-
Your next favorite book
is waiting.
A Novel
by Kim Hooper
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.
"With profound bravery and admirable grace, Hooper takes the reader on a surprising journey brimming with raw emotion and unexpected forks in the road. The beating heart of Woman on the Verge is the idea of maternal ambivalence inherent in modern motherhood, and how this internal conflict reverberates through all aspects of women's lives. Hooper is truly at the pinnacle of her craft: one of the finest writers of contemporary fiction today." ―Heather Frimmer, award-winning author of Better to Trust
"Kim Hooper is a masterful storyteller, and Woman on the Verge will have you on the edge of your seat, desperately trailing its protagonist as she walks a fine line between life as usual and the fantasy of escape. The book brilliantly shines a light on society's demands on women―as mothers, as wives, as daughters―and the ways in which these all-consuming identities can take a toll. An absolute page turner, be prepared to read this book in one sitting." ―Kerri Schlottman, author of Tell Me One Thing
This information about Woman on the Verge was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Author Kim Hooper was born in Los Angeles and has worked as an advertising copywriter for twenty years. She holds a bachelor's degree in communications from the University of California San Diego and a master's in professional writing from the University of Southern California. Woman on the Verge is her seventh novel. Hooper's most popular previous titles include No Hiding in Boise and People Who Knew Me, which is also a podcast series. The Wall Street Journal describes her work as "refreshingly raw and honest." Hooper lives in south Orange County with her daughter and a collection of pets―and adores them all. When not writing, the author enjoys running, doing yoga, or reading a good book.
If you liked Woman on the Verge, try these:
by Erika J.. Simpson
Published 2026
From "a writer who's absolutely going places" (Roxane Gay), a remarkable, inventive debut memoir about a mother-daughter relationship across cycles of poverty, separation, and illness, exploring how we forge identity in the face of imminent loss.
by Rosena Fung
Published 2024
A powerful coming-of-age graphic novel about how mothers and daughters pass down—and rebel against—standards of size, gender, race, beauty, and worth.
The Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano
by Donna Freitas
Published 2022
A deeply moving novel about a woman who thought she never wanted to be a mother--and the many ways that life can surprise us.
They say that in the end truth will triumph, but it's a lie.
Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes!
Can you name the title?
Test your book knowledge with our daily trivia challenge!
Your guide toexceptional books
BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
