Flora has welcomed a baby girl into her family, and she’s settling into parenthood. There’s just one problem; her husband is still deployed, and she’s struggling to keep sane figuring things out by herself. Things look hopeful when Flora reaches out to her estranged mother, and her mother shows up on her doorstep, ready to help out. However, Flora’s mom seems to want to replace her, and things get quickly strange and terrifying.
I have a mental list of books that start off in a relatively normal way, and descend into “WTF” territory. To clarify, it is a positive list, and I’d be happy to share it. No spoilers, but Dearest has joined these esteemed ranks. And the last line made me scream!
I’m sure parents, especially mothers, who struggled to keep it together in the weeks after giving birth will deeply relate to Flora. There are some truly moving sections about breastfeeding, and the relentless pressure to do things “the right way”.
It turns out not only is Jacquie Walters an accomplished author, she is also a very talented actor, and gives a phenomenal performance of this audiobook. I love when authors narrate their own work, but this is next-level brilliant.
A really strong work about the horrors of parenting, family, and womanhood.
California Reading 