This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things by Naomi Wood offers insight into the messiness of relationships and the struggle for self-identity after becoming a parent through several short stories. The premise is engaging, and Wood’s writing captures small, relatable moments with sharp wit. However, some of the stories end too abruptly while some parts of other stories drag. The characters are flawed and human, but sometimes lack the depth needed to make their journeys fully resonate. To me, the collection of short stories was enjoyable but forgettable. I’m giving it three stars for its relatability and thoughtful themes and the fact that it’s a quick, simple read. I think it would be a good palette cleanser between books. Thank you to Mariner Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Naomi is a gorgeous writer and is very thought provoking. However, I think this book in reality was a bit different than what I expected. The majority of the stories were around pregnancy and motherhood; which I don't, and don't plan to, relate to. I think I was expecting a bit more rage and angst, but the book was enticing and well written.

I enjoyed these stories. Each one features a female protagonist behaving in unlikeable ways and is designed to make you think about society’s expectations of women. Themes explored include motherhood, family, and the pandemic. Lovely writing in this funny, sharp, and thought-provoking collection! Thank you Mariner Books and NetGalley for the eARC.

I wanted to enjoy this but after the first two stories we’re complaining about motherhood I realized I would be disappointed. I feel like every “smart” book for women that comes out is just whining about motherhood, and as a single woman I have so little interest or patience in the schtick anymore.

This was not for me. I'm not the target audience and couldn't relate to the characters. The blurb sounded amazing but was Definitely misleading as to the book's tone. Also, I was confused most of the time.

Happy Publication Day to this unique collection of short stories.
This collection explores motherhood, mental health, and the feminine experience in a subtle, searing way. Not all of the stories hit me but the ones that did were great.
A/A/A/A and Wedding Day were 5/5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and Mariner Books for an advanced copy.

This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things.

Naomi Wood’s debut short story collection looks at the intricate messy reality of being a mom. The stories during Covid were strong and sadly relatable.

Some standout stories in the collection felt incredibly raw, especially the first and last one (Lesley, in Therapy & Dino Moms). Others didn’t land as strongly for me, and I am having trouble recalling them now because I wasn’t quite excited - BUT they still showcased Wood’s talent for crafting compelling characters and settings. If you’re a fan of contemporary fiction with an edge — this collection is worth picking up.

This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things is a collection of short stories on family, motherhood, love, and COVID. I'm not a huge fan of time specific stories like using COVID to place the time of the story wasn't really a hit for me. There were some that were really compelling and Wood's writing is compelling with well thought out characters.

Glib and quick little stories that feel very of-the-moment, but that I don't think will age particularly well.

Thank you NetGalley and Mariner Books for the ARC.

These were well-written short stories. However, I just didn't feel connected to any of the characters.

This collection of short stories exploring topics of femininity, love, and family was an a joy to read. Each story was distinct but fit together nicely. The writing is fantastic and compelling. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed the themes of these stories and appreciate how candidly she wrote about motherhood. The writing was sharp and I never felt disconnected from the stories, I'm very excited to have found a new author I enjoy this much!

i thought the first half of this one was definitely the strongest portion. the story about the women in the new moms group at the tech company was really great and poignant.

I hadn't realized this was a story collection right away and was confused for a moment. Whoops. I did just have my 3rd daughter 4 months ago though so sleep is sparse and mom brain is real, so this book had plenty of relatable content. I thought the first story was great and it hooked me right in. I would have loved a full novel with those characters. I enjoyed the various domestic dramas and feelings of motherhood.

This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things by Naomi Wood is a great collection of short stories.
Every story in this collection reflects an element of my experience as a woman. The stories are so well-written and it was really enjoyable.
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

A solid meh. I must admit, I didn’t realize this was a short story collection while requesting, or I probably wouldn’t have. As happens for me so often with story collections, some were good, some not so good, others mid.

This short story collection was just so-so for me. I love reading short stories, so I was very interested in reading this. The main reason I didn't love it was the humor. Some stories were meant to be satirical, but I didn't find them funny or edgy. The humor was very dry and lacking. A lot of the stories were underwhelming, and some the endings left me wanting more. Decent collection, but I've read so many better short story collections than this one.

I am obsessed with the BBC National Short Story award. I love discovering new British talent, or seeing fresh material from established masters (hello, two-time winner Sarah Hall). Writer Naomi Wood took home the award in 2023, and her debut short story collection is incredibly impressive.

Opening story, Lesley, In Therapy is brilliant. A mother returns to her job in the gaming industry after her second pregnancy, and has a minor meltdown during group therapy. This story totally captures the struggles of being a working mother who wants (and deserves) to be taken seriously.

To be honest, I wasn’t too impressed with Comorbidities the first time I read it, just before it won the 2023 National Short Story Award. But this time around I really enjoyed it. I think probably because I’m at the point in my life where juggling being a mother and a wife can seem impossible, and this story reflects this perfectly.

Dracula at the Movies is a really interesting story, about a pregnant woman directing a movie with a star who has a reputation for being “difficult”. There’s a really interesting quandary about whether it is worse to inflict horror upon someone, or have horror inflicted upon one’s self.

I’m not a big fan of covid fiction, but Peek-a-Book was really memorable. Pregnant twins go to Italy to convince their dad to leave a timeshare he's not supposed to be occupying. Covid is also addressed in Flatten the Curve, where a woman with two young children fantasizes about her neighbor. I like how this story conveyed just how monotonous covid lockdown was.

The most visceral story in this collection is Wedding Day, where a woman insists her ex brings their young daughter home in time for bed on his wedding day. There are some absolutely brutal scenes in this story. So powerful.

Every story in this collection reflects an element of my experience as a woman, wife, mother, friend, human. Wood writes with such clarity, and her characters are very well-formed. Highly recommended.

4 ⭐️. This set of short stories explored complex themes around motherhood, existing in this world as a mother, a wife and navigating through a world that is facing climate change, pandemics and consumerism. I could have read a full book of many of these characters. What a lovely time.

Thank you to NetGalley & Mariner Books for the advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

I ate this short story collection up. As a mother, I liked that a lot of these stories were about motherhood. I also liked that the author really covered a lot of different topics and situations. Some of the stories were a little out there, but I think that was fun and I genuinely enjoyed all of the stories. I look forward to reading more from this author.