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The Room to Be Brave: Sometimes the way forward begins with going back.
Not yet published
Expected 27 Jan 26We all carry rooms inside us. Some are filled with light. Others are locked in darkness. This is the story of opening every door.
For years, April Day Garcia believed healing meant moving forward—leaving California for Iowa, Iowa for New York, building a new life and never looking back. As an occupational therapy assistant, she helped others heal while ignoring her own pain. She built a career, a family, a life that looked whole from the outside.
Until it all broke open.
Depression. A mental health crisis. Alcoholism she could no longer hide. Her marriage was hanging by a thread. Her teenage daughter was watching her unravel. From losing fingers to meningitis to nearly losing herself entirely, April finally realized she couldn't keep running. Healing wasn't about moving forward—it was about going back.
The Room to Be Brave is a memoir about the thousand rooms we carry within us—the childhood bedrooms we lock tight, the hospital rooms that changed us, the spaces we're terrified to enter. And what happens when we finally find the courage to open every door.
Messy, honest, and unflinchingly real, this memoir
Breaking generational cycles of abuse and addictionGetting sober and staying soberFinding joy not despite our darkness, but because of itHow facing our past can finally bring us homeIf you've ever felt broken, stuck, or convinced you're too damaged to heal, this book will show you otherwise. Written with dark humor and fierce honesty, The Room to Be Brave proves that our worst rooms don't have to define us—they can transform us.
This is an invitation to stop running and start healing—one room at a time.
For years, April Day Garcia believed healing meant moving forward—leaving California for Iowa, Iowa for New York, building a new life and never looking back. As an occupational therapy assistant, she helped others heal while ignoring her own pain. She built a career, a family, a life that looked whole from the outside.
Until it all broke open.
Depression. A mental health crisis. Alcoholism she could no longer hide. Her marriage was hanging by a thread. Her teenage daughter was watching her unravel. From losing fingers to meningitis to nearly losing herself entirely, April finally realized she couldn't keep running. Healing wasn't about moving forward—it was about going back.
The Room to Be Brave is a memoir about the thousand rooms we carry within us—the childhood bedrooms we lock tight, the hospital rooms that changed us, the spaces we're terrified to enter. And what happens when we finally find the courage to open every door.
Messy, honest, and unflinchingly real, this memoir
Breaking generational cycles of abuse and addictionGetting sober and staying soberFinding joy not despite our darkness, but because of itHow facing our past can finally bring us homeIf you've ever felt broken, stuck, or convinced you're too damaged to heal, this book will show you otherwise. Written with dark humor and fierce honesty, The Room to Be Brave proves that our worst rooms don't have to define us—they can transform us.
This is an invitation to stop running and start healing—one room at a time.
236 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication January 27, 2026
1 person is currently reading
2 people want to read
About the author
April Garcia
2 books1 followerApril Day Garcia is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA/L), Reiki practitioner, entrepreneur, and author living on Long Island, New York with her husband Rick and their daughter.
After more than a decade working in skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities, April witnessed firsthand how illness, injury, and diagnosis can derail not just individuals but entire families.
Her memoir "The Room to Be Brave" chronicles her own journey through recovery and breaking generational cycles—a story she tells through the metaphor of "rooms" that represent different stages of healing and self-discovery.
April's "Find Your Joy Project" philosophy—the belief that we must make space for joy— even in the midst of hardship—infuses everything she does.
She is the founder of "Be Brave Travel", an accessible travel agency that helps families of all abilities create unforgettable vacations, and serves as president of "The JD BUILDS Foundation", a nonprofit providing scholarships for students entering skilled trades.
At 15+ months sober, April writes with raw honesty about resilience, recovery, and the courage it takes to rewrite your story.
"The Room to Be Brave" is her debut memoir.
When she's not writing or planning accessible adventures for her clients, April can be found practicing Reiki, advocating for accessibility, or simply finding joy in the everyday moments with her family.
Connect with April:
Website: https://aprildaygarcia.com
Be Brave Travel: https://bebravetravel.com
After more than a decade working in skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities, April witnessed firsthand how illness, injury, and diagnosis can derail not just individuals but entire families.
Her memoir "The Room to Be Brave" chronicles her own journey through recovery and breaking generational cycles—a story she tells through the metaphor of "rooms" that represent different stages of healing and self-discovery.
April's "Find Your Joy Project" philosophy—the belief that we must make space for joy— even in the midst of hardship—infuses everything she does.
She is the founder of "Be Brave Travel", an accessible travel agency that helps families of all abilities create unforgettable vacations, and serves as president of "The JD BUILDS Foundation", a nonprofit providing scholarships for students entering skilled trades.
At 15+ months sober, April writes with raw honesty about resilience, recovery, and the courage it takes to rewrite your story.
"The Room to Be Brave" is her debut memoir.
When she's not writing or planning accessible adventures for her clients, April can be found practicing Reiki, advocating for accessibility, or simply finding joy in the everyday moments with her family.
Connect with April:
Website: https://aprildaygarcia.com
Be Brave Travel: https://bebravetravel.com
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 8, 2025
This memoir is honest, engaging, and inspiring. I was impressed by the author’s ability to tell her story not only with candor, but with occasional humor too. This memoir is not just autobiographical, but is meant to inspire readers to be brave in exploring the hidden rooms that we all carry and shape us for better or for worse, and to remind us that it is never to late to rebuild, no matter how broken we might believe ourselves to be.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The real and raw emotion of what the author went through in her life made me appreciate who I know today. It takes a strong woman to be able to open up about so many intimate details of her life. Being brave is a whole entity that all readers can relate to at some point throughout the book. You can feel the emotion In the pages.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Room to be Brave is a raw memoir that will make you laugh and tear up in the same chapter. The author bravely opens up her heart and soul to every room of her life and how they shaped her into the strong woman she is today. As I was reading her memoir, I felt like I was revisiting "rooms" of my own, too.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Room to Be Brave is a moving and beautifully written memoir that balances honesty and strength. The author’s openness gives the story real depth, and it gently reminds us that healing often starts in the places we avoid.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews