I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

***AUDIO BOOK VERSION***
Happy Single Mother is a book I had hoped to get more from than I did. The title is a little misleading as the author isn't a single mum in the sense of being on her own as she admits at the start her ex-husband plays a huge role in her kids lives. This book was more about the downside of being a single mother in relation to things such as systemic, social and financial problems and issues we face which I know all about having been a single parent twice (I have a bog age gap between my children). I had hoped this would be more uplifting than it was and offering more support than it did. I did like the wisdom the author offers and found her narration to be easy to listen to and relaxing to listen to too. Some mothers will probably benefit much more than I did from reading or listening to thus book, sadly it wasn't the best for me.

I struggled to get through this book. It was a lot of facts and references. I thought it'd be a story of true struggles and fun that us single mothers had with our children.
Thanks, NetGalley. Do not recommend.

I've struggled with this book and keep trying to listen. I had hoped it would be a story of true struggles combined with the fun that us single mothers had with our beatififul children and overcoming yet surviving single mother hood.
Unfortunately it was lots of facts and references, so much so that I felt that it was a dissertation on a degree in sociology and surviving single motherhood with references to gingerbread constantly and blah blah blahhhh droll dulcet tones!!
I am so pleased I didn't have this available to me 20 years ago. Gosh I wonder where I'd be now!
Thanks netgalley for allowing me this opportunity unfortunately this one is a no from me xx

This was a nice book and I was happy that I read it, but I do wish it was longer or maybe developed a little bit more. This is such an interesting and important topic that really should be talked about more. Also, the title is a little misleading. This book was more about all the social, systemic and financial problems experienced by single mothers. Sure, the kids are all right, but the mothers not so much, therefore the happy part of the tittle is somewhat ill fitting.

TW.: mentions of J. K. Rowling, Divorce, Financial Struggles and Poverty, and Female Oppression

Thank you Netgalley! I received an eArc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Empathy abounds. Facts, tips and it does feel world-expanding.

Everyone's experiences differ of course. My own short journey into the world of single parenthood is not the author's. And I've felt I've done alright so far, but the worries exist for everyone, the guilt, the shame even at times.

And to hear these things talked about, to hear anecdotes and stories from other women (as the author says, 90% of single parents are women), is reassuring.

I listened to this on an audiobook, driving to and from the job that covers my bills but that doesn't let me stop worrying about money. And as I washed up in the home my two children share with me week-on-week-off, thinking about what I'm doing well, what I could do better.

The author is so honest it made me well up a few times, about her humiliation in having to ask her ex to come to the supermarket to pay for his children's Christmas groceries. And also smile at her slightly ridiculous dating experiences. And feel relief that it isn't just me that feels both liberated and lonely when my kids are at their dad's.

There are resources mentioned I was glad to hear in there, like Gingerbread. I was concerned at one point when she talks about tax credits, as this benefit is now outdated and cannot be applied for but she does go on to talk about current benefits that exist.

A few things definitely hit home, I saw myself in here at times as well. And it did make me evaluate my life, home, routines, even compare (none of us can help that one).

Thompson writes well, she has a lovely turn of phrase and her journalistic skills shine through. She's researched her facts and manages to convey honesty and the depressing sides to single parenthood with the uplifting things she's taken from it herself.

A very useful read.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample audio copy.

First off, I just love the color scheme of the cover. This is what initially drew my attention to the book, along with the title. As a new mother myself, I am very interested in reading stories about other mothers’ experiences with raising children. Even though I am not a “single mother”, the lessons / advice in this book is for mothers everywhere, because less face it, in most cases women do the lion’s share of the child rearing and household chores, even when not single.

I really liked how the book is a combination of both facts (it was obvious the author did extensive research) and personal stories. I also really liked how the author narrates the story herself. It added a personal touch, as she was essentially telling her own story.

The author mentioned at the beginning that the book was not only for single mothers, but in general for single parents. However, the book was fact heavy on only single women, and I would have liked to see some statistics on single parenting for same sex couples. The author explains a little bit why she didn’t include more about single dads:

“To find the word single father in association with anything bad or even mildly questionable is almost impossible. ‘Single father is applauded for the awesome way he handled his daughter’s first period.’ Heralded one national newspaper in 2019. In the same paper, heartwarming photos show single dads and their children and ‘are single fathers irresistible?’ If this stuff isn’t what the eye roll emoji was made for, I don’t know what is. There is no getting around it. We single mothers occupy our very own Salem shaped hole in society’s heart.”

This rings true for me not only with single dad’s, but dads or men in general. Women are expected to be the main caregivers. So if a man so much as changes a single diaper, he’s up for the father of the year award.

The author also discusses how single mothers are not generally depicted favorably in media, television or movies e.g. why it was that mothers were gaining respect in society, but single mothers were still trapped in the time capsule? I really loved the imagery here when describing the concept of single motherhood: “a crumb that had been missed when feminism wiped the table.”

She goes on to say:

“Where were the single mothers in our culture who were just normal and okay with children who were fine? The single women with children I saw all around me at school and at work, all of them literate with no obvious heroin problem? Why were single women characterized by their career success and healthy sexual appetite–we were all still basking in the after glow of Sex in the City–while single women who also happened to have children, were no where to be seen, and if they were, were almost always pariahs?”

I really liked how thought provoking this book was. I had never given it too much thought before–the disparity between single women and single mothers–as if the simple act of having children erased the woman as a person, leaving only behind the identity of “mother”. This book made me angry (at society) and impressed at the tenacity of the author and the other single mother’s who’s stories featured in this book.

This book is not only for mothers or single parents. This book is for EVERYONE! I highly recommend this book.

I found this book very interesting, and I related to a lot of it, so it was very helpful for me, and it uplifted me. The book is about a mother who shares her experience of being a single mother, and she also adds in insights from other single parents and child psychologists, to bring wisdom to the reader; such as how to help raise emotionally intelligent children, how to manage your finances, how to encourage friendships and dating, as well as the highs and lows of single parenting. I found the book very useful, and I got a lot from it.

The audiobook narrator, who is the author of the book, has a lovely voice, which I enjoyed listening to.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

DNF. I made it about halfway into this book and decided I gave it enough of a chance. It didn't feel like the personal story I thought it was advertised to be, but more about the facts of how difficult divorce can be financially. There is definitely a place for a book like this, but I thought what i was getting was going to be more about the author's personal experience than it was, and since I am going through a similar situation, that was what i really need to read right now.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen to this audio book in return for an honest review.

Description
Being a single mother wasn't always part of the plan. The fear of it kept me and my family in a situation that wasn’t good for any of us. I never thought it could be the life change we all needed. Yes, it can be exhausting, lonely, and financially tough. But it can also be empowering and joyful, in ways you might never have imagined.
At first, I felt like a big failure. And how was I supposed to feed and clothe my children, keep a roof over our heads, and work wearing something other than pyjamas, while also remembering to drink a glass of water at least once a week? But as I began to let go of other people’s expectations, I started to enjoy the freedom of being a single parent: I was liberated, empowered and able to be the authentic mother I wanted to be.

In this book, I share my own experience of single motherhood, alongside insights from fellow solo parents, child psychologists and other experts, providing reassurance and tips to help you:

Raise resilient, emotionally intelligent children
Manage your money
Navigate the world of dating
Forge meaningful friendships
Discover the untold joys of the single-mother life
From one single mother to another, this book celebrates solo parenting and tackles the issues that we face daily, offering a fresh perspective and practical advice for anyone who has ever felt the weight of disappointment and guilt at their single parent status, declared themselves a failure or worried about their children's 'outcomes.’

I really appreciate having been given the opportunity to listen to this audiobook. Sadly even as a single mother, it wasn’t for me, it didn’t feel like it was even meant for me either. I hate to criticise someone’s hard work with a bad review, so it’s honest instead. Unfortunately for me it sounded more text book laced with facts and quotes than memoir. I didn’t feel I fell into any of the “groups” of solo mums either. I’m sure there will be thousands of mums or would be mums who will benefit greatly from the book though. It’s certainly not badly written, and I appreciate when an author narrates their own work. I’d still rate it 3 as I think it was definitely more me than the book.

I am not a single mom. I was raised by one when I was quite young, but since my mom remarried when I was 3, I don’t think that counts. Of course, Sarah Thompson’s own mother doesn’t consider her a single mom, as her ex is very much an involved co-parent and she has a community of friends and family she can turn to for help. So, after explaining all the reasons why this may or may not be a book about how to be a single mom consumed by a reader who isn’t a single mom, the question has to be why I read this book.

I was curious. And I like memoirs about real people.

I went into the process thinking I’d be reading about a women’s journey as a single mother. Happy Single Mother is a little bit of this, but Thompson also did her research, providing facts and statistics about divorce in the UK. An interesting approach, but one that neglected to capture my attention. I feel bad saying this, but for an audiobook that is less than 6 hours long, it felt much longer. The audiobook is narrated by the author. I don’t believe she is a professional, as her voice lacked inflection. That also took away from my enjoyment. A single mother might like this book, but it was not for me.

I’d like to thank NetGalley for providing me an advanced audiobook in return for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for approving me for this arc

I really enjoyed this insight, my own mum is a single mother and I’m glad I got to see it from another mothers perspective. I’m glad I got to see the insight into what it really meant to these women.

Thank you to Sarah Thompson, #HappySingleMother and #NetGalley for the Audiobook.

As a single mom myself I was really interested to hear what Sarah Thompson had to say. Single moms face so much negativity, pressure and expectations that is unnecessary. Sarah looks at all the positive views of single motherhood, all of which I experienced. Ten years after my divorce, I am glad to see someone put out information that coincided with how I felt then (ostracized and overwhelmed) to how I feel now (grateful and confident).

Even if you are not a single mom you should listen to this. Every mother, married or not, feels like a single mom at some point.

Horrible. I hate being so harsh and critical of someone's work, but this was bad. I only made it about 63% of the way through the audio. Of the part that I did listen to, it was not engaging at all. To be honest, I would go stretches of listening and forget that I was even listening and have no idea what she said. The text seemed all over the place with random stories that seemed to be either about herself or someone else, it was hard to tell. I thought the story was going to be about the authors experiences becoming a single mother and their daily life. Admittedly, the author is up front in the beginning telling you that it won't be about that. I wish her the best success with the book, but even though it is only 5 hours, I couldn't do it.

As a single mother it’s so wonderful to feel validated and know you’re not alone. There is hope in this journey. Enjoyable and helpful! Easy to listen to with good quality audio.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this Audio!
I really enjoyed this insight into single motherhood from Sarah Thompson.
I'm a single mum and it's great to know there are others out there feeling the same way.
Focusing on the upsides of being a single parent is important, and this particular story reminded me to appreciate the good that has come from being a single mother.
I highly recommend this.

**Listened to the audio book**

I like the fact that Sarah Thompson narrates the audio book as it feels so much more personal.
I also liked the fact that the book covers Thompson's personal story as well as a deeper focus on things that are brought up in society about single mothers. It felt like a articles as well as a memoir.

I am not a mother myself, but this book interested me nevertheless. I found some topics more interesting than others -so overall it was all a bit hit and miss for me. Some parts I loved, and other parts I found a bit dull and slow. I'm not sure if I would have enjoyed it more if I was a mother.

4 stars

“I’m not failing, and I’m not succeeding. I’m just here, experiencing.”

^I love that wording/mindset and need to try to keep it in mind a bit more often for my own life.

This was, for the most part, a really good read. It was an interesting, informative, entertaining exploration of single motherhood, both past and present. The author is British, so a lot of the stats and examples were from a UK context, but I appreciated the inclusion of several American and even a few Canadian references as well. I enjoyed some of the anecdotes from single mothers, although I think the perspectives could’ve been a bit more varied; I would’ve loved to see more diverse intersections of identity being included and discussed in intentional, meaningful ways. Additionally, while I realize that JKR is still considered a big success story for being able to achieve one’s goals as a single mother, I would’ve felt better without the mentions of and quotes attributed to her, especially considering her continued insistence on harmful transphobic rhetoric; there are other welcoming and inclusive public figures who could’ve been discussed here instead. Overall though, while I’m not a parent yet myself, this was a well-researched and intriguing book that was exactly what I needed at the moment.