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Is This a Cry for Help?: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 13 Jan 26Emily Austin, the bestselling “queen of darkly quirky, endearingly flawed heroines” (Sarah Haywood, author of The Cactus), returns with a luminous new novel following a librarian who comes back to work after a mental breakdown only to confront book-banning crusaders in an empowering story of grief, love, and the power of libraries.
Darcy’s life turned out better than she could have ever imagined. She is a librarian at the local branch, while her wife Joy runs a book binding service. Between the two of them, there is no more room on their shelves with their ample book collections, various knickknacks and bobbles, and dried bouquets. Rounding out their ideal life is two cats and a sun-soaked house by the lake.
But when Darcy receives the news that her ex-boyfriend, Ben, has passed away, she spirals into a pit of guilt and regret, resulting in a mental breakdown and medical leave from the library. When she returns to work, she is met by unrest in her community and protests surrounding intellectual freedom, resulting in a call for book bans and a second look at the branch’s upcoming DEI programs.
Through the support of her community, colleagues, and the personal growth that results from examining her previous relationships, Darcy comes into her own agency and the truest version of herself. Is This a Cry for Help? not only offers a moving portrait of queer life after coming of age but also powerfully explores questions about sexuality, community, and the importance of libraries.
Darcy’s life turned out better than she could have ever imagined. She is a librarian at the local branch, while her wife Joy runs a book binding service. Between the two of them, there is no more room on their shelves with their ample book collections, various knickknacks and bobbles, and dried bouquets. Rounding out their ideal life is two cats and a sun-soaked house by the lake.
But when Darcy receives the news that her ex-boyfriend, Ben, has passed away, she spirals into a pit of guilt and regret, resulting in a mental breakdown and medical leave from the library. When she returns to work, she is met by unrest in her community and protests surrounding intellectual freedom, resulting in a call for book bans and a second look at the branch’s upcoming DEI programs.
Through the support of her community, colleagues, and the personal growth that results from examining her previous relationships, Darcy comes into her own agency and the truest version of herself. Is This a Cry for Help? not only offers a moving portrait of queer life after coming of age but also powerfully explores questions about sexuality, community, and the importance of libraries.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication January 13, 2026
16225 people want to read
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November 15, 2025
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The Book Review Crew Blog
I have never read this author before, and to be honest, I wasn't impressed. Librarian Darcy is trying to get her life back on track after a nervous breakdown, which was mostly caused by the death of her ex-boyfriend. Darcy is now (supposedly) happily married to her wife, Joy. Darcy tries to deal with her grief, but also a PR nightmare at the library as she encounters a group of book-banning zealots.
Austin has an interesting premise here, and I get what she was trying to do, BUT the conflict that Darcy is feeling and going through bored me to tears. The internal dialogue was meandering and failed to hold my interest. The main issue I had was Darcy herself. I understand she is going through a difficult time, but she frustrated the hell out of me. She comes across as passive and self-absorbed. The flow of the plot gets bogged down with her repetitive and obsessive thoughts about her old relationship. I was more interested in the issues at the library and the book banning, and felt that part of the story was underdeveloped. Austin tries to use quirky humour, but it didn't work with the themes of grief and mental health.
Overall, I found an excellent premise on book bans and healing that didn't exactly deliver. I was hoping for something more about identifying as gay, mental health and community, but what I got wasn't a cry for anything; it was just a big old pity party.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
The Book Review Crew Blog
I have never read this author before, and to be honest, I wasn't impressed. Librarian Darcy is trying to get her life back on track after a nervous breakdown, which was mostly caused by the death of her ex-boyfriend. Darcy is now (supposedly) happily married to her wife, Joy. Darcy tries to deal with her grief, but also a PR nightmare at the library as she encounters a group of book-banning zealots.
Austin has an interesting premise here, and I get what she was trying to do, BUT the conflict that Darcy is feeling and going through bored me to tears. The internal dialogue was meandering and failed to hold my interest. The main issue I had was Darcy herself. I understand she is going through a difficult time, but she frustrated the hell out of me. She comes across as passive and self-absorbed. The flow of the plot gets bogged down with her repetitive and obsessive thoughts about her old relationship. I was more interested in the issues at the library and the book banning, and felt that part of the story was underdeveloped. Austin tries to use quirky humour, but it didn't work with the themes of grief and mental health.
Overall, I found an excellent premise on book bans and healing that didn't exactly deliver. I was hoping for something more about identifying as gay, mental health and community, but what I got wasn't a cry for anything; it was just a big old pity party.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Want to read
September 30, 2025reading every book about gay weirdos finding themselves as a cry for help
September 9, 2025
As a library worker myself, I'm so impressed by how Emily Austin handled the discussions on censorship, library efforts to mitigate situations, and libraries' overall impact on society. This is such an important book that touches upon bigger issues pertaining to public libraries, as well as issues on a smaller scale, such as dealing with homophobia within your own family.
I can't wait for more people to read this upon its release, and this should be required reading, especially in the current climate.
I can't wait for more people to read this upon its release, and this should be required reading, especially in the current climate.
Read
December 6, 2025RATING AND REVIEW TO COME💗💗!!!!!!!!
I'm not sure on this book, but I didn't love it at all😑😑!!!!!!!
I'm not sure on this book, but I didn't love it at all😑😑!!!!!!!
December 23, 2025
this was a mix of being beat over the head with liberal politics and reminiscing on a compulsive heterosexual relationship while simultaneously dealing with internalized homophobia…honestly i’m just looking for more happy lesbian literature 🫠
i received this arc from netgalley and atria
i received this arc from netgalley and atria
December 13, 2025
This is pure beauty in literary form. Very rarely does a book as powerful as this one come along in modern times.
If there has ever been a moment where I sincerely hope that other readers listen to me- this is that time. Read this book.
Darcy has recently returned to her job at a public library following a metal health crisis she experienced after learning about the passing of her ex.
She must now work on learning, growing, healing and removing guilt.
She must do this while in the midst of trying to save her library from protesters who wish to see it defunded, and the books about race theory, gender and LGBTQ+ experiences removed.
This book tells a fantastic story of grief, mental health and the relevant social issues.
There really aren’t enough words to explain how gorgeous I thought this was.
Truly I had no idea what to expect going into this, but it surpassed every single expectation that I think I ever would have had.
Darcy is such a likeable character and her story spoke to me so much. I felt so deeply for her at every single point, and felt as though she was a real person, whose experiences and pain were jumping out at me through the pages.
I appreciated her and her sexuality struggles so much. Hearing about the guilt she felt when separating from her ex, and how hard it was for her to understand her own identity was quite tragic- but so realistic.
Her feelings on the experiences of womanhood, and how girls are taught and programed by society to feel and want certain things- and how it exists to a degree that makes you completely unaware of your true self and your true feelings. Powerful. So incredibly powerful.
What is also powerful is the discussions this story has about censorship, and how it can affect media and libraries. Diverse content and representation is so important. Supporting your local library is so important!
Overall, this is just a stellar display of so many important topics. Nothing short of fantastic. This is my first Emily R. Austin book, but I can assure you it will not be my last.
Atria Books invited me to review this title, and I am so grateful for that. I likely never would have thought to read this story on my own, but now I could not be happier than it was shown to me.
Thank you to Netgalley, Atria Books and author Emily R. Austin for providing me with the eARC of “Is This a Cry for Help?”, in exchange for my honest review.
publication date: January 13th, 2026
If there has ever been a moment where I sincerely hope that other readers listen to me- this is that time. Read this book.
Darcy has recently returned to her job at a public library following a metal health crisis she experienced after learning about the passing of her ex.
She must now work on learning, growing, healing and removing guilt.
She must do this while in the midst of trying to save her library from protesters who wish to see it defunded, and the books about race theory, gender and LGBTQ+ experiences removed.
This book tells a fantastic story of grief, mental health and the relevant social issues.
There really aren’t enough words to explain how gorgeous I thought this was.
Truly I had no idea what to expect going into this, but it surpassed every single expectation that I think I ever would have had.
Darcy is such a likeable character and her story spoke to me so much. I felt so deeply for her at every single point, and felt as though she was a real person, whose experiences and pain were jumping out at me through the pages.
I appreciated her and her sexuality struggles so much. Hearing about the guilt she felt when separating from her ex, and how hard it was for her to understand her own identity was quite tragic- but so realistic.
Her feelings on the experiences of womanhood, and how girls are taught and programed by society to feel and want certain things- and how it exists to a degree that makes you completely unaware of your true self and your true feelings. Powerful. So incredibly powerful.
What is also powerful is the discussions this story has about censorship, and how it can affect media and libraries. Diverse content and representation is so important. Supporting your local library is so important!
Overall, this is just a stellar display of so many important topics. Nothing short of fantastic. This is my first Emily R. Austin book, but I can assure you it will not be my last.
Atria Books invited me to review this title, and I am so grateful for that. I likely never would have thought to read this story on my own, but now I could not be happier than it was shown to me.
Thank you to Netgalley, Atria Books and author Emily R. Austin for providing me with the eARC of “Is This a Cry for Help?”, in exchange for my honest review.
publication date: January 13th, 2026
September 11, 2025
Thank you SO much Netgalley and Atria Books for an ARC of this book!
Wow.. wow, wow, wow, wow,wow,wow,wow!! I requested this book on Netgalley thinking that it sounded like a cute and fun time. And while I definitely had that. I also had a deep connection to this that I was not expecting!!
Oh my godddd!! I loved every second of this!! It's always nice when we find something that momentarily makes us feel a little less alone on this floating space rock. And this did that for me.
As someone who has struggled with their sexuality, this really hit home. I have always just called myself "bisexual" but I often wonder how much of that is me struggling with the truth, and a lot of that was due to how I was raised.
The library controversy also really tugged at my heart strings. As a 90's baby who grew up in the early 2000's, with no siblings or family I felt comfortable with. Books at the library became almost like a step-parent for me.
I just loved this all around! And I can't wait to buy it!!
Wow.. wow, wow, wow, wow,wow,wow,wow!! I requested this book on Netgalley thinking that it sounded like a cute and fun time. And while I definitely had that. I also had a deep connection to this that I was not expecting!!
Oh my godddd!! I loved every second of this!! It's always nice when we find something that momentarily makes us feel a little less alone on this floating space rock. And this did that for me.
As someone who has struggled with their sexuality, this really hit home. I have always just called myself "bisexual" but I often wonder how much of that is me struggling with the truth, and a lot of that was due to how I was raised.
The library controversy also really tugged at my heart strings. As a 90's baby who grew up in the early 2000's, with no siblings or family I felt comfortable with. Books at the library became almost like a step-parent for me.
I just loved this all around! And I can't wait to buy it!!
August 26, 2025
If there’s one thing Emily Austin is going to do it’s keep me FED
___________________________________
Emily Austin!!! I’d say I’m in your walls, but I think you’re in mine! She’s done it again, folks, hitting on all sorts of topics you might be grappling with. Check this out if you’re terrified by the state of the world. If you’re a lesbian baffled by heterosexuality but also reconciling with how it shaped your life. If you’re dealing with complicated grief. If you grew up doing your local library’s summer reading challenges. It’s really a love letter to libraries and the way literature and different perspectives can expand our understanding of ourselves. It’s probably reflective of many of our lives right now. Navigating violence and hatred and conspiracies just while trying to live your life and show compassions toward others. It’s gently uplifting and hopeful in a way Austin always nails by not disregarding the negatives, but just acknowledging all the good, as well. I will also never stop yelling from the rooftops about how Emily Austin just Gets romance! It’s usually subtle but so thoughtful and sweet, and this is no exception. Darcy and Joy have my heart. The same day I finished this, I convinced two people to get a library card so I feel I’m doing my part🫡
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
___________________________________
Emily Austin!!! I’d say I’m in your walls, but I think you’re in mine! She’s done it again, folks, hitting on all sorts of topics you might be grappling with. Check this out if you’re terrified by the state of the world. If you’re a lesbian baffled by heterosexuality but also reconciling with how it shaped your life. If you’re dealing with complicated grief. If you grew up doing your local library’s summer reading challenges. It’s really a love letter to libraries and the way literature and different perspectives can expand our understanding of ourselves. It’s probably reflective of many of our lives right now. Navigating violence and hatred and conspiracies just while trying to live your life and show compassions toward others. It’s gently uplifting and hopeful in a way Austin always nails by not disregarding the negatives, but just acknowledging all the good, as well. I will also never stop yelling from the rooftops about how Emily Austin just Gets romance! It’s usually subtle but so thoughtful and sweet, and this is no exception. Darcy and Joy have my heart. The same day I finished this, I convinced two people to get a library card so I feel I’m doing my part🫡
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 13, 2025
i’m seated. the bookstore employees are scared and asking me to leave because it’s not january 2026 yet but i’m simply too seated
Want to read
June 19, 2025I cannot die before January the thirteenth 😭
This just made my day
This just made my day
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5 / 5 Stars
At its surface, this may seem like a book about a librarian coming back to work after having a mental health crisis triggered by the death of an ex, but it touches on so many more topics: book banning, binge eating, complicated feelings on grief, guilt, queerness, how an age gap can affect the dynamics of a relationship, emotionally abusive parents, abortions, and honestly, so much more. Emotionally, there is a lot going on so I think it helped that the plot was not ostentatious or too complicated.
I originally struggled a little bit with the writing style. It feels like it is written as Darcy’s internal monologue where she narrates what is happening in real time while also reflecting on her life up until that point. It is very matter of fact, almost didactic at times. Because of this, it felt more tell than show, which I don’t love, but as the book went on, I got into the groove of the book and ended up enjoying the prose more. It almost felt like a memoir in some ways.
I appreciated that there was nuance to Darcy’s feelings. For example, when Darcy is processing her feelings about her ex boyfriend’s death, there are tender feelings but she is able to acknowledge that their age gap (she was 18 or 19 and he was 28 when they started dating) led to a power imbalance that did impact their relationship in a negative and kind of icky way. She is happy that she finally started to embrace that she was gay but feels guilty about how her relationship ended. One or two times, I struggled when Darcy would make bigger statements about how people acted or about the queer community as a whole because her assessment felt off to me, but her analysis of herself worked well.
You will probably like this book if you like:
📚 Books about books (she is a librarian)
📚 A protagonist who is coming into her most authentic self
📚 Queer representation
📚 Discussions of grief, complicated family dynamics, complicated past relationships, complicated relationship with self and body
📚 Discussions of book banning, censorship, community and how reading is political
📚 A more matter-of-fact prose style
Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: January 13, 2026
_____________________
Pre-Read Thoughts: Sometimes a title and cover just speak to you and then you read the description and you’re like “oh shit, this is about to hit real hard.”
At its surface, this may seem like a book about a librarian coming back to work after having a mental health crisis triggered by the death of an ex, but it touches on so many more topics: book banning, binge eating, complicated feelings on grief, guilt, queerness, how an age gap can affect the dynamics of a relationship, emotionally abusive parents, abortions, and honestly, so much more. Emotionally, there is a lot going on so I think it helped that the plot was not ostentatious or too complicated.
I originally struggled a little bit with the writing style. It feels like it is written as Darcy’s internal monologue where she narrates what is happening in real time while also reflecting on her life up until that point. It is very matter of fact, almost didactic at times. Because of this, it felt more tell than show, which I don’t love, but as the book went on, I got into the groove of the book and ended up enjoying the prose more. It almost felt like a memoir in some ways.
I appreciated that there was nuance to Darcy’s feelings. For example, when Darcy is processing her feelings about her ex boyfriend’s death, there are tender feelings but she is able to acknowledge that their age gap (she was 18 or 19 and he was 28 when they started dating) led to a power imbalance that did impact their relationship in a negative and kind of icky way. She is happy that she finally started to embrace that she was gay but feels guilty about how her relationship ended. One or two times, I struggled when Darcy would make bigger statements about how people acted or about the queer community as a whole because her assessment felt off to me, but her analysis of herself worked well.
You will probably like this book if you like:
📚 Books about books (she is a librarian)
📚 A protagonist who is coming into her most authentic self
📚 Queer representation
📚 Discussions of grief, complicated family dynamics, complicated past relationships, complicated relationship with self and body
📚 Discussions of book banning, censorship, community and how reading is political
📚 A more matter-of-fact prose style
Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: January 13, 2026
_____________________
Pre-Read Thoughts: Sometimes a title and cover just speak to you and then you read the description and you’re like “oh shit, this is about to hit real hard.”
August 27, 2025
The divine Emily Austin just does not miss. She is our generation’s voice of the weird lesbian. This book is part love letter to libraries, part deep character study on panic disorder, part narration of a local news station Facebook comment section. I feel like Emily Austin read an unfortunate Facebook comment section under an article about challenges in her local library and thought “what if this were a novel?”
Darcy is back at work at the library after being off for 2 months due to a mental breakdown. Her ex-boyfriend Ben died and she doesn’t know how, and feels somewhat responsible. He never knew that they broke up because Darcy is gay. It’s years later and Darcy is happily married to Joy. But she is trying to understand her own growth from trying really hard to be liked to being a strong adult that is good with boundaries.
I highly doubt I need to say this but don’t read it if you have radical right wing beliefs. It isn’t a testament to left wing beliefs or anything, but the small but loud radical right agenda is analyzed here, and found lacking. Also- this is way more character study than intricate plot, but it does have a strong arc for Darcy and background every day life reality.
In the Hollywood version, Darcy will be played by Cara Delvigne. Joy will be played by Amanda Seyfried. The unfortunate Declan Turner will be played by Joseph Gordon Levitt.
It isn’t as funny as “Everybody in this room will someday be dead” nor as irreverent as “Interesting Facts about Space,” but I really loved it. Emily Austin has matured in her writing and clearly has a knack for everyday heroes.
Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC. Book to be published January 12, 2026.
Darcy is back at work at the library after being off for 2 months due to a mental breakdown. Her ex-boyfriend Ben died and she doesn’t know how, and feels somewhat responsible. He never knew that they broke up because Darcy is gay. It’s years later and Darcy is happily married to Joy. But she is trying to understand her own growth from trying really hard to be liked to being a strong adult that is good with boundaries.
I highly doubt I need to say this but don’t read it if you have radical right wing beliefs. It isn’t a testament to left wing beliefs or anything, but the small but loud radical right agenda is analyzed here, and found lacking. Also- this is way more character study than intricate plot, but it does have a strong arc for Darcy and background every day life reality.
In the Hollywood version, Darcy will be played by Cara Delvigne. Joy will be played by Amanda Seyfried. The unfortunate Declan Turner will be played by Joseph Gordon Levitt.
It isn’t as funny as “Everybody in this room will someday be dead” nor as irreverent as “Interesting Facts about Space,” but I really loved it. Emily Austin has matured in her writing and clearly has a knack for everyday heroes.
Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC. Book to be published January 12, 2026.
December 1, 2025
This is not a cry for help, actually. It's a love letter to libraries.
We open with Darcy's return to her job at the library following a mental health crisis. There's a man watching some adult videos out loud, and, rather than kicking him out, Darcy asks all the patrons to use headphones. What ensues is a painfully accurate spiral of the demonization of the library. How dare they allow deviants to expose their children to such profane materials! Navigating protests, the death of a much older ex-boyfriend, and someone writing her confusing and vaguely threatening emails, Darcy looks to find a balance both inside and outside the library.
This was so delightful. I thought the nuanced conversations around censorship and what should be allowed in libraries were handled so elegantly. I find that Austin's characters are all sometimes the same note: flat and literal, but it worked in the novel's favor. I feel that I learned something too; at first, I was also surprised to think that librarians would allow someone to watch such videos in the library. But should that be a privilege allowed only to those who can afford internet? Who determines what is or is not safe for the public? Where do we draw the line?
I am so glad to have read the ARC. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher! 4.5 rounding up.
We open with Darcy's return to her job at the library following a mental health crisis. There's a man watching some adult videos out loud, and, rather than kicking him out, Darcy asks all the patrons to use headphones. What ensues is a painfully accurate spiral of the demonization of the library. How dare they allow deviants to expose their children to such profane materials! Navigating protests, the death of a much older ex-boyfriend, and someone writing her confusing and vaguely threatening emails, Darcy looks to find a balance both inside and outside the library.
This was so delightful. I thought the nuanced conversations around censorship and what should be allowed in libraries were handled so elegantly. I find that Austin's characters are all sometimes the same note: flat and literal, but it worked in the novel's favor. I feel that I learned something too; at first, I was also surprised to think that librarians would allow someone to watch such videos in the library. But should that be a privilege allowed only to those who can afford internet? Who determines what is or is not safe for the public? Where do we draw the line?
I am so glad to have read the ARC. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher! 4.5 rounding up.
November 11, 2025
As the world continues to turn on its axis, human behaviour rebounds & reshapes, presenting its quirks in fresh wrapping paper, once a forgotten beauty of celebrations past. Is it surprising that individuals host a slew of misunderstandings? Is it shocking that a person is self-serving to the extent of isolating perspectives that are different from theirs? This novel presents readers with the tedium of the familiar, nestling a story within a story about the unequivocal bore of human life. Yet, what if the days of our lives are fulfilling because they constitute that which brings us joy & that which challenges our joy? I wonder whether anyone is supposed to care.
Every time I read a book by Austin, I find myself questioning my motives. Her novels are hardly material I would be accused of reading, & yet, I wander through the virtual aisles as my eyes seek out the colourful cover art of her books. There is something familiar about Austin’s novels. Her characters may easily be accused of having a familial reassembles to each other. Never do her novels necessarily deviate from the quirky, overly emotional, politically leftist perspective. Her characters are chronically online, somewhat detached, jokesters whose humour is hardly funny to the masses, but the people they surround themselves with look beyond the catch phrases & deflections. One may be left wondering whether these descriptors are meant to reveal something negative or positive about the characters, but it is not.
Simply put, should a reader be interested in delving into Austin’s roster of novels, they will have their freedom to choose any plot, but should keep in mind that the one they select will not categorically differ from those they have yet to read.
In some way, Austin’s books are pure creations from her own imagination; her worldbuilding is authentic to what she knows, or at least, it does seem this way. The familiar Canadian setting, for one, welcomes readers into the neighbourhood where the author pens her plots. Other aspects of her stories I would not allow myself the authority to assume are familiar issues for her. Readers who do find themselves written on the pages of her books may feel more at ease with stating authenticity in representation.
One arrives at the newest in the Austin line of novels exploring the reality of an individual who lives with deep emotional rivers flowing through their mind & soul. In essence, this is a story about trust. Darcy is an adult woman who is married, works at a library, & is grieving the loss of her former partner. The story opens with Darcy explaining her day; the reader is made aware that Darcy was on extended leave from work due to health-related issues, which one later learns to be mental strain. Darcy’s return to work coincides with a man watching pornography in the library. Another patron becomes angry that the video is allowed to be played in the library & so ensues a back-and-forth struggle between the alt-right & alt-left, or so it appears.
As I mentioned earlier, each of the characters in Austin’s books mirrors the others. They hold very politically left-leaning views; however, they are not combative about the dynamics of these perspectives. Indeed, as I worked my way through the story, I found myself understanding why Darcy held certain views & on occasion noting that we felt similarly about specific things. However, I struggled to appreciate Darcy. I note the distinction between the reality of one’s views & perspectives & the person who holds them because the novel appears to want to highlight a distinction between these, too.
From this one situation, Darcy finds herself at the receiving end of harassment & questioning. All the while, she focuses her energies on trying to understand why she feels so much grief over the passing of her former partner, who died of a brain aneurysm. It was difficult to appreciate what Darcy was feeling. Her inability to hold her ground & be forceful when being harassed, while being consumed with revising the dynamics of her first long-term relationship, was frustrating to read.
Although I understand the dynamic at play, this struggle felt like a waste of time. Darcy is in her thirties & suddenly has a mental collapse because her former boyfriend died. Her inability to untangle her emotions was very tiring to read. It is not that I felt her feelings unwarranted, but rather that throughout the length of the novel, her dedication to being affected by the passing of someone she no longer knew, for over a decade, left her disconnected from the real world. Had she so little going on that this was the great burden she was left to carry? Had she never experienced loss or confusion before?
These sentiments appear rather crass, & I note that a reader with more liberally donated empathy may not struggle to appreciate Darcy’s wallowing issues as I did. However, Darcy is categorically unable to come to terms with the death of her ex-boyfriend. She was sad & sorrowed & totally incapacitated by grief. Why? What made her feel this way? What sent her into a mental breakdown upon learning that he had died?
It seems likely that Darcy had not properly dealt with her feelings towards the relationship she had held in her early adulthood. In some way, it seems acceptable that she would feel such sorrow over the end of an era; she would no longer be able to speak to him about how their relationship made her feel & how their relationship shaped so much of her later adulthood. However, these are not enough of a reason to lose one’s head & sculk out of life.
As I mentioned earlier, each of the characters in Austin’s books mirrors the others. They hold very politically left-leaning views; however, they are not combative about the dynamics of these perspectives. Indeed, as I worked my way through the story, I found myself understanding why Darcy held certain views & on occasion noting that we felt similarly about specific things. However, I struggled to appreciate Darcy. I note the distinction between the reality of one’s views & perspectives & the person who holds them because the novel appears to want to highlight a distinction between these, too.
From this one situation, Darcy finds herself at the receiving end of harassment & questioning. All the while, she focuses her energies on trying to understand why she feels so much grief over the passing of her former partner, who died of a brain aneurysm. It was difficult to appreciate what Darcy was feeling. Her inability to hold her ground & be forceful when being harassed, while being consumed with revising the dynamics of her first long-term relationship, was frustrating to read.
Although I understand the dynamic at play, this struggle felt like a waste of time. Darcy is in her thirties & suddenly has a mental collapse because her former boyfriend died. Her inability to untangle her emotions was very tiring to read. It is not that I felt her feelings unwarranted, but rather that throughout the length of the novel, her dedication to being affected by the passing of someone she no longer knew, for over a decade, left her disconnected from the real world. Had she so little going on that this was the great burden she was left to carry? Had she never experienced loss or confusion before?
These sentiments appear rather crass, & I note that a reader with more liberally donated empathy may not struggle to appreciate Darcy’s wallowing issues as I did. However, Darcy is categorically unable to come to terms with the death of her ex-boyfriend. She was sad & sorrowed & totally incapacitated by grief. Why? What made her feel this way? What sent her into a mental breakdown upon learning that he had died?
It seems likely that Darcy had not properly dealt with her feelings towards the relationship she had held in her early adulthood. In some way, it seems acceptable that she would feel such sorrow over the end of an era; she would no longer be able to speak to him about how their relationship made her feel & how their relationship shaped so much of her later adulthood. However, these are not enough of a reason to lose one’s head & sculk out of life.
‣‣‣
Juxtaposed, the library where Darcy is employed is receiving media attention for their programs. Some believe that there are Drag Queens reading storybooks to children, while others believe that no book that represents a different dynamic than that which they are familiar with should be included on the shelves. This tug-of-war is acute as it has taken place over many years & is currently broadcast across the news with many libraries across the United States experiencing mounting pressure to annex Classic literature & pivotal literary feats in an attempt to placate the illiterate. The situation as described in the book exposes a small difference; the patrons & citizens are very vocal in their disagreement when it comes to the banning of books.
Surely, it may seem appealing to believe that the minority feels any type of way, no matter which side we are on. However, perspectives, feelings, & ideologies do not exist in isolation.
Banning books, burning books, ensuring citizens are less educated, both in the traditional & unorthodox definition, is a theme of human history that has persisted over many hundreds of years. There will always be someone who believes that Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” (1960) is the epitome of Satanic, while there are others who praise it for its exploration of bigotry. These groups exist in symmetry to one another, often forgetting that others simply dislike the book because it’s a poorly written excuse of a novel, but on this, I digress.
What Darcy’s character fails to see is the middle ground. She exists in a world where she can take a cat home & deal with the consequences, forgetting that the animal might not want to be in her home, where she has two other cats. Darcy seems to forget the middle ground more often than not, leaving her vulnerable to extremist perspectives. Yet, one may surely agree that to ban books is bad. If one can still readily access Adolf Hitler’s “Mein Kampf” (1925), it seems reasonable to conclude that no issue should exist with the availability to access E.B. White’s “Charlotte’s Web” (1952).
What this book seems to advocate for is acquainting the reader with reality, yet it fails to remind the reader of the plenitude of possibilities & experiences that exist alongside its main character. Darcy is calm in the face of harassment & fails to take it seriously, going so far as to shrug it off when her coworker began receiving unwarranted messages.
Although Darcy is representative of a complex reality where individuals like herself exist & conveniently forget that violence is often a recourse for those who feel pinned into a corner, she advances through her experiences as though nothing much matters, even when her psyche breaks down, revealing that some things very much do matter, indeed.
Ultimately, this is a book I would recommend to people who may seek to find themselves in literature; those who may be trying to work through big feelings they do not have the freedom to explore in their day-to-day life. It seems silly to have spent this review complaining about Darcy while stating that I know her, but such is the way when one lives in the world.
Darcy’s experiences are not isolated events. Although I cannot relate to her beyond our views about the accessibility of literature & knowledge, I am aware of the goodness it brings my brain to spend time with someone who is the opposite of myself.
Readers may come to find that the issue of the book is not the struggles that Darcy undergoes. She may feel tired & sad about the loss of someone she had already said goodbye to, but she may also be feeling this way because her life has settled & she had previously never taken a moment to fully appreciate how good that could feel.
When around us the world tilts with ignorance, Darcy wanders around her house reorganizing her books & sweeping cat fur from behind the couch. Is it wrong of her to have such little responsibility when in the very world in which she lives, bombs are dropped on every tall building left in the landscape? I would not say that it is fair to blame Darcy for her feelings or her chores, nor would it be fair to blame the child who was born into a world ill-equipped to care for them.
In different & similar ways, the reader will have to decide what they think of Darcy. Was it naïve of her to want to have an honest conversation with the antagonist of the novel? Is it wrong for people to be worried about the availability of pornography in public spaces? What are the effects of choosing a side? What becomes of the middle ground when it appears that everyone is simply trying to stay afloat? I feel firmly about my opinions, as I am sure you do, too. Darcy is no such person. She may feel she knows something & is settled in this conclusion, but forgets emotions & feelings; ironically, the very driving force behind her recalibrating the life she built for herself.
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, & Emily Austin for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Every time I read a book by Austin, I find myself questioning my motives. Her novels are hardly material I would be accused of reading, & yet, I wander through the virtual aisles as my eyes seek out the colourful cover art of her books. There is something familiar about Austin’s novels. Her characters may easily be accused of having a familial reassembles to each other. Never do her novels necessarily deviate from the quirky, overly emotional, politically leftist perspective. Her characters are chronically online, somewhat detached, jokesters whose humour is hardly funny to the masses, but the people they surround themselves with look beyond the catch phrases & deflections. One may be left wondering whether these descriptors are meant to reveal something negative or positive about the characters, but it is not.
Simply put, should a reader be interested in delving into Austin’s roster of novels, they will have their freedom to choose any plot, but should keep in mind that the one they select will not categorically differ from those they have yet to read.
In some way, Austin’s books are pure creations from her own imagination; her worldbuilding is authentic to what she knows, or at least, it does seem this way. The familiar Canadian setting, for one, welcomes readers into the neighbourhood where the author pens her plots. Other aspects of her stories I would not allow myself the authority to assume are familiar issues for her. Readers who do find themselves written on the pages of her books may feel more at ease with stating authenticity in representation.
One arrives at the newest in the Austin line of novels exploring the reality of an individual who lives with deep emotional rivers flowing through their mind & soul. In essence, this is a story about trust. Darcy is an adult woman who is married, works at a library, & is grieving the loss of her former partner. The story opens with Darcy explaining her day; the reader is made aware that Darcy was on extended leave from work due to health-related issues, which one later learns to be mental strain. Darcy’s return to work coincides with a man watching pornography in the library. Another patron becomes angry that the video is allowed to be played in the library & so ensues a back-and-forth struggle between the alt-right & alt-left, or so it appears.
As I mentioned earlier, each of the characters in Austin’s books mirrors the others. They hold very politically left-leaning views; however, they are not combative about the dynamics of these perspectives. Indeed, as I worked my way through the story, I found myself understanding why Darcy held certain views & on occasion noting that we felt similarly about specific things. However, I struggled to appreciate Darcy. I note the distinction between the reality of one’s views & perspectives & the person who holds them because the novel appears to want to highlight a distinction between these, too.
From this one situation, Darcy finds herself at the receiving end of harassment & questioning. All the while, she focuses her energies on trying to understand why she feels so much grief over the passing of her former partner, who died of a brain aneurysm. It was difficult to appreciate what Darcy was feeling. Her inability to hold her ground & be forceful when being harassed, while being consumed with revising the dynamics of her first long-term relationship, was frustrating to read.
Although I understand the dynamic at play, this struggle felt like a waste of time. Darcy is in her thirties & suddenly has a mental collapse because her former boyfriend died. Her inability to untangle her emotions was very tiring to read. It is not that I felt her feelings unwarranted, but rather that throughout the length of the novel, her dedication to being affected by the passing of someone she no longer knew, for over a decade, left her disconnected from the real world. Had she so little going on that this was the great burden she was left to carry? Had she never experienced loss or confusion before?
These sentiments appear rather crass, & I note that a reader with more liberally donated empathy may not struggle to appreciate Darcy’s wallowing issues as I did. However, Darcy is categorically unable to come to terms with the death of her ex-boyfriend. She was sad & sorrowed & totally incapacitated by grief. Why? What made her feel this way? What sent her into a mental breakdown upon learning that he had died?
It seems likely that Darcy had not properly dealt with her feelings towards the relationship she had held in her early adulthood. In some way, it seems acceptable that she would feel such sorrow over the end of an era; she would no longer be able to speak to him about how their relationship made her feel & how their relationship shaped so much of her later adulthood. However, these are not enough of a reason to lose one’s head & sculk out of life.
As I mentioned earlier, each of the characters in Austin’s books mirrors the others. They hold very politically left-leaning views; however, they are not combative about the dynamics of these perspectives. Indeed, as I worked my way through the story, I found myself understanding why Darcy held certain views & on occasion noting that we felt similarly about specific things. However, I struggled to appreciate Darcy. I note the distinction between the reality of one’s views & perspectives & the person who holds them because the novel appears to want to highlight a distinction between these, too.
From this one situation, Darcy finds herself at the receiving end of harassment & questioning. All the while, she focuses her energies on trying to understand why she feels so much grief over the passing of her former partner, who died of a brain aneurysm. It was difficult to appreciate what Darcy was feeling. Her inability to hold her ground & be forceful when being harassed, while being consumed with revising the dynamics of her first long-term relationship, was frustrating to read.
Although I understand the dynamic at play, this struggle felt like a waste of time. Darcy is in her thirties & suddenly has a mental collapse because her former boyfriend died. Her inability to untangle her emotions was very tiring to read. It is not that I felt her feelings unwarranted, but rather that throughout the length of the novel, her dedication to being affected by the passing of someone she no longer knew, for over a decade, left her disconnected from the real world. Had she so little going on that this was the great burden she was left to carry? Had she never experienced loss or confusion before?
These sentiments appear rather crass, & I note that a reader with more liberally donated empathy may not struggle to appreciate Darcy’s wallowing issues as I did. However, Darcy is categorically unable to come to terms with the death of her ex-boyfriend. She was sad & sorrowed & totally incapacitated by grief. Why? What made her feel this way? What sent her into a mental breakdown upon learning that he had died?
It seems likely that Darcy had not properly dealt with her feelings towards the relationship she had held in her early adulthood. In some way, it seems acceptable that she would feel such sorrow over the end of an era; she would no longer be able to speak to him about how their relationship made her feel & how their relationship shaped so much of her later adulthood. However, these are not enough of a reason to lose one’s head & sculk out of life.
‣‣‣
Juxtaposed, the library where Darcy is employed is receiving media attention for their programs. Some believe that there are Drag Queens reading storybooks to children, while others believe that no book that represents a different dynamic than that which they are familiar with should be included on the shelves. This tug-of-war is acute as it has taken place over many years & is currently broadcast across the news with many libraries across the United States experiencing mounting pressure to annex Classic literature & pivotal literary feats in an attempt to placate the illiterate. The situation as described in the book exposes a small difference; the patrons & citizens are very vocal in their disagreement when it comes to the banning of books.
Surely, it may seem appealing to believe that the minority feels any type of way, no matter which side we are on. However, perspectives, feelings, & ideologies do not exist in isolation.
Banning books, burning books, ensuring citizens are less educated, both in the traditional & unorthodox definition, is a theme of human history that has persisted over many hundreds of years. There will always be someone who believes that Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” (1960) is the epitome of Satanic, while there are others who praise it for its exploration of bigotry. These groups exist in symmetry to one another, often forgetting that others simply dislike the book because it’s a poorly written excuse of a novel, but on this, I digress.
What Darcy’s character fails to see is the middle ground. She exists in a world where she can take a cat home & deal with the consequences, forgetting that the animal might not want to be in her home, where she has two other cats. Darcy seems to forget the middle ground more often than not, leaving her vulnerable to extremist perspectives. Yet, one may surely agree that to ban books is bad. If one can still readily access Adolf Hitler’s “Mein Kampf” (1925), it seems reasonable to conclude that no issue should exist with the availability to access E.B. White’s “Charlotte’s Web” (1952).
What this book seems to advocate for is acquainting the reader with reality, yet it fails to remind the reader of the plenitude of possibilities & experiences that exist alongside its main character. Darcy is calm in the face of harassment & fails to take it seriously, going so far as to shrug it off when her coworker began receiving unwarranted messages.
Although Darcy is representative of a complex reality where individuals like herself exist & conveniently forget that violence is often a recourse for those who feel pinned into a corner, she advances through her experiences as though nothing much matters, even when her psyche breaks down, revealing that some things very much do matter, indeed.
Ultimately, this is a book I would recommend to people who may seek to find themselves in literature; those who may be trying to work through big feelings they do not have the freedom to explore in their day-to-day life. It seems silly to have spent this review complaining about Darcy while stating that I know her, but such is the way when one lives in the world.
Darcy’s experiences are not isolated events. Although I cannot relate to her beyond our views about the accessibility of literature & knowledge, I am aware of the goodness it brings my brain to spend time with someone who is the opposite of myself.
Readers may come to find that the issue of the book is not the struggles that Darcy undergoes. She may feel tired & sad about the loss of someone she had already said goodbye to, but she may also be feeling this way because her life has settled & she had previously never taken a moment to fully appreciate how good that could feel.
When around us the world tilts with ignorance, Darcy wanders around her house reorganizing her books & sweeping cat fur from behind the couch. Is it wrong of her to have such little responsibility when in the very world in which she lives, bombs are dropped on every tall building left in the landscape? I would not say that it is fair to blame Darcy for her feelings or her chores, nor would it be fair to blame the child who was born into a world ill-equipped to care for them.
In different & similar ways, the reader will have to decide what they think of Darcy. Was it naïve of her to want to have an honest conversation with the antagonist of the novel? Is it wrong for people to be worried about the availability of pornography in public spaces? What are the effects of choosing a side? What becomes of the middle ground when it appears that everyone is simply trying to stay afloat? I feel firmly about my opinions, as I am sure you do, too. Darcy is no such person. She may feel she knows something & is settled in this conclusion, but forgets emotions & feelings; ironically, the very driving force behind her recalibrating the life she built for herself.
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, & Emily Austin for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 9, 2025
4.5 stars
Thanks so much to Atria Books and NetGalley for access to this ARC
I think a book like this is important at this period in time. I initially thought the review might be hard to write because of how much it parallels what's going on in the world politically at the moment. We meet our FMC, Darcy, at a difficult time in her life. She is grieving her ex boyfriend and is struggling with some mental health issues, which has caused her to take a leave of absence from work.
One of the many interesting aspects here is Darcy's job - she's a librarian, and as someone who used to volunteer in one and wished to pursue that path at one point, I found her descriptions of what she did in a day and the many types of people (and drama associated with them) fascinating. Not all of the patrons are, uh ... easy to work with. It is one such incident that causes members of the community to become interested in library policies and how much they dislike them, to the point of protesting and calling for book bans.
Darcy is queer, and I loved her relationship with Joy. They both have book centered careers and they were so cute together. Emily Austen infuses the story with her sense of humor; I've only read one of her other books, but it had the same vibes going and though the novel is about a lot serious topics partially centered around grief, it still made me laugh. More than a few times.
I think the main message regarding the people advocating for book bans and a Christian-only environment in the library is that people need to be compassionate, they need to try and remember that there are others with much different backgrounds than them, people from a wide variety of circumstances. Libraries are meant for all to enjoy, you cannot police their content and obviously should not be trying to ban books. There is a certain group in the real life political world that are heavily in favor of that - as well as defunding libraries (and museums, national parks, etc.) and personally, it just makes me more sad about it and more determined to help the cause of all libraries - allow information to be accessible by all so people can educate themselves and have the recourses they need to do so, whether that's a book or a computer.
Thanks so much to Atria Books and NetGalley for access to this ARC
I think a book like this is important at this period in time. I initially thought the review might be hard to write because of how much it parallels what's going on in the world politically at the moment. We meet our FMC, Darcy, at a difficult time in her life. She is grieving her ex boyfriend and is struggling with some mental health issues, which has caused her to take a leave of absence from work.
One of the many interesting aspects here is Darcy's job - she's a librarian, and as someone who used to volunteer in one and wished to pursue that path at one point, I found her descriptions of what she did in a day and the many types of people (and drama associated with them) fascinating. Not all of the patrons are, uh ... easy to work with. It is one such incident that causes members of the community to become interested in library policies and how much they dislike them, to the point of protesting and calling for book bans.
Darcy is queer, and I loved her relationship with Joy. They both have book centered careers and they were so cute together. Emily Austen infuses the story with her sense of humor; I've only read one of her other books, but it had the same vibes going and though the novel is about a lot serious topics partially centered around grief, it still made me laugh. More than a few times.
I think the main message regarding the people advocating for book bans and a Christian-only environment in the library is that people need to be compassionate, they need to try and remember that there are others with much different backgrounds than them, people from a wide variety of circumstances. Libraries are meant for all to enjoy, you cannot police their content and obviously should not be trying to ban books. There is a certain group in the real life political world that are heavily in favor of that - as well as defunding libraries (and museums, national parks, etc.) and personally, it just makes me more sad about it and more determined to help the cause of all libraries - allow information to be accessible by all so people can educate themselves and have the recourses they need to do so, whether that's a book or a computer.
December 19, 2025
4.5 rounded down💫if Emily Austin writes it, I’m going to read it! And also love it.
”It’s hard to question things, or expand the way you think, without being exposed to new information, or different perspectives. I wonder who I’d be if I didn’t have access to the books and information I’ve read, and I wonder who I’d be if I had more information when I was younger.”
The importance of libraries!!!! The important of prioritizing your mental health!!!👏👏
There’s something about the way Austin writes - her characters are so quirky and particular, I just love them. I see myself so often in her stories and while this is the one I’ve related to the least I still adored it.
It’s such a timely novel! Ya know - book banning, mob mentality, trying to limit access to information, etc!🙄 some of it was so spot on that I was physically cringing…the sign of a good book, if you ask me!
As always this EA book won’t be for everyone but if you’ve enjoyed her other works and are a fan of public libraries, queer stories, mental health, and humor this is for you!!
”It’s hard to question things, or expand the way you think, without being exposed to new information, or different perspectives. I wonder who I’d be if I didn’t have access to the books and information I’ve read, and I wonder who I’d be if I had more information when I was younger.”
The importance of libraries!!!! The important of prioritizing your mental health!!!👏👏
There’s something about the way Austin writes - her characters are so quirky and particular, I just love them. I see myself so often in her stories and while this is the one I’ve related to the least I still adored it.
It’s such a timely novel! Ya know - book banning, mob mentality, trying to limit access to information, etc!🙄 some of it was so spot on that I was physically cringing…the sign of a good book, if you ask me!
As always this EA book won’t be for everyone but if you’ve enjoyed her other works and are a fan of public libraries, queer stories, mental health, and humor this is for you!!
August 26, 2025
Admittedly, this book and I got off on the wrong foot. I've read through a bunch of other reviews and I seem to be the only person who thought the initial scene involving the patron watching porn on one of the public computers was mishandled by the main character. I'm not saying that every library's policy is the same, and I certainly do NOT support censorship or book banning or anything of the sort. But I do know that where I work, if someone was watching an adult video, (especially out loud with no headphones), it would not only make all the other patrons uncomfortable, but also the employees. And if another patron complains about it, we have to honor that as customer service workers. We can't get up on a soapbox and tell them that they're wrong, then let the guy CONTINUE TO WATCH a XXX naked threesome on a public computer. That was absolutely wild to me.
This was a depressing read. A vivid depiction of someone experiencing and then attempting to recover from a mental breakdown. It dealt heavily with grief, homophobia, and the hateful rhetoric currently being weaponized against public libraries. Darcy is currently in a happy and cozy relationship with her wife, Joy, but she dwells HEAVILY on the recent death of her male ex-boyfriend and also attends therapy sessions to try to work through it. I thought that the back and forth between Darcy and her therapist went on a bit too long and didn't add that much to the story for me, personally, though I understand why the dialogue was there.
I appreciated the general overall message of strong support for public libraries, and I liked the relationship at the core of the story, between Darcy and Joy. Also, the way the author described cats and cat behavior was charming. Darcy's inclination to protect the patrons who came to her for help was admirable, even if I found some of her self-righteousness a bit misguided at times. The things that Darcy is up against as part of her job and her personal life are not fun, and they are not easy. But something about the character herself held me at arm's length, and I didn't connect with her the way I expected to. I also found myself clenching my jaw through all the anti-library ranting, but I know that was the point. It just wasn't fun to read.
2.5 stars rounded up.
Thank you to Netgalley and to the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
Biggest TW: Disordered eating, Depression/Mental breakdown, Mention of Suicide, Violent homophobia, Political bullying
This was a depressing read. A vivid depiction of someone experiencing and then attempting to recover from a mental breakdown. It dealt heavily with grief, homophobia, and the hateful rhetoric currently being weaponized against public libraries. Darcy is currently in a happy and cozy relationship with her wife, Joy, but she dwells HEAVILY on the recent death of her male ex-boyfriend and also attends therapy sessions to try to work through it. I thought that the back and forth between Darcy and her therapist went on a bit too long and didn't add that much to the story for me, personally, though I understand why the dialogue was there.
I appreciated the general overall message of strong support for public libraries, and I liked the relationship at the core of the story, between Darcy and Joy. Also, the way the author described cats and cat behavior was charming. Darcy's inclination to protect the patrons who came to her for help was admirable, even if I found some of her self-righteousness a bit misguided at times. The things that Darcy is up against as part of her job and her personal life are not fun, and they are not easy. But something about the character herself held me at arm's length, and I didn't connect with her the way I expected to. I also found myself clenching my jaw through all the anti-library ranting, but I know that was the point. It just wasn't fun to read.
2.5 stars rounded up.
Thank you to Netgalley and to the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
Biggest TW: Disordered eating, Depression/Mental breakdown, Mention of Suicide, Violent homophobia, Political bullying
August 31, 2025
It’s always a treat to read a new Emily Austin novel, and she delivers yet again! If you love libraries (like, who doesn’t??) and hate alt-right men who think drag queens are evil, and if you obsessively ruminate… you can’t go wrong here. Full review to come closer to the release date.
**ARC was kindly provided by the publisher via NetGallery in exchange for an honest review**
**ARC was kindly provided by the publisher via NetGallery in exchange for an honest review**
October 2, 2025
Surprise, surprise—another banger from Emily Austin.
When I say this woman can do no wrong...
Bc pub day is ssooo far out, for vibe-spoiler's sake I'm keeping it SUPER simple & vague until more of ya have the chance to read early—but this is the Emily Austin we first came to know & love (not that I didn't absolutely love WCBR's side of her). She's littered in a new, badass energy too.
As always, I highly recommend this & all of her other novels.
How she does this I do not know—not to mention how quickly—but I'll eat this shit up til I die. Keep it comin', plz.
(Thank you bunches to Atria, Emily Austin & NetGalley for the eARC & #gifted physical ARC. You made my friggin month 😭)
When I say this woman can do no wrong...
Bc pub day is ssooo far out, for vibe-spoiler's sake I'm keeping it SUPER simple & vague until more of ya have the chance to read early—but this is the Emily Austin we first came to know & love (not that I didn't absolutely love WCBR's side of her). She's littered in a new, badass energy too.
As always, I highly recommend this & all of her other novels.
How she does this I do not know—not to mention how quickly—but I'll eat this shit up til I die. Keep it comin', plz.
(Thank you bunches to Atria, Emily Austin & NetGalley for the eARC & #gifted physical ARC. You made my friggin month 😭)
August 30, 2025
This is my first book I read by Emily Austin and now I want to go ahead and binge all her books.
I loved this one.
Darcy is a librarian who loves working at her local branch. She lives with her wife Joy and her two cats. She receives some news about her ex boyfriend Ben and has a hard time coping.
This book addresses many important topics like sexuality, freedom of information, coping with guilt and trauma and mental heath issues. Emily does a fantastic job crafting realistic characters that are easy to care about. I’m a big advocate of libraries and I loved that this book addresses how important they are to the community.
I can’t wait to get my hands on her next book.
I loved this one.
Darcy is a librarian who loves working at her local branch. She lives with her wife Joy and her two cats. She receives some news about her ex boyfriend Ben and has a hard time coping.
This book addresses many important topics like sexuality, freedom of information, coping with guilt and trauma and mental heath issues. Emily does a fantastic job crafting realistic characters that are easy to care about. I’m a big advocate of libraries and I loved that this book addresses how important they are to the community.
I can’t wait to get my hands on her next book.
Want to read
August 13, 2025got an e-arc i’m gonna flip a table i love you emily austin
August 24, 2025
i’m not sure how emily austin managed to create a book that is cozy but also frustrating but also made me feel so many emotions about myself that i want to throw up.
i’ve had a habit recently of finding books that aggressively point a mirror at me, and i think it’s so beautiful that i had that experience with a book like this. i don’t know how much influence i have on the people who might stumble upon this review, but if you are a queer woman with complicated emotions about your history of compulsory heterosexuality… or if youre just someone who loves the library, please read this book.
thank you so much netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review
i’ve had a habit recently of finding books that aggressively point a mirror at me, and i think it’s so beautiful that i had that experience with a book like this. i don’t know how much influence i have on the people who might stumble upon this review, but if you are a queer woman with complicated emotions about your history of compulsory heterosexuality… or if youre just someone who loves the library, please read this book.
thank you so much netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review
December 4, 2025
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Jan. 13, 2026
“Is This a Cry for Help??” by Canadian author Emily R. Austin is a love letter to librarians and their passionate dedication to spreading information and knowledge to their communities. The author of “Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead”, Austin’s newest novel centres on a neurodivergent, thirty-three-year-old lesbian as she struggles with the death of an ex.
When Darcy found out that her ex-boyfriend, Ben, had died, she spiraled through complicated feelings of grief, guilt and regret, causing a mental health crisis that left Darcy institutionalized for a brief period. Now, Darcy has returned to the job she loves, being a librarian, serving the community around her and cultivating a life with her wife, Joy, and their two cats. The community she loves has changed, too, as more people continue to protest against literary content, demanding book bans and policy changes. In the face of all of this, Darcy relies on her love of reading and the support of her friends and family to become the truest, best version of herself.
“Help” is an emotional novel about grief and loss, set against the modern societal backdrop of strong, divisive beliefs calling for book burning and censorship. Regardless of where your own personal beliefs lie, “Help” creates a passionate and powerful connection with readers who believe in the power of reading and the free spaces that libraries provide to everyone from all walks of life.
Personally, I found Darcy extremely relatable, as she works with her therapist to overcome her people-pleasing personality as she mentally revisits awkward and uncomfortable parts of her past. Darcy is an admirable and courageous protagonist who I built a rapport with immediately.
“Help” is emotional and thought-provoking, but it is also positive and uplifting. As Darcy navigates her way through life, surrounded by spunky and charming friends and colleagues, there were moments where Austin had me running the gamut of emotions- laughing one minute and engaging in serious introspection the next.
“Help” is a delightful, charming story that will connect with modern readers and will reaffirm to all of us how important libraries are to the community and society at large. I adored Austin’s previous work and was overjoyed to be able to read her new novel, “Is This a Cry for Help?” No doubt I will be lining up to read any future novels she chooses to release.
Expected publication date: Jan. 13, 2026
“Is This a Cry for Help??” by Canadian author Emily R. Austin is a love letter to librarians and their passionate dedication to spreading information and knowledge to their communities. The author of “Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead”, Austin’s newest novel centres on a neurodivergent, thirty-three-year-old lesbian as she struggles with the death of an ex.
When Darcy found out that her ex-boyfriend, Ben, had died, she spiraled through complicated feelings of grief, guilt and regret, causing a mental health crisis that left Darcy institutionalized for a brief period. Now, Darcy has returned to the job she loves, being a librarian, serving the community around her and cultivating a life with her wife, Joy, and their two cats. The community she loves has changed, too, as more people continue to protest against literary content, demanding book bans and policy changes. In the face of all of this, Darcy relies on her love of reading and the support of her friends and family to become the truest, best version of herself.
“Help” is an emotional novel about grief and loss, set against the modern societal backdrop of strong, divisive beliefs calling for book burning and censorship. Regardless of where your own personal beliefs lie, “Help” creates a passionate and powerful connection with readers who believe in the power of reading and the free spaces that libraries provide to everyone from all walks of life.
Personally, I found Darcy extremely relatable, as she works with her therapist to overcome her people-pleasing personality as she mentally revisits awkward and uncomfortable parts of her past. Darcy is an admirable and courageous protagonist who I built a rapport with immediately.
“Help” is emotional and thought-provoking, but it is also positive and uplifting. As Darcy navigates her way through life, surrounded by spunky and charming friends and colleagues, there were moments where Austin had me running the gamut of emotions- laughing one minute and engaging in serious introspection the next.
“Help” is a delightful, charming story that will connect with modern readers and will reaffirm to all of us how important libraries are to the community and society at large. I adored Austin’s previous work and was overjoyed to be able to read her new novel, “Is This a Cry for Help?” No doubt I will be lining up to read any future novels she chooses to release.
Want to read
August 28, 2025Got an arc. Ready to be emotionally destroyed thank u Emily Austin 🫡
September 23, 2025
As readers, we love books about books – but books involving libraries are maybe even better?
The story follows Darcy, a librarian who is just returning to work after a prolonged mental health crisis. Her breakdown was triggered by the unexpected death of an ex-boyfriend, an event that forces her to sift through the complicated feelings of her past. With the help of therapy, Darcy begins to unpack years of societal pressures that influenced her life choices and reconcile her present identity with her past.
Simultaneously, Darcy’s workplace, the public library, is embroiled in its own external crisis. The community is politically divided, with protests and debates over intellectual freedom, censorship, and book bans. This external struggle mirrors Darcy’s internal one, creating a compelling balance between her private journey of self-discovery and the public battle for community values.
The two best things about this book?
1. The characters. Nobody writes a deeply relatable and darkly quirky character quite like Austin does. I loved following Darcy’s journey towards self-acceptance and self-love.
2. The timely and critical examination of political division - Austin highlights the importance of open dialogue and accessibility in the face of rising censorship. It’s a powerful reminder of how these broader issues trickle down to affect everyday life.
This is an absolute love letter to libraries and the communities they support. This might be my new favorite from this author!
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Atria Books for providing an early copy for review! All opinions are my own.
The story follows Darcy, a librarian who is just returning to work after a prolonged mental health crisis. Her breakdown was triggered by the unexpected death of an ex-boyfriend, an event that forces her to sift through the complicated feelings of her past. With the help of therapy, Darcy begins to unpack years of societal pressures that influenced her life choices and reconcile her present identity with her past.
Simultaneously, Darcy’s workplace, the public library, is embroiled in its own external crisis. The community is politically divided, with protests and debates over intellectual freedom, censorship, and book bans. This external struggle mirrors Darcy’s internal one, creating a compelling balance between her private journey of self-discovery and the public battle for community values.
The two best things about this book?
1. The characters. Nobody writes a deeply relatable and darkly quirky character quite like Austin does. I loved following Darcy’s journey towards self-acceptance and self-love.
2. The timely and critical examination of political division - Austin highlights the importance of open dialogue and accessibility in the face of rising censorship. It’s a powerful reminder of how these broader issues trickle down to affect everyday life.
This is an absolute love letter to libraries and the communities they support. This might be my new favorite from this author!
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Atria Books for providing an early copy for review! All opinions are my own.
September 4, 2025
I received a free copy of, Is This a Cry for Help, by Emily Austin, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Darcy and her wife Joy, both work with books. Darcy is enjoying life, until she gets some bad news, that makes her spiral a little. I did not really care for the characters, and found this book to be depressing.
October 22, 2025
Austin’s fourth novel felt a lot more somber than her previous work but her signature humour and acute sense of dread still managed to creep through. Is This A Cry for Help? is an exploration of grief, identity, and purpose and an important reminder that what libraries have to offer goes far beyond the shelves!
I loved how Austin illustrated how vital libraries are concerning access to knowledge and resources in the face of practices like book banning and other forms of censorship. With the lack of free/low-cost third spaces, the services and other forms of support they offer are what make them such an integral pillar of building community and addressing the many symptoms of much larger societal issues. Though I felt the heaviness of Darcy’s mental health struggles throughout the story, it never felt overwhelmingly grim and always came across as authentic and complex. As with all of Austin’s previous protagonists, I’m sure that many readers will see themselves in Darcy and will relate to her journey navigating these strange times.
Also, empathy rocks!
check cws/ tws
Thank you to Atria Books for an arc of this title!
I loved how Austin illustrated how vital libraries are concerning access to knowledge and resources in the face of practices like book banning and other forms of censorship. With the lack of free/low-cost third spaces, the services and other forms of support they offer are what make them such an integral pillar of building community and addressing the many symptoms of much larger societal issues. Though I felt the heaviness of Darcy’s mental health struggles throughout the story, it never felt overwhelmingly grim and always came across as authentic and complex. As with all of Austin’s previous protagonists, I’m sure that many readers will see themselves in Darcy and will relate to her journey navigating these strange times.
Also, empathy rocks!
check cws/ tws
Thank you to Atria Books for an arc of this title!
October 2, 2025
an important coming of age novel touching on identity, sexuality, social issues, and the complexity of opposing views. @emilyraustinauthor as usual teaches us and inspires us in her new upcoming novel.
Darcy, a librarian and member of the LGBTQ community returns to work after a mental health crisis. While still recovering and dealing with her anxiety after the death of her ex boyfriend, she’s met with outcries in the community around the local library. Although she has her wife Joy to lean on, she must now deal with the protests of book bans that surround her place of work.
She does it again. Emily Austin is truly brilliant. While following Darcy, and actually experiencing this in our world today, our views are expanded and possibly challenged (depending on your beliefs). What it really comes down to? The importance of libraries as public, safe spaces in the community. The importance of literature for all ages, races, cultures, sexual orientations, and identities. Support your community, support libraries, and STOP BANNING BOOKS. This book will touch your heart and inspire.
Pick up “Is This a Cry for Help?” January 13 2026. Thank you so much @netgalley for the ARC.
4.5⭐️
Darcy, a librarian and member of the LGBTQ community returns to work after a mental health crisis. While still recovering and dealing with her anxiety after the death of her ex boyfriend, she’s met with outcries in the community around the local library. Although she has her wife Joy to lean on, she must now deal with the protests of book bans that surround her place of work.
She does it again. Emily Austin is truly brilliant. While following Darcy, and actually experiencing this in our world today, our views are expanded and possibly challenged (depending on your beliefs). What it really comes down to? The importance of libraries as public, safe spaces in the community. The importance of literature for all ages, races, cultures, sexual orientations, and identities. Support your community, support libraries, and STOP BANNING BOOKS. This book will touch your heart and inspire.
Pick up “Is This a Cry for Help?” January 13 2026. Thank you so much @netgalley for the ARC.
4.5⭐️
September 17, 2025
i'm having a rough time trying to articulate what it is i want to say about this book. i understand and wholeheartedly support the whole plot/main idea of it which to me is about local libraries and the incredible workers who are literal pillars of their communities. and as someone who constantly uses and benefits from my local library i commend this! they deserve to be applauded! my qualm is that this book just wasn't very interesting?
i've only read one other emily austin book and it was also alright - i don't mind her writing style and i see the potential in her character work but something is missing for me. this book specifically just made me feel... dumb? like i felt like i was being treated like i'm dumb. i don't know. i know that it's important to say the things she's saying in this and i understand that we need it to be said now more than ever but sometimes it truly felt like i was being spoken to as if i had never learned the concept of like. equality before. i don't know how else to explain it. and it's weird because no one who doesn't understand these basic concepts she's talking about would be reading this book in the first place? i mean who knows but it's highly unlikely. so making it such a huge part of the main conflict of this book just made it so tiring and i just got annoyed at a certain point honestly. it felt like i was at a first year gender studies lecture and it made the book drag so much for me
anyways. this was fine. i have complicated feelings.
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc!
i've only read one other emily austin book and it was also alright - i don't mind her writing style and i see the potential in her character work but something is missing for me. this book specifically just made me feel... dumb? like i felt like i was being treated like i'm dumb. i don't know. i know that it's important to say the things she's saying in this and i understand that we need it to be said now more than ever but sometimes it truly felt like i was being spoken to as if i had never learned the concept of like. equality before. i don't know how else to explain it. and it's weird because no one who doesn't understand these basic concepts she's talking about would be reading this book in the first place? i mean who knows but it's highly unlikely. so making it such a huge part of the main conflict of this book just made it so tiring and i just got annoyed at a certain point honestly. it felt like i was at a first year gender studies lecture and it made the book drag so much for me
anyways. this was fine. i have complicated feelings.
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc!
December 2, 2025
3.5*
thank for for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
i really did enjoy the book while i was reading it, but i’ve found that a few weeks later i’m having a hard time recalling many of the details. i don’t think that says anything negative about the author at all. it might just be a case of me picking it up at the wrong moment or not being in the right headspace for it. emily austin is such a talented writer, and i genuinely believe she can do no wrong. i’ll happily read anything she puts out, no matter what.
thank for for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
i really did enjoy the book while i was reading it, but i’ve found that a few weeks later i’m having a hard time recalling many of the details. i don’t think that says anything negative about the author at all. it might just be a case of me picking it up at the wrong moment or not being in the right headspace for it. emily austin is such a talented writer, and i genuinely believe she can do no wrong. i’ll happily read anything she puts out, no matter what.
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