Althea has struggled with her mental health for most of her marriage. Her husband Oliver, is very gracious about it at times and very mean about it at others. But this summer, Althea is determined to do better for herself and for her daughter, Clem. She will redecorate Clem's room however she wants and spend quality time with her at their beach house. When Oliver hires his colleague, Claire, to help with the redecorating, Althea is not really happy with it. But Oliver thinks it will be best for them all.

First of all, Oliver is an a***ole. Mental health is hard enough on its own without someone making harder by being nice when you are struggling and treating you awfully when you aren't. When the family goes out to their house for the summer, Althea tries her best to do what she can with and for Clem. But it's hard for her when she really doesn't even like the child. With Claire in the house that makes things even harder. A lot of things we find out about Oliver and Althea discovers some things about herself.

"If You Left" by Ashley Prentice Norton is a poignant exploration of love, loss, and the intricacies of relationships. The novel delves into the complexities of marriage through the lens of Adele and Peter, a couple grappling with the aftermath of infidelity. Norton masterfully weaves a narrative that exposes the vulnerabilities of the human heart, portraying characters with raw authenticity.

The story unfolds with a gripping emotional intensity, immersing readers in the turbulent emotions of Adele as she confronts the shattered pieces of her once idyllic life. Norton's prose is both lyrical and incisive, capturing the nuances of love's evolution and the indelible impact of betrayal. The characters are finely drawn, their struggles and triumphs resonating with readers on a visceral level.

"If You Left" is not merely a tale of fractured relationships; it is a profound meditation on the nature of forgiveness, redemption, and the transformative power of self-discovery. Norton's narrative prowess and insight into the human condition make this novel a compelling and emotionally charged read that lingers in the hearts of its audience long after the final page.

Thank you to net galley for the advanced readers copy.

This book was interesting to read about her mental health struggles and how that impacts her plan to be the perfect wife and mother. Oliver her husband is her caregiver but actually he makes her condition worse. It is very raw and dark story that makes it uncomfortable at times.

I thought the premise of this book was interesting from the synopsis. However after the first few chapters I knew this book was a miss for me. I didn’t like any of the characters, especially Althea. This book was a complete miss for me.

This is an interesting story and gives some insight on living with mental illness. The story moves along at a nice pace and is a good read.

Thank you to NetGalley for letting me try this book.

This appeared to be the story of Althea's life as a bipolar patient, doing what she could to survive in a difficult marriage and motherhood situation. Unfortunately, her character was so dark and negative, I could not get past 27% if the book. I might have been able to finish if there had been SOME glimmer of hope for her in this first third of the book, but what I read was too depressing, maybe because my good friend suffered from Bipolar and it hurt me too badly to get involved in Althea's life, after walking through my friend's illness with her. I had to abandon reading this one.

Wonderful read - really enjoyable novel. Terrific characters and really moves at a great pace.