Skunk Cabbage

by Jenna Slot

How do you heal when the life you know vanishes overnight? After the sudden, tragic loss of her parents, Alissa Quillen is drowning in grief. No amount of love from her aunt or support from her closest friends can ease the constant ache. But when she discovers a box of her mother's journals, something stirs-a spark of curiosity, of purpose. Guided by her mother's words, Alissa leaves Boston behind and hits the road, letting each stop unfold with spontaneity and heartache in equal measure.



At her first stop, a run-down bowling alley in a small town, she has a tense run-in with Alec Shivel-a brooding stranger carrying grief of his own. Despite a rocky start, the two form an unexpected connection. But Alissa isn't looking for distractions. This trip is about healing, not falling in love.



The road, however, has a funny way of leading us not where we want to go, but where we need to be.



Skunk Cabbage is a poignant, laugh-through-tears novel about love, loss, faith, and the messy, beautiful journey of finding hope again. With raw emotion, sharp wit, and an unforgettable cast of characters, debut author Jenna Slot captures the chaos of grief and the grace that can be found in the most unexpected places. Perfect for fans of Rebecca Serle, Josie Silver, and Emily Henry, Skunk Cabbage will leave you feeling seen, hopeful, and maybe even a little healed.



"In this heartfelt debut, Skunk Cabbage gives a vulnerable look into the first months after a painful loss. From the realistic portrayal of Alissa's grief, to her relatable rage, to her disorienting crisis of faith, each turn in this emotional journey is a reminder of how God meets us in our pain. Just as compelling as Alissa's story are the people-friends and strangers alike-who walk alongside her, being the support she needs to get through her next day, even her next moment. Slot's writing is honest and yet still full of hope in this raw, redemptive, story." - Kendra Broekhuis, author of Between You and Us and Nearly Beloved



"Slot does a phenomenal job of letting readers feel this story, drawing them in. You will feel as if you are with Alissa as she finds the missing links, and love."

- Ginae Lee Scott author of I Will Breathe For You and Looking Through the Water

304 pages, Paperback

Published December 9, 2025

Reviews

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skunk Cabbage by Jenna Slot is one of those rare books that understands grief not as a single emotion, but as a strange ecosystem—messy, tender, sharp-edged, and unexpectedly funny. Slot writes with a wit that never diminishes the weight of loss, but instead makes space for it to breathe. The humor arrives quietly and honestly, the way it often does in real life: unannounced, a little guilty, and deeply necessary.

What makes this book so compelling is its refusal to romanticize grief or rush toward resolution. Slot allows sorrow to be awkward, repetitive, and unresolved, while still finding moments of levity that feel earned rather than forced. The humor doesn’t act as a distraction; it becomes a survival tool. There were lines that made me pause, reread, and then laugh—not because the subject was light, but because it was so painfully true.

Slot’s voice is confident without being performative, observant without being cold. She captures the loneliness of loss alongside its strange intimacy, and the way memory can both comfort and wound. The title itself feels emblematic of the book’s heart: something overlooked, a little pungent, but undeniably alive and resilient.

Skunk Cabbage is thoughtful, sharp, and quietly brave. It’s a book for anyone who has loved deeply, lost painfully, and discovered that sometimes the only way through grief is to let humor walk beside it.

[Erinn Schroeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skunk Cabbage by Jenna Slot was a book I approached with some hesitation, as it falls outside the genre I typically enjoy. However, from the very beginning, the story surprised me in the best way. I was quickly drawn in by the emotional depth of the main character, and before I knew it, I felt genuinely connected to their experiences and struggles.

What truly stood out to me were the twists and turns throughout the story. Each unexpected moment added layers to the narrative and kept me emotionally invested. The author has a powerful way of revealing the story that made it impossible to predict what would happen next, while still feeling meaningful and authentic.

By the time I finished the book, I realized how much I had come to love it. Skunk Cabbage stayed with me long after I turned the last page, and it opened my heart to a genre I might not have otherwise explored. Jenna Slot’s storytelling left a lasting impression, and I am truly excited to see what she creates in the future.

[Rachel Sportel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skunk Cabbage is a beautiful story that is relatable in so many ways. It will make you laugh, cry, shout, smile… like the human experience does. I love how the author wove the hard topic of grief into a story that kept me wanting to know what happened next. Beautiful beautiful work!

[Rachael Scoby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was hesitant with this one, there is a lot of real grief at the beginning that hit me hard. But then the story of how she moves out of it with her funny personality and Friends references and all the characters she meets along the way is really beautiful. I really enjoyed this book!

[Gardner Fletke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jenna’s debut novel is truly magnificent. She expertly ushers us along her protagonist’s painful and complex journey of grief.

After an unimaginable circumstance strips the young Alissa of her parents, we are right there with her in the immediate trenches of despair as she struggles to find herself again. The adventure upon which she embarks is rich with the unexpected and delivers a series of events that lead to not only to further steps in her healing, but a deeper awareness of what it is to be alive. We find ourselves exploring those same themes as we read Alissa’s interior thoughts and comments on the grief experience.

The pacing of the novel is beautiful. We steadily take each early chapter of ground-zero grief with Alissa, and when her next-steps are defined, it’s an absolute joy to clip along with her as she has divine encounters, surprise realizations, and ultimately uncovers the much-needed truths that transform her post-tragedy self.

Jenna captures the voice of a late twenty-something with such accuracy that I struggled to not chuckle or outright laugh out loud from Alissa’s train of thought. An emotional and realistic exposition of facing grief head-on, with the right amount of serendipity layered in for narrative joy, Skunk Cabbage is a rewarding novel to enjoy.

[Ashley Oosterbaan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skunk Cabbage, by new-to-the-scene author Jenna Slot is refreshing in its authentic portrayal of the complexities of grief. Anyone who has experienced significant loss understands that the emotional journey afterwards is anything but linear. Grief, joy, self-deprivation, humor, feelings of being lost or stuck, etc. can all exist in the same space. This book illustrates this in an ultra-relatable way.
When the main character finds herself making questionable personal decisions and feeling out of her element, I think any reader can relate on a very personal level. I appreciate the way it is approached with straightforward expression- it’s not flowery or sugarcoated in any way, just laid out as part of the journey.
It’s refreshing to read something that creates a sense of such camaraderie while also weaving a beautiful plot and storyline. The way the rose-colored glasses are replaced with a complicated but genuine dichotomy of peace in the unknown and hope for the future is just so REAL. For anyone navigating grief of their own or looking to understand the grief of a friend or loved one, this is a great read!

[Emily Fletke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skunk Cabbage is a delight!

This book is real, relatable, funny, and romantic, and will keep you turning the page to find out what happens next!

Jenna writes from the heart, giving her readers insight into the realities of grief as we follow her main character’s journey to find a way forward after a devastating loss.

Jenna captures the voice of a spunky twenty-something young woman to a T, skillfully weaving in and out of dialogue and the protagonist’s inner world.

The perfect book to take along with you on vacation, Skunk Cabbage has humor, depth, romance, and a heart warming conclusion that will give you all the warm fuzzies!

[Angela Moelker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skunk Cabbage follows Alissa as she walks through the depths of grief, and it truly is a journey—raw, honest, and filled with a wide range of emotions. Jenna Slot does a beautiful job drawing the reader into Alissa’s experience, allowing us to sit with the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of grief rather than rushing past them.

The supporting characters are especially endearing; they feel so real and comforting that you’ll wish you could sit down with them over a cup of tea. This is a thoughtful read and I found myself reading it in just a few sittings, completely drawn into the story.

[Rebecca Fulton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m not sure if this book simply came to me at the wrong time, or I just didn’t vibe well with the writing style, but it sadly was not a favorite to me. I do find the story to be endearing, even if the characters came off a little bit two dimensional. The beauty and tragedy of grief was definitely well communicated throughout this book, and I found some aspects to be very encouraging! I hope this book comes at the right time for others out there who need what it has to offer.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Crystal Biesbrock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly loved this book. There were times I couldn’t put it down. I appreciated the journey of grief , the main character and others went through. I loved the authors inclusion of God and His perfect timing. I laughed, I cried, I even got mad…. I found this book very relatable and a great read! You won’t be disappointed.

[Sarah s. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jenna’s debut novel does not disappoint! This book came to me during a huge loss for my husband. It really opened my eyes on grief and how messy it is. And also how to support him through it. I felt like I was walking right next to Alissa through her journey to peace.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skunk cabbage by Jenna Slot is a well-written story . The struggle of two souls in mourning who meet each other in a miraculous way. The road to healing and coping is described in a very good way, with a smile and a tear. A nice book to read.