’m late to the party (as usual) with this book, which was published in 2020. Luckily it was still stocked in the supermarket and, while we only popped in for some essentials, this book called to me (you know how it is).

It’s quite chunky (at 510 pages) and has taken me a while to get through but that’s not an indication of how much I enjoyed it – more that the chances to pick up a physical book and read it are few and far between these days.

However, one of the great things about Confessions of a forty-something f##k up – and there are several – is that you can just pick it up and put it down (even though you may not want to) and easily slot back into the story.

Here’s the blurb: 

“A novel for any woman who wonders how the hell she got here, and why life isn’t quite how she imagined it was going to be. And who is desperately trying to figure it all out when everyone around them is making gluten-free brownies.

Meet Nell. Her life is a mess.

In a world of perfect Instagram lives, she feels like a f**k up. But when she starts a secret podcast and forms an unlikely friendship with Cricket, an eighty-something widow, things begin to change. Because Nell is determined. This time next year things will be very different.

But first, she has a confession . . .”

This book has a great energy. The writing is lively, funny in a lot of places but also emotional. There are bits that I think most women over 40 (and younger) will relate to, even if you don’t consider your life a total f##k up.

Nell is a likeable, realistic character. She’s having a tough time but has to be admired for trying to make the best of it. Her up and down relationship with her close friends is well portrayed and also the comedy value of her landlord and his foibles. The real star of the show is the secondary character of Cricket, who I would definitely like to know irl.

Alexandra Potter is a new author to me but I will definitely read more of her work (and watch the tv show of this one, if it’s on a channel we have). 

Thanks to Mark who paid for the shopping.

Rating: Four stars.

Publisher: Pan Macmillan.

Price: £8.99 (I think it was on sale in the supermarket).