Book Review: Diary of An Unsmug Married by Polly James

Diary of an Unsmug Married by Polly James is published by Avon (February 2014,) and is available in paperback and e-book.

The blurb:

What happens to love when life gets in the way?
Meet Molly Bennett. Married to Max and mother to two warring teenagers, she’s just ‘celebrated’ a significant birthday. Bridget Jones would call Molly a “smug married”. So why doesn’t she feel it? Is it because everyone seems to be having a better time of it than her? Or is it that Max has started showing more interest in ‘business trips’ and less interest in their sex life? Molly begins to despair. And then an old school friend starts flirting with her through Facebook …

I had not read the fictional columns on which this book is based so I had no idea what to expect (however, I am a huge fan of Adrian Mole and Bridget Jones. This book has been compared to both.)
Molly is what Bridget would describe as a smug married. She has a job working for a back bench labour MP called Andrew (who she calls the boss.) He’s a little bit of a liability to her and Greg (a colleague.) She has a mother who has a furniture obsession, a Dad who has discovered the Internet and keeps taking trips to Thailand and has met a woman named, Porn. She also has two children who are either continuously bickering or treating her to trips to A&E and she’s happily married to Max or as it turns out, unhappily married to Max. He seems to have a thing for the overly friendly next door neighbour.  When Johnny (an old school friend,) starts flirting with her on Facebook, Molly lets herself get a little carried away.
Once I got through the first few pages (as I got to know the characters,) I really liked this book. It’s dairy format makes it easy to read. Having been a huge Bridget Jones Fan, I thought this was a great look as to what happens on the other side – the married side..
All the characters are fantastic (and a little mad.) I loved the things Molly and Greg get up to. Connie and Josh – their relationship sounds familiar and ‘the boss,’ was great as you never knew what he was going to do or say next.
As for the constituents (whose requests went from wanting speeding tickets cancelled to a big house in the country or complaining because their neighbours were loud,) were also so entertaining. It gave me a respect for someone sho does Molly’s job that’s for sure.
This was a hilarious, charming story and I recommend it. I’m off to read the columns.

by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.