I am so delighted today to provide a review for you at my blog stop for You’ve Been Volunteered by Laurie Gelman on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour. Scroll down to enter your chance to win the Giveaway!
You’ve Been Volunteered: A Class Mom Novel
Humorous Fiction
2nd in Series
Henry Holt and Co. (July 23, 2019)
Hardcover: 288 pages
ISBN-10: 1250301858
ISBN-13: 978-1250301857
Digital ASIN: B07HLZH7BH
In the eagerly anticipated follow-up to Laurie Gelman’s “irreverent and hilarious” (The New York Post) hit Class Mom, brash, lovable Jen Dixon is back with a new class and her work cut out for her
If you’ve ever been a room parent or school volunteer, Jen Dixon is your hero. She says what every class mom is really thinking, whether in her notoriously frank emails or standup-worthy interactions with the micromanaging PTA President and the gamut of difficult parents. Luckily, she has the charm and wit to get away with it—most of the time. Jen is sassier than ever but dealing with a whole new set of challenges, in the world of parental politics and at home.
She’s been roped into room-parenting yet again, for her son Max’s third grade class, but as her husband buries himself in work, her older daughters navigate adulthood, and Jen’s own aging parents start to need some parenting themselves, Jen gets pulled in more directions than any one mom, or superhero, can handle.
Refreshingly down-to-earth and brimming with warmth, Dixon’s next chapter will keep you turning the pages to find out what’s really going on under the veneer of polite parent interactions, and have you laughing along with her the whole way.
Oh My Stars! Guess I expected a good read when I saw the title as well as the book cover and it definitely exceeded my expectations! Judging from the reception the novel has received and is happily shared by many, MANY moms out there who have ever had to deal with those “volunteered” class assignments, we’ve all had similar experiences but were never capable of putting it in quite these amusing terms.
And does Jen Dixon ever voice her opinions! In hilarious notes and emails to the parents of her classroom of which she is performing class mom function. It’s a system of communication and liaison between parents and teacher through a mediator facilitator–the class mom. If that isn’t enough duty for an early fifty-something mom of a precocious third grade, eight-year-old going on snarky 14, she has additionally been volunteered for safety patrol coordinator. Oh the joy of it all! You’ve heard the term “herding cats?”
Her over-the-top emails were termed “stand-up worthy” and I’d say Huzzah to that and then some! Jen Dixon’s communications are laced with irreverent, impatient, sassy, sarcastic just saying it like it is pleas for participation in the various class events throughout the year.
Jen is not just dealing with her over the innocent, cute stage offspring, however, as she’s still square in the middle of both her young adult daughters, one of whom is roaming Europe with a band (she can SOOO identify!), the other appearing to have boyfriend problems, and parents who are beginning to reverse the parent/child role. Been there, done that. It’s called the “sandwich years” and keeps you in the middle between both issues for some time, not to mention those duties at home which also lead to some hilarious LOL lines. I think my favorite, however, was the girl’s night out where she left a sick child with her husband and his constant texts asking the location of thermometers, soup, and fever reducers. Yes! It’s the same in other households–I feel so much better…
A couple of witticisms: [her son] “was only doing what I would have done if it was acceptable adult behavior.”
“Ron is obviously looking for a little jeans-around-the-ankle action.”
“How’s that for lipstick on a pig.”
The novel is peppered with comical prose, wise-crack sayings, one-liners, and those thoughts that come from a history with people you know and love (or tolerate). But it also touches on thought-provoking issues such as pregnancy, the aging process and serious illness, finances, and close friends.
While this was the second in the Class Mom series, it can easily be read as a standalone as you get enough well-developed characters to understand and appreciate both the first person and all her support characters, both at home, at school, old buddies and new. Now I must go back and find Class Mom (book 1).
I was given this digital download for this blog tour and was thrilled to provide a read and review and these are my own opinions. Totally recommended–had a bad day? You need this.
Sign up for your chance to win one of (3) Print Copies – You’ve Been Volunteered: A Class Mom Novel by Laurie Gelman U.S. Only in this Rafflecopter giveaway
Laurie Gelman was born and raised in the Great White North. She spent twenty-five years as a broadcaster in both Canada and the United States before trying her hand at writing novels. The author of Class Mom, Laurie has appeared on Live With Ryan and Kelly, Watch What Happens Live, and The Talk, among others. She lives in New York City with her husband, Michael Gelman, and two teenage daughters.
Author Links – Twitter: @lauriemgelman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriegelman/
Purchase Links – Amazon – Barnes & Noble – Kobo – IndieBound – Google Play
Thank you for visiting my stop on the tour and please visit the other stops listed below!
Tour Participants:
July 22 – Books Direct -SPOTLIGHT
July 23 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
July 24 – T’s Stuff – SPOTLIGHT
July 25 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
July 26 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW
July 27 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
July 28 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
July 29 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
July 29 – eBook Addicts – SPOTLIGHT
July 30 – Rosepoint Publishing – REVIEW
July 31 – That’s What She’s Reading – REVIEW
August 1 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
August 2 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW 
Thanks to Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours for the opportunity to read and review this cozy mystery!
©2019 V Williams 
Rosepoint Publishing 
I need some comic relief! I think I’ll add this one. Yay and I’m in love with the title/cover. <3
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Yay think you will enjoy. So funny and so blatantly honest. It’s a hoot.
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