This debut book by Lauren K McKellar was so well written.

There were moments of insecurity in some characters, some authority characteristics and also moments of true fear. But what was fabulous about this book, was that is relates to mums and how we think, feel, see, cope and try to fit into what society assumes that mums should be and act.

The story that the three main female characters have within the book, show that friendships can be formed without judgement.

A funny, heartfelt, and empowering debut novel that will make you laugh, cry, and reflect on the power of motherhood and friendship. Set in the small town of Hickory Creek, this story follows a group of new mums who band together to save their local community centre from closure. Their plan? A fundraising calendar where they bare it all – literally. 😳

As each woman steps in front of the camera, they also open up about their personal struggles. Rhea is grappling with guilt over her dissatisfaction with staying home, Samantha is mourning a heartbreaking loss and navigating anxiety, while Tahlie, despite being married to the golden boy of the town, feels incredibly lonely. 💔

But The Calendar Mums isn’t just about a quirky nude calendar. It’s about body image, the messiness of motherhood, postpartum mental health, domestic violence, and the beautiful, complex friendships between women. The characters are SO relatable and real, making you feel like you’re right there in Hickory Creek with them. From body insecurities to the strength found in female friendships, this book is a celebration of womanhood, community, and reclaiming identity. 💪🏼💕

This story has it all: humour, heartache, resilience, and most importantly, hope. It’s a powerful reminder that motherhood is messy, beautiful, and that no one has to face it alone. 🌸 If you’re looking for a book that will touch your heart and remind you of the strength within, The Calendar Mums is a must-read.

The Calendar Mums by Lauren K McKellar was a real page turner and hard to put down. It follows a group of new mums who meet at a mothers group run by the local community centre in Hickory Creek. Toxic black mould is found in the air conditioning ducts so their room is immediately closed down. The other room in the centre is used by the all male fishing group and they refuse to give up their spot - or share with the women. Rather than disband, the women decide to raise the money for the repairs; and they do this by creating a calendar! A nude calendar showing off their beautiful post baby bodies - stretch marks, weight gain, post-baby tummy and all!

The story of the production of the calendar is progressed from the points of view of Rhea - stay at home mum who really wants to go back to work; Samantha - single mum dealing with a heartbreaking loss and a mother with dementia; and Tahlie - married to the popular and respected town top cop.

The story portrays the realities of being a new mum, crying babies, sore breasts and constant tiredness; and the importance of community centres and mother & baby groups where new mums (and second or third time mums) get advice, support, a shoulder to cry on or just the ability to talk issues out. A place were they can feel safe and reassure themselves that every thing that is happening to them is normal - they are not alone!

Domestic violence plays a large part of one of the back stories - and this thread is heartbreaking but very informative as to how victims are manipulated and isolated so slowly that by the time the physical abuse starts the victim has lost all confidence and are convinced that no-one will believe them and there is no escape.

The new mums of Hickory Creek bonded, formed strong friendships and worked together to reach goals and rescue one of their own.

Heartwarming and inspiring, Calendar Mums is a beautiful story with laughs, love and hope to counterbalance the drama. I really recommend this book.

Calendar mums is beautifully written story that tugs on your heart and explores topics such as mental health and post partum, the characters are real and loveable.

Big thanks to Harlequin for sending us a copy to read and review and for a copy on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
A heartwarming, tender and inspiring read that will embolden, invigorate and encircle your reading mind and experience.
A group of mothers join forces to raise funds by posing for a calendar and along the adventure they share secrets, stories and ideas while bonding.
The community centre in Hickory Creek is where the mums get together for support.
But when black mould is found while fixing the aircon they have to abandon the centre.
So they come up with an idea.
A calendar where the mums will pose nude celebrating motherhood.
For Rhea, Samantha and Tahlie the project brings friendship, romance, heartbreak, joy, kindness, confidence and some darker issues.
Hickory Creek welcomes the reader and as you get involved in their lives its leaves a place in your heart.
There’s shades of dark issues stamped throughout which elevates the story.
Community spirit and strong closeness is rife and there’s so much to really adore in the tale.
Lauren is an awesome storyteller and one to watch.

The Calendar Mums is an incredibly inspiring, important book highlighting the fact that as Mums, we go through so much. So many emotions after having a child. Everyone has different experiences. Everyone is unique.
As I read this story, my emotions were put through the ringer.
This is a book that has some difficult moments in too.
The Mums doing a calendar celebrating their womanhood was inspirational to raise money for their community to access the things mums need to get through life with a new baby. We all need support and this book has it in spades.
An insiring motherhood story that gives you many feels.

I REALLY enjoyed this book. It’s lighthearted and entertaining while also handling difficult themes with care and tenderness.

My eldest was born during peak COVID, so I never really got to be part of a mother’s group (it's hard to bond through a screen!). Reading this made me wish I had been part of this one.

What stuck with me most is how every motherhood journey looks different (even when facing the same feeding and sleeping battles) and how much easier it can feel with the right support around you

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia for the opportunity to read this ahead of release on 5 March.

Wow! I’m riding the newborn wave at the moment and The Calendar Mums hit me in all the feels. It’s a beautiful story of mother- and womanhood, identity and the power of community.

“The mothers” chapters had me smiling.

And Rhea… from the person who still finds herself logging on to email, I feel you gf.

I would love to see The Calendar Mums become a series!

So appreciative of receiving an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

CW: there are upsetting themes raised in The Calendar Mums which the author addresses in a reader’s note at the beginning of the book.

Such a beautifully written book. What starts as a story about a mother’s group raising funds to replace an air conditioner at the local community centre in their small town so they can continue to have their mothers’ group meeting turns into a tale about friendships and how strong people can be. It touches on the traditional role of a mother and a father and how one mother struggles with that, being a single parent with the other parent returning unexpectedly and domestic violence and how to escape a situation that seems to be inescapable. A beautiful story where you wish you had these strong women as your friend as they would do anything to support you in your time of need.

The Calendar Mums by Lauren K. McKellar is a beautifully written, heartwarming novel that captures the joys and struggles of motherhood, the power of female friendships, and the resilience of community. From the very first chapter, I was invested in the lives of these women, their personal battles, and their determination to save their beloved community center.

The story follows a group of mothers who come together to create a fundraising calendar, each of them bringing their own strengths, insecurities, and life experiences to the project. Their journey is filled with humor, raw honesty, and touching moments that make this book both uplifting and emotional. I loved how McKellar portrayed the complexities of motherhood—its messy, chaotic, and deeply rewarding aspects—without shying away from the challenges.

The friendships between the characters felt authentic, and I appreciated the way their relationships evolved throughout the book. While the pacing was steady, there were a few moments where I wished for deeper exploration of certain storylines. However, the emotional depth and sense of camaraderie more than made up for it.

The Hickory Creek Community Centre is used by new mums, here they get support with feeding and baby care, immunisations and chat to other mothers. When toxic black mould is found in the ceiling of the room they use and the only women's services available in their small town is going to close. The mothers explore how they can fix the issue and the entire air conditioning unit needs to be replaced, they decide to raise the money, and how? A calendar featuring themselves, to celebrate the glory of motherhood and in the ladies will be nude.

A couple of mums are comfortable in their own skin, others feel self-conscious, about their post-partum bodies, stretch marks and weight gain and have a mum tum and can’t remember the last time they had a haircut or washed their hair and no judgement from me.

The story focuses on three main characters, Rhea is a stay at home mum and former business woman, and while she loves her two children she feels guilty because she misses working. Single mother Samantha is recovering from a loss and her mum has dementia, she’s really anxious and wonders if other mum’s are as well? Tahlie's from Ireland and she’s just had a baby with her partner Hamish and is new in town, he’s a policeman and the district commander and she misses her mother and is lonely.

Everyone pitches in creating the calendar, twelve women will feature in it and others are in charge of design, looking for a photographer and printer, places to sell them and hair and makeup and taking care of the babies while mum gets her gear off.

II received a copy of The Calendar Mums by Lauren K McKellar from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review. What a powerful story by Ms McKellar, it covers many topics and ones that are very relevant today. In the narrative friendships are formed, women start to feel differently about their bodies, and it explores how having a baby changes a couple's relationship, and how they balance their new roles and what society thinks about older woman dating a younger man and dislike cougar jokes.

Most of all it highlights how women can be groomed by their partners, at first it's seen as being caring, thoughtful and kind by the recipient and it becomes controlling and slowly they lose their confidence and identity and domestic violence is at epidemic proportions in Australia and when you’ve just had a baby it makes it harder to escape and especially in small country towns.

A funny and real, warm and caring story about being a mum and how important it is to have places like a community centre or a mothers and babies group and mothers need support, a shoulder to cry on and someone who understands to talk to and it really does take a village or a circle of friends and a supportive partner to raise a child. I highly recommend Lauren K McKellar’s debut women’s fiction novel and five stars from me.

It has been many a year since I have read a Lauren McKellar book, but what a way to get back into it!

The Calendar Mums is, as you may have guessed, about a bunch of mums who make a calendar for fundraising. However, that is just the catalyst that brings all of these amazing women together.

Each woman has her own unique tale to tell, yet they also band together to help each other.

It touches on the subject of DV and the power imbalance that can occur between the two people in a relationship. It shows how found family can circle the wagons to protect those in danger. All of these women are strong, are resilient, and are the types of friends we each need in our lives.

There was one thing that I didn't like the way it was resolved - not the way it was written, just that I didn't give me the satisfaction that I wanted. I am glad things happened, but I wanted them to suffer more hahahahah.

I wouldn't mind getting a novella down the track, taking us back to these amazing women.

A group of mothers decide to do a naked calendar to save their local community hub. I love how brutally raw and honest the story is, nothing is held back. It has a few tough topics namely grief and domestic abuse but they are dealt with kindness and generosity. I related to the characters and I loved each one of their own accord. It's funny, wise and the women support each other.