Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.

This is a funny book about three generations of the Gogarty family from Ireland. Set in Dublin this story about the three generations of this family is filled with a lively and sassy family that seems to be having different issues all at the same time.

Following this dysfunctional family is a great read.

I would like to start by saying thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Good Eggs describes itself as “hilarious and heartwarming” but I didn’t laugh once and my heart was definitely not warmed. The book spends 336 pages trying to convince you that these characters are good people but I hated them all. They’re all selfish and unlikable.

I give it 2 stars for the pretty cover and half decent writing but that’s it. That being said I wouldn’t write off Rebecca Hardiman books for good. I’d be willing to try her next one when it comes out.

I enjoyed this book and it’s characters, particularly quirky Millie and Aideen. Although o understood the ending, it didn’t feel like it was presented quite right. I appreciated the quick read and the humour. I have this book 3 ⭐️ Thanks for the chance to read and review.

Good Eggs by Rebecca Hardiman is quite simply lovely. Centred around a Dublin family that features a shoplifting matriarch, a father that cheats with his daughters schools secretary, and a wife that is constantly on the road as the family breadwinner, this book provides a humourous and touching glimpse into the struggles of family.

The pace and set up of the book is perfection. The first half does a deep dive into each character and how they play off one another, with the second half turning into a Thelma & Louise style thriller. Along the way we are treated to characters that jump off the page and sear into your memory while whisking you away to similar people in your own life. The needy mother, the out of control teenager, the suspecting wife, the father with the eye for younger women, the whining younger children, the inevitable need for a break….the international story of family life itself.

This is one of those novels where you’ll find yourself laughing and also shaking your head. It will play stronger to those with a UK background given some of the slang but it certainly shouldn’t scare any reader off that is looking to escape reality with a little bit of…reality, just at someone elses expense for once.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing a copy for review

I couldn’t get into this book. Tried to read it a couple of times but eventually just gave up. These characters were a bit much.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read and review.

Three generations of the same family go through many problems that become intertwined throughout the course of the book. Millie is a spit fire grandma who is constantly keeping her son Kevin on his toes. Kevin has his own problems, the least of which is his teenage daughter Aideen. Although I found the first third of the book difficult to get into, the story quickly picked up and it was just so fun to read.

Good Eggs is the author's debut novel. I would classify it as general fiction.

The book looks at three generations of the same family. The 3rd person narrators are Millie (in her 80s), her unemployed son Kevin and his 16 year old daughter Aideen.

This book is set in Ireland. And it is meant to be very humorous. So I had very high hopes that I would love this story.

The characters were intriguing. However the writing was very Irish. And in the first sentence there were terms that I was completely unfamiliar with. I had a bit of a hard time with some of it. And it wasn't as funny as I wanted it to be.

Millie is a great character. She is always getting into trouble. And I'm sure that her antics would be hilarious to some people. But to me it was just okay.

I didn't really enjoy her son Kevin. And while her granddaughter Aideen was misunderstood I didn't love her either.

The story does take some interesting turns, especially towards the end. And the second half was more interesting to me than the first. But overall this book wasn't really for me.

A very quirky family in Ireland, three generations of the Gogarty family find there way to support each other when life throws them challenges. Millie is 83, her son Kevin is 50, his daughter Aideen is 16. Each has their own idea of what life is expected to be and how to handle life's challenges. Neither one of them realize they are each 'different' and figuring out how to negotiate their world. A happy ever after ending that included a lot of interesting twists along the way.

Good Eggs by Rebecca Hardiman
Publication Date: March 2, 2021 - Out Soon!
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Description from NetGalley...
“When Kevin Gogarty’s irrepressible eighty-three-year-old mother, Millie, is caught shoplifting yet again, he has no choice but to hire a caretaker to keep an eye on her. Kevin, recently unemployed, is already at his wits’ end tending to a full house while his wife travels to exotic locales for work, leaving him solo with his sulky, misbehaved teenaged daughter, Aideen, whose troubles escalate when she befriends the campus rebel at her new boarding school.

Into the Gogarty fray steps Sylvia, Millie’s upbeat home aide, who appears at first to be their saving grace—until she catapults the Gogarty clan into their greatest crisis yet.”
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Thank you to @NetGalley @simonschusterca @atriabooks for the digital ARC in return for my honest review.
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My thoughts...
On the surface, this book seemed outlandish with curious characters and overt family drama that became a madcap cozy mystery. But, the more I read on, it ended up telling a story of elder abuse, mental health issues, family disconnection, teenage angst, bullying and a family trying to find security and love from one another. I enjoyed the combination of 83 year old Millie and 16 year old Aideen. Filled with second-chances, funny, warm and a message of familial redemption, this was a quick and enjoyable read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book.
You asked for an honest opinion, and that's what I will be giving you. I did not care for this book very much. I was hoping it would be funnier than it was. I disliked Kevin immensely. I though he was a pompous ass. He hired someone to look after his Mom, who was a handful, without really looking into the person's credentials.

Aideen, one of his twin daughters, didn't seem to fit in very well at home, so she was shipped off to boarding school. At the boarding school, Kevin, gets the hots for his daughters headmistress of the school. (Kevin is unemployed, so this is why he has so much time on his hands) while his wife works.

Kevin's mother Millie is a shoplifter, and has been for years. That's why he hired the person to look after her.

So with of that being said, it was just an ok read for me.

Finding time to read was difficult over the seasonal holiday, so I was picking this book up and leaving it down sporadically. The story is told and written that I found it easy to continue and not lose he thread or lose the identity of the characters.
A fun read about three generations of a family and not untypical dynamics that would be hilarious in hindsight but fraught with tension if you were living through it.

Good Eggs by Rebecca Hardiman: Book review

A lively, heartwarming family saga set in Ireland, this debut novel follows three members of the Gogarty family: octogenarian widowed grandmother Millie, her son Kevin who is an unemployed father of 4, and teenage granddaughter Aideen, having a troubled time and recently sent to weekday boarding school.

This debut novel’s real strength is in these main characters. Each point of view chapter has a clear voice, and the characters thoughts and feelings really come alive. Millie is the real star of the show; her antics and capers are hilarious and her at times outrageous inner dialogue is fantastic. It’s a real joy being privy to the inner workings of Millie.

The central conflict of the novel revolves around Millie being taken advantage of and her attempt to recoup her losses. Her struggle for independence and self-determination is heartbreaking, as she navigates aging and a mind & body that is starting to reduce her ability to live solo. She is a really complex and well written character. The other two were believable but not quite as well developed. I felt in in particular Kevin’s story arc left me wanting more depth, or to have been excluded to focus on Millie and Aideen.

For me that first half dragged a bit, as I was getting to know the characters and their relationships. The plot definitely picked up on the second half and ended up being a really quick read.

Overall, a great debut novel that offered levity and rich characters. I would recommend for those that like character-driven plots, odd characters and capers and lighter fiction that offers an escape into someone else’s family drama. 3.75⭐️

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for free access to an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Omg the book was just delicious. I absolutely loved it. I read it in one sitting. I highly recommend this book

What a great, feel-good gem of a read by debut author Rebecca Hardiman!

We are introduced to the very dysfunctional Irish family, the Gogarty's. Kevin is recently unemployed. His wife has a stressful corporate job that involves a lot of travel, and Kevin is left to manage the kids and his mischievous thieving mother Millie.

The focus of the story mostly follows the misadventures of Millie, and also of his surly teenage daughter Aideen.

Although the story is very entertaining and ends up being a bit of a madcap mystery, it also touches on more serious issues of elder abuse and loneliness, bullying and marital infidelity.

A highly recommended read, thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A ridiculous book involving a dysfunctional family. The events that happened to this family were unbelievable . The book was not funny but a recount of bizarre events that happened to outlandish characters.

This was a cute, funny tale of dysfunction and family. A break from what i usually read and I'm glad i did. It's entertaining family full of emotion and laughter was fun to read. First novel read by Rebecca Hardiman but it won't be my last.

Simply a delightful book from beginning to end! The reader finds herself right in the middle of this 3 generational family as they move through their chaotic lives. Laced with humour and mystery the book is a treasure!

Delightful!
This Irish family focuses on Gran, the dotty old lady who fiercely refuses to give up her independence, despite not being able to fully care for herself, her son, a married father of 4, and his daughter Maddie.

Through these three, we have a light and heartwarming tale of independence, identity, and vulnerability.

Gran is lively and I can just see her ambling through the shops, thinking no one is going to be paying attention to a little old lady, so what's the harm in slipping a pack of crisps into her handbag? Or a card? It's not like she was caught when she did it before.
And yet, caught she was, and as a term of her release, she must submit to homecare.

Maddie is desperate to feel seen, and not simply to live in the shadow of her twin. She's not popular like her twin, she's not cast in all the school productions. She doesn't want to be. But she does want to be seen, so she lashes out until finally, she gets sent to boarding school.
Struggling to find her place amongst the international elite at this school, Maddie is befriended by someone that she should stay far away from. It is this friend's idea that lands Maddie in her worst mess yet, one with dire consequences.

Fleeing, she seeks refuge with Gran, away from her father.
It is there that the story really unfolds as a dark deception is brought to light and Maddie and Gran take off on an adventure that I am certain caused her father to completely finish going grey.

So very delightful and charming, Good Eggs is a great read.

This is a light and funny story about three generations of the Gogarty family all in a bit of a crisis. The story is written in descriptive and humorous language that will make you laugh, and at times cringe, all while caring for the characters to find their way safely. The book has few dull moments as it switches between Millie(83, Kevin(50) and Aideen(16), which makes for a quick read, and would make for a cute movie.

'Colding is an unpopular former municipal policewoman with a face like raw, veined steak who always trails a curious stench of fish sauce.'

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada for allowing me to read an early copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Good Eggs, by Author Rebecca Hardiman is her debut novel.

This is a fun book from start to finish, all being told with an Irish style of storytelling. The characters are lively and colourful, and there is not a dull moment in the book.

The three generations of the Gogarty will warm your heart

Thank you to Goodreads, Author Rebecca Hardiman and Simon & Schuster Canada for my Advanced copy of Good Eggs from to read and review

#NetGalley @#Goodreads