Thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for allowing me to read this book ahead of its release in return for an honest review.

This book hit so many marks for me and I really enjoyed it. I loved the pacing and how it flips back and forth from the present and the past.

This book follows two sisters, Jada and Maddy, through their unexpected pregnancies and what they do about it. They are both in vastly different places in their life. Jada is married to a man who was the safe choice and is attempting to figure out whether marriage was the right decision for her; and Maddy is in her early twenties and recently dumped. The book looks at their difficult shared past, the death of their mother, and whether their new circumstances can bring the two together again.

Although there is a lot in this book that is highly stressful, Wurzbacher presents it in such a kind and meandering way that it’s almost understated. I think this style really helps the book. There is also just the right amount of interpersonal drama.

I really like how we get to see things from both sisters perspectives. This really helps to move the plot along and gives you a better understanding of what’s going on.

Overall this is a really lovely book. There’s a lot in it that really does it for me, but I would say that this isn’t a book for everyone.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

REVIEW TO FOLLOW.

I enjoyed this novel and appreciated its focus on pregnancy, abortion and women's bodies. I don't think I would use it in my college classes, but I did find it to be an interesting reading experience.

Things this book deals with incredibly, fantastically well: What it means to be a woman, and a daughter, and maybe a mother (or maybe not a mother). That there's a difference between wanting something, and being told by the world we should want it, and how the cognitive dissonance between those two things can overwhelm us.. That the value of having options reaches a point of diminishing returns quite quickly (aka the science of choice overload).

It's a familiar enough story in its parts: smart girl leaves small town, but doesn't fit in new life, or in old. Unplanned pregnancy (pregnancies in this case) and what to do about them. Losing a parent.

But Wurzbacher handles them all so beautifully, interconnects them in a way that feels very true, and gives the most balanced and nuanced depiction of where our choices really come from and why we all make different ones. Amazing.

Per publishers request, I won't post this on socials until release day.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
**This book contains some heavy topics that I believe deserve trigger warnings.**
I NEVER DNF, but struggled to finish this one. Although some of the major themes were hot topics, it was difficult to stay awake. It was very wordy, which took away from the storyline. I skipped so much filler to try to get to the meat of all this. At 80% I don’t want to be reading what the signs are in your hometown and what the store locations are, this isn’t our first visit here!
Both main female characters were very unlikeable. And all the men involved were just as bad.
I won’t be seeking more from this author.