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Stella Makes Good

Lisa Heidke (Goodreads Author)

3.68 · Rating details · 104 ratings · 20 reviews

Can mother-of-two, Stella forge a new life for herself after the end of her marriage? A funny and insightful novel about love, friendship and the quest for happiness.

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ebook, 312 pages

Published January 1st 2012 by Allen & Unwin

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Dec 10, 2011 Shelleyrae at Book'd Out rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-are, aussie-author

In the northern suburbs of Sydney, three friends Stella, Carly and Jesse are having a quiet drink. Stella, amicably separated with two teenagers has her eye on handsome single dad, Doctor Mike, while (married) Carly has had too much to drink and is flirting outrageously with one of Mike’s friends. When Jesse heads home early to relieve the babysitter of her twins because her husband calls to say he is working late, Stella reluctantly follows Carly to a party with Mike and his mates but the women In the northern suburbs of Sydney, three friends Stella, Carly and Jesse are having a quiet drink. Stella, amicably separated with two teenagers has her eye on handsome single dad, Doctor Mike, while (married) Carly has had too much to drink and is flirting outrageously with one of Mike’s friends. When Jesse heads home early to relieve the babysitter of her twins because her husband calls to say he is working late, Stella reluctantly follows Carly to a party with Mike and his mates but the women are shocked to discover a swingers haven behind the door of an ordinary suburban house and Jesse’s control freak husband, Steve crawling about on his hands and knees wearing a nappy and little else. Keeping Steve’s secret has surprising and shocking consequences for the three women whose only desire is to ‘make good’.

With heart and humour, Lisa Heidke examines the secrets lurking behind closed doors in suburban Sydney. Her three protagonists Stella, Carly and Jesse are married mothers at different stages in their lives. Though close friends, they have secrets and concerns they keep to themselves that are exposed as their lives take an unpredictable turn. These are characters and issues readers can relate to – the demands of balancing family and work, the breakdown of marriage, empty nest syndrome and a fear of starting over, which Heidke explores in an honest and insightful manner.
Newly separated Stella is surprised to find she is content despite her husband leaving her for a younger woman. Her teenage children aren’t terribly happy with the idea, neither is her ex husband’s mother who comes to stay with Stella after a fall, but Stella is finding the confidence to move on with her life. Despite being in a period of transition Stella’s life is the most stable of the three friends and anchors the story.
As the title character, Stella’s story is told using the first person point of view while Jesse and Carly’s perspective is shared in the third person.
Carly is drinking too much, a stay at home mother, her teenage boys rarely need her anymore, her husband isn’t as attentive as she would like and she is worried he is having an affair. impulsive and anxious, particularly after a few too many drinks, Carly is struggling to redefine her life. I empathise with Carly’s floundering, though my children are still young it was an adjustment to have them all at school finally and no longer being the central figure of their lives. (I didn’t drink though – I started a book blog LOL)
Jesse is a loving mother of nine year old twins but her unhappy marriage to bullying Steve is affecting her so badly that the symptoms of her OCD are worsening. Despite his poor behaviour, Jesse is afraid to leave him until his dirty secret is made public and Jesse makes a tragic mistake. I had a lot of sympathy for Jesse, there are many women who stay in bad marriages for the same reasons as she chooses to, and even though it is frustrating to witness her self denial at times Heidke ensures we understand her motive.
We are also given insight into the story of Jesse and Steven’s relationship from Jesse’s sister, Louisa. Louisa fled Australia to the US shortly after their marriage, thinking she was protecting her sister but her decision proves to be based on a desire to protect herself and ultimately contributes to the harm her sister endures. Personally I didn’t think Louisa was a necessary part of the story, nor that her perspective was required, but she does provide some contrast to the more conventional lives of Stella, Carly and Jesse.

Stella Makes Good is a well written story of friendship, family and finding your way. Examining domestic drama in a way which is both entertaining and thought provoking, I enjoyed reading Stella Makes Good and eagerly await Lisa Heidke’s next novel. ...more

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Feb 22, 2012 Lizzy Chandler rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Readers who enjoyed Christine Stinson's Getting Even With Fran.

Shelves: australian-women-writers, aww-challenge, australian-romance

I can count on one hand the number of Chick Lit or contemporary women's fiction I've read that hasn't been written by friends, so I wasn't sure what to expect from this novel. That said, I found myself quickly swept up into the world Heidke created and caring about her characters' fates.

Although it is ostensibly Stella's story, it is actually an ensemble piece, tracking the lives of Stella, her friends and their families. While Stella is the most well adjusted - despite being faced with, initial ...more

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Nov 02, 2011 Marianne rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

From an advance uncorrected proof copy
Stella Makes Good is the 4th novel by Australian author, Lisa Heidke. Stella Sparks, librarian and mum of two teens, is amicably separated from her husband Terry, even though he left her for the voluptuous Amanda. They remain friends, both caring about their kids, and Stella even looks out for Terry’s mum, June. Stella’s closest friends, Jesse, another librarian, and Carly, a stay-at-home mum, wish they were as together as Stella seems to be. But Jesse’s hu ...more

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Jan 12, 2012 Bree T rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: australian, aww2012, chick-lit, contemporary, library-reads, romance, women-s-fiction

Stella and her ex-husband Terry are on excellent terms, even though they’re separated and Terry is now living with another woman. Stella is philosophical – their marriage had run its course, they had realised they had nothing to talk about with each other once their children were removed from the equation. She’s happy to maintain a friendly and communicative relationship with him, encouraging her children to visit him, even though they aren’t too happy that Dad is shacked up with another woman. Stella and her ex-husband Terry are on excellent terms, even though they’re separated and Terry is now living with another woman. Stella is philosophical – their marriage had run its course, they had realised they had nothing to talk about with each other once their children were removed from the equation. She’s happy to maintain a friendly and communicative relationship with him, encouraging her children to visit him, even though they aren’t too happy that Dad is shacked up with another woman. She also keeps on excellent terms with Terry’s mother, popping in to see her and help out now and then. After all, she isn’t divorcing Terry’s family – just Terry.

Stella’s friend Carly has been hocking into the wine a little bit lately but she’s declared that this year is the year of finding herself a friend with benefits. A bit suspicious that her once loving, now a bit distant husband is having an affair, even though it’s a question she asks often and he denies, she thinks the passion is gone from their life. When she meets a young, nice doctor on a night out, she thinks that might be what she’s looking for. Or is it just the wine talking?

Their other friend Jesse’s life is in a bit of a mess. She’s married to the wealthy but overbearing and controlling Steve, who monitors her every move, disapproves of her friends and thinks they lead her astray and seeks to keep Jesse confined to the house. He quashes her desire to have a more demanding job, or another baby, telling Jesse that she’s simply not up for such things. And it’s true that Jesse is rather nervous, but who wouldn’t be with a spouse like Steve?

A night out between the three girls, where Jesse goes home early and where Carly meets the young doctor (who happens to be a colleague of Mike, the divorced dad from school whom Stella has been enjoying a flirtation with) and they end up at a party in the northern suburbs of Sydney that Stella, Mike, Carly and Toby, the doctor realise is not to their personal taste! Not before Carly and Stella recognise one of the participants though. They are torn about what to do – on one hand someone deserves to know what this person is up to. On another, it’s none of their business and could destroy friendships, marriages, even lives. Stella and Carly also disagree on how to handle it, which further puts off a decision they need to make.

Stella Makes Good is split between first person Stella’s point of view and third person for Carly and Jesse. Stella is at a stage where despite having separated from her husband, she is content and happy with her life. She has a job she loves at a local library and she has two lovely teenage children. Despite the fact that her and Terry are separated, he still calls often, seemingly for no reason at all at times, and Stella maintains a civil and friendly relationship with him with good humour, even when he starts telling her of his domestic woes with his new girlfriend. When Terry’s mother has a fall, it is decided she go and stay with Stella until she is better as Terry’s new girlfriend’s apartment isn’t suitable. Stella is the sort of person who seems to do the best she can by everyone.

By contrast, both Carly and Jesse don’t seem as together, or as content in their lives as Stella. But the three women, despite their differences, form a strong and enviable friendship that stands the test of time, different priorities and lifestyles. I really enjoy reading novels about women where friendship is at the crux of it and there are no dramas between them, no fights, no cattiness, no jealousy, no competition. There are issues – because life isn’t life without them – but they usually strengthen and enhance the friendship. Stella Makes Good is an excellent example of the sort of friendship I like to see and the sort of friendship you can imagine yourself having at their stages in life. They’re busy with jobs, or child-raising, or different lives but they still connect with each other, they still take time for each other and they’re understanding and supportive of the different things that happen.

Stella and Carly both disagree on how to handle an issue – Carly wants to spill the beans, Stella is more cautious but in the end, fortified by some wine, Carly lets fly and the truth outs. That sets off a chain reaction of events that end in a tragic accident for one of them and it’s through that incident that I also think this book shines. There’s a real believability to the emotion that the accident triggers, which I think is difficult to portray without coming across as over dramatic and fake, but Lisa Heidke nails it, the background already laid by the wonderful friendship the three women share.

Stella Makes Good is a lovely read, enjoyable and heartwarming but with a depth that isn’t obvious from the fun-looking cover. I really enjoyed the characterisation, particularly that of Jesse, who struggles with OCD and stress-induced behaviour and also that of Toby, the youngish doctor that Carly meets on the night the women are having a drink in a bar. I did sometimes wish that Stella would stand up for herself and be a bit assertive, she did strike me as very pliant and easily manipulated into doing things for other people, particularly Terry. Terry was only a small part of the book, but despite being separated from Stella he certainly prevailed upon her to do things for him! Stella Makes Good is my second Lisa Heidke read and I enjoyed this one even more than the first one I read, Claudia’s Big Break. ...more

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Feb 10, 2012 Lauren K rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: aww2012, aussie-author

3.5 stars
Stella Makes Good is contemporary women’s fiction set in Sydney’s northern suburbs. Stella Sparks is the mother of two kids, recently separated from her husband, Terry who has just moved in with a younger woman. Stella is not bitter about the divorce and is happy looking after the kids, caring for the mother-in-law, hanging out with her two friends Carly and Jesse, working in the local library and dodging dates with the good-looking doctor Mike from her son’s school.

Carly is a partier, ...more

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May 23, 2015 Stephanie Ward rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: giveaways, australia

What fun to read a book about...
a) likeable characters (I want to be best friends with Stella and, if he wasn't interested in my new BFF, date Mike),
b) familiar territory (North Shore Sydney is like my backyard being that I live in Sydney CBD), and
c) contemporary antics (lots of coffee and wine drinking as well as modern day mom/womens issues).

Stella Makes Good is the story of three friends, Stella, Carly and Jesse, and their respective families. Each has their own struggles, but they stick t ...more

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May 18, 2015 Robin Riedstra rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

What I love about Stella Makes Good is that it is Chick Lit (I do not use that term in a disparaging way, I happen to think there is nothing wrong with reading or writing stories for women and am a little bit "shame on you" about people who think there is something bad about that), that has an older female lead. It isn't your standard mid 20's woman coming to terms with finding her way for the first time, it is an older woman who thinks she has lost everything and then gets her groove back.

I do ...more

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Jul 21, 2013 Chel rated it really liked it · review of another edition

where do i start? well I like most of the characters, a lot, that's why I want to know them more and have a more thorough view of their story. But, reading this book is like watching a movie teaser. It won't give you the whole events and backstories, only the highlights. Sometimes its convenient cause i won't have to endure a very long ramblings of one of the characters, but most of the time, its unsatisfying.
In short, I would really like it to have more of its individual story going on especial ...more

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Aug 28, 2013 Stacey Taylor rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I really enjoyed this book and managed to read it in virtually one sitting! Lisa described the characters in such a way that you felt real emotions for them as if they were a real person; someone you knew. I fell in love with Stella and envied the way she dealt with the recent separation with her partner Terry, I felt pity for Jesse and despised her husband Steve (especially after the climax of their story! What kind of man enjoys wearing a nappy and a dog collar?!) I really enjoyed how there we ...more

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Mar 11, 2012 Carrie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

This was very fun, entertaining Chick Lit. It tells the story of three Australian women who are there to support each other through problem marriages and other issues.

I enjoyed this story and I look forward to reading others by the same author!

(I won this book on First Reads. Thanks, Goodreads!)

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Mar 10, 2012 Matthew Morgan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: first-read

I quite enjoyed this book, it's not what I would usually read but the humour and situations presented kept me reading.

I'd defineatley reccomend this to anyone who like chick-lit, chick humour.

(Won through first-reads) ...more

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Jan 20, 2012 Janine rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: aussie-author, chick-lit, contemporary

A better read than I thought it would be.

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Jan 30, 2012 Kate and Carson Drew rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The latest book from Lisa Heidke, with each passing book she gets better and better I do urge any reader to read all her books you will fall in love with them .

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Jan 24, 2012 Juanita Kees rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I think I'm a Heidke fan... review to follow soon. ...more

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Mar 06, 2016 Nicki rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Though it wasn't entirely believable (2 hot doctors all over a pair of housewives, one of whom has a drinking problem, oh please), this is an easy to read book that does draw you in.
Though I couldn't quite believe the Steve storyline, it certainly was a unique twist I don't think I've read in a chick lit before. Ugh. I couldn't stand the man!
The females were well written. Stella was maybe too good to be true with her forgiveness and acceptance of Terry, but that's the worst I could say. I real ...more

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Jan 29, 2015 Lyndee rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I received this book through goodreads first reads a few months ago and only just got around to reading it. Man was I shocked! A brilliant book that is certainly not what you expect! There were twists and turns around every corner and I loved this book from start to finish! Beautiful plot development and intriguing, well formed characters. Add this book to your to read list! You will not be disappointed!!

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May 06, 2015 gemsbooknook Geramie Kate Barker rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

Won this Through Goodreads First Read.
I really enjoyed this book. It was fun and witty. The characters were well developed and easy to relate to. Really well written book. Glad I got the chance to read this one..

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Jan 28, 2012 Shelley Kowalski rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Would have given it 0 stars if I could! Awful!

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About Lisa Heidke

Lisa Heidke

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After growing up in Brisbane, I ran away to Sydney, via London, and worked in book and magazine publishing. After many years living in the inner west, I was surprised one morning to wake up and find myself married with three children and living on the North Shore.

I’m not one of those people who’ve always wanted to write a novel...okay, I am one of those people. But it wasn’t until a few years ago ...more