“A collection of sardonic, touching essays [that] form a composite portrait of a likeable, self-aware, and complicated human being and writer.” —Booklist

“In funny and unpretentious essays on topics that include selling a beloved house, interacting with fans of her famous husband, Denis, becoming an empty nester and recovering from alcoholism, Leary shares stories from a lifetime of wanting to be liked.”

—The Washington Post, "10 Noteworthy Books for June"

"Everyday struggles, from marital discord to feuds with neighbors, provide rich material for novelist Leary’s thoughtful, humorous, and brutally honest essays. As relatable and refreshing as a good talk with your wisest friend."

—The Boston Globe, "75 Books We're Most Excited to Read This Summer"

"In this zany, relatable essay collection, Ann Leary explores her recent midlife epiphany: She had spent most of her life bending over backward to please others. With humor and expert storytelling, Leary looks back on her younger years to recount awkward run-ins with fans of her famous husband, recovering from alcoholism, and that time a bat (yes) latched onto her pajama pants. Her self-portrait is equal parts light-hearted and moving—an ode to agreeable personality types everywhere.” —Oprah Daily

“[A] winning essay collection…The humor lands and the lithe prose elevates Leary’s musings on life’s mundanities. This is a gem.” —Publisher's Weekly (starred)

“[Leary’s] candid essays invite readers to laugh and cry along with her… She fluidly guides us through her thought processes, while finding humor and displaying a refreshing vulnerability. A humorous and honest tale of a woman and her struggle as a people-pleaser.” —Kirkus

"Ann Leary is a damn delight. Reading this book was like curling up on the couch with an honest, hilarious, sane friend. Not too sane, though - just the perfect amount. Leary’s stories made me feel absolutely desperate to get out of my forties and into my fifties. I tried being nice, too, Ann. Thanks for being honest instead. Read this book!"

—Glennon Doyle, author of #1 New York Times Bestseller Untamed, Founder of Together Rising