At Least You Have Your Health was an interesting story about a doctor named Maya who works in the woman's health field. After losing her job as an ob-gyn she takes one that caters to rich people. The clients are nuts, the situations funny, and the dialogue is really great. I enjoyed the story, especially the little mystery as to why Prem was acting the way she did. All in all, it's a good quick read.

Maya’s life is busy, but she loves her kids, her husband and her job. until one day when someone makes a racist remark and Maya cracks. When she quits, she finds herself wrapped up in the concierge medical field started by one of the school moms. While she feels she can do good, Maya starts to see that this practice is more about just going with whatever the patient wants or believes, rather than listening to science.

Phew. Ok this book was heavyyyyy. Not like overtly in your face heavy, but a makes you think long and hard about the state of medicine and medicinal care while reading and well after. Especially since I have a friend that is currently dealing with Dr.’s not listening when she is telling them she knows something is wrong, it made it hit even harder. I could totally see how Maya fell into the trap of letting the patient decide what they needed, but at the same time it made me furious that she was ignoring her own medical knowledge. I don’t want to say much more, but I think this book gives a really great look at the two forms of medicine we have right now. Standard medical care, where sometimes you have to fight for your own needs, and holistic care, which sometimes can be a complete load of crap or possibly make things worse. This book really showed that we need to find a balance between the two.

AT LEAST YOU HAVE YOUR HEALTH
by Madi Sinha
Berkley Publishing Group
Pub Date: Apr 5

What a great book! Loved the interweaving of mystery, health care, working mothers, multicultural and socioeconomic differences, and the author's wry wit about the concept of wellness medical practices geared to the ultra rich. A winner!

Thanks to the author, Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.

#atleastyouhaveyourhealth #madisinha #berkleypublishinggroup #NetGalley

Madi Sinha is the Liane Moriarty of medical fiction. Suspenseful, smart, and thoroughly satisfying, At Least You Have Your Health offers hilarious and insightful commentary on wellness culture, the wealth gap, and the ethical dilemmas inherent to pursuing the stereotypical American dream.

Wow. I really loved this book. It has so much going for it. There's the working mom aspect that I related so well with. There's cultural differences and diverse characters that brought really interesting topics to light. There's medical drama. And there is important commentary on women's health.

I loved it.

Dr. Maya Rao is our main character. She's a GYN for a local hospital, a child of Indian immigrants, a mother and wife, and she's trying to live up to everyone's expectations. When she has an incident with a patient, she ends up quitting and taking a position at a specialty clinic that caters to the rich women in the area. She soon learns that this position is less about practicing safe women's health and more about doing what the "client" wants, even if it's not medically recommended.

There's so much to unpack in this story, and I really just highly recommend it. There's the storyline of Maya trying to get acclimated to her new position. There's her family and how she balances them and cares for their needs. There are two patients that we follow throughout the story as Maya works with them, and they were fantastic characters. Then there's the friendship between Maya and her new employer. It all blends together to create a story I couldn't put down!

I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

Four and a Half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭒

At Least You Have Your Health is an in-depth look into women’s health issues all wrapped in a suspenseful, compelling, and humorous story that I loved. It highlights the inequities of women's health care both due to economic status and class, but it’s all wrapped up with a mystery and fascinating characters.

Dr. Maya Rao is a gynecologist and mother to three children and wife to Dean, as the daughter of immigrants, she worked hard to become a doctor, and has finally found a position she loves at the Philadelphia General Hospital. She is a very busy mother, and every morning she takes her children to three separate locations and has to pick them all up after work. Her oldest daughter Didy, nine years old, goes to a local private school, that they can barely afford. Her son Niam, at four years old, goes to the local public elementary school, and her youngest, Asha is only eight months old and goes to daycare.

While dropping off her daughter, Diya at the exclusive public school, she meets Amelia, a very wealthy woman, who runs Eunoia Women’s Health, a boutique medical practice that provides medical care to the very rich. After losing her job at the hospital, Maya takes a job with Eunoia and becomes friends with Amelia. Maya soon learns that Eunoia has an emphasis on alternative medicine over traditional medicine, and finds her patients (called clients) to be spoiled, entitled, and reluctant to pursue traditional medical practices. She also finds that Amelia has a dark past, and Amelia’s teenage daughter starts to show signs of a mysterious illness.

I enjoyed this book very much, Maya is a very sympathetic character, she works hard, loves her family, and is dedicated to her patients. Her children are not perfect, but they are adorable as they try her patience. Her life becomes considerably easier when she takes the job with Amelia, but caring for the very rich, tries her patience as they demand expensive and sometimes outrageous medical care. The medical demands of these wealthy patients range from the ordinary to the extreme, and this provides some lighthearted humor to the story as well as some drama.

Amelia, a very wealthy heiress and owner of Eunoia, has secrets from her past which has shaped the way she runs her business and how she raises her children, especially her teenage daughter, Prem. These secrets drive this story and make for a very compelling read.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Women’s fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I like medical fiction and doctors who write, but I'm not a huge fan of scandal, so when I won a copy of At Least You Have Your Health as part of a prize pack, I was a little unsure about how it would all pan out. It started out strong but unfortunately devolved into an excuse for Sinha to teach readers about women's health and she lost the plot a bit toward the end. It was definitely an ambitious novel that covered everything from the disparities in healthcare, motherhood, ambition, and racism, and it was a noble attempt; unfortunately, I think Sinha tried to tackle too much all at once.

For the most part, I was surprised by how much enjoyed At Least You Have Your Health. However, I think Sinha fell into the trap of being so focused on getting her message across to the detriment of the story.

We really enjoyed this book! Written primarily from the perspective of Maya Rao, a flawed but relatable character, At Least You Have Your Health takes on sexism, racism, alternative medicine, and classism in a nuanced, readable take. Maya has a lot on her plate - from her stressful job as a gynecologist at a busy Philadelphia hospital to her roles as mother and wife, she is at the end of her rope. It all comes to a head when an entitled patient and an unfortunate series of events culminate in her joining a "boutique medicine practice." At first, the new position seems to be heaven-sent - or maybe karmic balance for putting up with so much at her old job. But maybe things aren't as good as they seem...

Maya's struggles balancing her home and work life are relatable even when her circumstances are not. For example, she has the means to send her children to the most upscale private school in the area. Her overawed reaction to her new environment and new position blind her to some of the excesses. Eventually, though, she starts to realize that she might be contributing to a problem that's bigger than it seems at first.

Her reactions to her situation, interactions with her family, friends, and colleagues, and ultimate decisions make the book a page turner. And when there's a medical mystery to solve, we were caught up in the detective work as well. Highly recommended!

I relate on several levels with Maya, the protagonist. Juggling a challenging career, three kids, keeping a marriage in the balance, it's sometimes all she can do to keep her head above water. Maya's anxiety and exhaustion were palpable. After a disastrous (even if completely warranted) confrontation with a demanding, pretentious, wealthy and well-connected patient, Maya finds herself with a choice between bad and worse until she meets up with Amelia DeGilles, CEO of Eunoia, a concierge medical and "wellness" service to the very rich. Amelia just so happens to need a OB/GYN for her company, and Maya now needs a job. In her desire to teach her clients and women in general how their bodies work, Maya discovers how many of them prefer to just be told what they want to hear. Maya's yearning to be everything her parents told her she must in order to be successful, has her putting her knowledge and good sense aside and falling down the rabbit hole of "wellness", doing things she never would have before Amelia and Eunoia.
In the end, Maya's wisdom and sound judgement return and things change for the better, but not before a couple life-changing health scares with two of her clients.
The book was slow-ish at the start, but when it gets going, it gets GOING!
I will definitely look for more of Ms. Sinha's work.

Thank you Berkeley for the ARC to read and review.

At Least You Have Your Health tackles socioeconomic issues, class issues, immigrant issues, and health in a beautifully balanced and darkly humorous way. Through Maya we immerse ourselves in the challenges of a first generation American female doctor trying to balance expectations both internal and external on how to be a good wife and mother and career.

I really related to Maya wanting the best for her kids and to what links she would go to achieve success for their benefit and how swept away you can get when immersed in a lifestyle that you cannot sustain.

Excellent read.

I was on the edge of my seat this entire book.

I really fell in love with Maya's character from the start. She's a sassy woman with a chip on her shoulder. Throughout the whole book, she starts to lose her way, becoming caught up in the "rich people" mumbo jumbo they are fed. Deep down though, she knows what's right and still follows that path for the most part, even if its subconsciously.

At the end of the story, there was so many emotions. Fear, anger, sadness, hope. It was beautifully written and paced quickly so I didn't have too much time to linger on one emotion over another. It kept me sane and focused in the story. Although, toward the end when everything was wrapping up and the characters finally had their piece, I might have shed a tear of happiness.

I read through this book in one day. It was that good, couldn't put it down. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants an in-depth story that makes you feel satisfied by the end.

My Review will be live on my blog Book Confessions on 3-29-22.

SYNOPSIS: Dr. Maya Rao is a gynecologist who walks away from a career at a city hospital and joins an elite concierge wellness clinic where the wealthy are served and not all is as it seems behind closed doors.

REVIEW: I'm all for scandal, gossip, and rich people behaving badly, so when I saw this book I said "gimme." There's just something about the wealthy and their problems that always draws me in.

Maya Rao is someone who genuinely wants to do good; she's a mother of three who is, in the sense of THIS novel, one of the "have-nots," balancing being a mom, taking care of the "haves," and reconciling her identity among the elite. The people she must take care of have a distorted world view because of their wealth, can be inherently racist, and all-around just not good people. Is this going to change Maya and her values as well?

I loved that this was a fun book as well as a serious one. We got your soapy, rich people problems, but we also had serious topics and social issues addressed at the same time. Sinha addressed this at both the micro and macro level and also dived into what REALLY makes a mother, a woman, and how difficult it is to wear both of these hats in today's society.

One part that really stood out to me was a message delivered saying "talk to the patients and learn about their lives. Try to find out how you can be useful to them, now how this experience can benefit you. Center the patient, not yourself." WOW. Powerful message.

I was thoroughly entertained and definitely recommend!

VERDICT: 4 STARS

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and Netgalley for an Advanced Reading Copy of this one - it hits shelves April 5th!

(Review to be posted on Instagram 2/7)

Dr. Maya Rao is a gynecologist juggling her career, her marriage and caring for her three children. After a run in with a privileged hospital patron serves as the straw that broke the camel's back, Maya quits her job only to fall into an opportunity with a concierge wellness practice run by the mother of her daughter's classmate. The new job presents many advantages, while at the same time challenging Maya's principles and ethics. A dangerous emergency situation sets her up to find clarity on where she stands and what she wants in life.

At Least You Have Your Health is a mostly light-hearted story, but credit to Sinha that she doesn't shy away from mixing in some legitimate themes including extreme privilege, cultural appropriation, racial stereotypes and discrimination as well as gender roles in families and in homes.

At Least You Have Your Health will be out on April 5th. Thanks to NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing Group for giving me access to this book in advance.

At Least You Have Your Health, by Madi Sinha, is a warm, character-driven story, with funny and a terrifying look at the wellness industry at the same time.

Dr Maya Rao is getting tired of her hospital job, where she's constantly being a sex-ed teacher for her confused gyno patients, which leads to taking too long in her scheduled appointments, which leads to passive-aggressive comments about time management. Apparently actually caring for her patients and solving their worries wasn't on the schedule.  I'm reminded of the scene in The Husbands when Nora realizes that her boss Gary “thinks the two of them have the same job and that he’s just better at it” and I'm also reminded of all the times that a student's (necessary, important) question kept me over my paid hours as a teacher.

Fortunately, Maya bumps into Amelia, a glossy, stylish mom at their kids' upscale private school, which turns into a job opportunity with Amelia's concierge women health service, Eunoia Women’s Health. Although the upscale health service also includes supplements, detoxes and some dubious healing crystals, Maya's role will be bringing woman private, high-quality gyno visits at home. And even the health supplements seem nice at first, the whole appeal of supplements and detoxes and cleanses is alleviating exhaustion and discomfort. I mean, who doesn't want to wake up with more energy?

I found some of the patients' clueless gyno questions a bit too clueless. They're not talking about confusion about ovulation dates or good/bad times to conceive, we're talking about completely wild misunderstandings around lady parts. It's funny (that idiot boyfriend! and OMG, the crystal!!!), but it's sometimes a bit much. There's a sensitivity in most of the novel, and in Maya's personal goals of spreading reproductive education, and it doesn't quite mesh with a few of the OTT humor moments. In general, even when Maya has pretty wild clients, she still brings care, compassion, and the belief that female reproductive pain is real pain that deserves treatment. Even a mother-to-be with a truly intense, unrealistic birth plan deserves safety and good care. Maya's desire to give good care to her patients and to earn good money for her family keeps her attending a certain patient with really intense ideas about her birth plan, which powers a lot of the story.

Through working at Eunoia, Maya is pulled into Amelia's upscale, intense world. It's a glossy Insta-ready lifestyle, with intense competition and pressure for the kids, and loads of money, of course. Who wouldn't want a mansion with household staff to do the chores? In addition to running her company and her children's college-prep lives, Amelia's also the trendsetter of all the moms. What she wears, what she eats, what supplements she takes, basically everything in Amelia's enviable life is imitated by the others.   I loved reading about the grown-up leader and follower girls, and the whole image of Amelia's life leads to interesting questions for Maya and her husband about their own family. I didn't know how much of Amelia's life was a performance, and how much was ture,

As the story unfolds, and Maya sees more incredibly wealthy patients through her new job with Amelia's company, race and class come more into play. When a patient expresses surprise at hearing good English, Maya thinks it's just another dig at a foreign-looking doctor, while her assistant, Esther, thinks it's another white lady surprised that a Black woman is educated.  The gap between Maya's patients and Maya's home life is made more clear, even though Maya isn't exactly struggling to get by, not to mention the gap between her previous patients and her current patients.

At Least You Have Your Health is a moving story about access to good health care and medical information, as well as a funny look at wellness shopping.

I must admit that I was a bit cynical when this started and wondered if it might be a bunch of women babbling about vaginas. But this has some real storylines amidst its chaos.
It has the stepford wife committee mums, prudish and judgy. It has mums doing their best with unpredictable children. It has the rich taking advantage of their status and ruling their lives, and others with their money.
Some hilarious moments, and some more serious ones. A book dedicated to motherhood in all its glory.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC! I really enjoyed At Least You Have Your Health. It gave such a unique perspective of a mother, a gynecologist, and touched on important topics of classism, racism, work-life balance, and motherhood. It provided such a fresh and unique perspective to this genre that I loved. The writing style was witty and I felt like I got to know Maya well. I wish we had gotten to dive deeper into other storylines, like Esther’s, Diya’s, and Dean’s - I didn’t really feel like I got to know these characters deeply and they felt very, very secondary to Maya and Amelia DeGilles. Overall a great read and I hope there’s a sequel so I can learn more about the other characters.

I enjoyed this book. It was well-plotted, deftly written, gripping and lots of fun. I can see this as a movie!

Thank you to Net Galley, Berkley Publishing Group, and Madi Sinha for the chance to review this ARC.

3.5/5 stars

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed reading At Least You Have Your Health. The healthcare of the ultra-rich was a world I had absolutely no bearings in, so I have no idea how much of it is realistic and how much of it is just imagining.

The story grabbed me quickly and held on, and I found myself really wanting to know what comes next. The writing was thoughtful and resonant, if not a little pedantic at times. At some (blessedly few) points it did seem like I was getting lectured, but it didn't persist for long and it was back to the story.

For a book about "looking beyond appearances," there was an awful lot of reliance on stereotypes about the ultra-rich, about health supplements, about a lot of things. Fortunately, I really related to Maya – though the book did periodically give me major mom-guilt – so it was worth it to see how her story and her character progressed.

Overall, I'd recommend At Least You Have Your Health.

Goop who? "At Least You Have Your Health" will be great for fans of Chandler Baker or Lucy Sikes & Jo Piazza. A fresh and fun look at the health habits of the uber wealthy.

This was a really interesting book to me, and the way that women in medicine who are also mothers were portrayed was something I really enjoyed. It's actually quite light hearted, but great all the same.