This was such a heartbreaking and painful book to read. With every mistaken step that Leah takes, I wanted to reach into the book and point her in a different direction. As a mother, I ached for the life she was missing out on with her children and how she potentially endangered them. As a woman, I hurt for her because she was clearly missing something and was trying to fill that gap. As a reader, I simply couldn't believe she kept making the same mistakes.

All I can say is it's a solid book that is well worth the read. You should just be prepared that this isn't a light read - - it's a bit heavy with multiple possible triggers. But I'm glad I spent time in this world with Leah and saw her go full circle.

Thank you to NetGalley for the early copy of this ebook.

I really enjoyed this book. Examining the changing role of women and their relationships I think it will resonate with a lot of readers. The relationship with the mother in law in particular is excellently written. Highly recommended.

This story is a wowsa of an examination into complicated family dynamics. Each character deals with grief or loss in a different way. Lies, alcohol and drug dependency, cheating, abusive behavior, child abuse, and suicide attempts are all in play. Kudos to the author for her in depth character development. My thanks to he and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this novel.

I wanted to like this book more than I did. I couldn't relate to Leah, and I struggled to stay interested in the plot. Thanks to the author, Harper Muse, and NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy of this ebook. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is a raw, unflinching look at motherhood and the quiet unraveling that can happen behind closed doors. Leah’s story is messy, relatable, and at times painful—but it’s also deeply human. As she struggles with resentment, addiction, and the weight of expectations, what unfolds is a powerful exploration of what happens when these collide. Jessica Guerrieri doesn’t shy away from the hard truths, and the result is a moving, complicated portrait of a woman on the edge—trying to claw her way back to herself. Honest, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful.

This ain’t my normal genre to read but I really enjoyed this book. Really liked the character and the story kept me wanting more

A drawn-out, character-driven story, I found the main character to be an irresponsible brat whose welfare I didn’t care for. It was a DNF for me.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Heavy but relatable read. So well done. Well plotted and paced. Good character development. Well written.

Wow! Jessica Guerrieri’s debut novel, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, is an absolute knockout. With sharp emotional insight and beautiful prose, Guerrieri expertly navigates complex themes of motherhood, grief, familial bonds, and the grip of addiction. The story feels raw and authentic, never shying away from the painful, messy truths that often go unspoken. I especially enjoyed the themes of how life can sometimes not turn out how you want and how you adapt to that.

At times, this book is difficult to read. Not because of the writing, but because it pulls you so deeply into the main character Leah’s world. I found myself having to take breaks, as Leah's life could feel isolating as she struggled to find her place. Guerrieri makes you sit with her protagonist’s conflicting emotions, and you feel every moment of her struggle, her longing, and her guilt. It’s a deeply human story told with compassion and nuance.

This book is about more than motherhood and family relationships, it's an exploration of identity, resilience, and the quiet desperation that can live beneath the surface of a seemingly ordinary life. An incredibly moving and thought-provoking debut.

Thank you to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

If you're looking for a new book club pick, look now further than 𝗕𝗘𝗧𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗟 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗘𝗘𝗣 𝗕𝗟𝗨𝗘 𝗦𝗘𝗔. This heart-wrenching family drama will give you so much to discuss.

In her debut novel, Jessica Guerrieri tackles a topic that's not often talked about - alcoholism among mothers. It's so culturally accepted for women to need their "mommy juice" or show up to their kids' sporting events with Stanley cups filled with alcohol but what goes unsaid is how many are using drinking as a way to self-medicate or numb. Leah, the book's protagonist, seems like one of those social drinkers and the people in her life are unaware that her problem goes deeper, even as she starts to spiral out of control.

The story is surprisingly relatable but also left me feeling like I was watching an accident happen in slow motion - it's hard to read about Leah's alcoholism, especially because the relationships and situations are so authentic. It had me tearing up by the end, as did the author's note detailing her own experiences with addiction.

I highly recommend this one on audio - the narration was terrific.

Thanks to Harper Focus and Harper Muse for the copies to review.

A great story about loss and love - how one characters journey through alcoholism and how that ripples throughout the entire family. I enjoyed the plot as well as the character development.

Very well written. Leah was not a very likable character but we were introduced to her in her downward spiral from her alcoholism. The book touches on many different things like addiction, family dynamics, motherhood, and loss of identity. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I listed to the audiobook and then read it on my own. Absolutely loved this book. The audio was fantastic too.

I will be eagerly anticipating Jessica Guerrieri's next book. Her debut novel BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA filled me with a whirlwind of emotions. The book, the characters, the story all intertwined to make me feel.

Leah O'Connor is easily relatable, she misses her old self, her old life before a husband and three children. Her life appears ideal but she has a void, she feels empty.

Leah drinks to fill the void, to ease the pain. She is harming herself and her family.

The women are the stars of this book, the overbearing mother-in-law with her own story to tell, Amy, the sister-in-law, friend that anyone would be lucky to have.

I highly recommend this book. Held me captive from the first page to the last. One of my favorite books of the year. Ms. Guerrieri is an author to watch.

This book hit me in the gut—in the best way. It’s raw, honest, and beautifully written, with a voice that feels like your smartest, funniest friend telling you the truth about motherhood, addiction, and finding yourself. I couldn’t put it down and found myself underlining so many lines. Emotional, real, and surprisingly uplifting.

I love books about motherhood and its unique struggles and this one hit the mark and then some. The added element of addiction was done so well. There were so many moments that I had a visceral reaction the the MC decisions and struggles. So incredibly well done.

Free-spirited, artist/surfer girl Leah is on an alcohol-fueled downward spiral. This book is a tough read that stares alcohol addiction, child loss, and complicated family relationships directly in the face. It’s hard to tell which relationship is the most fraught, Leah and her husband Lucas, her children, her mother-in-law Christine, her best friend Amy, or the one she has with herself. It is abundantly clear that this author has first hand experience with addiction and recovery.

Thank you to Harper Muse and NetGalley for my complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was an emotional and powerful read. Leah could easily be an unlikeable character, but instead, you empathize with her and root for her. A story that on the surface looks like a story about a woman struggling with her marriage and her life not being what she planned while dealing with a boundary crossing mother-in-law, was actually a nuanced story about the emotional load of women in a marriage with children, especially when life isn’t what you expected. We watch Leah’s spiral into alcohol dependence. At first, it seems social and fun. She’s having wine with her sister-in-law on girls’ nights. She’s drinking to get through family dinners, drinking to go to kids sporting events and needing a ride.
It’s an emotional story that brings you right alongside Leah and her struggles.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is set in a seaside town in Northern California. I did not read anything about what this book was about before I started reading it, which is generally my favorite way to start a book. However, that can backfire sometimes with unexpected dark themes. This story is narrated by Leah, an artist, a surfer, a mother of three, and an alcoholic. I found the story compelling, and was interested to see what would happen as the story slowly unfurled. I found Leah to be one of those unlikeable characters, and I did not like the decisions she was making. I also did not like her mother in law Christine, at first, probably because she is shown through Leah’s eyes. I did grow to like Christine once her tragic past was revealed. Leah’s alcoholism was unexpected, and steadily grew worse as the story went on, kind of like the waves crashing in an increasingly stormy sea. Overall, I liked the book.

Thank you to @netgalley and @harpermusebooks for the advanced reading copy. This book published May 13th.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is the debut novel by Jessica Guerrieri. It’s the story of Leah O’Connor, a young woman who has a great husband from a really close and prominent family, 3 beautiful children, a career as an artist (she’s a painter) and she suffers from alcohol addiction. Throughout the story, Leah never feels like she fits in with her in-laws. Her mother-in-law Christine seems overbearing at times. She gives off the impression that she’s the perfect mother and that everyone in the family should strive to be like her since she’s the perfect role model. Leah came from parents that were young when they had her and were not exactly great at parenting but she was fortunate to have a grandmother that she was close to. From growing up like this, she became somewhat independent and lived life on her own terms, having no one to worry about other than herself. But while dating 2 guys at the same time Leah becomes pregnant. She marries Lucas O’Connor but is never really sure if he is her daughters biological father. This secret along with other issues in her life is what serves as a catalyst to her drinking. She feels like she is losing herself, her artistic accomplishments and everything she used to be. Her identity is disappearing every since becoming a mother. It takes learning some truths, having secrets revealed, and the help of her best friend/sister-in-law Amy along with her own strong will and determination to realize she has a problem and needs to seek help. This was a fantastic debut novel and a book that many could benefit from by reading it. I really enjoyed it and must admit that I got a little emotional towards the end and needed tissues. I’d like to thank Harper Muse for accepting my request to read an early copy and NetGalley for the arc. This book covers a very difficult subject, one that many people struggle with but did it really well and I commend the author for a job well done. It’s a book I highly recommend and I look forward to reading more by this author in the future. I’m giving this book a 4.5 star rating.