From Mum With Love

This book measured up to exactly what I thought it would be like. Having followed the author's blog since she first started it, I was really happy to find her book written in the same thoughtful style.The book was engaging all the way through, beginning with the main character starting up a blog to help deal with her feelings around motherhood and change in identity that it brings with it. From there she talks about the different challenges that having a blog become successful very quickly brings with it.But this book isn't just about a mummy blogger. In it the author explores the impact of loss on the family. Having known (through her blog) that she unexpectedly lost her brother, her inclusion of him in the book felt so fitting and a beautiful reminder that family is made up of those who are around us and those who are not.The relationships the main character builds with her other mum friends brilliantly represented the shift in friendships after you've had a baby and how close people can become when they have babies in common.It wouldn't be fair to write this without pointing out the negatives (for me). Out of the whole book there were just 2 things:During the course of the book a lot of characters, those who knew each other well and those who didn't know each other at all, referred to one another as 'Babe'. I don't know anyone IRL who does this (although the author clearly does) and it was really grating that strangers as well as close friends/partners were calling each other it.As a web designer the holes in the blog reaching so much success so quickly felt far fetched as there's no way the website would have been indexed in that time frame for followers to find it. However, I understand the author needed to move the story on rather than document the process of Google indexing.All in all, a fantastic debut novel and I look forward to reading the next book from Louise.

This book is about Jess who starts a blog posting letters to her daughter (Belle) about motherhood and everything in between.Jess has a passion for Writing and enjoys it too, bored at home with a newborn she thought it would be a good idea to start Blogging her letters which she had written in a notebook which had been gifted to her by her sister. As what started as something small so her friends and family could read the letters, come each morning and she had more and more followers!It was nice to get to know Jess and watch her grow on her Blogging journey.Her friends and family are wonderful and are always in her corner supporting her throughout which I loved (I love Chris)Overall, would recommend, it's such a wonderful read with some funny moments.

I follow the writer's blog and enjoy it, but I read a third of this and just gave up through sheer boredom. Constant itemised lists of stuff you need to take out with a baby, descriptions of mind numbing walks round parks and cliche visits to baby groups with the NCT gang do not a novel make.This might appeal to those in that specific newborn bubble but I can't imagine anyone else finding it entertaining.

I’ve followed Louise’s lovely parenting blog from the start so I couldn’t wait to read her book. Wow! I thoroughly enjoyed every minute; I’m not normally much of a reader and it takes a special kind of book to engage me but I couldn’t put this down! Louise is a brilliant and clever writer, allowing us to step perfectly in to the world of Jess, a very warm and relatable main character. I can’t wait for the next instalment but in the meantime Louise has inspired me to start reading more. Highly recommend! Well done Louise X

I'm not a reader, I read about 2 books per year, not that I don't start them but it's finishing that's the problem! But this was so good I finished it in 3 days... Very cleverly constructed, tying past and present together. As an affectionate follower of Mum Of Boys & Mabel (Louise's blog) I was already familiar with her witty gritty writing style, and fascinated (and shocked) to read the inside story of the blogging world, and nosily curious to know how autobiographical it is. And it is a touching love-story about first time parents.

WOW!!!!!! This book is amazing!!!!! I loved every minute of it....a huge part of me couldn’t wait to reach the end to find out what happened but as I watched the percentage of the book read increase, I also didn’t want it to end!!!!! Please, please, please hurry with your next one!!! I’ve been a fan of your blog since the early days and have always loved your posts. I love your honesty and your style.....but this novel is amazing!!!! Can’t wait to read your next book!

I’ve followed Mum of boys and Mabel for around three years now and the blog has always really resonated with me, so I was really looking forward to reading the book and put in a pre-order as soon as Louise announced it. The book definitely lived up to my expectations and is written in the same tones. It was easy to warm to the main characters and I was quickly invested. Will most definitely be reading the next two in the series when they are released!

I LOVED this book! Beautifully written, an honest account of the first year of motherhood. The book made me laugh out loud, weep and reminisce about all the similar moments in my own journey. Add to the mix the fact the book is set where I live and it was never going to be anything less than a winner. Have no idea how I will wait until October for the sequel!!!! Thank goodness I have the MOBAM blog to keep me going until then.........!