Overall, this book was a middle of the road affair for me. Full disclosure: I was not aware of the authors until this book. (I understand they are popular podcasters, and most people who read this book probably did so because they know and enjoy them. I, however, picked it up because the name (GREAT NAME!) caught my eye, and the description sounded pretty decent.)

Going into it blind, I didn't really know what to expect.

It offers an unfiltered look at the ups and downs of Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan’s lives, told with humor and blunt honesty. It alternates between the authors’ voices, sharing stories of friendship, addiction, personal struggles, and the resilience that comes from supporting one another through life’s messiest moments. A real "the power of hilariously honest friendships" kind of book. Having a no-nonsense, not-afraid-to-hurt-your-feelings best friend myself, I enjoyed this part of the book.

There’s no denying the authors’ chemistry. And I have to imagine that the raw, conversational style will appeal to fans of their podcast. The memoir is filled with candid anecdotes and plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, and it’s clear that Welch and Sullivan aren’t afraid to tackle difficult topics head-on. Their willingness to be vulnerable about issues like infidelity, addiction, and self-worth is refreshing and relatable.

However, the book’s frequent critiques of Christianity and belief in God felt excessive and, at times, dismissive. While I understand their frustration with Christian nationalism and religious hypocrisy, the tone often veered into generalizations that didn’t sit well with me. Not all people of faith fit the negative stereotypes presented, and believing in God doesn’t equate to being uneducated or close-minded. (Although, I admit it does SEEM that way a lot of the time in this particular political climate.)

Still, this aspect made the book less enjoyable, as it overshadowed some of the more universal and uplifting messages. One of the things that really bothered me was when one of the author's (I forget which one now) gave the other "permission" to reclaim her faith if it would help her recover from her addiction. It wasn't presented in those terms, of course, but that was the gist. It was kind of a, "If you need to turn back to God during these trying times, I'll understand. Do whatever it takes."

I don't know why -- no, I DO know why; I just don't have the time or mental energy to invest to explain it now -- but I really, really found that offensive. There were other points in the book where the authors made it seem like being a Christian made you ignorant or even delusional, and it really put a damper on my enjoyment of the book as a whole. But, enough on that!

Structurally, the narrative sometimes meanders, with tangents and repetitive stories that can be confusing or distracting, especially for readers unfamiliar with the podcast or the authors’ backgrounds. There are moments of genuine insight and humor, but overall, the book’s repetitiveness and critical stance toward faith detracted from my enjoyment.

In summary, "Life is a Lazy Susan of Shit Sandwiches" has its strengths -- namely, honest storytelling, humor, and a celebration of friendship -- but its heavy-handed criticism of religion and lack of nuance on matters of faith made it hard to fully embrace. It’s a decent read with some bright spots, but ultimately, it wasn’t quite for me.

Thank you netgalley for the advanced audiobook copy of Life is a Lazy Susan of Shit Sandwiches! I love these ladies and was tickled to have the chance to listen! After following them on facebook for their I’ve Had It clips I knew I would devour this book. It was great to get a glimpse at what made these women who they are. Life can really be a lazy susan of shit but you can find humor in it!

I absolutely loved it. The audiobook, narrated by the authors Jennifer Welch and Angie “Pumps” Sullivan themselves, brilliantly captures their raw honesty, humor, and deep friendship, making listeners feel like they are part of an intimate conversation. Their alternating chapters offer a genuine and heartfelt look into their personal struggles with addiction, infidelity, and self-worth, balanced perfectly with irreverent humor and hopeful cynicism. The dynamic between them is infectious, and their ability to find laughter amidst life’s chaos is both inspiring and comforting. This audiobook is a perfect blend of memoir, manifesto, and best-friend confessional that will resonate deeply with anyone who’s ever felt life serving up the same mess repeatedly. It’s funny, real, and ultimately uplifting—a must-listen for fans of authentic storytelling and friendship.

As a longtime fan of Jennifer and Angie’s podcast, I was excited to dive into their audiobook—and it did not disappoint. They bring the same hilarious, raw, and unfiltered energy to the book that makes their podcast so addictive.

This isn't just a memoir—it’s a real, wide-ranging conversation about life. They open up about everything: friendship, parenting, addiction, religion, politics, relationships, and the messy middle of it all. Nothing is off-limits, and they tackle it all with honesty, vulnerability, and humor.

Their bond is incredible, and their stories are powerful. I laughed out loud, got emotional, and felt like I was right there with them. If you love their podcast, the audiobook feels like an extended, deeper version of the show. It’s honest, bold, and beautifully human. Highly recommend.

I requested this title with no prior knowledge of the the podcast 'I've Had It." Jenn and Pumps did a good job of enlightening me fast and furiously to what their dynamic and relationship entailed. I was able to quickly pick up on how they worked together, how their relationship blossomed, and found their stories about their lives generally entertaining. At times I found their content a bit pushy, especially politically, and other times somewhat repetitive.
I did love that their narrated it themselves, it was clear they were seasoned professionals when it came to speaking. It was a fun quick read, but at times I was lost and couldn't relate to some of the quips they mentioned. I'm guessing fans of their podcast likely enjoyed this more fully.

This audiobook was everything I didn’t know I needed—and more! I recently came across the I’ve Had It podcast, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Jennifer and Pumps keep me laughing from beginning to end. Their back-and-forth is hilarious, their honesty is refreshing, and their takes on life are just so real.

So when I found out they had an audiobook—and that they were the ones reading it—I hit play right away. I already liked them from the podcast, but hearing their personal stories in their own voices made me feel even more connected to them. I had no idea what they’d gone through behind the scenes, and learning more about their lives made everything feel more meaningful.

What really stood out was how open they were. They talked about some really tough things, like their husbands’ struggles with addiction and how Pumps dealt with infidelity and divorce. They didn’t hold back, and that made them feel even more real and relatable. I think their honesty will really help others going through similar situations.

If you’re a fan of the show—or just want a funny, honest, and down-to-earth listen that feels like catching up with your two funniest friends—this audiobook is for you. I laughed, I related, and I walked away feeling like I knew them even better. I definitely recommend it!

A huge thanks to NetGalley, the authors, and the publisher for the opportunity to listen to this advance copy; it was so worth it.

I haven’t listened to their podcast, but have seen video clips of interviews. This was more about addiction and loss than anything else, and while it was a quick and interesting enough read, I also found myself wondering about the level of consent they got from their partners to share such sensitive information. I do believe that telling the POV of the partner is important, and would be really helpful to someone going through it, but I don’t find that this book really gave anything valuable advice wise to that perspective. It was truly a “welp, what can ya do?” storytelling style.

That said, if you are a follower of theirs and are familiar with their previous work, you’d likely enjoy this. I did, though likely not as much due to the grey areas of what was shared.

I have not listened to their podcast before so I was not sure what to expect. It was light hearted and real at the same time. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy.

This book was funny, serious, real, and so relatable. I want to start their podcast from the beginning, now!

I listen to Jen and Angie’s podcasts daily—I love their humor, their effortless banter, and the way they make even the silliest, most mundane topics wildly entertaining. But what I admire most is their ability to shift gears and speak with such power, clarity, and conviction when addressing serious, critical issues. In my head, they’ve become my honorary aunts. So of course, there was no way I wasn’t going to pick up this book.

I really enjoyed the deeper look into their lives and beginnings. Learning about the moments that solidified their friendship added so much context to the unshakable bond and sisterhood you can feel in every episode. I finished the book feeling like I’d just had a heartfelt, honest conversation with two close friends. The only thing I would've changed was for the stories to be in order of occurrence to make the timelines a bit easier to follow.

When I saw the title I knew I had to listen to this memoir. Who can pass up a book called Life Is A Lazy Susan of Sh*t Sandwiches? Prior to listening to this I was not aware of the “I’ve Had It” Podcast and that means I was also not aware of Jennifer Welch or Angie Sullivan. With that being said, Jennifer and Angie have a new fan in me. I like going into memoirs blind so all I will say is this is heartwarming, honest, real, and funny. This is a must read/listen.

4.5 stars Audiobook
I've never heard of these two podcasters before I picked up this book based on the title alone. How could I not ? These ladies are honest, open and have been through some serious stuff. Their friendship is remarkable and unbreakable. So what is this book about ? Life. Their life, life in general, some politics, some religion (oh they're not afraid to go there) relationships, children, addictions and more. Yes, you've heard all that before, not this way. They are so honest and open about the struggles they've had to live through, it's uplifting. I really like them, would love to sit and have coffee with them. I'm subscribing to their podcast. Read the book

look, I would fucking ride or die for a woman who’s HAD IT, so this was right on brand for me. if you’ve heard their podcast, no surprises here. they’re funny, they’re crass, they have weird midwesternish (is OK midwest??) phrases that can stay where they are BUT, they have also been THROUGH IT. they give their hard-earned wisdom from some really real shit in their lives, their candor is incredible.

I loved them before but I love them even more now! This book was raw, real and very funny! If you can I recommend listening to the audiobook! So good! Thanks NetGallery!

I don't think I was the right audience for this book. I have seen the authors' videos on tik tok and found them funny, however, this book just fell flat for me. Five hours of listening to opinions was unenjoyable. Was a DNF for me and would not recommend.

I could not put this down. If I could give this more than 5 stars, I absolutely would! As a 48-year-old woman who’s worn all the hats: mother, wife, employee, caretaker, fixer, peacemaker, Life is a Lazy Susan of Sh*t Sandwiches spoke to parts of me that I didn’t even realize needed a voice. It’s brutally honest in the best way: no sugarcoating, no fluff, just real life served up on a rotating platter of chaos, expectations, and the occasional moment of peace if you can catch it before it spins away.

This audiobook made me laugh, cry, nod in agreement, and most of all, breathe. There’s something powerful about hearing these words spoken aloud, like a friend who just gets it, validation. It’s a permission slip to drop the performance, own your story, and find beauty in the mess. For any woman who’s ever felt like she’s spinning in a world that expects her to hold it all together without breaking a sweat, this one’s for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to experience this deeply relatable, empowering listen. I’m so grateful for the ARC and will be recommending it to every woman I know who needs to feel seen.

I enjoyed Jen and Angie on their TV show as well as their podcast. This book was a funny and great read about their origin story. I appreciate their candor and authenticity. Highly recommend for Jen and Pumps fans. I very much enjoyed listening to the authors read the audiobook.

I received an advanced listening copy via NetGalley.

Thank you to Harlequin Audio for the free audiobook.

The title and the blurb referencing readers who enjoyed Not giving a &*ck is what drew me to request this audiobook. Not being a reality housewives show watcher, I was unaware of who the two writers of this book are and less than nothing about their podcast.

Though not funny as I had presumed, save their mission to get a print out of cell phone calls and texts, I definitely feel I know as much about these two women as possible from their sharing the genesis of their friendship and subsequent Bravo show and podcast. They read their own chapters and bring their own vibe to the recording.

Both are strongly opinionated, unapologetically, in all things they are passionate about. Both have lived a life surrounded by addictions, religion, and now politics. They have touched the stars, and have been minor ones themselves, in their reality show.

This memoir would appeal to listeners to their podcast or perhaps those that watched the Bravo show starring both women.

I’ve been a fan of I’ve Had It for years & this was an honest, yet funny insight into Jen & Pumps’ history. This is a great deep dive into some of the serious topics they have talked about but not fully hashed out for us on the pod.

Read by the authors, if you are at all a fan of these two, it is a must-listen as it feels like a longer podcast of them telling us their story!

Probably wouldn’t recommend if you don’t also listen to the pod, but that being said, maybe start listening to the pod?

I was already a fan but didn’t know a lot of their backstory. This was heartfelt and very honest while also being funny and full of their biting whit and sarcasm. I loved that they read their own chapters as that added a nice, personal touch.