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On The Edge
Sometimes, in order to move forward, you need to go back.
Joni’s always felt like an outsider in her blended family, and as an adult she’s done all she can to avoid them. The only person she’s remained close to is her beloved Nana.
When Nana dies, she leaves behind something an itinerary of pre-arranged activities for the whole family to complete over the course of a week. After years of trying but failing to bring Joni back into the fold, this appears to be Nana’s parting shot. After all, nothing says ‘family bonding� quite like abseiling and ballroom dancing.
With marriage and kids on the horizon, the life Joni’s always dreamed of is finally within touching distance. The last thing she wants to do is revisit the past.
But Joni’s about to discover that a lot can happen in seven days. Nana’s Week of Fun is about to change everything�
Joni’s always felt like an outsider in her blended family, and as an adult she’s done all she can to avoid them. The only person she’s remained close to is her beloved Nana.
When Nana dies, she leaves behind something an itinerary of pre-arranged activities for the whole family to complete over the course of a week. After years of trying but failing to bring Joni back into the fold, this appears to be Nana’s parting shot. After all, nothing says ‘family bonding� quite like abseiling and ballroom dancing.
With marriage and kids on the horizon, the life Joni’s always dreamed of is finally within touching distance. The last thing she wants to do is revisit the past.
But Joni’s about to discover that a lot can happen in seven days. Nana’s Week of Fun is about to change everything�
320 pages, Hardcover
First published July 4, 2024
118 people are currently reading
900 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Turner
7books179followersSarah Turner lives in Devon with her husband and three sons.
After graduating with first-class honours in Philosophy from The University of Exeter, she dabbled in careers in finance then higher education before a ‘warts and all� parenting blog she’d started to let off steam gathered unexpected momentum and writing became her full-time job.
She has since written three Sunday Times bestsellers: The Unmumsy Mum, The Unmumsy Mum Diary and The Unmumsy Mum A-Z. The Unmumsy Mum was voted number 4 in Amazon’s Top 10 books of 2016 (as voted by Amazon customers) and was also shortlisted for Book of the Year (non-fiction, lifestyle) at the 2017 British Book Awards.
After graduating with first-class honours in Philosophy from The University of Exeter, she dabbled in careers in finance then higher education before a ‘warts and all� parenting blog she’d started to let off steam gathered unexpected momentum and writing became her full-time job.
She has since written three Sunday Times bestsellers: The Unmumsy Mum, The Unmumsy Mum Diary and The Unmumsy Mum A-Z. The Unmumsy Mum was voted number 4 in Amazon’s Top 10 books of 2016 (as voted by Amazon customers) and was also shortlisted for Book of the Year (non-fiction, lifestyle) at the 2017 British Book Awards.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
June 17, 2024
First book by this author for me although have seen previous books and reviews and so knew to expect a part LOL part emotive read,and that is what got
Joni is kinda estranged from her family,the only relative she stayed close to after her Mum’s passing was her Nan,Phyllis�.when Phyllis passes she leaves a set of instructions that the family inc Joni must do,all pre arranged and all causing effects Joni doesn’t expect,some of these things were very funny and my favourite was probably the ballroom dancing
I liked Joni,in fact I liked everyone in the book and was easy to identify with certain traits of pretty much everyone ,you could see how Joni had cut herself off and you could equally see how her Nan intended to change this
A real feel good book that offers lessons up without being preachy and was in every way enjoyable to be a part of
Joni is kinda estranged from her family,the only relative she stayed close to after her Mum’s passing was her Nan,Phyllis�.when Phyllis passes she leaves a set of instructions that the family inc Joni must do,all pre arranged and all causing effects Joni doesn’t expect,some of these things were very funny and my favourite was probably the ballroom dancing
I liked Joni,in fact I liked everyone in the book and was easy to identify with certain traits of pretty much everyone ,you could see how Joni had cut herself off and you could equally see how her Nan intended to change this
A real feel good book that offers lessons up without being preachy and was in every way enjoyable to be a part of
June 20, 2024
As a big fan of Sarah Turner’s debut novel, I was thrilled to receive a proof copy of her latest novel, On The Edge.
It follows Joni as she is invited to spend a week with her estranged family after the loss of her grandmother. They must all spend the week together completing various activities or no one will receive any inheritance.
Joni has barely spent any time with her family since she left, having felt isolated from her father after he remarried shortly after losing her mum to cancer at a young age. However, there are many things she doesn’t know, and this week together may just change everything she ever knew about her family and herself.
Turner has a way of creating a cast of realistic characters with wit, humour and compassion that makes you want to get to know them.During the course of the novel we meet Joni’s estranged family. First we are introduced to them via a hilariously accurate texting group chat, in which their mix of personalities shine through.
The story is told from Joni’s perspective so the other sections of narrative are coloured with Joni’s opinions, but as the story progresses and Joni warms to her distant family we see their true natures in all their weird and wonderful glory.
Turner is brilliant at crafting family relationships, full of humour, heart and insightful storytelling. For Joni, losing her mum so young impacted her entire life afterwards, forever chasing the happiness from her idyllic childhood. Sadly, losing her mum led to her estrangement with her dad, and therefore she never felt bonded with her step-siblings. She is in a stable if bland long term relationship with boyfriend Lewis, though right from the start it is clear that they might not be the perfect fit�
My favourite aspect of the novel is the growing relationship between Joni and her nephew Stanley. Adopted by her step brother as a single parent, Stanley is learning to find his place in their blended family. Joni, as a teacher experienced with kids, manages to form a bond with Stanley which grows as the week goes on. Stanley is adorable, and its fun to see how quickly Joni falls under his charming spell, from cleaning car vomit one day to ensuring Stanley and his imaginary friend Bilbo are well taken care of another day.
A wonderful story of family and how sometimes, to move forward, you need to go back.
It follows Joni as she is invited to spend a week with her estranged family after the loss of her grandmother. They must all spend the week together completing various activities or no one will receive any inheritance.
Joni has barely spent any time with her family since she left, having felt isolated from her father after he remarried shortly after losing her mum to cancer at a young age. However, there are many things she doesn’t know, and this week together may just change everything she ever knew about her family and herself.
Turner has a way of creating a cast of realistic characters with wit, humour and compassion that makes you want to get to know them.During the course of the novel we meet Joni’s estranged family. First we are introduced to them via a hilariously accurate texting group chat, in which their mix of personalities shine through.
The story is told from Joni’s perspective so the other sections of narrative are coloured with Joni’s opinions, but as the story progresses and Joni warms to her distant family we see their true natures in all their weird and wonderful glory.
Turner is brilliant at crafting family relationships, full of humour, heart and insightful storytelling. For Joni, losing her mum so young impacted her entire life afterwards, forever chasing the happiness from her idyllic childhood. Sadly, losing her mum led to her estrangement with her dad, and therefore she never felt bonded with her step-siblings. She is in a stable if bland long term relationship with boyfriend Lewis, though right from the start it is clear that they might not be the perfect fit�
My favourite aspect of the novel is the growing relationship between Joni and her nephew Stanley. Adopted by her step brother as a single parent, Stanley is learning to find his place in their blended family. Joni, as a teacher experienced with kids, manages to form a bond with Stanley which grows as the week goes on. Stanley is adorable, and its fun to see how quickly Joni falls under his charming spell, from cleaning car vomit one day to ensuring Stanley and his imaginary friend Bilbo are well taken care of another day.
A wonderful story of family and how sometimes, to move forward, you need to go back.
April 28, 2025
This was a really wholesome comedic novel! Really resonated with Joni’s control freak nature 😂🙈
August 22, 2024
Joni Ashford left the village she grew up in at eighteen and barely looked back. The only reason to return occasionally was to see her beloved grandmother, who was the glue that barely held their blended family together; now that she has died, Joni is ready to cut contact entirely with her dad, step-mum and two step-siblings.
But Nanna Phyllis had always wished for her son and his family to make peace - to be a real family - and she had one final scheme up her sleeve to try to make it happen. With the help of a variety of eccentric local characters, she planned a week of activities, which must be completed together in order for Phyllis' will, and the urn containing her ashes, to be handed over. Begrudgingly, Joni sets off for South Norton, feeling not at all prepared to confront her past. Each activity completed reveals a digit from the code which will unlock the safe containing Phyllis' will and ashes, but it also unlocks a Pandora's box of secrets, lies, resentments, betrayals.
On the Edge combines humour and heart in the way followers of author Sarah Turner (aka The Unmumsy Mum) have come to expect. Turner cultivated a huge following on her blog - and later Instagram - thanks to her down-to-earth, lighthearted musings on the travails of motherhood, and her tone lends itself well to this gentle, sweet story of love, loss and the meaning of family.
The chief cause of the conflict between Joni and the rest of the family is that her mother died when Joni was ten years old and - as far as she has been able to tell - her father immediately moved on and welcomed a new wife and children into what had been their family home. He has never been comfortable joining in with Joni's rhapsodising about her perfect childhood and idolised mother, making her feel like he wished his first marriage had never happened. Consequently, Joni she feels like she is a part of that closed chapter rather than a member of the Ashford-Clyde clan in equal standing.
Turner sensitively portrays Joni's lingering feelings of grief and anger, and how they have shaped her life. Joni, who is obsessed with having everything planned to the smallest minutiae and who loathes spontaneity, could have felt like a tropey, simple character, but instead it is clear to see how her personality and approach to life have been shaped by her early feelings of loss and rejection, and how approaching her fortieth birthday - the age her mum was when she died - without ticking off any of her life goals, and returning to her childhood village have eroded the sense of control Joni has been chasing ever since her life spun out of control when she was ten.
The plot is enjoyable and engaging even though it is fairly predictable. The arc of some characters is easy to guess from the moment they are introduced, but the novel is well-plotted enough that the resolutions of these storylines still feel earned. I particularly enjoyed seeing the evolution of the relationships between Joni and her dad, Michael, step-brother, Nick, and seven-year-old nephew, Stan, who gets a special mention for being a sweet character who is crucial for Joni's arc but who manages to avoid coming off as too precocious or cloying. Nana Phyllis, whom we get glimpses of through messages she left for the group and through each family member's remininiscences, permeates the narrative with her joy, wit and love for her family - a beautiful illustration of how our loved ones live on after they have died.
My least favourite part of the story was the character of Cate, Joni's insta-famous step-sister who is obsessed with capturing 'Nana's Week of Fun' for her followers. Not only was her character extremely annoying, but the characterisation seemed improbable for a thirty-four-year-old; it would have made more sense to write her as significantly younger than Joni and Nick. However, I must commend Turner's canny decision to write each of the Ashford-Clydes as very one-note when we first encounter them - after all we are seeing them from Joni's perspective - and to portray the layers and facets of them more as the week goes on. It really helps the reader to relate to Joni and understand her journey.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book.
But Nanna Phyllis had always wished for her son and his family to make peace - to be a real family - and she had one final scheme up her sleeve to try to make it happen. With the help of a variety of eccentric local characters, she planned a week of activities, which must be completed together in order for Phyllis' will, and the urn containing her ashes, to be handed over. Begrudgingly, Joni sets off for South Norton, feeling not at all prepared to confront her past. Each activity completed reveals a digit from the code which will unlock the safe containing Phyllis' will and ashes, but it also unlocks a Pandora's box of secrets, lies, resentments, betrayals.
On the Edge combines humour and heart in the way followers of author Sarah Turner (aka The Unmumsy Mum) have come to expect. Turner cultivated a huge following on her blog - and later Instagram - thanks to her down-to-earth, lighthearted musings on the travails of motherhood, and her tone lends itself well to this gentle, sweet story of love, loss and the meaning of family.
The chief cause of the conflict between Joni and the rest of the family is that her mother died when Joni was ten years old and - as far as she has been able to tell - her father immediately moved on and welcomed a new wife and children into what had been their family home. He has never been comfortable joining in with Joni's rhapsodising about her perfect childhood and idolised mother, making her feel like he wished his first marriage had never happened. Consequently, Joni she feels like she is a part of that closed chapter rather than a member of the Ashford-Clyde clan in equal standing.
Turner sensitively portrays Joni's lingering feelings of grief and anger, and how they have shaped her life. Joni, who is obsessed with having everything planned to the smallest minutiae and who loathes spontaneity, could have felt like a tropey, simple character, but instead it is clear to see how her personality and approach to life have been shaped by her early feelings of loss and rejection, and how approaching her fortieth birthday - the age her mum was when she died - without ticking off any of her life goals, and returning to her childhood village have eroded the sense of control Joni has been chasing ever since her life spun out of control when she was ten.
The plot is enjoyable and engaging even though it is fairly predictable. The arc of some characters is easy to guess from the moment they are introduced, but the novel is well-plotted enough that the resolutions of these storylines still feel earned. I particularly enjoyed seeing the evolution of the relationships between Joni and her dad, Michael, step-brother, Nick, and seven-year-old nephew, Stan, who gets a special mention for being a sweet character who is crucial for Joni's arc but who manages to avoid coming off as too precocious or cloying. Nana Phyllis, whom we get glimpses of through messages she left for the group and through each family member's remininiscences, permeates the narrative with her joy, wit and love for her family - a beautiful illustration of how our loved ones live on after they have died.
My least favourite part of the story was the character of Cate, Joni's insta-famous step-sister who is obsessed with capturing 'Nana's Week of Fun' for her followers. Not only was her character extremely annoying, but the characterisation seemed improbable for a thirty-four-year-old; it would have made more sense to write her as significantly younger than Joni and Nick. However, I must commend Turner's canny decision to write each of the Ashford-Clydes as very one-note when we first encounter them - after all we are seeing them from Joni's perspective - and to portray the layers and facets of them more as the week goes on. It really helps the reader to relate to Joni and understand her journey.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book.
January 5, 2025
After her Nana passes away, Joni returns to the village where she grew up to take part in 'Nana's week of fun'. Nana's dying wish was for her family to reunite, and she has set them up with a week of activities to try and get them to bond again. Joni in particular is reluctant, but the week forces her to reevaluate her past and her relationship with her dad, step mum, and step siblings.
Heartwarming with lots of funny moments (the group whatsapp chat in particular), this was very easy to read, and the characters were believable. Even though there were some heavier themes (cw for cancer), they were dealt with in a light way.
The star of the book was 7 year old Stan, and I loved his relationship with Joni and how it built over the week.
For me, this wasn't quite as good as Sarah Turner's debut fiction novel, Stepping Up, but it was still a very enjoyable read nonetheless.
Heartwarming with lots of funny moments (the group whatsapp chat in particular), this was very easy to read, and the characters were believable. Even though there were some heavier themes (cw for cancer), they were dealt with in a light way.
The star of the book was 7 year old Stan, and I loved his relationship with Joni and how it built over the week.
For me, this wasn't quite as good as Sarah Turner's debut fiction novel, Stepping Up, but it was still a very enjoyable read nonetheless.
August 15, 2024
Sarah Turner has done it again! 👏 Loved this book from the very first page. Had me laughing out loud and made me cry in parts.
So beautifully written, gave me all the feels with the nostalgia of my childhood. Sad I've finished it.
So beautifully written, gave me all the feels with the nostalgia of my childhood. Sad I've finished it.
August 31, 2024
This book was so gentle, warm and funny. An eclectic mix of characters but I liked pretty much all of them in their own way. I could visualise it all so clearly, which is the sign of a great writer. I was sad to reach the end of this poignant book.
June 12, 2025
Loved loved this book, just love how this author writes, just so easy to read and follow the story, just pure wholesome vibes, all the little character developments around the main story, literally inhaled it
- holiday reading makes everything better
- holiday reading makes everything better
July 14, 2024
Couldn’t put this down� it took just under 24 hours to read the whole thing. A lovely, warm, emotional book, just as good or better than Turner’s debut novel which I also loved.
August 20, 2024
Fab book. Couldn’t put it down! Went through lots of different emotions! Worth a read for sure. Sarah turner does it again!
December 27, 2024
Excellent book!
A family being bought back together by a death. But not at all morbid, in fact quite funny!
A family being bought back together by a death. But not at all morbid, in fact quite funny!
July 21, 2024
I have read Turner’s other books, both the Unmumsy ones that you’re probably familiar and now her turn to fiction writing.
She is the master of emotional, family feel-good writes. I have laughed and cried in equal measure for both of her books so far.
We have Joni who is quite happy with her predictable, planned and to some, boring life. When her Nan dies she is thrown into a very unpredictable situation in the form of returning home to spend a week with her family.
She hasn’t returned for years. She doesn’t spend time with her family. But they have to complete a series of tasks together if they want to read the will.
It’s an emotional journey. Some days are touching and some are hilarious. You’ll love the characters. You’ll love the messy family dynamics. Don’t miss this.
She is the master of emotional, family feel-good writes. I have laughed and cried in equal measure for both of her books so far.
We have Joni who is quite happy with her predictable, planned and to some, boring life. When her Nan dies she is thrown into a very unpredictable situation in the form of returning home to spend a week with her family.
She hasn’t returned for years. She doesn’t spend time with her family. But they have to complete a series of tasks together if they want to read the will.
It’s an emotional journey. Some days are touching and some are hilarious. You’ll love the characters. You’ll love the messy family dynamics. Don’t miss this.
April 28, 2024
A wonderful lovely fluffy family read
August 23, 2024
4.5 (RTC)
🎧Audiobook Review🎧
#adprproduct
I want to thank Netgalley for approving me for an ARC of this book.
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This was a beautiful story that drew me in from the start. The dynamic of the family and how they interacted with each other was entertaining, and the WhatsApp conversations had me giggling. This is a tale of grief, hope, family and second chances. Get the tissues ready!
⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
🎧Audiobook Review🎧
#adprproduct
I want to thank Netgalley for approving me for an ARC of this book.
🤫ٲ
💞ܲԾDz
😢ձ
This was a beautiful story that drew me in from the start. The dynamic of the family and how they interacted with each other was entertaining, and the WhatsApp conversations had me giggling. This is a tale of grief, hope, family and second chances. Get the tissues ready!
⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
June 17, 2024
REVIEW
cw: mentions of addiction, cancer, death, cheating, grief, bullying, misogyny
When Phyllis, the matriarch of Joni's family passes away, she leaves instructions for a bonding week of activities devised to bring her estranged family back together.
I loved Sarah Turner's previous book, Stepping Up. She writes difficult family dynamics really well. This book took me longer to get into but it was definitely a grower.
My biggest issue early on was Joni, the main character. Let me preface this by saying that I am a huge planner, so I saw some of my own traits in her. But truthfully, I found Joni rather unlikeable at times, and sometimes downright immature. That's not to say I didn't understand her frustration with her step-siblings Cate and Nick. But, even before the big twist, I felt sorry for her dad and his wife, Allie. She treated them both so dismissively, particularly early on. As the story progressed I was able to empathise a lot more with her and started to understand how she'd become so rigid in her life. The complex and varied ways that people react differently to grief were well-written. From Michael’s (Joni's father) pain and reluctance to ever speak about Joni's mum, to Joni's resentment at the cemetery. I sensed a twist, but the one that came still surprised me. I loved Allie. She was so sweet and caring towards Joni. I felt really sad for Michael because it was so clear that he missed his daughter. But I adored the resolution in chapter forty-three.
There were a lot of amusing moments in this book. Sue's message threads, along with her naivety about emojis were hilarious. Each activity was a lot of fun, but the one in chapter 26 cracked me up the most. Tim the activities instructor's reactions to this quirky family and their fraught dynamic cracked me up so many times. His reaction when he thought Bilbo was real, and locked in the car was hilarious. I wasn't surprised by how his relationship developed with Joni, but it was sweet and felt organic. Conversely, both Jason and Lewis were walking, talking red flags and I honestly couldn't fathom how Joni had managed to maintain a relationship with Lewis for a decade. Even though I disliked Lewis, he was right in what he said about how Joni had described Allie, Nick, and Cate so negatively to him. While initially feeling a bit one-dimensional, I grew to like both Nick and Cate. But Stan was, BY FAR, my favourite character. He was such a sweetheart, and I loved his innocent questions and podcast ideas. But my heart broke for him too, especially when we learned about his early life and his ongoing insecurities. I won't spoil the plot, but he has some of the best scenes in the book, and I particularly loved how his relationship with Joni developed. His presentation at the end was absolutely adorable.
An ultimately uplifting story about the power of healing fractured family dynamics.
Overall Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Heat Rating: n/a
*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own*
Favourite Quotes:
‘I’ve honestly never met a family like yours,� he says.
‘Most of them are not my family , as I keep pointing out, but I get your point. At least you’re getting paid for it. Spare a thought for me.
It’s remarkable how often I say no worries for someone who does, in fact, have all the worries.
It never gets easier , despite what people think. The deepest of wounds is opened when someone you love dies, and no amount of life going on around you can heal it. Yes, you learn to live with the wound, because you have to. If you’re lucky, over time that wound fades to a scar, but sometimes it gets reopened, the pain and messiness of it seeping out over everything that’s new.
cw: mentions of addiction, cancer, death, cheating, grief, bullying, misogyny
When Phyllis, the matriarch of Joni's family passes away, she leaves instructions for a bonding week of activities devised to bring her estranged family back together.
I loved Sarah Turner's previous book, Stepping Up. She writes difficult family dynamics really well. This book took me longer to get into but it was definitely a grower.
My biggest issue early on was Joni, the main character. Let me preface this by saying that I am a huge planner, so I saw some of my own traits in her. But truthfully, I found Joni rather unlikeable at times, and sometimes downright immature. That's not to say I didn't understand her frustration with her step-siblings Cate and Nick. But, even before the big twist, I felt sorry for her dad and his wife, Allie. She treated them both so dismissively, particularly early on. As the story progressed I was able to empathise a lot more with her and started to understand how she'd become so rigid in her life. The complex and varied ways that people react differently to grief were well-written. From Michael’s (Joni's father) pain and reluctance to ever speak about Joni's mum, to Joni's resentment at the cemetery. I sensed a twist, but the one that came still surprised me. I loved Allie. She was so sweet and caring towards Joni. I felt really sad for Michael because it was so clear that he missed his daughter. But I adored the resolution in chapter forty-three.
There were a lot of amusing moments in this book. Sue's message threads, along with her naivety about emojis were hilarious. Each activity was a lot of fun, but the one in chapter 26 cracked me up the most. Tim the activities instructor's reactions to this quirky family and their fraught dynamic cracked me up so many times. His reaction when he thought Bilbo was real, and locked in the car was hilarious. I wasn't surprised by how his relationship developed with Joni, but it was sweet and felt organic. Conversely, both Jason and Lewis were walking, talking red flags and I honestly couldn't fathom how Joni had managed to maintain a relationship with Lewis for a decade. Even though I disliked Lewis, he was right in what he said about how Joni had described Allie, Nick, and Cate so negatively to him. While initially feeling a bit one-dimensional, I grew to like both Nick and Cate. But Stan was, BY FAR, my favourite character. He was such a sweetheart, and I loved his innocent questions and podcast ideas. But my heart broke for him too, especially when we learned about his early life and his ongoing insecurities. I won't spoil the plot, but he has some of the best scenes in the book, and I particularly loved how his relationship with Joni developed. His presentation at the end was absolutely adorable.
An ultimately uplifting story about the power of healing fractured family dynamics.
Overall Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Heat Rating: n/a
*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own*
Favourite Quotes:
‘I’ve honestly never met a family like yours,� he says.
‘Most of them are not my family , as I keep pointing out, but I get your point. At least you’re getting paid for it. Spare a thought for me.
It’s remarkable how often I say no worries for someone who does, in fact, have all the worries.
It never gets easier , despite what people think. The deepest of wounds is opened when someone you love dies, and no amount of life going on around you can heal it. Yes, you learn to live with the wound, because you have to. If you’re lucky, over time that wound fades to a scar, but sometimes it gets reopened, the pain and messiness of it seeping out over everything that’s new.
July 23, 2024
On The Edge by Sarah Turner
I was really looking forward to reading this novel and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. First of all, it has a great cover, it’s bright, attractive, and different.
It begins with a fascinating prologue, which draws you right in. Nana Phyllis has died and left instructions for Joni, Nick, Cate, Michael and Allie to go to her house in Wiltshire and spend a week together there, where they must complete some tasks in order to receive their inheritance and have her ashes scattered. This is all going to be overseen by Nana’s friend Sue, who is in her seventies and a brilliant character, very funny.
The book is written in first person point of view from Joni, who is nearly forty and the Head of Maths at a secondary school in Exeter. She has a partner Lewis, who is a manager of a marketing agency, but I found him quite annoying with his laddish mates. They are celebrating ten years together and are trying to conceive.
The others involved in Nana’s instructions are Joni’s dad Michael (who is nearly seventy), his second wife (Joni’s stepmum) Allie and her children Nick and Cate. Nick is single, the same age as Joni, and they were best friends at school, but have been estranged for a long time. Nick brings his seven-year-old adopted son Stan with him and Stan brings along his imaginary friend Bilbo. Cate is 34 and not only is she far too Instagram-ready and irritating, but her boyfriend Jason is even worse.
Joni’s mum died young and Allie, Nick and Cate their mum moved in with Joni’s dad. It was a strange situation and Joni has a whole heap of emotions to deal with � and she still does, decades later. Everyone seems awkward together, Joni isn’t happy and relaxed, and there are lots of tensions and underlying issues. Can Nana bring them all together with her plan?
I absolutely loved Nana’s presence in the book. Even though she dies before the story starts, she’s there throughout with the letters she has left and her instructions. I also loved Nana’s border collie dog Bracken.
The family have to partake in a whole host of different activities including climbing and abseiling. The week gives them time together, as they are forced to be with each other and talk about things. Will they be able to heal old wounds and finally stop avoiding speaking to each other about important issues and feelings?
Sarah Turner is a brilliant writer, I just adored this book! She writes in a wonderfully fun, chatty style. She is observant and witty and I really enjoyed Joni’s idiosyncrasies about planning and how she likes things to be a certain way. Each character really came to life and jumped out of the page.
The novel is excellent, I really can’t fault it, it is such a beautiful story. It’s heart-warming, involving, and often emotional. I loved it from the first chapter and wanted to keep reading, to find out what happened to all the characters. There is really something magical about the book and I think it’s going to be up there as one of the best books I read in 2024.
I was really looking forward to reading this novel and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. First of all, it has a great cover, it’s bright, attractive, and different.
It begins with a fascinating prologue, which draws you right in. Nana Phyllis has died and left instructions for Joni, Nick, Cate, Michael and Allie to go to her house in Wiltshire and spend a week together there, where they must complete some tasks in order to receive their inheritance and have her ashes scattered. This is all going to be overseen by Nana’s friend Sue, who is in her seventies and a brilliant character, very funny.
The book is written in first person point of view from Joni, who is nearly forty and the Head of Maths at a secondary school in Exeter. She has a partner Lewis, who is a manager of a marketing agency, but I found him quite annoying with his laddish mates. They are celebrating ten years together and are trying to conceive.
The others involved in Nana’s instructions are Joni’s dad Michael (who is nearly seventy), his second wife (Joni’s stepmum) Allie and her children Nick and Cate. Nick is single, the same age as Joni, and they were best friends at school, but have been estranged for a long time. Nick brings his seven-year-old adopted son Stan with him and Stan brings along his imaginary friend Bilbo. Cate is 34 and not only is she far too Instagram-ready and irritating, but her boyfriend Jason is even worse.
Joni’s mum died young and Allie, Nick and Cate their mum moved in with Joni’s dad. It was a strange situation and Joni has a whole heap of emotions to deal with � and she still does, decades later. Everyone seems awkward together, Joni isn’t happy and relaxed, and there are lots of tensions and underlying issues. Can Nana bring them all together with her plan?
I absolutely loved Nana’s presence in the book. Even though she dies before the story starts, she’s there throughout with the letters she has left and her instructions. I also loved Nana’s border collie dog Bracken.
The family have to partake in a whole host of different activities including climbing and abseiling. The week gives them time together, as they are forced to be with each other and talk about things. Will they be able to heal old wounds and finally stop avoiding speaking to each other about important issues and feelings?
Sarah Turner is a brilliant writer, I just adored this book! She writes in a wonderfully fun, chatty style. She is observant and witty and I really enjoyed Joni’s idiosyncrasies about planning and how she likes things to be a certain way. Each character really came to life and jumped out of the page.
The novel is excellent, I really can’t fault it, it is such a beautiful story. It’s heart-warming, involving, and often emotional. I loved it from the first chapter and wanted to keep reading, to find out what happened to all the characters. There is really something magical about the book and I think it’s going to be up there as one of the best books I read in 2024.
July 10, 2024
❤️𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕊𝕡𝕠𝕥𝕝𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥❤️
𝑶𝒏 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑬𝒅𝒈𝒆 𝒃𝒚 𝑺𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒉 𝑻𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒓
I have had a real lucky streak of reading books I have loved recently, and this one was no exception.
I read On The Edge in one day, it distracted me from my chores, balanced precariously whilst I ate my dinner and even came in the bath with me (hence the photo choice!) - I quite literally could not and would not put it down. I connected with Joni immediately and was drawn in by Sarah's effortlessly funny and engaging writing style. The WhatsApp chapters are hysterical and remind me of the banter in my own family group chat.
Whilst there is a lot of humour and genuine laugh out loud moments, Sarah has blended this seemleslesly with a story that is deep, raw and emotional. This perfect balance makes for a beautifully tender read and I truly loved it!
Turner has expertly crafted a host of wonderful, witty, unique characters with distinct personalities that I found relatable and a joy getting to know through the pages.
At its heart, On The Edge is about family, particularly blended families and strained familial relationships. I think one of my favourite characters, 7 year old Stan, relays it best "No two families are the same, they come in all shapes and sizes. Family is not a thing. It is a feeling. My family feels like blankets and marshmallows. What does your family feel like?" I could not contain my emotions reading this part of the book, that boy has my heart!
I also loved the nostalgic throwback references throughout, I had totally forgotten about Kelloggs bike reflectors - they really were SO cool.
I remember the early days of Sarah's Unmumsymum blog, which was a regular source of humour and comfort to me at a time when I was navigating motherhood to my then 2 year old (🤯) and full time work - but sad to say this is the first book I have read, I am absolutely getting on to reading Stepping Up ASAP though!
On The Edge is a heart-wrenching, chucklesome, relatable triumph of a novel and I highly recommend! Out now!
Thank you @transworldbooks for early access to the digital ARC and @randomthingstours for having me on the tour. Please be sure to check out the other posts.
⚠️TW for death, death of a parent, grief and more.
𝑶𝒏 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑬𝒅𝒈𝒆 𝒃𝒚 𝑺𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒉 𝑻𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒓
I have had a real lucky streak of reading books I have loved recently, and this one was no exception.
I read On The Edge in one day, it distracted me from my chores, balanced precariously whilst I ate my dinner and even came in the bath with me (hence the photo choice!) - I quite literally could not and would not put it down. I connected with Joni immediately and was drawn in by Sarah's effortlessly funny and engaging writing style. The WhatsApp chapters are hysterical and remind me of the banter in my own family group chat.
Whilst there is a lot of humour and genuine laugh out loud moments, Sarah has blended this seemleslesly with a story that is deep, raw and emotional. This perfect balance makes for a beautifully tender read and I truly loved it!
Turner has expertly crafted a host of wonderful, witty, unique characters with distinct personalities that I found relatable and a joy getting to know through the pages.
At its heart, On The Edge is about family, particularly blended families and strained familial relationships. I think one of my favourite characters, 7 year old Stan, relays it best "No two families are the same, they come in all shapes and sizes. Family is not a thing. It is a feeling. My family feels like blankets and marshmallows. What does your family feel like?" I could not contain my emotions reading this part of the book, that boy has my heart!
I also loved the nostalgic throwback references throughout, I had totally forgotten about Kelloggs bike reflectors - they really were SO cool.
I remember the early days of Sarah's Unmumsymum blog, which was a regular source of humour and comfort to me at a time when I was navigating motherhood to my then 2 year old (🤯) and full time work - but sad to say this is the first book I have read, I am absolutely getting on to reading Stepping Up ASAP though!
On The Edge is a heart-wrenching, chucklesome, relatable triumph of a novel and I highly recommend! Out now!
Thank you @transworldbooks for early access to the digital ARC and @randomthingstours for having me on the tour. Please be sure to check out the other posts.
⚠️TW for death, death of a parent, grief and more.
April 8, 2024
3.75 stars
Sarah Turner’s debut novel, Stepping Up was a favourite of mine when I read it in 2022. It drew me in straight away and many aspects felt very relatable so I have been very eager to see what Sarah was going to come up with next.
On the Edge follows Joni, who has not had a good relationship with her blended family, moved away and rarely see them. The one person in the family Joni was close to was Nana. When Nana dies, she has left instructions for the whole family to take part in a variety of pre-arranged activities for the over the course of a week. Joni feels like she has no choice but to participate, so it seems that Nana has finally got her wish after years of trying. The week turns out to be very different to what Joni expected with secretes revealed and changes for the whole family.
It did take me a little while to get fully invested in the story and the characters but I think the book was well written and very readable. It has a good mix of humour whilst exploring deeper topics including the death of a parent, the dynamics of step families and adoption. I found the further I continued to read the more drawn into the story I was and I was happy to go along with the set-up of the family participating in all the tasks. I also liked the use of What’s App messages throughout the book and I found the older side character of Nana’s friend Sue to be a good addition.
Although I did not connect with this story and characters as much as in Stepping Up, this was still an enjoyable read. I like the author’s writing style and would be happy to read more of her books in the future. I think this would make a good summer holiday read
I am rating this book 3.75 stars (rounded up to 4 stars).
Thank you to the publisher, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Bantam for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Sarah Turner’s debut novel, Stepping Up was a favourite of mine when I read it in 2022. It drew me in straight away and many aspects felt very relatable so I have been very eager to see what Sarah was going to come up with next.
On the Edge follows Joni, who has not had a good relationship with her blended family, moved away and rarely see them. The one person in the family Joni was close to was Nana. When Nana dies, she has left instructions for the whole family to take part in a variety of pre-arranged activities for the over the course of a week. Joni feels like she has no choice but to participate, so it seems that Nana has finally got her wish after years of trying. The week turns out to be very different to what Joni expected with secretes revealed and changes for the whole family.
It did take me a little while to get fully invested in the story and the characters but I think the book was well written and very readable. It has a good mix of humour whilst exploring deeper topics including the death of a parent, the dynamics of step families and adoption. I found the further I continued to read the more drawn into the story I was and I was happy to go along with the set-up of the family participating in all the tasks. I also liked the use of What’s App messages throughout the book and I found the older side character of Nana’s friend Sue to be a good addition.
Although I did not connect with this story and characters as much as in Stepping Up, this was still an enjoyable read. I like the author’s writing style and would be happy to read more of her books in the future. I think this would make a good summer holiday read
I am rating this book 3.75 stars (rounded up to 4 stars).
Thank you to the publisher, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Bantam for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
September 23, 2024
🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
Overall - 4.5 out of 5
Genre - Women's fiction
Emotional rating - 😊😊😊😍
Speed and ease to read - 🚶🏾♀️🚶🏾♀️🚶🏾♀️🚶🏾♀�
Number of pages - 307
Publication Year - 2024
Makes you think about a bigger topic -No
Recommend the book - �
▪️ԴDZ
Sometimes, in order to move forward, you need to go back.
Joni’s always felt like an outsider in her blended family. When Nana dies, she leaves behind something unexpected: an itinerary of pre-arranged activities for the whole family to complete over the course of a week. After years of trying but failing to bring Joni back into the fold, this appears to be Nana’s parting shot.
But Joni’s about to discover that a lot can happen in seven days. Nana’s Week of Fun is about to change everything.
▪️ How I found the book
This was such a heartwarming book with lots of loveable characters. I became invested in Joni and her family, and easily wanted to return to the story.
Sarah Turner's first novel was good but this book was better and I enjoyed it more with improved writing, more likeable characters from the outset and a better pace.
When Joni's mum died she felt like her dad never wanted to talk about it and that he moved on too quickly with his new wife Allie and their children. She found growing up with her new family difficult and when she moved out, she went onto avoidance.
Joni is forced to come back to spend a week with her family doing activities. The story follows the thawing of their relationships through the drama and the meaning of family.
This was a really enjoyable book with loveable characters and a good story. Highly recommend.
Overall - 4.5 out of 5
Genre - Women's fiction
Emotional rating - 😊😊😊😍
Speed and ease to read - 🚶🏾♀️🚶🏾♀️🚶🏾♀️🚶🏾♀�
Number of pages - 307
Publication Year - 2024
Makes you think about a bigger topic -No
Recommend the book - �
▪️ԴDZ
Sometimes, in order to move forward, you need to go back.
Joni’s always felt like an outsider in her blended family. When Nana dies, she leaves behind something unexpected: an itinerary of pre-arranged activities for the whole family to complete over the course of a week. After years of trying but failing to bring Joni back into the fold, this appears to be Nana’s parting shot.
But Joni’s about to discover that a lot can happen in seven days. Nana’s Week of Fun is about to change everything.
▪️ How I found the book
This was such a heartwarming book with lots of loveable characters. I became invested in Joni and her family, and easily wanted to return to the story.
Sarah Turner's first novel was good but this book was better and I enjoyed it more with improved writing, more likeable characters from the outset and a better pace.
When Joni's mum died she felt like her dad never wanted to talk about it and that he moved on too quickly with his new wife Allie and their children. She found growing up with her new family difficult and when she moved out, she went onto avoidance.
Joni is forced to come back to spend a week with her family doing activities. The story follows the thawing of their relationships through the drama and the meaning of family.
This was a really enjoyable book with loveable characters and a good story. Highly recommend.
April 21, 2024
I loved Stepping Up and was super excited to read On The Edge.
I liked Joni as our lead narrator. I can't remember the last time I related to a character this much, and I enjoyed her journey.
The whole plot was pacy and lovely, full of humour that had me laughing out loud throughout.
I gave Stepping Up 5 stars because it had all of the above, and I cried, but I didn't get that emotional pull from On The Edge. I would also say that while I grew to know Joni, I felt like some of the supporting characters weren't as easy to connect with. For example, Nick is described quite negatively by Joni because of their falling out as kids (though I'm still not too clear on what really caused this) and Nick does come across quite aloof and snooty, perhaps due to Joni being narrator, but I didn't really see much progression from him through the book for me to feel like he had also developed over Nana's week of fun.
Also with Lewis, he was kind of written like the doofus soon-to-be-ex from the start, so their break-up felt destined from chapter 1 and therefore didn't have the emotional wallop that it could/should have had it evolved over the week, or as Joni spent time with Tim.
I also thought I'd struggle as I've recently lost my grandad, and this centred on Joni losing her Nana. But actually, I didn't feel too much emotion from Joni on that side of things.
But in general, I've found this an easy read, it was really funny, perfect cultural references for my age, lovely plot that had good pacing and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I liked Joni as our lead narrator. I can't remember the last time I related to a character this much, and I enjoyed her journey.
The whole plot was pacy and lovely, full of humour that had me laughing out loud throughout.
I gave Stepping Up 5 stars because it had all of the above, and I cried, but I didn't get that emotional pull from On The Edge. I would also say that while I grew to know Joni, I felt like some of the supporting characters weren't as easy to connect with. For example, Nick is described quite negatively by Joni because of their falling out as kids (though I'm still not too clear on what really caused this) and Nick does come across quite aloof and snooty, perhaps due to Joni being narrator, but I didn't really see much progression from him through the book for me to feel like he had also developed over Nana's week of fun.
Also with Lewis, he was kind of written like the doofus soon-to-be-ex from the start, so their break-up felt destined from chapter 1 and therefore didn't have the emotional wallop that it could/should have had it evolved over the week, or as Joni spent time with Tim.
I also thought I'd struggle as I've recently lost my grandad, and this centred on Joni losing her Nana. But actually, I didn't feel too much emotion from Joni on that side of things.
But in general, I've found this an easy read, it was really funny, perfect cultural references for my age, lovely plot that had good pacing and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
July 4, 2024
I was a big fan of Sarah’s debut novel, Stepping Up, so I was beyond thrilled that I managed to get my hands on an early copy of On The Edge.
We are introduced to 39-year-old Joni, whose beloved Nana has recently died. Nana’s final wish was for Joni to join the rest of her somewhat estranged family members for a week of ‘fun� to complete a week of mystery activities or nobody would receive any inheritance.
What this author has proved yet again in this book is that she is SO good at writing about difficult and complicated family dynamics. While there is often a humorous side to her writing, the topics she chooses to embed in her stories are tricky and relatable to readers who don’t have a seemingly perfect family set up. I wholeheartedly agreed with the message to take away from this book, relayed by super cute seven-year-old Stan: ‘No two families are the same. They come in all shapes and sizes. Family is not a thing, it is a feeling.� I love that sentiment 💞
I would say it took longer for me to really get into On The Edge than it did with Stepping Up - although it’s ultimately a good story, it did feel a little slow in places. The focus is definitely more on familial relationships rather than any major events taking place. I really enjoyed the use of frequent WhatsApp conversations to form part of the dialogue and was a big fan of Sue, Nana’s eccentric friend who has been tasked with leading Joni and her family through the week’s activities. Looking forward to the next ST book 🫡
We are introduced to 39-year-old Joni, whose beloved Nana has recently died. Nana’s final wish was for Joni to join the rest of her somewhat estranged family members for a week of ‘fun� to complete a week of mystery activities or nobody would receive any inheritance.
What this author has proved yet again in this book is that she is SO good at writing about difficult and complicated family dynamics. While there is often a humorous side to her writing, the topics she chooses to embed in her stories are tricky and relatable to readers who don’t have a seemingly perfect family set up. I wholeheartedly agreed with the message to take away from this book, relayed by super cute seven-year-old Stan: ‘No two families are the same. They come in all shapes and sizes. Family is not a thing, it is a feeling.� I love that sentiment 💞
I would say it took longer for me to really get into On The Edge than it did with Stepping Up - although it’s ultimately a good story, it did feel a little slow in places. The focus is definitely more on familial relationships rather than any major events taking place. I really enjoyed the use of frequent WhatsApp conversations to form part of the dialogue and was a big fan of Sue, Nana’s eccentric friend who has been tasked with leading Joni and her family through the week’s activities. Looking forward to the next ST book 🫡
July 3, 2024
Joni has always felt out of step with her blended family after her father re-married her then best friend Nick's mother Allie shortly after her mother died. Now on the cusp of 40 and starting her own family with long-term partner Lewis, she's forced to confront everything she thought she knew about herself during a week of enforced family togetherness to fulfil the wishes of her late nana.
I was invested by this deeply moving, heartfelt, witty and poignant story about grief and family. I adored the journey of self-discovery Joni undertakes. She's carrying two decades of grief from her mother's death which has shaped her into a rigid and contained person. I adored the slow bond she builds with her nephew Stan (their scenes were the highlight).
Sarah Turner deftly illustrates the complex family dynamics. Like a master painter, her characters are complex and well-rounded with layers of light and dark. Even characters we know we're not supposed to like, such as Lewis, demonstrate that they're not completely terrible. This book is well-paced book and written with such warmth and wit. I loved the group chat moments to balance out some of the heaviness. I would, however, have liked more of Joni and Nick working through their teenage issues. Also the subtle side plot with Tim seemed a bit too shoehorned in for the sake of it.
'What does your family feel like?' Laugh, cry and be moved.
Thanks to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for the ARC.
I was invested by this deeply moving, heartfelt, witty and poignant story about grief and family. I adored the journey of self-discovery Joni undertakes. She's carrying two decades of grief from her mother's death which has shaped her into a rigid and contained person. I adored the slow bond she builds with her nephew Stan (their scenes were the highlight).
Sarah Turner deftly illustrates the complex family dynamics. Like a master painter, her characters are complex and well-rounded with layers of light and dark. Even characters we know we're not supposed to like, such as Lewis, demonstrate that they're not completely terrible. This book is well-paced book and written with such warmth and wit. I loved the group chat moments to balance out some of the heaviness. I would, however, have liked more of Joni and Nick working through their teenage issues. Also the subtle side plot with Tim seemed a bit too shoehorned in for the sake of it.
'What does your family feel like?' Laugh, cry and be moved.
Thanks to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for the ARC.
July 1, 2024
Firstly I must just say that to me the star of this story is Stan. He's a 7 year old boy that has been adopted by Joni's stepbrother Nick, and is utterly fabulous.
He is continually trying to find things out for his podcast, can be found listening and occasionally recording to things his ears probably shouldn't hear and as a result all sorts of chaos could occur. He also is really sensitive, and I loved how he started to bond with Joni.
Joni was essentially emotionally blackmailed into spending a week with her blended family, and she isn't looking forward to it. Not only that she hates organised activities, and not being in control.
So a week that includes all of that, along with her nemesis but not with her long term partner for support isn't ideal for her.
I loved the various activities and once I got the family dynamics straight in my head, I was gripped by this book. I was totally entertained and found myself thinking about the characters when I wasn't reading, which is always the sign of a good book.
There are all manner of surprises in store for the characters, and I just found this to be really entertaining.
A really enjoyable book to read, with a great cast of characters.
Thank you to Transworld Digital and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
He is continually trying to find things out for his podcast, can be found listening and occasionally recording to things his ears probably shouldn't hear and as a result all sorts of chaos could occur. He also is really sensitive, and I loved how he started to bond with Joni.
Joni was essentially emotionally blackmailed into spending a week with her blended family, and she isn't looking forward to it. Not only that she hates organised activities, and not being in control.
So a week that includes all of that, along with her nemesis but not with her long term partner for support isn't ideal for her.
I loved the various activities and once I got the family dynamics straight in my head, I was gripped by this book. I was totally entertained and found myself thinking about the characters when I wasn't reading, which is always the sign of a good book.
There are all manner of surprises in store for the characters, and I just found this to be really entertaining.
A really enjoyable book to read, with a great cast of characters.
Thank you to Transworld Digital and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
May 6, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book.
Joni is nearly 40 and is engaged to be engaged to her boyfriend of 10 years Lewis. They’re ready to take the next step and start a family. Then Joni’s nana dies and she’s thrust back amongst her estranged family. He dad and step mum, and step siblings Nick and Cate. Nana has planned activities for that week that will slowly reveal a code to a safe where her ashes are stored. Joni is increasingly uncomfortable with things and some family secrets are revealed.
Oh this was not warm and cosy but just a feel good, promise of a happy ending, kind of book.
Joni as a main character was so relatable. She could be me, also a teacher and hating change. It was lovely to read her character development and see the family dynamics reveal themselves. The whole idea of the this one made me laugh. Nana was a wise old owl! Such a unique storyline, fun, sad, nostalgic, angry, fair to say it covered all the emotions.
While this is not my usual genre, I love this author’s sense of humour, always apparent in social media posts, so I couldn’t wait to read this. I was not disappointed. A fantastic read that I have thoroughly enjoyed, no devoured!
Joni is nearly 40 and is engaged to be engaged to her boyfriend of 10 years Lewis. They’re ready to take the next step and start a family. Then Joni’s nana dies and she’s thrust back amongst her estranged family. He dad and step mum, and step siblings Nick and Cate. Nana has planned activities for that week that will slowly reveal a code to a safe where her ashes are stored. Joni is increasingly uncomfortable with things and some family secrets are revealed.
Oh this was not warm and cosy but just a feel good, promise of a happy ending, kind of book.
Joni as a main character was so relatable. She could be me, also a teacher and hating change. It was lovely to read her character development and see the family dynamics reveal themselves. The whole idea of the this one made me laugh. Nana was a wise old owl! Such a unique storyline, fun, sad, nostalgic, angry, fair to say it covered all the emotions.
While this is not my usual genre, I love this author’s sense of humour, always apparent in social media posts, so I couldn’t wait to read this. I was not disappointed. A fantastic read that I have thoroughly enjoyed, no devoured!
August 13, 2024
I loved Sarah’s debut novel ‘Stepping Up� and couldn’t wait to pick up this book! 📖
Whilst the book was slow to start with, I found that it picked up pace and substance during the second half. I experienced many different emotions whilst reading the book, and found myself laughing at parts but also wanting to cry at other parts.
I appreciate that the premise of the book was to explore family dynamics and how these can vary, however I did struggle to keep up with all the characters, and how they related to one another. This affected my investment in the story at times but once I had a better understanding of the dynamics I felt more connected to the characters and the overall story development.
Throughout the book, the topic of family was explored in a really pragmatic way, reflecting that families can be many different shapes and sizes, and that they are not defined by blood but by love - as Stan says “Family is not a thing. It is a feeling.�
My favourite part of the story was the blossoming relationship between Aunty Joni and Stan. It was lovely to see how their bond grew organically; how she comforted him and really listened to him.
Looking forward to reading more books by Sarah Turner 📚
Whilst the book was slow to start with, I found that it picked up pace and substance during the second half. I experienced many different emotions whilst reading the book, and found myself laughing at parts but also wanting to cry at other parts.
I appreciate that the premise of the book was to explore family dynamics and how these can vary, however I did struggle to keep up with all the characters, and how they related to one another. This affected my investment in the story at times but once I had a better understanding of the dynamics I felt more connected to the characters and the overall story development.
Throughout the book, the topic of family was explored in a really pragmatic way, reflecting that families can be many different shapes and sizes, and that they are not defined by blood but by love - as Stan says “Family is not a thing. It is a feeling.�
My favourite part of the story was the blossoming relationship between Aunty Joni and Stan. It was lovely to see how their bond grew organically; how she comforted him and really listened to him.
Looking forward to reading more books by Sarah Turner 📚
April 10, 2024
On The Edge is the heartwarming new book from Sarah Turner, a story that will make you laugh out loud as much as it will make you wipe away a tear or two.
Jodi's beloved Nana has passed away, but it seems that her grandmother still has one more surprise up her sleeve for her unsuspecting family. A last request for them all to spend a week together doing a few pre-arranged activities as her last attempt to reconnect her family.
Reluctantly Jodi agrees to head back to her home town, a place filled with many sad memories that she's run from for many years now. She finds herself still at odds with her step-brother, resentful towards her step-mom and held at arm's length from her dad. But as the days pass she finds a few layers being peeled back as she eventually begins to gain a new and unexpected understanding of her family. It seems that Nana's Week of Fun is about to kick-start her life in a whole different way!
I loved reading this book, it had so much to digest about the essence of families and the characters felt so authentic. I think we all will wish we had this kind of Nana in our lives!
Jodi's beloved Nana has passed away, but it seems that her grandmother still has one more surprise up her sleeve for her unsuspecting family. A last request for them all to spend a week together doing a few pre-arranged activities as her last attempt to reconnect her family.
Reluctantly Jodi agrees to head back to her home town, a place filled with many sad memories that she's run from for many years now. She finds herself still at odds with her step-brother, resentful towards her step-mom and held at arm's length from her dad. But as the days pass she finds a few layers being peeled back as she eventually begins to gain a new and unexpected understanding of her family. It seems that Nana's Week of Fun is about to kick-start her life in a whole different way!
I loved reading this book, it had so much to digest about the essence of families and the characters felt so authentic. I think we all will wish we had this kind of Nana in our lives!
July 5, 2024
And Sarah has done it again with this total gem! I loved Stepping Up, but loved this one even more - the perfect heartwarming read.
This is a gorgeous story about a blended family who’ve grown apart (or at least one member has chosen to distance herself), and their brilliant nan’s plan to bring them back together after her death. Got to love a sneaky nan! Even better was her friend Sue in the WhatsApp group chats with absolutely no idea what was going on half the time, which led to endless giggles from me.
But as well as plenty of laughter, this one also hits deep as Joni is still processing the loss of her mother at a young age, and how quickly she was thrown into a new family. There’s a really cathartic feeling to her journey, and the reunion with her family leads to changes in other areas of her life which were well overdue. Plus there’s an especially adorable new relationship with her nephew Stan, who is a surprisingly insightful seven year old, and one of my favourite characters in the book.
If you want a truly lovely, uplifting novel that’s also surprisingly addictive (I stayed up well past my bedtime to finish it), then you need to pick this up - Sarah just gets all the messiness of family and explores it with so much warmth and humour here. Loved it!
This is a gorgeous story about a blended family who’ve grown apart (or at least one member has chosen to distance herself), and their brilliant nan’s plan to bring them back together after her death. Got to love a sneaky nan! Even better was her friend Sue in the WhatsApp group chats with absolutely no idea what was going on half the time, which led to endless giggles from me.
But as well as plenty of laughter, this one also hits deep as Joni is still processing the loss of her mother at a young age, and how quickly she was thrown into a new family. There’s a really cathartic feeling to her journey, and the reunion with her family leads to changes in other areas of her life which were well overdue. Plus there’s an especially adorable new relationship with her nephew Stan, who is a surprisingly insightful seven year old, and one of my favourite characters in the book.
If you want a truly lovely, uplifting novel that’s also surprisingly addictive (I stayed up well past my bedtime to finish it), then you need to pick this up - Sarah just gets all the messiness of family and explores it with so much warmth and humour here. Loved it!
July 5, 2024
As a fan of Sarah’s Unmumsy Mum books and her first novel, Stepping Up, I was pleased to be able to read On The Edge.
Joni’s beloved Nana has passed away, her dying wish is to mend the family-bonds between Joni, her father, and step family. Joni has a rose-tinted view of her life before her Mum passed away that she’s never been able to reconcile her early life with the new family dynamics. So Nana has hatched a plan to hold her will and ashes hostage, unless the whole family take part in a planned week of fun.
I enjoyed the snippets of WhatsApp conversations, especially Nana’s friend Sue, who isn’t au fait with ‘new� technology. Cate and Nick got on my nerves, but in a way that you are designed to dislike them. Stanley brought a needed element of fun and innocence and I loved the way Joni and Stan (and Bilbo) bonded during the story. I thought the way Joni interacted with Stan at the start felt very stiff considering she is a teacher, but I suppose teaching secondary school is very different to interacting with a 7 year old.
An enjoyable, heartfelt read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Joni’s beloved Nana has passed away, her dying wish is to mend the family-bonds between Joni, her father, and step family. Joni has a rose-tinted view of her life before her Mum passed away that she’s never been able to reconcile her early life with the new family dynamics. So Nana has hatched a plan to hold her will and ashes hostage, unless the whole family take part in a planned week of fun.
I enjoyed the snippets of WhatsApp conversations, especially Nana’s friend Sue, who isn’t au fait with ‘new� technology. Cate and Nick got on my nerves, but in a way that you are designed to dislike them. Stanley brought a needed element of fun and innocence and I loved the way Joni and Stan (and Bilbo) bonded during the story. I thought the way Joni interacted with Stan at the start felt very stiff considering she is a teacher, but I suppose teaching secondary school is very different to interacting with a 7 year old.
An enjoyable, heartfelt read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 5, 2024
I really enjoyed On The Edge and think it is a beautifully written, heart warming and feel good read. It is told through Joni who I liked. Joni and her blended family are forced to spend a week together doing activities organised by their mum/nana before her death in a last attempt to try to get the family to reconnect. There is a lot of light hearted humour in this book which really complements it and I was drawn in right from the start and became quickly invested in the story and its characters. Joni starts the week reluctantly, not wanting to be there and ends it in a very different place and sees her blended family in a new light and reevaluates her own life and what she wants. I absolutely adored Stan and really enjoyed seeing his relationship with Jodi develop as the week progressed. The inclusion of the family whats app group messages is a lovely touch and I think the pacing of the story is perfect.
Overall this is a lovely humourous read, characters I didn't like at the start grew more on me by the end and I really liked the ending.
4 stars
Overall this is a lovely humourous read, characters I didn't like at the start grew more on me by the end and I really liked the ending.
4 stars
August 8, 2024
📚 Book Review
On The Edge by Sarah Turner
Transworld Publishers (Bantam), 4th July 2024
Always feeling like an outsider in her family, Joni has avoided her relatives almost totally, apart from her Nana, who she is close to. When Nana dies, she leaves an itinerary of activities for the whole family, including Joni, to complete. Nana coming up with this plan is genius, of course. A week's worth of activities to reunite the family. What could go wrong?
These are such interesting characters; I really liked Joni. She struck such a chord with me, as will undoubtedly be the case with thousands of readers. Joni's relationship with half-nephew Stan is so endearing, and she even includes Stan's little imaginary friend Bilbo.
The writing is fluid, I loved the humour and found the development of the relationships fascinating. The WhatsApp messages are entertaining too; I really enjoyed this book and will go back and read the author's other work.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to the publisher and author for providing an eARC via NetGalley; this is my unbiased review.
On The Edge by Sarah Turner
Transworld Publishers (Bantam), 4th July 2024
Always feeling like an outsider in her family, Joni has avoided her relatives almost totally, apart from her Nana, who she is close to. When Nana dies, she leaves an itinerary of activities for the whole family, including Joni, to complete. Nana coming up with this plan is genius, of course. A week's worth of activities to reunite the family. What could go wrong?
These are such interesting characters; I really liked Joni. She struck such a chord with me, as will undoubtedly be the case with thousands of readers. Joni's relationship with half-nephew Stan is so endearing, and she even includes Stan's little imaginary friend Bilbo.
The writing is fluid, I loved the humour and found the development of the relationships fascinating. The WhatsApp messages are entertaining too; I really enjoyed this book and will go back and read the author's other work.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to the publisher and author for providing an eARC via NetGalley; this is my unbiased review.
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