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Forty Favours The Brave
From the creators of the hit podcast FORTY come musings, advice and real-life stories on the highs, lows and unexpected delight of life in your forties.
How can I be nearing middle age when twenty-six feels like yesterday? After the craziness of my twenties and hard work of my thirties, what's next? Who am I now that youth is behind me?
These were the questions Lise Carlaw and Sarah Wills (aka 'Those Two Girls') asked themselves as they entered a milestone decade - their forties. And they're not alone. The second phase of life can seem daunting. But it's so much more than declining collagen, hormonal upheavals, and a supposed descent into invisibility. There is power in knowing who you are, ditching 'nice' for what's important, and arriving at the stage in your life when you decide rather than 'slide'.
In Forty Favours the Brave, Lise and Sarah, along with women from all walks of life, share insightful tales about entering their forties and beyond: the lessons learned, heartbreaks survived, things they wish they'd known, relationship changes, confidence gained ... and the surprising, wondrous joy of life in its second act.
Brimming with wit, honesty and relatable 'aha!' moments, Forty Favours the Brave is the ultimate coming-of-age reading for any woman approaching (or in) her forties.
How can I be nearing middle age when twenty-six feels like yesterday? After the craziness of my twenties and hard work of my thirties, what's next? Who am I now that youth is behind me?
These were the questions Lise Carlaw and Sarah Wills (aka 'Those Two Girls') asked themselves as they entered a milestone decade - their forties. And they're not alone. The second phase of life can seem daunting. But it's so much more than declining collagen, hormonal upheavals, and a supposed descent into invisibility. There is power in knowing who you are, ditching 'nice' for what's important, and arriving at the stage in your life when you decide rather than 'slide'.
In Forty Favours the Brave, Lise and Sarah, along with women from all walks of life, share insightful tales about entering their forties and beyond: the lessons learned, heartbreaks survived, things they wish they'd known, relationship changes, confidence gained ... and the surprising, wondrous joy of life in its second act.
Brimming with wit, honesty and relatable 'aha!' moments, Forty Favours the Brave is the ultimate coming-of-age reading for any woman approaching (or in) her forties.
- GenresAudiobookNonfiction
296 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 29, 2022
36 people are currently reading
148 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
April 9, 2022
A great book for women approaching, in, or about to leave their forties (me!). Full of stories from a wide range of women, some stories will leave you with that “oh thank god it’s not just me” feeling. It’s a celebration, a reckoning, a call-to-arms, in the same celebratory tone of their podcast.
November 26, 2022
Reflections and lessons learned:
“…but the little blighter held on strong, with the grip strength of a ninja warrior on the salmon ladder - we made it kiddo. My story is an ordinary one, probably not dissimilar to yours or someone you know. It makes up the many twists and turns of jumping on the reproduction rollercoaster, but the baby making and birthing part is just the beginning on the ride…”
As a mother, I don’t often hang out with other parents - I’ve not gone out of my way to avoid them, but it’s just not happened naturally. I’m friends with a variety of women, and that doesn’t mean that their wombs journeys need to match mine. This book feels the same, but covers life experiences that feels quite close to my own. An examination of biological experiences alongside life approach and juggling. Every middle aged mother needs to hear things like this from time to time though - and it doesn’t have to be quietly at the back of a cafe from someone you know
“…but the little blighter held on strong, with the grip strength of a ninja warrior on the salmon ladder - we made it kiddo. My story is an ordinary one, probably not dissimilar to yours or someone you know. It makes up the many twists and turns of jumping on the reproduction rollercoaster, but the baby making and birthing part is just the beginning on the ride…”
As a mother, I don’t often hang out with other parents - I’ve not gone out of my way to avoid them, but it’s just not happened naturally. I’m friends with a variety of women, and that doesn’t mean that their wombs journeys need to match mine. This book feels the same, but covers life experiences that feels quite close to my own. An examination of biological experiences alongside life approach and juggling. Every middle aged mother needs to hear things like this from time to time though - and it doesn’t have to be quietly at the back of a cafe from someone you know
July 15, 2023
This book was gifted to me by a dear friend for my 41st birthday. Written by Lise Carlaw and Sarah Wills, authors and presents of the FORTY podcast. I thoroughly enjoyed the read- the humorous and tear-jerking anecdotes, the words of wisdom from various women and the insight into what happens when a woman enters her 40’s and how it can be an awakening. I think I loved this book more because of the special friend who gifted to me but I would happily gift this to other friends of my ‘vintage’.
May 11, 2022
Great to read books addressing ageing in women in a positive light and discussed in such a frank way. I much preferred the latter part of the book.
April 14, 2022
A must for women in their 40s!
April 1, 2024
DNF.
A book that's meant to shed light and wisdom for women approaching 40 or in their 40s.
Well, it's dripping in whiteness and privilege. There's a whole chapter dedicated to getting over wanting a THIGH GAP - if you can believe it - or not going camping anymore or the perils of being an actual working model. Yeah, life's tough!
Here I am a few years away from 40 and worried about climate change, financial security, the oppression of women around the world and in Australia that continues, losing family and their mortality, grief etc. This book is me, me, me, me and my friends (e.g. there's a whole chapter dedicated to famous people's 40th parties). What the actual? There's no sense of community, justice or the world.
I certainly hope being brave into your 40s means more than not wanting a thigh gap. I mean, maybe it gets better in the second half, but I doubt it.
A book that's meant to shed light and wisdom for women approaching 40 or in their 40s.
Well, it's dripping in whiteness and privilege. There's a whole chapter dedicated to getting over wanting a THIGH GAP - if you can believe it - or not going camping anymore or the perils of being an actual working model. Yeah, life's tough!
Here I am a few years away from 40 and worried about climate change, financial security, the oppression of women around the world and in Australia that continues, losing family and their mortality, grief etc. This book is me, me, me, me and my friends (e.g. there's a whole chapter dedicated to famous people's 40th parties). What the actual? There's no sense of community, justice or the world.
I certainly hope being brave into your 40s means more than not wanting a thigh gap. I mean, maybe it gets better in the second half, but I doubt it.
April 21, 2022
I had high hopes for this book. They were not realised. This book has a small amount of nuggets worth contemplating but overall this book is a shallow attempt at a worthy endeavour.
September 16, 2022
I loved this book! Highly relatable, funny and full of good advice - a must read I think for women in their thirties & forties. Some great conversation starters in there to try with you female friends & family. Will now have to check out the podcast.
June 25, 2024
3.5 rounded up
August 7, 2023
I skipped over some of this book. There were some nice fluffy stories but it really didn’t catch my attention.
October 29, 2022
It took a bit for me to get into the book and was starting to be disappointed after the much hype that has occurred about it.
Only when one of the stories (Jordana's escape) which resembled my life made me really take stock of the bits of wisdom in this book. From there I delighted in the sections of work, relationship and attitude.
As a woman of my forties, it is nice to know that the battles that I have fought alone for so many years are not 'original', sharing battle stories and giggling at the fact that my utter naivety of my past years was a lot more common than I thought.
I am also not the only person in my forties who has a pair of tweezers in their car to pick those rouge neck hairs!
This book helped me change my perspective of my life. Hitting forty made me feel my life is all over, as I have had to start again in my past decade. Watching other people buy second houses, investment properties or go on holidays, whilst I am trying to make ends meet was definitely bringing a negative vibe to my life. Now I am excited for my next 40 years, in twenty years I will be able to do what most are doing now, but I will get there.
So my take-home message from this review: take what you can from the book, skip chapters, go back and read others when you need inspiration or proof that you are not alone.
Only when one of the stories (Jordana's escape) which resembled my life made me really take stock of the bits of wisdom in this book. From there I delighted in the sections of work, relationship and attitude.
As a woman of my forties, it is nice to know that the battles that I have fought alone for so many years are not 'original', sharing battle stories and giggling at the fact that my utter naivety of my past years was a lot more common than I thought.
I am also not the only person in my forties who has a pair of tweezers in their car to pick those rouge neck hairs!
This book helped me change my perspective of my life. Hitting forty made me feel my life is all over, as I have had to start again in my past decade. Watching other people buy second houses, investment properties or go on holidays, whilst I am trying to make ends meet was definitely bringing a negative vibe to my life. Now I am excited for my next 40 years, in twenty years I will be able to do what most are doing now, but I will get there.
So my take-home message from this review: take what you can from the book, skip chapters, go back and read others when you need inspiration or proof that you are not alone.
May 12, 2023
Lise Carlaw & Sarah Wills (2022) FORTY FAVOURS THE BRAVE (AUDIOBOOK)
BorrowBox - Bolinda Audio
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 out of 5 stars
The sleeve reads, "How can I be nearing middle age when 26 feels like yesterday? After the craziness of my 20s and hard work of my 30s, what’s next? Who am I now that youth is behind me? These were the questions Lise Carlaw and Sarah Wills asked themselves as they entered a milestone decade—their 40s. And they’re not alone. The second phase of life can seem daunting. But it’s so much more too. There is power in knowing who you are, ditching ‘nice’ for what’s important and arriving at the stage in your life when you decide rather than ‘slide’. In Forty Favours the Brave, Lise and Sarah, along with women from all walks of life, share insightful tales about entering their 40s and beyond: the lessons learned, heartbreaks survived, things they wish they’d known … and the surprising, wondrous joy of life in its second act. Brimming with wit, honesty and relatable ‘aha!’ moments, Forty Favours the Brave is the ultimate coming-of-age listen for any woman approaching (or in) her 40s."
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Lmao 🤣 "...if I could pray a pube back into existence... and then the meat drops" 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
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#LiseCarlaw #SarahWills #FortyFavoursTheBrave #Books #Read #Reads #Reading #Review #Reviews #BookReview #BookReviews #GoodReads #Audiobook #Audiobooks #BorrowBox
BorrowBox - Bolinda Audio
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 out of 5 stars
The sleeve reads, "How can I be nearing middle age when 26 feels like yesterday? After the craziness of my 20s and hard work of my 30s, what’s next? Who am I now that youth is behind me? These were the questions Lise Carlaw and Sarah Wills asked themselves as they entered a milestone decade—their 40s. And they’re not alone. The second phase of life can seem daunting. But it’s so much more too. There is power in knowing who you are, ditching ‘nice’ for what’s important and arriving at the stage in your life when you decide rather than ‘slide’. In Forty Favours the Brave, Lise and Sarah, along with women from all walks of life, share insightful tales about entering their 40s and beyond: the lessons learned, heartbreaks survived, things they wish they’d known … and the surprising, wondrous joy of life in its second act. Brimming with wit, honesty and relatable ‘aha!’ moments, Forty Favours the Brave is the ultimate coming-of-age listen for any woman approaching (or in) her 40s."
=====
Lmao 🤣 "...if I could pray a pube back into existence... and then the meat drops" 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
=====
#LiseCarlaw #SarahWills #FortyFavoursTheBrave #Books #Read #Reads #Reading #Review #Reviews #BookReview #BookReviews #GoodReads #Audiobook #Audiobooks #BorrowBox
July 10, 2022
I picked this book up from Sydney airport recently and it made the flight home way more enjoyable!
Forty Favours the Brave by Lise Carlaw & Sarah Wills was the perfect light reading option for the plane and as a woman in my early 40’s, I found it fun and enjoyable (42 happens for me in September, still don’t know how that happened?!).
As Sally Hepworth is quoted on the front cover as saying, “This book feels like a weekend away with your best girlfriends” and it really does. There are points raised every chapter that my group of besties are messaging or calling each other about all the time!
Told with such wit and honesty, I loved every page and will be recommending this to all the women in my life who are either approaching 40 or living through it!
Forty Favours the Brave by Lise Carlaw & Sarah Wills was the perfect light reading option for the plane and as a woman in my early 40’s, I found it fun and enjoyable (42 happens for me in September, still don’t know how that happened?!).
As Sally Hepworth is quoted on the front cover as saying, “This book feels like a weekend away with your best girlfriends” and it really does. There are points raised every chapter that my group of besties are messaging or calling each other about all the time!
Told with such wit and honesty, I loved every page and will be recommending this to all the women in my life who are either approaching 40 or living through it!
October 20, 2022
It’s hard for me to genuinely rate this book as I’ve listened to a lot of Lise and Sarah’s podcasts and quite a bit of the content was repeated which wasn’t helpful. If you hadn’t listened to their podcast work then I think it would rate higher. I think there’s some gems of advice, reassurance and comfort in the pages of this book if you’re a woman in your 40s. I congratulate Those Two Girls for creating something for this group of women. Could it be more clever and powerful? Yes. However, as a ‘this is my tribe’, lighthearted book, it ticks boxes. And if you’re about to turn 40 and looking for something to tell it to you as it is, well, it’s spot on.
January 29, 2023
Any book with a title so clever is going to be a cracker. Do not read this book if you want all your problems solved or if you hold the authors to some sky-scraper-high expectations of humanity or literary genius. Shits me backward when I see book reviews that say, "Had high hopes, didn't deliver." It's a book, not a recurring all-day orgasm.
Forty Favours the Brave is such a fabulous ride. I only have one more year to relish this decade and so much of this book had me nodding, laughing and adoring all the different experiences that women go through in this special decade. This book a coming-of-age memoirish-anthology with a side order of fun. FIVE STARS!
Forty Favours the Brave is such a fabulous ride. I only have one more year to relish this decade and so much of this book had me nodding, laughing and adoring all the different experiences that women go through in this special decade. This book a coming-of-age memoirish-anthology with a side order of fun. FIVE STARS!
June 5, 2023
A book or what seemed to be more like a podcast of the authors, who started doing something different in their forties. They have many discussions about life in the fifth decade and reclaiming themselves as their own people in their rights, new endeavours, like themselves, started in radio business, re-evaluated their priorities and working hours, and wanted to put this out there to make every woman in their forties see themselves in one of these stories included in this book. There are many humorous stories which you read with a smile on your face.
April 8, 2025
What a hoot! Loved this witty, relatable read by two local legends my age. So many laugh-out-loud moments—especially the bit about the school motto (if you know, you know). The mix of personal stories, contributions, and that brilliant interview with Lise’s mum made it extra special (I even sat down later that week and asked my own mum the same 40 questions). Light, funny, and perfect to dip in and out of. Genius!
February 19, 2023
Really enjoyed this book. It gave me a heads up to prepare for my forties as well as things that pop up as a result of moving into these golden years. Its merely moving through some transformations and shifts in the most raw and real way possible.
Loved every minute of it and took my time with reading it. Thank you!
Loved every minute of it and took my time with reading it. Thank you!
May 28, 2022
A great read for all women, in, approaching or past there 40’s.
Co-written by the breakfast radio and now podcast, dynamic duo ‘Those Two Girls’, Lise and Sarah are witty and honest in sharing relatable stories and learnings from there life and those interviewed.
Co-written by the breakfast radio and now podcast, dynamic duo ‘Those Two Girls’, Lise and Sarah are witty and honest in sharing relatable stories and learnings from there life and those interviewed.
February 4, 2023
Loved this book, enjoyed hearing the girls experiences of being 40. Also enjoyed the stories from.women who had been through their 40's and beyond certainly gave me things to think about and look forward to.
August 4, 2023
This is a collection of musings and words of wisdom from women in their fourties and beyond talking about how they feel in this stage of their lives, how it changed their mindset and the things they did. Written in a lovely informal way and very relatable.
April 15, 2022
If you enjoy Lise & Sarah’s work like I do, you’ll enjoy this book. It’s funny, wise & as a perimenopausal 43 year old woman, I’m so ready for my Maga stage.
April 21, 2022
Absolutely wonderful! A must read for those nearing their forties or past turning forty.
I’ve taken so much away from this book from what Lise, Sarah and others have shared.
I’ve taken so much away from this book from what Lise, Sarah and others have shared.
May 14, 2022
I absolutely loved this book. It captured exactly how I feel about life in my 40’s. A must read.
October 8, 2022
Prefer the podcast.
November 4, 2022
Easy read, so much wisdom
February 4, 2023
Very relatable
March 23, 2023
Wanted to love it more than I did. Couldn’t finish it in the end.
April 11, 2023
Audiobook.
Inspiring and entertaining
Inspiring and entertaining
May 21, 2023
Fun and definitely could relate to the female friendships aspects.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews