The Yorkshire Pudding Club

by Milly Johnson

The Yorkshire Pudding Club Johnson, Milly

Genres: Chick Lit, Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Audiobook, Humor, Contemporary Romance

480 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Milly Johnson was born in Barnsley, raised in Barnsley and still lives in Barnsley. She writes about strong women, often having a renaissance, all ages and has just released her 22nd novel Same Time Next Week. Do check out her website for up to date news and appearance dates.

As well as a novelist she is a professional joke writer, performance poet, newspaper and magazine columnist and also after dinner/motivational speaker.

She is on insta as @themillyjohnson, facebook as @millyjohnsonauthor, Twitter as @millyjohnson and a ridiculous presence on TikTok @millyjohnsonauthor. Do give her a follow - even if it's just out of sympathy!

Reviews

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Re-read on audible 02/01/2023**
Love this book as it was my introduction to the great Milly Johnson. The reader, Colleen Prendergast, was perfectly suited to the authorial voice and wonderful as usual. It is about how the lives of three best friends in their late 30s are transformed by their unexpected pregnancies. When the book begins they lead very different lives in terms of their careers, financial status, family, and relationship with the father. We don't even know who the father is, in one case.

I believe this is my first "re-read" of this particular book. I kept putting off listening to this in favor of Milly Johnson books I've read more recently because one of the three women's stories was just so painful and frustrating. For a little over half the book, I dreaded when it was her "turn" to advance the story. She is the victim of her love for a husband who is cruel and narcissistic. Of course, as with most of Milly's "victims," her story was all the more satisfying when she finally starts to rebel against him. Her love for her unborn child gives her the insight and strength to break the chains of his domination. Justice is sweet (and hilarious.) The other two of the trio's stories were just as entertaining but very different. Looking at it critically and objectively, the final quarter of the book could have been trimmed a bit, but I so enjoyed these women and every step of their journeys, that I don't begrudge a second of time spent with this terrific book. I would recommend this novel to anyone who has had a baby, is pregnant, or one day hopes to be. Or just wants to know what it is really like.

**original review**
Oh, what a lovely book! It had everything I love in a novel: Women and men you actually get emotionally attached to and root for, both comedy and wit, heart-tugging emotional moments, Moments that make you cheer, villains to hate and for the good guys to triumph over, some nice romance, and a super happy ending. I loved that the 3 friends all started out a mess but it didn’t take all of them the whole book to get sorted out. I love suspense, which this one had, but it was also nice that it was kind of staggered throughout the plot.

When my librarian had to do an inter-library loan to get me a Milly Johnson book, she commented that she had been a bit hard to find: “She is a very very English author.” She didn’t know the half of it. I thought I was very conversant with British slang and colloquialisms. I've been reading non-American writers all my life. From Mary Stewart to Maeve Binchy to Marian Keyes to Lianne Moriarty to Harry Potter. I know what chuffed means; I know what a torch is; I know what a jumper is; I know what whinging means. I thought I had heard it all. But this book, on almost every page, I had to stop and think about some word she used and puzzle out the meaning, or quickly look it up. I could have skipped over it and gone on, but that’s not me. Here is a small sampling: Faff, Plonk, Sarnie, Tena Pants, Switch Card, “It felt like November 5th in her head” (I guessed correctly on that one), trundle, P45time, Natural clever clogs, Winkle pickers, Shergar, Key Stage 1, and On her tod. It was a negative at first, but it turned into a positive once I got used to it and the book really got going. It was a little slow at first.

I would recommend Milly Johnson to anyone who likes Kristan Higgins, Marian Keyes, Sophie Kinsella, or even Liane Moriarty. She’s lighter than some, but more complex and serious than,say, Kinsella. I’ve only read the one so far, but now that I know how good she is, I'll have no hesitation buying the kindle editions going forward.

https://rebekahsreadingsandwatchings....

[Bookworman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deciding to re-read Milly Johnson’s books is like selecting a chocolate out of a candy box. Different flavors but all lovely. I’ve just been in the mood for the last few months for her type of story which warms my heart, makes me smile, and sometimes cry.

Second reading: An enthusiastic 4 stars!!! I totally LOVE Milly Johnson’s books!

3.5 stars with big potential for an upgrade to 4. Another wonderful, heartwarming and satisfying story from one of my new favorite authors.

[Irene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Muy entretenido, pero le falta algo de fondo.
Las aventuras de las tres amigas te mantienen enganchada sin pretensiones....

[Veda]

Okayish

[Limau Nipis · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first read by Milly Johnson, and it was quite OK.

I like the plot. 3 best friends were pregnant at the same time. This is a light hearted chic lit, but at the same time, these 3 friends had a much darker secret.

Helen - who always wanted kid - was thrilled, but her husband did not.
Janey - who was always careful with contraception, was surprised she was pregnant.
Elizabeth - who has a damaged childhood, did not know whether she would love her baby or not.

It was a slow read for me at first, because it established the premises of these 3 women. Be patient, and it can become rewarding toward the middle of the story.

For first time moms, this book would be on your to read list. It was enlightening, and most of the facts about pregnancy and child birth are accurate. Morning sickness, nausea, loss of appetite, horror of child birth, the options for delivery etc.

And the epilogue was satisfying enough, that I closed this book with a smile on my face.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this, though some things did annoy me - I didn't like how the main focus was on Elizabeth, and how Helen was the leat utilised, as I thought the dynamics of Helen and Simon's relationship could have been explored a lot more. I didn't like how long it took for them all to find out they were pregnant, because the blurb had already given that away and so the first 100 pages or so felt like a lot of filler. However I liked the dynamics of the friendship group, I thought the dialogue and the writing was quite realistic, and I enjoyed it overall.

[Lydia Laceby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally Reviewed at Novel Escapes

This was another lovely read by Milly Johnson. It was her first novel and I enjoyed it just as much as A Spring Affair which I happened to read first. I did find the Yorkshire Pudding Club didn’t grab me in the beginning in the same manner as A Spring Affair, but regardless, I enjoyed loved this chick lit tale and can’t recommend her novels enough.

I laughed and cried and noticed the characteristic Milly Johnson smile that appears on my face as I read her novels. It’s a dopey, silly, happy grin that is plastered on my face for chunks of her books and it’s such a lovely feeling! This grin alternates with sharp intakes of breath at times though because her chick lit is not always so light and fluffy and has heavy subjects thrown into the mix, but I think this makes me love her stories even more.

The characters Milly Johnson creates are so well developed and The Yorkshire Pudding Club was no exception. I cared about all the women and wanted happy endings for all of them. There were times I wanted to give some of them a good shake, but that just shows how much I wanted them to get their act together! Her stories move along at a perfect pace, not too slow or fast and I enjoyed how the women played off each other and how each one had such a different story and attitude towards pregnancy.

The only reason I gave it a less than perfect rating was that there were a few reasons it took me a while to get into this book. First, the story is about three friends and alternates from each one’s perspective so it takes a while to get into. Fine, that’s understandable, but I also had a hard time with all the characters naïve understanding about early pregnancy symptoms (this could just be due to my over-education of the subject though). But once I had a handle on their characters and worked my way past the point where they realized they were pregnant, I couldn’t put this book down.

The last reason it took me a bit to get into this novel was that I had a difficult time with the British terms used (Plonk, Bairn and Bonny to name a few), but once I got used to them, I became fully immersed yet again in the wonderful world Milly Johnson created. I was able figure them out, having read many British chick lit books in the past, but this had more than I had ever seen! Her subsequent novels don’t contain as many though, so don’t be put off all her novels if you weren’t able to understand the terms above!

So, if you don’t mind some naïve women, and getting to know them in rounds and can understand British terms, you’re laughing and will love this book! Not to say that I didn’t – I did, once I got past all that and wasn’t able to put it down.

[victoria Norton · Rating 3 out of 5]

A better chick lit novel but still formula fiction. Whenever I read chick lit, which is less Ann's less, there is always formula fiction and here it is no different. You usually get 3 sisters/friends and a good guy male love interest whose eye is on one of these females but she is mean and down right rude to him despite being perfectly nice to others. Same old stuff. The book was funnier than most though.
The author threw in a few none existent words and made some grammatical errors.
I would expected for the price there would have been large numbers and not just location markers.
On at least two occasions a name was mentioned in the book and never again and I have no idea who they were. Bob was mentioned on one page and on a search there were 2 other Bob's in the book. Bob the builder was mentioned as was Bob Geldof but I doubt thus Bob was either of those.
There was also a weird comparison and 'number' obsession.....examples being..dubbed him enough to Dive a Sherman tank along a tightrope.....a 300 course meal....a voice as plummy as Mrs Plym's jam.
Also, I like a book like this to be plausible. We hear of a small quiet village with a lovely important Italian restaurant, a few shops, a kindergarten and an old fashioned cinema...strange small village!
Also, I assumed this book was set in the 21st century yet George is ridiculed for being a house husband, it doesn't occur to Janey for some time to keep her job and Y front's are still trendy..it sounds like 50years ago.

[A.J. Llewellyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book though I am baffled as to why so many readers say it's hysterically funny. It is not. It's so much deeper than that. I thought Simon was a bit over the top as a villain and went away far too quietly for a pathological wife abuser, but the three female leads are endearing.
This book has amusing moments but is a much more satisfying read than the average piece of chick-lit. It deals with very important issues such as spousal abuse, assisted suicide, rape, incest, cheating, financial stress, business downsizing...yeah. I call those topics hysterically funny (Not).
I didn't mind Janey and her husband both lying to each other as much as I minded other elements of the story that went unexplored/unexplained.
What, for example happened to Elizabeth's older sister? She is frequently mentioned but her disappearance is never solved. Did she run away or was she murdered?
The scene where Helen helps her father take his own life was both convincing and heartbreaking.It actually left me in tears.
I really enjoyed this though I struggled-as usual with multiple characters' points of view in the same sentence continuously.
I also had problems with many words, but the online slang dictionary is my friend :)

Update: 3/15/15: The mystery of Elizabeth's missing sister is resolved in A Summer Fling. It was not what I expected...devastating in fact but riveting.

[Mela · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful women's fiction about desiring/not-desiring a child and about being pregnant - and all that comes around. The topic could be a bit overwhelming, especially for those not much interested. I was never pregnant (and I am not planing it) but I really enjoyed this story, I even found some information quite fascinating.

Then, there were questions, as: "what is rape", "what makes a good marriage", "what do you do for someone you love". Hard questions, that made me shed tears three times.

Plus a bit of romance, but, although there was a moment or two when you have to sigh, the romance wasn't satisfactory (as it can be). But, again, it was not "romance genre" but "women's fiction".

I simply adore Milly Johnson's wit and analogies:

It appeared the small chemical factory that had blown up inside her had temporarily disabled her ability to co-ordinate

John came back soon with enough food to sink the Bismarck

And I want to hug Mrs Johnson that she also think that sometimes some things are a burden you have to carry alone (and/or leave in the past) and not oppress with them another person just because you want to tell the truth. Sometimes, telling the whole truth is stupid and thoughtless.

This, too, was not one of my favourite by the author, but it nonetheless deserves 5 stars.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book it had me hooked from the beginning. I listened to the audiobook version of this but also have the paperback and read some of that too (when I could). I have audiobooks for when I'm on my way to places and can't pick the book up. Sometimes this can mean I get some funny looks off people because I'm either laughing at the book or grinning very widely. This book caused me to do alot of both. I absolutely loved the revenge scenes, which fortunately I listened to at home so was able to laugh properly. I won't expand on that as I don't want to spoil things for anyone who hasn't read the book. I wouldn't say this is my favourite book by Milly but I loved it all the same. It had the right balance of likeable and thoroughly obnoxious characters. It amused and entertained me and left me wanting more. Pure escapism what more could you want from a book, after all this genre is all about that.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first Milly Johnson book I've read and it's the start to many more. It's a fab read, full of life just like the characters. It's never boring or repetitive and moves along at just the right pace. It's a very easy read and very funny, but it has it's sad parts too and I found myself laughing out loud one minute and crying the next . At the end I was doing both at the same time.

The characters are all very different and immediately likeable and you can really feel the bond they share. They all get pregnant at the same time and for the first time and you go through a roller coaster ride of mixed emotions regarding the pregnancies, relationships, loves and loses with them.

I can highly recommend this book. If your a mother who loved being pregnant, I think you'll enjoy it even more.

[Nicola Clough · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good read funny at times and just an excellent story of three women who have met at uni and stayed friends and all have partners. They all fall pregnant and will they have fun together or will all three ladies have disasters a must read.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars really. Another fun read, guilty pleasure escapism, with some laugh-aloud moments too. There's something special about Milly Johnson's novels; once I start one I can't put it down.

[Bettina Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely, heartwarming tale with a sweet ending. Would read more from this author.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perhaps it's just my particularly hormonal state at the moment but I loved this book. The characters are very relatable and lovely. The story moved along nicely. And even although it was fairly predictable, that just added to the charm. A very easy and enjoyable read.

[Elusive · Rating 3 out of 5]

Contrary to its title, ‘The Yorkshire Pudding Club’ isn’t about pudding. The story revolves around three friends who have to deal with unexpected pregnancy. There’s Elizabeth who’s emotionally closed off and has a dark past linked to her baby, Janey who’s career-oriented and fears that pregnancy will affect her career and Helen who’s trapped in a loveless marriage.

The main characters were alright but there was nothing that made me particularly like any of them. Elizabeth’s honesty was refreshing but the way she constantly pushed away John who cares about her was frustrating. It also seemed too convenient for them to suddenly bump into each other and the fact that he still had feelings for her. I never really felt their bond – they seemed more suitable as friends. I couldn’t stand how Helen was so pathetic around her emotionally abusive and controlling husband, Simon. However, she definitely showed some character growth which was a good thing. The author hinted that she and Teddy would end up together but they had no chemistry at all. I didn’t quite like Janey as she had an affair and never told her husband, George about it. He would’ve been a great character if not for the fact that he purposely got her pregnant and never admitted it..

I personally thought that the way they handled their pregnancies were a little unrealistic. Although their thoughts (especially Elizabeth’s and Janey’s) reflected their true feelings about it (fear, skepticism etc), their actions didn’t convince me of their feelings. They carried on with their lives and attended all the antenatal sessions and had relevant appointments just like that. There was no portrayal of denial or refusal to do the norm due to their conflicted emotions.

Anyhow, the author did a good job at depicting their friendship. It was believable. The way Simon was written truly did justice in showing how terribly awful he was. I wished I could reach into the pages and punch him repeatedly. His eventual comeuppance was probably the best part of the book – it was hilarious and definitely well-deserved.

Overall, ‘The Yorkshire Pudding Club’ was okay but I didn’t like how it ended without resolving the issues involving Janey’s affair and George’s action as those were major and should have been addressed, hence the book felt incomplete.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A light-hearted story set in South Yorskhire. Three friends picnicked on top of an ancient fertility symbol, who could have known that within 4 months they would all have had their own eggs fertilised! THE YORKSHIRE PUDDING CLUB arrives......
For Helen pregnancy is a dream come true, but as well as this wonderful dream comes the truth of outwardly perfect marriage crumbling before her eyes.
For career-woman Janey, it is a nightmare. Her husband George is ecstatic at the prospect of being a father.
And the emotionally lost Elizabeth is not only carrying a child she fears she will never love, but she must also deal with the return of a man who love she can never have.
Heart-warming& hilarious this whimsical light little story will delight.

[Monica Mac · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

The stories of the three central characters: Janey, Helen and Elizabeth, were all very relatable to me, and I am sure a lot of other women as well. Having a baby changes your life in so many ways, and when a partner or a job aren't really working out too well, and then you add pregnancy to the mix as well, it can certainly push some buttons you didn't know you had.

The thing which I enjoyed most about the story is the friendship that the three of them shared. They were all very different personalities and came from different backgrounds but they had each others backs, no matter what, and it was that quality which made me cheer them all on and enjoy this novel so much. Excellent modern womens fiction.

4.5 stars from me.

[Jules (Never enough time to read) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed it. It was funny, cute and romantic but the characters also dealt with some serious issues.

It is the first book by Milly Johnson that I have read but I very much doubt it will be the last.


Definitely recommended if you're in the mood for a book about pregnancy and impending motherhood. The Yorkshire pudding club was very entertaining.

[Hannie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Als je op zoek bent naar een leuk boek voor tussendoor, dan is dit zeker een aanrader. Hoewel de hoofdpersonen ook wel minder leuke dingen meemaken is de sfeer van het boek positief en vrolijk. Het is soms wel wat voorspelbaar, maar dat heb je met dit genre (chicklit) wel vaker. In het begin moest ik even in het verhaal komen, maar toen ik erin zat, las het lekker weg.

[Sue Burton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked this book and really liked the main characters. A feel good book

[Pauline]

Excellent read. So funny in parts but serious as well. Hope I have more of hers to read.

[Mandy Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely feel good story from the talented Milly Johnson

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy read with plenty of feel good factor.

[Lita · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[erinsbookcase · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listen, I know what you’re thinking, this is the last book you’d expect an energetic 18-year-old to willingly read. I’m by no means the target audience for these novels; the kind you’d expect your middle aged mother to indulge in. But, hear me out. A few christmas’ ago I read Milly Johnson’s ‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday’ and I’m not exaggerating when I say I’ve thought about it almost every day since. It was an incredibly good read. After reading Johnson’s ‘The Mother of all Christmases’ this past December and once again being pleasantly surprised, I decided to give The Yorkshire Pudding Club a go. Honestly, I think I can safely say I’ve read enough Milly Johnson novels to conclude she is a fantastic authors who writes fantastic books - The Yorkshire Pudding Club included. It had a sweet and satisfying ending, with three strong and witty female leads. I particularly liked how it didn’t entirely focus on romance - it also explored self-love and platonic relationships. Personally, I’d liken it to peak 2010s Eastenders meets a typical frazzled English woman chick-lit - full of dramatic and emotional storylines with unexpected plot twists and cracking one liners. Not a book I’d naturally go for, but one I’m so glad to have read.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My lovely friend gifted me a signed copy of this when I found out that I was going to "join the club", so to speak.
Unfortunately things didn't go as well for me as it did for Janey, Elizabeth and Helen - and after a little break from reading, I finally managed to pick it back up and I'm so glad I did.
I've cried many tears at The Yorkshire Pudding Club, both happy and sad. I relate to Helen, for several reasons and a lot of her story really resonated with me. She was my favourite character, closely followed by John.
This is a wonderful read, I fully recommend it.

[Joanne Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently read Milly Latest Book The Mother of all Christmases and absolutely love it so thought I’d give the rest of the books a go. I enjoyed this but not as much as I thought I would have. I’m gunna guess that the books get better as I go threw them. Having said that I am loving reading books that are based in the area that I live. I look forward to reading the rest of Milly’s books. #MrsCsHonestBookReviews #MillyJohnson #Kindle #goodreads #Amazon #BookReview #Barnsley

[Élefill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una historia sobre la amistad, sobre las relaciones, sobre mujeres reales con las que cualquiera puede sentirse identificada, con sus virtudes y defectos. La escritora ha vuelto a conseguir sacarme sonrisas y lagrimas a partes iguales.

El único pero, es que el libro contiene algunas faltas gramaticales y ortográficas que rompen la lectura. Sin embargo espero que sigan publicando libros de esta autora