I wanted to love this book, but I will admit to having mixed feelings going into it--feelings that were not allayed by the story.
Two parallel stories--one realistic, one a fairy tale--track one woman's daily struggle with the overwhelming demands of being a worker, wife, and mother to a special-needs child. Other than the fairy tale counterpoint, I felt this is ground that has been covered many times before. Does that make the book un-worthwhile? No. But for me, the novelty of the fairy-tale character and her story did not add enough new perspective or insight. Most distressing of all, to me, was where the "real" character ended up: without significant change to the core difficulties of her life. Yes, we need to challenge the fairy-tale version of female adult married life--but this seemed more like a character giving herself a talking-to telling herself to not stress so much and be more grateful, then having a vacation into wild single-life, and then--what?

Love the eye catching cover. Lihi Lapid is a wonderful author has written an emotional moving look at motherhood.She brought me back to the newborn haze struggling to adjust so protective of my child.Told from the point off view of two women this is a gem of a novel.

I adore this cover art and colors. It made me want to learn more about the girls featured. I was very impressed with Lapid’s story. Reading about moms, wives, and daughters is one of my favorite genres—the author crafts rich and authentic characters. The story captivates and moves at a good pace - you won’t want to put it down. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I Wanted to be Wonderful took me back to the hazy newborn days. The sleepless nights, the demands I put on myself and the pressure I felt to be the perfect mother/human in general while I became an empty shell, pouring from a cup that was bone dry.

Lihi Lapid is brutally honest in her novel, which is told from two different perspectives. One ‘fairytale’ point of view of motherhood, and another based on her own personal experiences. I think this would be a great book for new mums who feel the heavy weight of expectation.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. What a beautiful book. The way it’s written and narrated is so unique and poetic. It’s a creative way to showcase the stories of 2 women out of so many that struggle and endure as they navigate life as women, mothers, and wives. This book felt magic and emotional to read. This is a timeless tale and again so so relatable for every woman.