Woman on the Verge

A Novel

By: Kim Hooper

Narrated by: Dana Green, Abigail Reno, Jordan Claire McCraw, Amanda Stribling

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.

©2025 by Kim Hooper. (P)2025 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“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

“Twisty and funny and deeply empathetic…I devoured Woman on the Verge, anxiously turning the pages, desperate to know what happens next. Readers will finish this novel with tears in their eyes and the breath knocked from their chests.”—Michelle Gable, author of A Paris Apartment and Darling Beasts