This is a wonderfully funny, feel-good story that I absolutely loved. Maia, a cleaner for the rich in order to look after her children, finds herself faced with an opportunity she never thought she'd get - to send her kids to the exclusive Stirling Hall School. Life among the wealthy parents is different - not to mention difficult - but soon Maia finds herself drawn to the lovely teacher Mr Peters.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book - it's romantic, it's witty, it's uplifting. I'm looking forward to more books from this author in the future!

***I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for this opportunity.***

This was a great book. The story was captivating and kept me interested throughout. Can’t wait for more from this author.

I love Kerry Fisher's writing so I was very excited to read this book. The cover and title were very intriguing to me. I greatly enjoyed reading about Maia and her kids as they went from rags to riches. Throw in a little romance and you have me hooked. This was a cute, fun read and I would gladly recommend it to all!

What a fun, entertaining book! This is a modern-day “Cinderella” story that centers around mother Maia, a house cleaner living in the poor side of town. When an unexpected inheritance falls into her lap, life turns completely upside down. Her kids are enrolled in the most prestigious school in town, tuition being paid for. As she gets thrown into a new circle of moms, some good and some bad, a whole new world is exposed.

I laughed, cried, and stared at the pages in shock as I was reading. What I enjoyed most was the development of Maia’s character. What started out as a somewhat meek woman, who doubted her abilities, blossomed to a strong, confident person.

A very highly recommended book!

The cover of this book did not do the story justice at all. In looking at the cover I was expecting a beach read type of story given the tag line of "a feel good romantic comedy" right on the cover. This book felt a bit more heavy than that.

Maia is from the wrong side of the tracks. She is a maid who lives with her boyfriend and her children just trying to survive. One of the women she lives with dies and leaves her with a special inheritance - she will pay for Maia's children to attend private school. Enter the fish-out-of-water storyline where she has to find her place in the world of private school moms who live a much different life than her. There's also the "romantic" aspect in an administrator who takes a special interest in helping Maia and her kids fit in.

I found myself absolutely entranced with the wrong side of the tracks storyline. I have always lived in middle class neighborhoods, and when I read about different neighborhoods it is usually the rich ones that are written about. This is the first book that I can think of that I have read about living in the slums. The only other one I can think of is The Outsiders. This brought a whole new element to the story I wasn't expecting. The end brought a surprise twist I didn't see coming as well. All in all, I enjoyed this book and would recommend this to all my friends to give it a try.

This book was so fun! I hadn't read any of Kerry Fisher previous books, but after this one I will be seeking them out. If you're looking for a stress-free relaxing beach read then The Not So Perfect Mother is a perfect option to accompany you to the beach/by the pool this season!

The Not So Perfect Mother follows the story of Maia, a working class cleaner, who comes in to the inheritance of a lifetime, allowing her children a better education by having funds to send them to the "ritzy" upperclass private school Stirling Hall in the next suburb. With this amazing opportunity comes great financial and personal sacrifice as Maia tries to make ends meet with the all the additional financial, and social challenges that come along with a private education for a working class family.

This is a journey of self-discovery, standing up for yourself and changing the things that no longer bring you joy, whilst falling in love in the most unlikely of places. If you don't mind books with cursing throughout, then give it a try!

**I received this book from Netgalley for the purpose to read and provide an unbiased review.

A book that helps shed light on how difficult it can be for someone with limited financial means to get out of their situation without significant help.

I've been struggling to read Jenni L. Walsh's "Side by Side" and decided to take a break with something easy. Kerry Fisher's "The Not so Perfect Mother" was the perfect choice.

This breezy, feel good story follows Maia, a working class mother living on a council estate in England with her partner, Colin and their two children, Bronte and Harley. 

Life isn't easy. They're behind on bills, he's often out of a job, while she is busting her ass to bring in money at various cleaning jobs. She has dreams of getting a degree through the Open University, but life keeps getting in the way.

Then, one of her best employers dies and leaves her a substantial sum of money, although it can only be used to send her children to the elite Stirling Hall School. In the hopes of bettering their lives, she enrolls them. However, this change does not come without its challenges.

Suddenly, she is thrust into the lives of the very wealthy. Her kids are in school with children who own iPhones not yet released in the states and whose parents are have multiples houses. She has the money to keep them in school, but struggles to pay for the extras like uniforms and school supplies. 

Meanwhile, she is falling further behind on the bills and life at home with Colin is filled with tension. At the same time, the handsome vice principal of Stirling Hall keeps giving her butterflies. 

Will Maia be able to keep her children in school? Will she end her relationship with the father of her children? Will she really be able to keep picking herself up after getting knocked down by life time and time again?

"The Not So Perfect Mother" was a purely fun read. It was poignant and emotional at times, but mostly sweet and funny. It's very British, so you might find yourself coming across some unfamiliar terms and expressions, but it's mostly easy to figure out.

Maia is resilient and determined, which pays off well during the book. The ending, though implausible, is very satisfactory. The cover is sort of ridiculous, but ignore it and enjoy the book, which was the perfect antidote to the more boring book I've been trying to finish. I'm glad I picked it up as a break!

I loved this book! Kind of Cinderella-like and I love it when the good girl wins.

Maia is a house cleaner. She has two kids with a lout, Colin, who didn’t even have enough motivation to marry her. He’s unemployed, drinks, gambles, and sleeps around. Meanwhile, Maia is trying hard to make a better life for them.

One of Maia’s cleaning clients dies and leaves her enough money and the direction to put her kids in a fancy private school. They begin to thrive in the school but with the associated fees for uniforms, etc. Maia just can’t keep her head above water. But, in the end, she prevails through some unexpected twists in the story.

This story, while sad in some spots, I’d also sweet and very funny. Two thumbs up! Loved it.

This story is perfect for what I refer to as a “pocket” book. That’s a book that I am reading on my Kindke that takes no concentration, is light hearted and has the occasional laugh out loud factor. I can pick this up and read while waiting for an appt or for a train to pass or at a coffee shop. Each character is a stereotype and we all know someone like them. The English humor and expressions were so enjoyable. I rarely read more than one book at a time but this is an exception. It’s not a story I will rush home from work to read or stay up late. It’s a filler when I need a boost or a good laugh. It’s like a grown up version of a fairy tale. #netgalley #bookotoure

We were first introduced to Kerry Fisher last year with her wonderful book The Silent Wife. It was suspenseful, surprising with twists everywhere.
So obviously when we saw The Not So Perfect Mother and were offered the chance to read and review it, of course we jumped on it. I’m so very grateful we did!
The Not So Perfect Mother was absolutely hilarious and so much fun. This is the twisted Cinderella story of a mother who cleans rich peoples houses until the death of one of her clients leaves her in a whole new world with a maybe prince charming. This story had me actually Laughing out loud at work, home, and at 2am. It was a wonderful, and so very funny I loved it so much and I can’t wait for her next story.
The Not So Perfect Mother is a must read! Kerry Fisher is such a great writer with such great range in writing style. I love her books and I think everyone can find something of hers you will love.
Also The Not So Perfect Mother is too funny and should be read by everyone!

I have read a couple of books by this author before, and when I got the opportunity to read this book, I grabbed it with both hands.

Maia is a cleaner who is in a relationship with a guy who is quite comfy, thanks very much, to let her do all the running around from one poorly paid job after another, whilst he sits on the couch and pretends to look for work himself. On top of that, he enjoys lording it over her and has a particularly close relationship with their daughter which means that their daughter is hard to handle as well. Luckily Maia has her easy-going son and her job for one particular elderly lady, which helps her feel a little bit better about herself.

Then comes a big upheaval when her kids find themselves trying to get by in a very exclusive school. They are fish out of water, and Maia doesn't fit it either with the other mums, but she tries very hard. I really liked the character of Maia so much.

This is a very multi-layered book, actually. There are a lot of comical situations which I loved, but there are also cringe-worthy moments that are all too easy to imagine as well. Also an interesting look at the different strata of society that people inhabit and what kinds of things are important etc.

I highly recommend this book. I really would like to meet this author one day, she has such a wonderful knack for storytelling!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

A modern rags to riches story that will have you rooting for this momma!

Maia is a mom, a wife and a housekeeper for the rich. She loves her two children, Harley and Bronte and works hard to provide for their family. The problem is her husband Colin. He is quite lazy and unmotivated. He sure made my blood boil and was the perfect unlikeable character. The author did an amazing job with characterization and this book had an array of characters to love or hate.

Maia jumps at the chance to send her kids to private school when she gets a surprise inheritance from a wealthy client. This opens them up for some “keeping up with the Jones” type scenarios and Maia finds herself and her kids scrambling for balance. I really appreciated how she always put her kids first and worked hard to be a role model for them.

The tides do turn in Maia’s favor and I was cheering her on! Lots of memorable lines, some characters you’ll want to scream at, and some heart warming moments to smile about. Fans of contemporary fiction should find this quite entertaining and such a feel good ending!

4 “The Struggle IS Real” Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

This was a fun, laugh out loud, real book with all the feels.... I picked this book up late one night with the intent just to read a couple chapters before bed and I ended up staying up and finishing it... it was just so much fun and I needed to know what was going to happen.... I do live in such a different environment than this book took place in, nobody gets out of the car when they pick up their kids, so no judgment! And if there is, nobody really knows about it.... now that I think of it when my kids were in elementary school I picked them up from the bus stop and it was just me and our neighbors housekeeper who didn’t speak English, so maybe she was judging me, I’ll never know....

Maia is a working woman trying to navigate her way in a upper class world.... she really wants a better life for her kids and is willing to grin and bear it through all the snobbery.... thank goodness for Clover... she was just the friend you would want in this situation and I loved the friendship between Maia and her... Who I did not like at all was Maia’s husband what a tool... I thought it was so adorable when the charming Mr. peters entered the picture... although I think Maia could’ve made some better choices when it came to starting that relationship... BUT I won’t judge like the women at the school drop off...

There were so many hilarious laugh out loud moments in this book and it counterbalanced the sadder moments.... Love a book that can make you both laugh and cry... and we even got a little bit of an unexpected twist at the end...

Recommend when you are in the mood for a fun quick read with lots of laughs and a few tears...

*** thank you so much to Bookouture for my copy of this book ***

Oh how I adored this book, it was laugh out loud funny but also had some poignant, emotional moments as well, it really had a little something for everyone and Maia was the perfect heroine for this delightful little read.

We’ve all been down on our luck at some point I imagine, but Maia is having a really difficult time and there’s no end in sight. When one of the women she cleans for passes away and offers her children a scholarship to a posh school that is miles away (social class wise at least) she takes it despite her reservations. Maia doesn’t fit it with the mother’s at Stirling Hall, and she doesn’t actually want to, these women are mostly awful, but she grits her teeth and smiles because she wants what’s best for her kids. That’s one of the qualities I admired about her, she is a fantastic mother who does her best by her children despite getting kicked in the teeth repeatedly. I really liked her character and even though I was shaking my head at some of her decisions, Fisher did create a believable person who makes mistakes and bad choices just like the rest of us.

I said before this was funny but I have to reiterate it again, there were some seriously hilarious scenes that had me rolling. This was a feel good read with heart and soul and had a wonderful ending with some surprises I didn’t predict.

The Not So Perfect Mother in three words: Funny, Relatable and Entertaining.

I very much enjoyed this book! I was rooting for Maia to get away from her partner, apartment and lifestyle. Some parts dragged a bit in the middle of the book, I found myself skimming a few pages but overall I really did enjoy it. Loved the ending:)

This book was a much needed break from my usual psychological thrillers. It was hysterical! I believe all mothers will be able to see themselves in Maia no matter their financial status. She is real and strong. I admire her and rooted for her the entire story! I loved this story!

4.5 Stars1

Maia is a cleaner working for women who have posh lives, while she struggles to raise her family. Their lives change when she receives a rather unusual inheritance. One of the women that she worked for has died and left her an inheritance to provide her children with tuition to the exclusive Stirling Hall School. This is quite an adjustment because the changes are many, including all of the extras required for her children to attend the new school.

Meanwhile, her family life is quite strained, especially since her partner is letting her down left and right. Also, she has lost more than one client, and her finances take a hit. On an emotional level, she develops feelings for someone a the school. But, the crux of the matter is that she may not be able to keep her children in their new school. Just as I was about to give up right along with Maia, something even better happens to her.

This is my first book by Kerry Fisher, but one that I enjoyed quite well. It was an easy, quick read, and I thoroughly enjoyed the British humor. I was able to connect with Maia and her struggles. I felt for her children as they adapted to the changes their new lives took. I also nearly applauded when she finally let her relationship with her partner go. The ending was a delight. I loved this book and look forward to reading more from this author.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review.

Date of publication: June 6, 2018

When it comes to Contemporary I really love when it has comedy in it. I loved the fact that Maia, although she struggled, still had the courage to move on and find the humor in things. Maia has love for her two children and she would do anything for them. She found love for herself and her and her children can finally be happy and okay. This is definitely a light funny read.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC. This is my first book by Kerry Fisher and it will not be my last.

Maia, A working girl from the wrong side of the tracks and long term boyfriend Colin have two kids who end up at a posh school. Definitely not easy when the working class has to mix with the rich.
I truly enjoyed this book and will continue to read Ms. Fisher.