“The Time of her Life” by Tracy Bloom was an utter joy to read and as the first book I’ve read by this author, I realise I’ve been missing out on so many of her refreshing and uplifting novels. 

 

It was welcoming to learn that you’re not alone in parenting mishaps and that it’s quite normal to be found wanting or an embarrassment. I do believe all teenage kids to be alike and this was proven by the many similarities to the fictional students and students in real life. As a parent myself, my head was nodding in agreement at the many embarrassing situations Kim found herself in, in front of her teenage son.  Kids really don’t believe that parents actually had a life pre children and it was pure magic to see Kim and Max ‘moshing’ to the music of their youth, all cares abandoned. 

 

Although I’m not too sure hairdressers and chip shop employees would be too chuffed at being called ‘just’ hairdressers and ‘just’ chip shop workers but it was this ‘accusation’ that featured heavily in the book, as it was the crux of the story. Understanding the dynamics between Kim and her university lecturer husband was very important and it was portrayed perfectly, setting the scene for Kim to rebel. Although my kids never attended university, I felt I could still relate to the emotions of the parents leaving their kids in shared accommodation and to the varying attitudes between the mothers and fathers. 

 

This book was genuinely funny in places, covering true emotional feelings of a marriage breakdown and parenting and revealed the satirical side of student life and accommodation. “The Time of her Life” is a must read for women’s fiction fans and for those still young at heart. 

 

#TheTimeOfHerLife - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️