The Woman Who Ran Away From Everything was a sweet story perfect for whiling away a cold winter’s day. Kate has left her life and a job she loves to follow her husband from London to the small town he grew up in. Kate quickly comes to realize that this is the pattern of her marriage. She juggles all the work and responsibilities of home life to support a husband who doesn’t appreciate her. One night she ups and leaves and ends up in Scotland. In true rom com fashion she meets new people and rediscovers the person she used to be. The plot was predictable but I did not mind as I found Kate and her friends in Scotland to be believable, likable characters. This is the first book I’ve read by Fiona Gibson and look forward to reading others.
3.5* rounding up to 4*

Thanks so much Avon Books UK and NetGalley.

Kate is sick and tired of being taken for granted by her husband. At a party in her home room, she sneaks out through the bathroom window and finds herself soon helping a woman empty out a house in Scotland. She has to figure out who she is.

This book is told in alternating POVs between Kate and her husband Vince.

I liked the first half. It was humorous, relatable, and made me really root for Kate. However, I thought the rest of the story was a mess. I don't think Kate answered the question about who she is. I really wanted to root for her, but it was difficult. Same with Vince. I thought that Vince actually grew more as a character, however. The ending felt rushed and unresolved. Still, there were moments that were laughable and I think a lot of people will like the book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️From the publisher Avon Books: Kate is sick of being taken for granted by her husband Vince. It’s bad enough that she allowed herself to be dragged away from the London life she loved, but now she’s constantly compelled to keep up with the (very smug) Joneses in this small home counties town. She hates it here. What happened to the fun-loving woman she used to be? At almost 50 Kate feels lost, overlooked and like nothing is ever going to change. That is, until she comes home to an unexpected party – one that she has to cater.
And that’s it. The final straw. Breaking point.
She has no plan, but a chance encounter at Euston station sees her following her own heart for once – to beautiful Scotland where a crumbling mansion and a handsome bookseller could be just what she needs . . .
As Kate discovers, sometimes you have to feel utterly lost to find out who you truly are.
*********************
My review: Kate has hit a wall: in her marriage, her career, her social life. Taking off (even if she's the "wrong Kate") seems like a great idea. Predictably, she ends up in a place she adores, taking care of things as if she was meant to, and being appreciated. As I said, predictably. I have read a few books like this: middle aged women set in the UK, mid life upset, she finds herself.
It's a sweet tale, I wanted Kate to grow a spine and get what she needs and deserves. Very PG and lovely secondary characters. you can cheer for Kate in this quick, light read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ thank you to Avon and NetGalley for an advance digital copy in exchange for my review.

Kate is married to Vince, and expected to do everything. She is devastated when he decides to move to Shugbury, a village in the home counties, disregarding her wishes to keep the job she loves and friends in London. But when she finishes her demanding job, and discovers a party going on in her home with Vince expecting her to cater - it’s the last straw!

This is a warm hearted story about a woman’s journey to find herself and explore what has been missing from her life. From becoming her husband’s dogsbody, she is determined to make time for herself and find the fun loving person she used to be. Hilarious at times, but also sensitively written.

I liked most of the characters, from Alice whom Kate begins to work for, to Fergus, a handsome book seller with whom Kate becomes involved. The interplay and friendships develop as the story unfolds. Settings in the Perthshire village where the story takes place are described so beautifully, you wish you were there.

It was also interesting to gain insight into Vince’s mindset, showing his selfish arrogance in a humorous way. I found this to be an enjoyable read with great characters set in beautiful Scottish countryside.

Not all those who wander are lost, they say. But in a world that seems determined to make us fit into neat little boxes in order to satisfy the needs of others (while our own needs often go largely unheard or unaddressed), there are undoubtedly times in life when you have to wander pretty far off the beaten track in order to find yourself again...

Kate is discovering this for herself, after approaching her fifth decade only to discover that she has gradually changed so much in order to tailor her presence to the wishes of people like her self-absorbed spouse, Vince, that she barely recognises - let alone likes! - herself anymore.

Not. For. Long.

Not for a minute longer!

After one unreasonable demand too many, Kate literally *escapes* from her home with the sole intention of being anywhere but there, slowly suffocating in someone else's version of life in the Home Counties.

Following her instincts leads her, surprisingly enough, to beautiful Scotland and a very different lifestyle, however temporary it may be. Mind you, that's not the only surprise in store for Kate in this new avatar of hers...

This is a delightful story, and one where at least some of the elements will be relatable to many women of a certain age and stage in life. It is a pleasure for readers to journey alongside Kate on this mid-life voyage of discovery, replete with humour and unexpected revelations. It gets 3.5 stars

I do love a good Gibson novel - I know exactly what I am getting each time: a cast of well written, well rounded characters, some smiles and laughs, some poignant bits, and some cracking writing. This is no different.

A positively delightful way to spend a few hours reading - highly recommended.

I like Fiona Gibson's books, which are fun and warm and relatable. Kate, fed up of being taken for granted (the Oat Milk Incident was the final straw), walks out on her home and husband on the spur of the moment, but life takes an unexpected turn when she is mistaken for a different Kate at a railway station.

We see subsequent events both from the point of view of Kate and the abandoned Vince. Both manage to get themselves into hot water of varying degrees. There's a fun and largely believable - if slightly exaggerated - cast of characters in both stories.

Kate's frustrations that led to her walking out seemed entirely justified, and my jaw dropped more than once at the sheer cloth-eared effrontery of not only her husband but the various ghastly neighbours.

A highly enjoyable read.

I really enjoyed reading this novel about a middle-aged woman who got fed up with being taken for granted, and decided on the spur of the moment to run away from home . . . but it turned out that she was running towards finding herself again. I was immediately engrossed with Kate's story and felt emotionally connected to her.

The author did an excellent job of portraying the real difficulties of a marriage, and I also loved how she was able to really get inside Vince's mind. Many of his thoughts and impressions made me laugh out loud and even gave me a little insight into how my husband might see things sometimes (although he's nowhere near as self-absorbed as Vince was :)

Thanks to the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A thoroughly enjoyable book with more than a touch of humour, in fact, quite hilarious at times. I loved the storyline with put-upon Kate escaping her horrendously incapable useless husband, Vince, in a moment 0f madness but who can blame her. The descriptions of life in a small town, Shugbury, in the home counties is just brilliant. Certainly rooting for Kate and Alice who she accidently finds herself in Perthshire with and the gentle Fergus, again wonderful atmospheres one can almost smell the bracken and heather. The only thing that slightly grated was there were three interruptions at inopportune moments which one could see coming and just didn't want to happen in at least two of the occasions. I didn't want it to finish and really want to know what happens next in all camps. Perhaps we'll find out sometime.

I loved this book. Kate has lost herself. Her husband has decided they move from London to the village he grew up in when he is left his parent's house. Kate has left the job she loved and her friends.
Now she is just miserable and when she arrives home from work one day to find her husband is entertaining all the nosey neighbours. He shouts to her to put out food and where's the wine kept and oh the dog's been sick, well she flips. Climbing out the bathroom window she leaves her husband to cope alone with his guests, and the dog sick.
This book made me laugh and that's not an easy thing to do. Finally Gibson's humour shines all the way through this book. I love seeing a man get his comeuppance and finally realising how much work women do.
There's a tentative love story, a new friendship and the question of what do you want out of life? Is it ever too late to start again.
If you need cheering up this is the book to read.

This book lives up to its title with a downtrodden, married woman who literally runs away from everything! It's an uplifting, funny book that makes you want to read on to see if she finds fulfilment in what she does. I'd definitely recommend this as an enjoyable easy read.

Entertaining and escapist - and more than a little relatable! A recommended purchase for collections where lighter WF is popular.

This was so so lovely. A mad relationship here Kate doesn’t feel and certainly isn’t valued. The day to day examples of life in an insular suburban close is brilliant, the small insults that always go unnoticed and absorbed until suddenly they don't and life changes. A beautiful tale of taking chances, just going for it and trusting your gut for the first time. The love story is slow and winds its way through the book and is done with care and gentleness which was quite emotional. A bookshop that thrives and a cute life saving dog. A real winner of a book.

The title, author and the cute cover drew me in. What a fantastic read! All of the characters are relatable. Kate, the FMC, is real and oh so cute. She is fed up with her life, her husband doesn't appreciate her - I would want to run away too! This book made me lol numerous times - especially when she escaped out a window. A great storyline that kept me interested until the very end.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This is a five-star read that will captivate you. Fiona Gibson always brings funny to her stories, and this one has a poignancy as well, Kate really is someone you can imagine yourself as, imagine her felling so stuck that she has no choice but to run away from the bathroom window and jump on a train in such circumstances. You will get swept up as you pass the miles, from Shugbury to Scotland, feeling the heaviness wilt away. There is something special about this story, as you could really dislike some of the characters, but the more you get to know them, the more you understand them and what makes them they way they are. You will enjoy this story, and the way it unfolds, now I am off to find me a lovely book shop I can while a couple of hours in.

The title is intriguing. The characters are realistic. Kate is quirky. The book begins with her escaping out a window. I chuckled. This talented author has written a page turner. Kate wants a different life. Her husband takes her for granted. He has no clue. Enjoy her journey. I liked this book. I really liked this book. This story moves quickly. Thanks Netgalley.

The opening scene with Kate climbing out her bathroom window drew me right into her life her story.FionaGibson never fails to entertain her writing her characters are wonderful another gem.#netgalley #avonbooksuk

Another fantastic, funny, totally relatable read from Fiona!
I love the writing style,characters and the way you are drawn in, I was racing through the pages to get my next fix!
Kate and Vince have moved to Vince’s parents bungalow in a sleepy little town, far removed from their previous London life!
Kate is at a crossroads feeling unneeded, unloved and unsettled and after being taken advantage of yet again by Vince she ups and leaves!
Kate enjoy finding herself and making new friends in her rather unconventional new job role and in doing so reflects on life, marriage, parenthood and what she needs for the future!
A brilliant read totally relatable to woman of a certain age, demonstrating their is life beyond the mundane, relentless, humdrum existence that we can sometimes find ourselves in!
Having the courage to be your own agent of change is a wonderfully empowering thing and reaps so many benefits!
Would highly recommend
Thank you NetGalley for this early read.

Beyond excited for this title! Will be sharing a full review and personal feedback/thoughts very soon. I love acquiring books about woman taking their power back and starting anew. I can’t wait for readers to get their hands on Kates story. I know it will inspire many.

This book was so good! It was intriguing and really drawed me in. I'll be reading more of this authors work.