Such a Pretty Picture is a raw and courageous memoir that confronts family trauma with unflinching honesty. Andrea Leeb captures both the terror of growing up in silence and the long, difficult road toward healing. Her storytelling is powerful and deeply moving, offering moments of hope and resilience alongside the pain.

At times, the subject matter is understandably heavy and difficult to sit with, but that is also what makes the book so impactful. It’s a brave debut that will resonate with readers who appreciate memoirs of survival, truth-telling, and hard-won healing.

This book broke my heart.

It’s one of those memoirs that’s hard to read but impossible to put down. Andrea Leeb shares her story with so much honesty and vulnerability that it kind of wrecked me. I found myself having to take breaks just to breathe. And honestly? I was angry. Like, furious at times. At the people who failed her. At the silence. At the way she was made to feel like she was the problem.

Some of the scenes are just so raw — especially the ones involving her mother. That mix of neglect and denial hit really hard. And the writing? It’s simple but powerful. She doesn’t overdo anything, which somehow makes it even more emotional.

What I appreciated most is that Andrea doesn’t sugarcoat anything. She lays it all out — the trauma, the confusion, the moments she just wanted it all to stop. And somehow, through all of that, there’s this quiet strength in her voice that sticks with you.

If you decide to read it, just know it’s heavy. Really heavy. But it’s also important. And if you’ve ever been through something hard, or just want to understand someone else’s pain better, this book is worth your time.

It’s raw, it’s real, and it made me feel everything — sadness, rage, heartbreak, and a strange kind of hope.

Review of Such a Pretty Picture: A Memoir by Andrea Leeb

Andrea Leeb’s Such a Pretty Picture is a raw, intimate, and deeply moving memoir that lingers long after the final page. With unflinching honesty, Leeb examines the complexities of family, identity, and survival, pulling readers into the emotional heart of her story.

What struck me most was the balance between vulnerability and strength in her writing. Leeb does not shy away from difficult truths, yet her voice remains clear, compelling, and ultimately hopeful. Her prose is vivid without being overwrought, allowing readers to truly feel the weight of her experiences while still leaving space for reflection.

This isn’t a memoir that offers easy answers—rather, it invites readers to sit with discomfort, to consider the masks people wear, and to reflect on the ways trauma and resilience intertwine. At the same time, there are moments of tenderness and even quiet beauty that bring light to the narrative.

Such a Pretty Picture is not just a personal story; it is a testament to the power of reclaiming one’s narrative. Readers who appreciate memoirs by authors like Jeannette Walls or Mary Karr will find much to admire here.

FIVE STARS! A courageous and beautifully written memoir that deserves attention.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Such A Pretty Picture by Andrea Leeb is a powerful and deeply moving memoir that captures both the pain of childhood trauma and the strength it takes to heal. Andrea’s honesty and courage make her story unforgettable, and I found myself profoundly touched by her resilience and hope. It is a raw yet inspiring read that I truly enjoyed and I give it five stars.

This is a horrifying book to read. It took a long time to get through. I had to stop reading it at times, but I would always come back to it. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Haunting, compelling, heart-tugging. Andrea is a powerful writer and her brave honesty that she demonstrates combine to create a powerful memoir. It picks a nasty scab to destigmatize survivors of incest and abuse. She shows that it’s not necessary to have it all together, but her efforts in trying and being honest about it all do have benefits. This is a powerful memoir- a story that will stick with me. We need these stories out in the world, loud and unashamed. I’m proud to have gotten to bear witness and honored to have read Andrea’s story. She is masterful with her words.

I received a free ARC ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

In general, memoirs are a tough read and <i>Such a Pretty Picture</i> is not exception. Molested by her father as a little girl, Lee spent her childhood terrified by someone she should be able to trust. Difficult to comprehend, her mother was aware of her husband's actions and pretended that the continued molestation never happened.

Leeb's adolescence and adulthood were scarred by her father's crimes. Her lack of self-regard and vulnerability meant that she found herself in dangerous, violent situations; she self-destructed relationships and career opportunities. Decades pass.

Sadly, there were few people who helped Leeb.

Andrea Leeb powerfully shares her story of sexual abuse and the interplay of mental health and family challenges throughout her life in "Such a Pretty Picture." This memoir is powerful, raw, sad, and courageous. It is detailed and filled with tragedy and pain... and yet, there is hope and healing at the end, which makes it worth the read. Though difficult at times to read, books like these are necessary to remind us of what is wrong, to remind us of what to look out for around us, and to challenge ourselves to do better for others. We must tell our stories of pain so that others do not have to endure what we ourselves have endured. It is so brave of the author to share her story, beginning in her preschool years and lasting throughout her life, even as she achieved success in school and career settings. The last quarter of the book, as the author details her recovery and part of her healing journey were excellent! I hated to read how so many adults failed her over and over as a child, and how the coping methods she chose worked... until they didn't. I read this book in a single day and came away touched. I love that the author is donating 25% of the proceeds to RAINN.

This book will be triggering to some, as themes of sexual abuse and assault compose much of the book. There is also detailed mention of grooming, self harm, mental health concerns, parental abandonment/neglect, and suicide. Take care when reading.

To the author: Well done! I wish you didn't have to share this story but thank you for doing so. I hope it changes lives.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

While this may be functionally a memoir, it read very literary which speaks to the authors command of style and immersion. However that style and immersion can be honestly quite a tough read when what is on the page is CSA. This is obviously and important subject and I’m proud of the author for telling their story, I just think everyone should consider their limits before reading this book. It’s what it says in the description, it’s wonderfully written, and yet it’s hard to get through because of the terrible actions that take place in it.

I couldn’t put this book down—it’s both intensely gripping and profoundly heartbreaking. Andrea Leeb’s memoir is a raw, honest, and powerful account of surviving the unthinkable: sexual abuse by her father. Her courage in sharing such a personal and painful story is nothing short of remarkable.

What makes her journey even more devastating is the response from her mother, Marlene, who is so blinded by love for her husband that she refuses to believe Andrea when she finally speaks out. This denial, and the silence that follows, adds a haunting weight to Andrea’s already unbearable trauma.

As Andrea moves into adulthood, the long-lasting effects of her abuse become painfully clear. Though she achieves professional success, her emotional life is marked by instability—cycling through one relationship after another in college, unable to fully escape the damage left by her childhood.

This memoir is not an easy read, but it’s an essential one. Andrea’s voice is strong, honest, and unforgettable. Her story stays with you long after the final page.

Thank you to the publisher for an ARC copy of this book. I highly recommend it.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, in exchange for an unbiased review,

This is one of the most astonishing, brave, honest memoirs I've ever read.

Leeb's memoir details her hellish childhood- her father sexually abuses her from age 4, her mother willfully ignores it, and she spirals into an adolescence and early adulthood of sexual assaults.

For a first-time debut author, the memoir is well-written, well-paced, and engrossing. Yes, it's hard to read at times, but in my experience, looking away from that which makes us uncomfortable allows that horror to continue.

Kudos to Leeb for both her writing skill, and her bravery to put her story out there.

Such a Pretty Picture: A Memoir by Andrea Leeb is an incredible story, full of heartbreaking abuse and emotional neglect.

The story is broken into three main timelines. Part 1 1962-1969, part 2 1969-1981 and part 3 from 1989-1992.

I don't normally put a trigger warning on a book, but this book was a particularly heavy read. Trigger warnings include: sexual assault, incest, emotional neglect, self-harm, medical gaslighting.

Part 1 1962-1969 begins the story
It is here where we learn that Andrea is being abused by her father. Other traumatic occurences happen in her family, which at the age of 5 she internalizes as her own fault.

Part 2 1969-1981 lasts until college graduation. As the abuse unfortunately gets worse at home, we also see how the effects affect Andrea's life outside her home as well. Andrea begins to get help from a psychiatrist, as the insurance of her parents, except this is also where the medical gaslighting begins.

part 3 1989-1992 is the beginning of the end of the hurt and abuse. Thankfully Andrea finally finds a Dr that doesnt gaslight her and after listening to her suggest a rehab facility where she can focus on her healing.

The epilogue takes place years later. It gives some updates on things that have happened since then, but also shows that Andrea has found some peace about certain things.

Andrea also points out that 25% of all royalties from this book will be donated to RAINN.

Andrea, I am sorry that you had to experience all of this. I hope you have found the peace and happiness that you deserve. Thank you for being incredibly brave and deciding to share your story. I hope it brings awareness to those that havent experienced the same things, and shows the ones that have that they are not alone.

Thank you for partnering with NetGalley. I received and advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for honest opinion and review.

This book is available October 14th 2025

This memoir is harrowing and heartbreaking. Leeb, growing up in the 60s and 70s, was subjected to years of sexual abuse from her father, as many years of willful blindness from her mother, and a deeply unstable, often violent environment. This left her with scars that kept compounding, the prices of years of secrets and silence, but eventually became a journey of healing.

This is an honest and deeply moving memoir. The Author is incredibly brave, vulnerable and relentless in sharing so many details from her life. Thank you so much for sharing your story.

One of the most raw Memoirs I have read since “A Child Called It!”

In “Such a Pretty Picture” we dive deep into the life of Andrea. A little girl, whose life is turned upside down, after a nighttime bath! We are brought into her world as though we are her ghost reliving the past.

You never know what goes on in a seemingly decent home. Where parents thrive outside of the four walls and are proactive members in society, but really they are hiding the darkest secrets! My heart breaks for her in so many ways, but am happy to know she made a life for herself! Thank you NetGalley, She Writes Press and the Author for the opportunity to receive an ARC of this memoir!

Such a Pretty Picture by Andrea Leeb

This powerful memoir is one survivor’s story of experiencing sexual abuse at the hands of her father. Both gripping and heartbreaking, her story begins with her father touching her during a bath when she was four years old. When her mother walks in and sees what is happening, her mother starts to suffer from a case of hysterical blindness lasting several months. As her mother recovers and pretends she didn’t see what she saw, Andrea continues to suffer more abuse at the hands of her father. As an adult, she first begins to verbalize what happened to her to her therapist and enters a program for those who suffered trauma and begins the steps to heal.

This was a book I could not put down. I read it one day. I felt a full range of emotions reading this book, both saddened and angry for what she had to endure. I’m not usually one who reads memoirs as I tend to find them dry and boring. But this book and Andrea’s story stuck with me. Easy to read but hard to look away. There were several times during the reading I wanted to crawl into the story and help her while also wanting to shake the adults in her life to get them to realize what was happening to her. I’m really glad she was able to get help as an adult and heal from such a painful childhood.

"A Vivid Memoir of Survival, Silence, and Self-Reclamation"

Andrea Leeb’s Such a Pretty Picture is a raw and affecting memoir that peels back the carefully curated surface of a life lived under the shadow of narcissistic abuse. With emotional honesty and a painter’s eye for detail, Leeb explores the trauma of growing up in a home where appearances mattered more than reality and the long, often painful road to reclaiming her own voice.
This isn’t just a story of surviving trauma; it’s one of untangling identity, embracing vulnerability, and ultimately healing. Leeb’s writing is vivid and intimate, and while the subject matter can be heavy, her resilience shines throughout.
I gave it 4 stars for its powerful storytelling and emotional depth. Some parts were difficult to read not due to the writing, but because of the painful truths they expose. A moving and worthwhile read for anyone exploring the impacts of narcissistic family dynamics.
Thank you to NetGalley and She Writes Press for the ARC.
#SuchaPrettyPicture #NetGalley #Memoir #TraumaHealing #SheWritesPress

This was a dark, intense read, I'm not going to lie. But it's was very well written and worth reading.

This was sad but still a good read. I’m not a parent but I plead with those who are to listen to your children. Take action early and don’t wait too late it’s harmful if you do. Such a hard book to read but necessary. It’s hard to read when one parent is taken advantage and another parent is ignoring the truth and the child or children think something is wrong with them. Check the trigger warning ⚠️

This was a well-written and terribly sad memoir, though the writer does become an incredible person and advocate by the end..
Leeb does a good job of describing her childhood, her parents and the effect of her abuse. The parents let her down and sold her out at every turn, blaming her and calling her “hysterical,” even though they both knew the truth. Leeb’s parents cruelty was truly heartbreaking, and I’m so glad she was able to address the pain and turn it around to help others.

I walked away feeling impressed by how Leeb could overcome her childhood and find happiness for herself. I would recommend this book to others, though it is tough to read.