Have an ARC of this book - lucky me! This is a genuine, heartfelt novel about a mother struggling to do it all, but most of all struggling with her alcoholism. I’m actually surprised there haven’t been more books on this topic. It’s so pervasive yet it's so incredibly taboo, which is, I guess, why there haven’t been more books! The author nails the voice of Cadence and makes her a believable, highly likable, and sympathetic character, even when she’s doing something anyone would consider “bad.” She is also relatable regardless of whether the reader has experienced addiction.

In addition, the author does a fantastic job of subtly showing the ironies of parenthood, motherhood, and life in general. Two people with alcohol addictions and the one who goes to rehab is shunned when she’s the one getting help. A dad sees his kid every other weekend and it’s totally acceptable. A mom sees hers every other weekend and she clearly “has problems” or “did something.” I loved the mix of humor and seriousness and, most importantly, how messy this was, but in a good way. There are happy endings yet there is still sadness. There are redemptions but they are not clean. In other words, it’s just like life. Overall, this is an extremely moving book that had me thinking about people I know and even the ways in which I’ve bought into the societal/maternal ironies. This would make an excellent book club selection and I predict it will be a future book club hit!