I loved this book! It is funny and a bit of mystery. I didn't want to put it down! I didn't exactly like Florence, but I found her entertaining. Basically, Flo is a single mom who refuses to grow up. She loves her son, Dylan, but she is not exactly responsible. Then, a classmate of Dylan's, Alfie, disappears and she is afraid Dylan might have something to do with the disappearance. She teams up with Jenny, another Mom from the Dylan's school, and they try to find out what happened to Alfie. Just read it, you will be entertained!
Thank you NetGalley and Putnam's Sons for letting me read an advance copy of this book!

Sarah Harman’s debut reminded me of Liane Moriarity’s “Big Little Lies” (with more humor and less despicable villains — our main character is akin to Jane/Shailene Woodley) and Charlotte Vassell’s “The Other Half” or “The In Crowd”, but about a another meddlesome British social order just below the aristocracy.

Here we have Florence Grimes, former girl band singer from the States, mingling with the non-titled British upper middle class (lower upper class?) which still has lots of money, ambition, and presumption, and no place for a sometimes-working single mother. Her 10 year old bullied son, Dylan, who sees everything in black and white but is the absolute center of Florence’s life, is going to the boys prep school, St. Angeles, primarily because Florence’s ex, Will, went there and is paying the tuition. Florence can barely make ends meet and does her hardest to avoid any socializing with the other school mums. But when a boy fails to return from a field trip and the missing boy is super creepy bully Alfie (with the sharp, nanny-biting ferret teeth) whose head Dylan recently cracked a cricket bat on (said cricket bat was being used to abuse a turtle first), Florence regrettably realizes her sweet Dylan might be a suspect. Or is he that sweet? Hmmmm.

Sending Dylan off to his dad’s, Florence (named after The Brady Bunch actress) teams up with fellow American school mum Jenny Choi, new to the school and an attorney, who’s certain that St. Angeles, with their slick PR firm, is hiding something, maybe even a tiger kidnapping. Florence isn’t an angel and admits that she’s unlovable and professionally unredeemable, but “at least her son is safe”.

Harman has the most wonderful descriptive prose — she portrays the older school dads as “melted men on their second or third wives” and the deputy head at school as an aging brontosaurus “dressed exactly like Mrs. Doubtfire and smells vaguely of mothballs.” The banter and arguments between Florence and Jenny is equally terrific — there’s no wonder why this book underwent a bidding war and is on its way to being produced as a streaming series. I had a few issues with Florence’s later actions to make sure Dylan was protected, but otherwise I loved the story. Great debut! 4.5 stars!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Yes, Dylan has piercing green eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Although the London Wetland Centre really exists and should have taught the kiddos something about plants.
There’s a Tesla (which nobody knows how to drive): YES There are no keys to give to a valet. A valet card, yes, but no keys. It’s all done by an app.

Thank you to GP Putnam/Penguin Group and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!

A wild and fun ride! The beginning definitely gave me Big Little Lies vibes and then it just went even more wild from there. Florence is an very unlikable narrator, but I found her inner dialogue entertaining, and interesting, albeit not the most realistic. She is definitely morally grey character and her actions are sometimes completely cuckoo, but the book definitely captured my interest and left me wanting to keep turning the pages.

When Florence's 10-year-old son Dylan (maybe?) becomes a suspect in the disappearance of one of his classmates, she decides that she's going to take whatever actions necessary to ensure that her son is not a suspect. And, well, Florence is no angel so, she takes some pretty misguided actions.
It definitely made me scratch my head at times, because at this point Dylan is not even that serious of a suspect, but it keeps the plot moving for sure. Although her actions are definitely out there, and she is NOT doing the "right things, she has just enough redeeming qualities to stay interesting, because at the root, she still cares for her son. But...suffice to say say that this is not a book about a worried mother who works calmly and rationally with the authorities to ensure that proper justice is served.

The mystery (what happened to that asshole rich kid Alfie?) is a solid one, some twists I started to suspect and a few kept me guessing. If you enjoy mysteries with unlikeable main characters, with lots of sarcasm and humor, definitely consider giving All the Other Mothers Hate Me a read.

My overall rating: 3/2 Stars

Thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is March 11, 2025.

All the Other Mothers Hate Me is a propulsive novel that grapples with adult female friendship, protecting your child and how much influence the wealthy have. Set in an English school, the mystery at the heart of the story keeps the reader turning pages, even if some of the decisions made by the main character seem a little far fetched. Overall it was a good read and perfect for readers that want a mystery/suspense with a bit of a twist at the end.

If ever a title rang true, it’s this one. The main character is hard to like. Very hard. Still, the storytelling was so fabulous that it didn’t even matter. Hilarious at times and heartbreaking at others, this was a thrill ride I enjoyed.

My thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I have been in a major reading slump, and this book cured that. I could not put it down. It has strong female characters, friendship, mysteries, and laughable moments. My biggest regret about this book is I left it on my shelf too long.

Thank you Penguin Group Putnam, Sarah Harman, and Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC.

Florence has one child, Dylan, who is her entire world. After a girl band drops her and goes on to become incredibly famous, Flo doesnt have much direction. Her days are all blank canvases while Dylan goes to school., until a boy in Dylan's class goes missing and Dylan becomes the prime suspect. She meets a new mom, Jenny, and they decide to look into the disappearance. Between Flo's investigation, Dylan's turtle always needing to eat bugs, Flo's desire to go out clubbing, and her water pipes on the fritz, Florence barely has time to breathe. Follow along in All the Other Mothers Hate Me. I hope you love Flo and Jenny as much as I did!

What I liked: A who-done-it mystery involving a possible kidnapping. Florence, a former pop star, is a hot mess of a main character.

What I disliked: The book title is misleading as it really has almost nothing to do with the plot.

Bad Moms meets Ginny & Georgia for a rapturous debut thriller. Florence is not a “likable” mother but she does the most important part of parenting right, she loves her son more than her own life. Her chaotic lifestyle creates surprising twists and turns that will keep the reader guessing. This was a fun mystery that I didn’t want to end.

For the publisher - this digital copy contains many more typos than most advanced copies I’ve read at this stage. Hopefully the errors were corrected before printing because this novel has potential to be highly respected.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After you read this book, it’s quite obvious why all the other mothers hate Florence. She’s a chaotic character with questionable morals. She definitely loves her son but apparently didn’t feel like she couldn’t leave him alone overnight. I have mixed feelings about this book but overall the plot was good and the ending wasn’t obvious.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman.

I really enjoyed this mystery of a missing boy, an elite group of women, and an outcast mother who's trying to figure it all out. This mystery has suspense, humor, puzzles, all while telling a message about motherhood. Recommended.

I really enjoyed this book. At first, I did not love the main character, however, her personality grew on me. I was surprised by the turn of events in the story and I did not predict the outcome.

Justice for Florence! She may be a chaotic hot mess that flirts along that morally ambiguous line (fine, sometimes she crosses it), but she was dealt a bad hand and she loves her son fiercely. This is sort of a cozy mystery meets dark comedy with some laugh out loud moments, relatable mom moments, and a twisty ending.

The friendship between Jenny and Florence was a little uneven at times but overall the unlikely partnership was fun to ride along with and it felt like there could be hints of a sequel. This was a solid read so I would be all in for a sequel!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy and a chance to read this early. All opinions are my own.

I was really intrigued by the premise of a missing child who was last seen with the main character's son. I was a bit confused as to the backgrounds of the American vs. British characters and couldn't quite get into the book at first. I suspect that has to do with Great Britain's emphasis on class status vs. the US which emphasizes ambition and achievement. As I read, it gave me vibes of Jennifer Weiner's book, The Griffin Sisters. I think this would strike a chord with fans of music groups from the aughts.

The main character is not likeable, but the mystery really pulls you in and I found myself enjoying more and more about the book. I think this will be popular with fans of the Finlay Donovan books.

I flew through this book at the speed of lightning. Something about how it was written was so easily digestible and addicting. The plot itself seemed fairly obvious, however that didn’t take away from the experience. There were bits and pieces added in that made it easy to stay interested. The ending did however drive me a little insane. HOW many red flags can one person ignore??? I loved the character development outside of that for our MC.

Oh my goodness! This book is absolutely hilarious! It delivers so much fun, perfect dry humor, smart sarcasm, and brilliant characterization! Meet Florence, an antiheroine who’s sloppy, eccentric, adventurous, and a young single mother. Once a girl band star, she’s now raising her smart, sensitive, and possibly neurodivergent nine-year-old son, Dylan, in her delightfully unconventional way.

This book has the potential to become a fantastic movie or series, evoking a perfect blend of Only Murders in the Building, Bad Moms, Ginny & Georgia, and a touch of Fox’s High Potential. From the very beginning, you can’t help but fall in love with Florence. Despite her flaws—her haphazard ethics, impulsive decisions, and occasional silliness—you find yourself rooting for her. Deep down, she’s a good person who loves her son fiercely and would do anything to protect him.

The amateur detective aspect is a highlight, especially Florence’s blossoming friendship with Jenny, her polar opposite. Together, they unleash their investigative skills to solve the mystery of Alfie Risby’s disappearance. Florence has her own agenda, though: to clear Dylan’s name, as he’s the last person who saw Alfie and is in possession of Alfie’s suspiciously left-behind backpack.

The pacing is captivating, with nothing feeling cliché or predictable. The story takes you on a wild, humorous adventure with Florence, whose life is in shambles. Having lost her singing career, she dreams of a Mariah Carey-esque comeback, but in the meantime, she’s delivering helium balloons for influencers' events—without a car or driver’s license, no less! On top of that, she must navigate the judgment of a posh, condescending mother’s group and the chaos of Alfie’s disappearance. Joining forces with Jenny, a top-notch insurance lawyer and fellow single mom, Florence dives headfirst into danger to prove her son’s innocence. After all, that’s what mothers do, isn’t it?

Overall: I’d love to read more of Florence Grimes’ adventures if the author decides to write a sequel! I adored the characters, the intriguing pace, the sharp humor, and the perfectly wrapped-up mystery. This book exceeded my expectations, earning a well-deserved five "band girl momma" stars!

Many thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam/G. P. Putnam’s Sons for providing me with a digital reviewer copy of this highly entertaining book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I really enjoyed ‘All the Other Mothers Hate Me’, it is quick witted and a quick satisfying read. No, I didn’t particularly like the main character Florence, but I didn’t like any of the others either including the children which I think adds to the humour of the book.
There is enough drama to keep the pages turning and the whole thing wraps up nicely with a satisfying ending.

When I first started this book, I thought I was going to dislike it. Let’s be honest. Florence is a highly unlikable main character. She’s selfish, greedy, and completely morally skewed. But she won me over. She’s like an evil version of Finley Donovan.🤣

This is a fun, layered, chaotic romp…utterly bananas. And I enjoyed every moment of it.

Thank you to GEPutnam/Penguin Random House for a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.

Florence is single and broke, missing out on her chance at fame with a girl’s band. Her only reason to get up every day is her son, Dylan. When Dylan’s bully goes missing, Florence begins investigating to keep the heat off her son.

I liked this mystery where we get to know the main character, and like her despite her flaws and bad decisions. She had the most interesting backstory. I loved how we clearly saw her prejudices towards the other mothers. This was really just a fun story that you’ll really enjoy if you like stories where amateurs take on an investigation and end up in more trouble than they bargained for.

“I feel terrible about what I did, but I’d do it again in a heartbeat if it means my favorite person on earth is safe here with me.”

All the Other Mothers Hate Me comes out 3/11.

I enjoyed this one more than I expected I would. True, the main character is not especially likeable, and makes really poor choices, but there’s enough about her that’s relatable for the reader to root for her. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.