I should have peeped the tagged genres more closely before requesting an e-ARC; I requested a copy because Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is marked as literary fiction. However, Guerrieri's novel is more focused on romance than I prefer, and this is on me and not a critique of the novel. My thanks to HarperCollins Focus, Harper Muse, and NetGalley for an ARC.

I really enjoyed Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea! This book had such an eerie, atmospheric vibe that pulled me in right from the start. The coastal setting was beautifully written, adding to the haunting and mysterious tone throughout the story. I loved the slow build of suspense as Violet tries to figure out who—or what—River really is. Their relationship was intense and a little unsettling at times, which made the story even more intriguing. While there were a few parts that felt a bit rushed or could have been fleshed out more, overall it kept me hooked. The gothic elements, romance, and supernatural twists blended together so well. A really solid, chilling read that I would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys dark YA with a touch of mystery!

Jessica Guerrieri's debut novel is a beautifully crafted piece of literature.
Please note the author’s trigger warnings as it addresses significant issues including pregnancy loss, child loss, alcoholism, mental illness, suicide and childhood trauma.
Leah and Christine are complex characters, making them initially hard to relate to. However, understanding their past experiences provided insight into their emotions and personalities.
Amy is a gentle yet strong character, who strives to maintain peaceful relationships and facilitate understanding between Christine and Leah, while coping with her own traumas and grief.
It’s an incredibly emotional and heart wrenching story and worth every moment. I loved these endearing, imperfect women.
The author's note was significant and added to the story's overall emotional impact.
The audiobook's narration enhanced the overall reading experience.
Thank you to the publisher/author for the opportunity to listen to this complimentary advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for the ALC. This was such a powerful book about alcoholism and addiction. I know this on a personal level as a child of an alcoholic that used to try to hide it. I loved reading this from the point of an alcoholic and how they think and their actions. The Audiobook was exceptional.

This is one of those books that's going to stick with me for a while. The book is told from the main character's POV as she navigates being a wife and mom and struggles to find her own identity. She uses alcohol as an escape and is in denial that she has a problem. This story is real and relatable to anyone who battles an substance addiction of their own or knows someone who does and I found myself rooting for the main character to have peace and be comfortable in their own skin. I was along for the ride and felt every bump along the way. Definitely recommend and super impressed with this debut!

Thank you to #netgalley #harpermuse for the ARC!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
Raw, gutting, and beautifully redemptive—Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is a fierce, emotionally layered exploration of motherhood, identity, and the silent unraveling of a woman on the edge.

Jessica Guerrieri’s debut is as honest as it is haunting, capturing the collision of ambition, resentment, and legacy in one woman’s messy, maddening spiral. It’s literary fiction with teeth—heartbreaking and hopeful in equal measure—and Mia Hutchinson-Shaw’s narration only deepens the impact with a performance that’s intimate, restrained, and deeply affecting.

🌊 What makes this a standout:
Leah O'Connor is achingly real. Her voice is raw, flawed, often unlikeable—and utterly relatable. Whether she’s yearning for her past or numbing herself in the present, you feel her struggle like your own.

A piercing take on Wine Mom culture. Guerrieri strips away the glamorized coping mechanisms and lays bare the isolation, the shame, the silent screams of overextension and identity loss.

Family dynamics are brilliantly complex. The tension between Leah and her mother-in-law Christine simmers with decades of unspoken expectation, and the loyalty tug-of-war involving sweet sister-in-law Amy adds emotional stakes that hit hard.

The writing is lush and literary without losing momentum. From internal monologues to loaded conversations, every word feels intentional and earned.

Hutchinson-Shaw’s narration elevates the experience. She doesn’t perform Leah—she embodies her. Every tremble, bite, and pause draws you further into the storm.

💔 Final thoughts:
This isn’t a light read—it’s a reckoning. But it’s also a story about the power of truth, the pain of silence, and the radical act of reaching out before the tide pulls you under.

Five stars for a novel that dares to ask what happens when you love your family, but forget how to love yourself. It will break you—and then it will hand you a lifeline.

Julia Guerrieri's debut novel is a compelling deep dive into the messiness of modern family life - and I couldn't stop listening to the audio book. I'm a sucker for a good family drama , especially the kind that makes mine feel a little less chaotic by comparison. 
Leah has been married to Lucas - and tethered to his overbearing family - for over a decade. As her life begins to unravel, she's forced to confront the widening gap between the life she imagined and the reality she is living. At the heart of the story is the tension-filled relationship between Leah and her mother-in-law, and the emotional toil it takes. Struggling to cope, Leah turns to alcohol, and the fallout touches every corner of her world. 
This novel is filled with secrets, tension, and emotional depth. The characters are flawed yet wholly relatable, and the story feels like a genuine glimpse into the complex, often painful dynamics of family, motherhood, and friendship. 
Thanks to Netgally and Harper Collins Focus | Harper Muse for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. 
#netgally #betweenthedevilandthedeepbluesea #familydramarread #harpercollinsfocus #harpermuse #aprilsbookishadventures

Raw and beautiful, this book grabbed hold of my thoughts and my heart. It explores heavy, real, complicated topics like infertility, relationship with family, and alcoholism against the lens of marriage and motherhood. The question it returns to again and again is how do you be yourself when everything and everyone is demanding so much of you. Leah feels like she has lost herself and turns more and more to alcohol to remember herself before marriage, children, and life. But will trying to find herself cause her to lose everything? The writing drew me in and the characters and situations felt real. I am still thinking about the book and the question of finding a way to be true to yourself.I listened to the audio as well and the narrator did a good job of bringing the story and the characters to life. I recommend this to readers that enjoy books about the messiness of life and family.

Oh man, this was a tough read. Jessica Guerrieri, the author, captured so many of life’s hardest moments in a beautiful way. The story is told from the perspective of Leah, a woman who married into a close-knit family of three sons. Leah is extremely close to Amy, who becomes her sister-in-law, but struggles to form a strong relationship with Christine, her mother-in-law.

The story follows along through the trials of not only Leah’s life, but others in the story. Alcoholism, infertility, child loss, depression, suicide, and more are covered in this book. They’re written in an extremely relatable way and are captured in such a raw way.

The loss of oneself in relation to becoming a wife and a mother is touched on as well. Something I’ve felt in my journey with motherhood. Seeing others around you and wondering if they’re feeling what you feel. The guilt for wanting to be independent while motherhood breaks in to every part of your life.

Pre-Read Notes:

Here's where I'm at. 30% of the way through and I still don't know what the title means. That's cool, sometimes titles don't come clear until a book's final line. But since I chose the book in large part *because* of the title, I'm feeling lost. I'm feeling lost also because at 30% in, there's still no sign of a primary contlict. (*edit This approach to conflict is by design, and it. is. brilliant!) Although I love the feminist subtext and the fact the author included trigger warnings in the front matter. THANK YOU for this. It's so important. Also, this audiobook narrator is giving an amazing reading!

"We speak in nonthreatening, ambiguous terms because none of us really cares all that much. Every so often someone is a little too honest: “We are getting divorced,”they say, or “My husband’s mother died.”After politely inquiring further, we grow impatient, wondering how much longer we should stand there miming concern over other people’s hurt when we are already buried in our own." p104

Final Review

Honestly I wasn't sure if this book was for me, and I really struggled with the first half, which seemed to wander a bit. But the second half completely blew me away! This is the first book I've ever read that made me understand wanting to read it again for the first time.

I am also in love with this author's empathy and compassion for people with mental illness, like addiction and PPD. It's deeply amazing to read a book that isn't full of casual ableism. If this is a pain point for you too, definitely check this book out.

I recommend it also to fans of whip smart women's fiction, experimental form, and feminist themes. If you like Such a Good Mom (my review!) you should enjoy this.

My 3 Favorite Things:

✔️The narrative voice is somewhat addictive. She keeps referring to "mommy juice" and if this book were a drink, it would be that.

✔️ It's sort of healing for me to come in this close to several different parenting styles, in the low stakes process like reading a book. It has given me unexpected insight into my own miserable childhood (which led me in part not to be a mom) and even the parenting I experienced. This book may not be perfect (is there such a thing?) but it is honest and completely unjudgmental about parenting, especially momming.

✔️ It took me a little while to get to know them, but the characters in this story are fascinating. I really relate to the narrating character, and Christine reminds me of my own mom, for better or worse. I ended up very invested by the end, despite the lack of a primary conflict. *edit The author does this with the conflict by design and she executed it brilliantly. Wow!

Notes:

1. content warnings: alcohol consumption, alcoholism, addiction, abortion, miscarriage, ppd, family politics, early childhood stress

Thank you to the author Jessica Guerrieri, publisher Harper Collins, and NetGalley for an accessible audiobook copy and a digital copy of BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA. All views are mine.

This is a mind blowing impressive debut. It's an emotional story that peels back the layers of motherhood with the backdrop of addiction. It's raw and so real. The audio book was superbly executed.

I absolutely loved this book! It was a bit slow in the beginning for me, but it soon began to build and the tension was so palpable. It's impossible to not feel for Leah. She's a very complex character and well developed. I think this is such an important read and will help many to have a better understanding for those suffering with alcoholism. I gained so much empathy.

Wow! I was so engrossed with this one from the beginning! This took something foreign to me in my own life, addiction, and brought in something so familiar, motherhood. It was beautiful and heartbreaking and so well written! I finished it within a couple of days.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author/publisher for providing me with an ARC. All opinions are entirely my own.

Impressive debut novel tackling tough issues that a young mother experiences. Guerrieri deftly navigates the slow downhill slide of daily alcohol abuse and the outcomes of the pretense to hide it. Scars created are quickly recognized by those who’ve long survived with them in her world. There was a believable realistic tone in this book that reveals the vulnerability of the victim and those around her. I do appreciate that the audiobook opened with trigger warnings because this will be hard for some to objectively judge because it comes with an emotional impact. 4 stars and recommended.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is a hauntingly beautiful novel that captivated me from start to finish. Jessica Guerrieri’s exquisite prose and richly drawn characters completely won me over. The writing is lyrical and immersive, pulling you into a world where every page feels weighted with emotion and tension.

The book’s description promises a tale of impossible choices and gripping moral dilemmas, and Guerrieri delivers on every level. The story lingers long after the final page, leaving you with a sense of awe at its depth and complexity. I finished this on April 28, 2025, and it’s still on my mind—proof of its powerful impact.

If you’re looking for a book that blends stunning writing with a dark, compelling narrative, this is it. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is a masterpiece that transcends genre expectations.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this extraordinary book in exchange for an honest review.

I’m in the minority in Goodreads. I did not like the main character. I felt zero empathy towards her. I wish I could have rooted for her or she sparked some compassion in me. On the plus side, the narrator did an excellent job.

This is a raw and harrowing dive into the life of a woman, wife, mother, and friend living in the throes of alcoholism.

The story tackles the demon of alcoholism and how it affects the addict and those around them, showing the wreckage addiction leaves in its wake. However, with beautiful authenticity and compassion, it also explores marriage, motherhood, pregnancy loss, family dynamics, loss of self, and friendship. This book is deep and immersive, yet it brings you up close, making it feel intimate and personal.

I am floored that this is a debut! The author does a brilliant job of capturing the nuances of these characters, not only their flaws but also their desires and heartaches. You feel their pain, guilt, jealousy, and longings, yet you’ll see true friendship and support in action. It is incredibly heartrending, yet waves of hope and love ripple throughout.


🎧The audiobook is narrated by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw, and she hit all the emotions perfectly. I was captivated.


Thank you @harpercollinsfocus for the gifted audiobook via #NetGalley

BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA is a raw and emotionally resonant debut about the quiet unraveling that can happen behind closed doors, especially for women navigating the relentless tides of motherhood, strained family ties, and the creeping grip of addiction.
Leah O’Conner has put her career on hold to raise three young children while managing an increasingly tense relationship with her mother-in-law. What begins as a nightly glass of wine to take the edge off slowly turns into something more dangerous. As Leah’s choices grow more reckless, she’s forced to confront the cost of the life she left behind, and the one she’s struggling to hold together.

Debut author Jessica Guerrieri writes with clarity and conviction, drawing from her own experience with alcoholism to craft a story that feels deeply honest. Leah may not be a traditionally “likable” protagonist, but her flaws are real, and her journey is one many will recognize. This novel doesn’t romanticize addiction or lean on tired “mommy juice” tropes”. It offers a more nuanced, unflinching portrayal of the weight women carry, and what it means to begin again.


READ THIS IF YOU:
-Understand how brave it is to ask for help
-Appreciate flawed female leads and unvarnished motherhood narratives
-Are drawn to raw, intimate family dramas

PUB DATE: May 14, 2025
RATING: 4/5

Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC of the audiobook of Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Leah O'Conner has married in to a very tight-knit family. She doesn't feel like she fits in. She always planned on being an artist and traveling the world. But now finds herself married and a mom of three kids. Her MIL is not a nice person and plays favorites with one of Leah's children. Alcohol abuse is the only way that Leah knows how to cope.

Jessica Guerrieri wrote a strong book but I think some will have trouble connecting with the main character. As someone who struggled as a mom and figuring out her purpose, I could relate but found Leah not to be a likable person for most of the book.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

I waited a few days to write my review, because I truly struggled with my thoughts about this book. On the one hand, it is raw, it is real and it is emotional. It brings to life the challenges of motherhood, families and the challenges faced between who we were and who we are now. The writing was emotional and I truly felt for all the characters involved. It felt real and was wonderfully well written. However, the book spends a lot of time focusing on a mothers (unhealthy) relationship with alcohol, but to me that part of the book felt superficial. The supporting characters did not seem to be quite as concerned or focused on the issue as I felt was realistic. I also felt like we heard a lot about the main character's focus on her next drink, but the reasons for why were very superficial. I wanted more emotion and grit from that part of the story than I thought was given. The book does discuss miscarriage and the absolute devastation surrounding fertility struggles. It focuses on the strength of family, even when you don't want their help (or think that they like you). And most importantly, how women can struggle with their identity during motherhood - the loneliness, the emotions and the loss of who we once were (physically, mentally, emotionally.) Overall, I enjoyed this book, I just found parts of the story to be lacking the details I felt in other parts.

thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy