Clementine Crane Prefers Not To: A Novel

by Kristin Bair, Sara Sheckells (Narrator)

For fans of Maria Semple, Clementine Crane is a one-woman whirlwind, managing every aspect of her family’s life—until she hits her breaking point. In this quirky and heartfelt novel, author Kristin Bair explores family, community, and womanhood with sharp wit and keen insight.

Clementine Crane has a few things on her She keeps the peace, picks up the slack, and always puts everyone else first. But when her first hot flash strikes, perimenopause sends her into a tailspin. Between a husband who can’t navigate a revolving door without her, three kids who treat her as their fixer, and a career stuck in neutral, Clementine begins to When is enough enough?

Overwhelmed and fed up, Clementine takes a stand—one small refusal at a time. She goes on strike, ditching obligations, setting boundaries, and venting her frustrations on social media. When her raw, hilarious, and unexpectedly poignant videos go viral, Clementine finds herself at the heart of a movement she never saw coming.

Clementine can’t stay on strike forever, but can she let a few things fall through the cracks—before she cracks again? Speaking to the emotional, and often invisible, labor that so many women bear, Clementine Crane finally When does it become too much?

Genres: Audiobook

Audible Audio

Published October 14, 2025

Reviews

[Jennifer Mangler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the heck out of this audiobook! If you experience frustration as a woman going through perimenopause (or menopause) and/or are the default parent this book will really speak to you. If you're just fed up carrying everything on your shoulders and want to yeet others' expectations of you into the sun, you'll get Clementine and will have a good time living through her for a bit (and maybe be inspired by her). I'm enjoying the hell out of reaching my "no fucks left to give" stage and this book helped me revel in that feeling. The ending kinda fizzled, but the overall book was a fun ride.

[Jeri Bitney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, this was laugh-out-loud entertainment. Certainly not the last great American novel, but so much fun to read.