My feelings about this book are complicated.

Very, very well observed, both in terms of relationships and parenting. Some humorous parts (I don't really do 'laugh out loud funny', but they certainly raised a smile), however what the book lacked for me was a really coherent narrative that kept me reading. If someone were to ask me to sum up the plot I would find it difficult, without just saying 'Mum experiences' - nothing really happens, and for me it meant it was a very slow read - not one I wanted to pick up all the time.

Nicely written, and I look forward to reading more by the author - I have a feeling that this is more one to watch.

Yes this book is funny - but unfortunately it wasn't enough for me to love this book.
It was just moany, and a bit 'poor me' at times - despite this very middle class lifestyle.
It was very slow paced, and felt very bitty and choppy. There wasn't a coherent narrative throughout that enabled me to feel connected to the central characters.
Not for me!

I really like Lucy Mangan's memoir on childhood reading, Bookworm, so was excited to read her debut novel, Are We Having Fun Yet? It did not let me down. From the first few pages I had a smile on my face and a related to the frustrations of Liz as she tries to navigate family life as the mother of two.

I really enjoyed this funny, witty take on modern family life, I devoured it in a weekend, so readable.

I love Lucy Mangan’s journalism. This is a perfectly adequately written book that many people will love. It falls into the Motherland/ Mummy Needs a Gin style of middle class parenting storytelling that is currently popular. I have never been that kind of parent and hate this style. So it’s not for me.

Great book! Funny and real and heartfelt. Written as I diary I found myself saying ‘ok one more day’ then I’ll go to bed/ start work/ cook etc but it’s just so tempting to devour it

A great big hug of a book, packed with laugh-out-loud episodes and "But ... that's my life! How does Lucy know me so well?" moments.

Are We Having Fun Yet by Lucy Mangan ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Publication Day!

This book is frigging hilarious! From her description of the family’s yearly holiday and the joy of parents’ evening, to her new found love of the her child free gym ‘it’s basically as I would wish my home to be, but with better hairdryers and water pressure’ and her friend’s summer holiday FuckThisForAGameOfSoldiers WhatsApp group it had me laughing out loud throughout!

The only reason this isn’t a five star is because not everyone would be able to relate to it but if you like the Why Mummy series and Motherland this is definitely for you 👍

I had read and enjoyed Bookworm, Lucy Mangan's non-fiction memoir of childhood books. When I saw that she had written a novel I really wanted to read it.
The protagonist Liz, was completely relatable, I also long to just sit down and read my book with my beloved cat. My family, like hers also ask me to do something to prevent this.
I don't think that there has ever been a book that I relate to as much. The various demands that are always required of me that I barely had a moment to myself. My children are now older than Liz's but there were a lot of similarities.
This book had a lot of humour and it was fun to read. It is entertaining and engaging.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.

HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY

Are We Having Fun Yet is Lucy Mangan's debut novel. Congratulations 🥳

Are We Having Fun Yet is about Liz, who just wants to have a break from her kids, her husband and life in general. We take a year trip in Liz's life, we cry, we laugh with her and sometimes secretly at her, we nod and gasp the book and shake our heads and say "nooo". But in the end we simply smile, because we understand.

I really enjoyed the story. I laughed more than enough times and I could definitely relate to several of the events that happened in the story. 
However because it was almost a day to day journal book type of format, the story didn't really go anywhere. I think this was intentional though, as sometimes parenthood (speaking on behalf of myself) most days blend together. 😏

Would I have still read it if I knew what it was going to be like? Absolute-freaking YES. As a mother and a wife, I love reading books where I can relate to the characters, you know get a laugh at the different blunders that arise, because love i have been there I know exactly what it is like. 

I did however learn that even though being a parent is hard work, and yes sometimes life questions our sanity. We need to take parenthood/life by the horns, ride through whatever our children have left on the ground for us to walk on, and simply ask Are We Having Fun Yet?

Thank you so much @netgalley , @serpentstail and @viper.books for approving my request to read and review this book. 

#AreWeHavingFunYet #LucyMangan #Netgalley #SerpentsTail #ViperBooks #Parenthood #Motherhood #LifeInGeneral #BeingAParent #ChicLit #WomensFiction #Comedy #DryHumour #Review #Reviewed #ReadAndReviewed

Sometimes, a book just clicks with you, and so it was for me and Are We Having Fun Yet? The book not only reflects a life not to dissimilar to my own but was written with a sense of humour that resonated with me.

Liz is an introvert, much preferring a quiet life and a book to the alternative, and is trying to raise her children as best she can, “assisted” in this endeavour by her husband, Richard. Though my children are younger, and my husband is not *quite* as ineffective in his role as joint-runner-of-the-household, I related a LOT to Liz. As a side point, it took looking on Goodreads to check her name, as the story is told through Liz’s diary entries over the course of the year, and I couldn’t recall her name being mentioned; it may not have been.

There were three separate occasions where, between giggles, I read out an extract to my husband because Richard was doing or saying something that was almost EXACTLY something he had done in recent memory. There were so many times where I was either nodding in agreement or thinking “thank god its not just me”.

The use of the diary format allows us to gain insight into the otherwise non-confrontational Liz's inner frustrations and commentary. There is a lot in here about the much discussed (at least amongst my mum friends) "mental load" and it is clear that Liz is carrying it here. Who hasn't internally raged at the use of the word "we" in your partners queries about jobs that still haven't been done?

This is a hilarious yet insightful book, picking up on the intricacies of modern motherhood and marriage. I’ve already recommended this book to my mum friends and will continue to do so. I think it is one that I’ll re-read again in the future, it was almost comforting in a way, to feel such solidarity with a character.

I love this type of book and laughed out loud. It's funny, irreverent and throughly enjoyable book that will make you laugh.
The humour and the style of writing are excellent.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I really enjoyed this book. It covers a period of roughly a year in the life of the Dashwood family. Written in diary type form, it is a funny and irreverent look at trying to juggle jobs , children, extended family, friends and other obligations in the modern world. I found it fun and interesting, though nothing really happens, the narrative keeps the reader engaged. Recommended. Thanks to Serpent’s Tail/ Viper/ Profile books and Netgalley for an ARC of this novel.

Thanks for letting me read this. I felt I could resonate with a lot of the characters. One of those books I cold read all the way the way through without stopping.

I wanted to like this book, I really did as I think Mangan is an engaging columnist, but after ploughing through this novel I was just left thinking: so what?

This is just another post-Bridget Jones attempt at a comic novel that paints a picture of modern womanhood that would have me tearing my hair out if I wasn’t so catastrophically bored. Following all the Bridget-Jones-a-likes we are treated to endless Slummy Mummies who heroically battle on, like the martyrs they are. I’m not a mother; may be I’d find this novel hilarious if I had squeezed out a couple of kids?

Oh look, women drinking prosecco. Oh look, the evil stay-at-home mother who rules the PTA. Oh look, the husband who doesn’t do enough around the house. We’ve been here before, we don’t need to go here again. There is the odd funny line, but I get a sense that these are punchlines that were in search of a narrative and would have been shoehorned into this debut novel come hell or high water.

Perhaps even worse is that this novel doesn’t even have a plot. It’s in a diary format so the only structure is a parade of stuff that happens each year, and that’s your lot. There’s little to engage, there’s no jeopardy or drama. Things that might be serious (one of the children is being bullied) are disposed of relatively quickly.

Did the main character even have a first name? If she did, I can’t tell you what it was. Someone’s husband also changes name within a couple of paragraphs.

This is a series of warmed-over complaints about modern motherhood, with a vague attempt at some heavy-handed social commentary every so often seemingly to justify its existence. Comedy or satire, if it’s done well, doesn’t need this Guardian-lite lip service to make these points, those points are there for anyone to see if they care to think about it.

I didn’t need to read this novel and sorely wished that I hadn’t. You will be all the points made in this novel better delivered in the BBC’s Motherland.

I felt seen by this book. A funny but relatable look at family life. It shows the ups and downs of marriage and children in a light hearted manner. Written as a fictional diary of a middle age Mum who is juggling the pressures from the school gate and work. Her two children are completely different and I particularly enjoyed the character of Evie a very outspoken 5 year old wise beyond her years.
The book took longer than I anticipated to read it but I did enjoy it.

Many thanks to the Publishers/Author/Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.

I genuinely don’t think that I’ve ever read a book that could resonate with so many people before…

This book was laugh out loud funny, and so realistic, I actually cannot wait for the release date so i can purchase this for myself and re read it.

Follow Liz in this diary like novel, as she deals with finding a work/life/home balance. With an adoring husband and two lovely children, Liz is incredibly happy and lucky.. but can’t seem to find a moments peace.

She speaks the truth we all know, that sometimes mums (and dads) face the struggle every day to fit in enough time to work, socialise, have long overdue date nights, spend quality time with the kids, look after any pets, as well as maintaining a healthy lifestyle and still trying to find time for hobbies!

This book was really chilled and was a great little read.

A humorous look at a middle class family's life bringing up two small children, with all of the chaos and demands that can be made by a combination of PCTA, school friendship, family holidays, keeping your relationship going, elderly parents and work. I enjoyed reading it, having lived through those years not so long ago! I have probably read similar books before, but this is a well written and well plotted view of life as a mother in the 20th century

I was gripped by this book from the very first page, when I started reading it i thought that it would be a quick and easy read that was good in th emoment but it was much more than that. it was so funny, it was engaging and it was compelling. A really great read.

This was a lot of fun. If you enjoyed BBC's Motherland, or like myself have first-hand experience of being a working mum, this will be right up your street. Lots of giggles reading the things Evie and Thomas come out with in particular.

Liz is a married mother of two young children, with a bit of a man-child of a husband. She just wants five minutes alone to relax with her cat, Henry occasionally. But everyday family life seems to thwart her at every opportunity.

Recommended for stressed-out mothers everywhere.

(Will add Amazon review once book is live)

39-year-old Lucy longs for a moment's peace with adored cat, Henry and a book, but life has other plans, in the form of her family. Verbose but lovely lawyer husband, Richard and children, sensitive and thoughtful Thomas (aged 8) and feisty and determined Evie (aged 5). Combining part-time working in the charity sector with keeping the house going, trying to find time for mum friends, whilst avoiding the cliquey, demanding and 'organic, no screens, perfect homes' PTA school mums, is exhausting. What follows is a year in her life, the highs and lows, hilarity and frustration and not nearly enough time for herself.

This is a laugh out loud - I resonate well with you kind of book. This is fun, cheerful and exactly what you need if in a reading slump.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.