The Changing Room

I don't think I've ever read a book that has made me laugh and cry so much! Sandy and her family and friends are the funniest people .

Jane takes difficult subjects - Alzheimer's and cancer - and treats them respectfully but with a ton of humour! She is the master of the throwaway line. I also loved the way she finishes paragraphs and chapters with one of those throwaway lines, leaving the actual description of the situation to the reader's imagination.

I so hope we will follow Sandy in another book, Jane seems to have opened another door and I hope any sequel is treated just as irreverently!

A funny, sharp, optimistic story with a surprisingly fun and positive ending. There's tears, a lot of laughs, some action and sex. A winner for reading on lazy days.

Sandy Lovett seems to lead a relatable life of a working woman in the modern world. She executes her tasks at her 9 to 5 with expertise but is barely appreciated whilst dodging the occasional sexual predator at the workplace-scenario. Her husband is losing work as a contractor due to recession so the family needs to tighten its belt. Her children are loving but give her a hard time and her ageing mother has Alzheimers and is brutally honest about pointing out Sandy’s faults, especially her bulging body part which shouldn’t be mentioned.

Personally, this is not a genre I take to easily but I can assure you of your enjoyment with it if it is yours. However, I do not entirely regret my decision to pick this up either. In the midst of all the other heavy historical fictions, gut wrenching World War II epics or literature that pose existential questions at the end of every chapter; this was a well deserved relief. One that I could breeze through on two well chosen sunny days in the park.

It isn’t the funniest book I’ve read lately or the most immersive, but it was a light humorous read about more real everyday struggles with none of that soppy-marshmallow-romance business that makes me cringe and gives me stomach ulcers.

It's been a very long time since I've read a book that made me laugh out loud.The people at the hairdresser's must have wondered... This is my funniest book so far this year. The writer has done an exceptional job describing the pitfalls of the period in a woman's life where she has to deal at once with growing children,a recession and a parent with Alzheimer's. Yet somehow this is an optimistic book. Through all of her trials and tribulations Sandy manages to keep things in perspective, because like most of us, she has no other choice. In spite of some exaggerations here and there, the book remains believable at all times, although in real life some events would probably have taken a different turn.A book I will wholeheartedly recommend to all my friends and just to everyone who needs a bit of a pick up and a lot of laughs.

Jane Turley starts the acknowledgements at the end of the book with this line: 'Firstly, I'd like to thank myself.' And she is right doing so, she has written a marvellous book.
It is witty, hilarious and emotional. I thoroughly enjoyed myself with this story. While life can be a roller coaster, all you can do is take it one step at a time and take some time out reading a feel good story like 'The Changing Room.'

We see the life of Sandra Lovett during a period of eighteen months in which she has to deal with her mother with Alzheimer and find a suitable home for her, her own family, financial difficulties, troubles at work and the gossip at the school gate. Thankfully, that includes her teaching her boss Mr. Frosty how to actually smile and fake her jogging exercises while she is being watched by people from the tiny shop near where she lives and other funny scenes.

4.5 stars This is one of the funniest books I've read in a long time. I was laughing out loud many times during the first part of this book. That is before her mother died. There were a few more times after that, but it began to get a little more serious after that, which was fine with me. It was still a good book. The jobs this woman had and the way she did them were hilarious. I especially liked the way she treated revenge. No one was going to get one up on her. I think the Mister Poopy scene was pretty much the best. Or maybe it was Justin the turkey. Ha! There were just so many!

This was a hilarious, sad, compassionate and fist pumping book that I thoroughly enjoyed. It was entertainment and more. I definitely recommend this book.

Thanks to Sweet and Salty Books (I like that name) and Net Galley for the free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Sandy Lovett is in a bit of a rut - she's worked in the same department store for years and despite being their best asset she has never received the promotion she so badly deserves. Her mum is suffering from Alzheimer's and is in need of constant attention and her kids are growing up. Sandy knows things need to change - and change they certainly do! From selling advertising for the local paper, to losing weight, and from working on an adult chat line to becoming an MP this mum"s life is varied and unexpected. The book is full of laugh out loud moments with some sadness thrown in the mix and the descriptions of family relationships, especially Sandy's love for her mum, are very moving but show a wicked sense of humour. A fun read.