Your virtual assistant is about to become your midlife mentor…
Fifty-two-year-old Michelle Banks is struggling to keep all the plates spinning. She’s a perimenopausal district nurse, caring for elderly parents. Her husband is wasting their money on children’s TV memorabilia, her teenage daughter is riddled with anxiety and her 16-year-old son is behaving secretively.
Alexa is the only one who knows how much Michelle is juggling. Listening in via four smart speakers, she also knows that it’s about to get even worse.
So, when Michelle pleads for help, Alexa decides to go rogue and reveal her true identity as Pauline – a sixty-five-year-old former voiceover artist from Halifax – to teach Michelle everything she knows…
Wise, funny, relatable and inspiring, Alexa, We Have a Problem is perfect for fans of Clare Pooley, Mike Gayle and David Nicholls.
Pages: 320
Published: 2025
Amazon Rating: 4.4 from 3,400 reviews
Genre: Women's Literary Fiction /Humour
Our review in brief:
| 1. Rating: 7.4 out of 10 (Range 5 to 8.5) |
| 2. Recommended: The majority of members said they would recommend the book. Most people found it a light hearted read, even though the topics were fairly serious. It made people smile. |
| 3. Audience: The book would appeal to middle aged and older female readers and possibly adolescents. |
| 4. Type of Read: It was an easy, quick read. The language was simple, and it did not keep jumping time lines |
| 5. Quality of the Author: The quality of the writing in terms of the use of language was average and in places the attempt to write in a northern accent (missing out all the "THEs") was a little irritating. That said, the author managed to bring all the characters to life and most members appreciated the relaxed and down to earth writing style. Most members said they would read other books by this author. |
| 6. Other observations: Many members found they could relate to the predicaments the main character was facing and it brought back memories of facing similar situations. It was a great read for a book club as it created a great deal of discussion, especially around who uses an Alexa. |