From the opening pages of this wonderful book I knew I was about to read something special, so I gleefully hopped aboard the emotional rollercoaster that is 183 Times a Year. The story is told mainly from the perspectives of Lizzie (mum) and Cassie (daughter) and Eva Jordan effortlessly changed writing style to step into these very different shoes. We are privy to so many of their innermost thoughts, or outermost in Lizzie's case as she often talks out loud, that I felt like I was seeing the world through their eyes.

At times, I laughed so much that I cried, but as with all ups and down of family life my tears of laughter turned into tears of despair as events unfolded. I completely bought into the characters and felt like I knew them inside out and I was just settling in to the family life and putting my slippered feet under Lizzie's table, when tragedy struck. Reading the thoughts of other family members had me reaching for my tissues; in particular, Maisy (aka Mania) - I have never known one simple line bring me to tears. Eva Jordan is an absolute genius - she knows how people tick, both young and old.

This book really had me considering my own actions and reactions. How we often hit out at those closest to us and how our actions don't always reconcile with our feelings. It's only in the face of tragedy that our real feelings reveal themselves, but for many people this can be too late.

To be able to write from such different perspectives is an amazing feat and I urge you to head over to Amazon to read 183 Times a Year for yourself, then tell your Mam/Mum/Mom/Mother that you love and appreciate her. Thank you Eva, this wonderful debut novel is such a candid account of family life that we can all relate to. Be prepared to laugh and to cry, this book is so full of surprises that it's worth reading all over again. An absolutely astonishing, thought provoking, hilarious and life affirming debut novel.

So what does 183 Times a Year mean? You'll just have to read the book to find out!

I received this e-book from the author in exchange for an honest review. ( )

183 times a year is reportedly the number of times it is normal for a girl to argue with her mother. Unfortunately for Lizzie it seems more like 183 times a day! Not only does she have her own angst ridden teenage daughter Cassie to contend with, but also her Goth like teenage stepdaughter Maisy (or Mania as she insists on being called). Her son Connor, who has yet to discover his hormones, happily co-exists with all the mayhem and is almost oblivious. Connor and Cassie are Lizzie's children by her first marriage, and therein lies much of the source of the arguments and disruption as her ex husband is really only interested in his new family, so Cassie vents her spleen at home.

I really enjoyed this book. It really grasped the nature of mother/daughter relationships very well, in a way that was funny but also at times, touching and poignant. As I don't have children I've never suffered the 'joys' of teenagers, however, although it may have been quite a while ago, I still remember what it was like to be one. If I'm honest I suspect I was probably quite a little Cassie myself, so for that - sorry Mum! The joy of this book is that there were many reference points that struck a personal chord. Lizzie's reminiscences of her own younger/teenage years could well have been my own as I too was always going to be Mrs David Cassidy - he just needed to meet me! The angst of the teenage years, of fitting in and being accepted, are all feelings we will recognize. The importance of the correct clothes, the choice of music, watching the right programmes, reading the correct books. Whether you were a 'Lizzie' or have a 'Cassie' this book will resonate.

The book isn't solely about teenage relationships, it deals with many other contemporary issues such as the changing nature of the family unit, work practices, friendships, illness and infidelity to name a few. While the general tone is upbeat, it doesn't shy away from dealing with more serious topics, and drifts into darker territory towards the end. That said it still maintains a lightness that makes you think about the important things in life, rather than concentrating on the things that are send to try us.

I'd like to thank Eva for providing me with a copy to read, and I'm happy to say I had no difficulty in writing positive review. I'd happily recommend this book, to anyone who enjoys a realistic and yet entertaining look at modern family life. ( )