* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All thoughts are my own.

Amazing Grace Adams was such a struggle for me to read and it’s hard to find anything I particularly liked about the book. I couldn’t get into the flow of the book for quite a while, and then the timeline was jumping around so I couldn’t make sense of what was going on. I really couldn’t tell you what this book is about other than Grace is a 45 year old mom, who seems to be having some issue, and whose 16 year old daughter is mad at her and she’s going through a divorce.

Would not recommend.

Amazing Grace Adams was a slow burn, for sure. For the most of the book, it seemed that Grace was dealing with a mid-life crisis. It was not until well after halfway through the book that the pieces start appearing and as they start to fall together, I realize that my heart had become attached to Grace and her life mattered to me. This book was expertly crafted and I will not soon forget it. Grace was at once spunky, hopeless, smart, sassy, and lovable. Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I love Grace. I loved the narrator. I really loved that this book touches on so many topics many other books about women ignore.

I am not a fan of the style of writing where we keep jumping from the present to various times in the past. But I have to say that Fran Littlewood knows how to grab a reader's attention. The beginning, at a polyglot contest where Grace meets Ben is immediately interesting. and grabs you right in.

Grace's mother was a depressive personality and that has a lifelong effect on her. Grace's erratic behavior as she attempts to deliver a birthday cake to her daughter Lotte shows some craziness but is still believable. Not so much the autoimmune condition that is making Grace's vulva disappear. Never heard of that one. (Note to self: Check it out on Goggle.)'

I also wish that there had been more about Grace's ability with multiple languages and how she acquired it. There wasn't much mention after the beginning. Other than that, this novel is worth your time and makes Littlewood a name to watch.

My thanks and appreciation to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC copy of this book...

DNF for me. I just could not make a connection. I tried listening and reading Amazing Grace Adams. Still, nothing clicked. I always give a book a fair chance and do not put it down until I have at least read 100 pages. I don't DNF too often, but I'm not going to force myself to read something I am not enjoying. Fran Littlewood wrote a every entertaining piece and I understand why many of my fellow readers enjoyed this book. Would I ever read anything from this author again? Absolutely!! Her writing skills are excellent. Just this story was not for me. I am grateful to have the opportunity to read this book prior to its release date. Thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company.

I honestly don’t know how I feel about this book. I finished it and I’m not above DNFing so it definitely kept my attention enough to complete the book. However, I expected this book to be funny and it turned out to be A LOT of trigger warnings-grief, sexual assault-just to name a few.

Unfortunately I didn’t seem to connect with the characters; I like debut authors. It must be quite the challenge to write a book and get it to press. Jenna Bush Hager has Amazing Gracie Adams as her Sept 2023 pick and finds it “wildly hilarious” per today.com … kudos!

SO MANY jumps in time between “now”, “4 months earlier”, “2003”, “now”, “4 months prior”. I kind of felt like whiplash every time there was a “time” change.

On the “NetGalley book cover”, there is a “circle” in the middle of the cover that says “I rooted for Grace from the first sentence.” … This NetGalley circle covers a woman holding up her middle finger. Had the “real cover” been what I had seen, I likely would not have requested to read the advance review copy.

Regardless … thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Henry Holt & Company for approving my request to read the advance review copy in exchange for an honest review. Rounding up to 3 stars; somewhere between 2 and 3 stars in my opinion. If it means anything, I thought the last 30-25% of the book was the best part.

The story was entertaining, authentic, and a quick read. It did, however, leave me wanting more backstory about particular characters, and I felt the ending left much unresolved. I didn’t expect it to be a tidy ending, but it seemed a bit disjointed towards the end. It was interesting that I wasn’t sure who to root for in the story. Each character had moments that made me feel for them, but also some that really annoyed me. Then again, perhaps that’s why I found it authentic!

I found the multiple jumping timelines to be distracting. The story/plot was not exciting enough to warrant it, and it felt confusing and tedious at times. There were also mentions of random side characters that did not become more fleshed out, so I felt like I was just left with information and random stories about people I didn’t know. With that said, the mother-daughter relationship felt very real, including the lingering guilt over Bea. The tragedy left a sick taste in my throat as if I were there, and I think the author did a good job at conveying the complex emotions and blocking out that would result.

I was so endeared to 45 year old Grace and how hard she tried to be a great mother. I really connected with her on that aspect! As mothers we are constantly feeling like we are failing (but really we aren't), and will do absolutely anything to help our child and make sure our child feels loved. That was my takeaway from this book!

Grace seems to be having a very OFF day and on the verge of a full mental breakdown. Things continue to go wrong and she throws all propriety out the window as she is on a mission to be sure she gets a very special birthday cake to her daughter on her 16th birthday.

As the reader we follow Grace during 3 time periods. Current, a couple months ago that progresses up to the current time and then also around 20 years ago that progresses in time. This worked fine for me because I physically read it in one day (paired with audio), but I can see this create a disjunct for other readers. For that reason I think reading the physical book will make one enjoy this more.

This had a good mix of humor, but also reality, love, kindness, hardness, trials, and really makes you see that you're not the only one that has an awful day. At times it felt over the top, but I was okay with it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co. for the complimentary e-copy of this book.

Grace is an amazing polyglot. In fact she is famous for it. Was famous for it. Until the birth of her daughter, Lotte derailed her career. But she absolutely adores Lotte. And she is determined to make her 16th birthday perfect by getting her the perfect cake.

But life isn’t so perfect for Grace. She’s divorced from Lotte’s father, Ben, who she still misses. Lotte refuses to talk to her mother and lives exclusively with Ben. And Grace is honestly a perimenopausal mess.

The story takes place on Lotte’s 16th birthday and involves a series of slightly far fetched events. But intertwined are flashbacks to how Grace ends up where she is on the momentous day.

I think Grace’s story is a much needed perspective to motherhood, raising teens, and surviving “the change” that hits women in their late 40’s. There are a few parts that seems ridiculously far fetched though. But, this novel includes themes of loss and how different people process it. And maybe Grace (and society) should offer herself a little “grace” as women navigate the muddy waters of motherhood through the years.

Thank you to @henryholtbooks and @netgalley for an early review copy of this novel.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this Advanced Readers Copy of Amazing Grace Adams by Fran Littlewood!

Amazing Grace Adams by Fran Littlewood is one of the best books I’ve read this year. The author perfectly captures the sorrows and frustrations of life as a woman in her mid-40s. I don’t think I’ve ever related more to a character.

Littlewood brilliantly alternates between two points of view and three different timelines. It’s a complicated structure, but it works. Grace and her husband Ben narrate the story in the present (where Grace is manically walking to her husband’s flat with a cake on her daughter’s 16th birthday), the recent past (which focuses on the strained relationship between Grace and her daughter Lotte), and woven throughout is the timeline of their marriage.

I love how the author used the theme of language and communication. Both Grace and Ben are linguists who speak multiple languages, but lose the ability to communicate with each other. At the same time, Grace struggles to translate the social media slang of her teenage daughter. It sounds threatening, but maybe her daughter is right and she just doesn’t understand. Ultimately, Amazing Grace Adams illustrates the importance of speaking the hard truth to each other and to ourselves.

I read this book quickly over two days, much of it while standing in a three hour line with my own teenage daughter. From Grace’s struggles with perimenopause, her demeaning public treatment and resulting rage, to her sense of loss as her teen grows into adulthood, this novel hit me hard. By the time the narrative strands came together at the book’s climax, I was a mess of tears.

This is a book I will be recommending to my friends and book clubs for a long time.

Thank you to Henry Holt & Co. and NetGalley for the gift of this eARC.

Ever heard the song “My Give A Damn’s Busted” by Jo Dee Messina?🎶 that pretty much sums up 45-year-old Grace Adam’s perimenopausal life at the present. It’s a tale of womanhood, marriage, motherhood as seen through Grace’s POV.. whom ironically, has just hit her threshold while stalled in gridlocked traffic.. she’s thinking enough is enough.. and whew.. I’m not doubting that one bit. Those feels are relatable.. we’ve all been there right. Although for Grace there’d been so much sadness (not to mention crazy) going on in her life.. she gets out of her car.. and just walks away. That begins Grace’s determined journey of finding herself, along with putting a flailing relationship with her teen daughter to rights. It is a wonderful debut that is thought-provoking, emotional and tender. Not at all what I was expecting. ❥ 4 stars — Pub. 9/5/23

Thanks to the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Grace Adams used to be amazing. Now she just feels invisible. These days, Grace feels like she’s taking grief from all corners, especially from her teenage daughter Lotte and her estranged husband Ben. But today, Grace has finally had it. She’s had all she can take, and she’s not going to take it anymore.

This story has a lot going on, with three timelines and a whole host of issues and themes. It’s probably easier to keep track if you’re reading the physical book, but it was a bit difficult to keep them all straight while I was listening to an audiobook. The fabulous narration more than made up for it though! The narrator is outstanding – so expressive and gives so much life to Grace’s thoughts and dialogue, I felt like I was in Grace’s head and feeling all her feelings.

I can’t remember the last time I’ve ever identified with a character so strongly. Grace is in her mid-40s and perimenopausal, and her hot flashes and gamut of emotions are so relatable! The mother-daughter dynamics were spot-on. Every time she struggled to connect with her daughter Lotte, her frustration with teen slang and being out of touch absolutely resonated with this mom of a 16-year-old.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for providing me an advance copy of this book.

3.5 stars. Thank you to Net Galley and Henry Holt & Co. for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. Grace Adams life is falling apart. She's stuck in traffic and she's hemmed in on all sides. Her sister keeps calling her and her family is worried about her. Grace just can't take it any more and decides she can't wait any longer and abandons her car on the road. This beginning grabbed me and I was interested to know why someone would make this choice. We then go to the recent past (several months ago) and Grace's daughter isn't showing up for classes and the Head Teacher wants to meet with her. She doesn't understand why this is happening and her daughter Lotte won't say a word about it. We then go back to 2002 when Grace meets Ben at a Polyglot of the Year competition. Grace is a linguist and speaks 5 languages. She's wins first, a weekend away; he wins second and Grace invites him to join her...and he accepts. The story continues on in this fashion jumping around. I was interested in Grace's story but the jumping provides only a snippet of each time period and it feels like it jumps around too much. Also, Grace is quite a mess and makes alot of bad decisions which I found to be a bit over the top. Yet, it had a nice message about embracing our mistakes, having understanding and forgiving to move forward with those we care about..

Thanks to NetGalley, Fran Littlewood and the publisher for opportunity to read this before publication. As the blurb say if you liked Where Did You Go, Bernadette you will enjoy this book.
I finished it just to find out the ending

Grace Adams is 45 and dealing with perimenopause. Her life is crumbling around her and she is on the verge (or in the middle) of having a mental breakdown. That shouldn't be funny, but I'm pretty sure most women over the age of 40 can identify with what Grace is going through. You have to laugh or you are going to cry! The story itself is told through 3 different timelines, with additional flashbacks throughout. That made things a bit muddy at times. The current timeline has Grace trekking across town to bring her estranged daughter a birthday cake. Grace's predicament illustrates how most women struggle at some point with the balancing act of trying to have it all. With some serious topics, the book still tries to remain a bit lighthearted. Again, you have to laugh or you'll cry!

This was a book I couldn’t put down. It is both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. I loved all of the characters, I will be thinking of this book for a long time!

Before I get started on my review of Amazing Grace Adams by Fran Littlewood I have to give my thanks to Netgalley, Henry Holt & Company, along with Fran Littlewood herself for gifting me with this Digital Arc in exchange for my honest review. Everything I write here will be entirely my own thoughts and opinions. As always I will provide trigger warnings down below. Please be aware that this book has some heavy-hitting topics so please pay attention to those warnings below.

This book was a difficult one for me to read. That is not to say it wasn’t a good story I am just not sure that it was for me entirely. There were definite parts I enjoyed about it but then there were parts that made me feel an overwhelming fear of the aging process. The difficulties and symptoms Grace is going through with perimenopause I really hope are exaggerated a bit or oh my gosh YIKES all women are in for it.

This is the story of Grace Adams a woman who speaks five languages and has big dreams in life. Like many people, life doesn’t turn out the way she had imagined that it would. Her husband Ben is not who she thought he was and their relationship is falling apart right in front of her eyes. Lotte her daughter who is soon to turn sixteen is not the daughter she thought she was. Lotte is living a life that Grace knows nothing about. The girl is a TikTok sensation and speaks in a language Grace does not understand. Grace fears she is losing her daughter but feels helpless on how to navigate the situation. Not only is all of this going on but Grace also loses her job and in my opinion is having a mental breakdown.

One day Grace decides enough is enough so she sets off to get her daughter back and reclaim her life. It is a hot day and she is sitting in traffic worried she will be late to pick up a birthday cake she believes will fix Lotte and her relationship. She can not risk being late to Lotte’s party even though she was not invited so Grace decides the most logical thing to do is get out of her vehicle, leave it right in the middle of traffic, and start walking to the bakery. The plan does not go as expected and she finds herself in multiple situations that are just not good. While she is on this journey to get the cake to her daughter Grace’s memory is bouncing from past to present leaving her feeling absolutely awful both physically and mentally. Like I said before I think she is in the middle of a mental health breakdown.

If you are looking for a family drama with multiple timelines, mental health issues, and buried trauma then give this one a go because I do not think you will be disappointed. Like I said before I think that this is a good story but it just was not a story for me. I do want to say be aware of the trigger warnings before going into this one. As always I will list them down below Reader.

Trigger Warnings:

Child Loss
Broken Marriage
Child Grooming
Depression
Arrest
Infidelity
Estranged Children
Parental Death
Suicidal Thoughts