Now, I’ll start this review by saying I’m not a Mum, I’m not planning to become one anytime soon, so I’m not exactly the target audience for Giovanna’s new book. For those of you who haven’t heard of Giovanna, or ‘Gi’, she is an author, YouTuber, singer, actress and you may have heard of her equally talented husband, Tom Fletcher of McFly.

This is Gi’s first non-fiction book, talking about her experiences as a mother to two young boys. Now, if you’re looking for a book of tips or ‘how-tos’ this is not the book for you. Gi makes this clear throughout and her honesty is what is so refreshing. I picked up this book after watching Gi’s Youtube Channel for a year or two, she seemed smart, funny and honest about what it was like to be a mother. The book truly reflects this.

There is no holding back in this book. Gi talks about everything from her miscarriage, hypnobirthing, her worries and thoughts about her changing body, how children sometimes are just unreasonable, the joy her sons bring, the times she sat and just cried with them. Everything in this book is from the heart. She talks about the worry of mum guilt and how everyone has an opinion, how this has impacted her. The best part though is that it makes you laugh and not in a way that would embarrass her children. Gi can look back and laugh at things she may have gotten wrong or found stressful at times.

Much like in her videos this book is an extension of the friendliness Gi radiates. She is clear that there is no one way to parent a child, there are no set rules about what you should and shouldn’t do. Every child and every mother is different and that is something celebrated in Happy Mum, Happy Baby. There is discussion on breastfeeding and how hard it can be, on Mum sweats and more but it’s done in a way that you realise it is possible, you can get through it.

This book has made me feel more confident that one day I could be a mother, that I could actually do it. It’s brilliantly written and made me want to laugh and cry simultaneously. As of writing, this book is currently number 1 and I wholeheartedly agree (I’ve been recommending it to everyone to pick up). This is a five-star read and I haven’t read one of those in a while. Giovanna is not only an incredible writer but a fantastic mum and I can’t wait to see what she does next.