Playgroups and Prosecco by Jo Middleton

          3.5 Stars

Let's deal with elephant in the room first.  This novel is clearly inspired by Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones's Diary, there is no getting away from it - the diary format, the little synopsis at the start of each entry detailing alcohol imbibed, jaffa cakes eaten etc..  The only real difference being that this heroine is divorced, has 2 children and definitely doesn't live in London.  Replace big pants and a pole at the Fire Station with swimwear and a 3 Year Old in a changing room and voila you have Playgroups and Prosecco.  There is the unfulfilling job, the dating struggles, honestly all the way through I kept seeing the parallels to Ms. Fielding's book (I've never seen the film because there's something about Renee Zellwegger that creeps me out).

That said it is a mildly amusing book - not laugh out loud funny but enough humour to raise a wry smile.  Most of which, for this reader, was centred around the hiding of treat foods from the fruit of your loins.  Admittedly I didn't go so far as hiding Elizabeth Shaw mints in packaging in the bathroom cabinet but if I'd thought of it I definitely would have done it.

It doesn't bode well when you can't remember the main character's name and I couldn't, I just had to whip the book out to remind myself she was called Frankie.  Maybe this is because she narrates the whole story so her name doesn't crop up that often in the text.  Maybe it is because it is now 3 days since I finished the book.  Who knows?  Let's just say I can't really remember any of the character names except for the awful Cassie from Busy Beavers Playgroup, not even the children - was the oldest Lily?

Some fairly decent situational set pieces are to be found in the book.  The horrors of the six week summer holiday.  The soft play centre that is something from a nightmare.  The incessant need for a 3 year old to have your attention on them at ALL times.  Despite the premise of the book being about a single mother I have to say Frankie's family sound pretty much perfect; the relationship between teenager and toddler is close and loving and there is no real friction with the divorced father.  Frankie also seems to have really good support from him and soon makes friends with other mums.  None of the isolation and claustrophobia that seems to be common for a lot of women in this situation and yet Frankie still seems to feel put upon rather than counting her blessings.

Moderately fun and, as it is written in diary form, with really short sections it is very easy to pick up and put down.  You can read an entry or two whilst waiting for the kettle to boil.  Nothing outstanding but it will raise a wry smile or two and is perfect reading for anyone who struggles to cram reading time in to their day.

THIS IS AN HONEST REVIEW OF A FREE COPY OF THE BOOK RECEIVED FROM READERS FIRST.