The Women Who Needed a Break
- Author Fiona Fiona Gibson
- Narrator Helen Phillips
- Publisher Boldwood Books
- Publish Date 11 September 2024
- Run Time 8 hours and 23 minutes
- Format x-book®
- Genre Contemporary lifestyle fiction, Contemporary romance, Family life fiction, Fiction: mashup, Humorous fiction, Modern and contemporary fiction, Narrative theme: Coming of age, Narrative theme: Interior life, Narrative theme: Love and relationships.
Click to open directly in the xigxag app.
Flexible Pricing & Rewards For Listening
At xigxag, the more you read, the less you pay* on select audiobook and x-book® titles, as in the table below. Pricing updates automatically in the app and resets one year after your first purchase. And you can always find a selection of brilliant titles available for only €4.95.
*Only the full price titles you buy count toward your personal pricing tier. Full price titles don’t include Listen for Less or other books bought with a voucher or discount code.
Titles Purchased
- 1-5
- 6-10
- 11-15
- 16-20
- Over 20
Price p/Title
- €9.95
- €8.95
- €7.95
- €6.95
- €5.95
Listen to a sample
What to expect
“As deliciously heartwarming as a pumpkin spice latte on a cold winter’s night. I adored it!” - SHARI LOW
The BRAND-NEW, brilliantly funny novel from #1 bestseller Fiona Gibson, author of The Mum Who Ran Away from Everything, perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella and Jill Mansell. 🎄✈️🍾
Shelley has had enough. She’s reached her limit with the festive preparation that has always fallen to her and, five days before Christmas, she’s booked a mini break… without her family. Up until Christmas Eve, Shelley and her bestfriends Pearl and Lena will be sipping prosecco in the Highlands, while her teenage kids wrap bacon around 100 chipolatas and her husband braves the supermarket for once.
It’s exactly what she needs… until they’re snowed in. Facing the prospect of Christmas 500 miles from home, each of the friends is forced to confront her real reasons for needing to escape: the fiance with the obnoxious family; the son’s new girlfriend who is taking over their home; the family who take their mother for granted all year round…
Will they make it home before Christmas day? And if they do, can they really go back to their old lives?
This Christmas, forget Elf on the Shelf and get ready for Mums on the Run in the hilarious and heartwarming new novel from Fiona Gibson.
Praise for Fiona Gibson:
'I absolutely love Fiona Gibson's funny, emotional, relatable writing.’ – JENNY COLGAN
'Hilarious, sparky and joyful, relatable and brilliant! Highly recommended, whatever the time of year.' – JUDY LEIGH
'Snowy, sparkly and satisfying. Highly recommended.' – MADDIE PLEASE
'I so enjoyed this funny, insightful story... If you’re struggling with the Christmas overwhelm, this book is perfect for you!' – CARMEN REID
'Fun, festive and full of good cheer, Tis the damn season! should be on the top of your Christmas reading wish list.' – SARAH BENNETT
'This book isn't just for Christmas... it's the perfect escapist novel for any time of the year!' – KATE GALLEY
'A festive, funny and heartfelt story of friendship and finding your way. I loved it.' – FREYA KENNEDY
'Warm, witty and wonderfully relatable. Perfect escapism for women struggling to juggle everything, especially at Christmas!' – KATHLEEN WHYMAN
‘I absolutely loved this book and devoured it in less than a day. It was fun, relatable and an easy read. This was one of my favourite books by Fiona Gibson!’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘Marvellous at any time of the year! You’re never disappointed with a Fiona Gibson novel and this one is no exception. Simple storylines, lovely ending, characters you can relate to and root for, what’s not to love?’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘I adored this book! I love Fiona’s books anyway and definitely have more on my wishlist! This is the perfect festive read. Wouldn’t we all like to escape sometimes from the festive build up?’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘This book is honestly very funny… I am probably going to reread this story again in the next couple of days, I liked it that much.’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘I love a good Fiona Gibson book, and this is a very good one!’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘I honestly couldn't put this book down! Read in 1 day as I was just captured by the characters who are so true to life. This book has me laughing out loud and also in tears!’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘I was cracking up laughing through the entire book and devoured it in one sitting!’ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
More from the same
About xigxag and the x-book®
Discover the best audiobooks with xigxag, an innovative and user-friendly audiobook platform designed to simplify finding, purchasing, and enjoying your favourite books in audio format. Our flexible pricing model makes bestselling audiobooks affordable, offering the best audiobook deals without the need for a subscription. You can also give the perfect gift with our convenient audiobook gift cards and in-app audiobook gifting options.
A core differentiator of xigxag is our groundbreaking listen-and-read x-book® technology, which delivers a truly immersive digital book experience. This unique innovation seamlessly combines the audiobook, text, and images into a brilliant, integrated format, complete with exclusive audiobook features and a next-generation digital reading experience. Our growing x-book selection is easily discoverable by looking for the distinctive purple x-book® ribbon, or by simply filtering your search by ‘x-book’.
Beyond our technology, xigxag is committed to sustainability and ethical practices, ensuring a guilt-free listening experience from an exceptional digital book platform. As the only B Corp certified UK audiobook service, we stand as a leader in audiobook innovation and a compelling alternative to big tech. Our commitment extends to delivering extraordinary customer service, provided by our friendly UK support team.
Effortlessly search audiobooks, gain insights from honest audiobook reviews evaluating both the content and narration, and easily discover hidden gems. You can download or stream top audiobook titles anytime, anywhere, guaranteeing the best possible listening experience on the UK’s best independent audiobook app. Experience the future of audiobooks today.