Quirky, clever, and full of charm ✨📚. Clementine Crane Prefers Not To is a delightful story about boundaries, self-discovery, and standing your ground in a world that always demands more. Kristin Bair crafts a lovable, relatable protagonist and fills this novel with wit, heart, and a touch of rebellious joy. I adored the humour and the empowering message. A must-read for fans of offbeat, character-driven fiction.

I feel like I am the target demographic for this book- a middle aged librarian! I really wanted to love Clementine and her story, but I found her and her family absolutely insufferable. This book was exhausting to read. I almost quit several times, but wanted to read to the end to see how she changed and if she found peace. I'm sorry I can't recommend this book because I liked the premise, but took too much emotional energy to suffer through.

Kristin Bair’s latest novel is sharp, funny, and uncomfortably relatable in all the best ways. From the first page, Clementine had me laughing out loud. Her inner monologue is hilarious, raw, and spot-on, especially in the chaos of family life (the barrage of teen texts was too real). Bair captures the emotional labor of motherhood, marriage, and midlife with clarity and wit.

This novel is a must-read for anyone who’s ever felt stretched too thin. Clementine’s quiet rebellion of saying “I prefer not to” is a powerful and honest way to push back against the invisible workload so many women carry. It’s funny, smart, and full of truth.

This book follows an overwhelmed wife and mother Clementine. She has decided she is tired of doing everything and takes on a new motto, she prefers not to.

This book fell flat for me. I did not care for it. I had trouble connecting to the main character. It felt like the author was trying too hard to make her witty.

Thanks netgalley and alcove press for the arc. I really liked the premise of this book and think we need more books that bring awareness to this often overlooked time in women's lives especially ones that can be both serious and funny which this one hits the mark. I definitely laughed out loud a bunch with this one. However, I found some parts of the book a bit unrealistic like not getting fired after refusing to do basic job requirements because she preferred not to. I also found it interesting that MC didn't take any responsibility for letting things in her life get so out of hand. I appreciate that she finally started to set boundaries but I think she went a bit zero to 100 on her response so it was a bit unrealistic. All and all I thought it was a fun read and would recommend it.

The first chapter was hysterically funny, using the word "hysterically" deliberately, here's a heroine who keeps all the balls up in the air, the show on the road, the boat afloat, name it.
But Clementine ...prefers not to.
I'd assume I am target audience for this book, but... Hysterically funny quickly became slapstick and faster turned to "over the top". After that, it was hard to return to enjoying this book. Clementine has children and a husband, all incompetent, all leaning heavily on the unseen labour Clementine does. This, I will tell you, does ring true enough, weren't it from the fact that I cannot imagine there's children who'll text their mums "MOM" 8 or 9 times, just that. And really think the mother will step up and do whatever it is they're demanding. If so, I'd say they're spoilt and entitled.

Can't really elaborate on the plot, because I abandoned the book after some chapters.

I received an eARC from NetGalley in return for my honest opinion.

I was reeled in by the comparison to Marvellous Mrs Maisel and it did not disappoint! A lovely fun read!

"She'd spent so much time trying to make sure others were happy that she'd never actually connected with what she truly thought and believed."

"What about the anger, the resentment, the I've-had-enough-ness moms felt because always putting someone else's needs first sucked every last drop of life from their exhausted bodies?'

"Linchpin. That was it. The truest. The most comprehensive. The role into which every human with a uterus who played mother, wife, and gainfully employed human was thrust."

4 STARS!

This book was fantastic. As a early 40s mother it spoke to my soul. Kudos to Kristin Bair for putting words to this stage in life for women everywhere!

Clementine Crane is balancing everything these days from appointments, to work and putting everyone else's needs before her own. Well, then the hot flashes begin as she enters perimenopause, and she wonders why is it that she must take care of literally EVERYTHING! When is anyone else going to help? How incompetent is her husband? And why can't her children ask ANYTHING of him?

She begins taking the stand in "preferring not to" and starts a phenomenon. Her tiktoks about hot flashes and the overwhelming load of being a woman resonate with women everywhere. She finally feels seen and finds her people, and slowly finds a balance within herself as the book concludes.

I loved how she stood up to everyone and basically said piss off, you figure it out. SO SO GREAT.

And there is so much truth to the mental load that women carry. Appointment reminders, school needs, meal planning, oh and trying to work too? What is it all on the women to do it all? I'd like to see men TRY and keep up with everything going on in a woman's head at any given time.

Thank you for this hilarious and heartfelt story!

Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for this eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

|:: Clementine Crane prefers not to
By Kristin Bair
Chapter 14 Page 121
The funeral.
5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[ Clem plopped onto the couch and laughed until she heard Tor walking down the steps.
“What was all that about?” Tor was blizzard ready in his shorts and blue seersucker shirt. He looked handsome and, as always, well groomed.
Clem got up to pour another cup of coffee. “Something about the fact that I'm not wearing pants.”
Tor stopped, looked her up and down, and nodded. “I see that”
“Long story,” she said. “Aren't you late for work, Torvald?”
“I am but I was hoping we could talk?”
They needed to talk. Really, Clem needed to talk, and he needed to listen. But Clem knew they were very far from that. She sipped her coffee, looked at him and said, “I prefer not to,” and then walked away.
Twenty minutes later she heard the front door close.]

“Hello, hot-flashers, overwhelmed moms, mental-load managers, and pissed-off people with periods. Welcome to the new world order!”

As soon as I saw this sentence I knew this was going to be something that was my sort of read. Just like Clementine Crane had said - “I was with my people!” Clementine is a very normal, very busy, very preoccupied mother of three (four if you count her husband- and she usually did) who found a voice in a category in a woman's life where people flounder.
Embarrassment kept women from talking, sharing, and guiding each other and by doing so, everyone felt alone. By talking about her struggles she connected with millions of people all over the globe and in doing so started a movement the world needed but never saw coming.

This new, in the age read is so funny, so outrageously clever and touched upon a subject that a lot of people, today, in the real world, find it hard to talk about. By taking an idea and turning it into a comedic book it shone a light on something that hasn't been fully explored and just as Clementine enquired, not many people know about or know how to deal with it.

It was an ingenious way of connecting with people, laying the symptoms out there and letting women know... they're not alone. I would be so thrilled to receive this book in a book club. It would be so much fun! I had to give this 5 stars. It was amazing from beginning to end.
And I have to say. I loved Georgia. We all need a Georgia in our lives.


A huge thank you to Kristin Bair, Alcove Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and relay my honest feedback. ::|

This book fell far short of the description in the promotional synopsis that suggested “sharp wit and keen insight.” I tried several times to engage with the writing and finally decided that this is a DNF for me. Far from being witty, I felt the author was trying too hard to approach a serious topic with contrived humor. The prose is fraught with overly exaggerated descriptions of the protagonist’s dilemma and the characterization of her relationships with her husband and children render them obnoxious and portray her as a victim of her own codependence. The scene at the library with her colleagues over organizational titles was plain silly and unrealistic. This novel may be appealing to some readers, but it was not a match for me.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

I wanted to get pulled into the story but found myself detached. The story premise was promising but 3 chapters in, it got a little too much.

Clementine Crane Prefers Not To is a beautifully written exploration of opting out, of expectations, of overcommitment, and of the performative hustle so many of us feel pressured to maintain. Kristin Bair has crafted a uniquely compelling protagonist in Clementine, whose quiet rebellion is both humorous and deeply moving.

The novel balances introspection with gentle eccentricity, weaving in delightful oddities, neighbours with secrets, the occasional mystery, and plenty of dry wit. Clementine’s voice is distinct and compelling, and her refusal to conform becomes a subtle act of self-preservation and healing.

While the pacing lags in places and some secondary characters could have been more fleshed out, the novel’s strength lies in its voice and emotional depth. This is a story that doesn’t shout, it invites you in softly and lingers long after the last page.

Recommended for readers who enjoy reflective, character-driven fiction with a touch of whimsical charm.

Thank you to Alcove Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Charming, witty, and relatable on so many levels. I love all the seemingly random tidbits interspersed throughout this uber-quirky book.

For anyone who reads the description and thinks this story sounds too niche, don’t let that deter you. The book is sharp, observant, and very on point.

This was such a fun read for me—something that felt like a much-needed pat on the back. I kind of wished the pacing towards the end had been slower, but overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this one!

Thank you to NetGalley, Kristin Bair and Alcove Press for the eARC.

4.5⭐️

Thank you to Alcove Press And NetGalley, who provided me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Clementine Crane is a per menopausal, wife and mother who feels that using TikTok as a platform to enlighten women and event in her “I prefer not to” theme!! Hot flashes are a theme throughout the book. Lots of relatable content and overall enjoyable and laughable. Definitely for a targeted audience.

Clementine Crane Prefers Not To is a funny story about a perimenopausal woman who decides she's had enough of being the reliable mum, wife,employee and general dogsbody. When she starts getting hot flashes from hell and realises that no one gives a damn she figures it's time to take matters in her own hands and put herself and other hot flashing women first! Hilarious and heart warming! We all need a Clementine Crane in our lives!

Clementine Crane is ALL women over the age of forty. This book is insanely relatable for all of the women out there who are balancing relationships, parenting, work, and every other aspect of life while feeling overwhelmed and then....boom....the hot flashes hit. I love that women are talking about perimenapause and menopause now, it's refreshing to have some openness about it. I know I'm not the only woman who can relate to what Clementine experienced with her doctor, especially. This book is unrealistic in many ways but it's easy to overlook the eye-rolling bits when the overall story feels so real. I look forward to recommending this book to my friends - this might be the perfect holiday gift for a few of them!!
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read the free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

📖 Bookish Thoughts
1. I’m officially terrified of menopause—and I’m still a decade out.
2. Clementine is 100% right: no one has prepared us. I had no idea. 😭
3. This book is a 6-star read. No notes.
4. I need a T-shirt (and maybe a sticker) that says “I prefer not to.”
5. I’m still laughing about the real bandit behind the missing green sweater.
6. May everyone have a Georgia in their corner.
7. May the Dr. Sheffields of the world never know peace. May their pillows always be warm and their socks slightly damp.
8. I now inexplicably want a goldfish.
9. I will name said goldfish Hagrid.
10. I was going to write a longer review but… I prefer not to. 😌

Release Date: October 14, 2025
Thank you to Alcove Press and NetGalley for the ARC. All thoughts are my own.

When the blurb described this as “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” hits perimenopause I knew this would be for me. The humor was very reminiscent of Catherine Newman’s book Sandwich which I loved. This delivered on the promise and I found myself laughing out loud as I read. Although I’m not the target demographic for this book I still absolutely devoured it! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: October 14, 2025

Clementine is an overworked, stressed out mom who has entered perimenopause. Bring on the hot flashes and this hilarious story! While I felt like the middle was a little slow, the ending picked up and I was excited to finish it. I loved the strong woman that she became as she built her following of hot flashers.

I would have loved to learn more about her kids. They were named but I didn’t feel like I knew them throughout the story. I also didn’t understand the animal she was hearing outside at night.

Overall a cute book that’s light and funny.

Clementine Crane Prefers Not To will have you wondering about what you prefer not to also do! I laughed and cringed right along with the characters. A fast and easy read, I could not put it down. One of the best books about being a mom, friendships, loyalty, and finding yourself. I absolutely recommend this read and cannot wait to read more by this author. Whether you have started menopause, or will someday, I think this is a story for all age women! Thank you to Net Galley, Alcove Publishing, and the talented Kristin Bair for the early release read! This book will make a great gift for others too!