I haven't read any of the other books in this series so i wondered if i could pick up from where it was, but after reading it i will buy the other books and read them in sequence. I don't have kids myself but can totally relate to the character of Ellen and how she's struggling to interact with her children. You can see why she has to have a drink to get through the day. It's funny, light hearted and easy to read. I don't like books where you can't understand the character and get alone with the flow of the book. The character is a bit lost, has a never ending laundry basket of washing that needs doing. Just a typical mum story, kids are hungry or are they bored, they can't find something but they aren't looking very carefully, she's a mum and wife and has lost a little of herself along the way. She's overwhelmed so the bigger the kids the bigger the drink needs to be.