When fate nudges working mother Dot into a corner, she decides to give up the day job. So what if her kids can barely remember who she is; so what if she can't whip up a dinner party for twenty in an afternoon; everyone needs to embrace their inner earth mother sooner or later and it seems Dot's time has finally come. Besides, how hard can it be? Unfortunately, a quick thumb through. 'The Secrets of Happy Children' doesn't quite prepare Dot for the chaos of kids' birthday parties, underage Calpol addiction and accident-prone hamsters. Throw in a former nanny determined to kiss-and-tell, a husband whose eye might be roving where it shouldn't and an illness that just won't let go, and it's a miracle Dot ever manages to get out of bed, let alone tackle the school run. But when old flames fan new flirtations, can Dot resist the irresistible? Katie Pearson's wonderfully witty novel proves that motherhood is often far more than a case of feeding the mouth that bites you...