How Lulu Lost Her Mind is a heartbreaking, yet humorous tale of Lulu Hunter, a relationship guru, and her elderly mother, Patricia Lynn Jackson-Garvin-Hunter-Russo-Thompson-Doyle. As Lulu is rushing to LA for the next leg of her "Find True Love in February" tour, a call from the nursing home has Lulu charging over. Patricia does not like to sleep alone and has been kicked out of 3 other nursing homes for "spooning" and carrying on with male clients. This time she"spooned" a man in a coma, so she's kicked out again. Lulu is forced to cancel the rest of the tour until she can figure out what to do with her mother. The Alzheimer's has progressed to the point where Patricia must be under constant supervision. Lulu is able to find a full-time caretaker and the three of them head back to Patricia's family home, Sutton Hall, in Louisiana. Of course nothing is as expected, the house is run down and Patricia is failing. With the help of Lindsay and a local handyman, Lulu is able to carve out a life for her mother and herself that is nothing like she imagined.

How Lulu Lost Her Mind will appeal to anyone who has had to alter their life to care for someone. Gibson deals with Alzheimer's with dignity and more than a little humor. The setting and characters make this more than an book about the challenges of caring for elderly parents. I appreciate the chance to read an ARC and I look forward to reading other books by Rachel Gibson.

I have read many books by Rachel Gibson and this was a bit of a departure from what she normally writes. This novel focuses on the fractured relationship between a mother and her daughter. Although this book covers a bit of a depressing topic, the author does it with a truth that is not sad, but just the truth.

As a work of 'women's' fiction, there was a bit of romance but much more focus on the mother/daughter dynamic between Lou Anne (LuLu) and her mother Patricia. I think this story will hit close to home for many of us who have spent any amount of time taking care of a loved one, especially a parent.

Patricia wants to spend the rest of her days in her childhood home, Lulu is very busy with her career and does not have much time or desire to spend much more time with her mother. Lulu gives in and what comes next is a story of growth for both women, especially Lula.

"How Lulu Lost Her Mind" is well-written and has enough humor to make the darkness of the topics less daunting. I would read Rachel Gibson's work again as she has a great way to spinning a story for her readers.

Huge thanks to Gallery who was kind enough to send me an e-arc of How Lulu lost her mind after seeing I enjoyed Kristy Woodson Harvey's "Feels like Falling." I was excited to read this one, thinking it may be similar, and while it did have some similar themes, I didn't enjoy it quite as much. As a South Carolina native, I was immediately drawn to this one after realizing a large portion of it takes place in the south. While I found parts hilariously funny and laughed out loud, especially at the off the wall things Lulu said, I didn't connect with the characters. It was also a little sadder than I expected. Don't go in thinking this one is a light, summer read. How Lulu Lost Her Mind was a quick read and definitely worth reading, in my opinion!

This truly is one of the funniest books I have ever read. I was not familiar with this author but believe me I am now. I just cannot wait for this one to be published so I can buy copies for my crazy friends. The story line is so believable and the characters are all unique and people you want to have in your life. It is the story of an accomplished entrepreneur known as the Love Guru who has to leave her company to take care of a mother suffering from Alzheimer’s. Now what about that is funny? Well, you will just have to read this one to find out but it is one you will never forget. I would be hard pressed to tell you my favorite character. Would it be the daughter, the mother, the handsome Cajun, the nurse caretaker, or the parrot? I think you will agree with me that it is ALL of the above. I hated to get to the end of this one as I was simply enjoying the escape. Thank you Rachel for giving me laughter in these sad days of uncertainty. I would give this one a 10 plus if I could.

I was not familiar with Rachel Gibson before I reviewed “How Lulu Lost Her Mind.” I found this novel to be an enjoyable story about mothers and daughters, hope, finding oneself, and of course, love.

Lou Ann (Lulu) is doing just fine remaining single because she has a successful business as the “Love Guru,” advising women everywhere about sex, love, and relationship advice. Unfortunately, her mother, Patricia, has Alzheimer’s, but she has been thrown out of a variety of care facilities due to her amorous behavior with the other care facility’s guests. Patricia wishes to return to her childhood home in Louisiana, and being the dutiful daughter (despite lasting resentment with how she was raised), Lulu hires a caretaker so she can accompany her mother on what might be her final trip. Expect plenty of hijinks to follow as a result.

Rachel Gibson is a romance writing by nature, and the love interest in this novel is Simon. Naturally, like any good tale, it’s love meets hate, especially when Lulu needs Simon to help fix up the home so it could return to the state her mother remembers. Rachel has been burned in the past (her last relationship ended due to infidelity), but it’s clear that Rachel will learn to love again.

Yet, the one thing Lulu cannot control is Patricia’s deteriorating condition. While I could do without the romantic component of this novel, the tale of a daughter wrestling with a mother’s illness was not just poignant, but also heart-breaking without being exceptionally maudlin. Thankfully, Ms. Gibson maintains a solid balance between the sad and laugh-out loud humorous parts.


I found “How Lulu Lost Her Mind” to be an enchanting tale of mothers and daughter relationships. Thanks so much to NetGalley, Ms. Gibson, and Gallery Books for the opportunity to review this book.

I was offered this book to read by Gallery Books and so glad I read it. When I saw it was a mother and daughter and the mother had Alzheimer’s I was anxious to read it, as I am currently dealing with it with my own mom. The book had some laugh out loud moments for me and of course given the issue, a few tears. I really loved the characters and the location in Louisiana amidst the heat, humidity and alligators. A truly good southern women’s fiction read. Thanks so much to Netgalley and Gallery Books for an ARC.

Lou's mother has been asjed to leave yet another care facility due to her outrageous behavior. How will Lulu the Love Guru handle caring for her mother and running her business? Parts of this book are laugh out loud funny! It deals with the subject of caring for a parent with Alzheimers which I know is very difficult. The story line flows smoothly and is uplifting even in the difficult parts. The characters are very realistically portrayed. I highly recommend reading this book.

I have been a huge fan of Rachel Gibson since she first started writing. Even though she made the switch to Women’s Fiction, I was dying to read this book. I’m so thankful to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read it!
I adored every single minute. It made me laugh and then cry and laugh some more. This story was deep, witty and gave me all the feels. This story shows exactly how complex a mother daughter relationship can be and yet they both still loved each other more than anyone else. The addition of Lindsey’s story was a great extra. I loved seeing Lou Ann’s transition from being a busy working women to realizing the most important people and things in life. We ALL need a reminder of this. Beautiful story!!

I’m not sure if I laughed or cried more about this wonderful book about a mother and daughter coming together as the mother’s life comes to a close. Mom, Patricia is a woman who loves…everything. She’s been married almost as many times as Elizabeth Taylor and kicked out of her nursing home for getting to friendly with the male residents. With a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease, Patricia decides she want to end her life at the family home, Sutton Hall, in Louisiana. Knowing her mother can’t be on her own, Lulu ditches her glamorous life as Lulu the love goddess to care for her mother in their crumbling ancestral home. Anyone who has seen a loved one living with this terrible disease will know the despair, anger and even humor that it can bring (I recently has to convince my mild mannered mom that she had not been an agent for the Mossad). This book is a gift for all of us living with Alzheimer’s, I can’t recommend it highly enough

How Lulu Lost Her Mind is the latest book by Rachel Gibson. I’ve been a fan of hers for a long time and this book proves once again that her writing just keeps getting better and better.

Lou Ann Hunter’s mother Patricia has Alzheimer’s making their sometimes difficult relationship that much more taxing. Lou Ann is getting ready to embark on a promotional tour for her Lulu the Love Guru Empire when she gets a call from the latest care facility about Patricia’s “passionate” behavior and is forced to cancel her tour to take care of her now homeless mother. To make matters worse, Patricia wants to move clear across the country and live out her days in her childhood home.

Changing her life’s plans is not something Lou Ann had in mind. Losing her mother to Alzheimer’s is not something she’s ready to face. Like it or not, they head to the former plantation known as Sutton Hall in Louisiana to do both.

The book explores their relationship, both past and present, in such sweet detail that the reader is immediately sucked in to their story. Your heart will expand and break right along with Lou Ann’s while the reality of Patricia’s illness progresses. Along with the two of them we have Lindsay, Patricia’s pregnant care giver and Simon, the “foxy” Cajun house doctor that you will immediately fall for whether you want to or not. And then there’s Raphael, the cantankerous parrot who keeps everyone on their toes.

My least favorite part of the book was the ending. Not how it ended, merely that it ended. I wanted it to go on forever!

I DEVOURED this book. What a wonderfully written piece of work. I could "see" the old furniture, I felt like I was in the house, and living the old southern way. I enjoyed the mother-daughter dynamic and watching them both struggle with the mother's condition was heartbreaking at times.

A few insta friends post about How Lulu Lost Her Mind by Rachel Gibson and I knew I wanted to read. It started out little rocky for me. Why do some authors feel the need to name drop prestige clothing and shoe designer labels? Is this what they think women need? Maybe I’m one of the few who thinks this seems superficial and leaves the Lou Ann sounding vain. Raises the hair on my neck to start a book out this way. Dior hobble skirt...Louboutin pumps...Louis Vuitton Bumbag...thankfully this dies down pretty quickly.

As an aging mother of a 27 year old daughter, the premise of a Lou Ann experiencing her mother’s descent in Alzheimer’s pulled me in. At first she seemed a bit pretentious with the fashion label name dropping 🙄, but I warmed to her quickly and really enjoyed this book. While I wish the author could have dug a little deeper into the mother/daughter bond, it’s likely due to the closer bond that my daughter and I share. Lou Ann evolves and changes during the time she spends with her mother and I liked the Louisiana setting.

Coming your way July 21st from @gallerybooks - thanks to the publisher and the author for the ARC.

Poor Lulu. She is so uptight and controlling. She has total control over her business empire, her unruly hair, and her neat, soulless apartment in Seattle. Unfortunately the one thing she can't control is her sex loving, free talking, popcorn loving, Alzheimer's mother. After another (very amusing) indiscretion forces her mother Patricia from the third care facility, Lulu must give up control on her business empire and life by agreeing to a dying woman's wish - to go home. So off to a crumbling Southern plantation they go.

I so enjoyed this book. The relationship between mother and daughter was a well worn one, tons of affection buried under differing ideas of what living is all about. I felt for Lulu, taking on so much and trying so hard to make her last memories with her mother good ones. The comedy definitely came from Patricia's dialogue, what a life she must have lived! The setting was gorgeous, and Gibson brought it to life for me, right down to the smell of the bayou.

If you are looking for a wonderful book, set in a stunning location, featuring damaged but endearing characters then read this book. A great way to escape your own reality for a little while.

Thanks you Netgalley for the ARC, this is my honest review.

I was immediately drawn to the title of this book, How Lulu Lost Her Mind. Rachel Gibson writes with humor and
a light-heartedness that is very appealing. This is especially true when addressing a daughter's task of caring for a parent with Alzheimer's who can no loner be in an elder care facility.
How Lulu Lost Her Mind is so full of heart and humor that I will gladly recommend to others.
Thank you NetGalley, Gallery Books and Rachel Gibson for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As someone who adores her mother I had fun time reading through this. It was hard thinking about the decline of a parent but somehow this approaches it with love and laughter and sadness all in one go.

Lou Ann Hunter aka Lulu the Love Guru, has built her successful relationship business and is currently on her “Find True Love” tour. Her mother, Patricia, is suffering from Alzheimer’s and is in her third memory care center…she can’t leave the men alone. When Patricia has to leave the latest center, she asks Lou Ann to take her home, her family home in Louisiana. Moving, flying, and a cantankerous bird is driving Lou Ann to the edge. How will she deal with the changes in her mother’s life? A story of the circumstances that often make changes in your life and how you deal with those changes. A sad yet delightful story told with the humorous style that Ms. Gibson is famous for. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

Lulu the Love Guru is in a pickle. It appears her Mom, Patricia was kicked out of yet another Alzheimer’s assisted living place for being passionate with male patients some that are married and conscious while others not so much. Now Lou Ann,(Lulu) has to find another place that will take her mom and care for her needs. Lou Ann has no choice but to take Patricia home with her while looking for a suitable place, instead, her mom comes up with another suggestion, take her back to her ancestry home in Louisiana. This was a crazy idea but one that gave her one on one time she needed before her mother's eventual demise. This is a heartfelt story that will make you smile, laugh, and cry. It's an emotional journey one that shouldn't be taken lightly having lost both my parents I would give anything just to have one more day, one more I love you, one more anything!

Thank you to the publisher and author for providing me with a digital ARC of this title via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

First, may I say that I love this cover. It just speaks to me and makes me want to read it. Even now, after trying twice and not being able to finish it. I still want to like this book. It is so cute and just looks fun. The story, however, is tiresome and obnoxious. I quickly lost interest in the characters and their woes. This successful wealthy women taking care of her mom in their old family home. Her mom, suffering from dementia, who is also overly sexual and inappropriate with almost every male she meets. Then they meet the local handyman who grew up knowing their relatives, and some juvenille banter and flirting ensues. It was just tiresome and I had no interest to see what happened between them all or where the story would lead. I tried. Twice.

Most books do not speak to everyone the same. So often it depends on our current state of mind, as well as, past experiences. How Lulu Lost Her Mind finds me a year after loosing both of my parents suddenly and unexpectantly, with the loss of my mother specifically from dementia. Lulu has to put her life on hold to take her colorful, over-sexed, and Alzheimer’s suffering mother back to the family homestead. There were so many situations that took me back to those days of caring for my Mom that Lulu also experiences; trying to savor moments of normalcy together when her mind was clear; guilt, discovery of family history; wanting to pull the covers over your head because you are not quite sure you can take much more of the stress; the loss and finding of objects hidden away; the accusations from a loved one that you know are not true but hurt just the same; trying to juggle it all; and then ultimately saying goodbye and crying out painfully in grief followed by life going forward and joys returning but a hole always remaining. Beautifully relatable story that although it is a painful subject is full of light-hearted moments. The chapter titles are stories in themselves: “I’m alone and lost,” “Mom flirts with the Cheesecake Factory. A display of men. Choices,” “Return of Rattlesnake Patty. Bob’s gone. Raphael is MIA-again.” I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.