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See the Stars by Eleanor Ray #Review

  See the Stars by Eleanor Ray will be  published on February 5th 2026 by Piatkus .  Do you ever feel that life isn't going to plan?   When Alice Thorington collapses in the street after a particularly hellish day at work, she must finally admit to herself that her outwardly happy life - steady relationship, well-paid job, beautiful flat in the city - isn't everything she'd hoped it would be. Burnt out by long hours and living a life that doesn't fulfil her dreams, Alice returns home to Yorkshire.  Her childhood home brings complicated family dynamics, a rediscovery of her passion for stargazing and two new friends: Berti, a boy who finds it easier to count the stars than interact with people, and Matt, her brother's best friend and Alice's teenage crush. With each of them facing their own struggles, can the stars that meant so much to Alice in her past help them to find their way in the present?  Filled with heart and warmth, this uplifting novel...

The Good Enough Mother by Anoushka Beazley **Blog Tour Giveaway **

Welcome to my stop on the Blog Tour to celebrate The Good Enough Mother by Anoushka Beazley. If having read my review, you decide you'd like your own copy to read, there is a fantastic giveaway where 10 lucky people can win a signed copy of the book! Just follow the link at the end of this post.


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The Blurb


Gatlin - a leafy, affluent town: Chelsea tractors and ladies who lunch. However, all is not as it seems. Drea, a most unnatural mother, struggles to find private school fees for her step-daughter Ava after her boyfriend leaves her for another woman. Watching the yummy mummies she becomes inspired, hatching a daring and criminal plan...unleashing all hell in the quiet town of Gatlin. Can Drea survive the fallout and the wrath of the PTA? A satirical and hilarious black comedy about love, motherhood and the human condition.

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My Thoughts

    Once I had got the measure of the book and realised that, just as the blurb had promised, it was indeed a black comedy, I really enjoyed this read. Taking the plot with a pinch of salt, I learnt to suspend belief and take each point in the plot as it came.The humour in this book is what carries the reader along. Dry and sarcastic, the view of affluent Gatlin rings true as anyone who has driven through the leafy suburbs during the school run will testify.  Drea is an entertaining central figure but underneath, you realise that there is a lot of heartache which she is carrying with her in adulthood. Drea's view of herself as a mother is complex and leads you on to think about what makes a mother and what keeps a family together.

    Mental health issues are central to the story, with accounts of depression, suicidal thoughts and panic attacks. Drea gives us her inner thoughts in a straightforward and unselfconscious way and there is a great contrast between the humour of her observations and the inner feelings which she must have. Although there are some serious issues dealt with, the overall tone is never heavy or depressing. It is quite a feat to do this without the humour ever becoming jarring. 

In short: A book full of light and shade where dark issues lie beneath a humorous surface. 

The Author


 Anoushka Beazley has a film degree, an acting diploma and a masters in creative writing. She is a full time novelist, lives in North London with three little witches, a lawyer and a Maine Coon.

You can connect with Anoushka on Twitter
 Facebook  Goodreads and Instagram.  

Thanks to Jenny at Neverland Tours for a copy of the book and a place on the Blog Tour.
  

 Giveaway!

Would you like to win a signed copy of the book? There are ten lucky people who are going to do just that! Just follow the link below:

  a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

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