A truly magnificent book about our agency, not just how much power we have over our own bodies when pregnant, but as people. It starts when 77 year old Pepper gets into a car accident, her daughter takes her driver’s license, and she moves her into the same assisted living facility that her ex-husband is in. But doesn’t that make sense? That Pepper’s kids would want her to be in the same place as their father? Still, this is where the theme begins that Pepper loses her ability to make decisions about her life. She didn’t expect to fall in love, and NO ONE expected her to become pregnant.

What a crazy premise? I thought this would be more speculative, and although the premise is a little “out there” it is told in a realistic way. There is a fictional plot reason why she is an outlier of pregnancy. But even with such a fantasy-driven premise, this book ends up really making the reader think. If you like well written found-family books that make you think, this is the perfect book for you.

I have loved all of Laurie Frankel’s novels, and this one absolutely met my SKY HIGH expectations. One of my pet peeves on GoodReads is when an early reader says “well I liked this book but I didn’t like it as much as the author’s previous work which is my favorite” – Early readers can fall into that trap of having high expectations that result in lesser than fair ratings. In this case I can confidently tell you that I absolutely LOVED this story, LOVED the characters, I laughed so hard at Pepper, her English teacher observations, and her general acceptance of her life.

I could not tell what was going to happen next, and it was also sad to see so many people exploiting the pregnant septugenarian for their own political gains, you just wanted to scream, she is a HUMAN BEING not your mascot! Wow. I was fiercely protective of her.

Laurie Frankel is just a genius, “Family Family” was very pro-adoption without being anti-choice, and this was so, so needed in women’s literary fiction. This book takes an equally divisive topic and makes it really about the story. If you are sensitive about reading books about narrators that may not make the same decisions you would, this book could trigger you. But either way, I think it would be an excellent book club book to encourage lively discussions.

One of my top books of 2026!!

Thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt for the ARC. Book to be published May 4, 2026.

A sad and beautiful story about all the different ways that women disappear and how we show up for each other when the men in our lives fail us.

Told in alternating POV, this novel follows Mere, a mom to Lily, and her sister Frankie, mom to Chloe and who is sober. Together they are taking care of their ailing father and bearing the mental load of their families. Then another mom goes missing, and the story follows not only what happened to her but all the secrets and hopes the women carry.

I love Jessica Guerreri’s writing, it is a mixture of deliberate symbolism and intriguing plot. It is sneakily feminist while exploring themes of motherhood and presence. Even the minor characters stand out in this story, some of the most touching scenes belong to those on the periphery. One of the gifts that sobriety brings is the privilege of being fully present for the pain, the joy and the miracle of everyday life.

This year I celebrated 14 years of sobriety in AA, and I work an active program. The role that AA plays in this story is very respectful without being overly positive. I love how Frankie’s sobriety journey isn’t linear. It’s a tradition that goes throughout sponsorship lines, and different people have different ways of doing things, with a variety of ways to interpret the work and the overall program. I’ve sponsored many women over the years, and without spoiling the story, I can definitely attest that this can be a roller coaster. And yet, this is how we stay sober. We get to keep it by giving it away. AA isn’t the only way to get sober, but it’s the way that worked for me.

I think that women- like myself- will see themselves in these pages and will start to question of numbing the stress of motherhood is really worth it after all.

At times I found Frankie to be controlling and even cringy in her talking to her daughter Chloe about her relationship. I’m always pretty critical of “purity culture” in books and while it made me uncomfortable, it made sense for the character arc and the experiences the reader later learns about Frankie.

At the end of the day we all want to be seen and loved for who we are.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the ARC. Book to be published May 18, 2026.