Witty, slightly caustic at times and deliciously naughty, with the skilful portrayal of so many character types, Chris Chalmers has delivered a most enjoyable, light-hearted look at the people we know and love as Fenella finally gets her fair share! ~ Blue Wolf Magazine, Full Review - https://bluewolf-reviews.com/fictional/fenellas-fair-share/

Published and out today! Written by a friend! I fell in love with this book! Crafted beautifully with unexpected twists and surprises and with such wit, I completely immersed myself in the world of Fenella, her sharp tongued mother, her obsession with the new lodger and the cruises. The cruises! This is a joyous read. Laugh out loud funny, warm and smart…..Fenella stays with you….I’m needing a sequel! (And a cruise!) Enjoy! Www.tinyurl.com/FenellasFairShare ~ Gillian Wright ('Jean' in EastEnders) on Instagram (aka therealgillianwright), https://www.instagram.com/p/C_TJRVXIzU_/

Free-flowing with a warm, charmingly playful, and easy-to-read prose throughout each and every chapter, Fenella’s Fair Share is highly recommended for an afternoon or two’s lazying around the house. ~ Exclusive Magazine, https://annecarlini.com/ex_books.php?id=699

As a woman of a certain age without children, I am regularly subjected to out-dated patriarchal views about my gender role. Whether it be social media posts extolling the fact that no female is complete without a baby (please), the frequently intrusive questions about why I do not have offspring (none of your business) or the assumption that I must at least play an active role in parenting nieces or nephews (nope), the onslaught is pretty much relentless. It therefore isn’t surprising that I am a big fan of the increasing number of books with protagonists who are that little bit older and have (gasp) not procreated, yet somehow seem to still be living a meaningful life. When I was offered a copy of my latest read I knew nothing about the author at all, but can confirm he is now firmly on my radar. I absolutely adored Fenella’s Fair Share by Chris Chalmers and feel genuinely quite bereft to leave behind the complex, flawed but entirely relatable central character of the story. I cannot wait for you all to meet her. Fenella is not living the life of your average 49 year old woman. Single, childless and residing in a house-share with 2 other tenants significantly younger than she is, she has plenty to keep her busy – a marketing position at a London art gallery, a widowed mother with MS and her natural organisational skills that keep the household running smoothly. When Martin moves in as the newest resident, Fen can’t help but feel drawn to his charms, and happily drops into the role of confidante as he shares the woes of his impending divorce. But when she comes back after a week away with her mum, everything seems to have changed, not least with her new crush. Will Fen be able to adjust to the way the world is shifting around her? Or is it time to take decisive action and move on to the next stage of her life? Don’t get me wrong, it took a good while for me to warm to the lead character – Fen can be spiky, a little self-centred and reacts to some situations in ways that made me cringe. But this book proves Chalmers’ skill in creating truly three-dimensional individuals who are so completely real you feel like you live next door to them. Yes she is sometimes judgemental and yes she sometimes says things she really shouldn’t, but who of us has not been in those situations before? As the story progresses so does Fen’s ability to shift some of her long-held views and she gained my respect for her ability to reflect. More importantly she is not the only character who I enjoyed spending time with: her mother is a fabulously well-developed personality, stubborn and yet surprisingly full of life; I also developed a particular soft spot for Fen’s housemate Ethan too, as he slowly emerged from his shell. I loved the way the parameters of this story did not feel stereotypical – so often novels are structurally predictable, which can take the edge off my enjoyment – and found the style of writing both refreshing and engaging. I will absolutely be reading more of this author’s work as soon as I can. If you are looking for something different, with characters who are lovably flawed yet never lose their edge, this is absolutely the book for you. Fenella’s Fair Share is out at the end of this month and I highly recommend making her acquaintance. ~ Bookaholic Bex, award winning Blogger with 25K followers on X., https://bookaholicbex.wordpress.com/2024/08/20/fenellas-fair-share/

Chris Chalmers has a real knack for creating memorable and convincing female characters who make us laugh. Fenella Woodruff is no exception and is clearly going to give the likes of the younger Bridget Jones a run for their money. ~ Alex Pearl, author of the Lovejoy & Finkle murder mysteries

Fenella Woodruff, boldly navigating 21st-century singledom, is a brilliantly sharp-tongued comic creation. She's happy playing den mother to her immature flatmates, until dishy divorced Martin joins the menage and disturbs their precarious dynamic. With a warm wit reminiscent of Alan Bennett and Victoria Wood, Chris Chalmers has created a heroine to cherish, for all her flaws and flummoxes. ~ Suzi Feay, Book Critic and former Lit Ed of The Independent on Sunday