Some say this book is only for a specific group- mothers. However, I’m not a mother and I found it curious. Maybe it’s because I’m adopted and I always wondered the why behind my biological mother’s decision.

Women on the Verge by Kim Hooper is a curious and thought-provoking look at modern womanhood. Following three women—Nicole, Katrina, and Rose—the novel explores the tensions between personal desires and societal expectations. Hooper’s writing captures the emotional depth of their struggles with identity, motherhood, and life choices, making it a reflective read for anyone curious about the complexities of women’s lives.

What makes the book memorable is its unflinching look at topics often brushed aside—postpartum depression, the weight of societal expectations, and the conflicting emotions that come with motherhood. Hooper writes with compassion but doesn’t sugarcoat the difficult choices women must make. Each character’s perspective is layered and complex, reminding us that there is no single “right” path when it comes to family or fulfillment.

check the trigger warnings before reading this book !

It can be very difficult if you experienced (are experiencing) the same struggles and difficulties.
I'm 21 and want to have children so I don't really know how to rate it, motherhood is an absolute unknown world.
Still loved it !

thank you netgalley for the copy

WOW, I finished this in 24 hours, I was so obsessed and the twists really got me good. I don’t have kids but as a raging young angry woman raised by a stay at home mom, I resonated with so much of the content. I viscerally felt the frustration, heartbreak, grief, despair, and anger throughout the book. I didn’t love the final twist and definitely could have done without it. Besides that, I looooved this book and would recommend it to anyone, particularly those who are DONE with being forced into silent and complacent roles by the patriarchy.

A very easy immersive read. A lot of relatable aspects inside. I’m very thankful to have received a copy

I really enjoyed this book! It really picked up for me in Part 2, and I found the exploration of mothermood, relationships, and grief to be really, really interesting. Thank you for this copy!

I have mixed feelings on this book. For the most part I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was so easy to get into, I was immediately hooked and interested in knowing more about Nicole and her life. There were twists that I didn't see coming and twists that I didn't like but I also understand were important for how the story develops. I will put a spoiler version of this review on my goodreads.

Overall I really enjoyed my experience reading this book. It made me cry which is hard for a book to do for me, so it automatically gest high remarks for me for that. It deals with some incredibly important topics like motherhood, identity, grief, relationships, self-worth, mental health and more. There was a section on grief and death that was so much like how my grandmother died and how I felt at the time, even in the responses from other characters. It was like experiencing the whole event again through someone else's eyes. I guess that’s indicative of good writing that it became so vivid for me.

Overall a 4.25 stars for the reading experience. I found myself wanting to go back to it even though I was in a bit of a slump.

From the first page, I was HOOKED - Hooper's writing style is flowy, engaging, and thought-provoking while hopeful and humorous at the same time. Now, I'll admit - this book won't be for everyone. Starting with Nicole, my opinions on her wavered back and forth - one chapter I loved her while I couldn't stand her the next! She brings a lot of morals into question, and while I don't condone the majority of her actions, as a toddler mom trying to currently find my way back to myself, I could empathize and relate to a lot of what she was going through. While I don't know Hooper personally, I felt like this one came from the heart - it was honest, raw, beautiful and ugly.

I finished this book in less than two days and stayed up way too late reading it! Without giving too much away, I laughed out loud at some of the interactions with her daughters and ugly cried later in the book - I felt ALL the emotions.

BUT THE ENDING?!?! WHAT WAS THAT ENDING?!?! This would have been a 5/5 if it weren't for that ending. It had SO much potential and the last few chapters felt like a cop out. Unfortunately, my rating suffered because of that.

This book accurately reflects the struggles those who are experiencing womanhood are facing and the expectations they have to live up to. This book was amazing and I think we need more books that expose what women feel they need to live up to.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I ended up having to buy the audio book to finish it because it archived before I downloaded so well played! :)

Like the other readers, I really enjoyed the beginning but the ending was not it for me. I really enjoyed all three of the women's stories. As a mother, I found some parts relatable, and some parts not so much but motherhood is different for everyone depending on the circumstances.

Would be an interesting book club pick!

Thank you NetGalley for sending me this book! I’ll be honest, this isn’t one that I would have chosen for myself. But I am SO glad I read it! I was hooked on the story the entire time but the twist at the end really got me. Without giving away any spoilers there were times when this book got pretty emotional, but I’m glad we ended on a positive, hopeful note. Would absolutely recommend.

Thank you Amazon Publishing for my #gifted ARC and thank you Brilliance Publishing for the #gifted ALC! #BrilliancePublishing #BrillianceAudio #AmazonPublishingCreator #WomanOnTheVerge #KimHooper

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐊𝐢𝐦 𝐇𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧, 𝐀𝐛𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐧𝐨, 𝐉𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐌𝐜𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐰, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟏, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

Woman on the Verge was an emotional and intense read about motherhood and marriage and follows three women as they struggle to define themselves and all the expectations placed on them. This book was raw and accurately portrayed motherhood and also other themes of grief, identity loss, and mental health. I appreciated the authentic look at motherhood, and I enjoyed how the characters were developed. Nicole, Katrina, and Rose each had their own struggles and I thought the author did an excellent job with the character development with this book. With all that said, I definitely enjoyed this book and wish the ending was different than how things turned out.

🩵Multiple POV
🩵Character Driven
🩵Flawed Characters
🩵Motherhood
🩵Kindle Unlimited

🎧The audiobook was beautifully narrated by a talented cast, which included Dana Green, Abigail Reno, Jordan Claire McCraw, and Amanda Stribling. I thought each did an excellent job brining their characters to life and would definitely recommend this one on audio if you’re looking for a new audiobook! I really enjoyed my time listening to this one!

Posted on Goodreads on July 23, 2025: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around July 23, 2025: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on July 23, 2025
**-will post on designated date

The ending did surprise me a bit, I thought I had it figured out. But I loved it still, even though the ending seemed rushed but realistic to some degree. Wonderful read though, I would like to explore more from the author!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7702858788

Incredible book, I laughed, I cried and I related with this book so much. Would highly recommend really well developed characters and honestly I just inhaled this book it was so good

Does anyone really understand how motherhood affects you until you yourself become a mother ?? I was a teenager mother myself and remember my grandmother remarking, that my carefree days were over ! I had no idea what she meant but now with three grown up sons I definitely do.

Motherhood is full of complexities and this book delves into some of them. Some mothers bond immediately with their children while others find the role more difficult. The loss of identity is also a real issue many people ignore.

Mothers nowadays also tend to have to juggle many plates, work, childcare and domestic duties , sometimes with little or no help ..

The three female characters in this book are all struggling with the challenges of motherhood. I was intrigued by each of their stories and didn’t see the major twist before it came! Sometimes an uncomfortable read for me with an ending I didn’t see coming, but one which was honest and enlightening.

Woman on the Verge by Kim Hooper (book cover is in the image) takes on a journey with three women struggling with the challenges of motherhood. Dealing with the themes of family and gender roles, and meatal health, this book will be great for fans of Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by Jessica Guerrieri.

The cast of narrators made it easy to stay engaged and guaranteed that each character had a unique voice, enabling me to finish this book in one day.

Thank you @brilliancepublishing, @amazonpublishing / Lake Shore Publishing and @netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this ALC and read this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 3 Stars
Pub Date: Jul 01 2025

#BrilliancePublishing
#LakeShorePublishing
#WomanontheVerge
#KimHooper
#WomansFiction
#yarisbooknook
#NetGalley

Thank you to the publisher, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for providing me with an early copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

I really enjoyed this! Very gripping & certainly a page turner. Would definitely recommend to anyone who likes books about the intricacies and hard parts of motherhood (The Push by Ashley Audrain is an ambitious, but simple comp).

There are many a twist and turn (some more predictable than others, but all entertaining). Definitely not a book for everyone, but will resonate with many. Didn't love the ending, but it didn't ruin the rest for me.

Motherhood: the only job from which you may never resign… or can you?

Woman on the Verge asks that question and more — diving headfirst into the psychic unraveling that can follow when womanhood, motherhood, career, family, and identity all come crashing down at once. It’s brutal. It’s bold. And by the end, it’s absolutely brilliant.

But let’s be clear: I was not sold at first. The opening hundred pages felt like a slow, suffocating drip of Nicole’s million little miseries — loss of self, an emotionally oblivious husband, career sacrifice, caregiving for a dying parent. Want to validate your choice to remain childfree? Here’s your book.

And yet — Katrina’s affair offered just enough contrast, just enough intrigue, to keep me hanging on. Yes, Elijah felt too-good-to-be-true. Yes, the insta-love strained credibility. But I wanted to believe. I guessed the first twist early, and suspected the larger one — but instead of being disappointed, it kept me reading. I was curious: how would the author weave it all together and bring it to a satisfactory conclusion?

Enter: Part Two.

That’s where everything clicks. The diary entries. Rose’s academic mind offers a smart device for including relevant research, quotes, and statistics without losing narrative flow. Suddenly, it’s not just a domestic drama — it’s a cultural critique, decades in the making.

Grief pulses through this novel — not just for people lost, but for selves lost. For futures imagined but unrealized. For mothers, and the question of whether we are doomed to become them.

This is a story about trauma, coping, anticipatory grief, and the terrifying freedom of choosing yourself. About how we manage to survive the lives we never asked for.

By the final chapters, I was fully in. Five stars. No question. AND-- I doubt (m)any men will pick this one up, but I would *HIGHLY* recommend this to any man. Yes, it is Women's Fiction, but if there's any part of you that aspires to see into the recesses of your partner's mind, this is a must read for you, too.

Thank you so much to netgalley for providing me with this ebook.
This book was painful yet amazing, it conveyed some of the greatest fears in women regarding motherhood.
Nicole was a perfectly understandable character and I truly feel bad for her and for her family in general. The author did an amazing job at making me feel exactly what the characters were feeling.

Woman on the Verge by Kim Hooper

Nicole has two very young daughters and has become a stay at home mum after her last job ended. Her husband's career has been very successful and he is very committed to it so almost all responsibility for the home and children falls to her. When Nicole's dad becomes terminally ill, this crisis combined with the absolute overwhelm of caring for two toddlers pushes her to the edge.

I loved this book so much. I highlighted so many paragraphs on my Kindle as they had such resonance. The paradox that Nicole ended up in the same position as her mother before her, despite the supposed advances in women's rights, equality etc., was cleverly done. And the twists in the novel - didn't see them coming at all! Very VERY highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.