Many thanks to NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of this novel by Megan Rogers, originally published and loved in Australia. All opinions expressed in this review are my own – 4 stars!
Layla Byrnes is exhausted – she’s an anesthesiologist on leave from her job, with two young kids, a dissolving marriage, a needy lover, and disconnected sister. Her mother, who lives on the opposite coast, is unstable and always threatening harm to herself. This year, Layla feels that the threats are real. Layla drops everything to get to her mom and to learn what she has to tell Layla about her dad’s death.
This is a story of generational trauma, family secrets, fractured friendships, and coming to terms with our own stories despite all that. Although not in the same circumstances, many (most) women can relate to Layla’s exhaustion from trying to be everything for everyone and feeling like a failure most of the time on all fronts. There are a lot of unlikeable characters here, but many are relatable, especially when the secrets come out. Left me thinking, which is what a good book should do.
