Really, really impressive and resonate debut novel from Jessica Guerrieri!

Long-time, seemingly happy, married couple Lucas and Leah are parents to three young children. As the primary caregiver to their children, free-spirited Leah struggles with trying to make everyone else happy while trying to maintain her own individuality. It is especially challenging trying to live up to the standard that Lucas’s own mother set as a mother and continues to set as a grandmother.

Wine is a good friend to Leah during the long, isolating hours that motherhood can bring. It’s heartbreaking to follow Leah as she slips further into the rabbit hole of alcohol addiction.

While this novel wasn’t an easy read, it was certainly relatable and passionately written. The subject matters resonated deeply with me and I was fascinated watching Leah in her own hazy reality.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is a brilliantly written story that I imagine will hit home for many.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the opportunity to read this ARC before its anticipated release date of May 13, 2025.

This was an excellent debut novel. Well written story and the characters were well developed. This is the type of story that will remain in my thoughts for quite some time.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital arc..

Jessica Guerrieri’s Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is a raw, unflinching portrait of motherhood, identity loss, and addiction. The novel follows Leah O’Connor, a once-carefree artist whose unexpected pregnancy leads to a life she never imagined—married with three children, trapped in the monotony of domesticity, and battling resentment toward her husband Lucas and his close-knit family. The weight of responsibility, coupled with the relentless expectations of motherhood, drives Leah to seek solace in alcohol, a dangerous crutch that threatens to unravel everything she holds dear.

At the heart of the story is Leah’s fraught relationship with her mother-in-law, Christine, a woman who embodies the ideal of selfless motherhood. Christine’s presence only deepens Leah’s insecurities, making her feel inadequate and misunderstood. Their tension is palpable, and as Leah spirals further, her erratic behavior creates ripples that strain every family relationship. Amy, Leah’s sister-in-law, initially a confidante, becomes torn when Leah’s struggles jeopardize the family’s stability. When everything comes crashing down, it’s the O’Connor women who offer Leah a lifeline—forcing her to confront her pain, ask for help, and decide whether to embrace or reject the family she has resented for so long.

Guerrieri’s writing is deeply immersive, making Leah’s descent into addiction both painful and compelling to witness. The novel doesn’t shy away from the uncomfortable truths about motherhood—how it can be isolating, overwhelming, and even suffocating. While Leah’s choices are frustrating at times, they are also heartbreakingly real. Readers may find themselves torn between sympathy and frustration, which is a testament to Guerrieri’s ability to craft deeply flawed yet human characters.

This is not an easy read—it’s dark, emotional, and at times deeply unsettling. However, it is also an important one, shining a light on the complexities of mental health, addiction, and the silent battles many mothers fight. If you’re looking for a novel that explores the raw, unfiltered realities of motherhood and identity with grace and honesty, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is a powerful and necessary read.

I very much enjoyed Leah's story and her struggles with her "in-law" family. Spoiler alert! I sometimes have a glass of wine in the late afternoon while I'm reading. I could NOT while I was reading this!

Such a beautiful debut book. I found myself thinking of the characters even when I wasn’t reading it. Family drama on so many levels and the pain and destruction of addiction and how it ruins families and lives! Such a beautiful book. Highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I saw some strong recommendations for this book and it started out so strong, I love how the story started out and with the dual timelines to figure out how this family came to be. The second half of the book slowed down quite a bit for me and the dialogue started to fall flat. still enjoyable though!

One of my favorite books of the year so far. Great narration, deeply felt story--I was transported. I'm reminded of Maya Angelou's quote-- "...people will never forget how you made them feel." This book has all the feels for me. Here's why:

The premise is that of a young mother, Leah, who is at a crossroads in life, wondering how she got there and where she'll go. The underlying problem, something our lovely mom, wife, human doesn't even realize most of the way, is that she's an alcoholic. She's numbing her emotions, instead of feeling them. And I get it-- having lived through that part of life, it's hard, it's overwhelming, it's tricky, its beautiful and messy, all at the same time. And let's face it, at that stage we moms are constantly feeling self doubt and comparing ourselves to others, whether we admit it or not.

The way the story unfolds, from Leah's POV, we rarely see, at first, what is really happening as she falls further into her drinking binges. It's quite effective because it really helped me feel how it might be to be this person. And let's face it, we are all either addicts, recovering or not, or have loved ones on that journey. Also, quite frankly, the book feels really timely because of how stressed many are right now with national and world events--I could utterly sympathize even though my current gut punches aren't the ones Leah was going through. How many of us are numbing our way through our current difficulties?

But if that were all, it may be too heavy a read for now. Luckily, here's where the feel comes in. I knew I was hooked in Chapter 2, when we got to see the first blush of love between Leah and Luke. This is a love story. Throughout the novel, relationships are of such importance that I was deeply invested. I loved listening and watching it all unfold, as I rooted for Leah and her family. And I loved Leah's voice: fun, a little bit wicked, but absolutely full of heart.

Also, kudos to the narrator. I am not sure I've heard one of her books before, but I absolutely hope to do so again. I'm a fan of the way she handled it all.

Congrats to the author and thank you to the publisher for giving me an early look/listen in exchange for an honest review. I'll definitely be telling others about it! Book clubs will have plenty to discuss with this book.

In Guerrieri’s debut, Leah is a free-spirit artist who accidentally falls into motherhood and marriage. In the close-knit O'Connor family, some of her carefree shenanigans are beginning to lose their shine. She feels her motherhood journey is in sharp contrast to her mother-in-law Caroline's, a measuring stick that she thinks is being held against her, but as we dive deeper into this story, we realize there is much more than meets the eye to both these women.

At first, I expected a familiar story of a fraught daughter-in-law/mother-in-law dynamic, but Guerrieri takes the narrative in a much more harrowing direction. The novel does not simply explore familial tension—it exposes the insidious grip of Leah’s alcohol addiction and how it clouds every relationship.

The discomfort is immediate from the first unsettling moment when she revels in bath time with her children, not because of the bonding experience but because of the “fuzzy” relief her evening drinking brings. And as her dependency deepens, her once-careful concealment of her addiction unravels—hidden flasks multiply, empty bottles require shuffling into the neighbor’s recycling bin, and moments of parenting slip away into a hazy, alcohol-soaked oblivion.

But, the novel takes a particularly poignant turn when Leah’s sister-in-law, Amy, is forced to step in—not just as a concerned family member, but as someone who grew up with an alcoholic mother and now finds herself in an impossible position, parenting her sister-in-law.

What makes this portrayal of addiction so powerful is Guerrieri’s own personal journey. Upon this book’s launch, she shared with me that she will be celebrating twelve years of sobriety—a milestone that undoubtedly informs the authenticity of Leah’s descent and the long, painful road to recovery. Guerrieri never glamorizes Leah’s drinking, nor does she offer easy resolutions. Instead, she crafts a raw, deeply affecting portrait of a woman who must decide whether the family she’s rejected will be her salvation or her ultimate undoing.

This debut is not just a compelling, page-turning read—it’s necessary. I’m thrilled that Jessica Guerrieri will join our Summer Author Series to discuss her sobriety journey and how she wove those hard-earned truths into this unforgettable novel.

*will post review on instagram closer to pub date*

BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA by Jessica Guerrieri ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 Oof! This book. I actually think this book probably deserves five stars, but for me personally, I took off half a star because it was difficult to read. BUT I MIGHT CHANGE MY MIND AS I SIT ON IT. If you are a mom in the throws of motherhood, feeling a loss of identity, proceed with caution. It is heavy, but it is real and vulnerable and I think there are so many parts people will relate to.

When Leah falls into motherhood and a life she never expected for herself, she loses herself and struggles to cope. As she starts to rely on and then depend on Alcohol, Leah has to decide what direction her life is going to take.

Pub. Date: 5/13/25

Perfect if you like:
•Alcoholism & addiction.
•Character driven.
•Motherhood and identity.
•Complex family dynamics.
•Powerful friendships.
•Heartbreaking.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Spice: 🌶️
Mood: 🍜🍫🍷

⚠️: explicit language. Alcohol and addiction as a main plot point.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
by Jessica Guerrieri
Pub Date: May 13, 2025
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Leah O'Connor is torn between the life she's currently living and the allure of a phantom life that can no longer be hers.
While the subject matter is heavy, Jessica Guerrieri’s storytelling is both empathetic and realistic, offering a nuanced look at the challenges many face but few openly discuss. The novel serves as a stark reminder of the thin line between coping and dependency showing the importance of seeking help before it’s too late. At times I found myself shouting no don’t do it to some of Leah’s decisions.

Overall, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is a powerful and emotionally resonant novel that tackles difficult themes with grace and authenticity. It’s a challenging read due to its subject matter, but ultimately a rewarding one.

This debut novel is a great pick for when you’re in the mood to delve deep into a character driven story. Guerrieri’s debut novel dives right into heavy topics including alcoholism, inner conflict about motherhood and the path not taken, and long held lies rising to the surface. Plot-wise, it’s a slow burn that kept me anxiously awaiting tragedies that didn’t surface. Character-wise, though, this book is packed full of complex humans with interesting relationships between them. I typically struggle a lot with protagonists who are grossly self-destructive, but I found Leah’s spiral complex and relatable enough that I was able to mostly stick with her. I especially loved the way her relationship with her mother-in-law ultimately played out.

What a wonderful debut novel by Jessica Guerrieri! There is a fine line when writing about addiction and alcoholism, especially when it involves a mother and children, but Jessica has done a beautiful job of telling this story. Leah's character is well developed and I enjoyed watching her relationship with Amy grow into a strong friendship. An unplanned pregnancy, a mother-in-law with high expectations, family drama, and raw emotion make Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea a must read.

I listened to the audiobook in conjunction with reading the book. Switching back and forth allowed me to connect more to the emotional level of this debut novel. The narration by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw was excellent! Her voice is natural for raw and emotional storytelling.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins Focus for providing an ARC in exchange for honest thoughts.

I gave this book 4 Stars

What a powerhouse of a book! This is one that will stick with me and that I’ll recommend often. I loved the unflinchingly honest deep-dive into issues of motherhood, marriage family, the past, and most distinctly, alcohol and addiction. I couldn’t put down the story; in addition to becoming highly invested in Leah, several propulsive elements of the plot had me turning the pages into the night. The author’s inspiring personal journey of addiction recovery shines through in this dazzling debut. “YOU are the magic.” This call-out to mothers in her Acknowledgements had me in tears.

Enjoyable, thoughtful, insightful read. Motherhood is hard, very hard. Leah’ journey is eye opening, and definitely a good read.

Well this was fantastic. I feel like a mother who is struggling is just so relatable and this was so well written. I loved all the characters so much and while it felt like there were a lot of them, you know, they were all family. I have never really read about someone struggling with alcoholism in such a raw and vulnerable way. Highly recommend.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Hard to believe this is a debut novel. Well written page turner about family, motherhood and alcoholism. Leah’s unplanned pregnancy results in the marriage of Leah and Lucas. Leah struggles to adjust to marriage, motherhood, her preoccupied husband, and her husband’s family, in particular, her mother-in-law Christine.

The characters are relatable as is the premise of losing a part of yourself as you try to be a good mom but feel you can’t live up to everyone’s expectations. Leah turns to alcohol to escape the overwhelming responsibilities of motherhood and family. The subject matter is, at times, difficult to read but the author handles the topic with realism and compassion.

This would be a good book club pick and would make for a great discussion.

A gorgeous debut with relatable characters. Goes a lot into familiar relationships. Potentially my favourite read of the year so far

This a raw look at addiction and motherhood and every day struggles. Beautiful and sad all at the same time. What an engaging debut novel!

There will be no words to adequately describe how incredible this book was. Well written, with a darker, and heartbreaking storyline following the life of a woman who has fallen into alcoholism. I couldn’t put this down, I think this will easily be one of my top reads of 2025. I’m so moved by this!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Harper Collin’s Focus for the opportunity to read and rate this book.

I REALLY wanted to like this book, but between the many flashbacks in every. single. chapter. and the unlikable nature of the FMC, this story wasn't one that resonated with me. The pacing lagged frequently, and in places the grammatical syntax was very odd. The writing was engaging enough and kept me turning the page... but only in the hopes that the pace of the story would pick up. It's a slow burn and a heart-wrenching subject matter for sure, but this book wasn't for me.