I Just Wish I Had a Bigger Kitchen: And Other Lies I Think Will Make Me Happy

by Kate Strickler

In a social-media saturated world, it's all too easy to see the shiny lives of others and find your own less than lustrous. And while most women won't admit they're unhappy, they will tell you they just wish. "I love my life! I just wish ____." After ten-plus years of professional life online, Kate Strickler, founder of Naptime Kitchen, has experienced the many ways we see a life on the other side of the screen—and wish it were our own.

Setting out to fight the lie that what she had wasn't enough, Kate discovered simple perspective shifts that ultimately helped her fall in love with the life she already had. Here she shares the small changes you can make that add up to a whole new outlook on life. With her trademark real-life tips and life hacks mixed with humor and stories she's never shared before, Kate helps you identify and dismantle ten lies about relationships, money, time, and home life. As you discover how to live and mother in ways that work for you and your family, you'll stop just wishing your life away—and begin to truly enjoy the one you already have.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Self Help, Parenting, Memoir, Christian, Personal Development

Audible Audio

First published August 26, 2025

Reviews

[Tasha · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title lured me and I'm glad it was short because there wasn't much in here in terms of rich content. Definitely a case of "I'm an influencer and here's what I have to say".

[Kelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

These kinds of books are hard for me to rate, the ones that mix their ideas so completely with the author’s own life that you can’t actually separate the two.

Strickler’s objective is to stare down 10 “I just wish” comments that feed discontent. It’s a worthy goal. And I have absolutely started sentences of my own with those three words. The ones she tackles include the title’s bigger kitchen, more friends, being a better mom, more money, more control … they’re universal.

The sticky part is that Strickler comes from a life of privilege – her words, not mine – and that makes some of what she’s saying hard to swallow. She has my respect because she acknowledges this conundrum directly more than once in the book. But also, it’s still there, in almost every chapter.

Stories about body image include her very small dress size and her Botox treatments. Stories about struggles in parenting are set in Disneyland or on her grandfather’s boat. Stories about money include her receiving it from a lot of places that not everyone does.

She’s right – in some ways this makes her the perfect person to acknowledge and push back against the monster of discontentment. She’s proof that people struggle with it at every social and economic level.

It's to her credit that she’s honest and smart enough to acknowledge both what she has and her relative youth as a mom and wife. That choice allows her ideas and lessons to land helpfully when they could have gone badly in other directions.

My favorites were the chapters on parenting, body image and feeling like a failure. Strickler is a Christian, but the book is more infused with that worldview than full of specific verses or lessons. And she is careful to say (again, multiple times) that she isn’t trying to speak to people in deep crisis and loss. She’s speaking to the everywoman, the one just living life with its endless small joys and average weights and temporary victories and normal setbacks.

In that spot, you can listen well and learn well, for example, when she writes about her struggle to get her fourth child to sleep, after the first three responded beautifully to every piece of baby book advice she used on them.

“The pride I had in my own ability was replaced with something much softer, something more welcoming and easier to hold: humility.” Living a normal life with its normal pains – the tantrums, depression, disappointment, envy and more – equips us to love all the people living normal lives around us.

“Humility softens us. It is like a warm blanket ready to wrap around someone who needs to be understood.”

(Would love to have you join me on Substack for more reviews and book talk! ksbruss.substack.com)

[Holly Mackle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovingly practical yet drenched in grace for ourselves and others.

[Taylor Boerner · Rating 1 out of 5]

As someone who is actually facing hard things in life, this book is stupid and was not worth my time.

[Sydni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not to be harsh but this seemed to me like another influencer could sell a book so might as well write one. I appreciated that Kate shared about things she’s currently wrestling with, and I commend her for using actual, real-life examples with specifics (sometimes TMI haha), but she doesn’t quite reach the level of depth that I’m looking for in either a self help book or a memoir.

Its a bummer too that her faith is just an add-on (she says this in the book, and that in writing the book she learned that it’s actually more than that). Her Christianity is flimsy; rather than overhauling the lies she believes with the power of the gospel, she gives half-hearted suggestions to maybe make things a little better. Even more of a bummer that the extremely obvious solution to most if not all of her disappointments and temptations is to get off of social media, but it doesn’t sound like that’s a consideration.

Nonetheless, I enjoyed reading it, especially peering into the challenges of being a highly productive type, since I’ve always compared myself to people like Kate and “wished I was more like her.”

3.5 ⭐️

[Taylor · Rating 1 out of 5]

this really should have stayed a Instagram post.

[Rachelle Cobb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished this book in less than a day. It's written in such an engaging style that I genuinely felt as if (pardon the cliche) I was sitting down with the author at a park play date. I really enjoyed the memoir-ish vibe and all the personal anecdotes, but also that each chapter was simply stuffed with practical application, including a snapshot summary and journaling prompts, too. I think so many women will benefit from Kate's honest thoughts on contentment and how to pursue it in our highlights-real culture. This is a needed message!

That said, I did rate it 4 out of 5 stars. Why note 5 stars? I thought the author missed the opportunity to use Scripture or other examples of women pursuing contentment (whether historical or modern) so it almost felt like a secular book at times. Even so, though, I think this book will bless many and I will definitely reread it.

[Christie Sullivan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Kate but was disappointed in this book. Her style and words of wisdom work well in short form on Instagram. The first two chapters were good. However, it went downhill from there. I found most of the book lacking in content and was surprised how some of the chapters were full of ramblings that didn’t really connect in my mind. It felt like she wrote the application questions and then tried to fill in the rest through stories and summarizing others’ words.

[Taylor Myatt · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was not it for me. It felt like rambling and was lacking a central message. I can see why there was no wait on Libby.

[Elise · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just wish the author could identify with regular people. She tries so hard to relate and be relatable while also admitting she grew up quite wealthy and that the wealth she grew up with can make her seem out of touch.

She's trying to write to regular moms, but she's not living the same life as regular moms. Also, did she really go on and on about her own humility?! *insert eye roll here* The tone of this book is so high and mighty with a splash of know it all.

The ten "I just wish statements" had a lot of repetition and overlap. They could have been combined, and she could have had a solid five. But, the basic message is simply finding contentment and joy in the life you're currently living.

Strong start, but I just got tired of it at about 1/3 of the way through. I loved the idea of this book, but the author lost me in the execution.

[Corey Tanner · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many snippets of wisdom I will reference for years to come. I laughed, I cried— just loved this and already going back through to read it for a second time and annotate even more. A must-read for the modern woman, especially mothers 🩷

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was a reason this was available with no wait on Libby lol

[Jenicca Porter · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fine. It boils down to the need we have to stop comparing ourselves and be grateful for what we have. I agree, but I still want a dishwasher. 😉

[Ali · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wasn’t aware that this was going to have as much Christianity in the book as I do not follow the author on IG and didn’t know who she was when I started the book.

[Michaela · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5-ish. Definitely comes from a place of privilege, but there were some good tidbits about keeping things in perspective.

[Stephanie Chomicz · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was just not for me. To me it was just listening to your anxious friend tell you everything that she hated about her life and how she will try to make it better. I got nothing out of this book.

[Kymberlee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmm… I enjoyed listening to the audiobook - felt like a long chat with a close friend or older sister. I appreciate Kate’s overall message, her relatability and vulnerability, and her attempts to point the reader to the gospel. The chapters on marriage and control were probably my favorites. I can see this being an approachable and beneficial book on a topic that is particularly tempting for women in this day and age, but there are many more rich books on contentment that I would recommend before this one.

[Sarah Worley]

4.5 ⭐️- let it be known, I picked this up without any familiarity of “Naptime Kitchen”. Maybe it’s the fact that I’m following just a few steps behind the author in my current season of life, but I resonated with most every chapter of this book, and ultimately felt so validated and seen. I appreciate the author’s bravery and honesty in her writing. It was imperfect, but all the while real and wise—which made it that much more relatable. Worth the read!

[~Amber~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely enjoyed every single minute of this read. I love Kate. I’ve followed her for years. I was thrilled to see she was writing a book. I plan to own the book, but listened to it on audio. She narrates it and does such a wonderful job. This is the book for us women, for us mothers, daughters, wives. It makes you think and it makes you appreciate things a little more.
Loved it!

[Jacqie Wheeler · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a total waste of time.

I went into this book excited. I love self-help, personal growth, and honest reflections on life. Instead, this book left me feeling strangely depressed—and not in a meaningful, reflective way.

Kate Strickler lives an objectively wonderful, privileged life. She openly admits that nothing truly terrible has happened to her, yet nearly every page is filled with dissatisfaction: her house isn’t enough, her money isn’t enough, her body isn’t thin enough, her husband isn’t what she wants him to be. While I understand that discontentment is the theme of the book, it never moves beyond that. There are no tools, no growth, no real insight for the reader—just story after story of unhappiness, followed by the message that this is normal and fine because “everyone feels this way.”

But here’s the problem: many of us don’t live like that.

Yes, we all have fleeting thoughts like “I wish I had a bigger kitchen.” But I also go through my days genuinely enjoying my life, appreciating the hard work I’ve put into becoming who I am, and feeling deep contentment—even when things aren’t perfect. This book felt like sitting with someone who refuses to see the good in front of them, and by the end, I was desperate to close it just so I could return to loving my own life again.

As a Christian reader especially, I found the book frustrating. It felt less like honest self-reflection and more like unprocessed dissatisfaction. What Kate needs isn’t validation that misery is universal—it’s therapy, self-awareness, gratitude, and frankly, God. The book never points toward healing, responsibility, or growth—only acceptance of perpetual discontent.

If you’re looking for encouragement, perspective, or actionable ways to live more fully, this isn’t it. For me, it was outrageous, exhausting, and ultimately pointless. I couldn’t wait for it to be over.

[Rachel Williamson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pleasant enough listen but really nothing revelatory. I wanted big ideas and didn’t feel that this got there. Maybe I’m biased against influencers writing books simply because they’re influencers. This felt a little disjointed. Good idea, mediocre execution.

Some takeaways:
-watch for moving goal posts. Sometimes these are appropriate and necessary, but reaching your goal and never acknowledging or celebrating it (in favor of immediately looking on to the next bigger better thing) will leave you unfulfilled.
-be mindful of an internal vs external score card. Which things are doing to appear a certain way instead becoming the person you want to be.

[Alexis · Rating 2 out of 5]

The best thing about this book is that it led me to the Wiser Than Me podcast.

Each chapter is a different “I just wish…” theme, and I could relate to each statement, but didn’t gain much beyond that. It would have been a DNF except I’m reading with a group of women, and I am actually looking forward to hearing how others would combat these lies we like to tell ourselves. Otherwise, would not recommend.

[mary coleman · Rating 1 out of 5]

Full disclosure I am not big on self help books, but I was intrigued by the title … shame on me but I am a sucker for titles and book covers. All that said the irony of a book that demonizes the horrors of social media (which has some truth) from an author who without social media would never have a book deal is priceless. But when she used quotes as serious context to ponder from … Mean Girls and The Barbie Movie.. sorry it’s lucky it get a star at all.

[Crosby Cobb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely obsessed with this book and can’t stop talking about it! So honest and engaging and practical!!

[Rachel S · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like I Just Wish I Had a Bigger Kitchen, but I found it mostly irritating. Strickler comes from a place of privilege, lives a comfortable life now, and openly acknowledges that she’s still quite young and that nothing truly terrible has ever happened to her. Much of the book centers on her complaining about her life… then reminding herself she shouldn’t complain… and then offering advice on how the reader shouldn’t complain either.

Unfortunately, the advice itself felt unoriginal—largely a rehashing of ideas that have been said many times before, and often more thoughtfully elsewhere. I kept waiting for a deeper or more distinctive perspective, but it never really arrived.

What surprised me most is that while this book is marketed as Christian, it rarely draws on biblical truths or Scripture in any meaningful way. The reflections felt more like generic self-help observations than faith-rooted insights, which left the book feeling somewhat unmoored from its stated foundation.

There may be readers who find comfort in its conversational tone or gentle reminders toward gratitude, but for me, the combination of privilege, shallow reflection, and recycled advice made this a miss.

[Danielle Black · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this. I really did. But there were too many things for me. An Instagram famous woman is telling me to not let myself be influenced by what I see on Instagram. A woman who grew up affluent, hardly ever actually struggled, and is so comfortable with her social media income that her lawyer husband quit her job says don't focus on money for happiness. A woman who admits to getting regular Botox injections and expensive skin procedures says love your body the way it is.

It feels like a weird kind of humble brag. And I didn't find many takeaways, most are the common sense things we already know, but someone semi Instagram famous wants to tell me about them.

And the examples often felt off. Describing the plots of movies to get the point across. Using other women with kitchens smaller than hers to show how we should be (be happy like my poorer friend is!). I prefer some sort of research or hard data thrown in! Or at least some truly relevant personal experience .

Granted, she did point out some of her inconsistencies but that didn't help the matter for me.

[Megan Shaffer · Rating 1 out of 5]

I Just Wish I Had a Bigger Kitchen fails to deliver on its promise of finding happiness in daily life. Instead, this book comes across as deeply out of touch with the real struggles that many people face. For readers who have been through genuine hardship—such as divorce, housing struggles, or abuse—the book’s focus on minor, privileged inconveniences is frustrating and honestly, a waste of time.

The entire book feels like a long-winded brag about the author’s life as an influencer rather than offering genuine wisdom. There is very little substance. The content is surface-level, often just summarizing other people’s thoughts or telling simple stories without offering any deep ideas.

If you are looking for meaningful insight into life's challenges, you won't find it here. This book is a thin, self-centered collection of thoughts that simply does not resonate with real people who have faced actual struggles.

[Allie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Red flag one: christian publisher, very heavy on God. Didn’t expect that? Also premise is great, good title. Doesn’t live up to the theme. Would have appreciated any introspection on how her role as a social media influencer makes others feel like “I just wish…(xyz chapter title)”. Mostly personal stories with quite a few paragraphs that just land so so poorly. Money, race, gender roles, mom life, weight—-all just felt icky.

[DSpencer · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️
The concept was interesting, but the execution wasn’t for me.

It lacked a little luster. I don’t think this book will have much sticking power in my mind for the long haul, and I thought it would going into it.

[Sydney Grissom · Rating 2 out of 5]

GUYS IM SO SORRY I really wanted to love this, but I just couldn’t. It felt very “do as I say, not as I do” and I just felt honestly disappointed… maybe my expectations were just too high, but it was just pretty dull, nothing revolutionary… and just kinda felt out of touch…