I enjoyed this story of life and marriage and wondering what might have been. Claire is feeling invisible and like she has lost herself. The final straw is when her husband Paul forgets to pick her up at the airport and she has to find her own way home and sleep in the backyard. She wonders what might have been if she had made different choices. A college reunion and reconnecting with Alex, the ex that got away, has Claire remembering her younger self. But is she missing Paul and the life they have built together. She has to decide whether to see what might have been or to find a way to rebuild her marriage. It was easy to identify with Claire and her frustrations with her husband and feeling that her life was not what she planned. The lack of communication and miscommunication with Paul was annoying to read, not in a bad way, but I think I recognized it and maybe identified with it a little and I was uncomfortable with the recognition. The moments of Mom life daily chaos had me giggling at times. I recommend adding this book to your tbr, it publishes in June, if you enjoy books about life and family and relationships.

This story is so funny and relatable and an overall easy read. If you have ever just wanted to walk away from life for a minute, I think you’ll really enjoy this book!

It was so easy to connect with Claire. She is a little older (in her 40s) and has been so busy with work and her kids and her marriage. She is feeling a little lost and under appreciated and in some ways feels invisible. When Paul (her husband) forgets to get her from the airport, she feels done.

We follow along as she has a rollar coaster of emotions. She ends up at her college reunion and sees her old boyfriend and that really makes her look at her current life and ask what if. I really enjoyed the scenes with her friends!

No spoilers here, but I enjoyed the ending and am very happy for Claire!

Claire Casey’s chaotic day is as funny as it is frustrating, in the most relatable way. This book paints a very real picture of how much is expected from women, especially moms. I sometimes found myself overwhelmed by the number of characters and flashbacks, but honestly? That chaos kind of worked. Isn’t that just motherhood?

Even though the story takes place over just one day, it’s packed with moments that will feel familiar to anyone juggling a million things at once. Claire felt both frustrating and incredibly real. The writing is funny and engaging, which made it easy to keep going, even when the pacing felt a bit much.

It’s smart, funny and somewhat chaotic, just like life. Perfect for readers who enjoy books about messy, honest lives.

Review also shared on Goodreads, Storygraph and Fable.

Claire is frazzled, to say the least, and her frustrations were very relatable as an adult woman just trying to exist within the bounds and perils of society. I love that she snapped and rather than letting it break her, she chose grit. Also, I love a 2nd chance college reunion romance trope so that part was an easy sell for me. The book is told over one day, which moves the storyline quickly and helps to immerse you in the details of Claire's life. This was a fun, easy read that I think would resinate with women of all ages and backgrounds.

Claire Casey is all of us at some point in our lives.
I adored this. I felt her frustrations deeply and was cheering her on from the very first page.

Hilarious and relatable romcom of a mother who’s just had enough!
It’s a 4.5 star for me.

Exhausted, frustrated Claire, a mother of 3 with a procrastinator husband, and a mediocre writing job decides one day to change her life around.

Claire, after attending her university reunion and reconnecting with a former boyfriend, decides to put an end to her endless contemplation of the “what ifs.” Although I am not a mother myself, I can relate to the entire “what ifs” and her inner thoughts, which would likely resonate deeply with my working mother’s friends.

The book is set within a single day, primarily spanning Claire’s university days and early marriage. Liz Alterman cleverly portrays Claire’s inner conflicts in a comedic manner, making me laugh out loud.

Recommended for any woman who’s about to hit a midlife crisis, has had enough or is stuck with the thoughts of “what ifs”.

Claire Casey’s Had Enough will be out on June 3rd, 2025

Thank you NetGalley, Severn House and Liz Alterman for this opportunity!

I really enjoyed this book . It was different to her usual storylines but this made me laugh out loud several times so it was a welcome change,

To paraphrase Oscar Wilde, never love someone who acts as if you are ordinary. To Claire, that is actually how she felt as no one viewed her as a person with extraordinary talents as a writer and a loving mother and wife. She felt invisible. It is no wonder she found solace in Alex as he made her feel special. He made her feel worthwhile. He didn't leave her at the airport nor let his to do list continue to be incomplete. So to her, Paul took her for granted and left her to do everything with Max, Harry and Joe while he was the fun parent. As she heard him say to Alice, she was the boring one. Once separated, she began to bring Claire back. She found what she wanted and deserved and also how to say no to items she didn't want to do. At the end, Paul and Claire found their way back to each other. Marriage and partnership can't be taken for granted. I have to say that I loved the witty and sarcastic commentary as a bonus to the story. Great read.

I totally get where Claire Casey is coming from. She’s had it—her kids, her husband (who, let’s be honest, is just another kid), and a soul-sucking job. She’s done. And when her husband forgets to pick her up from the airport, that’s the final straw.

But walking away from a 16-year marriage? It’s not as simple as it sounds. As Claire works on reclaiming the person she used to be, an old flame resurfaces, and suddenly, she’s faced with a choice: risk everything for the unknown, or see if her life (with all its flaws) is worth rebuilding.

This book is a hilarious and painfully relatable rollercoaster of midlife chaos, rediscovery, and so much mom energy. If you’ve ever fantasized about running away from it all—or even just stealing five minutes of peace—Claire Casey’s Had Enough is the perfect read.

Claire is a typical mom. She loves her family, does most of the work, and needs to make some money and have a career of her own. This is very hard to accomplish without the help of the kid’s dad. Her husband has no interest in helping at all. She is exhausted and frustrated, to say the least.

She embarks on a work trip and tries to sort things out in her head. She is confused and not sure how to fix her dilemma. On this trip, a lot happens! What also happens is that our complex and deep character Claire, shares with us the most sarcastically funny things in her mind. I laughed out loud several times as well as truly felt her thoughts in my own life, at times!

Something happens with her job about three quarters of the way through. This was one of my favorite parts of the book. The way it all went down with the banter between Claire and her employer was epic! I wish I could share the quote but it would be a spoiler.

Alterman is a truly talented writer that makes the story flow seamlessly, all the while incorporating sadness, frustration, happiness, comedy and real-life issues all at the same time. To me, this is not always done so easily but somehow she accomplishes this, making her one of my auto-buy authors!

This book cleverly navigates the complexities of still being in love with someone while attempting to move on and date someone new. The emotional tension is palpable, and the author does a great job capturing the confusion and heartache that comes with unresolved feelings.

However, the “issue debacle” that caused the protagonist to go viral felt underdeveloped — it didn’t carry enough weight to justify the ripple effects it had on their life. A bit more depth here would have added stronger stakes to the storyline.

Additionally, I noticed a few mistakes throughout the book, which I’d be happy to share screenshots of if helpful. They didn’t take away from the overall experience, but polishing those details could enhance the reading flow.

Despite these points, the story’s emotional core and relatable struggles make it a worthwhile read for anyone who enjoys messy, heartfelt romances.

Synopsis: Mother of three, Claire, is stressed and exhausted from juggling all her responsibilities – housework, childcare and working as a writer for Mamarama, an online women’s magazine. Married to Paul for 16 years, she still loves her husband but is frustrated and angry with his procrastination and failure to share the load. One day she wakes up and reaches the end of her patience, telling Paul to get out, which he obligingly does. Then Claire sees her old college flame at the 10-year reunion, the one that got away. Will Claire give the man she married a second chance, or start over with her old love?

Thoughts: Claire’s life is pure chaos. Her house is a mess, her son has lice, she is separated from her husband, and she is struggling to satisfy her overachieving millennial boss at Mamarama. If you have ever bemoaned the state of your life as a working mother and wife, you will probably be able to relate to Claire Casey. The author is able to encapsulate the frantic pace of working motherhood - down to combing through a child’s hair with a lice comb, plucking sweaty sports gear out of the laundry bin, and fobbing off pushy parent organizers trying to force others into baking cupcakes. It rings true, even if it exaggerates the chaos just a little. There is plenty of humour as well as poignant moments. I will admit I found it a bit stressful to read at times, or perhaps that was just my PTSD from child rearing. And Claire is a little too clumsy and hapless at times. However it is a fun read and bookish friends that enjoy something lighter with a bit of acerbic wit should enjoy this novel.

I wasn't familiar with the author, but the cover and blurb of this one made me smile and drew my attention immediately. It started out with great promise, and I was cheering for Claire as she said enough is enough to her rather useless husband, but I was barely 5% into the book before it turned into a romance - and that is not what I expected at all. I was expecting a "mama has had enough" story, full of invisible woman syndrome and the overlooking of invisible wife/mom work. I was not expecting the push for her to say enough is enough to be an ex-boyfriend she's been flirting with since a college reunion... This was more of a romance than I expected. There's nothing wrong with it, it just wasn't a good fit for me and if I had known that would be the focus I wouldn't have requested it.

⭐️4⭐️

Claire Casey’s Had Enough

Plot:
Claire Casey hits her breaking point when her husband forgets to pick her up from the airport, prompting her to rethink her marriage. Reconnecting with a former crush at her college reunion, Claire begins rediscovering herself but faces the tough choice between embracing change or staying in her imperfect marriage.

My Thoughts:
This book had many relatable moments that linked with motherhood and being in a relationship. It challengers the idea of is the grass greener somewhere else. I was reading all the way to the end of the book and still had no idea which direction the book would end up. I can’t say the ending made me please but the alternative ending didn’t seem appealing either. I was hoping there was more motherhood struggles to relate to. The middle of the books seemed focused on her former crush which lost on me for a bit. Overall I was drawn to the storyline to keep picking up to see how the plot would play out.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this.

4.5 stars rounded up-Claire is over it! Her husband has a to do list that never gets to done, he forgot to pick her up at the airport after a work trip, and may be close to losing his job, forcing her to work for MamaRama an online website that emphasizes AF after every title.

Claire kicks her husband Paul out, and at a reunion, meets up with her college boyfriend. She looks forward to his texts each night, but in the meantime is trying to run a household, raise three rowdy boys, and work her job from home. Then there’s the enormous pile of dog doo she comes home to each day. Her “not so fast motherfucker” when she caught the owner not cleaning up…dying laughing.

The hilarity throughout this book only added to the way the author writes about her characters. I found myself empathizing with so many experiences Claire and her friends went through! Loved loved this book, and I appreciate that I am not alone in my worry for Art Garfunkel. Perhaps in the next one we need to honor the also forgotten John Oates.

I cannot wait to read all the future books Liz Alterman writes! Highly recommend! Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this awesome read!

This is a funny read that will have any mom being able to connect to Claire at least somewhat. The writing style wasn't my cup of tea but I did enjoy the book immensely.

Claire Casey's Had Enough by Liz Alterman is a hilarious and heartwarming mom-com that follows Claire Casey, a 40-something mom of three (or four, if you count her husband) who's reached her breaking point. Juggling kids, a job she hates, and endless responsibilities, Claire finally snaps when her husband forgets to pick her up from the airport. Determined to reclaim her life, Claire attends her college reunion and reconnects with her former flame, Alex. As she rediscovers herself, Claire must confront the reality that recapturing her sense of self could jeopardize her marriage.
The novel is a laugh-out-loud, relatable story about love, nostalgia, and the complexities of midlife. With sharp wit and engaging characters, Liz Alterman masterfully explores the challenges and triumphs of a woman trying to find herself again.

Claire is a 46 year old mother of 3 boys with a husband who does nothing to help out. She recently took a full time job and kicks her husband out when he fails to get her from the airport at 2 am.

Then she goes to a college reunion and becomes reacquainted with Alex, who was kind of a thing in college. He's divorced and interested in her. She's been sleeping for years and doesn't really know who she is anymore.

This is the story of how Claire finds herself and decides if she is going to see how things go with Alex or let her husband come back home.

I love a good romcom. Claire Casey’s Had Enough by Liz Alterman was the latest I’ve read. It kept me turning pages until the end.

A laugh out loud tale that will capture your funny bone from the first page when Claire is locked outside of her suburban home because her husband (oops) missed picking her up at the airport. Claire, a mom of three sons, who feels basically unseen and unloved by her man is juggling the ups and downs of motherhood and wonders if she’s lost herself in it all. Would the grass be greener if she reconnects with old flame Alex? If you’re looking for a fun relatable read that makes you feel like you’re chatting with your bestie about the complexities of marriage and motherhood, don’t miss this one!