Maybe I'm just too old and boring to enjoy this book. Whatever reason I have to say although it was well written it just didn't convince me.
Master batting on the tube??? I don't think so...

I was a huge fan of Dawn O'Porters previous YA titles and I'm so glad she's moving into the adult market. Current, relatable, funny, sad, relevant. After the first couple of chapters I handed my colleague the physical proof and continued it on kindle. As I got busier I downloaded the audiobook.

Keep them coming Dawn!

This book was a little different, in that main characters didn't directly know one another, unlike most books of this type, where they are all friends. It took me a moment to realise that, but once I had each of them fixed in my mind it was easy to distinguish each character and their voice from the writing.

I did enjoy the book but was a little shocked and surprised by the incident on the train - which I won't reveal so as not to spoil the book. Maybe at 50+ I'm getting too old for this type of book, however apart from that one aspect I was able to relate to the rest of the book.

What I really liked about the book were the strong women characters. The social media aspect and blogging was current and demonstrated the very different world that has been created online, even if we chose not to partake in it ourselves. The judgement that occurred on all levels was a little unsettling and gave me food for thought, and I'm sure some of it will stay with me. I certainly went through several different emotions reading this book and probably did a little judging of my own!

I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley for a review copy.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I started this book quite unsure whether it was a genre I would enjoy. The first few chapters seemed very unbelievable and the characters unlikeable so I almost gave up, however I stuck with it and I am so pleased I did. The 3 main characters become much more likable as you make your way through and understand what makes them tick; with the exception of Stella who I only warmed to in the final chapter but you do empathise with her plight in the early chapters.

The story is a great look at how anything can be blown out of all proportion and shared far and wide with the internet. It also shows how badly and constantly women judge each other and jump to conclusions. It shows modern society at its worst and then by the end of the book you are relieved human kindness still exists and it all works out in the end.

It is a great read and one I would recommend even if it's not your normal genre!

This is the story of three modern women: Tara, a single mother, Stella, a PA who is haunted by thoughts of her dead twin and Cammie, a take-no-prisoners lifestyle blogger. It would be wrong to say they represent a full range of women today – they are all much of an age, all based in London, all white, all working in the arts in some way – but they do show different ways of being a youngish woman in their world. Women are often judged by their appearance, their sexuality and their ability to produce children – very much like the cows of the title – and these three are no exception. Their lives start to entwine when Tara becomes an internet sensation (after being filmed in an extremely compromising, and solo, position on the Tube) and we explore all three women’s attitudes to sex, motherhood, life and, possibly, death.

The book is very funny, fairly rude and, at some points, pretty sad. O’Porter doesn’t pull too many punches about the way women are expected to live their lives: her characters, rather wonderfully, end up refusing to conform to these expectations. Not because feminism told them to but because they realise that they need to live a more honest life – to be themselves rather than the women they are expected to be.

The Cows

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!

This is my first book by O'Porter and I've downloaded her others on the back of this one.

The Cows follows three different women, Tara, Cam and Stella as they explore being women in modern society, standing up for what they want and believe and that they don't have to conform to stereotypes.

This is a funny and insightful read that I literally didn't want to put down. I went through a myriad of emotions from laughing out loud to tears of sadness to total shock and disbelief. I thoroughly enjoyed this and completely and utterly recommend it!

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, 5 big fat shiny stars!

The story revolves around three main characters whose life gets entangled in strange ways. Interesting read even though I felt the book dragged a bit in places.

I had to think about this review for a while because I just wasn't sure, but I must say that it's definitely a thought provoking book that deals with a lot of very modern issues that women face and I think perhaps it's very relevant to a lot of girls these days.

Really enjoyed this book. It was good how Dawn got the three women - Tara, Cam and Stella together and how their own stories intertwined with one another. Shows how each one had their own goals and opinions in life and nothing was going to change it until fate got in the way. It was frank and funny at the same time. I had not read any of Dawn's books before but will definitely look out for her others.

I absolutely loved this book. As an independent woman this book called to my heart, called to my love of fairness and justice which runs through me like a stick of Blackpool rock,.

All the.key heroes are tenacious woman, all with different stories, all with different life experiences and all utterly compelling that you need to know (no demand to know) what happens next.

This book has inspired me to grab hold of the gumption in my own life and not to back down. Life is too important to settle, to be too comfortable.

I love that this fiction book can positively impact my real life. If You read it, it may also weave its magic around your life. Now wouldn't that be just a like bit magical.

The book that I was most eager to read in 2017 was Dawn O’Porter’s latest release The Cows. I didn’t know much about it but having watched Dawn O’Porter’s programmes and documentaries along with reading her previous books I knew that even if I didn’t love the story I would appreciate the writing.

Fortunately, I loved the story. The great writing was just an added bonus.

The Cows plays with concept that even now in the 21st century women are still seen as baby making machines. We are here to help continue the growth in population and whilst scientifically that is our main role real life is not like this.

O’Porter plays with the notion of motherhood in The Cows. She delivers three very realistic perspectives on how a woman is perceived not just by society but how she perceives herself. We have three strong female characters that are all in very different places in their lives; all with (mostly) relatable situations. The overriding message is that it is ok to pick your own path without the interference or judgement of others.

I bloody loved The Cows and would go so far as to say that it is my book of the year so far. I laughed, cringed, cried and ached during my reading and when an author can incite that kind of reaction you know that they are good at their job.

The Cows has received excellent reviews from those who have read it and whilst in life we salute the message of the book and recommend that you don’t follow the herd however when it comes to reading this book we demand that you do.

The Cows by Dawn O’Porter is available now.

For more information regarding Dawn O’Porter (@hotpatooties) please visit www.DawnOPorter.co.uk.

For more information regarding Harper Collins (@HarperCollins) please visit www.harpercollins.com.

This book seems aimed at the 30 -50 age group. As an older reader I found it less appealing, particularly the first chapter. The male characters were particularly unsympathetic earlier on. The book improved as one got into it, but it wasn't for me..

First things first: this is a great read, straight up. Dawn O'Porter has picked out a topical subject matter for the 21st century and pulled in all kinds of themes alongside, the ultimate message being carve your own path and don't follow the crowd, the herd, the cows!

There are shades of someone we all know in Cam, Tara and Stella, as they read like real people. There's the influential blogger, the desperate to be a mum and the single mum.

The devices Dawn O'Porter uses are great too, in particular the passages taken from Cam's forward-thinking opinionated blog. It gets across views that can still split society, but in this case from the perspective of a hugely influential online presence.

There is also the interesting use of social media and technology throughout the narrative and its ever-pervading nature. We see the lengths to which people will go to snoop in other people's lives, either with purpose like one of our main characters, or through browsing today's viral sensation. There is however room for the potential positives of social media too, which is nice to see as the internet is clearly not all doom and gloom, as anyone who has met genuinely nice people through social media will know.

The book did its job by me telling myself at various stages that something this ludicrous or outlandish would never happen in real life, only to turn to my phone to scroll through the latest viral 'scandal,' which of course can become even more ludicrous in this age of invasiveness. The reader is also given the other perspective, that of the potential victim of a viral campaign, and asks at whose expense is all this ridicule? Is there any dignity left in deciding whether to post something about someone else which could potentially ruin that person's career or life?

In terms of the debate around parenting and having babies, Dawn O'Porter presents various sides of the argument. I found it especially interesting that in debates around feminism and motherhood, the views of the older generation were included. The parents of Stella and Cam are present throughout the story and there was a view particularly strong passages where we're hit with another angle of a feminist argument. Namely that amongst the clamour for equal rights, those mothers who may have sacrificed their career a few generations to raise a family can sometimes be seen as having damaged the cause for feminism.

The Cows is a hilarious and fast-paced look at our own world, through the perspectives of three women finding their place in modern society. I really enjoyed reading each of their stories and how they intertwined without being forced.

Sometimes when a celebrity writes a book their image conjures up certain expectations, so I was ready for something pleasant, warm and funny.

Instead I was surprised, in a good way I might add, by how gritty, feisty, hardcore and brutally honest it was. When O’Porter says cows she really means cows.

The reader follows the lives of Tara, Stella and Cam. Tara is a successful documentary maker, who has to put up with a misogynistic boss. Stella is grieving the death of her sister and trying to establish her own identity. Cam is a feisty blogger, who ends up becoming a bit of an online celebrity after she tells the world that she doesn’t want to have children.

The lives of these three women become linked when one of them becomes a viral sensation when she is secretly filmed during a very private moment.

Leaving aside the plot and multiple story-lines for a moment, I do think the author has managed to create a sort of megaphone for women, and their opinions, in this book. Women often aren’t aware that other women are actually their worst enemy and at the spearhead of the fiercest vocal opposition.

You kind of expect men to try to undermine, control and belittle women. It is unfortunately part of as yet unbroken ancient societal habits. However when other women try to bring you down, it often feels like more of an affront. Surely other women should know exactly how you feel, think and all about the problems one encounters as a woman?

One of the topics Porter sheds a light on to make this point is women who choose not to have children. You wouldn’t believe the amount of criticism a by choice childless woman encounters in her lifetime. They are accused of not fulfilling their duties, not contributing to the world as they should. More power to them I say. I have plenty of friends for whom no children was and is a life choice. It has never even dawned on me to try and point the finger, convince them otherwise or chastise them. Regardless of with or without children I admire anyone who has a clear view of what is best for them, and has the guts to live the way they want to.

Women should learn to empower other women. To support other women instead of trying to break them down in an attempt to justify their own life choices or mistakes.

The second point the author makes is about the hypocritical way women are treated when it comes to sexuality, to be more specific, their sexual pleasure. They are shamed and ridiculed for having wants and needs. In this case no one points the finger at the voyeur or the person filming Tara secretly. In one foul swoop she is treated like a pariah, an unfit parent and a very loose woman. All because of one moment of intimate pleasure.

As I mentioned before I was pleasantly surprised by the in your face brutal honesty and to be quite frank our painful reality. O’Porter is definitely a voice to listen to in a crowd full of noisy voices.
*Thank you to the publisher for my copy of The Cows*

The Cows follows events in the lives of three women, each in a different decade of their lives as they face the trials and tribulations of being a modern woman in a modern world.

For hard-working single Mum Tara, this means rocking up to work hours early every single day just so she can leave on time to pick up her six year old daughter from school – despite her efforts, she still has to suffer the snide comments and boys’ club attitude of her male counterparts. Tara doesn’t see why she shouldn’t have it all – a good man, a family, a good job in TV that she works very hard at to succeed – indeed, why shouldn’t she? Unfortunately for Tara, an out of character experience after a disastrous, yet strangely fortuitous internet date leaves her in an extremely unenviable position, and looks increasingly like it might be about to ruin her life completely.

Stella. To paraphrase a famous song, “How do you solve a problem like Stella?” Being a surviving twin would be hard enough, but having lost both her twin sister and Mum to female cancers in a very short space of time, she then finds out she is a carrier of the BRCA gene that gives her an 85% chance of contracting a form of the disease herself. Her only option, other than to wait and see, is to have her breasts and ovaries removed. Given that Stella’s biggest wish is to have a family, specifically a baby, could this be enough to tip her over the edge? A few more prods and indeed it is, her resulting actions terrifying and reprehensible, although it’s testament to Dawn O’Porter’s characterisation that you may well find yourself feeling sympathetic towards Stella, despite the fact that she’s behaving so badly. Personally, I didn’t like her but I did feel I understood why she behaved the way she did.

Finally, in our trio of strong, determined women, is Camilla.
Cam has been a lifestyle blogger since blogs were a new thing – she’s a kind of IT girl on the blog circuit although she tries to shun the limelight as much as possible. Online, she pulls no punches and blogs about everything in almost excruciating detail – an honesty that has made her an online superstar and allows her to sustain a very comfortable lifestyle – thankyou very much! She writes about her relationship with her Mum, her sisters, herself, her sex life with a much younger man and her absolute certainty that she does not ever want to be a mother. She somehow finds herself as the ‘Face of Childless Women’ and grasps the mantle with her usual aplomb, facing misogyny, trolling, contempt, disbelief and lots of other stuff from people who don’t believe the ‘Cam’ that she puts out online or think she’s weird, or abnormal to not want a conventional family life. She’s tough though, so she can handle it – even if she knows she shouldn’t have to.

Having a number of narrators can be confusing, however in The Cows, the three women’s voices are distinctive and though their lives overlap at certain points, ultimately separate. They are different women. Their personalities are different, their aims in life are completely different, only their strength in adversity, determination to survive and succeed in getting what they want is universal. Although I watched several of her documentaries years ago, I haven’t read anything by Dawn O’Porter before, and I find her female characterisation inspiring and her writing style engaging. She has experience and/or knowledge of the subject areas she writes about, and this shows in her character and thematic development.

To finish this review I wanted to mention that some of the themes running through this book are really relevant and important, especially to a younger generation who have grown up with the internet and the lack of privacy it brings. Trial by internet is today’s judge and jury and the demonisation and shaming of ordinary people who make a silly mistake, or make a bad decision, and end up an Internet sensation really happens – we see it all the time. I actually found it quite uncomfortable at times because I know that if I came across a story like Tara’s, on the internet, I would probably think of her very differently and negatively in comparison to how I felt about her when I could see the situation from her point of view. More ‘daft cow’ than anything more sinister. There’s a lesson in there, definitely. There’s also a lesson about behaviour, and how it’s not always as black and white as you might think.

This is a story of 3 women - Stella, Tara and Cam - and their, often very funny, trials and tribulations of modern life! Their antics had me laughing on many occasions, and there was squirming too of the situations they found themselves in!

Stella is struggling to come to terms with losing her mother and identical twin sister to cancer, and how she is constantly reminded of life without them. She even keeps her sisters' facebook page active so she can pretend she's still around. But she is a lost soul and trying to find her way isn't easy.

Tara works in the male dominated world of TV and is a single mum. Her choice too and one that her parents found hard to deal with but her mother is a great help with childcare and encouraging her to find 'the one'. One of her dates does go well, but unfortunately the footage of her on a tube train on the way home goes viral and the dangers of how social media can isolate and destroy a person so quickly is brought home really well - even if the storyline is a little 'out there'!

Cam is a successful lifestyle blogger. Her every thought is shared online and resonates with thousands of people across the country. And she is adamant she never wants children and is very vocal about it through her blog and TV appearances and this brings her way the nastiness of others who see it as abnormal and weird.

I loved the way the story flits between each woman with the glimpses into their lives and all they are dealing with. The subjects discussed may not be for all but for a lot of readers, females particularly, it is refreshing to see topics such as periods, childfree women, masturbation, mammograms, life as a single mother, dating, dealing with grief, the highs and lows of social media - to name just a few - dealt with in an adult fashion, with humour and with compassion.

I did find the story tailed off a little towards the end and some of the situations were a little far fetched to say the least, but it was still a fun and refreshing read!

I did not request this title :S
Not sure how it happened but it showed in my shelf

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, HarperCollins, for the ARC. All opinions are my own - I don't follow the herd.

The three women in this novel are very different to each other; Tara is a single mother, determined to balance caring for her child with carving an outstanding role within a male-dominated industry; Cam is a successful blogger, who finds herself vigorously defending a woman's right not to have a child; and Stella, who has always lived in the shadow of her twin and cannot escape it even after her death.

It's a sassy, sharply, written novel with predicaments every woman can probably identify with in some way or another. OK so most women wouldn't dream of doing what poor Tara is caught doing, but the repercussions should fill everyone with fear and dread that social media has such power in our lives.

Stella is grieving for her sister and mother, who died within months of each other from ovarian cancer and breast cancer. Stella needs a hysterectomy and mastectomy after discovering she has the same deviant genes. Her eggs, and therefore her chances of becoming a mother, are on borrowed time.

Cam is the opposite - she rejects the very idea of motherhood and relationships, but her views aren't popular with everyone.

These three women are brought together under the strangest of circumstances in a story which will have you laughing, crying, and raising your fist and yelling 'Hell Yes!' Or maybe that's just me...