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MNHQ

Book giveaway: Mums on Strike by Laura Kemp

94 replies

AliceMumsnet · 10/02/2014 12:39

We have 50 copies of Mums On Strike up for grabs. A dispute over a squashed grape on the floor tips Laura over the edge and she decides to go on strike. Author of Mums Like Us, Laura Kemp's latest is described as a 'fun, witty novel novel about what it's like when an ordinary mum has had enough'.

Find out more about the book, Laura Kemp and apply for a free copy. We'll let you know next week if you've been chosen to receive a free copy. Come back and let us know what you think on this thread, or post up a review.

This book giveaway has been sponsored by Random House UK.

OP posts:

PestoSnowissimos · 20/02/2014 14:08

And mine - thank you!

Nancyclancy · 22/02/2014 16:34

Yay!!!! My copy arrived this morning! Thanks mumsnet!!!

SweetieXPie · 23/02/2014 00:08

My copy arrived Saturday Morning, as the kids are back at school and nursery tomorrow I shall be sitting down with tea, cake and the book - cant wait x

vanbandi · 23/02/2014 19:37

Thank you I have received my free copy yesterday and going to start reading tomorrow. I will provide feedback as soon as I finished.

AppsUK · 24/02/2014 12:50

Got my copy today in post !! Will surely give feedback. ??

jojack17 · 24/02/2014 18:40

Yaaaaay!!!! Received my copy today, lovely surprise! Can't wit to get started.

CocktailQueen · 24/02/2014 20:22

Fabulous! Book arrived today and have started it already. Thanks, Mumsnet! Will post a review as soon as I'm finished reading it.

ricericebaby · 25/02/2014 10:04

Book arrived today. Thank you Mumsnet Have started reading it and will review as soon as I'm finished.

CloserLook · 25/02/2014 10:11

My copy arrived yesterday thanks! I started it last night and I'll review it when I've finished.

Xenadog · 25/02/2014 13:14

Received my copy yesterday, left it on the coffee table for DP to see. Wonder if he'll get the hint?

ricericebaby · 25/02/2014 13:37

I have now finished the book so before I write my review is there a list of questions that we need to answer or do we just write a paragraph or so on what we thought?

Xenadog · 25/02/2014 14:56

I began the book earlier and already I'm on page 88. It really reminds me of Sue Townsend's "The Woman Who Went to Bed for a Year." Anyone else think the same?

PestoSnowissimos · 25/02/2014 15:10

I'm half-way through

MummyBtothree · 25/02/2014 20:48

Loving the book.....it all sounds soooooo familiar! lol, thank you xx

Manchesterhistorygirl · 25/02/2014 21:52

Received mine yesterday and really enjoying it so far.

Nancyclancy · 25/02/2014 23:10

I about 3/4 of the way through and really enjoying it!

PestoSnowissimos · 27/02/2014 08:38

Finished!
I loved this book, a nice easy read. At first it was all a bit close to home, as DH used to leave all the domestic jobs to me, even before we had children. But the domestic situation of the main characters didn't deteriorate to an un-reconcilable level, fortunately. Loved how everything tied up at the end, and will now read the author's other book 'Mums Like Us'.
Thank you once again I shall pass this book on

CocktailQueen · 27/02/2014 10:30

My review:
I enjoyed this book. It's written in an engaging, fast-paced, easy to read style. I thought it was a tad far-fetched at the end, when the whole country was involved in the Mums' Strike, but hey ho. The descriptions of all the domestic stuff were very close to home, so I could identify with a lot of that and a lot of the main character's feelings!

(Except, if the main character's husband is so useless and lazy at home, why does she still want to have sex with him?)

I thought it was poorly edited, however - come on, Random House! There are tense changes within sentences, some speech wasn't in speech marks, and the only punctuation used is commas, when colons or semi-colons would have been correct (and this annoyed me enough for me to notice it as I read).

Having said that, I enjoyed this book, and I will look out for the author's next book.

CloserLook · 27/02/2014 10:32

Done!

I wanted to give this book a go as it's not what I would normally pick myself and I wanted something a bit lighter than usual. I started it reading it within a few hours of receiving it and found it incredibly easy to get into.

I thought the author worked well with the concept of the book, showing the frustration felt by the main character at her husbands failures (and his successes) as she went through with her strike. I also liked that the ending wasn't completely one-sided as they both learnt from the experience.

In summary a very enjoyable book. Thank you so much for letting me try it!

ricericebaby · 27/02/2014 18:21

My review:

I really enjoyed this book and could identify with the characters easily. I found the book very easy to read and finished it within half a day. If I'm bring honest I wasn't so keen on the ending but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the rest of the book. All in all I would recommend this book to a friend and its made me very keen to read the authors other work. I have talked about the book to friends and family and they are keen to read it too.

Thank you for picking me as part of the trial.

FernieB · 28/02/2014 07:51

Finished it last night - it's an easy and engaging read. Thought the characters were fairly realistic and well-drawn even if the plot was not. Found it a bit far-fetched at times (posters in people's windows - really?) and the ending was quite contrived as though the author had reached a certain number of pages and suddenly thought it was time to wind things up and did so far too tidily to be realistic. Had no sympathy for Lisa - found her to be annoying and petty - but had every sympathy for her husband, her mum-in-law and her friend Cal.

I have read a few books of this genre in the past and it's on a par with most of them - formulaic but fairly enjoyable and quick to read.

Sizzlesthedog · 28/02/2014 08:40

Thank you for picking me to read this book. It was lovely to read a book and have some peace!

It was an easy read and fast paced. At the start I thought the characters had not been described well. Needed a bit of padding in that area although they developed well by the middle of the book.

As others have said it was a bit far fetched at times. Re the papers being involved with the strike. Didn't really engage with the boss of vintage. Didn't really get the plot of her skipping off and leaving her shop in the hands of the two main characters.

Good conclusion to the book, everything ended well.

It was a really good read and I'll pass it on. Going to buy her other book and see what that is like.

Ellisisland · 28/02/2014 16:11

Thanks for the book!

I finished it today and found it easy to read and fairly engaging. I liked the beginning of the book the most as the main characters frustrations were very relatable. I also liked that her husband wasn't a caricature and actually learnt from the experience.

There were some characters in the book that were not developed like the boss at the shop and Lisa's parents. Overall it was a fun easy read and I'll pass it along to someone else to read.

jojack17 · 02/03/2014 21:05

Thanks so much for the book! This book delivered exactly what it promised...a light hearted,fun, easy read. The subject matter felt relevant to me, as it probably did to every mum and wife. We all love a moan about how much multi tasking we are expected to do, and we have all gritted our teeth when our husbands expect a round of applause for putting the washing in the machine.
I did find the characters slightly annoying. Lisa was a complete control freak and not at all likeable. I much preferred her hubby Adam. Even though he was a bit of a caricature of a useless husband, he came across as warm and loving.
Even though this book provides a fun, easy read, it does provide food for thought about what the ideal division of labour in the home would be. By the end, I actually felt that my hubby isn't too bad. He does occasionally empty the dishwasher or make the dinner...even if he does expect 3 cheers for doing so!

Xenadog · 03/03/2014 10:58

My review:

Mums on Strike is chick lit for the 30-something mum who has looked at her lot in life and realised that in "settling down" she has "settled for." The main character of Lisa (Lees) is just such a woman who realises that there is more to life than being a super mother and wife - her value isn't in how clean her kitchen work tops are but in her relationships with her children, husband, friends and extended family. The only way she will have the time and energy for these, along with developing herself educationally, is through relinquishing some control over the daily grind (or drudgery) of being a housewife.

I like the characters, they were generally fairly well developed and the use of coincidences, whilst a bit predictable, did help the plot to gallop along. The outcome was a given and parts of the plot were fairly obvious. The strength of the novel is the protagonist learned that she had had a huge part in the making of her role as house drudge; she accepted she enjoyed being in control and wore her martyrdom like a badge of honour. I am sure that will speak to many people.

Mums on Strike is a nice bit of escapism and worth a read.

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