Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up, Alexandra Potter

This book is exactly what it sounds like, and a little more. When 40-something Nell breaks off her engagement, she moves back to England to lick her wounds and take up with her old friends, only they have all moved on with partners and kiddos.

Nell is broke, alone, childless, homeless, jobless, and near pennyless when she arrives at Edward’s house to interview to be his flat mate. Edward is married with children, his wife and children live in the country and he lives in London during the week, gone on the weekend. Perfect set up for Nell.

When Nell finally gets a job, it is to write obituaries for a local paper. One of Nell’s first obits is of a late playwrite. Nell becomes near besties with the playwrites 80-something widow and the two have some fun experiences. Nell struggles with the remainder of her core friends as she is the only one without a family. In a depressed state, Nell starts up a podcast and starts confessing all her fuckedupedness. It’s amazing how well I can relate to her quips.

Confessions is lightly and fun while at the same time hits on a lot of topics those of us over 40 struggle with: Do I really need to wear sleeves because of arm jiggle? Why does everyone’s social media look SO much more eventful, perfect, and fun than my life? Am I the only one who doesn’t feel hash-tag blessed by reading quotes of the day but rather more upended and convinced I am a fuck up? Yep - those things I relate to.

I wasn’t a huge fan of the book’s ending, felt like it just wrapped up neatly because it was supposed to, which was unfortunate, because Nell could definitely taken this ending to much different directions.

You won’t regret reading this one.