Wow. What a book. Jessica Guerrieri knocked it out of the park with her debut novel. I couldn't put it down. It was so poignant, and well written. I felt as thought I was reading someone's diary because it felt so deeply personal. Leah is such a flawed and real character. I cried at points reading this book because it made me feel so deeply. Leah and Christine's relationship mirrored that of people in my own family, and it's made me take a deeper look at them and what they might be going through.
Well done! I will be looking for more books by Jessica Guerrieri in the future.

I really enjoyed Guerrieri's debut novel. It will resonate with women the same way Sandwich by Catherin Newman does. It will have you reviewing your relationships with your immediate and extended families. A few tears might also be shed.

On the surface, this is a book about a woman’s relationship with her mother in law. In reality, it is a book about mommy wine culture. Basically, Leah ends up pregnant and settles down. She struggles being a selfless mother, and instead of asking for help she drinks. I think the real problem is how much pressure we put on women. The book was really good though!

Having been in similar situations to Leah, I was worried this book would be triggering. However, it really wasn’t. Basically every word of this book spoke to my soul and resonated with me. The author told Leah’s story in such a thoughtful way while still accurately portraying alcoholism and its impact. The writing was succinct yet absolutely beautiful. I cannot wait to read more by this author.

I was on the verge of tears throughout this whole thing, yet still couldn’t put it down.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is a novel of relationships, those of mother and daughter, husbands and wives and friends. It’s also a sad, depressing and fascinating look at the life of Leah O’Connor, an artist, wife and mother of three young children. Leah sees her mother-in-law as an enemy, her husband as a rival and Amy, her troubled sister-in-law and best friend, as a woman who needs saving. Leah’s thoughts may be true but they are seen through a cloud of alcoholism that damages all her relationships. Every character in this story has secrets and problems can only be solved when those secrets are revealed.

It is hard to believe the this is a debut novel. Jessica Guerrieri has delivered a complicated plot, problematic yet sympathetic characters with issues that sometimes excuse their behavior. Leah is so well described. You can feel her frustrations, doubt her excuses, and see her need for one more glass of wine. This is a book that will stay with you long after you turn the final page. I can’t wait to read what Jessica Guerrieri writes next! 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins Focus and Jessica Guerrieri for this ARC.

I was given this book by NetGalley for a honest review-
This was a great thought provoking book! A must read!
Leah’s carefree life changes when she finds herself pregnant with Lucius baby, They marry and are happy but by the third child she feels overwhelmed and resentful as her husband is busy getting their restaurant up and running. She begins to dull her pain with alcohol.
Amy was raise by an alcoholic mom so knows Leah is struggling and tries to help her. A husband and three children need her can she find her way back?

This novel is a raw and beautifully written exploration of the complexities of motherhood, identity, and family dynamics. The story captures the weight of unrealized dreams and the emotional toll of feeling trapped in a life that no longer feels like your own. Leah’s struggle with alcoholism, resentment, and self-worth is portrayed with unflinching honesty, making her both a flawed and deeply relatable protagonist.

One of the story's most compelling aspects is the strained relationship between Leah and her mother-in-law, Christine. Christine’s selfless devotion to her family contrasts sharply with Leah’s resentment and sense of inadequacy, creating a tense but layered dynamic that evolves as the novel progresses. The generational divide between these women feels authentic, highlighting the unspoken expectations of motherhood and how women are often pitted against one another.

The novel excels at peeling back the facades of its characters. While Lucas’s absence and devotion to his restaurant amplify Leah’s struggles, the story resists simplifying him into a villain. Similarly, Christine, initially presented as a standard bearer of maternal perfection, is revealed to have her own scars and regrets. This nuanced portrayal of family members—each with their own burdens—makes the novel feel deeply human.

The story's heart lies in Leah’s journey toward self-awareness and redemption. Her descent into darkness is painful to witness, but the narrative never loses its compassion for her. The lifeline extended by the O’Connor women, rooted in shared pain and hard-earned wisdom, is as touching as it is transformative. The novel’s resolution is neither sentimental nor overly grim; it strikes a perfect balance, offering hope without ignoring the hard work of healing.

Highly recommended.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you Jessica Guerrieri, Harper Muse, and Netgalley for the ARC.

What can I say? I'm so grateful that this books exists, and that I've read it.

This is not an easy read, and yet I found the complicated, intimate story the perfect place to meet some of my own feelings and conceptions about family, motherhood, and addiction. My heart is broken and brain buzzing even a couple hours after completing the story 🥺.

"I'm missing it, I think. I'm missing it all."

CW: child neglect, infant death, miscarriage, alcoholism, infidelity

This is such a strong debut. I particularly enjoyed the complex relationship between Leah and her mother in law. It's not just the difference in their ages, but also the disconnect when it comes to how they view sacrifice, motherhood, and familial devotion. As for Lucas, I was initially worried he would become a cardboard villain, but thankfully that does not happen. This is ultimately a nuanced portrayal of a family haunted by secrets and Leah's struggles with addiction. The ending does not tie everything up in a neat bow, which is realistic, but still provides a satisfactory conclusion.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-galley; all opinions in my review are 100% my own.

This is an amazing debut that swept me up in its plot and intricate relationships. Leah and Lucas are parents t0 Joni, Dottie, and Reid in Half Moon Bay. Lucas and brother-in-law Paul are building/recreating a family restaurant but Leah is highly suspicious of mother-in-law, Christine as this matriarch always has her hands in everything and Leah isn't sure what her motives are. But Leah has a past and family dynamics are crazy as she gets involved in Christine's machinations. It's a mile-a-minute thrill ride!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is a debut novel by an author I hope we see a lot more of. Jessica Guerrieri has crafted a novel that makes you feel like you're stepping into the lives of the characters. They are so well done. It made me think about how we all have a story that other's might not know. I highly recommend this book

Thank you to Harper Collins and Net Galley for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

#BetweenTheDevilandtheDeepBlueSea #NetGalley #JessicaGuerrieri #DebutNovel

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.

“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!

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 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.

"Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" was a great read and debut by new author Jessica Guerrieri. I really enjoyed the complex family dynamics and descriptive characters. I look forward to reading Jessica's futher novels!

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.

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

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.

*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.

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.

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.

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.

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..

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.