4.5 stars. A very poignant read - sad but uplifting.

I have read the Carcasonne series from this author and really enjoyed the writing. This book is an account of the authors real life and the slow decline of her parents and mother in law. Explained the slow shift from being the child to the parents then the parent to the parents. Funny in places, sad sometimes, unexpectedly comforting and could really connect with the author's experience. with dementia and physical deterioration of her family. Thank you #NetGalley for the copy to review.

Mosse’s parents and mother-in-law all moved to live with her and her husband in their Chichester home when they reached old age. Her father had Parkinson’s and died in 2011, her mother survived him by a few years, and Granny Rosie is still going reasonably strong at the age of 90. This is a compact and relatable account of a daughter’s experiences of caregiving and grief, especially with the recent added complication of a pandemic. What came through particularly clearly for me was the older gene...

I have read a few Kate Mosse books, loved her Languadoc Trilogy so when I saw that she had released a non fiction book, I won’t lie to you, I was intrigued. Especially when I saw its association with the Wellcome Collection. I have to say, I wasn’t disappointed.In An Extra Pair of Hands Kate Mosse explored what it is like to become a carer for those who has once cared for you. Having gone through this myself recently I say it is the moment you become an actual adult. You may have a mortgage, a c...

Totally reflects many of my own feelings caring for my mother and now my husbaandI thoroughly enjoyed this book though a few tears were shed so have a box of tissues handy .Many of the situations and feelings were so relatable to me having Cared in our home for my Mum for eight years .My mum and I shared a special bond and sadly she died during Civic restrictions last year a few months before she would have been ninety. I found this book so comforting to know my feelings were and still are simil...

An absolute must of a read for anyone finding themselves in a position of care or who eventually will be in such a position, so pretty much anybody. Even if it doesn't apply, read the book.Sensitively written about the author's experiences of caring for her parents and mother in law, its effect on her own career, family life, the give and take, the endless obstacles, especially during the pandemic, the politics and traditions around women who traditionally are the carers. Emotional and thought p...

An interesting insight in to ageing and caring. Readable, human, resonant. A must read for everyone who is, or will be, caring for someone old or young.

This is an excellent read. It resonated with my experience of looking after my father with his terminal cancer diagnosis, and then the ten years or so of being the main carer for my mother, all of us under the same roof. At times, I was brought to tears by this book (especially at the Joyce Grenfell poem quoted, which was the one I read at my mother's funeral.) Kate Mosse totally gets the responsibilities and satisfaction of caring for much loved parents. She explains the facts and writes about

This is a very special book. I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked it up, perhaps a tale of hardship and exhaustion, hard decisions and difficult days but instead I found warmth and compassion and a cast of (real life) characters that I grew to like and respect.Kate Mosse takes us on. her journey of caring for her mother, father and mother-in-law. Anyone who has cared for a family member or friend will be able to relate to her honest account of the conflicting emotions and the challenges th...

I am a Big fan of Kate Mosse and I have read all her books. Every book of Kate's are just remarkable and this latest book "An Extra Pair of Hands" was a book from the heart especially as this book is about Kate's own personal story finding herself as a carer in middle age: firstly helping her heroic mother care for her beloved father through Parkinson's, then supporting her mother in widowhood, and finally as 'an extra pair of hands' for her 90-year-old mother-in-law. This book just took my brea...

My mother is eighty nine and has dementia although she is still living independently. My sister has become her main carer. She calls in daily, does the shopping and washing, the appointments and the transport to the day care centre. She lives locally. I live a 90 minute drive away. My husband and I spend the day with my Mum every other Sunday. I feel guilty. Even these visits were suspended for long periods during the last, long year due to the Coronavirus pandemic. I bought this book to give to...

As an avid fan of Kate's fiction novels I was excited to read her nonfiction too. I expected it to be a difficult read for me, having recently lost both my husband and mother. How wrong could I be!Kate's personal and often intimate account of caring for both of her parents and her mother-in - law was uplifting and inspirational. It was a celebration of life and of family combined with constructive advice on how to get support and to move forward. Her brilliant literary mind peppered the whole bo...

I don't usually read a lot of non fiction but because Kate Mosse is my favourite author i thought I'd give it a try. This novel, in addition to being very well informed and beautifully written, is moving and emotional and, most importantly, honest. It's very respectful and yet candid at the same time. The only reason I haven't given it five stars is because I feel as a younger reader that I can't relate much to the issues in the novel. But that's no reflection on the book itself because it is, l...

Exceptionally understanding account of caring for an elderly relative. It is full of humour, compassion and love. It will provide comfort and understanding to anyone currently n this situation, helping them by knowing they are not alone. A wonderful read for managers and people in charge of staff, helping them understand the difficulties balancing act some staff have on a daily basis. Recently, during the pandemic the focus has been on children all the way, others have been sidelined. This book

This is a lovely quiet story recognising the extraordinary lengths that carers go to in order to provide the best quality of life for the people they care for. I have to confess being envious of Kate Mosse’s circumstances - a house big enough to convert separate home spaces for her parents and mother-in-law, a husband, supportive siblings, a community around her, to support each other in the caring process. So many have to do it all without this. While she does acknowledge that, it still reflect...