Julie McEvoy has been mourning the loss of her mother most of her life. Only . . . her mother isn’t dead. She’s not missing. She’s not even far away. She’s just not there the way a mother should be.Having enough of the passive-aggressive loop their relationship has been on, Julie cuts ties completely with Cynthia. It shouldn’t matter; Cynthia’s never really there for her anyhow. She doesn’t need … doesn’t need her mother anymore.
Except—she does.
Cynthia McEvoy has been keeping secrets for over thirty years. She’s not proud of it, but it has helped her to become the strong, independent woman she is today. The same strong woman who is now trying to pick up and glue back the pieces of the relationships she’s either destroyed along the way or never allowed any nourishment for.
Hopefully, it’s not too late.
Sometimes you have to go back to the beginning to understand how behaviors start, why they continue for so long, and where to begin the healing process.
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I am so sad this is the last book in the Geg series but once again it didnt disappoint. Out of all of the books this one was the one I could relate to the most as my dad was alot like Julie’s mom cynthia. We’ve only seen glimpses of julie in the other books so this book was a long time coming lol. It was definitely worth the wait as I loved learning about Julie’s past through her mom and watching her mom grow as a person. With how her mom acted I figured she had gone through some hardships of her own and I wasn’t wrong. In the end I’d love if the author would maybe write one more book. But honestly that’s just me being selfish because I love the Gegs so much haha.
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Shelby –
Showing Up is the fourth book in the GEG (Green Eyed Girls) series. Each installment follows a different girl, but they are all connected – please read these in order.
I have loved each book for different reasons, but each are humorous and quirky. This particular story is about Julie and Blake, or so I thought. Yes, they are featured, but this is a story about the strained relationship between Julie and her mother, Cynthia.
While we do get to see the GEGs in their glory, I felt this book took on a totally different tone. This was more introspective. This was a different love story; don’t get me wrong – there is romance and a touch of erotica, but this is the story of loving oneself. Finding one’s self, and healing the wrongs done to others.
Personally, this wasn’t my favorite book in this series. Julie and Cynthia’s relationship has been difficult from day one, but I just wasn’t invested in Cynthia’s story. I did like how Cynthia was tied to Julie and Blake, and there were cute parts. Overall, I felt like much of this book was forced, it didn’t flow like the others. I am interested in finding out what’s going on with other characters, specifically Ava and Trent. I actually have many questions that were brought up in Showing Up that weren’t answered. Even though this book wasn’t my favorite, I’ll definitely continue with the series.
Ruthie –
This is the fourth book in this series, and I really would recommend that you read them all in order. Ideally all together – I’ve read them as they came out, and four years on from the first, it took me a few chapters to get fully re-immersed in the madness that is this group of friends. But after that I flew through it, so happy to get to catch up with them all, and finally get everyone back on an even (for them) keel.
We reunite with all the couples and see how they are moving forward with their lives. Julie, her mother, and her Brit, Blake, may be the headliners, but all of the gang and their parents are essential to the story.
There are some truly poignant moments – although often dealt with in a raucous fashion – which are a pointer to what really is important, and what really isn’t. We also understand much more by the end, of how someone for all the best reasons does the most terrible things. I didn’t cry, except with laughter – Ms. Ayres has an amazing talent with the outrageous and absurd; I think I may be a little in love with that part of her.
I fear that if you read this cold, you will miss a huge chunk of why it is so brilliant, so please, don’t shortchange yourself and read them all. I have them all in my re-read collection, waiting for a time when I need to laugh and smile, and remember that life is in many ways absurd!
Reviewers received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
Favorite Quotes:
Nothing puts your ass in check quicker than realizing you’re turning into your mother.
I’m Australian, yet no one is ever sure if I am or if I’m English, so I’m intriguing. My man-card is platinum, dude.
I know. I’m really proud of you . . . learning English like that. Has it been harder to understand with Dumbass being your native tongue?
Believe me, darling, when I tell you that man needs absolutely no help in that department. I’m half surprised his willy hasn’t fallen off yet.
Everyone has a spirit animal, ours is the sloth…
I’m at an age in my life where I’d rather start off with a promising ‘hello’ kiss than worrying about a ‘goodnight’ kiss for the entire date.
My Review:
I smirked and giggle-snorted my way through this irreverently humorous and cheeky tale that was overflowing with quirky and sassy characters, f-bombs, family drama, and heart-squeezing and swoon-worthy romance. Sigh. I adore Jacquelyn Ayres naughty wit and imagine she would be a top shelf friend and good fun to be around, rain or shine. Deftly written from multiple points of view, the snark was well-honed, the banter was spicy, the nursery rhymes were naughty, the quips were cleverly pitched, and the inner musings were insightfully observant and tugged at the heart. I was highly impatient and needled with curiosity to uncover the treasure trove of Cynthia’s thirty-year-old secrets the wily author periodically taunted me with… I had a feeling her history was going to be a heart ripper, and the creative and ingenious Ms. Ayres did not disappoint. Don’t you dare tell me we’ve run out of GEGs, so who is next Ms. Ayres? Dare I suggest a clever cougar addition to Maddie’s practice who just happens to be named DJ? Hmm?