A laugh-out-loud debut novel for anyone who’s tried to live the perfect life—and learned the hard way there’s no such thing.
Holly Banks could not have made a worse first impression on the seemingly perfect moms in her new affluent community, the Village of Primm. Turns out wearing pink piggy pajama bottoms while dropping off her kindergartener late to the first day of school wasn’t her best … wasn’t her best look.
Not to mention Holly’s worried her husband may be having an affair, she can’t get her daughter to stop sucking her thumb, her hard-won film degree is collecting dust, and to top it all off, the power-hungry PTA president clearly has it in for her…
To make matters even worse, Holly’s natural eye for drama lands her smack-dab in the middle of a neighborhood mystery—right as her own crazy mother shows up in Primm “to help.” Through it all, Holly begins to realize her neighbors may be just as flawed as—and even wackier than—she is, leaving her to wonder: Is there such a thing as a perfect mom?
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Seemingly perfect lives are usually anything but, as the eponymous protagonist of Holly Banks Full of Angst quickly learns. A sharp, witty, and altogether unexpected story about how striving can lead you straight to the end of your rope, Julie Valerie’s debut is not to be missed.
Julie Valerie does a great job relaying the anxiety that comes with starting your daughter in kindergarten in a new school and a new town. And she does it with the perfect mix of humor and humility.
Really enjoyed ‘Holly Banks Full of Angst.’ Holly has moved to the village of Primm where the expectations are sky high – not only are Primm residents expected to ‘keep up with the Jones’s’ but they are supposed to ‘be’ the Jones’s. Mary-Margaret St James, head of the PTA, is absolutely bonkers and Holly’s reactions to her are hilarious. Between trying to settle her daughter Ella into kindergarten, coping with her mother’s many (many) issues, and finding a way to revive her own film-making aspirations, the idea of Holly joining the PTA (especially a PTA which is as extreme as this one!) seems utterly ludicrous. But then again, the worst crime you can commit in Primm is not fitting in… Witty, relatable, and full of fun. Buy it and treat yourself to a good laugh.
A genuine relatable funny debut novel! Mustering all their money, Holly and her husband Jack buy a home in the perfect Village of Primm—the proverbial side where everything is lush and green, especially compared to lowly Southern Lakes. The Primm school district, where their daughter Ella will attend, is first rate, thanks to the efforts of the formidable Parent Teacher Association president Mary-Margaret St. James.
With stars in her eyes and an address on Petunia Lane, Holly envisions an idyllic home for her family and being the perfect mom for her Ella. Holly will not be like her own irrepressible mother, Greta, who often needs Holly and Jack to wire money to bail her out of one jam or another.
But Mercury is in retrograde, portending inauspicious events for Holly, which begins when Holly attends her first PTA meeting. There she meets her adversary: Mary-Margaret. The woman is a gale force, accustomed to getting her way, wearing down those before her with her ceaseless talking while deaf to their objections. Holly escapes the meeting in a less-than-dignified and hilarious way.
Getting Ella off to kindergarten is a far more difficult task than Holly anticipated. Attempting to catch the bus sets off a series of misfortunes for Holly involving a fender-bender, a visit to the principal’s office, and purgative cookies. Additionally, is her husband Jack cheating on her? will Ella’s thumb-sucking impede her speech development? and why has Greta visited their home with a pregnant cat?
The admirable Holly is fierce, funny, and inspiring. Can’t wait to read more of her adventures in Primm.
At first glance, this could strike you as a mom-novel about the tribulations moms face. But with a strikingly original voice and quirky humor, debut author Valerie offers a dizzying close-up of a highly relatable protagonist. I’m not a parent so I don’t generally gravitate to stressed-out family scenarios, but Holly is a memorable character who will resonate with any woman who’s ever agonized over not quite having her act together.
The novel takes place over just a few days and is packed with pithy encounters and plenty of heart. The energetic plot and zany dialog both throw down a gauntlet for the reader to keep up. True, there were a couple of characters I could cheerfully strangle, but the rest of the supporting cast was vividly endearing and will hopefully enjoy their own limelight in future Primm installments.
/ 5
Holly Banks Full of Angst by Julie Valerie is a debut novel that I had so much fun reading! Valerie has a very unique writing style and while sometimes it was a little confusing, I loved that it was different from everything I have been reading lately, and it was a nice departure from thrillers!
Holly Banks Full of Angst is book one in the Village of Primm series, and what a great start it was. Holly Banks is such a funny character and even though I don’t have kids, I can imagine that a lot of the pressures she was feeling were very real. Honestly I could picture myself as her, taking my kid to the first day of kindergarten in pajamas only to rear end a bus and spend HOURS at the school. I think a lot of women will find this book very relatable, and maybe not everything is believable (see chasing the president of the PTA across school grounds and spewing chewed up cookies at her), but I love the antics of the characters.
Holly Banks Full of Angst touched on career, the difficulty of moving to a new area, kids, and the pressure to conform and be ‘Pinterest worthy’ among other things, and I was actually pleasantly surprised at the depth I got from the book. It was also super lighthearted though and there are plenty of moments that had me laughing. Plus it was a pretty quick read, and there was a lot going on which was really nice because that meant I didn’t want to put it down.
Song/s the book brought to mind: Secrets by Mary Lambert
Final Thought: I have been seeing reviews call Holly Banks Full of Angst satire and I would have to agree. If you have ever felt pressure to be the perfect mom, or even if you aren’t a mom and want something to read between heavier books then I highly recommend this one! It was a very well-done debut, and I already can’t wait to read the next book in this series!
Thank you to the publisher for my advanced review copy via NetGalley. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
Fresh voice. Totally original with relatable characters. Looking forward to the next book in this delightful series.
With astonishing wit, razor-sharp dialogue, and pitch-perfect pacing, Julie Valerie has created a masterpiece about motherhood. Holly Banks Full of Angst is absolutely hilarious yet also deeply poignant, with some of the best lines I’ve ever read. Both satire and upmarket women’s fiction, this novel will be beloved by readers everywhere.
Definitely a laugh out loud funny story, with some definite truth in today’s times.
Holly moves with her family to a neighborhood that reminded me of “The Stepford Wives”.(Am I dating myself?)
Everyone is perfect and wants only the best for their children. life is perfect.
In moves Holly- who is not prepared nor is she willing to bake 3 dozen cupcakes or become the secretary of the PTA!
Mary- Margaret St. James, president of the PTA seems to think Holly can and will. Her motto is ” No one can do everything but everyone can do something.” Bringing napkins to a function is not considered “helping”!
Holly must stand up to this crazy nut!
Her daughter is only going to Kindergarten and she cannot get Ella on the bus for the first day!
Why did they move to this town of Plume?
Entertaining and a quick read. I definitely understood what Holly was feeling!
A delightful read(-:
Does the PTA frighten you? It gives Holly in Julie Valerie’s book “Holly Banks Full of Angst” plenty of frightening experiences!
How scary can the PTA get? Valerie takes the everyday themes of “getting to know you” to funny and entertaining new heights! She leads her main character, who is just trying to fit in and make her new home “Primm Perfect”, through hilarious situations!
I laughed out loud and cheered at so many of the great comical happenings throughout this story! The reading left me with a good feeling in my heart. This is not just a book that makes you laugh, it leaves you with plenty of thoughts about how important kindness and generosity is when going through life’s odd moments.
Go meet Holly and find out why she is full of Angst….you won’t regret it!
“If I learned anything this week, it’s this: nothing’s permanent; everything changes. And there’s more than one word for happy.”
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HOLLY BANKS FULL OF ANGST is a fun, debut novel and once I found the “rythmn” of the book I really enjoyed it. This Chick Lit novel reminded me of a dark comedy that I might see on Netflix and it had a touch of an adult version of Mean Girls with a few twists. It takes place in a one week time frame of Holly Banks’ life as she tries to maneuver her way thru moving to a new town; learning to let go of her only child as she starts Kindergarten; trying to fit into the private school PTA society/cliche with the other mothers; and dealing with her husband’s new & beautiful female boss. I found it oddly entertaining and, as a stay at home mom, it was satisfying to know there is a LOT of “crazy” in every town when kids are involved! I would definitely recommend if you enjoy fun, quirky reads! .
Hilarious Super Mom Satire. This is one of those books that non-perfect parents will LOVE, showing just how ridiculous the Super Moms of the world are and that no one is truly perfect. Truly the only reason I dinged this a star was because I personally just could not get into it due to being a childfree male that generally prefers to avoid kids… and this is all about a mother’s struggles with her daughter’s first week of Kindergarten. Great tale, well written, and I absolutely look forward to seeing more from this debut author in the future. Recommended.
You will love the time you spend with Holly Banks in the Stars Hollow–esque Village of Primm. Holly is the perfect heroine: flawed, impulsive, and self-deprecating but also deeply relatable, lovable, and hilarious. This book is pure fun (but be prepared to cry a little). Holly Banks Full of Angst is the perfect read for anyone who has ever wanted to stick it to the Pinterest Mom.
Holly Banks Full of Angst is a must-read for any mother who sometimes feels inadequate — and what mother doesn’t? With themes of new beginnings, the quest for perfection, motherhood, and marriage, Valerie delivers lessons in hospitality, humanity, and hope, gently reminding us that we’re all works in progress. If you’re looking for a fun escape filled with humor and heart, look no further than Holly Banks Full of Angst.
Holly Banks is ready to start her life in her new house in her new town Primm. Determined to fit in and be the best mom she can be, things quickly take an unpleasant turn when Holly realizes that she’s not ready for her daughter Ella to start Kindergarten. Getting her up and out the door for the bus proves to be easier said than done, not only that, she’s being hounded by the PTA president to volunteer every single second. Throw in her mom who constantly needs to be bailed out and her husband who might lose his job, Holly’s not so sure this new life is working out.
I really really wanted to love this book the plot is everything that I can relate to, not being ready for your kids to start school, struggling to keep it together when all the other moms seem perfect, dealing with baggage from your parents, trying so hard not to traumatize your kids but realizing you’re doing exactly that. I struggled to love it because it takes place over one week, and in that one week, three months worth of catastrophes happen. If I had been Holly I would have run away. Holly was very relatable as a character, all of her struggles as a mom are things that most if not all moms have been through, especially the realization that eventually we all turn into our moms no matter how hard we try not to. It was funny with some sweet moments in the chaos. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC
Our plucky heroine, full of quippy asides and enough anxiety to keep us all up ruminating at 3:00 a.m., imagines herself the star of her own movie (because of course she dreams of ditching her SAHM life and fulfilling her long-lost film student aspirations). Personally, I would title her movie Mean Girls for Moms, and you’d find me at the premiere, front row center!
As a mom in the middle of juggling volunteering and other kid-related things, this book was more relatable in a crazy exaggerated manner. Holly was funny and so human, with a ton of flaws and insecurities. Her vision of her move to Primm was supposed to be perfect, with the perfect house and the perfect school where her daughter would start kindergarten. Life is rarely perfect, and people are not as perfect as they seem. Holly just couldn’t catch a break, and her insecurities compounded it and extend into all parts of her life.
This was not meant to be an accurate depiction, but more of an exaggerated look at what so many may feel as they are navigating parenthood. It kept me laughing and I kept turning pages to see what antics Holly would get into next. It was gratifying to watch her evolution during the week, especially as she started to realize that she and everyone around her are only human.
I enjoyed Julie Valerie’s debut and look forward to seeing what she tackles next.
Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
#HollyBanksFullofAngst #LakeUnionPublishing #JulieValerie
Did author Julie Valerie somehow sneak into my brain and pull out my most embarrassing, angst-filled moments? I’m pretty sure she did and I’d like that power, so if you know how she did it, please contact me!
When I started reading this book I felt like she truly had spied on my memories. Those moments when you try so hard to make a good impression or those times when you just want to fit in, but you really don’t…..
There was humor and at times it was a kind of dark humor and other times a laugh at yourself humor. Holly has moved to a new home, but life isn’t that simple. It’s not just a new home, it’s an entire new lifestyle filled with many expectations ~ most of them thrown at her by others. Her new community and some of the members reminded me a bit of The Stepford Wives.
If you’re a mom or anyone who has ever had to experience a new place, new expectations or just a group of people you aren’t familiar with (read all of us) this is the book for you. Pick it up, pour a glass of wine and maybe a cookie or two and enjoy Holly.
Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC at my request. All thoughts in this review are my own and happily given. I greatly enjoyed this book.
Thank you to Julie Valerie and Lake Union Publishing for the advanced electronic copy of this amazing debut book that gave me so much joy and happiness the entire time I was reading.
I felt like Julie Valerie entered my brain and knew exactly what all my hidden insecurities were about taking on the most important job in the entire universe, and that is becoming a mother. Holly Banks Full of Angst is a definite must read. You will enjoy the story line, and the many laugh out loud moments that Holly finds herself in. I am certain you will be able to relate. I guarantee it.
Holly is everyone of us trying to navigate our multiple hats every day – a mother, a wife, a daughter, a member of our school community and a neighbor in an upscale community. For Holly, that would be the community of Primm –perfectly lined homes with Pinterest worthy porches, manicured lawns and topiaries, and of course, every family’s dream is the amazing school system where everyone is dying to get their child into. Julie Valerie was able to connect and creatively write all these pressures we put on ourselves in such a glorious and hilarious way.
Julie Valerie wrote such an amazing cast of characters too that surround Holly’s life. There is Mary-Margaret St. James, the PTA president, who is someone you will love to hate. Greta, Holly’s mother, who needs some rescuing from time to time, but the love for her daughter and grand-daughter is some of the sweetest parts of this book. And let us not forget about the psychic reader, and their out of this world email exchanges. There are so many more like the peahen, the apple brigade, the realtor, and others you will enjoy getting to know.
This book was an absolute delight of a read and was truly an escape for me. It was fun and funny, it was light-hearted, and heart-warming too. I loved the pacing – it read very quickly and you will not want to put this book down. The dialogue was so creative including the non-curse words, the dash lines for when you are talking and no one hears you situation for example, and the different scenarios Holly ends up in. How can you not root for Holly who is trying her best to keep it all together?
Pick this book up when it releases Dec. 1st and be ready to have a great time with Holly and her posy. I look forward to the next book in this series.