Synopsis
Beth has never stuck at anything.
She's quit more jobs and relationships than she can remember and she still sleeps in her childhood bedroom. It's not that she hasn't tried to grow up, it's just that so far, the only commitment she's held down is Friday drinks at the village pub.
Then, in the space of a morning, her world changes.
unspeakable tragedy turns Beth's life upside down, and she finds herself guardian to her teenage niece and toddler nephew, catapulted into an unfamiliar world of bedtime stories, parents' evenings and cuddly elephants. Having never been responsible for anyone - or anything - it's not long before she feels seriously out of her depth.
What if she's simply not up to the job?
With a little help from her best friend Jory (purely platonic, of course ...) and her lovely, lonely next-door neighbour, Albert, Beth is determined that this time she's not giving up. It's time to step up.
Publisher information
- Publisher: Transworld Publishers Ltd
- ISBN: 9780552177115
- Number of pages: 432
- Dimensions: 198 x 127 x 26 mm
- Weight: 293g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
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A sad, but very enjoyable read that only tiredness had me put the book down.
I laughed, and very quickly cried, then was left with an undercurrent of constant sadness amongst the funny moments, the parenting moments, the memory mo... READ MORE
A fabulous debut novel. Warm and adorable.
An absolutely fabulous debut novel by Sarah Turner. I couldn’t help but love Beth and her adorable family of Polly, Ted, Emmy and her Mum and Dad, as well ... READ MORE
A remarkable tale of grief, love, humour and hope
I’ve been a big fan of Sarah Turner’s The Unmummsy Mum account on Instagram for a few years now and already own a few of her books. When I found out she ha... READ MORE
Emotional rollercoaster
An emotional rollercoaster of family life: love, friendship, tragedy and romance all with a touch of humour and hope.
women's. fiction with a big strong heart
Women’s fiction with a big strong heart
I was immediately drawn into this family pulling together in times of crisis after young parents are injured and k... READ MORE
A gem!
This is such a gem of a book! I didn't read the synopsis before picking it up but the story was a powerful one. I couldn't fault any part of this book and ... READ MORE
Emotional rollercoaster!
So I preordered this book as soon as I saw it, as its written by The Unmumsy Mum who is a bit of an idol of mine *girl crushing*
I had no idea what the boo... READ MORE
A lovely read
I loved this book! A lovely tale of how Beth, always irresponsible and living in the moment, has to step up and look after her young nephew and teenage nie... READ MORE
Highly recommended
I had a bit of a slow start with this novel because I was in a huge reading slump so it took me a while to really get into the story and the characters, bu... READ MORE
Brilliantly funny
Stepping Up by Sarah Turner
First time foray for Sarah into fiction and the woman done good !
Beth is suddenly thrown into looking after her sister's chi... READ MORE
Struck just the right balance between its serious and lighter notes
If you're after a heartfelt, entertaining novel that manages to be witty, sweet and NOT CHEESY (yay!), this is the book for you! I have a fairly strong ave... READ MORE
Laugh out loud and cry in this beautifully written story
Beth is a 30 something woman still living with her parents and laxks both direction, organisation and any responsibilities whats so ever. She works in an o... READ MORE
A holiday read
I was given this book for free in return for an honest review. A story about sticking together through thick and thin. I loved Beth, I felt for her. This i... READ MORE
What do you do when you suddenly become a mum when you where living your best life!
novel that follows Beth a thirty year old who still lives at home and keeps giving up her jobs much to her mother’s disdain
Then suddenly one day all chang... READ MORE
a five-star read that steps up as you read
Stepping Up by Sarah Turner a five-star read that steps up as you read. I wasn’t a fan of Beth at all, I really fell into her as she started stepping up. T... READ MORE
A wonderful book, I didn’t want it to end
A lovely book. Beth leads a pretty aimless life which is turned upside down when she suddenly has the responsibility of bringing up a toddler nephew and a ... READ MORE
Fantastic read. Wonderful characters
I loved Sarahs writing with The Unmumsy mum and this is a fantastic debut novel.
I fell for Beth instantly and have laughed out loud, cried, gasped and fel... READ MORE
Moving, funny feel good read.
Beth still lives at home with her parents and often rings in sick with a hangover to have duvet days watching daytime tv. Shes drifting through life infant... READ MORE
ARC
Beth is 30 and she has a tendency of avoiding responsibilities and spending her evenings at the pub with her best friend. Her life has no real direction. C... READ MORE
A great read
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.
This book was an absolute pleasure to read. It is the author’s debut novel, and I was re... READ MORE
I loved this book!
I was delighted to be approved to read @theunmumsymum (aka Sarah Turner’s) debut fiction novel on @netgalley. Argh, this book. I couldn’t put it down and... READ MORE
Don’t miss this
What a beautiful story about a family’s grief following a tragic car crash and how one woman’s life is changed over night. When Beth wakes up to discover h... READ MORE
Amazing outstanding Book
Wow what an upstanding book to read, this book had me howling with laughing one minute to sobbing into my tissues the next, what a wonderful story this is ... READ MORE
Great characters wonderful book
I loved Sarahs writing with The Unmumsy mum and this is a fantastic debut novel.
I fell for Beth instantly and have laughed out loud, cried, gasped and fel... READ MORE
Heartfelt family drama with personal grown and a touch of humour
Stepping Up by Sarah Turner is about Beth. In her early thirties, still living with her parents in the same room she grew up in, she jumps from job to job ... READ MORE
Brilliant
I really loved this book! I completely related to the characters, although the subject matter was rather sad.
A definite recommendation from me!
Loved it
I love it! I started this book in need of a feel good pick me up and was faced with a tragedy! However, despite the trauma and unusual setting for a romanc... READ MORE
I love Albert.
I absolutely loved this book! One of those that you wanted to read quickly, but also didn't want it to end. Sensitively written with beautiful characterisa... READ MORE
Beth has to step up after a family tragedy - believable and intriguing premise
Three and a half stars.
Beth is a teenager trapped in a thirty-one year old's body. She still lives at home with her parents, gets wasted during the week,... READ MORE
This book is ultimately about daily life, the ups & downs and family relationships
When her sister & brother-in-law are involved in a serious car accident, 31 year old Beth must now step up to take responsibility for her teenage niece and... READ MORE
Absorbing story
This was an absorbing story. A tragedy and the family dynamics this engenders. Very emotional story with realistic characters and a compelling storyline. ... READ MORE
It's never too late to grow up
Beth has never stuck to anything or grown up. When circumstances force her into being the legal guardian of her niece and nephew she has to step up. With s... READ MORE
I loved it!
Beth would be the first to admit her life isn't ideal: early thirties, single, living at home, a string of abandoned jobs behind her. But it's hers, and it... READ MORE
Simply incredible and an absolute pleasure to read.
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an advance copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
I was very excited to hear that Sa... READ MORE
Fantastic!
Thank you to Netgalley for my ARC.
I have listened to the Unmumsy books and Sarah is very funny. This is her first novel and I had to request it to see if... READ MORE
An Easy, but Predictable, Read!
The debut novel of a woman who found her place in the world as a blogger!
Beth, at the grand old age of 30, still lives at home with her parents and regul... READ MORE
Coping and laughing when everything tips upside down
Beth is a 30 something woman still living with her parents and laxks both direction, organisation and any responsibilities whats so ever. She works in an o... READ MORE
Thought provoking
i read this book courtesy of NetGalley. I fully engaged with this book and found the plot, whilst incredibly poignant and sad, very thought provoking. I ... READ MORE
Beautiful!
I read this over a rainy weekend. I sobbed (properly sobbed!) at the insightful, heartbreaking, beautiful and poignant way Sarah Turner has dealt with grie... READ MORE
All hail, Sarah Turner
In all honestly, I wasn’t expecting too much from this book but how wrong I was.
Within the first couple of chapters, this book gives you laughs, smiles ... READ MORE
Unputdownable!
Love love LOVE this book! Poignant, heart wrenching yet heart warming - tears in my ears one minute then laughing out loud the next.
The characters were li... READ MORE
Brilliant!
I felt like I needed this book, right now, to shine a light of positivity over some tough times.
Beth, our heroine, really ins one, though she doesn't rea... READ MORE
Brilliant
His was a thoughtful read with a raft of emotions running through it. Beth may be in her early thirties but she’s still disorganised and never commits to a... READ MORE
Absolutely wonderful
This is a book I will find very difficult to write a review for as I don't want to reveal any spoilers - suffice to say I absolutely ADORED and DEVOURED IT... READ MORE
It's difficult to convey how good this book is...
In this Beth who describes herself as "a runner, a bolter, reliably Team Flight in a fight or flight scenario" finds herself having to 'step up' to look a... READ MORE
Stepping Up by Sarah Turner
Stepping Up by Sarah Turner is a fabulous story about life, death, love, laughter and tears. It is at times incredibly moving and other times absurdly funn... READ MORE
Heartwarming but heartbreaking. Buy it now!
I laughed, I cried, I laughed some more! Stepping Up by Sarah Turner is pretty special and tugged at my heartstrings.
Aunty Beth steps up to look after h... READ MORE
A warm, cosy and uplifting read
I have followed Sarah under her Instagram pseudonym The Unmumsy Mum for a few years and knew she'd written a couple of non-fiction books so was intrigued t... READ MORE
Absolutely wonderful fiction
This is a book I will find very difficult to write a review for as I don't want to reveal any spoilers - suffice to say I absolutely ADORED and DEVOURED IT... READ MORE
I loved it
I laughed and sobbed through this book.
It is so sad and joyous in different places. You will recognise the characters as people in your life. I loved it.... READ MORE
A fabulous debut novel, highly recommended!
An absolutely fabulous debut novel by Sarah Turner. I couldn’t help but love Beth and her adorable family of Polly, Ted, Emmy and her Mum and Dad, as well ... READ MORE
Solid read
This was a fun, and touching story full of love, loss, grief, guilt and hope. I admit that I did not warm to Beth initially and struggled to find her rel... READ MORE
I needed this book!
I felt like I needed this book, right now, to shine a light of positivity over some tough times.
Beth, our heroine, really ins one, though she doesn't real... READ MORE
Well written and kept me wanting to find out more
Brilliant, I really enjoyed this book. It was well written and kept you interested throughout. A very sad a tragic story but it also makes you think you ... READ MORE
Willing Beth to pull through
I didn't really expect to enjoy this book and selected it out of curiosity to be honest. Slight negatives out of the way first the useless aunty / friend i... READ MORE
A believable and delicate mix of heartbreak and heartwarming humour.
I like this book because of its engaging blend of heartbreaking sadness and heartwarming humour. Beth is relatably flawed and easy to empathise with, and I... READ MORE
A jolly good read
A lovely story of a sister who has to look after her sisters children when their is an accident. Add in a love problem and helpful but interfering parents ... READ MORE
Humorous and Full of Emotion
Beth is thirty years old and has always flitted from one job to another though she currently works for Malcolm. She has a sister, Emmy. One day, Emmy and h... READ MORE
Witty and inspiring
4.5 stars. I loved the MC in this and watching her grow and adapt was so good. It made me tear up quite a few times, it’s definitely a sad story but the wa... READ MORE