Enjoyed this, it was very inspiring and different to what I normally read, it was written very well that I was able to stay engaged.

Tiffany did an amazing job at making you feel like you were right there with her as she told us her story. You went thru every high, and every low. She kept you hooked with her humor. In even the most trying of times where most women wouldn’t have shared the darkest times, Tiffany did with such poise, and pure honesty. Making her even more relatable. I would suggest that anyone loving an addict during their addiction read her books to get a peek into their mind in an honest way, so you can show up and love them thru it until they get to recovery. I always close her books instantly wanting to reread them and feel so encouraged.

What a great book this was. It is full of information about her life. The trials she endured to the joys of Motherhood. This is well worth your time.

I loved that Tiffany was open, honest and vulnerable. This felt like an authentic read. It is great to be able to see that people who are succeeding have had their own hills to climb to get there.

Read her first book and her story was inspirational. Getting a follow up to what's happened is amazing! Well written.

BOOK REPORT
Received a complimentary copy of A Clean Mess: A Memoir of Sobriety After a Lifetime of Being Numb, by Tiffany Jenkins, from Rodale Inc. | Harmony/NetGalley, for which I am appreciative, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.

Of course I jumped at the chance to read this book because Tiffany Jenkins has made me laugh so much, and because I enjoyed her first book, High Achiever (here’s the link to that Book Report: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...).

Sadly, A Clean Mess wasn’t that good. Felt very forced, like she felt she had to follow some publishing “formula” or something, and the insta-intimacy seemed slick/fake.

I actually forgot to write this little summary for more than a day, because I promptly forgot that I’d read the book. No lie! Like, within minutes of putting it down.

But, hey. More power to her for getting and staying sober and making a good life for herself and her family. And if part of that involves churning out a memoir every few years to make some bank, then so be it.

PS
I whined a little in my review of her first book about her not sharing what led to her addiction/s. Yes, yes, I know that’s prurient interest. I had kinda the same complaint with this book. So I did a little googling and found this story, which is enough info for Nosy Me: https://nypost.com/2019/07/06/sick-an...

DESCRIPTION
The bestselling author of High Achiever chronicles life after addiction—the raw, the dark, and the hilarious—from setting out with nothing but a backpack to discovering her marriage was built on a shakier foundation than she’d ever imagined to staying sober when life fell apart.

“Tiffany Jenkins illustrates that recovery is not just about sobriety, but about learning to live and feel again. Her compelling story is a testament to the power of resilience, humor, and hope.”—Sarah Levy, author of Drinking Games

A Clean Mess opens with the moment that changed everything. Tiffany is about to go on stage when she receives an odd message from her husband: “Hey Babe, some of the guys here are making some stupid decisions. Not me. But I just wanted to let you know in case you heard it from some of the other wives.” By the end of the night, Tiffany knew her life would never be the same.

This wasn’t the first time she had to start over. After the opioid addiction and jail sentence that she chronicled in her bestselling memoir, High Achiever, Tiffany was ready for a fresh start. A chance to try life again, this time without drugs coursing through her veins. In A Clean Mess, she takes us back to those early days of recovery, and the whirlwind that she entered the moment she was out of prison. In just two years, she went from inmate to married and sober mom of three.

Told with humor and honesty, A Clean Mess is Tiffany Jenkins’s story of how she learned to live and feel for the first time without numbing herself with drugs—and how she discovered inner reserves of strength she didn’t know she had. From her tentative first days of sobriety, to seeing two pink lines on a pregnancy test weeks later, to navigating anxiety, a new marriage, and motherhood at the same time, to surviving betrayal and divorce, Jenkins shows how she got through it all when her crutches and Band-Aids were taken away from her. An inspiring memoir that reads like fiction, A Clean Mess is a book that will buoy anyone seeking a life raft in hard times.

⭐⭐.5

Pre-Read Notes:

I tried this one once before and the absurd amount of ableism and stigmatizing addiction sort of threw me (such as the author calling herself stupid when considering the possibility of her own relapse and when she called a bunch of *friends of hers* scumbags for relapsing). Addiction is a disabling mental illness that some people never recover from, some recover and relapse, and some recover and never relapse. All addicts deserve dignity and none of them are morally superior or inferior to each other or other disabled or mentally ill people like me.

A CLEAN MESS is the memoir (kind of? With its experimental time line and glossy narrative voice, it reads more like auto-fiction than memoir.) of an addict, a professional funny woman, Tiffany Jenkins, so I thought I would give it another chance, having been warned so to speak about the author's mindset and narrative voice.

I'm guessing I will find a valuable story here, despite the author's internalized ableism. And also, that's very common among people with mental illness, including addiction. It's not her fault she was taught her life only has value in recovery.

"After unpacking I lay down and closed my eyes, but my mind raced. I had so much to do: get a job, find my new probation officer’s office, pay my dad back, repair broken relationships , save money, buy food, and get a sponsor. You know what sounded better than all that? Saying fuck it and snorting ten pills at once. Then I wouldn’t have to do a single thing." p37

Final Review

The opening scene is really emotional and definitely an excellent hook to get readers interested in the rest of the story. I mean, it hooked me, despite my obvious quibbles with this book.

But also the circumstances are hard to believe. Who buys drugs on a plane? Especially when they are on the way to Vegas, where it is very easy to obtain drugs with little to fear from the law? Also, who *sells* drugs on a plane? I mean it just...doesn't really make sense.

Which is what led me initially to consider this not a memoir, a work of nonfiction from memory, but auto-fiction, a fictional story based on the author's own experiences and (sometimes) featuring them as character. And I'm guessing some readers will enjoy the funky fictionalized timeline, but I found it confusing in a memory inspired story.

I do have a lot of quibbles about this book but I also liked it. It takes real courage for addicts and mentally ill people in general to talk about their lives. I'm absolutely delighted that Jenkins has garnered such a huge audience to whom to tell this story, and it's an important one.

I recommend this book to fans of memoir or auto-fiction, addiction or trauma recovery narratives, authentic mental illness rep, stories about family.

My 3 Favorite Things:

✔️ Great opening scene, I'm pretty much hooked for the ride.

✔️ Best and funniest description of childbirth you'll ever read. It is vulnerable and detailed without being gross or squishy, somehow. I laughed several times during this scene.

✔️ One of the best descriptions of anxiety I've ever had the pleasure to read.


Notes:

1. Getting pregnant unexpectedly does not make someone a ho. Relapsing doesn't make someone stupid or a scumbag, and sleeping with more than one person in someone's past, doesn't make someone a wh*re. There are just so many of these underhanded judgments scattered throughout the book.

2. Content warnings: drugs, drug use, needles, injections, ableism, misogyny, early childhood stress, trauma and recovery, addiction and recovery and relapse, cheating (suspected and suggested), bad parenting, divorce, ppd, thoughts of self-harm

Thank you to the author Tiffany Jenkins, publishers Harmony/Random House, and NetGalley for an accessible digital arc of A CLEAN MESS. All views are mine.

I read Tiffany's first book and I was a lifetime fan. So when I saw this one I knew I was going to love it. It pulled at all of my heart strings. Laughs, crying, happiness and sadness. This was her life struggles and I loved that she shared them with us and did not sugar coat it or made it something it was not. She let us in for the good, bad and the ugly. It speaks to me and those I love dearly. Thank you Tiffany for letting us see the real you and know that life is hard but we can overcome!

I hadn’t heard of Tiffany Jenkins, nor did I read her first book, but A Clean Mess has made me a fan. In this memoir, Jenkins shares the journey of her early recovery from addiction, with pieces of her current day marriage crumble woven through. A Clean Mess is an easy read on a tough topic: the chapters are short, flying by with Jenkins’s vulnerable and relatable writing style, while detailing the challenges of reentering society after jail time, living in a halfway house, unexpected pregnancy, and postpartum depression. While Jenkins is a comedian and there is levity in A Clean Mess, I wouldn’t describe it as funny—just smart, occasionally pithy, and extremely down to earth. I really, really liked this book. Highly recommended.

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

Tiffany Jenkins has done it again—and this time, she goes deeper, darker, and more honest than ever before. A Clean Mess isn’t just a memoir—it’s a mirror, a balm, and a beacon for anyone who has ever battled addiction, mental health struggles, or the overwhelming pressure to keep it all together for the outside world.
If you’ve followed Tiffany from her wildly relatable Juggling the Jenkins TikTok to her breakout book High Achiever, you already know her knack for balancing gut-punch truth with laugh-out-loud humor. But A Clean Mess is something else entirely. It’s not just a continuation—it’s an emotional excavation. While some moments overlap with her first book, the second digs beneath the surface to reveal the raw, unfiltered thoughts, struggles, and triumphs that Tiffany bravely kept private, even while performing joyfully for her millions of followers.
Reading this book is like being handed the secret diary of someone you thought you already knew—except the pages are drenched in courage, vulnerability, and wisdom earned the hard way. Tiffany opens up about the relentless rollercoaster of sobriety, the unexpected monsters that still hide in the corners of a "clean" life, and the postpartum anxiety and depression that clouded even her brightest days.
As someone personally touched by the impact of addiction—both in those who have overcome it and those heartbreakingly lost to it—A Clean Mess hit me on every level. This book doesn’t just speak to people in recovery; it speaks to the friends, families, and silent sufferers who orbit around addiction, mental health challenges, and the masks we all wear online.
What makes Tiffany’s voice so powerful is that she never claims to have it all figured out. She’s still in the ring, still taking punches, still getting up. That kind of authenticity is rare—and deeply needed in a world of filtered perfection and curated vulnerability.
Inspiring? Absolutely. But A Clean Mess is also witty, uplifting, and surprisingly empowering. Tiffany Jenkins doesn’t just share her story—she hands you the flashlight and says, “Here’s the mess. Let’s walk through it together.”
Whether you're in the throes of your own battles, supporting someone who is, or just trying to understand what strength truly looks like behind a smiling screen, this book is essential reading. It reminds us that healing isn’t linear, perfection is a myth, and sometimes, the bravest thing we can do is say, “I’m still here.”
Read this book. Then share it. Because someone in your life needs it more than you know.
Thank you NetGalley, Rodale Inc., and Tiffany Jenkins for allowing me the opportunity to read this advance copy and to provide my honest feedback.

Please note that this ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I don’t know how I could possibly say anything bad about this book. Tiffany Jenkins was so honest about so many difficult experiences- recovery, anxiety and depression, marriage. I think that people often suffer and she unashamedly does it aloud. This is a book that every mom should read. I expected an addiction/recovery memoir, but it was so much more than that.

As soon as I finished this, I ordered High Achievers. Thank you to Tiffany Jenkins for sharing your story - so many people can learn something from it.

In A Clean Mess, Tiffany Jenkins offers a highly readable, unvarnished account of her tumultuous life after rehab: from halfway house to marriage and family, from barely making ends meet to life in the suburbs. As the author invites the reader into her daily life and most significant relationships, the ever-present lure of drugs and alcohol reminds the reader that every single day is a battle for the person in recovery. Many readers might find the salty language refreshingly honest, but I found it distracting. Nevertheless, this is an enlightening and worthwhile read for anyone who wants to better understand those who struggle with mental health and addiction. Thanks, NetGalley, for providing this ARC.

I sprinted to snag the ARC of A Clean Mess (thank you, NetGalley!) the second I saw @JugglingTheJenkins announce it. And let me tell you—every single expectation I had was met or exceeded in this raw, hilarious, and deeply moving memoir about recovery, marriage, and motherhood.

From the very first chapter, I was hooked like a trout on a glittery lure. I’ve got a full-blown circus of my own at home, but that didn’t stop me—I was sneaking pages while packing lunches, reading over the splash of poolside chaos, and balancing carrots in one hand and Jenkins’ words in the other. I finished it in a day and still somehow managed not to burn dinner (barely).

Though I don’t personally share her experience with addiction recovery, Tiffany’s honest and heartfelt storytelling gave me such a powerful window into that journey. It left me with a better understanding, deeper empathy, and the overwhelming urge to give her a standing ovation from my kitchen.

Whether you relate to her story or not, this book is for anyone who’s ever struggled, stumbled, or just needed a reminder that it’s okay to be a mess—as long as it’s your own beautiful, chaotic, clean-ish mess. 10/10 would recommend, and also 10/10 would read again

Tiffany Jenkins - A CLEAN MESS

This is an inspiring read. Tiffany Jenkins writes with insight about difficult things- loaded topics like addiction, a life rife with unwelcome surprises, parenting issues, spiritual crises, and psychiatric illness. She also writes about the resiliency that comes with courage to face facts, feel emotions and ask for help when needed. Reality and feelings were elusive to her during her hazy years of being imprisoned and fooled by a decade of addiction. She vividly recounts the drug and alcohol cravings that plague her in recovery. What a remarkable series of life events she has endured! Her book will help people looking for a different way to live. She recognizes how bullying in younger years often leads to damaged self esteem and unnecessary comparisons to others and transforms into a harsh, punishing inner voice. It will also help many who feel they are less capable or beautiful or smart than others. The book is well-written and exciting to read. It is remarkably honest and humorous and heartbreaking, in rapid succession. It offers observations that reveal the truth about broken human beings, a.k.a., all of us. She helps the flawed among us realize that a setback is only that. She emphasizes that abiding, deep family relationships are essential. However monumental it seems, every mistake is transformed into an opportunity to change and try something new. Tiffany Jenkins’s honesty has saved other people in similar crises through her podcasts and previous book, High Achiever (which now are on my listen to and read lists). She gives those who struggle hope that the next level-headed choice will fit a sober you much better. Despite the pain, she is grateful to be a clean and clear-eyed participant in a messy and beautiful life.

I read this authors first book, high achiever and still think about it almost every single day. When I saw this book, I HAD to read it. I can’t even explain the excitement I experienced when I saw she wrote this book. This author has such a natural way of storytelling that really engages with the reader. I loved reading about what happened in her life next and that the author doesn’t spare any details. I HIGHLY recommend this book and her first book high achiever.

Thank you #ACleanMess #NetGalley for the advanced copy! Tiffany Jenkins is not only a gifted storyteller, but an inspiration for those struggling with addiction and recovery. This is such an important topic, and a much needed sign that there is hope for self reinvention and self acceptance. I urge anyone going through recovery who struggles to visualize a better future for themselves and their loved ones to read "A Clean Mess". We don't have to show up perfectly everyday - sometimes just showing up is the victory.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me this copy of A Clean Mess, by Tiffany Jenkins

I have followed Juggling the Jenkins for awhile but didn’t really know the backstory on Tiffany. She’s always been funny to watch and I enjoy her brand of humor. Physically, she reminds me of a good friend of mine, so I love to watch her.

A Clean Mess details Tiffany’s journey moving into a group home and trying to maintain her sobriety all while having to navigate getting a job, seeing her parole officer etc. Along the way, she marries and has children and is thrust into the adult world. There are lots of highs and lows that could push her back into drugs but she perseveres and makes a name for herself.

This is a raw, very personal account that is worth reading. Kudos to Tiffany Jenkins for her book and sobriety, Keep up the good work and write another book in the future.

thank you so much for the advanced copy of this!!! I freaking LOVE Tiffany!!!! I devoured this!!! Very well written, I never wanted to put it down!

Thank you to #NetGalley for the DRC of #ACleanMess. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

I enjoyed Jenkins debut "High Achiever" so I was delighted to discover she'd written a follow-up. I raced through this book in 24 hours.

Jenkins writes with brutal honesty and humor about her life after prison and rehab, switching back and forth between 2013 and present day. In 2013, she's living in a halfway house, trying to find a job and determined to stay clean, when she meets Colin, another recovering addict with his own baggage. Pretty quickly, there's a baby on the way and they get married despite only knowing each other less than 6 months. Fast forward to present day, Tiffany is on a comedy tour when she gets an alarming text from Colin who's in Vegas for a bachelor party. As her life begins to unravel, she finds the strength she needs to carry on.

This book is an absolute must read! Tiffany Jenkins is open and honest about her addiction and recovery. She has built a very successful platform on social media by sharing her journey through comedy. However, this book shares the more intimate details about that journey. Her story is relatable for many. Truly inspiring!