At The Sober Curator, we’re always looking for stories that crack open the complexities of addiction, recovery, and family dynamics. Jessica Guerrieri’s Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea dives headfirst into these turbulent waters, offering a raw, unflinching portrait of a woman teetering between the safety of what she knows and the murky pull of what she wants to forget.
The title itself is a nod to that age-old idiom: stuck between two equally rough choices, like being trapped between the devil and the deep blue sea. In Leah O’Connor’s case, it’s the tension between clinging to her old, numbing patterns and embracing the unknown shores of sobriety and self-redemption. Guerrieri’s novel wields this phrase like a lighthouse beam—illuminating not only Leah’s personal hell but the broader cultural whirlpool of “mommy wine culture” that so often goes unchallenged.
???? Drowning in Denial
Let’s be real: getting into this book took me a minute. But once it clicked, I couldn’t put it down. Leah’s oblivion was disturbingly familiar—she truly didn’t see how her drinking was warping the very air around her. The blackouts, the slurring, the wine-soaked nights that were supposed to soothe the ache of motherhood and the chasm with her mother-in-law Christine… all of it was so painfully authentic. The way the other characters—Lucas, Amy, Christine—showed up and reflected Leah’s unraveling back at her made the descent feel so eerily close to home.
???? The Family Frontlines
This isn’t just Leah’s story—it’s the story of the women around her, grappling with their silent battles. Christine, the maternal martyr, can never measure up to Amy, the sweet sister-in-law who knows more than she lets on. When Leah’s secret starts to crack the family’s glossy veneer, these women step up, offering not a soft landing but a hard truth.
As a mother in recovery myself, I saw parts of my past in Leah’s desperate justifications and quiet self-sabotage. My son was 9 when I got sober, and he remembers more than I thought he would. Guerrieri nails that terrifying clarity when you realize your kids are watching, absorbing, and remembering everything. Leah’s choices become a crucible not just for her, but for her whole family.
???? A Brave and Necessary Story ????
This isn’t a book that sugarcoats or romanticizes addiction. It’s a gut-punching reminder that the path out of the deep blue sea isn’t always straight, and sometimes the first step is simply admitting you’re sinking.
Guerrieri’s writing has a slow burn that fans of Celeste Ng and Liane Moriarty will love: it’s domestic drama with literary weight, book club-worthy but also deeply personal for anyone who’s ever walked the tightrope between self-destruction and healing.
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is an honest reckoning with the lies we tell ourselves to keep drinking and the courage it takes to finally ask for help. It’s a must-read for anyone wrestling with that old idiom’s bitter truth—and it might just be the lifeline someone needs.
Addiction Fiction Sobees Score: 4 out of 5
George Harrison – Between The Devil & The Deep Blue Sea
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