Good Days Bad Days by Emily Bleeker
Charlie was removed from her home when she was 15 because of her parents extreme hoarding and unsafe living conditions. She never forgave them for not making things better and getting her back and she’s never went back. Now as an adult her father calls on her to come see her mother, who’s in a nursing home with dementia and to help him ‘clean’ up their ever deteriorating home. In doing so she meets a mother she never really knew. A very good read!
I work w the elderly and some with dementia so this one really hit home.

This was a heartbreaking read! Charlie has not been in contact with her parents since CPS came and removed her due to her mother's hoarding. Now, 30 years later, Charlie's dad reaches out needing help with the house. Betty, Charlie's mother, is suffering from memory issues and is in a memory facility until the house is safe for her return. As Charlie and her father work through the house, memories and secrets come up to the surface. This is the story of not only Charlie and her parents but also Charlie and her daughter and the legacy of secret keeping.

This was a heart wrenching read! It has great characters and I was dying to find out all of Betty's secrets. I really enjoyed the way the story moved from the present time and back to the past of the parents' love story. Betty was such a complex character that I grew to understand and love. This was a good read!

This book follows Charlotte, who is a successful TV personality with her husband Ian on a home renovation show, reminiscent of HGTV. The story alternates between her life and what she is experiencing, and her father Greg's younger years when he met his wife Betty, Charlotte's mother. Greg has called Charlotte to have her come into town to her childhood home to help clean it up, as Betty has suffered from hoarding disorder since Charlotte's childhood. Now that Betty has been put into a rehab facility, and the house has been deemed unsafe due to the hoarding, Greg needs help saving the home and his guardianship status for Betty. Despite any resentment she might feel she promised her father that if he wanted to fix things with the house, and the hoarding that she would be there to help, so she came. Greg's call couldn't have come at a better time as Charlotte and Ian are suffering some difficulties in their marriage and Charlotte just needs to get away for a while. Charlotte came to help her father, but she ends up learning so much about the parents she never fully knew, as well as learning about herself and what really matters. This book was hard to read because Betty reminds me a lot of my own mother in many ways, and I had many of the same experiences with how my mother would treat me at times. That being said, I loved the development of the story, and how it still makes you think that maybe in the end things happen they way they were meant to whether it's good or bad. After all, we all have good and bad days!

Good Days Bad Days by Emily Bleeker is an interwoven story of the past and present so much so it's almost like you are reading two books that is beautifully brought together as one.

A touching story filled with so much depth and emotion, realness of hoarding, dementia, loss, love and second chances that you can feel with each turn of the page.

I highly recommend reading and learning more about Greg, Betty and Charlie.

This was easily one of my top reads of 2025 so far! While the majority of my preferred reads are ones that I fly through in a sitting or two, this was more of a slow burn that took me a bit to get through - not because the pacing was slow or that the story wasn't interesting, but because it was emotionally heavy at times, especially as a young mom feeling caught between the pressures of raising my own child while watching my own parents age as the years pass.

"Good Days Bad Days" follows Charlie, an HGTV- esque star, as she returns to her hometown to help de-clutter her parents' home while processing her recent separation following her husband's betrayal. While it may seem like common struggles that many of us face as we get older, we soon learn the complex and messy side of Charlie's past, including her childhood in foster care resulting in estrangement from her parents, especially her mom. Told in parallel storylines that alternate between Charlie's POV and her father in his 20s, we learn more about the complexities behind their family dynamics.

Like I said, I absolutely loved this one. The characters, the pacing, the storyline - everything! Thanks so much for the ARC - can't wait to follow Bleeker and see what she comes out with next!

Good days bad days by Emily Bleeker

Charlie vowed to never go home again........until....
Charlie was taken from her family home and put into foster care because of unsafe home conditions. Her dad assured her they'd fix it and bring her home. That did not happen.
Charlie grew up, moved, and now has a popular tv show.
She has no contact with her mom at all. She's still bitter about her teen years in foster care.
After a frantic plea for help from dad, Charlie reluctantly returns home to help her parents.
This story was so emotional, with dementia and OCD.
It was told in parts, past and present.
I devoured it.
I loved Charlie and while I was frustrated with some of her decisions, as I was her parents decisions, I could not stop reading.
We get to know Charlie today and her parents, both today and before.
The story was just emotional and gripping.
When reading the past parts of the story, I learned quite a bit and my feelings toward some of the characters changed a bit.
I never did like Ian though.
So if the reader wants a good emotional story with family issues, drama, and some heavy themes this fits.
It was not a dark story though there were a few parts that were super emotional.

highly recommended

thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this compelling emotional story.

In Good Days Bad Days, Charlie McFadden returns home after 31 years of estrangement from her parents. Her mother's OCD and hoarding, and her father's enabling, forced her to cut them out of her life. But when she returns to help her father clear the house, she learns secrets about her parents that change the way she sees them, helps her understand her mother's illness, and forces her to rethink the broken relationships with her family.

I thought this book was well done. The story is told in dual timelines, and the author does a really good job of holding the reader's attention in both timelines. I especially loved the story of Betty and Greg. I thought the characters, especially those from the historical story, were well developed and relatable.

I don't have any major complaints about the book. There were some parts that did drag, some parts that could have been better developed, and some parts that probably could have been left out altogether. Overall, it was a quick read that I enjoyed.

3.5​⭐s rounded up.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this advanced copy. The book is scheduled to be published on October 7, 2025.

Emily Bleeker delivers another emotionally resonant and beautifully layered novel in Good Days and Bad Days. With her signature blend of heartfelt storytelling and suspenseful pacing, she captures the complexity of grief, healing, and the power of second chances. The characters feel authentic—flawed yet deeply relatable—and their journeys tug at the heart without feeling overly sentimental. Bleeker excels at weaving past and present, unraveling secrets just enough to keep you turning the pages. This is a story about resilience, love, and what it means to move forward after life takes an unexpected turn. A deeply moving read that stays with you long after the final page.

After being removed from her home by child protective services at the age of 15 and placed into foster care, Charlie McFadden believes she has taken control of her life. However, in reality, things are beginning to spiral.

When a call from her estranged father asks her to come home to say goodbye to her mother and help him with their family house, Charlie runs to her hometown to escape her problems. She soon begins to realize that perhaps her own childhood trauma and family secrets are having more impact on her adult life than she thought.

The story unfolds through dual timelines, alternating between the present day, where Betty resides in a dementia ward, and the late 1960s and early 1970s, when her parents first met. These flashbacks reveal a completely different Betty compared to the woman Charlie remembers.
The author’s depiction of dementia and OCD/hoarding compulsion is well-researched. I found the early storyline about Betty and Greg compelling, forming Betty into a likable and well-developed character that I rooted for. Where I struggled with the book was the present-day Charlie, who often came across as grating and shallow, with superficial relationships. At times, I found myself eager to return to the 1970s chapters, delving into Betty and Greg’s backstory and uncovering their secrets.

In the end, the narrative ties together as long-hidden truths are revealed, leading to a sense of relative happiness and resolution. 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing me with a digital ARC for review.

This was not my favorite Emily Bleeker book. I felt like it was a little bit choppy, the flashbacks especially felt like they were written in a different rhythm than the current era chapters. I also didn't get connected to the whole Ian side story line. It felt like it needed more. But maybe I am just spoiled by her previous two books which I absolutely loved!

This is a story line that I am willing to bet many people can relate to. As you learn about Greg, Betty, Lottie/Charllotte, you will learn a number of things about the characters and will follow the twists and turns and there are even a few suprises in store!

I received a copy for review. All opinions are my own. I absolutely loved this book. The past and present timeline was so helpful to understand the plot. This book is very relatable for me and does a great job of putting you in the main characters shoes. At times it made me smirk and at others it made me frown. Definitely a worthy read!

Emily Bleeker’s *Good Days Bad Days* is a deep dive into family struggles, memories, and the process of healing. The story centers around Charlie McFadden, who seems to have it all together as a wife, mother, and reality TV star, far removed from the chaos of her childhood. After being taken away from her parents’ messy home when she was fifteen, Charlie has always felt unwanted and emotionally abandoned by her mom, Betty, and her dad.

The real emotional weight kicks in when Charlie is pulled back into her past after her dad asks her to visit her ailing mom in a memory care facility. This isn’t just another trip down memory lane; it’s a chance for her to rediscover everything she thought she left behind. Betty, now battling dementia, swings between hurtful comments and rare moments of warmth, giving Charlie glimpses of a loving mother she never truly knew. These moments not only reveal deeper family secrets but also add layers to the story.

Bleeker really captures how memories can be both a struggle and a lifeline. The book steers clear of clichés and goes for a more honest approach. *Good Days Bad Days* doesn’t wrap things up neatly with forgiveness or closure but offers something more genuine: a real look at coming to terms with the past. Fans of family dramas like those by Jodi Picoult or Kristin Hannah will find a lot to appreciate in this moving novel.

This beautifully told story moves between past and present, piecing together the fractured relationship between Charlie and her estranged parents. As Charlie returns home after decades to say goodbye to her mother, now in a memory care unit, she’s pulled into a journey of rediscovery, painful truths, and moments of unexpected love.

The depiction of her mother’s dementia, along with the long-standing obsessive-compulsive behaviors that led to extreme hoarding, was incredibly well done. It’s easily a 5 star read!

Good Days Bad Days had an good story that kept me interested. There were more layers to it than I expected when it started. I got a little frustrated with some of the choices that Charlie made (why does there always have to be a hometown love interest?). So I think I preferred the 1969 story a little more. Thank you NetGalley for this ARc.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. I always enjoy this author’s books and this one was no different. She digs in about real subjects and writes with heart.

I enjoyed reading this book. The flipping between story lines does not distract from the narrative. The characters are likeable and well written. I would recommend this book to my friends.

In Good Days, Bad Days, Charlie McFadden’s life is shaped by a traumatic childhood experience. At 15 years of age, she was removed from the family home due to it being an unsafe environment with hoarded objects. While her father promised her to get it worked out, Charlie was never able to return to the family home, as it was never remedied. Since that time, Charlie has not had contact with her mother and father. The story takes a turn when Charlie’s father reaches out to her, asking her to visit her ailing mother, Betty in a memory care facility.

This narrative successfully shifts between the past and the present, engaging you in Charlie’s journey. The dual timelines allow insights into Betty’s life and the circumstances that led to her mental decline and hoarding behaviors. As Charlie navigates her painful feelings, her childhood, and her feeling of abandonment by the people that are supposed to love you- it fosters a deep connection with you, the reader, because you feel terrible for Charlie. The themes of forgiveness and healing are presented in this story. This novel is a poignant exploration of family estrangement and the complexities of mental illness, love, dementia, and resilience. This narrative encourages you to confront your own past, and consider the potential for reconciling with your own family/friends before it is too late.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my review.

I absolutely loved this book and devoured it in one sitting. I loved how the chapters alternated between past and present and it was such an emotional story that kept you guessing how it was going to be concluded. Tissues needed!

This book was impressive. It was sad, it was happy, it showed that you don't always know the whole story so you shouldn't judge. It's never to late to get the whole story and leaves hope that maybe one can rediscover their past.