Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union publishing for letting me have a ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

In the beginning I had a hard time connecting with this book. Once I did get past several DNF stopping points, I found it light hearted, upbeat and funny. There are so many moments I couldn’t stop laughing. Holly relocating to an over the top community called the Village of Primm and like any overwhelmed Mom finds herself fighting to keep herself above water with everything going wrong in every aspect and also trying to fit in with all the other Joneses. She later finds out nothing is as perfect as they seem. I really loved the character Greta and her outlook on life. All the movie talk in the book I found somewhat confusing and some parts I had to reread. All in all, it was a fun cheerful read to remind us all that no one lives a perfect calm life.

I struggled to get into this book. I found it a little cliche. It was alright, It was ok. It just wasn't spectacular.

I had to DNF this around 36% and I really hate doing that but I just could not get into this book. It was a little over the top and I just felt like it was a chore to keep trying to read this. I do hope to go back and try it again at a later point because I hate leaving a book unfinished but for now this book just wasn’t for me.

Honestly, the book sure has a great title, but the angst masquerades as craziness. Holly Banks and her family have moved to the village of Primm, where all sorts of insanity ensues. A lot happens in a very short period of time and I don't think I will really retain much of this story long term. The head of the PTA seems to be out to get Holly, the cable guy makes her question life choices, her mom (a newly anointed cat doula) shows up and the Psychic Betty schtick doesn't quite work like Bernadette's overseas personal assistant.

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for me ebook!

Holly Banks is swimming upstream in a ridiculous, over the top, small community called Primm. It is a fairly realistic tale of how it feels putting your child in what feels like the best school in the right place, but feeling overwhelming pressure to do the right thing, be the best mom. She can’t live up to the “Facebook quality” community, moving a week before her daughter’s first week of kindergarten across the country. I could completely relate, as can any mom who would read this.

I did feel like the archenemy and PTO president, Mary-Margaret, was displayed over the top. I seriously wanted to reach in the book and punch her a few times. Her character could have been downplayed a bit more.

My favorite character had to be Holly’s mom, Greta, who secretly showed up at her house with her belongings and a pregnant car, claiming to be a cat doula.

I enjoyed the book, and rate it a solid 3 stars!

This book was just ok for me. I thought some things were forced, but I could also relate to Holly in some ways, it doesn’t stand out as a book I’ll remember forever, but I enjoyed my time reading it.

We all want to have the perfect life. We all look at others and see their lives as flawless, often wondering how they can do it when our own is so catastrophic. It's the premise of a lot of books and when done well, it's a riot of laughs, mishaps and (hopefully) a happy ending, or some sort of contentment at the realisation that everyone's lives suck a little so it's fine. Here, it sadly just felt like it was trying too hard to sit within this circle of great books by being over the top and hammering everything too much, and instead fell flat. I feel like I've read a similar plot done much better elsewhere. Not one for me, I'm afraid.

This book was actually pretty disappointing for me. I really didn't feel a connection with Holly Banks enough to care about all the stuff she was going through. I often felt like everything was overexaggerated and just ridiculous, which was probably the intent, but I am not a fan. The characterization felt similar to that of the Shopaholic series, which I only read the first one because it wasn't my thing. However, if you enjoy that series and are looking to see a motherhood spin on it, this book could be for you.

I had a hard time with this book. I think it was supposed to be funny but I didn't find it to be at all. I was confused by the movie directions that showed up. I am not a mother so I guess I can't relate on that basis. Although I do live in an area that does sometimes have the "Keeping up with the Jones'" attitude, I have never subscribed to that, so I also felt it unrelatable and at times I lost my patience with the characters. The approach in this book was different but it just didn't work for me.

So entertaining was drawn right into the Village Of Primm and Holly Banks the newcomers attempts to fitI really enjoyed this debut had a few laughs great characters looking forward to more by this author.#netgalley#lakeunionpublishing,

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

Thank you #netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. This is a very lighthearted quick read following the life of Holly Banks as she recently moved to the small village of Prim. On top of a new town, Holly is also sending her only child to their first day of kindergarden. The book follows Holly's first week of navigating the school, a PTA president bully, a husband with a clingy female coworker, a gambling mother and so much more.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for a fair and honest review.

"The Authenticity Project" is the fictional debut of Claire Pooley. Pooley began her writing career as the author of the blog, "Mummy was a Secret Drinker". Her first book, "The Sober Diaries" was released in 2016, To be perfectly honest, I'm pleased that I didn't know her history before reading this novel, as it might have deterred me. And I loved this book. Really loved it. It's warm and authentic, just like the title states.
It's the story of a group of diverse individuals who come together and form unlikely friendships based on a small notebook titled "The Authenticity Project". The members of the group are all flawed in their own ways but learn to see themselves as they really are and attempt to make positive changes. Wonderful book, highly recommended!

Holly Banks Full of Angst by Julie Valerie is an ambitious debut and, presumably, the first of a series to be focused on the fictional village of Primm. I believe that Holly's story will resonate with mothers who are constantly striving for perfection yet, despite their best efforts, find it just out of reach. There is lots of humour here and, like Holly, we come to realize that maybe our flaws are simply part and parcel of the human condition.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC.

Okay! I came here to post the review as soon I finished the book.
What the heck is happening! I felt like watching the Mean Girls movie on a loop. It was funny and irritating at the same time. But the thing I enjoyed the most is getting a glimpse of Primm. It's such a cute place. Also, you gotta give it to Holly. She did a giant task of settling in like a pro though there were few disasters. Overall, one can give it a try. When they need light and funny read.

Darn. DNF. I wanted to like this so much but it was too cutesy and cliched for my taste. I may not be the right audience.

I just could not get through this book. I have no positive comments here and for that I am sorry. This was also an Amazon first reads book and I see that I am not alone in my dislike.

I mean, maybe I am a bit biased as a former PTA president, but what? The stuff Holly has to endure in Primm, and the fact that she still wants to live there, is beyond me. Even as a satire of modern day community, it seemed a bit far-fetched. But, it was a light read. And, when you looked beyond the absurdity, there were some funny moments tucked away.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

This was a mostly humorous and only a little upsetting in some parts (bullying) story about a woman named Holly Banks and she has to adapt to a new lifestyle that she isn't used to. I found it highly relatable and believable plus Holly as a character is similar to many hard working moms trying to be super mom to support their kids. The overall story was great and has several strong supporting characters and I was definitely Team Holly in this book, and only wanted to sucker punch the PTA president a million times for being rude to her.

Give Holly's story a chance!

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received an eArc of this book by NetGalley in exchange for my honest thoughts.
I saw someone on bookstagram talk about this book & I liked the way it sounded so I requested it from NetGalley & I'm so glad I was approved to read it. I love this book so much. Its a new favorite of mine. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. It is such a quick but good read. Its heart warming & humorous. The characters are so well done & so different from each other. The plot was well done & wrapped up nicely. Its perfect for people who like comedies & quirky characters. I love the main character & her quirks. She is so relatable. I really hope the author will do more books with these characters. I enjoyed my time reading this book & I didn't want it to end. Its such a fun, quirky, lighthearted read & shows that no one is perfect & you don't have to be. I recommend this for everyone who needs a good laugh & a pick me up. It is definitely a new favorite of mine. I am so glad I read this book.