Review: The Saturday Night Sauvignon Sisterhood

Title: The Saturday Night Sauvignon Sisterhood

Author: Gill Sims

Publisher: 6th July 2022 by HarperCollins Australia

Pages: 343 pages

Genre: contemporary, humour

My Rating: 3.5 cups

Synopsis:

Claire’s family has gone nuclear. Her precious moppets keep calling Childline when she feeds them broccoli, she’s utterly Ottolenghied out at weekends, and her darling husband is having an affair with her best friend.

The question isn’t whether she needs a glass of wine, but is there one big enough?

Enter the Sauvignon Sisterhood, a new set of friends brought together by a shared love of liquid therapy. Together they might just be able to convince Claire that, like a good bottle of red, life really can get better with age. Or at least there’s more to it than the joy of an non-iron school uniform.

My Thoughts

‘A toast’, said Claire, standing up unsteadily. 'To us! The Saturday  Night Sauvignon Sisterhood. We're divorcees and widows and marrieds an' all, an' here's to us!’

I found The Saturday Night Sauvignon Sisterhood to be funny in places but the surprise was the underlying tones that contained messages that I found to be heartwarming. This book is, of course, a comical realistic tale of motherhood and marriage, yet it also deals with more serious issues and this was done with care and sincerity.

The story follows Claire as her life gets turned upside down, but aside from the laughter, it’s a journey of her reinvention as someone stronger and truer to self. Yes, there is much wit revolving around family, marriage, school, work and friendships with it often being the simple observations that we all come across. This is what makes it relatable and provides comic relief to so many. Whether it be the interactions between parents and their children, or the stereotypical playground parents, readers are sure to find many laugh out loud moments. 

‘Anyway, the important thing is that you've got to keep hold of who you are. You. Yourself. Not a wife, not a mother, not an employee, but you. Have you done that?'

What was pleasantly surprising was the wisdom wound around the wit from all these messy emotions. When this seemingly normal life begins to unravel, how do people work through it to come out the other side different but better? The central theme here is really one of support and friendship and having that ‘tribe’ of people surrounding you to hold your hand (and being reciprocative) as together you laugh, cry and set about, through much honesty, making  changes.

For me, whilst I was not that caught up in the humour, I did very much appreciate the story of growth and personal development. The strength and resolve Claire demonstrated in making the necessary adjustments (with support) to evolve into a new life was worthy. A much relatable tale that is both lighthearted and uplifting.

‘Claire felt a sense of peace that had been missing for a long time, and she also felt a new sense of pride that however sad it was that this life was now over, it was finishing on her terms, and at her say-so. She had let herself drift along at the mercy of other people's whims for too long, and now it was time to take charge of her own life again.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: Senior Moments

Title: Senior Moments

Author: Angus Fitzsimons

Publisher: 27th October 2020 by Hachette Australia

Pages: 220 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: contemporary, nonfiction, humour

My Rating: 3.5 cups

Synopsis:

Senior Moments is the go-to Christmas gift for all thoughtless children and shrewd seniors.

Have you had a Senior Moment yet? Maybe you know someone who's had a few? Check this list to know for sure:

You can remember being told the King was dead (George, not Elvis).

You still say 'colour television', and you watch television on a television.

Your home phone rings and you answer it. (And you still have a phone, not a 'landline'.)

You boast about 'doing it' three times a night and that's just getting up to pee.

You realise that your wardrobe has become ironic. You're not back in fashion, but you're hip. (And ironically, you now have an artificial hip).

 

If you answered 'yes' to one or more of the above, congratulations! You are officially a Senior and this book is here to guide you through your best years (i.e. the past). Stroll, or maybe shuffle, down Nostalgia Avenue and bask in the glory of growing old disgracefully.

(If you are a Young Person, this is the easiest Senior gift idea ever. You're welcome!)

My Thoughts

‘As a Senior you will have noticed that among the many ways Modern Life is disappointing is the disappearance of ... familiar staples of yesteryear. What happened to them?  ... (for example) ... Women Called ‘Peg’: Used to be everywhere, now vanished. Laundry Pegs are the sole reminder that they used to flourish amongst us.’

Senior Moments is a by-product from the successful theatrical version of the same name. Comedy writer, Angus Fitzsimons, took some of the love and laughter from his live show which stars the likes of Max Gillies and John Wood. This show first premiered in 2016 and has continued on through sold-out national tours across Australia since. Seeing as we cannot presently enjoy a live show, this book brings much light relief to our isolated COVID days.

Filled with a long list of topical issues for Seniors this book could be viewed as part instructional guide on how to not only survive but thrive in the Senior years. Some of the great one liners (obviously from the show) are now penned in this tome with many useful tips and tricks on how to be a Senior. Chapters include everything from surviving major events such as Christmas and birthday parties, to exercise and moments in the supermarket. There are even a couple of ‘Senior Moments Quizzes’  or memory tests to see how you are faring. So be prepared!

‘After your Physio Session, you will nod at various stretches shown to you on pieces of paper which you promise you will do at home. Seniors do many things at home - mainly napping and gardening - but no Senior in history has ever followed instructions from a Physio.’

It is also a nostalgic trip with various famous people and key events from days of old reminisced about. From what may have been on TV such as Colombo or Murder She Wrote to musical icons from a range of styles across the decades. If you are looking for a good giggle or maybe ideas on how to grow old disgracefully, look no further than Senior Moments. It is sure to bring a smirk to the faces of anyone over the half century age bracket. 

‘Remember to remain on your guard and stick to ‘I don't remember’ if they ask you any leading questions like: ‘Did you make me use a dummy?’ (Make them! They used to suck your thumb like a vampire after you dipped it into two fingers of Scotch and then they went out like a light. Tell no one.)’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Rosie's Travelling Tea Shop

Title: Rosie’s Travelling Tea Shop

Author: Rebecca Raisin

Publisher: HQ Digital, 4th March 2019

Pages: 384 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: Humour, Romance

My Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

The trip of a lifetime!

Rosie Lewis has her life together.

A swanky job as a Michelin-Starred Sous Chef, a loving husband and future children scheduled for exactly January 2021.

That’s until she comes home one day to find her husband’s pre-packed bag and a confession that he's had an affair.

Heartbroken and devastated, Rosie drowns her sorrows in a glass (or three) of wine, only to discover the following morning that she has spontaneously invested in a bright pink campervan to facilitate her grand plans to travel the country.

Now, Rosie is about to embark on the trip of a lifetime, and the chance to change her life! With Poppy, her new-found travelling tea shop in tow, nothing could go wrong, could it…?

A laugh-out-loud novel of love, friendship and adventure! Perfect for fans of Debbie Johnson and Holly Martin.

My Thoughts

Rebecca Raisin has said she aims to write characters you can see yourself being friends with. This is certainly the case with the characters in Rosie’s Travelling Tea Shop. I absolutely loved this heartwarming story from beginning to end and literally couldn’t put it down (I read it in 2 days).

“Not spontaneous enough? Cold fish? Spinster? Like my dad? I’ll show you...I’m going to prove to the world that I’m not staid. Not stuck in a rut. I’m going to surprise even Callum, by doing the opposite of what he expects because I know if I don’t move on fast, I never will.”

Rosie certainly did show her ex-husband and anyone else who doubted her. She embarked on a lifetime adventure travelling around in ‘Poppy’, her bright, fuscia coloured caravan. She had many adventures along the way and was very lucky to meet her travelling companion straight away who became a dear, loved friend. Her name was Aria and she had her own painful past, she was escaping from.

“We shake and she gives me a wide smile as if my presence has brightened her day…’I’ll make you a brew and we can chat’...”

Another thing I loved about this book was all the references to tea and books. Being both a tea and book lover, I identified with this book in a big way! I adored all the tea brews Rosie made up and Aria’s van was a perfect bibliophile’s nook! I thought their idea for the festivals was fantastic and they really complimented each other. Even though they were opposites in many ways, they had lots of similar characteristics and it was a beautiful friendship!

“We are opposites, that much is certain, but don’t they say opposites attract? Aria’s effusive, bubbly, and definitely popular...That’s what I aspire to be like, to have that ability to blend in easily, to not be the person on the sidelines all the damn time. I want adventure, a new purpose, to really grab life by the shoulders and shake it up!”

There is a couple of love interests for Rosie along the way, which make for very interesting reading and some funny situations! She bumbles along in this new life of hers, tentatively taking every opportunity that comes her way, but she is still having trouble trusting those closest to her after being so hurt and betrayed by her ex-husband. Unfortunately the person she chooses to confide in isn’t who she thought they were and she learns a hard lesson.

“The break in my heart, the one that’s just healed over, twinges. I should never have left London, I should never have pushed myself to be an extrovert, to make friends, worse-to try and find love.”

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and very highly recommend it. It’s a light hearted, heartwarming read that fills you with hope and happiness. A 5 cup read!

"Maybe you can't fall in love over the internet but you can fall in love after a kiss."

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: Rosie's Travelling Tea Shop

Title: Rosie’s Travelling Tea Shop

Author: Rebecca Raisin

Publisher: 3rd March 2019 by HQ Digital

Pages: 250 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: romance, contemporary, humour, womens fiction

My Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

The trip of a lifetime!

Rosie Lewis has her life together.

A swanky job as a Michelin-Starred Sous Chef, a loving husband and future children scheduled for exactly January 2021.

That’s until she comes home one day to find her husband’s pre-packed bag and a confession that he's had an affair. Heartbroken and devastated, Rosie drowns her sorrows in a glass (or three) of wine, only to discover the following morning that she has spontaneously invested in a bright pink campervan to facilitate her grand plans to travel the country.

Now, Rosie is about to embark on the trip of a lifetime, and the chance to change her life! With Poppy, her new-found travelling tea shop in tow, nothing could go wrong, could it…?

My Thoughts

‘The bookworms are utterly lovely. They cuddle their books like newborn babies, chat for hours over tea and cake about their favourite writers, cliff hangers, preferred chapter length, eBooks versus paperbacks and the like! In a way I wish I could have poured my own pot of tea and sat with them like Aria did. You have to envy her sometimes. It’s a great way to live life.’

Bookworms beware! As soon as I saw this and read the blurb, I knew I needed to read this book! Sometimes you need some light escapism for lifting one’s mood, and this is one of those books that came to me at the right time. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it from start to finish.

There is just so much to love about this story .... with some really compelling life lessons included. I really appreciated Rosie’s story, both the literal and figurative journey she was on. In fact, there were quite an assortment of characters on this wonderful trip across the UK - what a great way to travel! I totally lost myself to van life and felt like I was at one of the festivals where Rosie and Aria have set up. I want a van!

‘A busy day ahead doing this. I grin, imagining him in some rural hamlet, a pot of steaming hot tea at the ready, a new novel to sink into and nothing else to do all day besides enjoy the solitude.’

Rebecca Raisin’s writing has a wonderful warm feel to it, both in terms of people and place. The people are engaging and the places .... well you just wish you were there - pink van included! Then there is the food and tea! Don’t get me started! You will adore Aria’s van, you will love the combination of tea and books, especially Rosie and Aria’s attempt to match a brew to a title! I could really do with a cup of ‘Sense and Sensibility’ right about now!

‘She goes to the first shelf, pulls down a once cobalt blue hardback, its cover now ravaged and faded with time-and she takes a great big sniff, before she turns to me, her eyes bright as though she’s just discovered the meaning of life. “That is the best scent in the world, better than any perfume, any flower. It’s the smell of lives lived.”

Delve a bit deeper and this book is about life, love and friendship and how it can be found in the most unlikely of places. It’s all about finding yourself and daring to break out of the humdrum daily existence to try something new and exciting. Could you reinvent yourself? Live nomadically from venture to venture? Who wouldn’t love to try a summer of festivals in a camper!

‘With a long sigh she says, “I felt like there was no sunshine anymore, you know? Like I was trudging through interminable darkness. Have you ever considered why you’re here, Rosie? Like right here, right now? This moment.”

This wonderful cosy read just resonated with me so much! With copious amounts of tea, books and a trip to the countryside ... what is there not to love?

“Sometimes I feel like I’ve lived a thousand lives already,” he laughs. “And one thing I’ve learned is there is no right way to walk this earth, and we can only learn from those in our lives, take whatever lesson we can from it and keep going.”

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.