momadvice 's review for:

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by Jessica Guerrieri

4.25

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 In Guerrieri’s debut, Leah is a free-spirit artist who accidentally falls into motherhood and marriage. In the close-knit O'Connor family, some of her carefree shenanigans are beginning to lose their shine as the family is on the cusp of opening a restaurant together. Leah feels her motherhood journey is in sharp contrast to her mother-in-law Caroline's, a measuring stick that she thinks is being held against her, but as we dive deeper into this story, we realize there is much more than meets the eye to both these women. 

At first, I expected a familiar story of a fraught daughter-in-law/mother-in-law dynamic, but Guerrieri takes the narrative in a much more harrowing direction. The novel does not simply explore familial tension—it exposes the insidious grip of Leah’s alcohol addiction and how it clouds every relationship. 

The discomfort is immediate from the first unsettling moment when she revels in bath time with her children, not because of the bonding experience but because of the “fuzzy” relief her evening drinking brings. And as her dependency deepens, her once-careful concealment of her addiction unravels—hidden flasks multiply, empty bottles require shuffling into the neighbor’s recycling bin, and moments of parenting slip away into a hazy, alcohol-soaked oblivion.

But, the novel takes a particularly poignant turn when Leah’s sister-in-law, Amy, is forced to step in—not just as a concerned family member, but as someone who grew up with an alcoholic mother and now finds herself in an impossible position, parenting her sister-in-law. 

What makes this portrayal of addiction so powerful is Guerrieri’s own personal journey. Upon this book’s launch, she shared with me that she will be celebrating twelve years of sobriety—a milestone that undoubtedly informs the authenticity of Leah’s descent and the long, painful road to recovery. Guerrieri never glamorizes Leah’s drinking, nor does she offer easy resolutions. Instead, she crafts a raw, deeply affecting portrait of a woman who must decide whether the family she’s rejected will be her salvation or her ultimate undoing.

This debut is not just a compelling, page-turning read—it’s necessary. I’m thrilled that Jessica Guerrieri will join our Summer Author Series to discuss her sobriety journey and how she wove those hard-earned truths into this unforgettable novel.