4.5 stars

I was blown away by this debut! The exploration of losing your identity in motherhood, of giving all of yourself to your children and feeling like you have nothing left to give to yourself, of the struggle to regain the energy and vitality that you had in your pre-child life was so relatable it could have been my own memoir. The undercurrent of mommy wine culture was so spot on, and the brutal honesty that the author uses to approach the struggles of alcoholism and addiction was heartbreaking and raw.

I loved the friendship between Amy and Leah, and the complicated relationship between Amy, Amy's mother, and their mother-in-law Christine. The juxtaposition of Amy's mother's alcoholism and Leah's alcoholism added an important layer to this story.

Narrator Mia Hutchinson-Shaw was fantastic! There were a lot of very raw and painful moments in this book and she conveyed those emotions beautifully so that I was completely drawn in to the story. There were also parts of this story where I really questioned the decisions of the characters, and Mia's narration really brought those bad behaviors home.

✨ Review: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea ✨
By Jessica Guerrieri

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Women’s literary fiction
Format: 🎧 ALC
Steam: None
Mood: Heavy, reflective, emotional, hopeful
Yes, No, Maybe: YES!!!

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea follows Leah O'Connor, a woman struggling with the loss of her former identity as she navigates the pressures of motherhood, a strained family dynamic, and secrets leading her to rely heavily on alcohol. As her addiction deepens, Leah must confront her internal conflicts and decide whether to accept the lifeline offered by the very family she feels alienated from.

I had to let Jessica Guerrieri’s words marinate for a couple of days before I could sit down and write this review. It was such an intriguing, heart wrenching, character driven novel that read like poetry and left me captivated. It was so beautifully written! The narrator, Mia Hutchinson-Shaw, also did an amazing job bringing Jessica Guerrieri’s words to life!

At the book’s conclusion I was overcome with so many emotions and had to sit and process this story. I can’t believe this is Jessica Guerrieri’s debut novel. I have no doubt we will be seeing her name a lot in the years to come!

If you enjoy character driven drama with emphasis on identity, motherhood, and addiction I couldn’t recommend this book more. It will definitely be in my top reads of 2025!

📖Read this book if you like:
- Character driven novel
- Examination of motherhood and identity
- Family secrets
- Complex family dynamics
- Non-linear narratives
- Single point of view
-Books that involve addiction and it’s impacts on a personal and relational level

⚠️ Trigger Warnings: Contains themes related to alcohol abuse, suicide, miscarriage, and still birth

🙏 Thank you Netgalley, HarperCollins Focus, & Jessica Guerrieri for this ALC in exchange for my honest thoughts. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea publishes 5/13/25. 💖

This was such a beautifully written book, the narrator did a fabulpous job bringing the raw emotion to life.

I will definetly be reccommending this once it is finally released, it gave such a beautiful look into the struggles of motherhood.

Thankyou NetGalley, HarperCollins Focus, and Harper Muse for the ALC of this book!

Well this was fantastic. The audio was extremely well done. I feel like a mother who is struggling is just so relatable and this was so well written. I loved all the characters so much and while it felt like there were a lot of them, you know, they were all family. I have never really read about someone struggling with alcoholism in such a raw and vulnerable way. Highly recommend.

Maybe I misinterpreted what this book is about, in which case I'm sorry I requested it - but I'm sorry to say that I DNFed this book.

The writing just wasn't good enough, fine if this were a trashy thriller, but not literary quality I'm afraid. I'd probably take literary fiction off the label if I were the publisher, it's not where this book should be positioned.

Again, apologies if I got this wrong, nothing worse than a poor review from somebody who isn't your target - but I didn't put literary fiction on the label.

This a raw look at addiction and motherhood and every day struggles. Beautiful and sad all at the same time. What an engaging debut novel!

Beautifully written and remarkably meaningful.

Where to even start. This book brought me to tears, multiple times. My first 5/5 ⭐️ read of the year.

The story follows Leah who is going through life and motherhood harboring secrets and trying to make sense of the monotonous points in life. Learning how to depend on the ones who love her while suffering with addiction and acceptance. This book felt relevant and relatable. The author’s writing style is wonderful and I cannot wait to read more from Jessica.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw who was a perfect fit for the character and the quality was perfect.

Thank you Harper Muse and NetGalley for this ALC in exchange for this honest review.

I’m going to need 5 to 10 business days to get over this book.

Thank you Harper Muse and @netgalley for the opportunity to listen and thank you @jessicaguerrieriauthor for writing such an emotionally rich, poignant story of motherhood, addiction and identity.
The California coast, with its lush beaches and tumultuous sea, serves as a perfect backdrop for this exploration in one woman’s identity and how it shifts on becoming a mother. Navigating the tricky dynamics of what feels like someone else’s family. Ultimately what feels like someone else life.
While listening I asked myself a lot what are the ways I hide? Do I try to reclaim who I was instead of embracing who I am now as a mother?
It’s a wonderful, propulsive story that kept me listening and will stick with me for a long time.

Audio Read

Thank you NetGalley ARC for this opportunity to listen to this heartbreakingly good debut author story. Leah and Lucas O’Connor meet, fall in love and an unexpected pregnancy brings them together in marriage. Ten years and three children later, Leah isn’t doing so well. The business of the kids, Lucas opening a new family run restaurant with his brothers, and an intrusive mother in law (who believes she’s perfect) brings Leah to self medicate with alcohol…daily. Her drinking becomes so consuming that it affects the welfare of her family. She has to learn to break this cycle and ask for help. This was a well done heartbreaking read/listen that makes you think about your own life and how taking the wrong path could lead to terrible destruction without help.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Jessica Guerrieri
List of characters:
Leah O’Connor: mother of Joni, Dottie, and Reid, an artist.
Lucas O’Connor: Father of Joni, Dottie, and Reid
Paul: Lucas brother in law
Christine O’Connor: Matriarch of the family, Leah’s mother-in-law.
Leah was an artist. Her life was carefree, interesting, and fulfilling. She met Lucas and they bonded. Her life was happy until she discovered she was pregnant. Ten years later Leah is deeply depressed. She feels unfulfilled, stressed, bored, and unhappy. Lucas’ appeal has faded. She turned to wine and alcohol to get through each day. The O’Connor family was close, tight knit very different from Leah’s family. Leah feels stuck in a boring life and yearns for a carefree life. She is resentful and feels unfulfilled. Leah is resentful, her dependency on alcohol increases with her resentment.
Leah doesn’t trust her mother-in-law, Christine. As a mother, Christine is altruistic and appears to be the perfect mother. Leah compares herself to Christine and feels she falls short. Leah’s behavior is erratic and irrational affecting her whole family. The relationship between Leah and Christine was complex. I have mixed feelings concerning their relationship. Leah did not give Christine the credit she deserved. I agree that Christine was domineering but Christine saw Leah’s mental state.
Being a mother is not always fun and games, neither is it always easy. A mother must learn to balance her husband, children, career and herself
This is not an easy tale to read; it is dark, and heavy. This tale deals with trials we prefer not to discuss and even go so far as to hide them. Author Jessica Guerrieri shares this tale with compassion but also realism. Leah demonstrates the difference between handling and relying, showing the need for seeking help.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

WOW! It's alarming how much I resonated with Leah. A marriage expedited by pregnancy, the dynamic described between Leah & her mother-in-law Christine, the struggle with self-identity, the temptation of another man, and how overwhelming it can all be & leaning on alcohol. I have lived Leah's life... and reliving moments from my past in this characters life has reminded me how beautiful the ride of life is even when it's ugly and scary. The way the family dynamic was written in this book along with how a mother can struggle with the emotions that come from having your identity essentially change from being just you to being a mom & a wife... Feeling so empty but so full at the same time when it comes to motherhood & life. It's an ugly topic that a lot of women avoid for fear someone will think they're not a good mother but so many women go through. Along with how your marriage changes with time and how resentment can creep in because let's face it, fathers have it easier than mothers. Struggles with alcohol when it's the only thing to take the edge off... This is a beautifully written novel that was heartbreaking but comforting.

This was so close to being fantastic -- but a few one-dimensional characters and one too many over-the-top plot points really hurt it.



Review copy provided by publisher.

Jessica Guerrieri's debut novel is stunning. The story centers around Leah's journey to reclaim who she is, outside of the role of "mom", all while battling addiction. There were parts that I really felt I could relate to her as it surrounded motherhood, and then parts that I certainly couldn't with regard to the addiction piece. I didn't find her all that likeable, but to no fault of her own. The relationships she has with her extended family, and beyond, all demonstrate the wake of the path she takes. It was hard to listen at times, but ultimately really, really good. If I could give half stars, this would be a 4.5.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins Focus and Harper Muse, for gifting me an ALC of Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, written by Jessica Guerrieri and read by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw. In exchange for my gifted copy, I offer my honest review.

Wow! I can’t believe this was a debut novel. Author Jessica Guerrieri created a powerful, poetic, poignant story of motherhood and the struggles of balancing family, career and self. From the very first moment, narrator Mia Hutchinson-Shaw had me enthralled in Leah O’Connor’s complicated relationship with her domineering mother in law and the obligations of marrying into the tight knit O’Connor clan. Leah raised to be independent, with a carefree surfer lifestyle falls for the quintessential good boy, Lucas O’Conner during a California road trip. Romantic and charming, the two bond over surfing when Leah finds herself suddenly pregnant. Now 3 kids later and nearly 10 years of marriage, the charms of her husband are beginning to fade. Leah feels stuck in the monotony of motherhood and yearns for more; resentment, responsibilities and unfulfilled dreams are slowly weighing Leah down. Leah finds a little splash of wine, or a shot of vodka often helps numb her mind, but too quickly what begins as the occasional drink, spirals into a daily need. The tensions, decisions,secrets and desires all felt so raw and real. I absolutely loved this book. I have no doubt, this book will make its way to my top reads of 2025 and will be a huge success upon publication.
Book publishes in May 2025!

Jessica Guerrieri’s Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is a powerful debut that explores motherhood, addiction, and identity with raw honesty. Her writing is poetic yet accessible, offering a nuanced look at the pressures women face and the allure of escape through alcohol. The novel’s emotional depth and sharp social commentary make it a compelling and thought-provoking read.

Leah's surf-filled, carefree young adulthood comes to a quick
halt when she finds out she's unexpectedly pregnant. One
marriage and three children later, Leah is entrenched in
motherhood and has seemingly lost her self-expression. Not to
mention, she's constantly trying to live up to her mother-in-law's
perfect example, and her husband is too busy with his new
business venture to notice Leah is struggling. As Leah's drinking
starts to dominate her life, the other members of the family
finally start to take notice, and once Leah's secret is out of the
bag, everyone else's begin to tumble out as well.


What a fantastic debut novel exploring the angst of motherhood,
the power of secrets, and the insidiousness of alcoholism. The
author herself is in recovery, and this is so evident in her telling
of this story. The transitions between Leah's past and present
were sometimes a little jarring, but both timelines deserved
their time in the spotlight. I tandem read and listened to this
novel, and enjoyed both. 1 predict this one is going to be BIG
and appeal to a wide audience.

Jessica says in the final author's note 'As a person in recovery, my intention was to expose the harrowing experience of being a mother in act of addiction.. . In my addiction, I was never a bad person trying to be good. I was a sick person trying to be well'

This book was a raw exploration of exactly that. If you've ever had to deal with a friend of a member of your family dealing with addiction, please read this book when you feel like you're ready. While not an easy read, it does shed light on the reasons and the traps people have in their path to addiction but also out of it.

The friendship between the two sister (-in-law) is my most favourite part of the novel, together with soem moments when Lia, the protagonist is 'God-shocked', as she calls it, at one of the AA meetings.

Her secret (or so she would like to believe) addiction reverberates in all aspects of her life and only when she finally admits to herself the path she is on can never lead to good, does she begin to turn it around. The way this allows her to finally be open about her feelings with her husband and have a real conversation is another deeply meaningful moment in the book.


Thank you Netgalley for this audio ARC.

WOWWWWW! DEBUT BOOK???? OMG. This book hooked me instantly and held onto me until the authors note after the story ended. The story of addiction of Leah was heartbreaking and raw. I loved the audio narration and felt very connected to her storytelling. I thought this story was beautiful and one I will want to discuss as a book club. So much to unpack!

I struggled to get into this book and had to pull the plug. Given how many people seem to have loved it, I might try again at a later date.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by Jessica Guerrieri is an incredible debut that left a deep impression on me. The writing is nothing short of phenomenal—Guerrieri has a way with words that pulls you in and doesn’t let go. She beautifully captures the complex, raw emotions of motherhood and the challenges it brings. What truly stood out to me is how she explores the struggles mothers face and the profound impact it has on a family when those struggles aren’t addressed or properly dealt with. The emotional depth in this story is palpable, and Guerrieri doesn’t shy away from portraying how difficult, yet crucial, it is to seek help and support. This novel is a powerful reminder of the importance of self-care and the toll neglecting our own well-being can have on those we love. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is a thought-provoking, emotional rollercoaster and an amazing debut. I can’t wait to see what Jessica Guerrieri does next.