I’m Fine and Neither are You by Camille Pagan is a refreshing and honest look into the thoughts and feelings of a modern overworked wife and mother. I was able to relate on so many levels to the day to day life of main character Penny and can hear her voice like a longtime friend over coffee. Juggling so many daily tasks between work and kid projects and lunches, Penny finds herself with two small children, struggling in her marriage and barely staying afloat. Her one lifeline is her best friend Jenny. Jenny is what Penny aspires to become... a great mother, perfect wife, successful business woman. Their friendship has been Penny’s salvation. Jenny’s untimely death exposes secrets in their friendship, did they really share everything? Is the grass always greener? I highly recommend this book! I received an ARC of this book, all opinions are my own.

The usual response when someone asks "How are you?" is "I'm fine. How are you?". We're all fine, aren't we? But so many of those times, we really aren't fine. And how much do we really know someone, when realistically, we aren't completely honest with one another?

Penny thought she knew her best friend Jenny so well and was envious of her seemingly perfect life. But when that all comes crashing down, Penny takes a good look at her own life and decides some changes need to be made. But can she, her marriage, and her family survive those changes?

I loved I'm Fine and Neither Are You. I loved it because it was a story with relatable characters that drew me in and who I immediately cared about. I also loved it because it shows that no one is perfect, everyone has issues, and that we all need to remember we don't really know what someone else is going through. And lastly, this story reminded me that we need to be honest and let others know what and how we are feeling. They won't know if we don't tell them, leading them to believe that everything is 'fine'.

I'm Fine and Neither Are You is a wonderful look at all kinds of relationships and what it means to be honest in those relationships. You definitely should add it to your must-read book list.

I fell in love with Camille Pagan's writing after reading LIFE and OTHER NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCES (LakeUnionPublishing). I felt an intimate connection to her characters and storytelling. So imagine my excitement when I discovered she had another novel coming out today. Consider me, happy!

Honesty is the best policy ...  except maybe when it comes to marriage in I'M FIND and NEITHER ARE YOU (LakeUnionPublishing).

Wife. Mother. Breadwinner. Penelope Ruiz-Kar is doing it all—and barely keeping it together. Meanwhile, her best friend, Jenny Sweet, appears to be sailing through life. As close as the two women are, Jenny’s passionate marriage, pristine house, and ultra-polite child stand in stark contrast to Penelope’s underemployed husband, Sanjay, their unruly brood, and the daily grind she calls a career.

Then a shocking tragedy reveals that Jenny’s life is far from perfect. She accidentally overdoses on pain killers. Or did she? Pagan taps into the national epidemic of opioid abuse facing families in our country from every economic strata.

Reeling from the death of her bestfriend, Penelope fully recognizes the cracks in her marriage and is determined to stop keeping the peace and finally deal with the issues. So she and Sanjay agree to a radical proposal: both will write a list of changes they want each other to make—then commit to complete and total honesty. What seems like a smart idea quickly spirals out of control, revealing new rifts and even deeper secrets.

I'M FINE and NEITHER ARE YOU is a wake-up call for all of us. It's time to stop dealing with life superficially. Take a moment and see what's really going on in your life, what is going on in your friends' lives. We can't all be so busy that we don't see, or at least look out for the signs something might be wrong.

Penelope is struggling through life, marriage and motherhood. She has two wonderful, boisterous kids, a great job, a husband she loves, even if he is a little bit of a dead beat. But, she is so tired of carrying this heavy load. She feels overwhelmed and completely under appreciated. Plus, she compares herself to other moms, especially her best friend Jenny. Jenny has an immaculate home, she is always there with cupcakes to every school function and she and her husband have the perfect marriage….or so it seems on the outside. Penny finds Jenny dead one day from an overdose. Then all the secrets start to come out!

Penny is a tough, tired lady and when her best friend dies she realizes something has to change in her life. She has a heart-to-heart talk with her husband. So, they come up with an idea to create a list of what they need from the other person. Penny wants…what all women want. Sanjay needs to get a job and help more around the house. She never truly expected Sanjay to give her a list. Well, he did!

I love the paradox this novel creates…is honesty the best policy? We are all for it when we get to tell the other person what is wrong with them…but can we take what is wrong with us? The author did a fantastic job with Penny’s feelings. And when Sanjay gets his act together…I can see why she fell in love with him to begin with. I enjoy these characters so much. They are so real! I struggled right along with Penny. We have all been there.

A wonderful story about life and marriage. Need a good, quick read…this one is for you!

What insight into friendships and marriage! I love the writing and the pace of the story! It deals with the raw emotions of losing someone to addiction and the secrets that are kept. The reality of the hard work to keep a marriage vibrant is beautifully dealt with here! Even with raw emotions, tragedy and looming problems of marriage, this lovely story ends in a note of gratitude and hope!

I love how Pagan does such a wonderful job of writing about relatable female characters and their struggles. This book gave me much to think about because it is hard being a female and life just gets tough. Penelope has real-life problems and there are so many issues she faces, but that she also discovers her best friend, who seems to have it all, also faces. I love how bloggers who we see only the best of, are used in this book to let us know that no one is perfect or has a perfect life. This book has such a great story that flows beautifully and also makes you think that you’re not alone. I’m so grateful to have received an ARC of this fantastic new book from one of my favorite authors!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5

I'm Fine and Neither Are You by Camille Pagán is a witty, but moving look at what it's like to be a wife and mother while also holding down a full-time job.

What it's about: Penelope Ruiz-Kar is married with 2 little kids and while she is out working 50+ hours a week and barely holding it together as the main breadwinner, her husband is at home with the kids, 'working on his writing,' and going to practice with his band. Meanwhile, her best friend Jenny Sweet seems like she doesn't have a care in the world. She has an amazing marriage, a perfect daughter, and a flourishing blog. But that appearance is shattered the day Penelope shows up to Jenny's home after not being able to reach her and finds something that will change her forever. In the midst of tragedy, Penelope finds herself rethinking her marriage and her own happiness. And like the tagline says, has to ask herself if honesty really is always the best policy...

Even if you don't have kids or even if you are not a wife, I think it is very easy to find a bit of yourself in Penelope. I don't have kids, but I am a married woman in my 30s and was able to connect a lot to Penelope's story. I love when you can relate to characters on multiple levels and I was definitely able to do that in this book.

There is a theme of addiction in I'm Fine and Neither Are You that I thought the author handled very well. There is humor and witty words throughout, but also a very real problem that Pagán talks about and handles with a delicacy that I didn't even know was possible. This book is so realistic that I know it will be very relatable to a lot of people.

This book is super short as well, coming in at only 270 pages. While it still took me almost 4 hours to read, I was engrossed in the writing and finding myself wanting to savor it as long as possible. I just found it a little bit repetitive at times which is really the only reason it didn't get a higher rating from me.

Final Thought: If you love women's literature and contemporary stories focusing on a wife and mom (or any of these things individually!) then I highly suggest checking out I'm Fine and Neither Are You. I even managed to cry towards the end, I was so moved! I cannot wait to read more of Pagán's work and hope I can get to something else of hers very soon.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book!

This was so, so good, and so, so REAL. Almost like reading a memoir... a couple times, I had to remind myself it was fiction. Penelope’s struggles are the every day real deal for us working wives, moms, friends.... and Jenny’s struggle to show anything less than the best side of her is heartbreaking and stressful and true. Loved every bit of this book, and am looking forward to reading more of Pagan’s books. Real and raw as they come! 4 out of 5 ⭐️

I am SO the target audience for this book, I’m just an average mom and wife trying to keep my family running and stay sane while juggling more balls than I should be, and the main character, Penny is doing exactly the same thing, and she’s struggling in a major way. #relatable So if you’re a middle aged wife/mom grab this one because I have a feeling that you’ll see a piece of yourself in Penny as well. And if you’re not, grab it anyway because it was a great read.

Penny and her husband Sanjay decide to try and revitalize their marriage and the first step is total honestly, especially concerning their own personal wants and needs. At first glance this sounds like a solid plan, but is total honesty ever a truly good idea? That’s a hard no from me, I mean I like to think I’m an honest person but do you know how many times a day I bite my tongue in order to avoid sounding like a huge bitch? The answer to that question is a lot of times a day and I most certainly keep quiet when my husband says or does something to annoy me on the regular. All of that to say, the idea of true and sometimes harsh, honestly in a marriage is downright scary. It brought some really interesting questions to light and even made me examine my own life, which is always something I appreciate in a book, especially one that is super fun and light in so many ways. A mix of depth and fun is such a great balance and when it’s done well, it’s a little magical. It was done very well here! This would be a great choice for a book club, plenty of themes to discuss and enough humor and heart to stick with you after you’ve finished.

I’m Fine and Neither Are You in three words: Witty, Heartfelt and Realistic

Camille Pagan does it again. After LOVING her last book WOMAN LAST SEEN IN HER THIRTIES, I was so excited to read this book. I think every woman needs to read this book! A story of truth, boundaries as a mother, wife, career professional and friend. Tears and laughter and all the feels are in this beautiful story of wonderful characters who each have their own set of life issues going on yet intertwine in ways that our lives do. Not only is it relatable it hits you in the heart and gut and I could not put it down until I was done. I surely will read anything Pagan writes. This is a story for you'll want to share! 5 stars!!

I'll be honest - I sobbed at the ending of this book. (Camille, for an introduction to your writing, this one is outstanding!) Back to the sobbing though...Penelope (Penny) feels as though her life is as far from ideal as it can get. Her best friend, Jenny, appears to have it all; phenomenal marriage, rolling in money, organized and never a hair out of place. Penny, on the contrary has a marriage that's struggling, job that's a grind and a husband who won't help much at all.
Life has rapidly become all about appearances. What face do we show our facebook (instagram, twitter, etc.) friends? We shuffle along, smile and pretend all is well when that may be so very far from the truth. Camille Pagan takes that theme, mixes in another factor (which I can't say what for fear of spoiling a vital piece of the plot) and gives this novel a timely message/theme.
Characters took turns exhilarating and frustrating me. There were moments when I truly empathized with them and other times that a few tears were in order. Sometimes I wanted to reach into the pages and simply smack them! (Characters, you know who you are!)
Ms. Pagan, this is a beautiful story and I'm so grateful to have read it. This is one of those books that writing a review for is difficult because I don't want any words that I may write to discourage someone from reading it. Do yourself a favor, this one is a First Read on Prime this month. Grab it if you've been still trying to decide what book to select. You'll thank me later!
I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I’M FINE AND NEITHER ARE YOU by Camille Pagan was a great read that read really fast. I think these types of novels about women juggling marriage, children, careers, and home while expecting to be perfect and coming to realize they deserve more than they are getting, are in my wheel house right now. I really like how Pagan creates her characters as I’ve said in my reviews from her other books. This novel centers around Penny and her husband Sanjay and how Penny feels she’s at a turning point to either fix her life or walk away from it. I think that Pagan captures their tension and their triumphs and their failures perfectly. I dare you to read this book and not project yourself into the story at least one time. I loved the plotline and was happy with the ending.

I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

3.5 moving stars for I'm Fine and Neither Are You.

In I'm Fine, everyone is clearly anything but. While the cover may lead you to think otherwise, this novel deals with opioid addiction, loss, marriage struggles, familial relationships and trying to be your best self in the face of all of this. Pagan covers a ton of ground here through Penny - the woman trying just to get by and love and support her family. When Penny loses her best friend suddenly, her whole world is thrown into question and a lot of evaluating happens in her professional life as well as her personal life.

As with her prior novels, Pagan writes truly real characters - a character you could see yourself having coffee with, talking to at an office event, seeing a movie with - and that is what brings her books to life.

Thank you to Amazon Publishing for an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed the way that the relationships were portrayed in this novel! Author Camille Pagan has a style of writing where she delves deep into her characters’ relationships and portrays them in an intimate and realistic way. Penelope has been struggling with her marriage and her home and work balance for a while. Her best friend, Jenny, on the other hand, has a perfect marriage and job. When tragedy strikes her friend’s life, Penelope begins to realize that Jenny’s life is not as perfect as it looks. Little by little, Penelope takes a serious look at her marriage, her job, and her life. She starts to be more honest with other people and stand up for herself more. And she encourages others in her life to do the same. This makes things more complicated for everyone, but Penelope still hopes to make things better in the long run. The characters are enjoyable. The plot is relatable as the marriages, family, and friendships are presented in a serious, realistic way.

This is the first book I've read by this author and it definitely won't be my last. The author captures the life of a middle-aged wife, mother and employee so authentically. As Penny learns, so many times woman say they're fine, when in reality they are far from it. Saying fine is the easy answer. Unfortunately for Penny, it takes a tragic situation to make her see that she needs to stop operating on auto-pilot and make her needs known.

I loved how Penny and Sanjay worked on their marriage through an honest needs list. Marriage is hard work and nobody really prepares you for this. Once children are added into the mix, the marriage changes yet again.

The author really gets the whole Superwoman routine that social media just makes worse. She also touches on opioid addiction in a truthful manner. This book gave me some serious food for thought. Not a light breezy read by any means, but meaningful and thoughtful. I'm looking forward to reading the author's previous books.

ARC received for review purposes
“I’m fine and neither are you” is not just a book title, but a great phrase that sums up this beautiful story and sometimes life in general
This book takes several types of relationships (marriage, friendships, parent/child), SHREDS them to pieces, and builds them back together, hopefully stronger than ever.
Penny & Sanjay have fallen into the usual trap-accidentally letting life get in the way of their relationship. Becoming so caught up in the “daily grind”-kids, jobs, housework, bills & so much more-distract you...
On the surface, Jenny’s life is perfect. But there is always more lurking under the surface. Is Jenny’s marriage what it seems? Is her internet persona the “real Jenny”? Does Penny really know her best friend Jenny? Does Jenny’s husband???
I highlighted so many passages in this story-things I’ve felt, I’ve thought about my own relationships or motherhood but could never dare speak, even just ideas or quotes that spoke to me or made me think. It’s all in here...heartbreak, love, so many tears....THIS is a book that will stay with you for a while

I end this with a small piece of the last sentence “I only hoped she knew I had received her parting gift—the ability to look beyond what was missing and be grateful for all that remained.”

Camille Noe Pagan has done it again with a thought provoking novel that we can all relate to. How many times has someone asked how you are and you reply with "I'm fine." when you are anything but fine. Penny is like most women doing it all. The loss of her friend Jenny makes her reflect on her life and what is truly important. This is a book for our times. It deals with opiate addiction, love, loss, marriage and so much more. I could really relate to this book. I dove into it and it consumed me. I could not put it down. Filled with relatable characters that come to life. These people are you and I. They are your friends and neighbors. This is a fast paced read that you can't put down. The author has captured the essence of what life as a woman is like. Why do we feel we have to do it all? I absolutely loved this book! You will fall into its pages and keep reading well into the night. Extremely well written, this is a must read!

A relatable novel about friendship, marriage and loss. How does one cope and rationalize the untimely death of a best friend? What quetions, concerns and desires does this deat create?

Camille Pagan does a wonderful job of exploring these ideas. She brings likeable characters to the story and it makes you cheer for them! I can't imagine losing my best friend to something I had no knowledge was even going on. Even the truest of friends can hide dark secrets.

I’m Fine and Neither Are You.. Camille Pagan beautifully writes about some really tough issues in life. Some of the writing makes you cry 😢.

I'm Fine and Neither Are You is a witty and honest book about modern marriage and motherhood. It's smart and relevant, and it tackles many important issues that so many women and families can relate to. I loved the writing style and I enjoyed the characters, I could easy see myself in Penelope and relate to her struggles. I laughed and I cried while reading this book. I flew through it in two sittings, and even though it was a breezy read, it was also a thought-provoking story. I'm Fine and Neither Are You a perfect book club pick. I highly recommend it.