Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was very poignant and I enjoyed how it mixed humor with a realistic tale

I'd recommend if you're looking for

-A British comedy
-Down on her luck 30 something moving back home
-A shed for a bedroom
-A great group of friends (I got major Four Weddings and a funeral vibes and I loved it)
-A youtube teenage gaming sensation who wears animal heads to cover his identity
-A genus for a younger sister
-Parents who are rediscovering their marriage as empty nesters, with sushi

While this read more as women's fiction than a romance I appreciated that the cast of characters was older but still figuring things out. I related so much to the main character, Ros coming home and being nostalgic for her twenties and feeling like everyone else around her has their lives figured out. She tries to give the one that got away another shot. The dry humor, the realism of the struggles, I truly enjoyed this book.

Rating: 4 stars

This ultimately was not for me. I found the characters and writing to be quite flat, this made it difficult for me to connect with the characters enough to actually care about what happened to them. Between that and the painful shoehorned in pop culture references it's a no for me.

Such a fun, light read and I wish it was being published sooner. You really come to enjoy Ros and her tough times. Her character is perfectly written and enjoyable. Lindsey Kelk is definitely an author to watch.

“The only difference between a fresh start and ‘oh my god, my life is a complete failure’ is a good attitude and the right Instagram caption.”

I was fully hooked by the first sentence. This was an entertaining book about the escapades of a 32 year old restarting her life. Ros is at a stagnant point in her life, forced to move back home to a garden shed that has been lovingly provided by her parents, and reconnect with friends whose lives have moved on without her. She’s clinging on to an idea of the past that felt comfortable and was perfect in her mind that she is willing to do anything to capture that feeling again.

The writing with this book felt as authentic and real as the lead character herself. There is a flow to the authors writing that makes it easy to get lost for hours in this book. She is able to make the mundane situations entertaining and fun with lighthearted characters that have depth and realistic qualities that you can find within yourself that make you feel connected to each one.

This story is much more than a lighthearted romcom. Sure the slapstick comedy will get you laughing, but there’s dimensions to the story that make it more meaningful. By recreating the past, one can miss out on a significant future or just simply miss on living fully in the present. There are a lot of thought provoking honesty in these situations. Though Ros is 32, you watch her grow as an adult and work through issues from her past and through her self discovery she finds this incredible self empowerment to go after the things she wants in life.

Ladies and gentlemen… I have found my new celebrity obsession Snazzlechuff. Let give a round of applause for the 14 year old sensation who will be taking over the word one animal mask at a time. And can we also show some love to the amazing support system that is Sumi, Adrian, and Lucy. I enjoyed the unique roles each person played in Ros life and the camaraderie and friendship that will never fade as the years go on.

This was a realistic view that no, you probably won’t have your life perfect in your 30s. A person is constantly growing and adapting to different stages of life and that’s OK if you are still trying to figure it out. I enjoyed this book so much. The message and the love story were so captivating and entertaining. Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins for the ARC.