Linda Green writes fabulous books featuring super characters and she has done it again with The Woman with All the Answers.
Michelle is a District Nurse, mother of two teenagers with a husband, elderly father and mother in law to care for and is having to also deal with the perimenopause. Pauline works as Michelle's Alexa! Pauline sees and hears everything that happens in Michelle's household and she knows that Michelle needs help for herself and for her family.
Can Pauline get Michelle the help she and her family need? Will Michelle realise her Alexa is actually a 65 year old woman from Halifax? Will Pauline be able to help herself while helping others?
Another great read Linda. Highly recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publishers for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I liked the premise of the novel, Alexa the voice assistant is a real person working out of a call centre was bizarre and unique. However, I found the narrative quite depressing. Other readers will enjoy it though the novel was not for me.

This was my first ever NetGalley read, and I was so excited to pick up a book before its official release!

Technology plays a huge role in our lives, and we all know how much we rely on it. But what if Alexa wasn’t just a voice assistant, but a real woman who knew everything about you and your family?

Michelle Banks, a relatable, everyday woman, is juggling too much and neglecting herself. That’s when Pauline—the human behind the voice—decides to break the rules and help her, even though she’s never supposed to reveal her existence.

The plot feels so real, and the bond between Michelle and Pauline is heartwarming—something every woman would love to have in her life. Now, I just wish I had my own Alexa like this!

An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!

What a joy this book is! As a 50 + woman I found Michelle gloriously relatable and loved the glimpse into her world complete with all its trials and tribulations. Linda Green has created such a portrait of a busy family house with teenagers that I wondered if she had been my very own Pauline and had an insight into my own chaotic house. The characterisation was fabulous and you really fall in love with this family complete with all of its complications.
I loved the concept of Alexa as a real life advisor - what a great idea!
Read it - you won't be disappointed!

I really liked the originality of this take on family life, with the Alexa taking a particular interest in this family! There was lots to relate to as a woman of a similar age to Michelle. Michelle is dealing with a teen with post lockdown anxiety, another coming to terms with his first relationship and the peer pressure involved and a husband who wants to live in the past. On top of that she is dealing with menopause, elderly parents and their issues and a busy job. Throughout it all, her "Alexa" is helping her out.
It made me smile, frustrated me on Michelle's behalf, but reminded me to take time for myself!
Feelgood, easy read.

Michelle Banks, wife, mother, and daughter, is exhausted and at the end of her tether. A hectic job, combined with having to look after her family and elderly parents is pushing her to the brink, the onset of the menopause isn't helping either. Luckily her smart speaker begins to offer solutions; luckily Alexa isn't AI but a real person, sixty-five-year-old Pauline who knows the family well.

Author Linda Green has been publishing novels for almost twenty years. I've heard the name numerous times but looking at her back catalogue I honestly don't think I've read any of her previous novels. After reading The Woman With All The Answers I'm beginning to wonder why I've never read any of the author's books before as I absolutely loved this.

Categorising The Woman With All The Answers is tricky. It's uplifting and features an older protagonist, something which is very popular at the moment. Alongside this it makes you sit up and think about some of the many pressures on society today.

The Banks family is a normal family. Mum, Michelle, is the heart of the family; the organiser, the carer, the problem solver. When she changed jobs to become a district nurse she hoped that her work/life balance would improve but it only seems to have got worse. Husband Marc works from home. He doesn't enjoy his job and boredom has resulted in him buying memorabilia from the internet, something the family can't really afford. Daughter Liv is about to take her A-Level exams but is struggling with crippling anxiety, she doesn't think she'll be able to leave the house ever again. Son Callum is the only one in the family who seems ok. He's about to take his GCSEs and is all loved up.

Michelle is part of the "sandwich generation", alongside caring for her immediate family she also has to look after her father and mother-in-law. Both are elderly and cause Michelle different problems.

Sat in the corner of most of the rooms in the house is the unassuming little smart speaker. Everyone thinks the speaker is powered by AI but in reality, it's real people behind each voice and the one dedicated to the Banks family is sixty-five-year-old Pauline from Halifax. The chapters alternate between Michelle and Pauline and when it's one of Pauline's chapters her Yorkshire accent comes through loud and clear.

Pauline not only answers questions via the smart speakers, but she can also access lots of other devices and data too such as laptops, webcams, mobile phones and doorbell cameras. Pauline uses her access to all of these to prompt Michelle in the direction of help but after it becomes obvious that she is floundering Pauline makes her true identity known and together they look at solving all of the problems Michelle is dealing with.

Linda Green uses the story to raise many of the issues families are dealing with today; the pressures on teenagers, district nurses being too busy to spend any quality time with patients, and the elderly being left behind in an ever-increasing digital world are just a few. Women's health is a major topic, particularly the menopause. The nature of Michelle's job means that she is isolated, she has no close friends or colleagues to confide in. Thankfully, Pauline is there to push her in the right direction. Getting the help needed isn't always easy though. One moment I was filled with rage at the way in which Michelle was treated by a male GP, the next I had tears of laughter running down my face as she endured a cringe-worthy smear test.

Thanks to Pauline's help many of Michelle's burdens are lightened. The nature of modern life means that there are always going to be dilemmas, we just need to remember the saying "A problem shared is a problem halved".

The Woman With All the Answers by Linda Green is a witty, insightful exploration of modern life, motherhood, and unexpected friendship. Michelle Banks, a 52-year-old district nurse juggling family, work, and personal challenges, finds herself overwhelmed by life’s pressures. When her smart speaker, Alexa, reveals herself as Pauline, a quirky former voiceover artist, the two women form an unlikely bond. Through Pauline’s no-nonsense guidance, Michelle learns to navigate her chaotic life with humor and wisdom. Green’s novel combines humor and heart to tackle themes of self-discovery, family dynamics, and finding the strength to ask for help when life gets tough.

"The Woman with All the Answers" is a fast-paced and non-challenging read.

However, the mixture of world-building (probably based on a question: what would happen if behind AI assistants were actual people?) combined with the inclusion of challenging topics (perimenopause, parental estrangement, living with high levels of anxieties to name a few) really affected my ability to suspend my disbelief. Also, the focus on the "uplifting" atmosphere of the book made the plot turns truly departed from possible reality.

On one hand, it is quite likely that small changes may lead to bigger, more major ones, but I couldn't stop asking myself what makes Alexa/Pauline actually qualified to facilitate those changes. All we know as readers are snippets of her personal story and it seems like she only relies on the wisdom that should come with age?

A really unique story- imagine if Alexa really was a voiceover character 😆.

Made me laugh out loud , the main characters were interesting!

This Plot idea was Fantastic and i literally ADORED 'Grandpa', which is why im giving 3 stars rather than two.
The main character though (imo insufferable with some martyr syndrome going on) was a nightmare... having to be stuck in her head through much of the book which, on a Positive note, is due to her 'woe is me im the Only one who ever does anything' whingeing being well written. Her attitude, the Heavy topics (one lewd which became a running 'joke', and a couple depressing ones), and Language (a lot of F-bombs etc, plus some 'medical' things that made me gag) were not my cuppa.
It Sounded like it would be lighthearted, upbeat, and funny but i didn't get that vibe after 30% in.
Thank you to Boldwood Books at NetGalley for this ARC. xox

The Woman With All The Answers by Linda Green

Michelle is in her fifties and spinning too many plates - her job as a district nurse, mum to two teenagers, carer for her dad - and things aren't going so well. When Michelle gets more bad news from her past, the household Alexa reveals she is actually a real person, Pauline, and offers to help.

What a briliant concept, wonderfully executed - I absolutely loved this book! Such an original idea wrapped up in a smart, funny and poignant story, with a fabulous cast of characters dealing with many challenges of modern life in an authentic way. I can't recommend it enough!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC.

Meet the Banks family. Michelle is a stressed out 52 year old district nurse, her husband Marc is a copywriter for a compost company and is addicted to buying old dolls on ebay, her 18 year old daughter Liv suffers from anxiety and agoraphobia, her 16 year old son Graham has just sent a dick pic to his underage girlfriend, her mother is dying, her father is constantly at risk of getting scammed and doesn't understand the digital world anymore, and her MIL needs more and more help after a fall. Oh, and she's in perimenopause and the guinea pigs keep dying.

Now picture a world in which the Alexa voices actually belong to real women Iike 65 year old Pauline from Halifax, shortly to be retired, who hides her broad Yorkshire accent when adding things to the Banks' shopping list or playing Liv's sad songs list for the umpteenth time. Pauline has been looking after the family's needs for six years and never once broken cover - but now she feels Michelle needs her, being crushed from so many sides at once. The story is told in dual POV between Michelle and Alexa Pauline.

Now, let's get out the way how bonkers and a legal nightmare this would be, because if Pauline from Halifax could have a good gander at my bank accounts, I'm not sure how happy I would be about that. Then again, it shows how blindly we trust a disembodied voice that can keep us under surveillance via several technical gadgets like webcams and Ring doorbells.

Let's also discuss how triggering the Yorkshire accent is in writing for a grammar obsessed person without the definitive article "the" - speaking it in Happy Valley is not the same thing! Also, you can't actually use an LPA until the donor has lost their mental capacity so Michelle needs the normal power of attorney.

Having got all this out the way, oh my God, how good is this book? Where on earth has Linda Green been? I've last read In Little Stars several years ago and I am stoked there is a new one with one of my favourite publishers.

There is so much going on and then Pauline from Halifax swoops in like a literal Mary Poppins to the Banks family, with her "friends in high places", her "Amazonian Queens" Facebook group and great tips for sorting out the mess that is Michelle's life. We also get an insight into Pauline's lonely life, which makes the ending particularly happy.

There is modern social commentary about technology but also heartwarming family support and forgiveness. This is the epitome of a funny, relatable, inspiring, hopeful and uplifting story and one I can wholeheartedly recommend, especially if you like strong, feisty, middle-aged women, Menopause talk, black Labrador emotional support dogs called Basil and you're also a fan of Fiona Gibson's books.

This is a cracking premise! Alexa is really a local woman called Pauline who puts on her “ received pronunciation “ voice to help out the family, working as a call centre operative. The family in question is in turmoil. Michelle , the mother, is just about holding it all together. Her finances aren't great and she finds out her husband has a secret obsession buying memorabilia, her daughter is struggling with her mental health and the son is on the edge of getting into trouble. Add to this her mother in law needs checking on daily and she can’t trust her husband to remember everything Carole might need, and her own perimenopausal issues as well as a full time job and her father who also requires assistance. When Alexa offers to help, Michelle really needs a friend.

This is written brilliantly and with a northern dialect who say it as it is (and occasionally miss out “ the” ( as in “ put tea in cup”.) I liked Pauline and couldn't help but feel for Michelle who is the cog, the one who keeps things going whilst all around her sit and wait for her help. A story of hope and real life and friendship. I smiled and shed tears (Basil being the culprit- in a very good way). Cant wait for more from this author. A big 5 *


For more reviews please follow me on X (formerly Twitter) @nickisbookblog
---------------------------------------------------------

Very cleverly written book. Michelle is struggling with her life her ailing mother, her father her mother in law her job as a district nurse all these balls to juggle before you even start on her family. Alexa who is in control of four speakers in the house knows how’s she’s struggling and knows it’s about to get a whole lot worse.
Pauline who’s on the brink of retirement is really Alexa and she decides to go rouge. Michelle and Pauline embark on a strange relationship but Pauline is still to reveal that she’s not going to be around for much longer.
This is a rollercoaster of an adventure you won’t want to miss.

This is utterly brilliant. It is so much funnier than I was expecting but also emotional at times, and left me feeling uplifted.

It is also surprisingly believable, given it explains that Alexa (the google virtual assistant) is voiced by a team of women, each one having their own family, who is a real person and not an algorithm, or AI or anything. And it turns out the person behind Michelle's Alexa is due to retire and is about to go rogue!

Michelle is stressed, tired, at her wits end, attempting to deal with all of her various family members, the ones she lives with, plus her father, her mother in law and then her mother comes back into her life too.

We have a Marc who works from home and may have a slight Ebay habit, Liv her A-Level age daughter who is suffering from anxiety and doesn't want to leave the house, let alone go back to school and sit her exams, or contemplate anything after that, and Callum who is 16 and who is having to deal with peer pressure.

There are some truly hilarious moments, some rather mortifying ones, there is a brush with the police, a rather memorable doctor's appointment, and a whole lot more.

And in between that we have chapters from "Alexa"'s point of view, where we get to see behind the scenes of life as a virtual personal assistant, can discover just how much all of our technology is interconnected and spying on us, and of this particular Alexa's compassion for the family she has been aiding for six years.

It's hard to fully explain this book, but it deals with real issues that anyone could encounter. The characters are relatable and I think I'm going to miss them now I have finished reading.

It's really quick and easy to read and I loved every single second of it. It's just brilliant and one of my favourite Linda Green books easily. So happy to see this talented author back writing in this genre, I've missed it and look forward already to her next book.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I have been a fan of Linda Green’s writing for a few years, so I was eager to read The Woman with All the Answers, Linda’s first book with new publisher’s Boldwood.

Michelle is a District Nurse, daughter, wife, mum to humans and guinea pigs. Her life is spent caring for others, and keeping her family somewhere near the right track, while having no time or energy to make sure she, herself, is cared for. Thankfully, her perimenopausal brain has the assistance of her Alexa.

As you would expect from the author, all the characters are believable, very human in their quirks and failures. Many readers will be able to identify with, or identify members of their own family within the pages. The story will resonate with many readers. They will find echoes of themselves, and empathise greatly with Michelle. I think Linda writes so very well about life, normal every day life. Larger issues and the minutiae, things that may seem trivial to others; but those are the realities that weigh so heavily on our shoulders.

I just wanted to give Michelle a huge hug, and give her a chance to offload her stress. I feel that we could bond over a mutual bewilderment of those who live the perfect “Insta” life, doing Pilates and yoga at sunrise, breakfasting on green juices. Every mother of a certain age, will identify with at least some elements of what she is going through, all that she is desperately trying to juggle.

This book made me feel a gamut of emotions. The ‘no mow May’ analogy made me snort laugh out loud, and the references to my beloved 70s and 80s classic children’s programmes, brought me a smile. I loved the speech of one of the character’s written in Yorkshire dialect. Then there were other parts that made me shed a tear.

I don’t think I will be the only reader who is planning on buying this book for a friend or family member. It feels like the perfect mix of understanding, and a warm hug all wrapped up in the pages. Thank you Linda, for writing such a lovely book.

BOOK REVIEW

💫The Woman With All The Answers 💫 by Linda Green
Published by Boldwood Books
Publication Date 26th February 2025

Blurb

**Alexa knows your family better than you do. Now you're about to get to know her... **

Fifty-two-year-old Michelle Banks is struggling to keep all the plates spinning. She’s a perimenopausal district nurse, caring for elderly parents. Her husband is wasting their money on children’s TV memorabilia, her teenage daughter is riddled with anxiety and her sixteen-year-old son is behaving secretively.

Alexa is the only one who knows how much Michelle is juggling. Listening in via four smart speakers, she also knows that it’s about to get even worse.

So, when Michelle pleads for help from the woman with all the answers, Alexa decides to go rogue and reveal her true identity as Pauline – a sixty-five-year-old former voiceover artist from Halifax – to teach Michelle everything she knows…

🔊🔊🔊🔊🔊🔊🔊🔊🔊
I was lucky enough to be given an ARC copy of this book and it's absolutely brilliant.

The first story I've read by this author, and it won't be my last!
I loved the idea behind this book, genius!
Full of words of wisdom with laugh out loud moments throughout, an absolute page turner.

I think we could all do with a modern-day Mary Poppins and a real Pauline in our lives.
I wonder if the voice inside my Alexa will ever decide to go rogue lol 😆
Definitely one for your Feb TBR list!

Delightful story about Pauline, the voice behind the Banks family's Alexa, and what happens when she decides
to break the rules. Aware of all that has been going on in the family or the past tens years, Pauline decides to
reveal herself to Michelle Banks and help her deal with all the issues her family is facing before she retires.
The insight and information Pauline provides give Michelle what she needs to make a better life for her family
#TheWomanWithAlltheAnswers #BoldwoodBooks #NetGalley

I bloody love Linda Green books. They're funny and warm and well written and most of all believable, which might sound a strange thing to say about a book revolving around the concept of a woman whose job is to voice one family's Alexa device, responding to all their requests and questions. (Oh, you thought it was all done with AI?)

The woman behind the Banks family's Alexa - obviously unbeknownst to them - sixty-five-year old Pauline from Halifax, has got to know them pretty well - indeed, she's got quite invested in their lives. Harassed perimenopausal mum Michelle, working as a district nurse while husband Marc spends his days allegedly WFH but mostly buying childhood 70s TV memorabilia on eBay and Amazon. Teenage children Liv and Callum, navigating (or spectacularly failing to) life's challenges.

When the stresses of life are becoming too much for Michelle, Pauline knows she has to break the rules and intervene somehow...

I really enjoyed this book - the concept is great and the characters and situations - outside of the idea that "Alexa" might really be a woman sitting in a two-up-two-down in Halifax! - are engaging and believable.

I did wonder when Pauline sleeps or goes to the dentist or ever gets a day off, but this is addressed, kind of. I still wonder how the Alexas get recruited, as it's obviously all super top secret.

Just one thing - it's "slivers", not "slithers". Why is everyone doing this?

Thanks for the opportunity to read and review - I loved it.