The Third Option

by Beca Salmon

Divorce comes for many of us, sometimes after years of quiet resignation or escalating fights. Sometimes after love slowly slips away. And sometimes, it’s a trainwreck.

From the rubble, Beca Salmon shares a memoir of an unwanted divorce, a love letter to loss, and a fierce reckoning of how she was blindsided by the end of her seventeen-year marriage.

Set against a year of dark revelations—cheating, lying, and stealing—this book braids the raw, intimate details of a dissolving relationship with a deeper examination of the chaotic rhythm of the victim-perpetrator cycle. This dance is a tired paradigm used to create blame and hold people captive to harm. Those of us who carry a personal legacy of childhood abuse are offered two options as be a victim or victimize others. The Third Option What if there's another way?

Genres: Memoir

234 pages, Paperback

Published January 16, 2026

Reviews

[Emma Blanchet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devoured this book! A refreshing, honest portrayal of being human. Obviously very frustrating at times (why does she keep going back! Why did she give back the dog?) but she explains it and hey, it’s her experience and healing isn’t linear.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

[Literary Redhead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raw and real and at times infuriating (she gave him back the dog!) A poignant, messy chronicle of divorce and healing.

[Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beca's story could indeed be 'straight out of a movie', and yet, anyone could see themselves (or a loved one) somewhere in it. It reads like a juicy, emotional-support night with the girls — less self-help/memoir, more tragic comedy with lots of cigarettes and wine.

With sharp-witted storytelling, Beca details the events of her ex's betrayal, weaving the intimate threads of her life into a raw, unapologetic and imperfect path to healing. While I was rooting for her to just get over him already!!!, it was a reminder of how real and painful and complex heartbreak can be — and how satisfying it is to start over, find yourself, and thrive more than you thought possible after. A brilliant and hopeful testament to moving forward after an unexpected redirection in life.

[Bailey Mullen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of the eARC of The Third Option.
4 stars
Beca Salmon's memoir, The Third Option, is a raw account of the author's life during the end of her marriage and through a divorce that follows after several betrayals. More importantly, we get to follow the author as she becomes her own woman independent from her ex-husband.

I don't usually love to rate memoirs because it feels like I'm rating the author's life. There were a lot of choices that Beca Salmon made that I found myself cringing through. That is what made this memoir such a fascinating read, though. I appreciated the brutal, uncomfortable honesty.

[Ann T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Atmosphere Press and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.

Bec Salmon’s memoir shares her messy, bumpy, heartbreaking story of divorce, loss and refinding yourself again.

I found myself engrossed in her story, often frustrated at the (unnecessary) pain she continually face until she was able to settle into her new skin with love, acceptance and freedom.

Her story is incredibly raw and often heartbreaking yet Bec shows great strength in showing up for herself, learning and making progress no matter how very difficult that was.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this memoir and provide my honest review. I highly recommend it.

[sai · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 rating

you begin this book thinking it'll just be about a marriage dissolving, but really, it's a deep dive into messy nuances of being human. what a complex, layered exploration of relationships, faith, SA survival, toxic cycles and so much more. without judgement of the protagonist's actions at all, and only on the writing and narrative, i'd rate 4.5 for the journey the author takes you on!! but -.5 for having to suffer through the author believing jose's every lie

thank you netgalley for the ARC!

[Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s not often that an autobiographer will be so - and this is exactly the right word here - brutally honest about their journey. And this is what makes Beca Salmon’s voice stand out. It feels like she’s talking to a close friend. “This happened, then I did this, then that, and then this again… Yeah I know, crazy.” Her journey is simultaneously highly relatable and also uniquely out there. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of nods and gasps. My only “complaint” is that I want to know more about her year of travelling alone. Maybe that could be a second book, please?

[Amanda Hartwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written, raw and honest story of Beca Salmon’s life. While she experienced an overwhelming amount pain and betrayal, she rises above it in a way only someone with intelligence and intentional self discovery could. In the end, it becomes more than a memoir. It is a story of the journey of healing, shaking off the darkness, and left me with the feeling of having received the warmest hug from the author herself.

[Jubilee Brenneman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beca is an incredible truth-teller. She weaves this beautiful narrative while bringing her authentic and honest self at all times. Reading it made me feel inspired to embrace and fully feel all parts of life, light and dark alike. Sharing true stories is a wonderful way to change the world, so thank you for telling yours, Beca!

[Paige D · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Third Option is a raw, courageous, and deeply introspective memoir that explores the complexities of divorce, trauma, and healing. Beca Salmon delivers an unflinching narrative that challenges traditional cycles of blame and offers a new path forward. Honest and thought-provoking, this book is a powerful read for anyone seeking growth, understanding, and emotional freedom.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beca Salmon’s book is beautifully written and kept me up reading three nights in a row! It describes the hard and messy parts of life, love, and relationships, and it left me feeling like wow it’s all worth it to keep going and growing.

[Emily Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Must Read! This book is engaging, fresh, and captivating. The story wraps around the reader in an entertaining way, such that you don't even realize until the end, all the lessons it shares.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t enjoyed a book this much in a long time. I basically have a waiting list of all my friends who want to borrow it because I could not stop talking about it as I was reading it. It’s a hard read but it’s an important one. This book could help so many people but especially young women. I can’t recommend this book enough, I wish I could read it for the first time again but will absolutely be reading again.