The Freshman Parents by Ko Porteous #Review #EmptyNesterSeries
They’re off for the time of their lives. But are you?
Book #1 in The Empty Nesters Series.
Single parent Heather isn't neurotic (honest!) - she's simply dreading the day her only child leaves for university - so her meticulous checklists grow longer by the hour. When she seeks advice on a parents' forum, she clashes with They're Scott, a single dad whose "helpful" statistics and assertions about “helicopter parenting” leave her fuming.
Move-in day delivers the ultimate surprise: their daughters aren’t just roommates – they are self-declared "besties for life". Suddenly, Heather and Scott are thrown into a begrudging alliance.
As they navigate the new status quo, Heather's instinct to organise meets Scott's philosophy of letting go. Their practical text messages about mattress toppers and emergency supplies evolve into conversations about dream jobs and bucket list aspirations. Despite their intentions to avoid relationships at all costs, unpredictable events keep throwing them together, meaning Heather and Scott find it increasingly difficult to ignore each other ...
My Thoughts
There is plenty of humour throughout this story, both in the interactions between the new students and their parents and also in the comments between the parents in their own on-line forum. The story centres around Heather, who is anxious about how her daughter will cope at St Andrews and who tries to get involved in her life by 'helping' her to make her life easier. Scott is scornful of this helicopter parenting approach and from the off, they clash over how best to support their daughters.
You find out as the story develops why these two styles of parenting have been adopted and what common ground they actually have. At times, the students feel like the grown-ups but at others, their behaviour betrays their youth and inexperience, as their parents all fear. Family and friendships are important aspects of the book with all the characters learning along the way. As the first year at university passes by, the parents have to deal with settling their children in, stepping back, being there with support and finally sorting out the next year. This is a fresh and engaging series which has great potential and I found myself wondering what the next tranche of students and parents would be like.
In short: Big changes and baby steps into the future
About the Author
Ko Porteous lived in a tiny fishing village in the north of Scotland before moving to Edinburgh aged 10.
Ko loves meeting people with interesting stories to tell and is constantly on the lookout for knotty story themes, particularly involving women navigating the messiness of life. She has worked as a Research Chemist, Assistant Chef, Teacher and School Leader.
As well as writing, Ko works as a Business Manager and provides listening services for a mental health charity aiming to reduce the number of deaths caused by suicide.
In her free time Ko loves to run, meditate and travel; preferably all on the same day.
Ko has been married for 25 years, has 2 children of her own and is now navigating her own empty nest.
The Freshman Parents is Ko’s debut novel and is the first in ‘The Empty Nesters’ series.
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