**Entertaining but Lacking Depth**

*A Clean Mess* is an easy, engaging read, and Tiffany Jenkins’ storytelling style keeps the pages turning. Her sense of humor and candid voice make even the heavier moments feel accessible. The book follows her journey through early recovery, meeting her husband, getting pregnant, marriage, mental health struggles, his relapse and infidelity, and ultimately their divorce.

While the story has all the ingredients for a powerful memoir, it falls short on depth. There’s little reflection on how these experiences shaped her or what she learned from them. Major life events come and go without much introspection, leaving the reader wanting more emotional insight and personal growth.

Overall, it’s entertaining and readable—but if you’re looking for a memoir with substance or takeaway wisdom, this one may feel a bit surface-level.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was interested in the theme of this memoir (addict builds new life for self), but the writing style really threw me off. It reads like a YA novel. I knew nothing about Tiffany Jenkins, and it helped when I looked her up online and watched some of her material. When I gained an understanding of her type of humor, I was able to hear her voice better in her writing and not feel so annoyed by how juvenile it seemed.

I do think her life and developments since her book High Achiever are inspirational, but I didn't like the fictional feel to the book.

Having read Tiffany's first book a couple of days ago, I knew what to expect with this one, but I still ended up being surprised at every turn.

In High Achiever, Tiffany covers her years as an addict, her time in jail and the rehab facility she went to, and in A Clean Mess we get a follow up, what happened after she left rehab, met her husband and got pregnant in record time.

Much like the first memoir, this one has chapters that end with mini cliffhangers so you can't help but say "one more chapter", because you want to know what's going to happen next.

There's a dual timeline, the present day (which is what hooks you initially) and the past. I was insanely curious about what happened in the present, and I'm STILL curious because we didn't get a proper resolution.

We did get something, like a hint, but it wasn't totally clear, and I don't want to assume the worst, you know? But at the same time I get that maybe Jenkins wasn't able to say all of it publicly for one reason or another.

I agree with another review that said maybe that scene should've been left out of the book, if she couldn't sum it up in one sentence.

Anyway, I liked this better than book one, it felt more honest. Tiffany described her struggles with staying sober while being a wife and mother, how she had to learn to deal with anxiety after dulling her senses for so many years, and postpartum depression which doesn't discriminate.

There's an obvious growth in between the two books, I'm sure some of that is due to everything she experienced here.

At the start of the book (in the past timeline) you can see she's still a bit insecure, unsure if she can stay on the right track with everything moving so fast, but she does!! She did that!! Even with so many things going wrong, she managed to stay sober.

The thing that surprised me the most was the ending, I really wasn't expecting that to happen, but it makes sense.

You can read this memoir without the other, but I'd recommend reading them in order so you'd have the full context. I wouldn't mind reading a third memoir somewhere down the line, if Jenkins decides to write one.

*Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

I have relatives who have gone through drug/alcohol abuse. I know from experience, by looking at their situations, that it's never a good place to be. Only the people going through all those issues understand what it is like, and also what it is like to go into recovery.

This is one reason I loved A Clean Mess. How the author shares her story and that of her loved ones in such an honest, raw, and vulnerable way. Understanding from the people who are experiencing those situations gives us a better picture of what they go through and how it affects them and the people around them. Although I can't relate to these problems, I loved the story and how the author wrote the book and shared her life experiences.

Thank you, Rodale Inc. /Harmony and NetGalley, for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Redemption stories are always of interest and Jenkins' is a doozy. When Jenkins's addiction (chronicled in an earlier memoir) leads her to hit rock bottom (arrest, jail and rehab), she embarks on a fraught journey of sobriety. That Jenkins manages to maintain her sobriety in the face of significant challenges (many brought on herself with her still evolving judgment making skills) is remarkable. Sharing her experience with so much raw honesty will no doubt benefit others walking the same hard path. Thank you to Rodale Inc and NetGalley for the DRC

I read Tiffany's first book "High Achiever" when it initially came out, and was so incredibly engrossed, that when I heard she wrote a second book, I knew I needed to read it. Tiffany writes with such honesty, vulnerability, and wit that it is hard to put her books down. This book was no exception.
PS- Tiffany, part of your story is what drove me to become a counselor, specializing in substance use disorders. Opening up to one stranger about your struggles is challenging enough, I am so impressed that you wrote not just one, but two compulsive memoirs.

I've followed Tiffany on social media forever now. & this was an Amazing follow up to her first book, High Achiever. Tiffany, is Real, Raw, Funny, & down to earth. Feels like your having a conversation with your best friend . She tells us her own personal story on how she overcame addiction. While dealing with everyday life situations. Such as: meeting a man. Getting married. Having children. Silently suffering from anxiety & postpartum depression. Tiffany is resilient. She fought hard, to become a better version of herself. A version of herself, that millions of people around the world would love❤️ Tiffany, you're Awesome. Thanks for sharing your story🫶🏽

I received a copy for review. All opinions are my own. This was a really enjoyable memoir and I appreciated getting a look at what the authors life was truly life as she navigated life and sobriety. I appreciated her humor and brutal honesty. This was also an easy read I finished in a day.

I have been a huge fan of Tiffany for years. I have followed her on social media since the beginning days and have laughed and felt heartbreak right along with her. I was so excited to read this book and I'm glad it didn't disappoint. Tiffany is such a real, down to earth girl and everything that she went thru has only made her stronger. This book was a super easy read and if you follow Tiffany on social media you will find that it actually sounds like her. So often when reading memoirs of people it just doesn't sound like them.... that isn't the case with this one. I have already recommended to my friends and will continue to do so. Good job Tiffany.

I read Tiffany's first book years ago and this was a wonderful "sequel" - I loved hearing all of the positive progress she's made but also her candid honestly about the difficult journey and setbacks along the way.

Dang was this a raw one...

I have followed her for a while and read the first book but I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this one. It is present (recent) day but when it had the flashbacks, I was worried there would be overlap from the first book, but there wasn't. It was just a raw, painful telling of the beginning of her getting clean. The fact that she has been so in the public eye and experienced all that she has without airing her dirty laundry on her SM platforms and, more importantly, without relapsing, is nothing short of amazing.

I honestly think this read would help such a wide audience. If you have ever been in recovery, you will be empathetic of how deep the pain is. If you've had to go through probation, walking in to a room of people who think you are the scum of the earth but still hold your head up, this will hit. If you have ever known of someone in recovery or maybe they've relapsed, seriously very relatable, very eye-opening, very emotional.

Tiffany Jenkins is a recovering drug addict. Her life seems like it's finally on track when her husband sends an ominous text that throws her life in a tailspin. She needs to leverage all the skills she has learned in sobriety to deal with this shocking, devastating revelation. A Clean Mess tells the story of what happens after you get sober and how you rebuild a life when you don't really know how to live in the world anymore.

I loved High Achiever and A Clean Mess was a hopeful, perfect follow up. Jenkins is real, honest, and powerful. Her ability to work through the trauma without numbing herself is inspiring. I love her resilience and acceptance of her life as messy, but she owns the mess.

Thank you to NetGalley and Rodale Inc. for the ARC of A Clean Mess.

Brave and informative - this book is much more than an account of addiction. I found it to be tragic but hopeful. A must-read. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Follow Tiffany Jenkins through two times of her life: when she was just released from prison, newly sober, and present day finding out her husband did something unspeakable. This memoir, read more like can’t-put-down fiction. I engulfed this book in 2 days, it was fast paced, hilarious, heartbreaking, and inspiring. Although this is Tiffany’s second memoir, you do not need to read her first in order to enjoy “clean Mess”

I loved her last book, this one was just as entertaining, honest and raw. Even with hard times, she always has a sense of humor and the bluntness makes it funny. She has overcome a lot and glad she is able to tell her story for others to relate to. I cannot personally relate to her stories but I think that's the beauty in her writing, she makes it enjoyable to read for all audiences. Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest opinion!

I appreciated this update from Tiffany, and as with her first book, enjoyed her writing style. She’s able to “suck you in” to the story and almost make it seem like you’re talking to a friend. The only thing I found distracting was the story jumping from past to present. I would recommend this book and look forward to hearing more from this author.

After reading and loving Tiffany’s first book, I felt grateful to have an opportunity to learn about the next chapter of her life. Tiffany shares with vulnerability, introspection, and humor in a way that invites readers in to her life as she navigated, in real time, the ramifications of her husband’s relapse. Tiffany is an incredibly talented writer and I will continue to read her work (and enjoy her comedy)!

I don't know Tiffany personally and prior to reading A Clean Mess, I didn't follow her on social media, so take this as an assumption, this book reads like I presume she talks. It's like you're having a chat with a friend you haven't seen in years. Well, this is the second book of Tiffany's I have read, the first being High Achiever: The Incredible True Story of One Addict's Double Life, so it's almost like I know her! She does not hold back and her life has been a roller coaster. My review of High Achiever applies here, too: "Quick, hard to put down read full of curse words, drama and inspiration. It could easily be the next Orange is the New Black." It feels weird to say I enjoyed reading this book about another person's struggles, but she's kept her head up and pushed through adversity. She's turning hard times into inspiration for others and I think that's pretty cool.

I first became aware of the author from social media, seeing her raw and candid takes on parenting and mental health issues. This book was in the same style, very open to her struggles with addiction/recovery, mental health and divorce/co-parenting. It felt like you were hearing her internal thoughts or chatting with her, given her brave and open writing style. I read it super quickly because she really has a knack for drawing in a reader and found myself disappointed when there was no more to read - will definitely have to go back and check out her first book!

I’ve been a fan of Tiffany Jenkins since her very first book and all her hilarious, honest mental health skits on Facebook. Her ability to make people laugh while also being real about the hard stuff has always drawn me in, and I’ve followed her journey for years. I still remember when she first talked about writing A Clean Mess and how afraid she was to release it. She shared how worried she felt about this book possibly hurting relationships in her life. That level of honesty really stuck with me, because it showed just how personal and deeply emotional this book was going to be. And she absolutely delivered. This book is a true testament to the strength it takes to face your past, be vulnerable, and share the hardest parts of your life. Tiffany opens up in a way that is raw and incredibly brave. Every chapter feels like it comes straight from her heart. She doesn’t hold back or try to make things sound better than they were, and that makes her story even more powerful. I have so much respect for her. Writing and releasing this book clearly came with a lot of sacrifice, and she still chose to do it. Not just for herself, but for everyone out there who needed to know that healing is messy, painful, and absolutely worth it. A Clean Mess is heartbreaking at times, inspiring throughout, and one of those rare books that will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading it.