I've been procrastinating this one to the point of listening to it not through Netgalley but my own audiobook subscription on the app I use since it got archived before I finished it.

I do find this book very interesting, especially how it portraits the relationship between the main character and her family, and... wine. It's a very hard but I think a very needed discussion, since it's mostly just omitted, not thought about, sometimes even flatly ignored. Everyone has their problems but we tent to not talk about the problems of people that seem to "have it all". After all, they "have it good".

Anyway, it was really interesting but the pace was pretty slow and there were times when it was hard to stay focused. I really liked the audiobook tho. A bit long, but it was great to listen to when doing house chores.

This stunning debut pulled me in from the very first page, and I quickly found myself ignoring my other responsibilities just to stay immersed in Leah’s world. Her struggles with identity, creativity, and complex family dynamics felt incredibly real, and the tension between her and her mother-in-law added emotional depth. The writing is heartfelt and honest, capturing the bittersweet layers of motherhood and personal sacrifice. I devoured it far quicker than I expected, and the characters have stayed with me since.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the audio arc which I listened to in exchange for this honest review.

Excellent excellent excellent novel about motherhood, strained family dynamics, casual alcoholism - giving very much "I was a functioning alcoholic 'til nobody noticed my new aesthetic." Narrator was fabulous!

What a brilliant debut!

The way Jessica portrayed Leah’s slow burn spiral into heavy addiction was enthralling, I devoured this in under 8 hours.

Leah was reckoning with a life she didn’t necessarily choose for herself and what she perceived as the cloying perfection of her mother in law & the extended family. She is also harbouring a big secret and this contributes massively to her state of mind and subsequent attempts to numb herself.

A gripping read, I was on the edge of my seat and am ready to read more from this author!

Mia Hutchinson-Shaw’s narration made this extra addictive and production was on point.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author - what a privilege to be able to listen to a debut of this calibre.

4.25

This was a good book on motherhood and addiction, and how easy it can be to fall into addiction while trying to deal with motherhood. I highlighted so many passages that seem so applicable for all moms.

Genuine, realistic and heartaching...!

It is a slow-burning, reflective novel that really stays with you. It’s for those readers who don’t mind sitting with morally gray characters, and who want an honest, unfiltered look at how motherhood can collide with personal identity, addiction, and all the emotions in between.

What made this story stand out for me was how it tackled themes we don’t often see in fiction...infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, even the raw resentment that can sometimes come with motherhood. These are stories that need to be told. I found them handled with care and honesty, and at times, it was painfully relatable. I saw myself feeling deeply in so many of the main character’s moments... the doubt, the guilt, the exhaustion, and also the quiet strength.

It’s heartaching, yet there’s a quiet hope threaded through the pain. The narration in the ALC really fit the tone of the story... soft, emotional, and immersive. I felt like I was right there, living through it with her.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher HarperCollins Focus & Harper Muse for the ALC. This one truly deserves to be read and embraced.

4.5 stars ✨

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

More than I expected, in a good way! I felt like it was a very accurate portrayal of someone in Leah's position, and it keep me hooked waiting to see how things turned out for her and her loved ones. I would definitely read more by this author.

This was a deeply emotional and at times very difficult book to read. Leah, wife, mother, artist, is struggling with her identity; with all she lost over the years and with trying to fit in with her husband’s seemingly perfect family.

As the book unfolds, so does Leah’s dependence on alcohol. It quickly becomes a crutch, something she needs to get through the day. This starts having a toll on Leah’s physical and mental health, along with her relationships. Countless times throughout the book, I was so angry with Leah and her actions. Despite this, the book managed to humanize Leah. Her actions, her addiction, weren’t simple. She wasn’t a bad person.

The book and Leah’s story are about so much more than addiction. It’s a beautiful, heartbreaking yet hopefully story about secrets, accountability, forgiveness, and love. It’s about family, the complexity of relationships, and who we can rely on for help. I leave another of my favourite quotes that captured this:
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 t𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘮 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴-𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘬𝘦𝘺𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯.

I can’t imagine how difficult this book was to write. Thank you to the author, for sharing this deeply personal story. I’m amazed this was a debut and can’t wait to read what you’ll write next. Biggest thank you to the publisher for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

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. Good narraton

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.

Mia Hutchinson-Shaw was a great choice for the narration of this book. Her voice really suited Leah and she did a great job with her mother in law, Christine. The narration really added to my experience of this book in a positive way.

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.

This is a vulnerable story that take a closer look at what happens when the life you have spent every day building starts to feel most like a cage and the claustrophobia gets worse and worse. It truly details the growth of resentment, relationships, self-identity and everything in between. All the layers adding up until we no longer recognize ourselves.
The vulnerable representation of Leahs character is so real and keeps you hooked even when she is not likeable.

A cozy mystery about a fictional coastal town. I enjoyed the setting as well as the plot. The narrator was enjoyable as well.

Absolutely loved this story that resonated with me so much! This was the first novel I read from this author and it won’t be the last!

This was a beautiful, heartbreaking, powerful book, as well as a deep look at alcoholism and substance abuse. I really enjoyed the audio book of this - I feel like the audiobook was that much more powerful, as if Leah is talking to you while the story goes on. There are so many complicated feelings throughout this book, and it felt almost healing to listen to. Definitely a high recommendation for this one - especially the audiobook!

The narrator was EXCELLENT, and once I really got into the book, I was hooked with not only the story, but also the narrator's voice. This narrator was the absolute perfect choice.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

This was a beautiful story. I found the story and characters so addicting and I thought about them well after I finished the book. What a great debut novel by Jessica Guerrieri! She wrote about an active addiction so clearly and in a heartbreaking and authentic way. If feels like an honest account of living with addiction, and how it impacts those who love the person that is struggling. And kudos to the narrator! The audiobook was a great listen.

There are several content warnings: alcoholism, addiction, abortion, miscarriage, & PPD.

Thank you to NetGalley & Harper Muse for this audio-ARC. This is my honest review.

Leah’s life takes an unexpected turn when she becomes pregnant. A decade later, she’s the mother of three, feeling trapped and resentful as her professional dreams have been put on hold by the demands of motherhood. Her husband, Lucas, is launching a new business, adding more pressure at home, and her long-standing tension with her mother in law adds to the emotional load. As Leah’s struggle with addiction deepens, her behavior becomes increasingly erratic.This is an incredible debut and is a raw and honest look into life with active alcoholism. It’s a deeply honest story of addiction, redemption, accountability, forgiveness, and acceptance. Inspired in part by the author’s own experiences with addiction, her own vulnerability in sharing some of these stories was incredibly powerful. Leah is deeply flawed, yet relatable and sympathetic and I was rooting for her to find healing and peace.This is a phenomenal debut which is heartbreaking, compassionate, and is a story that you will think about long after you finish it.

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.