I adored this charming, quirky family drama/character novel set in Ireland told from the perspectives of three generations of the same family. Millie is in her 80s and starting to lose it just a little bit but unwilling to accept that she is old; her son Kevin is going through a bit of a midlife crisis having lost his job and juggling his aging mother, 4 kids, and wife who is never home; and his daughter and Millie’s 16 year old granddaughter Aideen is in a state of teenaged misery, unhappy at school and jealous of her twin sister.

The book does have a plot that I don’t want to spoil, especially in the back half, so it’s not just a character-driven novel, but there is just something about the unique tone of this novel that really is what I loved the most. Tragicomic is not quite the right word - although all the characters are sad and have their own problems, it’s not quite tragic, but it is quite funny, and I just loved the characters, especially Milly.

This came out almost a year ago and even though I had gotten an ARC from Netgalley I never got around to it, but I’m so glad I finally picked it up and looking forward to discussing with my book club.

For fans of A Man Called Ove, The Thursday Murder Club, really any book about family and a crusty curmudgeonly elder. This was endearing on so many levels as it takes a look at a multi-generational Irish family just trying to survive in modern times.

We are jetting off to Ireland, where we meet the Gogarty family in Good Eggs by Rebecca Hardiman.

As we are dropped into their lives, we meet Millie, an 83-year old who has just been caught shoplifting. Again. And wasn’t that her car that she crashed and tried to hide from her son, Kevin? So Kevin decides to hire someone to watch over Millie, who happens to be from America. Sylvia steps into their lives with her nephew, who is the same age as Kevin’s rebellious daughter.

Kevin is having troubles of his own with his marriage troubles, a mid-life crisis and a daughter he cannot control. As he sends Aideen off to boarding school, he tries to find work again while caring for his other 3 children while his wife works insane hours away.

Aideen, meanwhile, is dealing with her own problems as she is trying to survive school while befriending the troublemaker in school, while getting to know Sylvia’s nephew.

It all comes to a head when Sylvia turns everyone’s life upside down.

This book is told from all 3 POV’s to make a seamless story of the Gogarty clan. While I found the stories of Keven and Aideen interesting, I did not enjoy reading about Millie. If I’m siding with a character saying she should be placed in a home, then it’s not sitting well with me.

The hi-jinx that Millie got up to was a bit much and just kept getting more and more crazy. Unfortunately, I didn’t care for her, but I did for Aideen. And I was intrigued by Kevin’s story of where it would end up - would he save his marriage? Would he crumble under the pressure of his world? I relate to him somewhat in those respects.

All in all, the authors writing did have me turning the pages more and more to see what would happen next. I could just do with a lot less of Millie. Other reviewers loved her though, and found her to be funny and vibrant.

Have you read Good Eggs? If so, what were your thoughts on Millie?

Kevin Gogarty has just lost his job and he feels like his life is falling apart. His daughter,Aideen is his wild child and he is at a loss as to what to do with her. He has also just been contacted by the local police that his Mother,Millie, has been caught shoplifting.
After some discussions with his wife they come to the conclusion to send Aideen to Milburn School which is a prestigious boarding school. She is very angry at having to go there.
As for his Mother he has decided to hire a young woman, Sylvia, to be her caretaker. Millie at first is reluctant but soon comes to enjoy her company. One day Sylvia tells Millie that her nephew needs surgery in America and she doesn’t know how she’s going to get the money. Kind hearted Millie offers her a loan and soon Sylvia is gone along with a few of Millies’ treasures.
Unhappy Aideen has runway from school and ends up at her Grandmothers house. After hearing about her Grandmother loosing her money and property they plan to leave Dublin and go to America to find Sylvia.
This is a heartwarming warming story of two troubled people coming together for a common cause.

This family was STRUGGLING! And you could see what was coming..... It kind of drug on. I didn't find it as funny as I had hoped. Maybe this could have been better had it been told in less pages.

What an awesome premise for a book. I love a story about intergenerational friendships and spicy older women. This book has gotten a lot of hype; and it is all well earned. Wonderful.

I really do not see the comparison to Schitt’s Creek; I think this was an unfair marketing ploy. I didn’t enjoy the characters, and even tried to listen to the audio version to help me get into the story, but I did not get into this. I think my expectations were too high because I love Schitt’s Creek.


I received an advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

This was a fun read. Just having read a heavy-duty epic fantasy novel, I was ready for something like this. Immediately this book lured me in, it was very “organic”. It has everyday, very believable, drama without it being dramatic or over the top. This is a book about many things, including honesty with both oneself and others, family relationships, mental health issues, forgiveness, romance, and new beginnings. Most of the characters are very likeable, and it was especially easy to cheer for them.
Full review to come on YouTube.

Cute & funny little story. Millie is a riot and no matter how eccentric we are this book shows family stocks together. Enjoyable read ❤️

The interesting aspect of Good Eggs by Rebecca Hardiman is that it seems to set out to break out of the definitions of gender roles which is refreshing. I appreciate the portrayals of the characters in this regard. The issue in this book is that I find myself not relating to or particularly even liking the characters in this book. Unfortunately, I find myself not the reader for this book.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2021/10/good-eggs.html

Reviewed for NetGalley.

This is a family drama (mostly) set in Ireland. What a group of characters! We have the narrators: Millie, the 83 year-old granny who shoplifts for a thrill and doesn't want to admit that she's getting older. Kevin, her son who seems to be having some sort of mid-life crisis. Aideen, Kevin's daughter, and angsty, misunderstood teen who keeps getting into trouble. Then, there is the rest of Kevin's family, an assistant at Aideen's boarding school, Kevin's best friend and mother (she is a minor character, but hilarious), and Millie's caretaker and nephew.

This was an ok read, several laugh out loud parts. But it just went to slow for me in the first half of the book. I actually put it down, but came back to finish a few months later. Kevin's storyline was kind of boring and trite. I would have much rather seen the focus on just Millie and Aideen.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A Sally Rooney-lite contemporary set in Ireland. This one just wasn’t my cup of tea although I loved the setting. I felt like i never connected with the characters or the story itself.

This lighthearted family drama did its characterization and humor well - I so enjoyed the Gogartys, and found their off-the-wall plot fun to read if not occasionally a little bonkers.

Where I found this story less than hitting the mark was its pacing - it felt rushed in some parts and so drawn out in others that I sometimes couldn’t stay engaged. Ultimately I enjoyed this one, but wished it would’ve told a tighter story.

Good Eggs by Rebecca Hardiman is a slow burn Irish family drama that covers three generations of the Gogarty family. Mille, Kevin, and Aideen are all facing their own challenges, and this book follows how those issues function on the individual level and within the family unit. I wanted a bit more consistency of action with this one, but my love of an Irish tale kept me coming back.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

I have come to the conclusion that this genre of book just isn't for me. I thought it was a cute book but it was pretty predictable. Honestly I could see this becoming a movie on Hallmark and don't get me wrong there is definitely an audience for that I just don't think this book fit my taste. My mom would probably love it though as she often reads these kind of books and watches Hallmark movies and reruns of very similar shows. I was pleased that it had a happy ending and the con-artist got what she deserved though.

This was a charming and funny book. The characters were fun and kind of crazy, they made the book fly by. 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is a super fun read. I really enjoyed this one!

Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Good Eggs by Rebecca Hardiman is a slow burn family drama that gives us 3 viewpoints - Kevin, Kevin's mother Millie, and Kevin's daughter Aideen. I really enjoyed them all, but I think Millie was my favorite just because she is such a firecracker. She constantly shoplifts which was an interesting element, and things get even more interesting after she is caught for "the last time." Aideen also has a lot going on as after brandishing a fire poker over her sister, she is sent to a boarding school and continues to have her own issues there. My least favorite was probably Kevin because of certain choices he makes, but his viewpoint was still a nice way to change it up from the other 2 viewpoints. Millie's home aide Sylvia is basically what drives a lot of the plot here, and this is definitely a character-driven novel as well as a bit of a character study.

I thought the audiobook was quite good, and it is narrated by Alana Kerr Collins, Gary Furlong & Siobhan Waring. I loved having the different voices for each viewpoint and they all did such a wonderful job voicing their characters. Good Eggs does a great job of portraying what it's like to be in a family and reminding you that no one is perfect. There are plenty of moments I found funny, as well as a couple of times I found myself getting a little teary. This was a very well-thought-out debut and made for a perfect lighter read between heavier novels. If you like character-driven family dramas then I would definitely recommend checking this one out!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I love a book about family drama so throw that in with an Irish twist and you have me sold. I was definitely invested in the family and their dramas. Their not exactly the most likeable characters but I liked them anyway. Def would recommend.

Thank you to Atria Books for providing me with a copy of Rebecca Hardiman’s Novel, Good Eggs, in exchange for an honest review.

Eccentric eighty-three year old widow, Millie Gogarty, has just been arrested for shoplifting, and to make matters worse, her middle-aged son, Kevin, is called to retrieve her from the police station. Worried about his mom’s behavior, Kevin pretends to strike a deal with the police, which includes canceling Millie’s upcoming holiday, and having a young American woman named Silvia employed as a part-time carer.

Initially, Millie is livid at the arrangement, and vows to give Silvia a difficult time, however, Silvia’s charm and friendship quickly melts Millie’s tough exterior. The two women form a bond, and Millie even loans Silvia a large sum of money. The relationship turns sour, when Silvia leaves Ireland, and Millie can’t contact her. Soon, Millie realizes that Silvia may not be the friend that she imagined.

Kevin is dealing with his own troubles, including a marriage that’s on the rocks, and a troubled teenage daughter, Aideen. Aideen’s angry attitude and unpredictable behavior have pushed her parents to send her to a strict private school, where she boards on school nights. Aideen find solace in the other back sheep of the family, her grandmother, whom she helps solve the mystery of the missing Silvia.

Good Eggs explores what it truly means to be a good person, and how we can both seek and give forgiveness, even when tremendous transgressions have occurred. None of Hardiman’s characters are perfect, yet they are all very much human, and I’m certain that all readers can find themselves in one or more of the characters.

I was most drawn to Aideen, who at sixteen, is struggling to figure out her personal identity. She doesn’t feel like she fits in with her family or society, causing her to lash out and make some terrible judgements in error. Yet, despite her troubles, she has a good heart.

One of the more surprising plot twists involves Aideen unwittingly poisoning her headmaster. Another classmate and Aideen steal a bag of fish eyeballs from biology class and put a few in their headmaster’s breath mint jar, intending on a disgusting prank. However, the girls do not realize that the eyeballs have been preserved in formaldehyde, which sends the headmaster to the emergency room. Aideen doesn’t know the extent of her headmaster’s injuries, yet she immediately disregards any repercussions, and fesses up to the crime in efforts to help give information to help her headmaster’s recovery. The other girl stays silent.

Aideen is filled with these moments, mistakes made and regrets. She desperately wants to make the right decisions, but she is also conflicted over how to navigate social situations. I could definitely see aspects of my teenage-self in Aideen.

Good Eggs was an unexpected read filled with plot twists, delightful characters, and a big dose of heart. I fell in love with the Gogarty family. Good Eggs is Hardiman’s first novel and I look forward to her next!