Portobello Book Blog

Today is Mother’s Day in the UK and I thought I’d have a look to see if there were any Mother’s Day themed book tags around. I found this one on The Blind Scribe so that is what I will be doing for you today. Each category has a title which is a word or phrase you might associate with a mother.

Best Friend: Pick characters in a book whose friendship you admire

Not very seasonal but I’m choosing one of my favourite of the books I read last Christmas. It’s Keeping a Christmas Promise by Jo Thomas. There is a lovely romance in the book (and Pétur, a very handsome Icelandic hero!) but I particularly enjoyed the friendship between Freya, Meg and Joanna as they honoured a promise kept to another friend.

Comfort: what’s a book that always puts you in a better mood?

I can guarantee that anything by Milly Johnson will put me in a better mood. She writes funny, warm stories of friendship, support and love. Here Come The Girls is one of my favourites, about four friends on a cruise. It made me want to go on a cruise with my friends!

Doesn’t Give Up: a book that you were tempted to DNF but instead finished

Sometimes there’s a book chosen for my book group that I don’t really enjoy but I do feel kind of obliged to finish. I can’t say I enjoyed The Magic Toyshop in the end I’m afraid (I gave it all of one star) but at least I didn’t give up!

Selfless: What’s a book that you had to sacrifice for?

This is a really difficult category to come up with an answer for. I can’t think of much I’ve had to sacrifice for books. Perhaps having to sacrifice time I’d rather have spent reading something else? In which case, it’s another book I could have put in the category above! In fact, it’s another book group choice but I only have myself to blame for this one as I chose it. I’m not sure why I didn’t really enjoy Rose Nicolson as I have read previous books by Andrew Grieg which I enjoyed and I usually like Scottish historical fiction set in this period. Oh well, you can’t like them all!

Love: What’s your favourite love story?

I can’t possibly choose one favourite love story. That would be like asking a mother to choose her favourite child! So instead, I’ve chosen one of my favourite love stories from recent months and that’s The House That Made Us by Alice Cavanagh. The love between Mac and Marie was so beautiful, a real joy to read about.

Homemaker: If you could live with a fictional family who would it be?

I think it would great fun to live with the Walsh family from Marian Keyes’ books. It would never be dull in that household and there would always be plenty of bustle and laughter. The family is not without its troubles but through it all, they’re always there for each other. I’m still hoping that Marian Keyes will write a book about Mammy Walsh! I’ve read all the Walsh family books – in fact I think I’ve read all Marian Keyes’ books – but one of my favourites is Anybody Out There which is Anna’s story.

Forgiving: name a character you hated but eventually had to forgive

Oh that has to be Joseph Carter from The No-Show by Beth O’Leary. At first I was so angry with him for standing up all three of the main female characters on Valentine’s Day. How could he treat them like that? But by the end, for reasons I can’t possibly divulge, I had to forgive him of course.

Teacher: a book that has taught you things that will stay with you forever

Well it’s got to be a cookbook and I’ve gone for How To Be a Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson. I think it was probably my first baking cookbook and there are some firm favourites in there like lemon syrup loaf cake.

Dedication: a book that you would like to dedicate to your mum and why

I wanted an apt title for this category and had a good look back through many of the books I’ve read in the past few months. I’ve gone for Always By Your Side by Julie Haworth as I know I can rely on my mum to always be by my side, or on my side, if I need her and I hope my own daughters feel the same about me.

So that’s my Mother’s Day book choices. Happy Mother’s Day to all the mums out there and hugs to those who find it a difficult day for any reason.