The Sober Shift: An Empowering Exploration of Sobriety, Parenting, and the Joys of Alcohol-Free Living

by Suzanne Warye

Suzanne Warye was a 39-year-old mom to a newborn the day she woke up with a hangover and decided to quit alcohol for good. In the years since, Suzanne has realized the myth of moderation and the limitations of the rock bottom narrative, and has inspired her hundreds of thousands of followers around the world to embrace her joyful brand of sobriety.

Too many of us are taught not to question or examine our relationship with alcohol until we’re addicted, or until the decision has been made for us in the form of an intervention or another life-shattering consequence. In the meantime, we’re convinced that we are meant to enjoy a highly addictive substance responsibly. The Sober Shift is about finding true abundance—as a better partner and a more present parent, and as the architect of a life you love—without buying into the lies of "wine o'clock."

Without the crutch of alcohol, we might not know how to relax, decompress, or spend quality time with our loved ones. Suzanne knows because she's been there. With her trademark flair and sense of humor that keeps her readers engaged, blending memoir with takeaways and cultural insights, she will help you find freedom from alcohol. Your life is waiting on the other side.

Genres: Audiobook, Nonfiction

304 pages, Hardcover

Published September 30, 2025

Reviews

[Hailey Hconroybooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Big Alcohol would hate this book 😊. You should read it to find out why 🤗! Thank you Harper One for the PR box and finished copy!
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Suzanne flips the classic idea of “sobriety” on its head. It’s not deprivation. It’s not, “normal drinkers on this side of the line, problem drinkers on that side of the line.” It’s not black and white.
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She talks about how you don’t have to claim the term alcoholic to choose sobriety. You’re free to reevaluate your relationship with alcohol at any point in time, no permission slip needed.
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Suzanne expertly weaves stories of women in sobriety with facts about the alcohol industry and the science of alcohol.
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The majority of the now sober women in this book were “normal drinkers” by society’s standards. They drank 1-2 drinks to unwind on weeknights, or maybe a few too many at a social event on the weekend. Then at some point, they decided alcohol wasn’t serving them anymore and quit. These are not rock-bottom stories.
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Suzanne frames sobriety not as being about what you’re losing, but about what you’re gaining. Freedom from alcohol-induced crappy sleep, anxiety, 3 a.m. panic wake-ups, hangovers, moderation mental games, shame, and regret. It’s a freedom that doesn’t require hitting a bottom. It just requires a desire to want to feel better, and a realization that taking alcohol out of the equation might do that for you.
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This book is aimed at those gray area drinkers somewhere in the middle, the ones who have questioned their drinking from time to time, but then picked up that bottle in the wine aisle anyway because, “eh, it’s fine, I’m not that bad, it’s not like I have a pRoBLeM.”
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It’s aimed at people who have struggled with the mental gymnastics of moderating. (Am I also talking about myself and my nightly 2 glasses of mom wine 2.5 years ago? Absolutely, yes. And being free of those moderation games has been so dang liberating.)
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If you’ve ever struggled to moderate or questioned your drinking, but felt like you didn’t “qualify” for sobriety, this book is for you. I wish I had read this book a decade ago! But I’m so glad it’s out in the world now 🫶.

[Sally Groomes · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sober Shift by Suzanne Warye was a fascinating and honest look into approaching sobriety as a welcome and deeply valuable choice. Warye exposes the dangers of mommy wine culture and normative portrayal of regular excessive drinking by influencers. The book operates on the empowering premise of “quitting drinking while it’s still a choice.” I found Warye’s use of both personal experience as well as extensive research to support this lifestyle choice powerful. While I have personally chosen to avoid alcohol for the majority of my life due to an attempt to bypass a family history of addiction, books like this make me feel far less alone and more emboldened in my decision. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio for an advanced copy of the book.

[JazzyJ · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Sober Shift shines in one area: the raw stories of brave women that have made a change to better their life. Their courage and honesty are what carried this book for me; and I’m so lucky I get to know many of them personally.

Where the book falls short, in my view, is in how those stories are presented. Instead of feeling like a true celebration of women’s voices, the framing comes across as more focused on building the author’s platform than honoring the contributors. That choice left the book feeling somewhat hollow, especially since many of the women featured are no longer aligned with the Sober Mom Life platform. Sobriety is an incredibly delicate, personal journey—and this book reminded me to be careful about whose hands I place mine in.

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this is pretty typical quit lit fare. Light on the science behind it all / heavy on personal stories and inspirational quotes. It's unique in that nobody featured in The Sober Shift really hit a messy "rock bottom" [as gen pop would consider it]. Points off for being a bit pretentious at times; what with her country club stories and her yearly spiritual retreats and her mani/pedi or facial after Saturday workouts like it's no big deal. Our target market here seems to be a certain tax bracket -- it's just her influencer background shining through.

[Jenny Cannady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suzanne nails it in this one. As someone who has listened to the majority of her podcast episodes, this book is a great summary and jumping off point for anyone who is considering dipping their toe in the water of sobriety. Suzanne recognizes that it was difficult to get a book deal initially, because of the lack of “rock bottom” moment. What wasn’t initially realized is that that is exactly what the “quit lit” genre needed. Many women, especially mothers, struggle with moderation (a spot I was in myself). Suzanne does a great job of answering a lot of the initial concerns and questions most people have when considering sobriety. I highly recommend if you’re sober-curious and especially if you’re a mother!

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author wanted to write a book that speaks to women who experience alcohol in moderation, or struggle with alcohol in moderation — and are sober curious. I enjoyed the author’s down to earth writing style and the very relatable stories shared. She covered all the barriers someone newly sober might run into, as well as a solid overview of Big Alcohol, health concerns, and wine mom culture. I recommend reading this in tandem with a sober experience.

[Erin Claydon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this book. As someone new to considering an AF life, this book was the first one that really resonated with me. A lot of the quit lit I’ve picked up thus far involves a huge disaster/rock bottom story or really heavy drinking prior to sobriety that I couldn’t connect with myself. This book is for those of us who, as Suzanne puts it, seem to have “outgrown” alcohol and want to focus on leading emotionally and physically healthy lives. As a mom, the discussion of motherhood in sobriety deeply resonated as well. If you’re considering examining your relationship with alcohol but don’t necessarily have a disastrous “rock bottom” story, this book is for you!

[Katy O. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fully admit my bias here, given that the author is my best friend and I read beta chapters of this book all throughout the writing process. BUT, my recommendation would be the same regardless of our friendship and my part in the book ~ the world needs more books that normalize NOT drinking and shine the light on the fact that alcohol doesn't need to be a foregone conclusion in parenting.

Suzanne and I quit drinking within months of each other and I couldn't be more proud of her absolute devotion to spreading the word of how amazing it can be to live without alcohol, and the fact that you don't need to hit rock bottom before deciding to cut it out of your life.

Source: digital review copy(ies)

[Jessica Cotton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, how I wish I had these delicious pages when first (shakily and terrified) told alcohol I was done for good. And yet, well into my sober journey, I ate every page up.

Suzanne’s authentic voice pierces through every page as if you were right there in her living room — knees bent, snuggled on the couch with your old best friend with a cup of coffee.

Warye does not shy away from how impossibly hard life is, and thank God, she’s finally a (badass, loud) voice talking about how alcohol makes it all harder. These pages are fiery, gritty, original, humbling, and comforting all in one. This book has achieved its goal: “to rebrand sobriety for those who aren't willing to wait for rock bottom” (11).

[mylifewellread · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this because I know the author and I believe everyone’s stories are ppwerful. I rarely drink these days simply because I hate the way it makes me feel. I can enjoy A drink every now and then. It is true how terrible alcohol is for our bodies and minds and Suzanne does a great job of explaining the toxicity and the consequences for women, in particular. The “mommy wine” culture is absurd and pushing a false narrative that alcohol helps…truly, it hinders. I am proud of her honesty and her drive to help women confront their habits when it comes to drinking. This is a good read even if you’re not ready for total sobriety.

[Morgan Gross · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve read a lot of very powerful sober lit (Quit Like a Woman, We Are The Luckiest, Dry, The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober, Soberful) so maybe that’s why this one was just “meh” for me. The author does acknowledge that her story and the stories she features in her book are “middle of the road stories” not “rock-bottom” ones, but I don’t think that’s the issue. There was a lack of depth … somewhere? I didn’t connect with much in her stories nor did the book add anything new to the [sober] conversation (for me). Still, there can never be enough sober lit, so I’m glad this book exists.

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read that talks about various reasons for quitting alcohol that don't involve hitting rock bottom. The author and I stopped drinking for very different reasons, but reached the same conclusions nonetheless: that alcohol simply doesn't have a place in my life any more and that motherhood and life are easier when it's just off the table altogether.

This is a great place to start if you're sober-curious.

[Lindsay Landry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I joined The Sober Mom Life Cafe in April 2024 when I decided to take a break from alcohol. Being part of Suzanne’s community helped me see how sweet a sober life could be and I was thrilled to get to read her book and hear stories from some of the other ladies I’d gotten to know. I’m forever grateful to her and am so glad others can read this book as part of their sober adventure (I like that word better than journey).

[Devon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked some of the reframing techniques to make not drinking more palatable - like thinking of what you gain, rather than lose, and considering what your own reasons for being sober “for good” can mean. I found the chapter on dealing with the grief of her father’s passing to be elegant and resonant. As with other books in the category, it was a tad long for a topic with a foregone conclusion. A solid 3.5.

[Krystal Palumbo · Rating 4 out of 5]

So necessary for women who don’t want to turn to wine to wind down anymore. This book flips the script on mommy wine culture and tells the truth about life with and without alcohol. Suzanne’s podcast was a Godsend for me. It gave me the courage to start a new chapter of life sans alcohol. I highly recommend this book, Suzanne’s podcast, and her sober community.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an important book to anyone looking to examine the relationship with alcohol. Filled with humor and wit, Suzanne makes you feel like you’re not alone in sobriety. She shows how sobriety brings so many enhancements to your life instead of viewing it as living in a world of deprivation.

[Evelien · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is an easy, engaging read. It’s a wonderful book for mothers and wives, you’ll recognize pieces of your own journey and see yourself reflected in these pages. Insightful, relatable, and encouraging.

[Heather Ruane · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was my first sober curious book and I really enjoyed it. I particularly appreciated how there wasn’t a “rock bottom” moment here - just an emphasis on outgrowing the relationship with alcohol. I also appreciated the parenthood perspective. was a great listen on audiobook!

[Amy Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read for anyone who has out grown alcohol and is considering taking the blinders off. Well done, Suzanne!

[Mary Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this audiobook. It was very fast pass, some chapters were repetitive. A good out look on drinking less.

[Melodee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really good book for those who don’t feel like they have hit rock bottom, but feel like taking a look at their drinking. Loved it!

[Angela S · Rating 4 out of 5]

From my favorite sober podcast host, her book finally came to fruition! I wish I would have had this when I started my journey. No rock bottom stories, just normal real life scenarios.

[Frannie Cheska · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find it difficult to relate to a lot of these books as a non mom. It’s got some good points but overall o couldn’t connect. Had to skip a lot of the mommy context. Hope others enjoy it!

[Ashley Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just adore her in all forms. Podcast, social media, and now book… she’s the best.

[Heather D · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love quit lit, and I’m glad I read this one too. A story of deciding alcohol just didn’t fit in her life, and what she did to get it out of her life.

[Leslie Zornow · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate enough to hear Suzanne speak in my sober community and she was so down to earth and insightful. Her book is one of the best quit lit I’ve ever read. Highly recommend.

[Cara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

I felt like I was reading my own story, even shed a few tears. Been recommending it to several people.