More confessions: A tale of 'WTF am I doing now?'

Romantic comedies aren't my jam at all, but I was intrigued by More confessions of a forty-something f**k up from the Bridget Jones reference on the front cover. British author, Alexandra Potter, has written a bunch of novels in the same vein that have been rather successful. More confessions is the second of two novels set in London that follow the ups and downs of Nell Stevens's life.

More confessions of a forty-something f**k up | Published August 2023 | Read June 2025

There are loads of positive comments and ratings on Goodreads for the second installment in the 'confessions' series. I didn't have the context for Nell's journey by picking up her story at book 2, but I don't think that had a huge impact on my reading experience. I took the book at face value and went along for the ride, glad of the reprieve from my usual darker fare.

First of all, if I am going to read chick lit (or a rom-com, or whatever you want to call it), it absolutely has to be a British book. More confessions wouldn't work, I don't think, if written by an American author. There is the usual cast of quirky characters, dry British wit, and a completely relatable story. There is plenty of depth to the eccentric group who orbit Nell's world and lots of insightful exploration of the messiness of life.

Sure, it's somewhat predictable, but if you can roll with all that, the book is rather entertaining. I'm writing this review some months after I finished reading the book and I honestly can't recall the details. I guess that means it didn't leave a lasting impression on me, but More confessions is a pleasant way to spend a few hours knee-deep in someone else's dramas. I do remember Cricket, Nell's 80+ bestie, a character I found more compelling than Nell herself. It's always nice to see books out there about women over the age of 40 that are honest and authentic; even better when the bad ass woman is over 80! For that alone, I give props to Alexandra Potter.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐