Denise and Claire , Claire’s mom Denise devoted her life to her husband Ray no one was more important not even her daughter Claire.Then one day Ray was gone leaving Denise sad heartbroken shocked.
Claire did the opposite of her mom devoted herself to her children .As her life changes heartache arrives can she& her mom reconcile.A lovely read Shari Low is a wonderful writer each of her book is special read. #aria #netgalley.

This Is Me by Shari Low is an emotional and thought-provoking tale that ponders a dichotomy of familial love. Should a woman pour all of her love into her children, or reserve the bulk of her adoration for her husband?

This is the story of Denise and Ray Holloway and their daughter, Claire. When Denise becomes pregnant at seventeen she marries Ray, and he immediately becomes the centre of her world. Daughter Claire and son Doug are all but ignored as Denise continues to view Ray through rose-coloured glasses, despite his appalling treatment of his family. Claire is sickened by her mother's behaviour and becomes estranged from both parents.

Fast forward twenty years and Claire is herself a mother of two boys who become her life, much to the detriment of her marriage. Two women, two very different approaches to defining what it means to be a wife and mother.

This is a novel that will have readers questioning their own relationships with spouses, children, and parents. Low presents an extreme case scenario in Denise and Claire but her message will, I believe, resonate with many. I will look forward to reading more from this author in future.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Aria for this ARC.

Thank you to Shari Low and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book. I have read a few other books by Shari Low, and I was anticipating the same type of novel that I would expect from this author.

Claire is such a fun character and its very easy to resonate with her story and what she's going through, and how she feels as her story is told. Denise is a character, that if you're a strong woman, it's hard to understand how her only thing in life is to be truly and totally devoted to her husband, even to the point of pushing her kids to the side. I couldn't relate to her character, however the stories of both Claire, Denise and ultimately Doug are some of the best written stories I've read in quite a while.

This is an author I will continue to follow, as her novels never disappoint.

I loved this book! I am a huge fan of Shari Low and was delighted to have the opportunity of reading an early copy of this. There is such warmth and humour to her books, and I love the Glasgow setting. I always enjoy a book that takes us through several generations of the one family allowing us to track their lives over the years. Denise, oh my goodness that woman! She annoyed me beyond belief! I did see a lot of myself in Claire right enough! Characters you could really believe in, this book is funny, sad and poignant and I would thoroughly recommend it.

Another good read by Shari Low. I'm really enjoying her books lately. The book focuses on the balance if a mother's love and the love between husband and wife. The story interweaves between Denise and Claire an estranged mother and daughter. Denise had no time for her children, focusing solely on the love for her husband. Claire learning from the mistakes of her mother has an all consuming love for her boys to the detriment of her marriage. Lowe has an amazing way of taking us through time and the lives of these women. Did they both get it wrong. And what happens next. A great read.

I have enjoyed all of Shari Low’s previous books and this one doesn't disappoint.

This is Me is the story of mother and daughter Denise and Claire; two women who have very different ideas of what being a mother should be.

While this is a heartbreaking read, it is also filled with love, friendship and laughter which gives the story a nice balance. A good mix of new characters and also some larger than life characters from previous books. It was good that both Claire and Denise got the future that they deserved. A great book which I would recommend.

I loved this book. Strong female characters & well written. Second book I’ve read by this author & I enjoyed it just as much. Would recommend this to anyone.

Overall I enjoyed this book, I found the story line got me interested from the beginning and the characters were good. I found it went a bid flat halfway through but on the whole it was a good read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Aria for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. This is a story about Denise and Ray and Ray not being the person that you thought he was. A really good read

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest Opinion

I've never had the opportunity to read a Shari Low book before, I'm glad I had the chance to read this one, and I will be looking into more of Low's books.

Yes, this is a romance story but it also a family story. Denise, has always ALWAYS put her husband first, which led to her daughter Claire putting her kids first. As a woman who grew up in a somewhat similiar situation to Claire, I get where she was coming from and related to her more than I did Denise, who I wasn't too fond of. (Again because of my past and how much she reminded me of my own mother).
There were so many intertwined stories but what I liked was that it was all pertaining to this ONE FAMILY. A mother, father, son and daughter and then the next generation as well. When I heard that the book goes from Claire and sometimes Denise's past and present lives, I was actually afraid I would get super confused and lost, but Low was able to make it work and make it work well.
Good read and it really made me think about a dominion effect.

I'm a big fan of Shari Low books and this one didn't disappoint. I just love the different POV's and different timelines to bring to the conclusion. Always makes me think of a Richard Curtis movie in my mind.

Strong female leads and satisfying ending although the very end bit did surprise me and I do not think that would have happened in real life!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this advanced copy in exchange for a honest review.

Shari Low books are great, and moat of them intertwine charcters. I love how this one is no different, and although the story does focus on Claire very specifically, many characters from Shari’s other books appear whiich is great. So this is the story of Claire, who is dealin with emoty nest syndrome and her friends decides she needs and ‘intervention’! Its hysterically funny and emotional at the same tme. Whilst Claire’s friends and her brother Doug help her move in, we also have the stories behind the scenes.....the story of why Claire and Sam seperated, why Claire and Doug had no real relationship with their parents Denise and Ray, and also the story of Denise. A really really great, emotional and funny read, i highly recommend this, as well as all other books by Shari.

I really enjoyed this story of dysfunctional family relationships. Well written and thought provoking.

A serious yet light-hearted look at widowhood, divorce, teen pregnancy and empty nest syndrome. Claire's life is touched by each of these themes in this tale of a mother and daughter whose lives mimic one another while each strives to be what the other is not. Looking back, Claire realizes how her childhood has impacted her adulthood while her mother has fleeting insights along the same line. Unfortunately, while Claire learns and grows her mother remains rooted in a life that turns out to be nothing more than a wish built upon a dream.

*** Thank you, NetGalley for the advance copy to review***
Description
This is... Denise.

Married to Ray, her first and only love, Denise has never for one moment regretted putting the husband she idolized on a pedestal above everyone and everything else. But, after forty years of marriage, he is gone, leaving Denise to discover that their perfect marriage was fatally flawed. Now she faces a future alone, but first, she must face the betrayals of the past.

This is... Claire.

The estranged daughter of Denise, the woman who put her husband before her children, Claire took the opposite path and devoted her life to raising her family, sacrificing her marriage along the way. With her teenage sons about to flee the nest, she realizes she may have left it too late to find her own happy ever after.

This is the story of two women, both alone, both cautionary tales of one of motherhood's biggest decisions.

Who is more important, your partner or your children? And what happens if you make the wrong choice?

I thought the book was pretty good. It was marketed as Young Adult. Claire and her daughter Were polar opposites I see Denise thought her way was the only way. There are ways to change for both.

I always enjoy books that have multiple characters and this was no exception. Claire and Doug truly knew what love is both inherently and what they learned from Fred. It was interesting that Denise was the polar opposite and what she thought was love was sheer materialism and obsession. At the end, she lost it all.

This was too much in the Romance genre for my taste. If you're a fan of Romance, though, it's probably right up your alley. Young adults may also like it.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.