The Bad Mothers’ Book Club by Keris Stainton is the new, laugh-out-loud novel from this bestselling author.
Following her husband’s career change, Emma Chance and her family have recently moved from Ealing, London to the seaside district of West Kirby on the Wirral Peninsula, Liverpool.
When she drops her children, Ruby and Sam, at their new school she finds herself in an altercation with Queen Bee Jools Jackson and her cronies, Flic and Eve.
Later, she is befriended by Beth, whose daughter, Flora is in Ruby’s class at school. Beth has watched the earlier fracas with great glee and explains that Jools is the wife of the well-known footballer, Matt Jackson, and founder of the Mothers’ Book Club, which is by invitation only. Down the track Emma will encounter the fourth member of the club, Maggie, who doesn’t seem quite as intimidating.
In the meantime, she meets Hanan, whose son, Yahya is in the same class as Sam. When Ruby pals up with Flora and Sam with Yahya, the three Mums become best friends.
Unexpectedly, Emma receives an invitation to join the next Book Club gathering. She is flattered by the inclusion and decides to ignore her misgivings and attend. She soon discovers that the chosen book is very boring, as is the discussion about it afterwards. There are undercurrents between the four women, however, that she is keen to understand.
Unfortunately, before she can find out more, there is an incident involving a white carpet, red wine and a jammed bathroom door. She finds herself thrown unceremoniously out the door.
Returning to her friends, Beth and Hanan, Emma starts her own book club with raunchy novels, wine and gossip. This is The Bad Mothers’ Book Club!
This very readable and most enjoyable book is a mix of both the humorous and the darker aspects of married life with children. It deals with the isolation of a woman moving to a new location and how she copes with settling her children into a new school and of being accepted into a new group of friends.
The characters are also a mixed bunch, some loveable, some hateful, but all haunted by their own demons.
The author skilfully handles the many problems facing women every day and acknowledges the abiding importance of friendship and moral support.
The Bad Mother’s Club was a pleasure to read and I’m looking forward to more from this talented author.
ISBN: 9781409176817
The Bad Mothers’ Book Club is available in paperback and e-book
About Keris Stainton
Keris Stainton was born in Winnipeg, Canada, but moved back to the UK when only four months old and then grew up on the Wirral. She lived in London for a while, and now lives in Lancashire with two boys, two guinea pigs and an unhealthy (but enjoyable) obsession with One Direction.
Working as a bookseller, usher at Wembley Stadium and PA to Bob Geldof, Keris finally sat down to write her first novel in 2004. She has written books for children, teenagers and adults and can almost always be found on Twitter. She is also a freelance journalist and the co-editor of the teen books blog, “Chicklish”.
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