Stumbling Blindly Toward Grace: A messy and miraculous memoir

by Yvonne Garvey

You can’t be blind and drunk. Well, you can, but it’s messy.

In Stumbling Blindly Toward Grace, Yvonne Garvey shares a raw, unflinching, and darkly funny account of her descent into addiction, heartbreak, and the slow unravelling of her vision. From childhood stitches and suburban dysfunction to full-blown addiction, domestic violence, and the terrifying realization that her liver—and life—were failing, Yvonne’s story is both harrowing and hopeful.

Diagnosed with a degenerative eye disease and teetering on the edge of death at forty, Yvonne’s world began to dim, both literally and figuratively. Somewhere between blackout nights and hospital beds, misguided love and a growing sense that something had to give, a different kind of clarity began to emerge. What follows is a messy, miraculous rebirth through sobriety, spiritual growth, yoga, and community. Told with biting honesty and sharp wit, this memoir doesn’t offer easy redemption. It offers something more the possibility that even in the darkest moments, something unexpected can take root.

A shift.
A spark.
A stumble toward something like grace.

228 pages, Hardcover

Published September 16, 2025

About the author

Yvonne Garvey is a writer, recovery advocate, and member of both Alcoholics Anonymous and the Canadian Council of the Blind. With twenty-seven years of lived experience in addiction and over three years in sobriety, her work sheds light on the messy realities of alcoholism, invisible disability, and the long, imperfect road to healing.

Yvonne’s writing has appeared previously in Blank Spaces magazine. Stumbling Blindly Toward Grace is her debut book. She lives in Peterborough, Ontario, with her beloved English bulldog, Winnie. When she’s not writing, she guides clients through yoga, meditation, and Reiki sessions, speaks at recovery events, or supports others on their journey through vision loss and addiction recovery.

Connect with her at http://www.ymgcreations.com, on Instagram @missvonners, or on Facebook at

www.facebook.com/yvonne.marie.garvey.

Reviews

[Sharon Hubbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must read! It is the story of overcoming alcoholism and the struggles along the way. The author’s sense of humour and honesty are enjoyable! Well written ok!

[Caitlobo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so real and raw - Yvonne is an incredible writer, and for me, it was such a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to turn things around or begin again. She’s resilient and strong, and I was cheering for her!

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s the kind of story that somehow makes you laugh while your heart’s breaking a little.

She writes about addiction, heartbreak, and losing (and finding) herself with such brutal honesty that you can’t help but root for her the whole way through. Her story is part dark humor, part quiet wisdom, yet heartfelt. It’s not a glossy tale of redemption; it’s a real one, full of missteps, sarcasm, and those tiny moments of grace that sneak up when you least expect them.

Mostly, I just love that she wrote the way she lives — messy, brave, and funny as hell. Stumbling Blindly Toward Grace is proof that sometimes the best way forward is, well, a stumble.

[Sheila Cowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

You surf the wave of the denial of addiction. One minute you are riding the crest of the wave believing all is good and then you are thrown off into the depths of the mess of addiction. You climb up onto the board thinking it won’t get worse only to be pulled under again and again. The author gives an honest account of the desperation which leads her into the world of recovery. The road ahead brings together not only aspects of recovery but a recipe from other sources to support her life and share with gratitude a new perspective for living

[Bronwyn Petry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book feels like you’re in a room with Yvonne, listening to her tell you about her life — she is an incredible storyteller. Beyond the harrowing “how did she survive that?!” anecdotes of her journey through alcoholism, readers also get the gems of wisdom she picked up along the way, as she began to lose her sight and as she got sober. From beginning to end, SBTG was like a deep heart-to-heart with a soul friend, one you wish could last forever.

[Bindu Kapur · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down. It is so honest, and raw. There is humour and genuine emotions in this book. The journey is real and relatable to so many. If you are looking for a great read this is definitely the book for you. Perfect for a book club.

[Lorraine Garvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful written book .Really enjoyed it.Highly recommend the book

[Lisa Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Inspirational Read

The heartbreak and real accounts are a true inspiration. Wonderfully written with the perfect amount of humour. Fantastic & heart warming.