One of the things I really like about reading is the stories, the glimpse into another world. I like to read about people who are different than me and see that we are all struggling with decisions that life gives us. A good writer makes you forget about these differences and let’s you focus on similarities that bind us.

I had the privilege of meeting these authors at a book event and I immediately loved them. Their friendship was so evident. I loved watching how they interacted with each other, supporting and teasing one another.

This book was great. I loved the exploration of race and class and I always enjoy books set in schools. Was it believable that a woman as smart as Nina would find herself unexpectedly pregnant? Maybe not. Was it still a fun read, watching a friendship between grown women support and challenge each other, a mother/daughter relationship be stretched, a romance develop? Absolutely.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eArc in exchange for my honest review. I wanted to love this a lot more than I did, and my opinion does not seem to be the popular one. I really struggle with miscommunication and most conversations felt full of it.

This was a good read. I like the empowerment of women of color, and also seeing some of the familiar challenges that the character faced. I would recommend to others.

I really liked this book, it was different than anything else I've read which was a breath of fresh air. I will be recommending this to my friends, and auto buy this author!

This book was a tough one for me to get through. I really enjoyed Nina and Marisols banter and connection but sometimes their communication was short and not fully formed. I was unsympathetic to Nina and her predicament of getting pregnant at 43 and not wanting to raise a mixed child. I thought the theme had promise but overall this was too all over the place and surface level for me to buyin.

I loved the themes of education, family, and the second 1/2 of life. Loved the character and found the book equally interesting and quirky. Bad choices and the results of them resonates.

This book wasn’t necessarily my favorite recent read, but I do appreciate the story and I found the characters to be quite relatable. I recommended it to a friend who absolutely loved!

I DNF'ed this book unfortunately. Could not get into the book and did not find it laughable at all...

It might not sound fair, but Nina’s attitude throughout this book made me dislike The Better Half.

I can almost understand Nina’s position on most things. Sure, Leo is a first-time dad from a very white family, about to embark on a complicated journey. Leo’s personality is usually pretty chill, so it would be easy to assume he wasn’t taking any of this seriously. But even from the outside, through a rather distorted viewpoint, it takes barely a moment of thought to realise that Leo is trying much harder than he’s given credit for. Nina has been turning him down from the moment they met, and he’s been persistent without being creepy; he’s pursued her and worked hard to make their relationship work while Nina withholds, shows up late, and assumes the worst out of some narcissistic self-image problems. Leo is a successful lawyer, so we have to assume he worked hard through university and his career; he was in charge of opening an international office so he’s obviously good at his job, and when he returns early, it’s done pretty seamlessly, further proving that he’s an adult with his priorities straight and his stuff figured out. Nina degrades him, babies him, assumes he’s got the wrong perspective, and makes very little effort to connect to him or his family. Leo returns this behaviour with love, kindness, stability, and an incredible effort to connect to her and her family. Why Leo is still around at all is a mystery to me.

If it was only this, I could understand the point of this romance novel. But Nina is also judgmental about every other person she encounters. She judges Rowan’s behaviour and makes bets about his relationship. She ignores advice from her best friend, who clearly has much more emotional intelligence. Nina is oblivious to her father’s life, assuming it revolves around her. She lets her ex-husband make degrading comments about Leo and even seems to let them affect how she feels. She puts off any serious parenting that needs to be done and blames everyone else for her daughter’s issues. She avoids board members and parents from the school she runs because she doesn’t like them and allows this dislike to delay decisions and complicate matters. She puts off confronting and disciplining staff members when it’s sorely needed. Nina, described as a strong, competent, confident Black woman who’s worked harder than she should have had to earn her position, is actually judgmental, passive-aggressive, and deeply insecure while procrastinating most important tasks.

The entire narrative felt overwhelmingly one-sided and insincere. Nina takes from everyone, giving very little back while still expecting more. It made most of Nina’s life unlikely - from close family members to lifetime friendships to a successful, competent adult man working so hard to have a family and relationship with her. I can understand her feeling cynical, jaded, or even exhausted, but the neverending gloom and judgment were too much for me.

Nina has worked very hard to get to where she is in her 40s. She's happily single, has an amazing new job where she's breaking new ground, and her teenage daughter is spreading her wings off at boarding school. Nina is ready to finally put herself first. A one-night stand that becomes a summer fling threatens to change all of it. Within a few months of her new job, everything starts coming off the rails.

This book was simply a joy to read. I loved these characters so much. The dynamics among family members and friendships were such a delight. The plot development was also very well done. I loved how the story unfolded throughout the year. Definitely recommend this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Mindy's Book Studio for the ARC of The Better Half.

Nina isn’t sure she wants to have it all, but the time has come to make some hard choices.

Nina Morgan Clarke’s teenaged daughter is gaining more independence and Nina finally has achieved her dream job. All the pieces of her perfect life are falling into place, so she and her best friend Marisol head away for a weekend to celebrate. She doesn’t expect to meet anyone, but sometimes when something is meant to be, it will happen regardless of expected plans.

The fun summer with her weekend fling, Leo, seems certain to end when he has to move for work, but then they suddenly have more reason than ever to stay together. While Marisol and the other important people in Nina’s life see changes coming, Nina is the one most reluctant to adjust her vision of a perfect future.

This story was an intense family drama that was hard to put down. Things could have gone so many different ways for all of the characters, and their growth both individually and in their relationships with each other was inspiring. The main plot and intricate subplots earned 4 out of 5 stars, with Nina’s dad, Fitzroy, and Marisol being favorite supporting characters.

This was an interesting book for me. I enjoyed the writing even though I didn’t really enjoy the story. I think the authors did a good job of collaborating. The characters were enjoyable. I just didn’t think it was that great of a plot and too predictable.

This writing duo never disappoints and I was thrilled to receive this copy of THE BETTER HALF from Mindy’s Book Studio thanks to MBC Books.

Nothing like kicking off a month but with a good book, and this one was such a great story full of parenting themes, the complexities of school politics and expectations — I love that Alli and Asha met in academia and brought us this well-written story of a rounded women living her life with such heart and inspiration, not shying away from the tough topics.

I enjoyed The Better Half by Alli Frank and Asha Youmans. The story is about Nina who is the mom of a 16 year old daughter who finds herself in.a new relationship with Leo and then expecting a new baby. I appreciated the interplay of Nina's professional life along with her personal life. A major component of the story is the interracial love story between Nina and Leo and especially how will he raise a black child. The straight talk was refreshing and elevated this story.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of The Better Half in exchange for an honest opinion. The Better Half is available now.

This book was funny, heartfelt and had some fun twists and turns. It feels very timely and covers many current social issues. I really liked the friendship between Nina and Marisol and Nina's father Fitzroy.

Thank you to NetGally and Mindy's Book Studio for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Somehow this book achieves both humor and heart, comments on pressing social issues and champions feminist views. I really felt like I was dropped down in Nina's life and I was rooting for her to have her happy ending, however that looked for her. There were lots of struggles as a 40something parent that I shouldn't have related to, as I am neither of those things, but I totally did relate. Nina's dad and Marisol were probably my favorite characters, though! They are both hilarious. I received an advance review copy for free and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.

I really enjoyed this book. It started off a bit slow, but as it progressed, I couldn’t put it down. I highly recommend it!

Nina Morgan Clarke is the definition of a Strong Independent Black Woman. She has a boss babe job, a PhD, and is single mother to a sixteen-year old young woman,. The Better Half begins the summer before Nina's first term as Head of School at Royal-Hawkins, an elite private school in Pasadena, California. This summer, with her new job, graduate school completed, and her daughter attending boarding school in New York, Nina finally feels like it's her turn. Until she unexpectedly falls for a White corporate type man when a fling turns into much more.

The Better Half tackles themes of race in America with the appropriate dash of wit and lightheartedness as Nina navigates this new relationship and how it changes her own self-view. Aside from being poignant and timely, the writing is funny and natural, so the reader does not feel hit over the head with its social themes. The plot takes a bit more time to get into but picks up quickly once it takes off. The writing could at times be served from going straighter to the point.

The Better Half is a story about an accomplished woman who faces challenges in her personal and professional life. The book touches on important themes such as women power, interracial relationships, school politics, self-worth, and family values. However, the long backstories and teachings can make reading tiresome. The characters are interesting but the don’t leave an indelible mark in me. I recommend this book to those who are looking for a story that shows how empowered women navigate life.

Thank you NetGalley, Alli Frank, and Asha Youmans for the chance to read this book and to share my honest thoughts.