• A Year in the Life of a Playground Mother

  • A School Gates Comedy, Book 1
  • By: Christie Barlow
  • Narrated by: Karen Cass
  • Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins
  • 1.0 out of 5 stars (1 rating)

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A Year in the Life of a Playground Mother  By  cover art

A Year in the Life of a Playground Mother

By: Christie Barlow
Narrated by: Karen Cass
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Publisher's summary

Ever had the pleasure of collecting your children from the school playground? Even if you haven't, this is a hilarious must-listen.

Fed up with the playground mafia at her children’s school, Rachel Young is desperate for a change. With her family and various pets in tow, a picture-perfect village in the countryside beckons. There, Rachel’s children will be able to keep chickens and skip through fields, and she’ll bid farewell to the botoxed, fake-Gucci wearing Mumzillas forever. But at the new school the mums are even worse, and before long, Rachel finds herself contending with a motley crew including Mrs High School Musical, The International Sex God and The Frisky Pensioner. While the children are practicing their sums and perfecting their reading, Rachel is learning some harsh lessons on the other side of the school gates - and ruffling plenty of feathers along the way.

©2014 Christie Barlow (P)2020 W. F. Howes Ltd

Critic reviews

‘Well-observed, highly-relatable and wickedly-funny.’ (Cathy Bramley) 

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Tedious

I listened as long as I could stand. Kept thinking surely it would improve. A soap opera with all the couples changing partners at will. Finally I gave up. It was a very juvenile book. A waste of time and a credit.

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  • Guitar Girl London
  • 11-08-23

Just Awful!!! 👎

This book made me so angry! The main character Rachel is sooooo unlikeable! The whole book has zero storyline and is ultimately about a smug mum spouting rubbish about all the other mums in her life and generally anyone who crosses her path. She truly is a cruel, vile and nasty person, particularly to her so called friend penelope. Just could not understand the whole fake friend thing! Don't bother listening to this book, it's just a whinge fest by poor hard done by Rachel 👎

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  • Anonymous User
  • 10-29-23

Great fun

Wish I’d read this when my children were at primary school.
Great fun ,lots of laughs along the way.

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  • Annie M
  • 10-16-23

Boring storyline

I'm two hours into this book now and I'm done. Found the storyline boring, uninteresting and lacking in humour. Perhaps things may have improved further in, but that is something I'll never know.

Everyone has different tastes, but this one is not for me and is not a book I would recommend.

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  • Suzanne Mitchell
  • 08-03-22

So funny and relatable

This book has ups and downs but overall it’s funny and relatable to all parent with preschool children. I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to buy the next installment. Brilliant

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