Three and a half stars for “I’m Fine and Neither Are You.”

I loved Camille Pagan’s “Forever is the Worst Long Time,” and while this novel did not have the same impact, it was a perfectly easy book to get me through a long plane flight.

The story of a woman who, in the face of tragedy, is fighting for happiness in her marriage, career, and family, “I’m Fine and Neither Are You” is probably all-too relatable for its target audience. As the main character, Penny, struggles through how to maintain happiness in a suburban life that is far from what she envisioned, she encounters real emotions and realizations about her own contributions to the state of her unhappiness.

Where I struggled at times was in supporting some of the decisions that Penny makes. In particular, she often appears a bit self-righteous in her poor handling of situations. While Penny is supposed to be relatable, she’s not always likable.

Ultimately, a good way to pass an afternoon, but a forgettable read.

""Life," he said, meeting my gaze. " How ridiculously short it is, even if everything goes right.""
Life isn't always easy and it's definitely not always fair. It can change in an instant and leave you questioning where you are and the way you got there. This book is about Penny and her life that is suddenly changed in the loss of her best friend, Jenny. It's a totally unexpected loss and the cause is so unbelievable to Penny that she questions how could her best friend have hidden so much from her and kept up the appearances she did. Penny saw Jenny living the perfect fairy tale life until the devastation reveals what Jenny was hiding.
Ms. Pagan takes on a very epidemic subject in our society today....opioid addiction. She does this in her story through a friend and family that struggles to find any kind of answers as to why and digging for something they might have missed that would have prevented such a tragedy. It also causes Penny to reevaluate her life and the unsatisfying routine her marriage and life have become. As I turned the pages hoping for Penny and Sanjay, her husband, to reconnect and rekindle their marriage, I felt the pain and struggles. There are lighthearted and witty passages that bring just enough to the story as to keep it from being too dark and hopeless.
So many people are affected by the results of opioid addiction. I could relate to this loss in a very personal way. The path an addict takes isn't always obvious, as this book is evidence of. Ms. Pagan took those thoughts and feelings that a family and friends go through and wrote a book that touched me. The answers might not ever come out about why or what took a person to that point of becoming addicted.... Penny speaking, "....I racked my brain trying to remember what I had missed. It was a fool's errand; you can't hit a rewind button in your head and suddenly spot all the things you had overlooked in the first place."
This book takes on the consequences of secrets and honesty. The scenarios that Penny finds herself in and whether to be totally honest or keep her inner thoughts to herself were real. I could relate to her dilemma. That's a good question to think about. Being totally honest or keep things inside to protect yourself. Penny..."I had done the right thing by being honest and direct. And now I had to live with the consequences."
I appreciate the message this book shares. It is painful when you've experienced it. I felt for Penny and Sanjay. I know things happen for a reason and the loss of Jenny also gave Penny and Sanjay a reality check. They had to come face to face with their relationship and make some changes.
I want to thank Ms. Pagan and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. It made my heart hurt but it also gave me pause to reflect on a person I loved dearly and know that his life was valuable and that he will always have a special place in my heart. I write this review in honor of Brian who loved life and gave it his all.
This is my honest and my own freely written review.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

I am giving this book 4 stars. I found it very easy to read and to relate to. The story follows Penelope, a mother of two, who has a busy career and is the breadwinner for her family. She needs a break from holding the family together and the novel follows her journey to delegate, be brutally honest, and to work through the hard times occurring in her life. I loved how her and her husband worked through their difficulties together- it was a testament to their strong foundation as a couple. I thought Pagan wrote this relationship beautifully and truthfully.

This was a very thought provoking story. It was very well written and will make you feel like you are in Penny’s shoes at time. It’s a story that needed to be told and was done so in a way that makes you feel the pain of families and friends. The pain the character may have been in keeping such a secret from her best friend. Or maybe it was shame. Shame at feeling weak for someone who others thought was very strong.

Penny has been married to Sanjay for almost two decades. They have two beautiful children, a girl Stevie and a boy Miles. They are Penny’s life even though she thinks she may want to leave Sanjay. She confides almost everything to her best friend Jenny. They have been friends since Penny and Sanjay moved there. But to be so close Jenny kept a few secrets from Penny.

Sanjay was basically a stay at home dad for most of him and Penny’s marriage. For a long time I didn’t like him very much. I thought he was a bit cold and uncaring and a tad self centered and just not a good husband. He didn’t do much to make things easier on Penny, who worked a full time job with lots of overtime. She had lots of stress to deal with and he was not pulling his weight.

After a tragedy hits to close to home, Penny and Sanjay re-evaluate their marriage and decide to be completely honest with each other about what they want from each other. While I personally thing that married couples should always be completely honest with each other I admit that in lots of cases that may not be a reality. I could cause some unnecessary problems in a marriage if they have not been honest from the beginning. That is just my personal opinion though. I believe in honesty from my marriage.

This book touches on some subjects that are thought provoking and heartbreaking. One being opioid abuse. That hit me in a hard way. In 2010 I lost a brother who was 11 months older than me to opioid abuse. He went into a coma and never woke back up. It was very hard to deal with. So many questions arise from that and you can’t really get the answers you want. It’s horrible to deal with whether it’s a family member or friend. I’m glad someone wrote a story with this in it and it looks like Ms Pagan did lots of research before writing this wonderful book. It made me laugh in parts and weep in others. It was both sad and heartwarming. It’s a story of honesty, loss, love, marriage, children and lots of hard work to keep yourself going. I think it was an excellent book. Well written.

There were several sentences that I thought were worthy of posting here but have decided to not do that. I don’t really want to write the book again or give away anything. Just know it’s a great story and I recommend it highly to everyone that I know.

I gave it a 5 star rating for everything about it. It’s a great story. Thank you to Camille Pagan for writing this book from the bottom of my heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union for the ARC in exchange for my complete and honest review.

I’m Fine and Neither Are You was a huge surprise to me. Based on the cover, and the title, I assumed I was going to be reading a comedy. In fact, this book has a few laughs, but many more dramatic, emotional scenes.Surprise or not, the story worked for the most part. Highlighting the ups and downs of marriage, motherhood and friendship, the book took on a lot. And although the main character occasionally annoyed me as being a little too whiny or negative, overall I enjoyed the story and am definitely glad I read it.

The book's prose is too simplistic, even by 'lit fiction' standards. The main character has occasional thoughts between parenthesis for no reason. Amy's is an unlikable protagonist and the story seems to promise little signs of improvement.
This novel has been done before, and better. This is a rehash of the usual 'unhappy mother/wife' who thinks that the grass is greener in her friend's garden.
Perhaps Pagán is simply not for me.

This is the ideal 'palate cleanser' kind of book - one that washes away the mental hangover of a thriller or a heady literary tome.
But don't write it off as pure brain candy, either. It's an honest, raw, and powerful story on what society expects of the modern woman - and what she expects of herself.
Penelope looks like she does it all - she has an impressive career, a husband and son and daughter, a home in a charming town, and great friends. She's also on the verge of losing it.
And then her best friend dies, unexpectedly, from a drug overdose.
The premise is a common one for women's fiction and thrillers alike, but Pagán navigates Penelope through a deeply reflective, soul-searching journey that you can't help but get lost in. Penelope faces things her challenges head-on - her mother walking out on her family, the distant relationship she has with her father and brother, the unhappy moments in her marriage and the frustrating ones of her job - all while trying to be there for her late best friend's daughter and keeping all the balls in the air.
I couldn't put this book down, and was slightly sad to finish it. It's a lovely book

I decided to read this book after hearing so many good things about it. It isn't a book I would normally pick myself but I am super happy I did. I feel like many women will be able to relate to this book about re-examining your marriage after life happens. The catalyst for Penny is learning more about her friend Jenny's "perfect marriage". This causes her to reexamine her marriage after having two children and moving to the suburbs.

This was a great book and I really like Pagan's writing style. I recommend this to any woman going through life changes - especially if you are married.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I'm Fine and Neither are You by Camille Pagan is a voyeuristic window into a marriage that, after two kids and a move to the suburbs, has lost its lustre. This is an honest portrayal of a couple who are trying to make things work in the face of domestic turbulence.

Penny is a woman who is mostly content with the life she has with husband Sanjay and their two young children, although she acknowledges that sacrifices have been made along the way. When her best friend Jenny, who seemingly has it all, is visited by tragedy, Penny is naturally stunned but the horrific event serves as an impetus for her to re-examine her own life and, in particular, her marriage to Sanjay. The love that has become almost dormant must somehow be reignited. There is no time for anything less.

Ths is an emotive read. Penny is an everywoman, and so intimately fleshed out that she begins to feel almost like a friend. I loved the humour that Penny was able to inject into her varied circumstances, and I was particularly moved by the relationship that she shares with her friend's young daughter. I look forward to reading more from Ms Pagan in future.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC.

A long time ago I read all the books by an author called Abby Drake. I loved her writing and genre of “housewife meets intrigue” and was hopeful that this would read similarly. It does and it doesn’t?!? The premis is great, but something just feels “off”? I don’t know if I was expecting as weighty an issue as this was in regards to mystery. I would definitely read this author again though this wasn’t a “wow” book for me?!

"Close female friendships are built one secret at a time." Penelope comes to realize this when tragedy strikes her best friend Jenny and as she uncovers all she didn't know about Jenny and Matt's marriage, she begins to question her own somewhat-stale marriage. She and her husband agree to list major changes they'd like to see in each other as they begin to overhaul their relationship in terms of work, their two children, and intimacy. This was my first exposure to Pagan but it won't be my last. I love novels about female friendships, relationships, and marriages. Life is often messy, but Pagan writes beautifully and often humorously about the intricacies and secrets that tend to invade our lives when we least expect it. And what price for perfection? This is a poignant and relevant look at the struggle to maintain parenthood and stay on an even keel while balancing family life, work, and friendships.

A very good book, full of emotions and food for thought.
I think that the characters can help anyone to understand the deeper meaning of little things and the joy of life.
You can relate to them even if you're not a mother or a wife because their message run deeper.
They are well written, fleshed out and interesting, the kind of women you can meet everyday.
I think this book will be hardly forgotten.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I'm Fine and Neither Are You is about Penelope, a mom and wife who is trying to do it all but deep down is exhausted and scrambling to keep it all together. Meanwhile, her best friend Jenny looked like she had it all together - maintaining a lifestyle blog, lots of sex with her good looking, successful husband and keeping her home spotless, basically the complete opposite of Penelope. It took a shocking tragedy to make Penelope realize that maybe Jenny's life is not all that perfect and that it's time to reflect and focus on herself, her family and her marriage.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I thought the beginning and ending were great. The middle was so-so. I felt she got a little annoying with the debbie downer attitude. She and her husband vowed to work on their relationship but I thought she was too negative and not trying very hard to hold up her end of things. Once she snapped out of it, the book picked up again. As a mom, wife and career woman myself, I found her character very relatable. When someone asks me how i'm doing, how many times have I said "good" instead of "oh, my house is a mess, my toddler is getting into everything, I could use a new job, etc"?? Maybe we all need to be more honest with ourselves and others.

Thank you to Netgalley, Amazon First Reads and Lake Union Publishing for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A book for all Wives and/or Mothers.
I related to Penelope so many times in this book. It was so real! It made me laugh out loud for real. I felt her stress and frustration. I felt her insecurity and her fear. Penelope is the real woman with the friend we all have. The one who has everything and seems like everything comes easy for them. Until something horrible happens that makes Penelope realize nothing is quite what it seems and maybe things aren't how she wants them to be. So she embarks on a project with her husband but will this cause more problems than it fixes?
I'm Fine And Neither Are You is a great, funny, and real read. Once I started it I was hooked! Camille Pagan has created a must read that makes you laugh and makes you think.

3.5

I'm nowhere near having kids and getting married, let alone having a partner but the plot was intriguing and I was not disappointed because this book is more than what the synopsis lets on. It's about friendship, loss and the sacrifices of a mother and women. The storytelling is compelling and poignant. Very well written and a fluid read. It seems lighthearted but gets very deep. Penelope is a likable narrator, serious but somewhat witty and humorous. The relationship and marital problems between Penelope and Sanjay felt very realistic and well developed, though at this point, I can only imagine. There are a few tragedies happening and the way they were handled was a little underwhelming as the issues were soon resolved. Overall an enjoyable portrayal of marriage and its ups and downs.

“ I loved my husband. I loved my kids. I mostly liked my life. But I was so damn tired. And maybe that was why on that June morning-as Sanjay lounged in his towel and checked his phone while I ran around the house like I was on uppers, curling my eyelashes while shoving vegetable straws into lunch boxes and zipping backpacks for two sloths in human clothing- I allowed myself a tiny terrible indulgence. Which was to admit that in that moment, I actually did want out.’

Penelope’s life appears fine. She has two sweet kids, a nice husband, a good job, a decent house and strong friendships. But she is struggling. As many can attest to, the very things that bring us the most joy can also cause the most stress (ahem- parenting.) Caring for two children, trying to maintain a healthy marriage and being the breadwinner are all challenging at the best of times. For Penelope things quickly move from somewhat manageable to untenable when she suffers a terrible loss. This loss leaves Penelope devastated but catalysed. She realizes she urgently needs to create change in her own life. The most significant and difficult being embracing honesty.

A well written and highly relatable book. I know that many of my friends will identify with Penelope's struggles. She definitely left me questioning my own approach to honesty and how I should probably be tapping more into her brave approach.

A big thank you to @netgally and @lakeunionpublishers for providing me with a free copy of this book in an exchange for an honest review.

Posted to @daisiesreads (Instagram)

3.25 stars

I’m Fine and Neither Are You is better than 3 stars, but nowhere close to 4 stars. I would say this novel falls into the “domestic angst” genre. Penelope hits a crisis point in her life when her best friend dies, and she realizes that she may not want to stay married to the father of her two young demanding children. Penelope’s feelings are a somewhat typical trope in contemporary domestic fiction. The twist if that she is the breadwinner and her husband is at home. Also Penelope’s husband is a somewhat multidimensional character. There were some good scenes and some real emotions in I’m Fine and Neither Are You, but it didn’t knock my socks off. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.

This title is very appropriate as it was sad to see how one woman who encouraged others to find beauty in all things couldn't find it in herself. I am glad that Penelope and Sanjay used it as the reason to make changes and truly start to live again. I really liked this book.

Great book! I enjoyed the interaction between Penny and Sanjay. I also enjoyed Penny's quest to do the right thing. There were a few places where the marital relations made me blush. This was the first book I've read by Camille Pagan but it won't be the last!

Loved this book! It had a sweet, heartfelt plot line about the complexities of relationships that I really related two. I liked the dynamic between the main character and her husband, and thought their relationship felt super realistic. Would highly recommend!