Woman on the Verge

Woman on the Verge is a roller coaster of a ride through the complicated feelings about motherhood and marriage. The story centres around three women - Nicole, Katrina and Rose - and through them, we witness their struggles with being a mom, societal expectations, gender inequities in family life, mental health, caring for aging parents and grief. 

Well-narrated by a large cast and told from alternating POVs, readers may relate to many of the experiences. I didn't always like the characters or their choices, but through their unique voices and experiences, Hooper dives deeply into modern motherhood - the unattainable perfection of motherhood, maternal ambivalence and the many feelings and experiences in between.

This was a very interesting and poignant story ... but not always a comfortable read/listen as the author unapologetically shines a much-needed light on the good and sometimes stressful parts of motherhood. 

Disclaimer: Thanks to Brilliance Audio for the complimentary eAudio that was loaned to me via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Author: Kim Hooper

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Type and Source: eAudio from publisher via NetGalley

Narrators: Dana Green, Abigail Reno, 

Jordan Claire McCraw, Amanda Stribling

Run Time: 11 hours, 4 min

Publisher: Brilliance Publishing

First Published: July 1, 2025

Read: July 18-28, 2025

Book Description from GoodReads: A sexy, propulsive meditation on modern motherhood, tracking the lives of three women as they struggle to define themselves in the face of new obligations and heightened expectations.

Some women, with their perfect children and pricey athleisure, make motherhood look easy. But not Nicole. She never wanted to be a stay-at-home parent—losing her job left her no choice. Now, between her toddlers’ demands, husband’s distance, and father’s deteriorating health, she’s pulled in every direction except her own.

Something has to give.

Katrina’s in the same dissatisfied boat. After flirting with a handsome stranger at a bar, she’s ready to choose pleasure over responsibility. But when her impulse goes surprisingly awry, she must reconcile her reawakened desires with the realities of home.

Housewife Rose battles the constraints of motherhood in the ’80s. Venting her growing restlessness into a diary of secret ambitions, she wonders whether it’s all worth it. Is an unhappy mother really better than a selfish one?

In a shocking twist, the women find their lives intertwined. But as they face their longings head-on, it’s unclear whether they’re destined for a breakthrough…or breakdown.