The blurb:
At almost forty, Clare Donoghue is living child-free and loving it.
Then her boyfriend says he wants kids, breaking off their promising relationship. And it’s not just boyfriends: one by one, her formerly carefree friends are swallowed up in a nonstop cycle of play dates and baby groups. So Clare declares enough is enough and decides it’s time for people who don’t have children to band together. And so the No-Kids Club is born.
As the group comes together—Anna, who’s seeking something to jumpstart a stale marriage, and Poppy, desperate for a family but unable to conceive—Clare’s hoping to make the most of the childless life with her new friends. But is living child-free all it’s cracked up to be?
My Review:
Wow, where do i even start with my praise and love for The No-Kids Club? I cannot tell you how much I loved this book. I was hooked from the first chapter and found it hard to put down. I simply didn't want it to end, and want to know what happens next......
The book revolves around 3 ladies who meet when Clare, a 39 year old single lady, who is bored of all her friends having and talking about their kids, decides to set up a 'no kids club' where people can meet and talk about all things non child related. We meet Anna and Poppy who become inaugural members, each bringing their own story of why they dont have children themselves. We quickly learn about their lives and aspirations, which don't necessarily all mirror each other. As the story grows we see how they all learn from each other and how their friendships rub off on some of the decisions they make in life. We also meet Ellie, Clare's pregnant best friend who also plays a large part in the story, particularly later on.
I love that each chapter takes us into the life of one of the characters. The book is so well written I felt like I really was glimpsing into each of the characters worlds, and I grew to care about each of them very quickly. The dynamics of the relationships is brilliant and really strongly came across to me. I did feel like I wanted to protect and make each of the women happy as they each go through their own ups and downs.
Talli has a fantastic style of writing that grabs you by the shoulders and pulls you straight in. She can write with real warmth and affection for her characters and some how magically brings them to life without having to tell long back stories. It is soppy in parts and tells the story of love, family, and friendship, but also has many funny moments.
The idea to set up a club is ingenious, and if they don't already exist I can imagine them popping up all over the place once people get reading this book. I can imagine book clubs also reading this and then disappearing off to the pub after as it opens up the chance for people to feel free to get to know eachother better, without judgement over their life decisions. Acceptance is a strong theme throughout.
Now I have finished I have a book hangover and miss the characters. There feels like a sequel could easily follow to bring readers up to date about what happened next for each of the ladies. I truly loved this book and am now looking out to read Talli's other books too.
In summary, a heartwarming, feel good read that will tug at your heart strings whilst also making you smile and feel good about being alive and free to be accepted for yourself. Highly recommended read for the beach, home, bed, work...in fact anywhere!!
Thank you to Talli Roland for a copy of the book in return for an honest review.
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