This book is a page turner. Leah has married Lucas whose family is a big fish in a small town. Lucas is a good guy, but he is preoccupied with a project with his brother. There are three sons in the family and mom Christine goes out of her way to keep them close to her. Leah comes from a troubled background and recently Leah has been making questionable choices. She sees Christine as the beginning and end of all of her current problems and goes out of her way to needle her. To be fair, Christine can certainly be difficult. Amy, who is married to Paul another of the brothers also had her share of childhood abuse and neglect growing up. She is pregnant after suffering several miscarriages and very nervous about this pregnancy. She and Leah bonded quickly when Amy first came into the family, but more recently Christine has been there for Amy. Leah’s choices are effecting her family adversely. She is literally screaming for help. If it were tattooed on her forehead it couldn’t be any more clear. I wanted to jump into the book and take over!

This is a well written and thoughtful book dealing with several difficult issues. I would want a best friend like Amy. I would want my husband to know that I am suffering and help me. And having had an interfering MIL that no one ever told to back off, it would be nice to have that support. I gave the book a 4, but it’s definitely a great read.

Thank you Net Galley for the opportunity to review this arc.

“ I have it all. All of the ingredients for a happy life, but nothing in the correct measurements.”

I will admit I struggle to rate this book. Part of me wants to say it’s 3⭐️ & another 5⭐️. And I think it’s part of my own mental health feelings reading this book.

Leah is a mom who has it all but feels she’s lost herself. Motherhood feels so different to every woman who experiences it. This book, about alcoholism and addiction gave me a little more empathy for a mother that was a foster child for me. It made me so mad as a foster mom that this mom would constantly choose addiction over this wonderful little boy & make his life hell. This book helped me understand a little bit more from her perspective that mental health is HARD. So for that, I appreciate this book.

However, as a person who can’t have children & noticed all her feelings of bitterness, resentment & unhappiness it was a very hard read. I’m honestly not sure it’s the authors fault that I was annoyed with Leah so much. Maybe it’s genius writing that I truly disliked her, which allowed you to fully understand the purpose of the book. This is definitely triggering. I also think this controversial book is also very needed in the world. For that I’m thankful for the author to share her reality with the rest of us.

I’m rating the book 4⭐️ but again I think it’s because of my issues not necessarily because of it being a bad book. So please still pick the book up. Like I said I’ve waited DAYS to write the review trying to decide WHY I want to rate it 3 vs 5. So I’ll just split it & do a 4.

Thank you again for the opportunity to read this very important book on mental health & addiction. It’s an eye opener & a way for people to understand a fictionalized version of a very serious issue.

Leah's surf-filled, carefree young adulthood comes to a quick
halt when she finds out she's unexpectedly pregnant. One
marriage and three children later, Leah is entrenched in
motherhood and has seemingly lost her self-expression. Not to
mention, she's constantly trying to live up to her mother-in-law's
perfect example, and her husband is too busy with his new
business venture to notice Leah is struggling. As Leah's drinking
starts to dominate her life, the other members of the family
finally start to take notice, and once Leah's secret is out of the
bag, everyone else's begin to tumble out as well.


What a fantastic debut novel exploring the angst of motherhood,
the power of secrets, and the insidiousness of alcoholism. The
author herself is in recovery, and this is so evident in her telling
of this story. The transitions between Leah's past and present
were sometimes a little jarring, but both timelines deserved
their time in the spotlight. I tandem read and listened to this
novel, and enjoyed both. 1 predict this one is going to be BIG
and appeal to a wide audience.

4.5 stars

What a beautiful book. I loved the writing style, plot, and character development. This novel tackles the realities of dealing with depression and alcoholism in such a tasteful, real way. I felt like I was experiencing Leah's journey right alongside her as she made her way to rock bottom. This story will stay with me for a long time and I am looking forward to Jessica Guerrieri's next book!


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

This is a beautiful story of family ties, motherhood, friendship, and coping. Leah O'Conner provides a glimpse into her inner world- where the freedom & passions of her youth collide with the responsibilities of motherhood, marriage, and disappearing into a large family. Throughout the book the use of wine ("mom juice") morphs from a harmless escape into something more dire. Guerreri does a great job of bringing the reader into Leah's mind- is it life that's driving her to drink or alcohol that's making life so hard?

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance copy!

Leah is torn between some phantom life she wishes for, and the day-to-day life of marriage and family she actually has. Bitter and spiteful about the happiness she sees in her husband's family, she's constantly critical of her mother-in-law comments, actions, even her glances to which Leah attaches so much meaning. I found Leah annoying enough that I considered abandoning this novel after the first one-third. As Leah begins more and more often to drown her sorrows in alcohol, and to rely on her eight-and ten-year old son and daughter to keep watch over their two-year old sister, her husband Luke is virtually oblivious, until Leah's outbursts during a long-awaited soft opening of the family restaurant he's building with his brother call everyone's attention to the crisis that is brewing.

The author's own experience with alcoholism and the struggle for sobriety apparently informed much of her writing in this novel. Thank you to the author, the publisher, and #NetGalley for providing an advance reader ebook in exchange for an objective review.

Leah has been married to Lucas for ten years with three children. She is feeling the pressure of fulfilling her role as
wife and mother while dealing with her mother-in-law Christine's expectations. She has a strong bond with her
sister-in-law Amy until her drinking begins to affect not only their relationship but the welfare of Leah's family.
As Leah deals with her longing for her previous nomadic artistic life, she must decide what really matters.
#BetweentheDevilandtheDeepBlueSea #HarperMuse #NetGalley

“But being a mother is not enough for me.”

The minute I read those words…I felt seen. All too often women give up so much of themselves for their children - and while we wouldn’t have it any other way - we want so much more. This book will have you thinking about your own role as a wife and mother in the most relatable way. Highly recommend!

Motherhood is a journey that looks different for everyone and while beautiful, isn't always pretty. This book captures that so well while still remaining hopeful. Leah has a lot of struggles, and Guerrieri writes about them in a raw and real way. While some parts were hard to get through, I would recommend this book to everyone.

I struggled a little bit getting started with this book, but after a few chapters it really drew me in. Sometimes the supporting cast feels oddly exaggerated and two-dimensional, which we soon learn is a result of Leah's unreliability as a narrator. From that point, we accompany Leah on a path of self-destruction that lasts for most of the book. Every chapter I felt like I was begging her don't do it, don't do it, and fearing her latest misstep had gone a step too far over the line. Ultimately, this is a powerful book about family, addiction, motherhood, and the characters we create out of the people around us. I think a lot of readers will relate to Leah's experience of mourning how motherhood has subsumed so much of her identity, and how as the freespirited creative she has found herself cast in the role of default parent -- the one whose work is always expendable. Likewise with her struggles with alcohol. Guerrieri paints a scary portrait of what happens when that "wine mom" culture goes too far, and the cultural norms around drinking cause addiction to go unacknowledged for too long.

Thank you net galley for the ARC of this wonderful book.
I think a lot of people these days are questioning if drinking alcohol should be in their life. So much in the media mainstream is all about ‘mommy juice’ or curved toward the narrative of wives-mothers ‘needing’ or ‘earning’ their nightly glass of wine. This book delves deeply into how alcohol plays out in a family and it is beautifully written. What we say and what we believe can be so different to what is truly going on in our lives and the author delves deeply into into how the family works and how someone can spin out of control but is able to get out. Loved the book and learned somethings at the same time. Well worth the read.

Leah is a mother of three, living in bougie yet bohemian Pacifica. Leah lives there with her husband Lucas’s entire family, including his picture perfect mother. The whole clan gets on Leah’s nerves; her saving grace is her sister-in-law, Amy, who is her closest friend.

At the outset, I liked Leah. She was snarky and fun. Leah was honest about the struggles of maintaining self during motherhood and how, while she loves her children, she misses the freedom of her youth.

“ The time I’m allotted to act in one role is finite. Wife, then mother—without any guaranteed scraps left over for myself. The need to be everything to everyone is relentless.”

And then, the story starts to turn. Leah gets evermore resentful and miserly, harder and harder to like. This might be the point. And if it was, the author drove it home a strike too hard for me. Almost every page is a reminder of how much Leah is drinking, how much she loathes mother-in-law Christine, and how much she is hurting those around her. I also thought, maybe this is exactly right when someone is mired in alcoholism, but either way, it made the book less enjoyable for me.

“ I have it all. All of the ingredients for a happy life, but nothing in the correct measurements.”

The book progresses to a fever pitch, and then, wraps up somewhat quickly. I would have liked more of the other side of sobriety and healing.

Overall, mixed feelings on this book. I think if there were solid editing to remove some of the repetition in the middle, I’d like it more. Recommended. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I think this book will stick with me for a while, but I also have mixed feelings about it. The topic is an important one, and the writing was mostly well-done (except for some dialog that was a bit unrealistic). And maybe I just can't relate, as my experience with motherhood has been different (and if I'd read this pre-kids, I would have been even more terrified than I already was!).

However, it was a sloooow burn, much more of a character study than plot-driven. That can be fine, but in this case it was done via a bit too much "telling." Instead of feeling like I was experiencing a story, it felt as though I was simply reading a retelling, if that makes sense. This was probably in part due to all of the flashbacks.

Admittedly, I also found the main character a bit frustrating. Not because of her alcoholism, but much of what preceded it. The dislike of her mother-in-law felt like a reach at times, and the choice to have three kids when you weren't even interested in being a parent at all is hard for me to wrap my head around.

Leah is a mom and artist. Her husband and brother-in-law are opening a new restaurant. She and her sister-in-law, (very pregnant) Amy like to team up against their mother-in-law, Christine, at the weekly family dinners. This book is the story of how precious relationships are ruptured, sometimes beyond repair, by alcoholism. Jessica Guerrieri writes in that way that makes her readers feel the angst of jealousy and hurt, and the joy in the hope of repair and reconciliation. The story is depressing, but compelling at the same time.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is a tale of how complicated motherhood can be. Following what becomes the slowly more complicated life of Leah O’Connor, we traverse along the shores of California learning about the O’Connor women. Leah O’Connor is an artist, surfer, and mother of three children with her husband Lucas. Christine O’Connor, Leah’s mother-in-law, appears as an ominous character as she exudes perfect, selfless motherhood. Christine has raised three boys, including Leah’s husband, and is commanding in her presence as many family functions seem to center around pleasing Christine. Amy O’Connor, Leah’s sister-in-law, is a kind preschool teacher who is currently pregnant, but also lost a previous baby to stillbirth during her first pregnancy. While Leah and Amy are like true sisters, Christine threatens Leah’s closeness with Amy, especially as Leah’s drinking becomes more and more problematic.

Jessica Guerrieri has written an exceptional way that allows readers to feel both sympathy and disgust for the main character of Leah. While acting as a commentary on family and motherhood, Guerrieri also allows for a subtle exploration of ‘wine mom’ culture. Leah’s life trajectory is directed by her unplanned pregnancy and subsequent entrance into the O’Connor family. More than 10 years into her marriage, Leah struggles to balance her work as an artist with motherhood. Her husband is preoccupied with starting a family restaurant, leaving most of the child-related duties to Leah. Leah continues to become unmoored as she numbs her ambivalence with alcohol.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is not a book with happy vibes and a slick crescendo. More of a slow-burn, deep reflection book, this would be a wonderful addition to a women’s book club. Provoking thoughts related to pregnancy, loss, and family I think many women would find this to be an enjoyable work of fiction. My only complaint with this book is that at one point Amy's loss is called a miscarriage, which it is not. She had a stillbirth, which occurs after 20 weeks gestation, and I think any woman who's experienced a loss or has intimate knowledge of the subject would appreciate the appropriate distinction.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins Focus, Harper Muse, and the author Jessica Guerrieri for an ARC of Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea in exchange for an honest review!

thank you to harper muse and netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. the opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. i had a hard time with this book even though the reviews are all 4 and 5 stars. do we ever really know whether it's the book or our own state of mind? perhaps being an almost 70 year old woman made me less in the groove with leah and amy and their plight as young mothers. i thought the book was too long. but the last part of the book caught me right in the gut.

SPOILER ALERT: when amy takes leah to her first 12 step meeting and the truth comes out about grace, the stillborn twin, and then isla has a baby and dies from drowning. suddenly i was right there, deep into the story, finally, near the very end. i'm grateful for that.

i didn't know that the book was about alcoholism. it was poignant and a deep reminder of how insanely difficult and heart rending addiction is. all kinds of addiction.

the book ends on happy notes and also bittersweet, as the reader is able to see how challenging being a human is, how the scars we wear and carry are brought into all of our relationships.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | A Raw and Honest Look at Motherhood and Addiction

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by Jessica Guerrieri is a compelling contemporary fiction debut that offers a deeply relatable and unfiltered portrayal of modern motherhood. The novel excels in character development, painting a vivid picture of the emotional and physical toll that often falls disproportionately on mothers—even in households where both parents work. From packing lunches to caring for sick children, the protagonist’s struggles highlight the unspoken expectations placed on women to manage the invisible labor of family life.

One of the book’s most powerful themes is its exploration of “mommy wine culture” and how, for some, it becomes more than just a way to unwind—it becomes a crutch. The gradual progression of the main character’s dependence on alcohol is handled with nuance and authenticity, making it both heartbreaking and eye-opening.

The only drawback was the novel’s timeline shifts, which at times felt abrupt and lacked clear transitions, occasionally pulling me out of the otherwise immersive narrative. Despite this, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is a thought-provoking read that will resonate with many, especially those who have ever felt overwhelmed by the relentless demands of motherhood. A strong debut from Guerrieri—I’m looking forward to seeing what she writes next.

4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 stars.

First novel? No way.

I did enjoy the story. It was engaging, there were parts that felt familiar, and there were characters that felt like we knew them. It was emotional, and I read it picturing the Netflix series that will be produced from it. What really hit me, and I mean really hit me, was reading the acknowledgements. Hats off to the author -- well done and congratulations.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

Leah is a sprite, the freest of free spirits. An artist, she left behind an unsatisfying childhood in Iowa for the California coast, where she lives a hedonistic life with art, surfing, drinking, and no-strings-sex...until she becomes pregnant. By maybe the guy who pressures her (lovingly!) into marriage. This sets off a decade of domestic resignation, during which time Leah bears two more children and her view of motherhood, marriage, and family becomes increasingly toxic and bitter. Her husband is from a tightknit family where the matriarch appears to demand compliance in all things...unless that's just Leah's interpretation, seen through her somewhat unreliable lens.

To survive her domestic "enslavement," she turns to increasingly out-of-control drinking, and I was on the edge of my seat, wondering how this was all going to turn out. Meanwhile, her best friend/sister-in-law, Amy, has an equally compelling background and character arc that almost rivals that of Leah. By the time the two women resolve their issues, I was exhausted, but in a good way. So much going on here. Such depth. Great writing from this debut author. Whew.

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

Leah is ten years into a marriage with 3 children. Her husband, who comes from a comfortably wealthy family, sees her as the center of the universe, but she is fueled by resentments and a self-pity that will not be quieted. Her life was upended and her art took a backseat when she became pregnant with her first child, and somehow she ended up drinking more and more each night. Leah is close with her sister in law, Amy, who has had a difficult upbringing. A well written book that feels like falling into quicksand, which is a apt analogy for how sometimes alcoholism sneaks up on us as our lives get smaller and smaller.

I likely would not have picked up this book had I not read the blurb, which says it is critical of "mommy wine culture," which is something I am passionate about. There are plenty of "sober curious" quit lit memoirs out there, and many women find a lot to relate to about them. However, I find that it works here better in a fiction rather than memoir format. I like the challenge of writing a story of acceptance and coming to realization that something has to change in your life.

This is a perfect read for those who liked [b:Same As It Ever Was|199344873|Same As It Ever Was|Claire Lombardo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1701715475l/199344873._SX50_.jpg|203772114] and [b:Sandwich|200028726|Sandwich|Catherine Newman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1699631079l/200028726._SY75_.jpg|201706043], the inner dialogue and unraveling of a mother in her midst of her life, the story picking up when life seems boring, it doesn't seem that things are changing often, but you are reaching for substances to get you through your days. If I have a criticism of the book it is just that the main character will be seen as unlikable for most of the book, it is hard to root for her. It is hard to feel connected to someone that is self-pitying and resentful, these are things we often miss in ourselves in our self-awareness.

This debut novelist is one to watch.

Thanks to @netgalley and @harpermuse for the ARC. Thank you not only for the ARC itself but for reaching out to me and recommending it for me specifically. Book to be published May 13, 2025.