The Shelter Within: A True Story

by Stephanie Land

A raw, heart-wrenching essay about navigating motherhood and poverty, and the hope and resolve needed to find a way forward, by the New York Times bestselling author of Maid and Class.

Raising a seven-year-old daughter and caring for a newborn, single mother Stephanie Land tries her best to persevere through fatigue, hunger, a depleted food stamp balance, and a bank account hovering around ten dollars. Not to mention postpartum hormones, anxiety over finding suitable housing, and the fear of defeat in the battle of fulfilling her children’s needs and forging her own identity as a writer. With the help of a community of friends and her own steely will, Stephanie is determined to find a way forward to a life that can afford her family hope and joy. She has a dream for a better life. And there is no way she’s giving up.

Genres: Short Stories, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Memoir, Amazon, Biography

43 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 24, 2025

About the author

Stephanie Land is the instant bestselling author of "MAID: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive." Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, The Atlantic, and many other outlets. Her writing focuses on social and economic justice. Follow everywhere @stepville or stepville.com

Reviews

[Jaidee · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.76 "do more than understand, lend a helping hand" stars ~~

Thank you to Netgalley, the essayist, and Amazon Original Stories for an ecopy. I am providing an honest review and this will be released June 24,2025.

A writer takes a look back at her experience of having a second child as a single mother while struggling with a myriad of emotions, exhaustion, hunger and food insecurity while trying to maintain her dignity and eke out a good enough life for her seven year old daughter. She gives the middle class reader her experience of both hardships and joys, accomplishments and struggles, deep desperation and momentary joys.

I wish her and her little family the best and continued success, health and happiness....

It is not enough to just understand, or even empathize but when you are able lend a helping hand...

[Jo Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Happy publication day 🎉🌟🎧

Well, that was quick!! As is described, this was an essay about the struggles of poverty and parenthood, beautifully written.

Narrated by the author.

My thanks to Brilliance Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧

[Holden Wunders · Rating 3 out of 5]

I consistently want to root for Stephanie Land and while I’ll never root against her, sometimes my feeling is…ooph.

Don’t get me wrong she’s a lovely writer so that alone should make you read her. And SHOCK, she’s not the most likable woman. Oh my goodness gracious, can you even imagine?? I will forever be on her side but I also wish to god she would make better choices. She waxes on about others judging her choices and yes, I do. But I also feel for her. I’m poor, I’m a woman, I’m disabled, I’m estranged from my family, so I SEE and inherently feel the struggle. I truly don’t know how she does it. Sometimes, I don’t know why she chooses it either.

As for the overall essay, it does feel like a snippet of Maid and Class. I’m not mad at it but also am not sure I see the point. As a stand alone it doesn’t hit particularly hard but it does end on a hopeful note which is necessary. I could’ve seen this as an extra few chapters in Class or in the beginning of a next book in the series.

[Emma (of South Woobeewoo) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐. A brief but powerful story about the difficulties the author experienced as a single mother of two young children, one a newborn, while simultaneously struggling with poverty and the system America has designed with the express purpose of trampling those who need and deserve help the most. The experience of not feeling deserving of assistance or even kindness, the shame asking for help can bring, and the simultaneous joy and pain of postpartum were all expressed beautifully. I enjoyed this story a lot overall, but I also think it bears mentioning that it is very much more of a personal story than a piece with a wider argument to make, and accordingly, it sometimes felt a bit meandering and jumped around in the way that a friend telling you a story in person would. I didn't mind the tone; I enjoy books that read as conversations with their authors. I just felt like the narrative itself could've used a bit more structure.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Michelle Kimber · Rating 4 out of 5]

An essay talking about the author's experiences with being a single mother of two young children barely getting by. The description of her struggles and feelings of exhaustion and helplessness felt real and relatable. She worked hard and went without to give her kids what they needed. The essay highlighted the lack of resources for people in her position. She does what she has to and it starts to turn around for her.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a raw and unfiltered heart-wrenching essay about the author navigating motherhood alone in poverty. What a short and powerful piece that shows the true despair of her situation. I have heard of but have yet to read Land’s other books but definitely plan to read them now. Her bravery is telling her story is heartbreaking and inspiring. You truly never know what someone is going through or the battles they are facing. I think this is a quick read and the audiobook is excellent, at a little over an hour long, as Land reads this emotional account herself. I would recommend this one to others. Thank you to NetGalley, Stephanie Land, Brilliance Publishing, and Amazon Original Stories for the gifted ALC. This is a voluntary and honest review.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a mini story about Stephanie's life her hard ship of being a single mother of two stuggling to survive with her wrtitting career as both jobs dont provide enough to live on. Her current apartment reminded me of the first one she lived in with mold and heat problems but with the help of facebook (which thru me off because i didnt think that was around but after googling facebook has been around 21 years wow i feel old. lol) she weas able to get funding for her apartment through a church donation and even secure a new apartment that was better for her and her children. While she suffers alone often she seems to always have someone n0t extremely close but still close enough to call a friend help out. To include gifting food and helping out while they werent there all the time they did come when she reached out showing her she has some kind of support system. Even her ex (non baby daddy) took her child to his home to play with his horses for a bit in the summer.

[Star Gater · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three stars: My standard for memoirs.

Quick read/listen. I listened as if I were in a lecture hall. I can appreciate her story.

Prime First Read extra. (July 25)

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Stephanie’s writing but…girl, please make better life choices

[Kelli Loy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was just a quick easy read.

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t realize this was an essay, not a book, until I had already gotten it from the library. It was fine, but there was no context about what led her to this place in her life, where she is a single mom of two kids with no real way to support them.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

"the Shelter Within" by Stephanie Land. is a short book, less than 100 pages. She has written two books about her struggles trying to raise a small child. Earning wages that never seem to be enough to pay her bills. Her second books she writes of trying to go to college while trying to work and support her daughter and got pregnant for her second child. This book is right after she gives birth to her baby, Coraline. She writes of taking care of a newborn and seven year old daugher and trying to earn money to pay rent buy food and pay other bills. this short read is about her continued struggles now the mother of two. This book is before her book "Maid" comes out and becomes a huge success. She is always very honest writing of her struggles to try and provide for her small family. Another good read by the author.

[Jennie Reads Plenty · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm going to have a lot to say because I have lived this life without the luxuries Land had at her disposal.

Stephanie Land's "Shelter Within" aims to pull back the curtain on the harsh realities of poverty for single mothers. And while I acknowledge her personal experience, the narrative often feels disconnected from the true, unvarnished struggles faced by countless women, especially when considering Land's current success.

The fundamental issue is that Land's story, while her own, presents a version of poverty that is simply not the reality for the vast majority. She recounts receiving over $600 a month in child support—a substantial sum many single mothers never see. Her ex-partner was also able to take their child for a month at a time, offering a significant reprieve and support system that is an unimaginable luxury for most navigating solo parenthood. Add to that the assistance from friends, including a church that paid her rent, and you have a picture of hardship cushioned by a level of external aid that borders on privilege within the context of deep poverty.

It's particularly jarring to read these accounts of struggle when, according to recent reports, Stephanie Land's net worth is approaching a million dollars. Her oldest child is now 18, meaning a significant portion of the direct, immediate struggle she chronicled is well in the past. To continue publishing books that rehash these "struggle" narratives feels disingenuous to the present-day reality of countless women who are truly doing it alone, without a consistent co-parent, without substantial financial support, and without a network of friends able to offer significant material help. Many women navigate this brutal landscape in complete isolation, without the safety nets Land describes.

Ultimately, this book left me questioning the narrative it seeks to establish. While Land's writing is clear and evocative, the disconnect between her portrayed past struggles and her current financial standing, combined with the substantial support systems she had, makes it difficult to fully connect with her story as a universal representation of poverty. For those seeking a more authentic or truly unvarnished portrayal of the solitary battle faced by countless single mothers, this book may fall short.

[Danni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t even know where to start because this book cracked something open in me.

The Shelter Within is not just another story about poverty or motherhood. It’s about what it means to keep going when every single day feels like too much. Stephanie Land puts you right there with her; in the exhaustion of trying to soothe a baby while your older kid needs help with homework and you’ve got ten dollars to your name and no idea what you’ll eat tomorrow. This book is messy and hard and human in all the ways life actually is. There’s no romanticizing the struggle here. No polished happily ever after. Just one woman doing her absolute best to raise her kids and not lose herself in the process. There were pages that made me cry and pages where I had to put the book down because it hit too close. But there’s also this quiet power running through the whole thing. A kind of hope that feels real because it’s earned.

It reminded me that survival isn’t just about scraping by. It’s about still believing — somehow — that your story matters even when the world tries to tell you it doesn’t.

If you’ve ever felt invisible or like you were drowning while everyone else seemed to be swimming just fine, read this. It will break your heart and give it back stronger.

4 stars
Thank you Amazon for an early copy!

[Taren · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Shelter Within" by Stephanie Land continues the story of her life that she has documented in "Maid" and "Class." In this short story, she documents the time immediately following the birth of her second daughter and the struggle to make ends meet as a single mother and newly-graduated writer. This is definitely a "walk a mile in their shoes" story that will help readers to really feel the struggles of Land and others like her. It's, at times, difficult to read, and her stories always leave me with a profound sense of the stress of broken systems and the effect that has on families.

Fans of Land's memoirs will enjoy this story, as it is written in a similar style and tone. I was hoping that, as a standalone story, this might focus more on the narrator building some successes and starting to find stability. While the final pages convey a sense of hope, the majority of the story is hard struggle and frustration, and I felt like it could have almost just worked better as a final chapter or two for "Class," especially since the pregnancy plays a big part in that book, or it could have been held for the start of a bigger book that focused on Land establishing a career and finding some success.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the advanced read.

[Megan Collins · Rating 2 out of 5]

This memoir essay follows the same material as some of the author’s other works. It looks at the harsh reality of a single mother who just had a newborn to compete with their seven-year-old daughter for attention. Stephanie is dealing with hunger, postpartum hormones, lice, and fatigue. Writing gigs don’t provide much money to live on. To make matters worse, mold and heat problems begin a legal battle with her landlord as she waits for emergency housing. She must push past personal shame to explain her needs to get assistance from friends and strangers. Feeling exhausted or helpless and wanting people to see beyond an “I’m fine” front are relatable. It reads as a real depiction of personal hardships. I’m sure for those struggling with parenthood and poverty there is relief to not being alone. Outside of that target though, a general audience might not want the details of picking a clogged duct while struggling to find time to pee. There is not enough detail to understand systematic failings and life choices that led to her circumstances (or could change them for others). Without context, the ending strangely feels overly hopeful. It’s more of an introduction to the author and her style.

[Akiho · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short essay/memoir about the author’s experience as a single mother to a newborn and a seven-year old, as she struggles with poverty and housing insecurity. It’s written by the same author behind the memoir Maid, which was also adapted into a Netflix show.

It paints a very vivid picture of her life right after the birth of her second child, when she has jobs as a freelance writer but it’s not enough to guarantee food on the table or to move to a place with better security and safer conditions, and on top of it all, she has the usual struggles, mentally and physically and time-wise, as a postpartum mom. It was interesting to read about the resources (and lack of it) she utilizes, the anxiety she faces toward other people finding out about her situation, the support system she finds, and all the maneuvering and planning she has to do just to eke out a living. It’s very raw and honest, and I think it is relatable to moms to newborns, while getting people who haven’t been in this socioeconomic position to understand.

I’m not sure there was really a theme to this essay, though maybe that wasn’t the point, so it really mostly feels like a mini-recounting of her postpartum experience.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Kristi · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this short Amazon Original story, Stephanie Land (author of Maid ) recounts, with raw honesty, the overwhelming struggles and personal shame that she experienced as an impoverished single mother dealing with food and housing insecurity. With a seven-year-old and newborn daughters, public assistance and her inconsistent income as a freelance writer was never enough, and years long waiting lists for emergency housing. From the title, I thought this short memoir was going to be more about how Land relied a sense of self and her love as a mother to develop an inner security to preserve through tough times. But more so its about the ways that she opens up to asking others to help her secure a literal shelter for her young family, which brings emotional and psychological relief. I have no yet read Land's other work, but appreciate the way she candid talks about the hardships of both motherhood and poverty to break down the stigma and shame around challenges that no one should have to suffer through alone.

With some irony, as an Amazon Original story, this title is available exclusively on Kindle and Audible.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is about a woman who just had a second child….alone. The father is no where to be helpful. She is hungry without enough food to eat. She doesn’t have enough money to pay her bills. She has to ask food pantries, shelters and churches for help. She is anxious and scared all of the time. She feels that she is always being judged. She tries free lance writing from home to earn extra cash. She just keeps trying even though she is exhausted every single day. Eventually her persistence pays off. A friend finds her a cheaper apartment. She is able to pick up some free lance regular jobs. She doesn’t and will not give up, ever. Finally, she starts writing about her own personal experiences of being a new mom. She talks about struggles with finances, not being able to get any personal free time, not even time to jump in the shower. She gets a regular following. She realizes she is not alone and gets the confidence that she can make it. Because of her sheer will, you just know she will succeed.

[Claire Akkan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short story, The Shelter Within by Stephanie Land, continues the author’s real-life saga trying to escape poverty in America. Land previously wrote Maid, which was turned into an excellent Netflix show with Margaret Qualley, and Class, which chronicled the decade she spent living below the poverty line as a single mother. Land writes unflinchingly about how hard it is to escape the cycle of poverty, no matter how hard you try, and how much the system is stacked against America’s working class. Through all of her work, I’ve had my eyes opened and my views on the important role of a strong welfare system clarified. Her work is particularly relevant as the government has shut down again and 43 million people risk losing access to food stamps. If you want to understand more about what that will really mean for millions of families around the country, I encourage you to read this or any of her books.

[Molly Minneapolis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just listened to this today, and while it hasn’t had time to fully settle with me, it definitely left an impression. It’s a short audio essay, but a powerful one.

I’ve never had children, but the narrator’s descriptions of early motherhood felt incredibly real—echoing what I’ve heard from friends over the years about the exhaustion and emotional weight of being the only adult in the room. It also made me think more about privilege and how hard it is to raise kids without financial stability or support.

I found myself rooting for the narrator and her kids. That’s why I wished it were longer—not because it lacked anything, but because I wanted to spend more time with them and hear more about their lives.

It inspired me to donate to a nonprofit that supports single moms. Thoughtful,

[Faithe · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Shelter Within: a True story is a fast paced glimpse into the world of a single mother a few days after the birth of her second daughter Coraline. The main character is struggling with postpartum, is on welfare and trying her best to make ends meet and survive with her new born daughter and her seven year old daughter Amelia.

When I initially saw the audio book was only an hour long I thought it was a mistake. I could definitely listen to or read more of her fascinating story. The glimpse of it you get leaves you rooting for the main characters and her little family.

Thank you Stephanie and Amazon Original Stories for working with NetGalley. I received an advanced reader copy of this audio book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stephanie Land continues documenting her journey as a working mom trying make ends meet with this novella. It details a period in which she has just given birth to her second child (no mention of a father or relationship) and also tries caring for her 7 year old daughter and trying to make ends meet as a writer. Land's writing spotlights the few resources available to single moms who need to work full-time in order to provide for their families. She is fortunate to have friends and a support network to assist her when necessary. The novella conveys the daily grind of a life dominated by childrens' needs and basic survival.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC.

[Tuwanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read and great short essay. I like that you are able to cover periods of time without feeling lost. This essay is compelling and extremely realistic. I know there are many single moms that struggle with getting by and living day by day in constant worry. The mom is this essay was struggling financially and was barely making ends meet. She has two children to take care of, one a newborn and the other school age. Without a consistent flow of income, she was able to push through fears and her inner perception of herself, and ask for help. With help from the community, she was able to get a fresh start and begin working on getting her life together for her kids and herself.

[Shine with Shauna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a vulnerable piece of writing that will resonate with readers in some way, shape or form. However, those who are struggling to make ends meet or those who are new and/or single parents will probably relate the most. I just wanted to reach through the pages and give her a hug. It's an emotional, quick story of resilience and continuing to "press play".

Thank you, Stephanie Land, for sharing your story...a lot of feelings in a minute number of pages.

Additional thanks to Amazon Originals for the digital copy via NetGalley. These opinions are entirely my own.

(3.5 stars rounded up)

[Jennifer Bagley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was truly short and sweet - i seriously wanted more.

I’ve been a fan of Stephanie Land since I read maid. Her writing about her life has this unapologetic honesty to it. You can feel her emotions - shame, joy, fear, love - through every tiny story she tells.

I honestly laughed and cried through this short essay. I related so much to the motherhood stories and Stephanie’s accounts of her poverty on top of it only made it more authentic.

My only complaint is I wanted more!

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for an advanced audiobook copy; all opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Bob Busch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Land Does It Again!

Stephanie Land has done it again! Another book that brings the reader right into her and her family’s life. I felt like I was right there with them in all their struggles and triumphs! I found myself thinking about the time I met her and her family at a book signing event. I was supposed to be watching the door to make sure only the people who were supposed to be allowed in got in (a very easy job because they wore colored bracelets. I ended up playing with Coraline a lot as she kept running between her mom and me asking question after question and giggling! I look forward to reading Stephanie’s next book.

[Meredith Molloy · Rating 3 out of 5]

🎧: The Shelter Within by Stephanie Land
⭐️: 3/5

Motherhood. Poverty. Struggle. This quick listen had me check my privilege in a way that was uncomfortable and incredibly important. In today’s society where benefits aren’t supported and having children is encouraged, this is a vital story to hear the reality of childrearing in modern America.

A three star rating because while I know Land’s other work (that I haven’t read) draws on these topics in depth, this quick listen really only skims the surface. Additionally this is likely one that’s better read vs. listened to — the audio experience was a bit lacking here.

[Melissa Sherbo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really quick listen and once again I feel guilty counting this as a book as it was more of an essay. I like Lands books, especially Maid and I met her at an author talk and love books where someone overcomes seemingly insurmountable challenges. I just found this short book/essay to be more of the same: how hard her life was as a single mother. In this case, it was trying to move out of an apartment with a seven-year-old and her newborn baby. And having the challenges in general of having a newborn baby. I would just love to see the author, expand her horizons a little bit more and write about something different.