What do you think?
Rate this book
The Sober Shift: An Empowering Exploration of Sobriety, Parenting, and the Joys of Alcohol-Free Living
Live fully, abundantly, and free every day without alcohol with this inspiring guide from wellness writer Suzanne Warye, the creator behind the Sober Mom Life podcast and My Kind of Sweet.
Waking up with another hangover as the thirty-nine-year-old mother of a newborn, Suzanne Warye decided enough was enough. It was time to quit alcohol for good. In the years since, Suzanne has uncovered the myth of moderation and the limitations of the hitting rock bottom narrative. Today, she is a model for hundreds of thousands of people around the world who are embracing her brand of joyful sobriety.
Too many of us are taught not to question or examine our relationship with drinking until we’re addicted, or until we experience an intervention or another life-shattering consequence. We’re encouraged to enjoy this 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.”
Suzanne knows that many of us fear that, without the crutch of alcohol, we might not know how to relax, decompress, or spend quality time with our loved ones. She’s been there. And she’s here to tell you that a good life awaits when we walk away from the bottle.
Written with her trademark flair and engaging sense of humor, blending memoir with takeaways and cultural insights, and featuring delicious mocktail recipes to celebrate the seasons—including Virgin Rosemary Moscow Mule, Sparkling Thyme Cider, Cranberry Orange Fizz, Tart Cherry Spritz, and The Soberita—this affirming guide will help you find freedom from alcohol.
Your life is waiting on the other side.
Waking up with another hangover as the thirty-nine-year-old mother of a newborn, Suzanne Warye decided enough was enough. It was time to quit alcohol for good. In the years since, Suzanne has uncovered the myth of moderation and the limitations of the hitting rock bottom narrative. Today, she is a model for hundreds of thousands of people around the world who are embracing her brand of joyful sobriety.
Too many of us are taught not to question or examine our relationship with drinking until we’re addicted, or until we experience an intervention or another life-shattering consequence. We’re encouraged to enjoy this 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.”
Suzanne knows that many of us fear that, without the crutch of alcohol, we might not know how to relax, decompress, or spend quality time with our loved ones. She’s been there. And she’s here to tell you that a good life awaits when we walk away from the bottle.
Written with her trademark flair and engaging sense of humor, blending memoir with takeaways and cultural insights, and featuring delicious mocktail recipes to celebrate the seasons—including Virgin Rosemary Moscow Mule, Sparkling Thyme Cider, Cranberry Orange Fizz, Tart Cherry Spritz, and The Soberita—this affirming guide will help you find freedom from alcohol.
Your life is waiting on the other side.
- GenresNonfiction
304 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 30, 2025
92 people are currently reading
201 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 11, 2025
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.
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.
September 12, 2025
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.
October 3, 2025
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!
.
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.
.
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.
.
Suzanne expertly weaves stories of women in sobriety with facts about the alcohol industry and the science of alcohol.
.
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.
.
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.
.
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.”
.
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.)
.
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 🫶.
.
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.
.
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.
.
Suzanne expertly weaves stories of women in sobriety with facts about the alcohol industry and the science of alcohol.
.
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.
.
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.
.
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.”
.
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.)
.
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 🫶.
November 12, 2025
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!
July 1, 2025
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)
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)
October 9, 2025
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.
November 12, 2025
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!
October 8, 2025
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.
This is a great place to start if you're sober-curious.
December 29, 2025
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).
October 25, 2025
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.
December 4, 2025
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.
October 6, 2025
A great read for anyone who has out grown alcohol and is considering taking the blinders off. Well done, Suzanne!
October 12, 2025
I listened to this audiobook. It was very fast pass, some chapters were repetitive. A good out look on drinking less.
November 27, 2025
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!
December 21, 2025
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.
October 16, 2025
Great read!
I felt like I was reading my own story, even shed a few tears. Been recommending it to several people.
I felt like I was reading my own story, even shed a few tears. Been recommending it to several people.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews