Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of Confessions of a Forty Something F**k Up in exchange for my honest review and opinion. Such a fun, light read and cracked me up at several times throughout the book. I absolutely enjoyed this book and have been referring it to all my friends.

REVIEW: Confession of a Forty-Something F**k Up by Alexandra Potter

This book is like a breath of fresh air in a world of Instagram-perfect. Okay, so our main character, Nell, is a hot mess. She's pushing 40, her life's falling apart, and she's moved back in with her parents. Sound depressing? No, it's hilarious. Potter nails that perfect mix of cringe-worthy moments and laugh-out-loud humor that'll have you cackling like a maniac on public transport.

But here's the thing - it's not just funny—this book's got a lot of heart. Nell's journey is so accurate it hurts sometimes. If you've ever felt you're falling behind or questioning your choices, this book will hit you immediately. The cast of characters is top-notch. From Nell's ridiculously lovable elderly neighbor to her social media influencer nemesis, every person feels fully fleshed out and genuine. And don't even get me started on the dog. I'm not a dog person, but damn if I didn't fall in love with that furry little plot device.

Potter's writing style is chef's kiss. It's sharp, witty, and flows so smoothly that you'll look up and realize you've just devoured half the book in one sitting. The pacing is spot-on, too - there's never a dull moment.
What sets this book apart is how it tackles heavy themes - like societal expectations, self-worth, and what "success" really means - without ever feeling preachy or losing its sense of humor. It's like having a deep conversation with your funniest friend.

"Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up" is an absolute gem. It's hilarious, heartwarming, and honest. Whether you're twenty, forty, or ninety, there's something here for you. This book is the literary equivalent of your best friend showing up at your door with wine and takeout when you're having a crap day. I loved it.

Thank you, Netgalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks, for the free advanced copy for my honest review!

I'd recommend this book to anyone looking for an enjoyable read that will also provide a few laughs, whether or not they're in their forties. It has a bit of a Shopaholic series vibe.

I laughed so hard I cried. I'm in my mid-30s, so I am slightly out of the target age demographic, but I still found this full of a lot of heart.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

I listened to this on audio while also reading it and I enjoyed the wittiness and dry humor! I also don't see enough books about 40+ characters, and it was so fun to not only see that, but to see them struggle with finding themselves. It gives you a bit of a chance to take it easy on yourself because we're all just trying our best to find ourselves

Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up" is a lighthearted and often funny read that tackles relatable themes. If you're looking for a humorous and uplifting story about a woman navigating her 40s, you'll likely enjoy it. However, if you prefer deeper characters and a more complex plot, you might find it lacking.

I loved this laugh out loud book. Confessions of a 40 Something F*** Up is a 21st century Bridget Jones, and I loved how Alexandra Potter made Nell come to life on the pages. As a 40 something year old, I really appreciated this book. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very relatable fun, "vacation read". I'm glad Nell for hey HEA. It was a fun and light trek of hope and happiness. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review

A funny but slightly draggy novel about getting your life together at the age of 40-something. Cricket was my favorite character! Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

There's something about a book with a main character that embraces being a hot mess - this book channels Bridget Jones's Diary and brings it into the 21st century.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. This was such a fun read. Considering I'm in my forties it was fun to relate. Lots of laugh out loud moments.

As someone in their early 20's, I'm looking forward to re-reading this once I'm in my 40's, and maybe better relating to the story. With humor and emotion that hits hard, the question of "how did I even get here?" is one that every middle-aged person on earth will probably ask themselves at least a hundred times in their life. Honestly, even just in thinking about my future, this book has made me feel less alone, and less afraid, of what my life might hold.
I'd like to thank NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for providing me with a free copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Avery funny read that will have you laughing out loud. This book will make you wonder how life turned out the way it did and you will realize that your life is good. This would be a great book club read and the discussion would be endless. Nellie happy and writes obituaries and meets a wonderful 80 year old friend Cricket. A great celebration of true friendship.

Confessions of a Forty-Something F**ck Up takes a bit to get going but once it is, it's a delightful romp through the misadventures of a mid-lifer. It gave me vibes of Eleanor Oliphant and Where'd You Go Bernadette?, with wacky Crickett leading the way through her chaotic life.

***** I have received and read an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for giving my honest feedback. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.*****

As someone who landed a part time job (at near 40) writing obituaries, when I saw this book up for review, it felt like kismet.

What is there to say except I plan to share this book with everyone else I know.

Nell is funny and relatable, and is the perfect character to remind us that even when plans fall through we can find something to make us happy until we can figure out where we're headed to next.

Thank you to Harper Perennial for an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. As a forty-something myself who sometimes feels more alone than I’d like, this humorous read was right up my alley. I think anyone who has a good sense of humor and can relate to feeling a bit out of place in their own life will find this read enjoyable. The main character has moved home to the UK after a breakup with her Californian fiance. She finds a room in a house with a man (sharing a bathroom!) and tries to get back into her old girlfriends circle. Feeling like she's in an entirely different place than they are, Nell bonds with an 80-something widow, her "client" from whom she is writing the husband's obituary. Attempting to find love again while also complaining about feeling old, but being reminded she isn't actually old by the widow, Nell has a fun journey to creating a podcast about her life. I did a mix of the book and the audio, which had a great narrator. The book was adapted for the ABC series Not Dead Yet, which I’m going to have to check out.

Penelope or Nell as she prefers has moved back to the UK after breaking up with her American Fiancée. Nell is a forty something single woman without a job and accommodation unlike her friends who are all married and have kids and have their own houses. Her father lends her money and she looks for a shared accommodation and starts a job as an obituary writer to pay for bills.

When she goes to meet the widow of a recently deceased playwriter, she meets the eighty something widow, Catherine or she is knows lovingly as Cricket. Cricket turns out to be quite different from what Nell had imagined and they become friends. They both end up teaching each other a great many things.

Nell's housemate or landlord, Edward only stays at the house few days a week as he is married and has kids and visits them in the country over the weekends. He also owns a dog, Arthur who also becomes Nell's companion in a way as Nell spends a lot of time with Arthur and takes him on walks.

Nell's best friend, Fiona doesn't have time for her as she has a new friend of her own. Basically, any of Nell's friends don't have time for her unless they want her to babysit their kids and I felt for Nell.

I loved Nell and everything about her character. From feeling like a failure to her trying to fit in and find her place in her family and her friend's lives to her self-pity to her resilience and picking up the pieces and trying to get back on track rather a new track. She was so relatable in every which way. I was rooting for her all the way. This book was such a testimony of women's lives when they have to start over at forty. I for one loved this book and hope that lots of people read it.

🔹 My take: 4.25/5

🔸 Nell’s life is a mess - she has split with his fiancé and their business has busted. All her dreams of HEA in California has fallen apart and she moves back to London to start over. Just to realise that it’s not easy being in hometown with all her friends being happily settled now and her parents questioning her life choices. To get busy, she accepts job offer of writing obituaries when she meets Cricket, an 80 year old widow who is full of zest, mirth and challenges of her own. Nell and Cricket form a fierce friendship over a period of time where each supports the other in unexpected ways and try to turnaround their messy life.

💖 Wows - This book is as real as it could get. The frustrations, confusions, helplessness that a forty something woman could be facing is all portrayed with full heart and humour. Also, the calm and the maturity that comes with experiences is aptly covered. Trust me the plot above does not do justice to the various themes covered in this book - friendships, light hearted romance, death of a loved one, bullying, job loss, sibling relationship, holiday getaway, loneliness… I chuckled at lots of points and have annotated quite a bit ☺️.

💔 Ows - For major part of the book; Nell keeps on yearning for a child which is fine but I felt that it was overdone. Not every 40+ something’s life goal is to bear a child and harping on that again and again was depressing. This book is huge at 500+ pages so it can be a deterrent for a reader to pick it up even before they know it’s worth.

💫 If you are not a forty something, read this for humour. If you are forty plus something, definitely read this; you will have a good time. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thanks to @harperperennial and @netgalley for sharing the DRC in exchange for honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.