With thanks to the Author, She Writes Press and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this eARC.

Please understand the Triggers within this book before considering reading it:
Sexual assault, Child Sexual Abuse, Grooming, Self Harm + more.

Memoirs / Biographies and Autobiographies are not my usual genre, however Andrea’s retelling of her traumatic upbringing at the hands of her father, and enablement of her mother, is harrowing, heartbreaking but courageous. This memoir is a quick, compelling read, and whilst the topics are heavy and at times sickening, it was an easy read in regard to the flow of the story. The author speaks with a sense of truth, bravery and resilience.

Major trigger warnings for this book — sexual assault and pedophila

It was a tough read…these types of books are hard to read. My heart hurts. I sob. I can’t fathom having to go through this or hurting a child (or anyone) like this.
Also, to be a mother who turns an eye to this.. oh it just makes my heart hurt so much.

I didn’t love the book. I didn’t love the subject matter. It takes a very brave person to detail a life like this for anyone to read. For that I will give the book 5 stars.

Thank you to netgalley and she writes press for the ArC in exchange for my honest review.

In Andrea Leeb’s memoir, we travel through time with her as she lives her life and experiences heart-wrenching trauma time and time again. This memoir is not for everyone due to the subject matter throughout the novel, and everyone should consider what’s best for them before picking it up.

This novel was incredibly well-written, and I couldn’t put it down. I could picture every house Leeb lived in, every outfit she wore, and I could feel what she was feeling at any given moment. It’s a novel that I’n glad I read, but I wish didn’t have to be written.

Thank you to NetGalley, She Writes Press, and Andrea Leeb for the eARC.

This heart wrenching novel made me ache for the child that was and cheer for the adult she became. Thank you to this author for sharing her life story with us, the readers. She bared her soul to us putting her raw emotions down on paper. This book had me hooked from the beginning and carried me all the way to the end. Life isn’t always pretty and perfect. We would like to think we never fail our most vulnerable, but we do. I’m sorry you were failed repeatedly. You’re a true inspiration.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and She Writes Press for an E-ARC of this memoir in exchange for an honest review.

TW's in book - sexual assault, pedophilia, grooming, self harm, suicide attempt/suicidal ideation

Truthfully, I am absolutely blown away by Andrea's story and the courage and bravery she has to tell her story. I am a survivor of sexual assault, and while my story compared to the author's is very different, I find myself amazed by the women who have the courage to put their stories on paper. Facing these realities are difficult, especially in having to drag these memories back into your brain and out of your fingertips is truly a test. This was so beautifully written, and I am so incredibly grateful to be one of the readers that could experience it. It was very raw, and very honest - with its brutal look into the thoughts and memories of the author being groomed and assaulted by someone she thought she could trust. I truly wish this author happiness as she goes about her life knowing she was able to tell her story and possibly help others in possibly telling theirs, too.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC. 

This was a very tough read because of the subject matter, so I just want to make sure that everyone knows what they're getting into with this. Read the description, don't pick this up based on the cover. 

This book was very well written and handled the difficult subject matter with grace. 

I'm glad the author found peace.

This memoir was a captivating, compelling read. The sexual abuse that the author suffered at the hands of her father was horrifying. Both parents were not prepared to parent appropriately due to maturity/mental health complications. The author then went on to a serious of mis-steps as she began seeking romantic relationships.....all so much more understandable knowing the back story. I think the author's courage in publishing this memoir may help others in similar situations and help those of of us fortunate to not have suffered this sort of past to be more aware of the demons others may be facing, even years after the fact. I'm left thinking that stable loving parents are a gift that many of us overlook. This book was a true page turner and a heartbfreaker

Such a Pretty Picture by Andrea Leeb is a heartwrenching memoir about the pain, humiliation and secrets resulting from incest and emotional abuse. It is an extremely well written and poignant account of a lifetime of hurt, adversity, courage and strength.

A mother and father's primary goals in parenting their children are love and safety. Can a child become a functioning healthy adult when those needs are not met? When those demons are not confronted? This memoir exams those questions and the perseverence involved in overcoming the sins of a father.

It left me feeling heartache for Andrea the child, and pride for Andrea the adult.

This was a terrible, heart wrenching story, but an important one. So many people live lives buried in secrets fearing what might happen if they ask for help. Leeb also addresses what can happen if you ask the wrong people for help as well, such as when she tried to tell her therapists and they brushed off her concerns as overreactions.

This story was very fluid and coherent. Leeb wrote with a down to earth tone as if she were a friend telling her story. I commend her for her bravery and resonate with her words.

I was devastated by the memoir. I just wanted to fold the author into a huge hug. The things she endured and the way it was ignored caused me to yell out loud in frustration. Yet there is healing and hope and I was uplifted by her determination to heal. This was a raw, honest memoir written with courage

Such a Pretty Picture: A Memoir by Andrea Leeb is well-written and well-presented. The author tells of her life, from age 4 to adulthood in a clear, factual way that will break your heart. The author is such a clear and compelling communicator- and yet, in all her years of being abused by her father, and her subsequent psychological problems, no one, NO ONE, listened to her. She bravely and courageously eventually found someone who WOULD listen and she began to heal. Truly a meaningful story.

I received an advance digital review copy from NetGalley and She Writes Press. This is my honest review.

“Was it hysterical blindness, or was she willfully blind?”
I couldn’t put this book down. The simple writing style from a child’s view made for a quick read, but was also quite disturbing. The description of the book felt premature as the subway scene didn’t happen until 75% of the way through the book. At times it felt like just graphic descriptions of crimes without clarity, although I understand that from the author’s viewpoint being necessary. I appreciated understanding survivors more and how her journey continued through her life. It has definitely made me reflect on my own life and the secrets those around me may have.

This book broke my heart. As a mother I can no imagine allowing my husband to do that to my child. Our job to is protect our children against all evil, and Andrea’s mother failed her and her sister. It gives me such hope to know that survival and recovery are possible after such a chaotic situation. It also helps me to realize that therapy does help and there are therapist willing to do what it takes to help their patients. Andrea is one of the bravest women that I have ever read about and I thank her so much for sharing her story. God bless you and keep you Andrea. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. It has changed my life forever.

I loved this memoir. It was raw, honest, and hard to put down. Although it is very triggering as it talks about incestual sexual abuse, you really were able to feel the emotion throughout the book and the pain that Andrea felt/feels.

What struck me the most was how Andrea managed to weave such trauma with a strong, distinct voice that never felt self-pitying, but instead deeply reflective and human. Her storytelling is vivid and unfiltered, pulling you into her world with such intensity that I often found myself needing to pause to take a breath.

Despite the heavy subject matter, a powerful undercurrent of resilience and hope prevails. Andrea’s journey toward healing—through therapy, self-awareness, and reclaiming her narrative—felt like a lifeline for anyone who has ever experienced deep emotional wounds. It’s a brave and necessary story that exposes the generational silence and denial often surrounding abuse, especially within families that appear “perfect” from the outside.

This memoir isn’t just a story of trauma—it’s a story of survival, truth, and breaking cycles.

A very emotional book that brought me to tears. It is a very well-written book about childhood trauma, specifically intrafamilial child sexual abuse. I read it in one night only because I had to know that Andrea received the help she needed to survive.
My heart goes out to the author. Any survivor of sexual abuse will find self-sabotage familiar. If only it were as easy to "forget about it and move on" as we are sometimes told.
This is a great book that readers of any genre would find interesting.
I was happy to accept the gift of an advanced reader copy of this book from She Writes Press and NetGalley.

I highly recommend this inspiring memoir! Andrea Leeb’s book is searingly honest, with profound insights helpful to anyone touched by abuse. Her memories of being sexually abused as a child, and the painful aftermath that follows, are candidly recalled. Confusion, emotional blunting and sometimes complete shut-down, result in a lack of trust in everyone, These are the tragic results of being groomed to keep secrets. She blamed herself because others told her it was her fault. How terrible not to be believed or appropriately supported as a young girl/woman! Outward appearances of a happy family life fooled those around her. Unaddressed family secrets grew for years. Lack of responsible parenting, and a cycle or threats and rewards offered by the perpetrator, kept her off-balance. Being labeled “emotionally disturbed” and having, at times, conflicted feelings about her abuser, added to her early shame. It is difficult to find the self-awareness of knowing what actually happened to you in such an environment, but she heroically does so. Now painfully honest about her emotions, she reveals how silence, especially while staying outwardly busy and successful, can keep a person stuck in corrosive shame and in lonely isolation. She followed her family paradigm about outward appearances in that way. Her memoir is redemptive. By speaking to wise, trauma-informed people, she finds a way out of self-blame. She comes to trust others by listening to those who empathize and understand her. She sees her perpetrators stay in denial, which baffles her at times, yet she ultimately accepts their limitations. She knows that people sometimes create a false reality to excuse their mistakes. This way, they evade facing the pain they have caused others. Abusers continue to punish those who speak truth. The author gains wisdom about her life when she finally speaks out. Her insight: emotionally numb feelings result when you bury memories you just wish would disappear. When not faced, they harm and haunt you. Through therapy and self-reflection, she finds acceptance and happiness within. She also attracts empathetic people who understand her. Because of her own suffering, she learns to feel deeply for others. No longer doomed to wear a scarlet letter, she breaks free and puts down the enormous burden that was never her’s to carry. That responsibility belongs to the perpetrator, even if that person is remains unrepentant. She carries on without apology to discover a new life of possibility.

An incredibly well-written recount of horrific child abuse and the last impacts it had on the author.

This was a stunning read. It took a little bit to get me interested, however once I was about 1/4 of the way in I was hooked. An incredible journey that I feel privileged to have been able to read about. I would recommend this book those interested in memoirs about trauma, sexual assault, and the growth that happens after trauma.

This is one of the better memoirs I have read this year. It’s not long and drawn out but compact and full of information about her life.
She also keeps you wanting to know what happens to her next without necessarily leaving you on a cliff hanger at the end of every chapter.
I would recommend this to a book club.

This book was so good I really enjoyed the story I really love the authors writing skills I what amazing story .