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Tara Gallagher #2
The Sh!te Before Christmas
Christmas time, toddler meltdowns, teenage angst, marriage problems and WINE.
This year, the perfect Christmas is going to take a miracle…
Twas the sh!te before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring except for … mum!
Like every mum, Tara wants a perfect Christmas for her family – but no-one else is lifting a finger and she’s losing her elf-ing mind. From the kids behaving badly (vaping! Potty training! The Nativity!), to a distracted husband acting very out of character, the last straw is Tara’s glamorous, feckless, boundary-less mother moving herself back in for the holidays.
Can Tara pull off the holly jolly Christmas of her dreams? Will she deck the halls and not her family? Or is this a Christmas catastrophe waiting to happen?
This year, the perfect Christmas is going to take a miracle…
Twas the sh!te before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring except for … mum!
Like every mum, Tara wants a perfect Christmas for her family – but no-one else is lifting a finger and she’s losing her elf-ing mind. From the kids behaving badly (vaping! Potty training! The Nativity!), to a distracted husband acting very out of character, the last straw is Tara’s glamorous, feckless, boundary-less mother moving herself back in for the holidays.
Can Tara pull off the holly jolly Christmas of her dreams? Will she deck the halls and not her family? Or is this a Christmas catastrophe waiting to happen?
376 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 10, 2022
244 people are currently reading
1787 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 376 reviews
October 21, 2022
*3.5 stars*
It’s Christmas time in Derry, Ireland, and Tara wants this to be the perfect family Christmas, cosy twinkling fairy lights, gifts around the tree, the toasty warm fire, everyone happy, content and feeling the love - yeah right!
With an increasingly distant husband, two young sons causing havoc, a rebellious teenage daughter, and Tara’s pregnancy of eight months, well good luck with all that Tara! And then, to top it all off, her errant mother who walked out on Tara and her father years ago, returns after years spent in the Spanish sun with her sleazy Spanish barman and thinks she can just walk straight back into their lives - granny of the year she is not!
Mums around the world will recognise at least some of Tara’s dilemmas, and there were many laugh out loud observations from her, but will she get the Christmas of her dreams or will it literally be The Sh!te Before Christmas? Very entertaining.
*Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for my ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
It’s Christmas time in Derry, Ireland, and Tara wants this to be the perfect family Christmas, cosy twinkling fairy lights, gifts around the tree, the toasty warm fire, everyone happy, content and feeling the love - yeah right!
With an increasingly distant husband, two young sons causing havoc, a rebellious teenage daughter, and Tara’s pregnancy of eight months, well good luck with all that Tara! And then, to top it all off, her errant mother who walked out on Tara and her father years ago, returns after years spent in the Spanish sun with her sleazy Spanish barman and thinks she can just walk straight back into their lives - granny of the year she is not!
Mums around the world will recognise at least some of Tara’s dilemmas, and there were many laugh out loud observations from her, but will she get the Christmas of her dreams or will it literally be The Sh!te Before Christmas? Very entertaining.
*Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for my ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
December 11, 2022
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This book was so funny! I was completely unaware that the author has a Tiktok called Mammy Banter and apparently she is a viral sensation. I can understand that after reading this book. There are toddler and primary school-aged children in the book so there are a lot of references to pee, wee, and poo but that is the reality of being a mum. I liked that the author showed what is really behind the funny: self-doubt, anxiety, and fear of abandonment to name but a few.
Anyone who's had to do a full-on Christmas while wrangling a job, kids, a house, and unexpected visitors (while pregnant no less) will relate to what Tara is going through. The best bits were the parts where Nathan and Jax find their elf on the shelf (named wee (because he is small or pees a lot I do not know) donkey) in his crazy situations.
This is a fast-paced read filled with the crazy mania of the holiday season and is the second book featuring this family. It is definitely a stand-alone but I liked this enough to want to read the first one. That is a compliment to the author.
This title is currently available for purchase.
This book was so funny! I was completely unaware that the author has a Tiktok called Mammy Banter and apparently she is a viral sensation. I can understand that after reading this book. There are toddler and primary school-aged children in the book so there are a lot of references to pee, wee, and poo but that is the reality of being a mum. I liked that the author showed what is really behind the funny: self-doubt, anxiety, and fear of abandonment to name but a few.
Anyone who's had to do a full-on Christmas while wrangling a job, kids, a house, and unexpected visitors (while pregnant no less) will relate to what Tara is going through. The best bits were the parts where Nathan and Jax find their elf on the shelf (named wee (because he is small or pees a lot I do not know) donkey) in his crazy situations.
This is a fast-paced read filled with the crazy mania of the holiday season and is the second book featuring this family. It is definitely a stand-alone but I liked this enough to want to read the first one. That is a compliment to the author.
This title is currently available for purchase.
January 19, 2023
One month to go. One stressed mum. Can she pull off the perfect family Christmas?
Well there’s no doubting that if you felt stressed before Christmas then this book will make you feel so much better about yourself, as ‘Mammy Banter - Serena Terry’ certainly knows how to ramp up the character’s stress levels with this her second novel.
I read this before the festive event and I sympathised so much with mum Tara Gallagher. Having been heavily pregnant myself before Christmas and with other children at home, I totally felt her anguish, mental and physical stress and her determination as a mother to pull off the perfect family Christmas.
There are literally so many comedy of errors that will have you belly laughing, all so relatable and realistic. I defy any mother not to be nodding their heads in recognition of the teenage daughter’s attitude and mannerisms. Potty training, teenage vaping, kids nativity plays, elf on the shelf escapades, a distracted husband and a glamorous but boundary-less mother, all play a part in ruining Tara’s plans. There are some kinky adult comments/scenes as well, that are just too funny not to howl out loud at.
A close friend got me hooked on the hilarious ‘mammy banter’ videos on facebook and I’ve not looked back since…..so if you’re currently feeling the post Christmas blues or want to find someone who really did suffer the pre-stress of Christmas, then Serena Terry is the woman to help you. I guarantee you’ll relate, I mean lets face it, Christmas is stressful enough without adding into the mix a rebellious teenager, a heavy pregnancy and young children who genuinely say what they think.
If you enjoy humorous women’s fiction, this has to be top of your list, incredibly funny, genuine and amusing, this book will keep you perfectly entertained…..at someone else’s expense !😉
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Serena Terry started posting TikTok video as during lockdown in 2020 to share the hilarious ups and downs of life as a busty working mum, trapped in her house with her kids. ‘Mammy Banter- The secret Life of an Uncool Mum’ was her first novel published last year and she is currently scheduled for tours/shows throughout the UK in 2023.
Well there’s no doubting that if you felt stressed before Christmas then this book will make you feel so much better about yourself, as ‘Mammy Banter - Serena Terry’ certainly knows how to ramp up the character’s stress levels with this her second novel.
I read this before the festive event and I sympathised so much with mum Tara Gallagher. Having been heavily pregnant myself before Christmas and with other children at home, I totally felt her anguish, mental and physical stress and her determination as a mother to pull off the perfect family Christmas.
There are literally so many comedy of errors that will have you belly laughing, all so relatable and realistic. I defy any mother not to be nodding their heads in recognition of the teenage daughter’s attitude and mannerisms. Potty training, teenage vaping, kids nativity plays, elf on the shelf escapades, a distracted husband and a glamorous but boundary-less mother, all play a part in ruining Tara’s plans. There are some kinky adult comments/scenes as well, that are just too funny not to howl out loud at.
A close friend got me hooked on the hilarious ‘mammy banter’ videos on facebook and I’ve not looked back since…..so if you’re currently feeling the post Christmas blues or want to find someone who really did suffer the pre-stress of Christmas, then Serena Terry is the woman to help you. I guarantee you’ll relate, I mean lets face it, Christmas is stressful enough without adding into the mix a rebellious teenager, a heavy pregnancy and young children who genuinely say what they think.
If you enjoy humorous women’s fiction, this has to be top of your list, incredibly funny, genuine and amusing, this book will keep you perfectly entertained…..at someone else’s expense !😉
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Serena Terry started posting TikTok video as during lockdown in 2020 to share the hilarious ups and downs of life as a busty working mum, trapped in her house with her kids. ‘Mammy Banter- The secret Life of an Uncool Mum’ was her first novel published last year and she is currently scheduled for tours/shows throughout the UK in 2023.
December 10, 2022
I constantly fall down the tiktok rabbit hole and end up watching hilarious videos for more time than I want to admit. Every now and then a new tiktoker will turn up on my FYP and hold me captive. Serena Terry is one of those people. When I first watched one of her mommybanter videos I was hooked. I was laughing until I was crying and then went back and watched a TON of her older videos and had a hard time putting my phone down. But after I (very) reluctantly stopped watching I noticed a book on her page. Is it hers? Why yes it looked like it was! And I had to immediately go buy it. If you enjoy “momcoms”, chick lit, and/or humorous women’s fiction novels then this is a must read! It is part of a series and while I didn’t get a chance to read the first one (because I didn’t know) you don’t have to in order to enjoy this one. Her books remind me of a Sophie Kinsella/Marian Keyes mashup, and I highly recommend them! This is a Christmas novel with a lot of humor, a wee bit of dramatics, and a very fun family to read about! I can’t wait to see what she writes in the future and I’m VERY excited to start her first novel!
𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝗢𝗙:
• Hilarious Books
• Family Christmas Novels
• Funny content creators on tiktok
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝗢𝗙:
• Hilarious Books
• Family Christmas Novels
• Funny content creators on tiktok
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
September 26, 2022
I'll start by saying this is not my usual fare and I should have listened to the part of me that said "this may not be for you". But I wanted something Christmas based to cheer myself up and something light and fluffy that I could simply read and have a laugh at. I loved the Ross O'Carroll Kelly books so thought this would be in the same ball park.
I think that problems I had with this book are that a) I'm not a mother of small children, b) I've never heard of Mammy Banter, c) I don't usually enjoy this "all girls together, lets get drunk and eat cake" style and d) I'm not mad about Christmas the way I should be.
However I am absolutely positive that this will appeal to a very wide audience. It would certainly go down well with those who like the Aisling genre.
It centres on a harassed and 8 month pregnant Tara who is mother to two under 5s, is heavily pregnant and has a belligerent teen on the premises. To add to her troubles there's a misogynist or two at work, she thinks her husband is going off her and her estranged and selfish mother is threatening a visit.
Thankfully Amanda has her supporters in the shape of Cat and Amanda (her besties) and the Rebel Mums who are her "gang".
As the husband becomes more distant, her mother begins to turn her daughter against her and the potty training of her youngest, Jax, begins it seems there can be nothing else to upset this harassed mum but, of course, there's the Elf on a Shelf to organise, a Nativity Play to rehearse for and her daughter has just been suspended from school.
I think if you're a fan of the Aisling novels, you follow Mammy Banter, you have small children (or remember that time) then you will love this book. I did not but it wasn't written for me and its my fault for attempting it.
I received this advance copy free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I think that problems I had with this book are that a) I'm not a mother of small children, b) I've never heard of Mammy Banter, c) I don't usually enjoy this "all girls together, lets get drunk and eat cake" style and d) I'm not mad about Christmas the way I should be.
However I am absolutely positive that this will appeal to a very wide audience. It would certainly go down well with those who like the Aisling genre.
It centres on a harassed and 8 month pregnant Tara who is mother to two under 5s, is heavily pregnant and has a belligerent teen on the premises. To add to her troubles there's a misogynist or two at work, she thinks her husband is going off her and her estranged and selfish mother is threatening a visit.
Thankfully Amanda has her supporters in the shape of Cat and Amanda (her besties) and the Rebel Mums who are her "gang".
As the husband becomes more distant, her mother begins to turn her daughter against her and the potty training of her youngest, Jax, begins it seems there can be nothing else to upset this harassed mum but, of course, there's the Elf on a Shelf to organise, a Nativity Play to rehearse for and her daughter has just been suspended from school.
I think if you're a fan of the Aisling novels, you follow Mammy Banter, you have small children (or remember that time) then you will love this book. I did not but it wasn't written for me and its my fault for attempting it.
I received this advance copy free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 19, 2023
Finally a story that captures how it feels to be in charge of the chaos that is a traditional, western Christmas especially that little elf! I was fully hooked into seeing if the husband was having an affair.
And there is a whole bit about her trying to be open to the husband's sexual curiosity that sees our main characters trying to squish herself into dominatrix leather at 37 weeks pregnant that is worth the whole read. Hysterical.
And there is a whole bit about her trying to be open to the husband's sexual curiosity that sees our main characters trying to squish herself into dominatrix leather at 37 weeks pregnant that is worth the whole read. Hysterical.
December 2, 2023
DNF. Got 30% through and couldn’t take all the talk of bodily fluids anymore.
December 4, 2022
I was laughing so much that I got stared at more then a few time!!!
January 3, 2024
Easy to Read but just not my thing and not relatable for me at all 🤷🏼♀️
December 15, 2023
3.5 stars bright and shiny!
A light laugh out loud book. Made me laugh and made me feel a bit less stressed about Christmas ))
A light laugh out loud book. Made me laugh and made me feel a bit less stressed about Christmas ))
December 18, 2024
The amount of bodily fluids mentioned in this book was absolutely unnecessary. And the big “plot twist” may have been the dumbest twist I have ever read.
March 7, 2023
My sister bought me this book for Christmas as she knows how much I love “Mammy Banter”, the authors TikTok name. However, with life being as it is, I only got around to reading it in march. Not ideal timing for a Christmas novel.
That being said, I absolutely loved it! From start to finish I found myself laughing till I almost peed. Serena Terry has a real way with words and you can genuinely imagine the situations as she describes them.
My first book by this author and most definitely not my last!
5* from LauraLovesBooks
That being said, I absolutely loved it! From start to finish I found myself laughing till I almost peed. Serena Terry has a real way with words and you can genuinely imagine the situations as she describes them.
My first book by this author and most definitely not my last!
5* from LauraLovesBooks
November 16, 2022
This novel is the second in the series by this author.
Background to the location if anyone picking this up is not a “local” :
These novels are set in the classified area if you search for it as Derry/Londonderry in Northern Ireland. Locals would have opinions on the way the above is written however for anyone that is not a local it can be super confusing when they hear one way or another. The area is in the Northern part therefore it is legally Northern Ireland. It is incorrect to say Ireland as another reviewer has done as there is a “Derry” in Sligo which is in Ireland not Northern Ireland. A book is released for people hopefully all over the world and not just locals.
Review:
Hilarious and full of laugh-out-loud moments. This novel has lived up to its expectations from the first novel in the series. You do not necessarily need to read the first one in order to read the second. However the only thing I can possibly fault is that usually when there’s a second in a series, authors usually explain all of the characters as their mentioned and things that happened in the previous book briefly however I felt those elements could have been stronger within this one.
Apart from that, we see a mother who is pregnant with her fourth child, tackling life and the daily struggles I mean tasks that has on a person who also works, juggling family life and so forth. I felt overwhelmed for her throughout as she is dealing with so much yet managed to keep her cool especially with her seemingly sexist boss.
With her husband, teenage daughter, friends all behaving out of character and being so close to give birth again, Tara is feeling very isolated and confused. I find that she deals with all of this so well. I admire how hard-working she is and her strength to keep her cool throughout each situation.
She manages to laugh or have a smart remark that makes the reader laugh out loud.
I really enjoyed the hilarious situations that later occur and help her relationships with people thrive. Some of these actually reminded myself of similar situations in Emmerdale the Soap show.
With it being the Christmas season this novel hits the spot on a cosy, relatable and hilarious laugh out loud read during this festive season.
I hope to be able to read more as I really do enjoy how Serena writes. Entertaining and captures my attention.
Thanks to the publishers for this novel in exchange for my honest review.
Review: https://clife.blog/2022/11/24/book-re...
Background to the location if anyone picking this up is not a “local” :
These novels are set in the classified area if you search for it as Derry/Londonderry in Northern Ireland. Locals would have opinions on the way the above is written however for anyone that is not a local it can be super confusing when they hear one way or another. The area is in the Northern part therefore it is legally Northern Ireland. It is incorrect to say Ireland as another reviewer has done as there is a “Derry” in Sligo which is in Ireland not Northern Ireland. A book is released for people hopefully all over the world and not just locals.
Review:
Hilarious and full of laugh-out-loud moments. This novel has lived up to its expectations from the first novel in the series. You do not necessarily need to read the first one in order to read the second. However the only thing I can possibly fault is that usually when there’s a second in a series, authors usually explain all of the characters as their mentioned and things that happened in the previous book briefly however I felt those elements could have been stronger within this one.
Apart from that, we see a mother who is pregnant with her fourth child, tackling life and the daily struggles I mean tasks that has on a person who also works, juggling family life and so forth. I felt overwhelmed for her throughout as she is dealing with so much yet managed to keep her cool especially with her seemingly sexist boss.
With her husband, teenage daughter, friends all behaving out of character and being so close to give birth again, Tara is feeling very isolated and confused. I find that she deals with all of this so well. I admire how hard-working she is and her strength to keep her cool throughout each situation.
She manages to laugh or have a smart remark that makes the reader laugh out loud.
I really enjoyed the hilarious situations that later occur and help her relationships with people thrive. Some of these actually reminded myself of similar situations in Emmerdale the Soap show.
With it being the Christmas season this novel hits the spot on a cosy, relatable and hilarious laugh out loud read during this festive season.
I hope to be able to read more as I really do enjoy how Serena writes. Entertaining and captures my attention.
Thanks to the publishers for this novel in exchange for my honest review.
Review: https://clife.blog/2022/11/24/book-re...
November 27, 2022
I found this book easy to read and it had many funny moments centred around Tara who is pregnant with her 4th child. Christmas is approaching and as it is one of Tara’s favourite times of the year she is doing everything in her power to make it magical .
With trouble from her boss, her daughter being temporarily expelled from school, her youngest son potty training and her estranged mother planning to come to stay with her , the odds are stacking against her.
I loved reading Serena’s first book and although I did enjoy this one I didn’t find it just as funny. Hats off to poor Tara though, she really makes you realise we all share a lot of the same issues and I loved how she rallies through them in her own personal style .
With trouble from her boss, her daughter being temporarily expelled from school, her youngest son potty training and her estranged mother planning to come to stay with her , the odds are stacking against her.
I loved reading Serena’s first book and although I did enjoy this one I didn’t find it just as funny. Hats off to poor Tara though, she really makes you realise we all share a lot of the same issues and I loved how she rallies through them in her own personal style .
November 27, 2023
*Audiobook for Drop In Book Club
This book was hilarious. At first I had a hard time getting into the audiobook because I really struggle with thick accents. They just distract me. However, I was used to the accent. I was cracking up at this comedy of errors.
There are so many aspects to this book that will crack you up. Is it over the top, absolutely. Can Tara be totally annoying…you betcha but look what she’s surrounded by. Yes, it’s ridiculous…but in the best way possible.
This book is not only hilarious, it also has some tender moments and realizations that will make it feel like more than just a Christmas comedy novel.
The miscommunications in this book are fantastic. The “shite” Tara goes through to be a good mom, a good friend, a good wife, and a good daughter will keep you interested & laughing the whole way through.
So get your whips (👁️), chains, lingerie, vapes and dysfunctional selves ready for some fun this holiday season.
This book was hilarious. At first I had a hard time getting into the audiobook because I really struggle with thick accents. They just distract me. However, I was used to the accent. I was cracking up at this comedy of errors.
There are so many aspects to this book that will crack you up. Is it over the top, absolutely. Can Tara be totally annoying…you betcha but look what she’s surrounded by. Yes, it’s ridiculous…but in the best way possible.
This book is not only hilarious, it also has some tender moments and realizations that will make it feel like more than just a Christmas comedy novel.
The miscommunications in this book are fantastic. The “shite” Tara goes through to be a good mom, a good friend, a good wife, and a good daughter will keep you interested & laughing the whole way through.
So get your whips (👁️), chains, lingerie, vapes and dysfunctional selves ready for some fun this holiday season.
November 12, 2022
A tale with lots of laughs for me, Tara Gallagher is a thirty-five weeks pregnant mum. Christmas is less than one month away and she and her husband, Paul are having trouble with their teenage daughter, Gemma who has been vaping at school. The Gallaghers also have a six-year-old son, Nathan who's an ice cream lover, and little Jax is two. This book is the second in a series following the family. A gleeful lark of a read that will bring you smiles.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from HarperCollins via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from HarperCollins via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.
November 3, 2023
Brilliant
So many times I laughed out loud at this wonderful , true to life story of a mom to 3 and a 4th baby due very soon. The joys of Christmas and family. Throw in work and friends and you have a great read
So many times I laughed out loud at this wonderful , true to life story of a mom to 3 and a 4th baby due very soon. The joys of Christmas and family. Throw in work and friends and you have a great read
November 28, 2023
3.5 ⭐️ comical festive fun!
December 9, 2023
4.5⭐️ hilarious! Dropped half a star because I couldn’t stop reading it in a Scottish accent to start with for some reason 😂
December 22, 2025
Funny as f**k 🤣 loved it! Laughed all the way through and I now keep having to stop myself speaking with an Irish accent!!
December 19, 2023
Witty and enjoyable but predictable and an easy read.
December 13, 2023
Once again, a great read. There is some good humour and many comical situations, It's not as comically funny as it was "Why mummy drinks at Christmas" (few posts ago), but I would recommend reading if you want to read something good, heart-warming but with some slightly more serious tones in it and perfect for christmas time.
December 27, 2023
Fun but heartwarming festive read!
April 3, 2023
The next book in the series and a BIG BIG thank you to my hubby for gifting it me during my birthday! EEP!
This was another fun book, though I had some frustrations and so I will start with those. Especially with Paul, Cat, and Pammy. To the point that I even skipped to the last couple of chapters to read those and see if things would settle and get better. Because Paul? I get that Tara is emotional and things aren’t going fine, but TALK, don’t dismiss her. Be there for her. Be there for each other. She 35 weeks pregnant for goodness sake. I understand that you want to have your things to do and also go out, but it isn’t as if she can do everything. So talk. Like for instance that first part of him wanting to do something fun and Tara saying no? Heck I could understand her better than him. But they could have arranged something. Like, have him help her out with the pee accident, then the two little terrors, talk about the daughter and also the plan of action (as it seemed that he just didn’t care much about it, also later in the story), and THEN you can go have fun. It is not that hard, but at times I just felt like Paul was a little kid and yes, I was very worried he was cheating. How he acted, the missed calls, the lies, I would definitely suspect the same if my hubby did this.
Then there is Gemma who I couldn’t get a read on any time. Sometimes she was ubersweet, especially to her brothers, but other times she was just vile, and it just felt way worse than normal teen-stuff.
Then lastly we have Pammy, or Pamela, aka Tara’s mom. Yep. Tara was desperate and asked her mom. Twice even. I just hated Pamela so much, especially with how she did things in regards to Gemma, but then was a bitch towards the little boys. I just wanted Tara, or Paul though he never seemed around, to just yeet her out of the house. She does get a bit better near the end of the book, but really, they should have had that talk WAY earlier. WAY WAY earlier.
And lastly we have Cat. I just loved Cat, but this time is is never around. Tara could use her bestie quite a few times and she just is gone. Big babyshower? No Cat. Important dinner? No Cat. Later we do find out some stuff, but I still found it bad that Cat just wasn’t honest.
But other than that, this was a fantastic read. There is Christmas and seeing Tara go full in for Christmas with scented candles, yummy food, fun activities for the kids, decorations, the Elf on the Shelf is back and she is NOT amused, but thankfully thinks up some cool things along with Gemma. There is a nativity musical for Nathan and I just laughed so hard, though I also wanted to give him a hug. I loved the two terrors, Jax and Nathan. They weren’t always terrors, but sometimes, OH BOY. I just love the bond these two boys have and loved how Nathan took it upon himself to do the stickers, or help out his brother, or support him in his potty training.
Amanda and her big change, LOVE it, and I had a laugh when she started about that and also later on was so free about things. I just didn’t expect it at all and not just me, Tara was also like WAIT what happened.
I loved that the Rebel Mums are still doing fine, though we don’t really see much of them, hopefully in the next book again! But I did love that they did that for Nathan!
The Handley situation and how Tara handled that like a freaking boss. Go queen! Slay that icky dude!
Then we have a lot of chocolate eating, a trip to figure out what Paul, the barbarian, is actually doing and I loved that she brought Cat and Amanda with her. That there is some late shopping (those inflatables, oh Tara). A visit to the sex shop (oh yes). There is a sweet old man who looks like Santa in a jewellery store which I loved.
And I loved the last pages when the baby is coming and the name they have. That was just so sweet. I am proud that Tara and Paul are like, yeah, this is the last one. I can imagine, haha, 3 was already a lot, but a fourth one in the mix, I can imagine you don’t want another one. XD
And I really liked the cover + the colours!
All in all, despite some things that had me almost stop reading, I am glad I continued because in the end I really had fun reading it and I was just rooting for Tara and I just love the Christmas vibes~ I cannot wait for the next book, well, I am hoping there will be more!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
This was another fun book, though I had some frustrations and so I will start with those. Especially with Paul, Cat, and Pammy. To the point that I even skipped to the last couple of chapters to read those and see if things would settle and get better. Because Paul? I get that Tara is emotional and things aren’t going fine, but TALK, don’t dismiss her. Be there for her. Be there for each other. She 35 weeks pregnant for goodness sake. I understand that you want to have your things to do and also go out, but it isn’t as if she can do everything. So talk. Like for instance that first part of him wanting to do something fun and Tara saying no? Heck I could understand her better than him. But they could have arranged something. Like, have him help her out with the pee accident, then the two little terrors, talk about the daughter and also the plan of action (as it seemed that he just didn’t care much about it, also later in the story), and THEN you can go have fun. It is not that hard, but at times I just felt like Paul was a little kid and yes, I was very worried he was cheating. How he acted, the missed calls, the lies, I would definitely suspect the same if my hubby did this.
Then there is Gemma who I couldn’t get a read on any time. Sometimes she was ubersweet, especially to her brothers, but other times she was just vile, and it just felt way worse than normal teen-stuff.
Then lastly we have Pammy, or Pamela, aka Tara’s mom. Yep. Tara was desperate and asked her mom. Twice even. I just hated Pamela so much, especially with how she did things in regards to Gemma, but then was a bitch towards the little boys. I just wanted Tara, or Paul though he never seemed around, to just yeet her out of the house. She does get a bit better near the end of the book, but really, they should have had that talk WAY earlier. WAY WAY earlier.
And lastly we have Cat. I just loved Cat, but this time is is never around. Tara could use her bestie quite a few times and she just is gone. Big babyshower? No Cat. Important dinner? No Cat. Later we do find out some stuff, but I still found it bad that Cat just wasn’t honest.
But other than that, this was a fantastic read. There is Christmas and seeing Tara go full in for Christmas with scented candles, yummy food, fun activities for the kids, decorations, the Elf on the Shelf is back and she is NOT amused, but thankfully thinks up some cool things along with Gemma. There is a nativity musical for Nathan and I just laughed so hard, though I also wanted to give him a hug. I loved the two terrors, Jax and Nathan. They weren’t always terrors, but sometimes, OH BOY. I just love the bond these two boys have and loved how Nathan took it upon himself to do the stickers, or help out his brother, or support him in his potty training.
Amanda and her big change, LOVE it, and I had a laugh when she started about that and also later on was so free about things. I just didn’t expect it at all and not just me, Tara was also like WAIT what happened.
I loved that the Rebel Mums are still doing fine, though we don’t really see much of them, hopefully in the next book again! But I did love that they did that for Nathan!
The Handley situation and how Tara handled that like a freaking boss. Go queen! Slay that icky dude!
Then we have a lot of chocolate eating, a trip to figure out what Paul, the barbarian, is actually doing and I loved that she brought Cat and Amanda with her. That there is some late shopping (those inflatables, oh Tara). A visit to the sex shop (oh yes). There is a sweet old man who looks like Santa in a jewellery store which I loved.
And I loved the last pages when the baby is coming and the name they have. That was just so sweet. I am proud that Tara and Paul are like, yeah, this is the last one. I can imagine, haha, 3 was already a lot, but a fourth one in the mix, I can imagine you don’t want another one. XD
And I really liked the cover + the colours!
All in all, despite some things that had me almost stop reading, I am glad I continued because in the end I really had fun reading it and I was just rooting for Tara and I just love the Christmas vibes~ I cannot wait for the next book, well, I am hoping there will be more!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
October 18, 2022
Another cracking read, took me less than 24 hours to read, loved it
December 11, 2022
This is Serena’s second book and I think it was fantastic. Loved every minute of it. My fiancé kept commenting that I was laughing out loud as it takes a lot for me to laugh out loud.
Tara’s friends were so cringe worthy but such funny characters. Amanda was a hoot the things she’d come out with. And omg the kids the things they’d come out with especially the two year old. There was a dew wrenching moments. I hope Serena writes more about Tara and her family. I liked the new addition of her mum.
Thanks goes to the author for writing it. The publisher and net galley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Tara’s friends were so cringe worthy but such funny characters. Amanda was a hoot the things she’d come out with. And omg the kids the things they’d come out with especially the two year old. There was a dew wrenching moments. I hope Serena writes more about Tara and her family. I liked the new addition of her mum.
Thanks goes to the author for writing it. The publisher and net galley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 17, 2025
I loved this book so much. It made me laugh so hard with all the banter. I loved being back with Tara’s family and all their crazy antics. It definitely hits better being from Northern Ireland and getting all the references. It definitely feels like the closest to real life of the Christmas reads that I’ve ever read. It’s definitely my favourite festive read of the season so far. 100% recommend.
October 23, 2022
The shite before Christmas by serena Terry
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.75 out of 5)
Oh tara , it’s impossible not to feel for our leading lady. You almost just want to give her a hug and tell her to not overthink, to relax but with her life in hectic mayhem you can equally see why she’s got to this point.
It is an incredibly slow burn . And a couple of points I got frustrated at the speed and thought of not continuing but something kept drawing me back to Tara. There are laugh out loud Moments but it can get a little repetitive at times. I don’t think I’m probably the target audience and I think if you have or have had small children you will fall in love with this .
It is a little cheesy and predictable but it’s so festive and feel good or can completely get away with that!
I’m not really sure what I would categorise this as. It doesn’t feel rom com but I suppose its a book about appreciating all that you have , even if that is a toddler leaving skid marks down the stairs.
I think this book will really appeal to a lot of people and I can’t wait to read more from this author.
Thank you to netgalley and the author for this arc in exchange for and honest review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.75 out of 5)
Oh tara , it’s impossible not to feel for our leading lady. You almost just want to give her a hug and tell her to not overthink, to relax but with her life in hectic mayhem you can equally see why she’s got to this point.
It is an incredibly slow burn . And a couple of points I got frustrated at the speed and thought of not continuing but something kept drawing me back to Tara. There are laugh out loud Moments but it can get a little repetitive at times. I don’t think I’m probably the target audience and I think if you have or have had small children you will fall in love with this .
It is a little cheesy and predictable but it’s so festive and feel good or can completely get away with that!
I’m not really sure what I would categorise this as. It doesn’t feel rom com but I suppose its a book about appreciating all that you have , even if that is a toddler leaving skid marks down the stairs.
I think this book will really appeal to a lot of people and I can’t wait to read more from this author.
Thank you to netgalley and the author for this arc in exchange for and honest review
November 12, 2022
Get your christmas reads in order before the silly season sets in and make sure this one is added to your TBR!
Tara would happily kill someone for Christmas to be slightly less manic than usual. From a stroppy teenager testing boundarys to trying to potty train and everything in between, family life is full on for Tara and her hubby. But her wayward mother (who I couldn't help but see as Brenda's mum from DinnerLadies!) decides to foist herself on them for Christmas too - Tara's grip on her sanity might finally slip! Paul also seems to be less than his usual self and Tara's finds herself doubting her marriage too.
OML Gemma is the quintessential teenager - you never know what personality you're going to get! Jax and Nathan are the scene stealers yet again - the zingers these boys delivered - and the timing! The inner workings of Tara's mind are so realistic - we're a similar ago so there are way too many tabs open, music won't stop playing and everything crashes every so often.
I'm eager to see what calamities could befall Tara and the tribe next!
TW: There are some very realistic scenes of family tummy trouble shall we say - Don't be eating when you're reading LOL!
Tara would happily kill someone for Christmas to be slightly less manic than usual. From a stroppy teenager testing boundarys to trying to potty train and everything in between, family life is full on for Tara and her hubby. But her wayward mother (who I couldn't help but see as Brenda's mum from DinnerLadies!) decides to foist herself on them for Christmas too - Tara's grip on her sanity might finally slip! Paul also seems to be less than his usual self and Tara's finds herself doubting her marriage too.
OML Gemma is the quintessential teenager - you never know what personality you're going to get! Jax and Nathan are the scene stealers yet again - the zingers these boys delivered - and the timing! The inner workings of Tara's mind are so realistic - we're a similar ago so there are way too many tabs open, music won't stop playing and everything crashes every so often.
I'm eager to see what calamities could befall Tara and the tribe next!
TW: There are some very realistic scenes of family tummy trouble shall we say - Don't be eating when you're reading LOL!
December 11, 2022
It’s the most wonderful time of the year…
Like every mum, Tara wants a perfect Christmas for her family – but no-one else is lifting a finger and she’s losing her elf-ing mind.
From a vaping teen, explosive potty training and a disastrous Nativity, to a distracted husband acting very out of character, the final straw is Tara’s glamorous, feckless mother moving herself back in for the holidays.
Can Tara pull off the holly jolly Christmas of her dreams? Will she deck the halls and not her family? Or is this a Christmas catastrophe waiting to happen…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The perfect time for a seasonal read & what a read it was! 🎄
Full of funny, festive wit that shows us the ‘true reality’ of a family Christmas!
I giggled to myself the whole way through and was a blubbering mess towards the end 😢
What I loved most about this book, was the fact that I could totally relate to some of the stresses and strains we, as mothers, face while trying to create a perfect Christmas for our loved ones. When in reality, all that really matters is that you have each other, that’s where all your perfects are truly found. 🥰
A heartwarming and amusing read that I really enjoyed!
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