Princess Fuzzypants here: When a cat showed up at the door of the law firm, the humans might have thought they were saving a stray. Indeed that appeared to be the case. He, in fact, saved them. In the year that Mr. Perkins spent with them, he recognized needs that even the humans did not know they had and taking them firmly but gently in paw, Mr. Perkins coaxed them in the right directions. His contributions won over even the most rabid naysayer and his fame spread. He was given an award by a local animal agency and the partners at the firm voted to make him an Honorary Partner.

Being human, at times it took great effort for Mr. Perkins to articulate what he wanted them to do. However, he was so good at it, they all eventually understood and benefited from the changes he initiated. As we all know, we cats are superior creatures of great intelligence. But by the end of the story, there is a hint that Mr Perkins may have been even more extraordinary than regular kitties.

It is a lovely and heartwarming story in which the magic of the purr can solve almost any problems and fill empty souls. Five purrs and two paws up.

I loved this story as it's cute and well done. A cat which is both magic and realistic like any cat. A well plotted and sweet story.
Good storytelling, loved it
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I wouldn't call this the best book I ever read, but I did enjoy it. Like some other reviewers have pointed out, this book does rely heavily on character stereotypes, with some of these having unpleasant implications. If these stereotypes are ignored, this is a charming read. I liked watching Mr. Perkins go about his day and make positive changes, it was cute. I just wish some of the dialogue and prose were a bit more elegant and a bit less stilted. Although most of this review was complaining, I did enjoy this. I love books featuring cats, so Mr Perkins alone was enough to guarantee my enjoyment.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

Mr. Perkins Takes Charge unfolds as a heartwarming exploration of the unexpected impact a stray cat named Mr. Perkins has on the lives of the individuals at Spong, Salter and Tethering Solicitors. The narrative skillfully navigates through dedicated chapters for each office member, revealing how the enigmatic feline becomes a transformative force, bringing positive and puzzling changes to their lives. The novel's charm lies in its simplicity and feel-good factor, with each chapter providing a glimpse into the characters' dreams and quirks touched by Mr. Perkins' mysterious influence. Cat lovers will be enchanted by the whimsical portrayal of feline charm, and British humor aficionados will appreciate the unique and delightful touch it adds to this cozy tale. Despite any initial quirkiness, the novel stands as a compelling read, offering a low-stakes, pressure-free journey into a world where a cat takes charge, leaving a lasting impression on the hearts of those he encounters.

“Mr. Perkins Takes Charge” by Suzanne Stephenson is a charming novel about the difference a stray cat makes on a law office when he decides to move in. Each chapter features one of the members of the office and the life-changing impact Mr. Perkins has on them. It’s a very short novel and can be easily read on a rainy afternoon when one is in the mood for some feel-good reading. I read an ARC provided by Net Galley, and while there were some issues with formatting that distracted me from time to time, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. My opinion is my own.

This is a really short book, a couple of hours at most to read. It’s really lovely, heartwarming and sweet.

Just a little bit of joy in your life on a cold winter day.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely loved this book. Really cheered me up & such a light hearted, feel good book. Oh for a RL Mr Perkins!

This was pretty good. A little clinky in places - potentially could do with an edit - and i had to rearead certain passages to understand what was going on, but lovely and charming and generally pretty good.

I absolutely loved this book. Such an unusual tale but it kept me hooked. I completed it in one sitting. The story shows how important animals are in a world of humans. Where would we be without them? The author has taken what could have been several short stories and woven them together perfectly.

This book came along at just the right time in my life, when I needed to read about something good, sweet, and funny instead of the usual murder mysteries I typically enjoy. Mr. Perkins Takes Charge is predictable in a way that calms the nerves and soothes the soul.

I picked up on "Mr Perkins Takes Charge" on NetGalley wanting something light and cosy to read after a bit of a slump of not finishing many books. Something that was low stakes and no pressure. That is exactly what I got.

Mr Perkins is a black cat on a mission to make sure everyone in the solicitors office prioritises their personal life and own happiness. A message I am sure a lot of us could take on board.

The format on kindle was a little off, with some titles/words being in odd places but other than that, I enjoyed the chilled reading experience whilst cuddling with my cats.

This book was a sweet, cute story about a cat named Mr. Perkins and the impact he has on the humans around him. I enjoyed it and thought it was charming, but my main issue was with the dialogue. It felt unrealistic and took me out of the story pretty frequently. Even with that issue, it was still a sweet, heartwarming read.

A delightful tale of a cat who adopts a solicitors office and persuades all the members in the office to make better life choices. A black stray cat wanders into the law office and is adopted by the partners. The cat visits with all of the members and persuades through miaow and purring his opinions on various topics. They Name him Mr. Perkins. Mr. Perkins helps one member curb his drinking problem by shutting the drawer every time the man reaches to take a nip. He helps a partner stand up to his unreasonable and cruel wife who is making him and his daughter miserable. The wife is so shocked, she leaves him, applies for a divorce and he and his daughter live happily afterwards. The cat knocks off brochures about visiting Spain and Weddings in Spain to encourage one of the solicitors to stop procrastinating and marry her fiance. There are more partners the cat manages to help - he even thwarts a burglary. This is a sweet read and I enjoyed reading it.

Oh, dear, oh dear. This was such a charming conceit--the solicitors' office cat meddles in everyone's business to improve their lives for the better. But beyond the conceit, there was nothing in this book that I enjoyed reading. The prose was plodding and repetitive. THe dialogue was contrived and characterless. The characters themselves were stock figures, rather than people. One of the lawyers adopts a refugee family because he's lonely and has a big house. For the rest of the book, they are referred to as 'his refugee family', because that is their role: they are refugees. They never even get names--unlike everyone's pet, who is given a name. To be sure, in a book about a cat, it makes sense that all the pets are named. I just rather wish that people were afforded the same respect.

Worst of all, the stock roles assigned to each personality-less individual were tainted by many, many unthinking, outdated gender stereotypes.

When some children have difficulty with literacy at school, the little girl is only interested in shopping and fashion, and her mother wants her to be a model. The little boy is interested in math and science.

The headmaster's wife herself works full time at the local secondary school as a teacher, but what she teaches is 'home economics', and she's still responsible for cooking dinner every night, which is inedible (hahaha!), and no one eats it, and as a result her children are fat and have pimples from relying on chips. Hahahaha the female partner is responsible for cooking, no one tells her that she needn't do this domestic labour, so for over a decade she's been taking on extra responsibilities she didn't need to undertake, and getting blamed for the health of her children. Because womens be cooking, right?

The lawyers themselves are all men, except for one token woman, whose life difficulty that the cat solves invovles a reluctance to get married and have children. Because womens need to make babies, right?

One lawyer's life difficulty involves an overbearing wife who needs to be divorced. Another lawyer's life difficulty involves an overbearing mother whose influence must be cast off. Because womens are just a ball and chain of shackles, right?

The secretaries are both women. Of course.

Very, very disappointing.

I like stories that feature an animal as a protagonist, and I do have a soft spot for cats, so I was looking forward to reading this.

This was a charming short story. I think it's a story that older children might enjoy, as well as adults, and I liked its simplicity - nothing about it was complicated. It's probably a good choice for a light read, if you want something to relax with. The illustrations are adorable too.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

One day a black cat wondered into the offices of Spong, Salter and Tethering Solicitors and made himself comfortable in the reception comfy chair. The receptionist liked cats so gave him some milk and treats and was pleased to see him on their doorstep the next day. He regularly turned up and gradually made himself at home. The people working there gradually realised if Mr Perkins took an interest in you, your life began to improve. I found this gentle story to be entertaining and fun.

This was a fascinating book with an interesting premise, but I found it really hard to get into. I applied of the author for a creative idea and I do love cats so this one appealed to me!

Is it enough to say I’ve already purchased four copies of this book for my cat loving family and friends? Mr. Perkins is a purrfectly enigmatic cat who invites himself into a law firm in England. He knows just how to nudge a person to make positive changes and enjoy life more. Important for animal lovers to know: no animals die or are harmed in this book. I truly hope this will be a series. Mr. Perkins fills the need for a feel good, relaxing book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGallery and BooksGoSocial for this book! What a sweet heartwarming story of Mr Perkins the cat! Black cat Mr. Perkins; has found a new place to call home - an attorneys office. He has meowed his way to everyone’s heart and seems to know exactly what to do to help a person find their true happiness and help those in need. Between purrs and plenty of treats he makes the would around him a better place. When his work is done he knows when to make a graceful exit. To anyone who has/had a cat or any pet will understand how they make our lives more complete and a better place home can be.

A black cat shows up on the doorstep of a provincial solicitor's firm and promptly makes himself at home. Dubbed Mr. Perkins, the cat meows, looks enigmatic, and takes the employees in hand with the certainty of a seasoned social worker. This collection of tales is illustrated with black-and-white sketches of Mr. Perkins in action.

Bernard, unhappily married to his former secretary after the untimely death of his wife? Mr. Perkins eats Bernard's awful tunafish sandwich lunch, allowing Bernard to go to the pub with a coworker, which leads step by step to a face-off with the former secretary, who decamps with her tasteless furniture, leaving Bernard and his daughter the happier for it.

Graham, who takes more than a nip or two at work? Mr. Perkins nudges his hand away from the booze, meows his encouragement for Graham to mentor young David, and sooner rather than later, Graham is tossing his bottles in the rubbish and David is shaping into a good young professional.

Mr. Perkins slides a few flyers for adult daycare into the pocket of the beleaguered receptionist, Maureen, whose combative elderly roommates need to find outside interests. Mr. Perkins likewise draws the workaholic Ariana's attention to a flyer about weddings in Spain, which causes her to decide to spend her Christmas holidays, at long last, with her fiancé, at his mother's, in Spain, and get married.

Mr. Perkins foils a pair of yoiks from robbing the office, thereby converting the curmudgeonly old maintenance man in to a man more tolerant of cats. "Fred had made it plain on previous occasions that he did not like Mr. Perkins one bit."

I like a story about a cat doing good in the world, but there's a level of British animal-story whimsey here that I could not quite go with.

Each human character's were introduced with a dossier that seemed oddly specific for being essentially set-dressing: Mr. Ali, for instance, a neighbor who helps foil the break-in, is also a "well-established client who was wishing to move his restaurant to larger premises. It was known locally for its South Indian cuisine. The new location was to be in the middle of the High Street in the premises of what had been an unsuccessful Greek restaurant which had only lasted about two years. Before the Greek restaurant the premises had been a successful English steakhouse for about ten years before the chain went bust." Nothing more is mentioned of the restaurant, btw.

It's a quirk that I thought was ironic or humorous at first, but by the end of the slim, illustrated book, I found it a little unsettling. A bit like the fixed stare of a cat, one might say. This sort of naive storytelling device seems to say less about the characters than about the narrator...Be that as it may, ultimately, I believe this book will find its devotees, regardless my dissenting opinion.

Mr. Perkins Takes Charge is for fans of British cozy, wise cats, and morally tidy storytelling.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my unfettered opinion.

Thanks to NetGally for the e-ARC in exchange for my unfettered opinion.