This is a very slow paced character driven story. While this works for me I know it’s not for everyone. Coralie is an Australian working in London. She is new to London and doesn’t know many people. She meets Adam and his adorable daughter Zora and they quickly feel a connection. Their romantic relationship develops and they move in together. Coralie always had the dream of becoming a writer but as the years go on she begins to feel that life has passed her by. Adam has become very successful during this time period as he is on the radio, does podcasts, and has written four books about UK politicians. Adam and Coralie now have two small children and Zora half time. She is relieved she is no longer balancing child care and work as she has now left her job. Coralie loves her children and is a wonderful mother but the routine and monotony around child care, cooking, cleaning, school pickups and drop offs begins to overwhelm her. Adam isn’t much help as so much of his time is taken up involving his various projects. This book encompasses ten years and has a lot of discussion around UK politicians, their platforms, and continual elections as well as Brexit. All of this weighs on Coralie’s mind as well as the state of the world’s environment. To top it off then Covid hits. Coralie and Adam’s love for each other is strong overall but as Coralie becomes more entrenched in anxiety and depression he doesn’t see it happening which causes her to become more resentful toward him. This is a powerful story about seemingly having everything you wanted but not feeling seen. Coralie’s feelings are valid and understandable and I appreciated the depth the author brought to the story. The characters are all entertaining and overall I really enjoyed this book.

I was really looking forward to this one but it wasn't quite what I was expecting. Less of a sweeping romance and more of a quiet insight into one woman's life falling in love with a single dad, her journey to motherhood and the ups and downs that came with parenting small children during a pandemic while trying not to lose pieces of yourself. It was very relatable and honest but I could have done with less of the British politics interwoven throughout. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review. Would recommend for fans of books like When I ran away by Illona Bannister.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

Coralie transfers from her native Australia to the London office of her firm, and meets Adam when she rescues his daughter from a duck pond. I found the first half of this story very entertaining. Coralie's sense of humour appeals to me and the characterization in general is excellent. Gradually we learn more about why Coralie left Australia and about her childhood. Her appalling father 'Roger (Dad)' is an especially excellent character. However, the balance of Coralie's story and the accompanying UK political goings-on shifted in the second half, and I read more about Boris Johnson than I really wanted to.

This was thought-provoking in a Virginia Woolf/room of one's own way, but also a really good story.

When I first started Consider Yourself Kissed, I thought I was in for a charming, modern romance. And it is—but it’s also something deeper, quieter, and much more bittersweet.

Coralie and Adam’s relationship felt refreshingly real. There’s no whirlwind drama, no explosive twists—just two people building a life together over ten years, raising a child, navigating careers, and surviving everything from Brexit to pandemic lockdowns. And in the middle of all that noise, Coralie’s slow realization that she may have lost a piece of herself really hit home.

The writing is sharp and observant, and there’s a lovely balance of humor and poignancy. I laughed out loud at a few moments (especially anything involving Adam’s overly logical takes on romance), but there was also a lingering sadness that stayed with me. That tension between love and selfhood—between the life you dream of and the person you want to be—was handled with a lot of nuance.

My only gripe? It meandered a bit in the middle. There were times when the pace sagged and I found myself skimming, hoping we’d get back to the emotional core. But by the end, I was glad I stuck with it.

It’s not your typical "happily ever after" story—but that’s what made it resonate. It asks harder questions. And even if the answers aren’t always clear, the journey is worth taking.

3.5/3.75 stars

Consider Yourself Kissed is a cute and relatable albeit sometimes a frustrating and depressing story about the chaos of family life, love, and the struggle to balance personal dreams with the demands of raising kids and relationships. it follows coralie, a young australian who moves to london, falls in love with adam, a journalist and political commentator, and quickly gets swept into his busy world of family and career. as adam’s career takes off, coralie’s own ambitions, specifically her lifelong dream to write a book, get sidelined as she juggles managing the house, caring for adam’s daughter, and having kids of her own.

the characters are fun and well-developed. i appreciated the authentic family dynamics. also loved the cute shorthand between coralie and adam (like their "CYK" sign-off), which added a sweet, intimate touch.

although it was likely to elicit relatability, the constant cycle of family responsibilities and coralie’s dissatisfaction began to feel repetitive, and i found myself less invested as the story went on. i think there is absolutely an audience who would eat this up and enjoy it, but i just started to drift off a bit. especially due to the political backdrop of the book (im sure english readers will have no problem following along), there were just a couple moments that felt hard to connect to or stick with.

it’s a charming and funny book with great characters. i recommend to those who like a good old fashioned rom-com, with a little bit of a twist in the sense that we start the book with a family and kids and work our way from there.

Every once in a while you read a novel, and you just know it will stick with you for a long while. This is such a novel! Stanley’s debut is relatable, sharp, and warm and one that I think every woman will see bits of herself in. A novel of blended families - the working through it all, the joys and incredible challenges of parenting, unconventional childhoods, dealing with extended family, and navigating marriage through the seasons. Coralie is an Australian living in London and easily relatable - a woman who gives up her career to keep her family’s home life in motion. There’s guilt and sadness because her life is so great, but at the same time she’s incredibly dissatisfied. Her husband Adam is a political journalist, writer and the story takes place against the backdrop of the political landscape in the UK over ten years.
Stanley’s characters leap off the page with secondary characters being equally memorable. Her depictions of family life - think children attending Montessori schools, (the need for indoor shoes IYKYK), the desire for thinking one should take up Yoga with Adrienne, (haven’t we all?), the hustle and bustle of morning routines, the insulation of Covid… (remember when we all stayed home?) are clever, astutely observed and humourous. I think this will be widely popular! I loved it!