Welll ...Had Enough? is basically anti-Lump Man propaganda disguised as a mom-com—and honestly, I was into it. I'm not the target demo (no husband, no carpool), but I still rooted for Claire as she clawed her way out of suburban burnout and flirted with the idea of blowing up her life over drinks with an old flame.

It’s a snappy, funny ride through midlife crisis territory. Even if you’re not a forty-something mom, you’ll feel the thrill of someone finally saying, “Wait—what do I want?” Spoiler: it’s not another load of laundry. There are some cringey parts and some cliches, but all in all, it was cute and easy.

Not my usual genre for sure, and I probably wouldn't have usually picked this up!
A good palette cleanser & easy to listen to while winding down at night or doing stuff around the house.

The "mom-com" genre may be new to me, but Claire's frenzied life is not. This mid-life marriage and life crisis story had me laughing out loud, emphatically nodding my head, and deeply reflecting on how life in your 40s can never the "what once was" of your younger years, and looking around at what you have now, who loves you, who depends on you, and who's helped you build your current life matters more than the past.

I absolutely adored this story, the characters, the writing style, the entire premise! I highly recommend the audio version, I really enjoyed listening to this one!

3.5 ⭐rounding up for relatability

Welcome to the world of the Mom-Com! <i>Claire Casey's Had Enough</i> brings us face to face with the reality of overworked underappreciated moms by taking readers on a day in the life of frazzled mom Claire. To give a complete picture the novel includes flashbacks to different moments in Claire's life as she's pondering what's next.

Something's gotta give.

All too often it's the mom. How often do moms not value the power of the word "No"? I've been there. I've also been there when I've said it and been swarmed by grown adults in shock that someone would have the audacity to use it. 😳 Hmm, maybe that's why so many kids have boundary issues? 🤔 Anyway, I understood Claire.

Claire is a busy mom of three who has been doing it all for so long she's lost sight of her identity beyond motherhood and she's become frustrated in the process. Who could blame her? Her husband couldn't be bothered to keep his phone charged knowing her plane was arriving late. So, there she is stranded at 2am at the airport forced to uber home and sleep in a filthy hammock because no one would get up and answer the door. I didn't even blame her for being mad and asking the overgrown man-baby to leave.

In one of the flashbacks, we see Claire meet an old flame from college who is divorced and interested in exploring a relationship with newly separated Claire. They have a flirtation via e-mail with the hopes of more. Maybe. I liked that Claire didn't jump into dating a bunch of random guys as soon as the door shut on her husband. She was still prioritizing her sons and thinking long and hard about what it would take to repair her marriage.

I could relate to the moments of not knowing whether to laugh or cry. Mom guilt is real. Showing a day in the life of a mom I thought was brilliant because while, some of it is exaggerated for comedic effect and Claire does bumble a bit; it was relatable for the most part. I've had days that taught me to travel with a full change of clothes, scissors, flashlights, and an entire roll of paper towels. I feel you, Claire!

I listened to the audio narrated by Stephanie Rose. It sounded like she put her all into the material.

Will she move on? OR Will the couple repair their marriage?

The ending was a little meh for my taste. Something felt incomplete about it, but maybe that made for a more realistic take.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for providing an ALC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I ended up DNFing around the 40% mark. The humor didn't land for me, so I mostly found myself vaguely annoyed by the moments that were supposed to be funny. Additionally. a lot of the issues outside of the marriage felt a bit cartoonish (like a lot of the work stuff, and most of what went down at the bus stop). I also kept getting lost in the flashbacks—sometimes they were marked well at the beginning of a chapter but sometimes I wasn't quite sure if something was happening in the present or past, so I found it a bit hard to follow and wasn't really rooting for the main character (although I did think she should leave her marriage.

Master storyteller Liz Alterman (favorite author) returns following her thriller, The House on Cold Creek Lane (top audiobook of 2024), with her sixth novel, CLAIRE CASEY'S HAD ENOUGH

A forty-something wife and mother of three has had enough and is tired of being taken for granted in this charming, sassy, and witty mom-com.

Claire is seeking validation from someone. Someone who reminded her she was once a confident, fun, and engaging woman.

About...

In the familiar setting of New Jersey suburbs, we meet Claire Casey, a forty-six-year-old mom of three boys (Max 14, Henry, 12, and Joe, 8) and a wife to Paul for sixteen years (sometimes she feels like he is a fourth son).

Her life, like many of ours, is a delicate balance of love, chaos, and the constant struggle to be seen and heard.

Things are hectic, and she feels ignored and disregarded. The last straw was when her husband failed to pick up at the airport, so she decided she wanted a separation.

It has been four months since she told Paul to leave, and she had been angry that day. She had told only one person, Bea (age 78), her friend Julie's mom. (loved Bea). Claire was not sure whether this was permanent or temporary.

Then there was Alex. A former boyfriend, she had seen at a recent college reunion. They have been flirty emailing. What if? They had both married someone else, and now he is divorced, and she is separated. When she finally decides to meet him, she is nervous.

Is this what she wants, or is she just looking for a time when she felt beautiful, alive, and loved?

My thoughts...

Cleverly told over thirteen hours in September, we get to see all of Claire Casey's emotions up close and personal. She feels she has lost herself and spends all her time caring for everyone else.

When she reconnects with Alex, she must make a decision. To risk her current marriage and life for one she left behind years ago? It had been eighteen years since she was with another man.

I love the popular "mom-coms," a type of romcom (romantic comedy) that often focuses on the challenges and joys of motherhood.

Liz's narrative is a delightful blend of humor and heart, a perfect reflection of the rollercoaster that is motherhood. She skillfully weaves in the struggles and triumphs of parenting, work-life balance, and relationships, keeping us entertained.

Hilarious, laugh-out-loud, thought-provoking, and heartwarming, the author keeps you laughing as you follow Claire's journey. Highly relatable. If you're a mom, we all remember those days of raising a family and feeling like we weren't appreciated. Of course, as a nana, we hear about the drama from teen grandchildren (from afar).

As I mentioned in our upcoming interview, Liz could be a stand-up comedian. Check out my QA to find out more about this.

Moms will appreciate. I raised two sons and three stepsons, and often there were 10-12 boys at the house on the weekends, but it was fun. However, there's a lot of work involved in attending all their sports activities, practices, homework, playing taxi, doing laundry, cooking, cleaning, and more. So highly relatable.

I love how Claire uses humor as her go-to strategy when defusing conflict. However, sometimes we have to take a step back to appreciate what we have and let others respect us.

The characters in the book are not only relatable, but also lovable. From the wild viral video to the endearing Casey, and the hilarious dynamics with Alex's ex and kids, friends, as well as Paul and the kids, readers will find themselves deeply invested in their lives. I love the ending.

"If I may be so bold, dear, are you hoping to reconnect with an old love or with an old version of yourself?"—Bea to Claire

Whether Liz is writing mom-coms, thrillers, literary, comedy, or a memoir, she is funny, upbeat, and a fabulous storyteller, keeping you glued to the pages! Readers are going to devour CLAIRE CASEY.

I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next! I look forward to reading her memoir.

Interview...

Check out my fun #AuthorElevatorSeries QA with Liz on June 3 (pub day) for behind-the-scenes of the book and this talented author.

Audiobook...

I have since listened to the audiobook, narrated by the mega-talented Stephanie Rose, for a laugh-out-loud performance that showcases all voices, resulting in an engaging and entertaining experience. I highly recommend the audio. Thank you, Dreamscape Media and Netgally, for providing an advanced listening copy.

Recs...

CLAIRE CASEY's HAD ENOUGH is for fans of the author and those who enjoy works by Elle Cosimano, Colleen Oakley, Laurie Gelman, Sophie Kinsella, and Fiona Gibson.

Thanks to Severn House and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: June 3, 2025
My Rating: 5 Stars
June 2025 Must-Read Books
June Newsletter
June Author QA

The writing of this book was not bad and the audio book was great. The narrator was very engaging.

I really did not enjoy this book and found it extremely hard to get through. It was quite funny at moments and the overall theme could have been great. The dramatization of motherhood is an entertaining idea, the Drama Mama job was a good touch, and the other moms/ neighbors being over bearing and annoying was also funny.

However, I was very bothered and annoyed by Claire for like 90% of the book. There comes a point when the annoyance is not entertaining anymore.

Way too much happened in ONE day and Claire just kept making everything worse. There were so many moments that just shouldn’t have happened. Lying about a boy scout email requesting condoms is just weird and makes no sense. Yelling at other people kids and making fun of them with other kids is just weird.

The internal monologue of her reminding herself how much she loves her kids was annoying considering she did nothing to act like she loved her kids.

Her criticisms of her Husband were so valid but they didnt line up with the actions he was taking. It just seemed like she was thinking about a different person when you compare the way he was acting versus the things she had claimed he did to her in the past. ALSO, she was the problem throughout the ENTIRE book so it made almost every criticism of him barely matter.

I also dont agree with needing to explore something else to realize what you have so overall this book just really annoyed me.

As a 40-something mother of three who's proudly done it all for years, even when I was too exhausted to do just one more thing, I relate so deeply to Claire Casey. This audiobook was a delightful listening experience as I journeyed along with Claire - the frustration and outrage with her husband when he forgets to pick her up from the airport and she's forced to sleep outside in the hammock, the delight of reconnecting with her old boyfriend, the overwhelm at being asked to give and give and give - beyond her capacity AND without regard for whether these volunteer service assignments fit her life, her values, or her priorities. I related so deeply to her experience of being stuck in a job that isn't a good fit, of family dynamics, of being nible when the unexpected happens over and over again.

I absolutely loved the ending and appreciate when I listen to a romance that a HEA is guaranteed.

**★★★★ – Claire, I See You**
As a mom—and at one point, a single mom—I felt really seen listening to *Claire Casey Had Enough*. Liz Alterman captures the chaos, humor, and emotional rollercoaster of mid-life with a sharp eye and even sharper dialogue. I laughed out loud more than once, and the inner monologue was painfully relatable in the best way.

The last third was a little too predictable for my taste, but it didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed the ride. The voice actor was excellent, with great pacing and expression, and the production quality was spot-on—clean audio, good levels, and crystal clear even at faster speeds.

I really enjoyed my time with Claire. She’s messy, funny, frustrated, and totally human.

This is a little slice of life. It is funny, smart, witty, sad, frustrating, honest, and relatable. Claire is having a frustrating day after having so many of them she can’t recall the last time she didn’t want to scream into the void. She feels like a single parent, though her husband is still around. She is barely hanging until she realizes that something needs to change. So change it does when he not only forgets to pick her up at the airport, but sleeps through her pounding on the door because he fell asleep with headphones on and his phone was dead so he didn’t hear the cal and she sleeps outside on the hammock.He doesn’t think it is a big deal. What??? How she didn’t kill him was shocking to me, but “Go Claire!”. She’s a better human than I am for certain. Kidding…kind of. She is done and kicks him out. This is their journey back to themselves and to each other. A well narrated listen.

I had a lot of strong, conflicting feelings about this book. On the one hand, I enjoyed that it was about a 40-something mom who is drowning. The overwhelming feeling of giving all to your family and not enough to yourself. And just throwing your hands in the air and saying it is enough. However, I just found parts of the story to be very unrealistic. The book was very focused on the marriage challenges and the High School crush, which is all fine and wonderful, but just didn't seem to be real to me. There seemed to be very little effort and not enough emotion in the marriage portion. And the crush felt very immature and childish. I also found that there was not enough focus on the mothering part of the story, which as a mom of 3, is one of the biggest aspects of my life. I listened to this through the end and I enjoyed the narrator, I just found parts of the book felt forced to me. I went back and forth between how I thought the book was going to end, which kept me engaged in listening. But I just felt that at times it was a challenge to engage and identify with the main character.

Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

Claire has officially hit her breaking point. Her husband forgets to pick her up from the airport, she’s locked out of the house, and it’s just the latest in a long list of things she’s been silently managing while he coasts along with “I’ll get to it eventually.”

The story takes place over the course of a single day, but it weaves in flashbacks to both recent months and years past—especially those carefree college days Claire can’t help but look back on with rose-colored glasses. It gives great perspective on how she got to this moment and why she’s starting to question everything.

This book is a blend of raw, real, and witty. Claire’s inner dialogue is so relatable, especially for anyone who’s felt overwhelmed by family life or stuck in the rut of routine. She wants to reclaim something for herself, but also learns that being selfish isn’t always the fix.

It’s a thoughtful, honest look at identity, resentment, and the quiet strength it takes to keep moving forward—even when everything feels like it’s falling apart.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape media for this free advanced copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I liked Claire Casey's Had Enough by Liz Alterman. I’m also a married mother of three, and I could relate to a lot of what Claire was going through. I didn’t find her whiny, as some popular reviews have said, but I also didn’t find it hilarious, as the blurb claimed it would be.

I love love triangles, and I wasn’t quite sure who she’d choose by the end. That’s exactly how love triangles should be. If there’s no tension or mystery, it’s not really a triangle.

I deducted two stars: one for the immense amount of fatphobia and body shaming, and another for the lack of real growth in the characters. That second point is partly on me for expecting too much. Aside from the flashbacks, the story takes place on September 5th, and people can’t change in one day. Still, I found it lacking in this area given the weight of the dilemma.

Stephanie Rose was okay. I didn’t feel like she brought anyone to life, but she didn’t grate on my nerves either.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for providing me with an ALC.

Wow the emotion in this book is real. I think most people that have been in a long term relationship have had questions and feelings about being lost and this book took you through the roller coaster of those feelings. Truly felt so many of these same feelings and could not stop listening. I highly recommend listening.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this arc.

A fun story about an overwhelmed mother trying to restore balance in her life and still be able to do it all. If you're a working mom, you will absolutely relate with Claire Casey. I spent a good portion of this audiobook nodding along with Claire's struggles.

I liken this character to Elle Cosimano's Finlay Donovan series, minus the mystery - just a frazzled mom trying to keeping it all together and be everything to everyone. I immediately fell in love with Claire.

The narration was excellent, and the story was an entertaining listen. The book had perfect pacing and I was engaged the entire time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the advanced digital audio of this title.

I just finished listening to a good audiobook. Claire Casey's Had Enough is available now. Check it out.

I bounced back and forth between the book and the audiobook. This was an entertaining story that covers a day in the life of a mother. A little farfetched that all these events occurred in one day. Still, a book a working mom can relate to. The audiobook narration was not anything special--but it was easy to listen to the narrator. Thank you to Severn House, Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the complementary ARC's. This review is my own opinion.

Clair Casey has had ENOUGH! This story takes place over one day. During this drama-filled, emotionally draining day, Claire reflects on events that led her to this day. She recalls memories with past significant others and contemplates the way her husband is not measuring up to her expectations. What a day for Clare Casey! The book was entertaining, and the narrator did a nice job.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the advance listen in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

This book is described as a mom-com, but I found it depressing rather than funny. It’s a well-written and well-narrated audiobook for fans of women’s fiction, but it’s not for me.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

*ARC review*

This was a nice, light book that was entertaining and funny. I really liked the main character and how the book ended. The story was well thought out and well written, and I’m sure many people will relate to this book!

Claire doesn't know what she wants in life but she knows she needs a change. After kicking out her husband for a trial separation, she reconnects with a college boyfriend and must decide if she wants to pursue that relationship or fix her marriage. I wanted to love this but I found it hard to connect with Claire. She changed her mind on what she wanted every chapter. I know we were supposed to feel her indecision but it felt like I was reading a horny teenager caught in a love triangle at times. Was her husband kind of useless at times? Yes. Did she fail to see any of the good he attempted? Also, yes. I appreciate his character redemption (because I couldn't stand him at first) but I never understood the pull of Alex, the former boyfriend. The flashbacks made him sound like a condescending prick. Maybe this was supposed to be a "grass isn't always greener" thing but he made it pretty clear who he was when she first dated him. I loved Claire's messy mom moments and the interactions between her and her elderly friend. However, this one was a bit of a let down. 2.5 stars.