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The Weight of Living
Tilly’s marriage is over, her self-worth in ruins, and the only place she has left to go is the home of her childhood nemesis.
As the infuriating older brother of her best friend, Connor Wilson has always known how to get under Tilly’s skin. But as her daily struggles with anxiety, body image, and the crushing weight of not feeling enough continue to consume her, he starts to become the one person who makes her feel seen.
As barbed insults give way to late-night conversations, Tilly begins to wonder if healing might look a lot like him.
But old wounds don’t vanish overnight, and as Tilly soon discovers, loving someone else means first learning to love yourself.
As the infuriating older brother of her best friend, Connor Wilson has always known how to get under Tilly’s skin. But as her daily struggles with anxiety, body image, and the crushing weight of not feeling enough continue to consume her, he starts to become the one person who makes her feel seen.
As barbed insults give way to late-night conversations, Tilly begins to wonder if healing might look a lot like him.
But old wounds don’t vanish overnight, and as Tilly soon discovers, loving someone else means first learning to love yourself.
- GenresRomance
368 pages, Paperback
Published July 28, 2026
About the author
Rhi Steele
1 book4 followersRhi Steele is a writer, reader, teacher, and mum from Wales.
She writes contemporary fiction rooted in emotion, resilience, and the complicated beauty of ordinary lives. Her debut novel, *The Weight of Living*, releases on 28 July, and she is currently working on her second novel, *Better Than Fine*.
When she’s not writing, she can usually be found reading, juggling family life, or talking about books online.
She writes contemporary fiction rooted in emotion, resilience, and the complicated beauty of ordinary lives. Her debut novel, *The Weight of Living*, releases on 28 July, and she is currently working on her second novel, *Better Than Fine*.
When she’s not writing, she can usually be found reading, juggling family life, or talking about books online.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
August 5, 2026
Sometimes you open a book and know within the first few pages it was written just for you. This was one of those books that I knew instantly was going to defy all star ratings.
Tilly comes home from work one day to find her husband, Rhys, with his pants round his ankles and a gym bunny bent over their kitchen table. Obviously devastated by his betrayal, she turns to her best friend Ivy for help. Away for work, Ivy offers for Tilly to stay at her house while she gets herself sorted. This is the perfect solution bar one thing – Ivy’s brother Connor shares her house and he and Tilly have always been at each others throats. Connor however has been secretly in love with Tilly for years and was only mean to her as a way to keep her at arms length. Now is his opportunity to show Tilly the real him, and as Tilly fights with her inner demons Connor proves to her that he is a source of unwavering support and that there is light to be found even when the darkness feels like it will never end.
Usually I would go into much more detail with my summary, but I think this is a book you need to read for yourself to truly value the impact it has. Tilly is a character that I identified with after just a couple of pages and that inner voice that tells her she’s not worthy of love, is too fat, is a burden? Yeah I know that voice intimately and I get the very sad feeling that maybe the author does too. When I had finished reading the book I had to message the author to say how her words had made me feel truly seen, how I had definitely had experiences with men very similar to Rhys, and how this book has given me hope that one day I might love myself again.
Something that I particularly loved about this book is how romance isn’t portrayed as a cure all for Tilly's trauma, instead focussing on her journey back to herself and how difficult a road healing can be. She doesn’t move in with Connor, fall in love with him and all her problems have gone away. Realistically, healing is never going to be a linear journey for anyone and continues to doubt herself and see herself as a burden and problem to others, even going as far as believing people would be better off without her.
There are a lot of very heavy themes within this book – anxiety, body dysmorphia, psychological abuse from a spouse, suicidal ideation and grief to name but a few – but Rhi has dealt with these in such an incredibly sensitive yet real way. It is not all doom and gloom though as there are some really heart warming, funny and tender moments and I really loved that Connor never assumes he can “fix” Tilly, but is just there to give her some relief from the darkness where he can.
Something that really needs to be pointed out is that despite this being a romance, this story is really about learning to love with yourself again. The romance does add to Tilly's journey rather than replacing it, but ultimately it's a story about finding your worth after believing (and being convince by others) for so long that you have none. It's about learning to quiet the voice in your head that tells you you're not enough. It’s about remembering that you are worthy of the love of others, but also most importantly that you need to love yourself too.
This is, without question, one of my favourite books of the year if not ever and one that I know I'll carry with me for a very long time. If you've ever struggled with anxiety, self-worth, or the relentless voice in your own head telling you that you're not good enough, I think this book will resonate with you as deeply as it did with me.
Tilly comes home from work one day to find her husband, Rhys, with his pants round his ankles and a gym bunny bent over their kitchen table. Obviously devastated by his betrayal, she turns to her best friend Ivy for help. Away for work, Ivy offers for Tilly to stay at her house while she gets herself sorted. This is the perfect solution bar one thing – Ivy’s brother Connor shares her house and he and Tilly have always been at each others throats. Connor however has been secretly in love with Tilly for years and was only mean to her as a way to keep her at arms length. Now is his opportunity to show Tilly the real him, and as Tilly fights with her inner demons Connor proves to her that he is a source of unwavering support and that there is light to be found even when the darkness feels like it will never end.
Usually I would go into much more detail with my summary, but I think this is a book you need to read for yourself to truly value the impact it has. Tilly is a character that I identified with after just a couple of pages and that inner voice that tells her she’s not worthy of love, is too fat, is a burden? Yeah I know that voice intimately and I get the very sad feeling that maybe the author does too. When I had finished reading the book I had to message the author to say how her words had made me feel truly seen, how I had definitely had experiences with men very similar to Rhys, and how this book has given me hope that one day I might love myself again.
Something that I particularly loved about this book is how romance isn’t portrayed as a cure all for Tilly's trauma, instead focussing on her journey back to herself and how difficult a road healing can be. She doesn’t move in with Connor, fall in love with him and all her problems have gone away. Realistically, healing is never going to be a linear journey for anyone and continues to doubt herself and see herself as a burden and problem to others, even going as far as believing people would be better off without her.
There are a lot of very heavy themes within this book – anxiety, body dysmorphia, psychological abuse from a spouse, suicidal ideation and grief to name but a few – but Rhi has dealt with these in such an incredibly sensitive yet real way. It is not all doom and gloom though as there are some really heart warming, funny and tender moments and I really loved that Connor never assumes he can “fix” Tilly, but is just there to give her some relief from the darkness where he can.
Something that really needs to be pointed out is that despite this being a romance, this story is really about learning to love with yourself again. The romance does add to Tilly's journey rather than replacing it, but ultimately it's a story about finding your worth after believing (and being convince by others) for so long that you have none. It's about learning to quiet the voice in your head that tells you you're not enough. It’s about remembering that you are worthy of the love of others, but also most importantly that you need to love yourself too.
This is, without question, one of my favourite books of the year if not ever and one that I know I'll carry with me for a very long time. If you've ever struggled with anxiety, self-worth, or the relentless voice in your own head telling you that you're not good enough, I think this book will resonate with you as deeply as it did with me.
August 1, 2026
“Fine,” I reluctantly agree. “I’ll go on a stupid walk for my stupid mental health.”
This book was utterly beautiful. It reminded me so very much of my own struggles with mental health issues and the work it takes to live with them. It had such a raw and honest portrayal of anxiety and depression, to the point that I was in tears for I’d say a solid 3rd of this book. But truly that’s part of it. It showed the journey of recognising the problem and taking all the steps (both forwards and backwards) to recovery. My heart will forever sing about this book, because so many of those thoughts mirrored my own (when I was a teenager) and I think it’s important to show what those thoughts are actually like. So many people who haven’t experienced mental health issues struggle to understand it. And it doesn’t come from a place of wanting to not understand, but from not having experienced it and not knowing what its like. This book is a REALLY good and honest depiction. And it’s not all nice. But that’s okay.
TLDR:
A raw and honest portrayal of anxiety and depression put into the sweetest romance story.
What I liked:
☀️ Just how accurate it is.
☀️ The honesty.
☀️ The characters.
☀️ Getting to see many different parts of Tilly‘s life like her school kids, her holiday ect.
☀️ All of the Welsh bits (I’m aware this is really vague, and I’m not even Welsh but I live fairly close to north wales so it still just felt so familiar).
What I struggled with/didn’t really like:
☀️ My only complaints are about disliking a character that I’m meant to dislike and this is only because of the rage I felt any time he appeared on the page. Yes I’m aware this is silly, but it was the sort of rage where my whole body was tense and that hurts😂
Favourite character/s:
Tilly, Connor, Milady
Who this is for/recommendations:
💖If you want a romance that feels entirely real.
💖If you want a good cry.
💖If you like any of the tropes in here.
💖If you need something that takes you on a journey but leaves you feeling hopeful in the end.
💖If you need a well timed reminder that recovery isn’t linear and you still deserve love anyway.
Minority/inclusion:
Mental illness (anxiety, depression, body dysmorphia), domestic abuse.
💕Thank you to Cranthorpe Millner and Rhi Steele for selecting me for this book tour and for sending me the cutest little package along with it. I absolutely loved this book and genuinely didn’t want to put it down for anything. I hope it gets all the love and attention it deserves.💕
This book was utterly beautiful. It reminded me so very much of my own struggles with mental health issues and the work it takes to live with them. It had such a raw and honest portrayal of anxiety and depression, to the point that I was in tears for I’d say a solid 3rd of this book. But truly that’s part of it. It showed the journey of recognising the problem and taking all the steps (both forwards and backwards) to recovery. My heart will forever sing about this book, because so many of those thoughts mirrored my own (when I was a teenager) and I think it’s important to show what those thoughts are actually like. So many people who haven’t experienced mental health issues struggle to understand it. And it doesn’t come from a place of wanting to not understand, but from not having experienced it and not knowing what its like. This book is a REALLY good and honest depiction. And it’s not all nice. But that’s okay.
TLDR:
A raw and honest portrayal of anxiety and depression put into the sweetest romance story.
What I liked:
☀️ Just how accurate it is.
☀️ The honesty.
☀️ The characters.
☀️ Getting to see many different parts of Tilly‘s life like her school kids, her holiday ect.
☀️ All of the Welsh bits (I’m aware this is really vague, and I’m not even Welsh but I live fairly close to north wales so it still just felt so familiar).
What I struggled with/didn’t really like:
☀️ My only complaints are about disliking a character that I’m meant to dislike and this is only because of the rage I felt any time he appeared on the page. Yes I’m aware this is silly, but it was the sort of rage where my whole body was tense and that hurts😂
Favourite character/s:
Tilly, Connor, Milady
Who this is for/recommendations:
💖If you want a romance that feels entirely real.
💖If you want a good cry.
💖If you like any of the tropes in here.
💖If you need something that takes you on a journey but leaves you feeling hopeful in the end.
💖If you need a well timed reminder that recovery isn’t linear and you still deserve love anyway.
Minority/inclusion:
Mental illness (anxiety, depression, body dysmorphia), domestic abuse.
💕Thank you to Cranthorpe Millner and Rhi Steele for selecting me for this book tour and for sending me the cutest little package along with it. I absolutely loved this book and genuinely didn’t want to put it down for anything. I hope it gets all the love and attention it deserves.💕
August 6, 2026
BookSloth has chosen to step out from behind her little pile of books for this one.
I picked up The Weight of Living because of the title.
What a beautifully honest phrase. Because, if we’re truthful, there are times when living does feel heavy. Heavy with expectation, comparison, anxiety, self-doubt and all the invisible things we carry that nobody else can see.
But what I found inside these pages wasn’t just a romance. It was Tilly. And in so, so many ways, it was me.
When Tilly’s marriage falls apart, she finds herself living alongside Connor, the older brother of her best friend and the boy she once thought she couldn’t stand. It sounds like the perfect enemies-to-lovers setup, but that isn’t really what this book is about. The real story is far quieter and, for me, far more powerful. It’s about learning to live with a head that rarely offers you peace. It’s about believing you’re worthy of kindness when you’ve spent so long convincing yourself you’re not.
Rhys, Tilly's husband, is exceptionally well written. I don’t think I’ve ever actively hated a character as much as I did Rhys, and that I did is entirely to Rhi Steele’s credit. He isn’t a caricature or an obvious villain. He’s believable, and that’s what makes him so unsettling. You can see how, little by little, he has chipped away at Tilly’s confidence until she no longer trusts her own thoughts, her own feelings or even her own worth.
In so many romances, love is portrayed as the thing that fixes us. Steele takes a much more honest approach. Connor doesn’t rescue Tilly. He doesn’t try to fix her anxiety or convince her she’s wrong for feeling the way she does. He simply sees her. He listens. He waits. He creates a space where she feels safe enough to begin believing what he’s known all along.
One of my favourite things about this romance is that Connor has loved Tilly for years, but he never expects that love to be returned. He simply wants her to be happy, even if that happiness doesn’t include him. What makes him such a wonderful hero is that he isn’t full of certainty. He's as unsure as Tilly is in many ways. He questions himself, holds back and worries about getting it wrong, but he never lets those fears stop him from showing up for her.
I’ve seen a couple of readers say there are too many internal thoughts.
I’d like to gently offer another perspective.
For some people, Tilly’s inner dialogue might feel repetitive. For others, it will feel painfully familiar. The constant second-guessing. Replaying conversations hours after they’ve happened. Wondering if you’ve said the wrong thing, worn the wrong thing, taken up too much space, expected too much, been too much.
When someone writes your thoughts onto a page, they become a little less frightening because they stop belonging only to you. They become something shared. Something understood. I lost count of the number of times I found myself nodding, crying or whispering, “Me too, Tilly.”
Those thoughts aren’t there to slow the story down.
They are the story.
This is the book I would have wanted to write.
It’s the book I wish I’d been brave enough to write.
Rhi Steele hasn’t just written about anxiety or self-doubt. She’s written about what it feels like to live with them every single day, and she’s done so with compassion, honesty and extraordinary empathy.
There were moments when Tilly made decisions that made me want to reach into the pages and gently shake her. To tell her she deserved more. To ask why she couldn't see what was so obvious to everyone else
But I wanted to hug her more.
Because I knew exactly why she was making those choices.
When you've spent years believing you're difficult to love, or too much, or somehow not enough, you don't just doubt yourself. You begin accepting things you never should. You make excuses for people who hurt you because believing they might change feels easier than believing you deserve better. You mistake being tolerated for being cherished, because asking for more feels impossible.
Put simply, Steele has captured beautifully what happens when you stop believing you’re worthy of love.
Yes, it's a romance, and a beautiful one at that. But underneath the love story is the reminder that the loudest, cruellest voice in our lives is often our own. And maybe healing doesn't begin when someone else loves us. Maybe it begins when, little by little, we start believing we deserve to be loved.
For everyone whose mind has ever convinced them they were too much, The Weight of Living offers a quiet reminder that the right people won’t ask you to become less. They'll help you believe you are perfect just as you are.
BookSloth has found her snuggle of sloths. 🦥🦥🦥🦥🦥
I picked up The Weight of Living because of the title.
What a beautifully honest phrase. Because, if we’re truthful, there are times when living does feel heavy. Heavy with expectation, comparison, anxiety, self-doubt and all the invisible things we carry that nobody else can see.
But what I found inside these pages wasn’t just a romance. It was Tilly. And in so, so many ways, it was me.
When Tilly’s marriage falls apart, she finds herself living alongside Connor, the older brother of her best friend and the boy she once thought she couldn’t stand. It sounds like the perfect enemies-to-lovers setup, but that isn’t really what this book is about. The real story is far quieter and, for me, far more powerful. It’s about learning to live with a head that rarely offers you peace. It’s about believing you’re worthy of kindness when you’ve spent so long convincing yourself you’re not.
Rhys, Tilly's husband, is exceptionally well written. I don’t think I’ve ever actively hated a character as much as I did Rhys, and that I did is entirely to Rhi Steele’s credit. He isn’t a caricature or an obvious villain. He’s believable, and that’s what makes him so unsettling. You can see how, little by little, he has chipped away at Tilly’s confidence until she no longer trusts her own thoughts, her own feelings or even her own worth.
In so many romances, love is portrayed as the thing that fixes us. Steele takes a much more honest approach. Connor doesn’t rescue Tilly. He doesn’t try to fix her anxiety or convince her she’s wrong for feeling the way she does. He simply sees her. He listens. He waits. He creates a space where she feels safe enough to begin believing what he’s known all along.
One of my favourite things about this romance is that Connor has loved Tilly for years, but he never expects that love to be returned. He simply wants her to be happy, even if that happiness doesn’t include him. What makes him such a wonderful hero is that he isn’t full of certainty. He's as unsure as Tilly is in many ways. He questions himself, holds back and worries about getting it wrong, but he never lets those fears stop him from showing up for her.
I’ve seen a couple of readers say there are too many internal thoughts.
I’d like to gently offer another perspective.
For some people, Tilly’s inner dialogue might feel repetitive. For others, it will feel painfully familiar. The constant second-guessing. Replaying conversations hours after they’ve happened. Wondering if you’ve said the wrong thing, worn the wrong thing, taken up too much space, expected too much, been too much.
When someone writes your thoughts onto a page, they become a little less frightening because they stop belonging only to you. They become something shared. Something understood. I lost count of the number of times I found myself nodding, crying or whispering, “Me too, Tilly.”
Those thoughts aren’t there to slow the story down.
They are the story.
This is the book I would have wanted to write.
It’s the book I wish I’d been brave enough to write.
Rhi Steele hasn’t just written about anxiety or self-doubt. She’s written about what it feels like to live with them every single day, and she’s done so with compassion, honesty and extraordinary empathy.
There were moments when Tilly made decisions that made me want to reach into the pages and gently shake her. To tell her she deserved more. To ask why she couldn't see what was so obvious to everyone else
But I wanted to hug her more.
Because I knew exactly why she was making those choices.
When you've spent years believing you're difficult to love, or too much, or somehow not enough, you don't just doubt yourself. You begin accepting things you never should. You make excuses for people who hurt you because believing they might change feels easier than believing you deserve better. You mistake being tolerated for being cherished, because asking for more feels impossible.
Put simply, Steele has captured beautifully what happens when you stop believing you’re worthy of love.
Yes, it's a romance, and a beautiful one at that. But underneath the love story is the reminder that the loudest, cruellest voice in our lives is often our own. And maybe healing doesn't begin when someone else loves us. Maybe it begins when, little by little, we start believing we deserve to be loved.
For everyone whose mind has ever convinced them they were too much, The Weight of Living offers a quiet reminder that the right people won’t ask you to become less. They'll help you believe you are perfect just as you are.
BookSloth has found her snuggle of sloths. 🦥🦥🦥🦥🦥
August 5, 2026
I am emotionally compromised.
The Weight of Living didn't just break my heart, it picked it up, squeezed it, stitched it back together, and then casually left me staring at a wall wondering what I was supposed to do with all these feelings.
Rhi Steele has this incredible ability to make her characters feel so real that they stop feeling like fictional people and start feeling like people you know. I laughed, I cried, I smiled through tears, and I ugly cried more than once.
And Connor... EVERYONE NEEDS A CONNOR IN THEIR LIFE. That's it. That's the review. The way he loves, supports, and shows up had me absolutely sobbing. Book boyfriends have officially been ruined for me because the bar is now somewhere in the stratosphere.
The emotions in this book hit so hard, but they're balanced with so much hope, healing, and love that I couldn't stop turning the pages. It hurt in the best possible way.
Rhi Steele really woke up and chose emotional violence, and I happily thanked her for it.
If you're looking for a book that will make you laugh, cry, clutch your chest, text your friends in all caps, and then sit in silence while questioning your entire emotional stability... this is it.
Five stars. Five million tears. Connor supremacy forever
The Weight of Living didn't just break my heart, it picked it up, squeezed it, stitched it back together, and then casually left me staring at a wall wondering what I was supposed to do with all these feelings.
Rhi Steele has this incredible ability to make her characters feel so real that they stop feeling like fictional people and start feeling like people you know. I laughed, I cried, I smiled through tears, and I ugly cried more than once.
And Connor... EVERYONE NEEDS A CONNOR IN THEIR LIFE. That's it. That's the review. The way he loves, supports, and shows up had me absolutely sobbing. Book boyfriends have officially been ruined for me because the bar is now somewhere in the stratosphere.
The emotions in this book hit so hard, but they're balanced with so much hope, healing, and love that I couldn't stop turning the pages. It hurt in the best possible way.
Rhi Steele really woke up and chose emotional violence, and I happily thanked her for it.
If you're looking for a book that will make you laugh, cry, clutch your chest, text your friends in all caps, and then sit in silence while questioning your entire emotional stability... this is it.
Five stars. Five million tears. Connor supremacy forever
June 24, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
I cried. This book absolutely wrecked me in the best possible way. It was raw, and emotional, and one of the most honest portrayals of anxiety, depression, and finding your self-worth that I’ve ever read. I had to take multiple breaks because I kept tearing up, I related to a lot of what Tilly was going through and I was deeply invested in Tilly’s journey from beginning to end, as it gave me hope that things won’t be like this forever. What impressed me most was that the story never treated romance as a cure for her struggles. Instead, it focused on growth, healing, and learning to value yourself first, which honestly helped me to reflect a lot on my own life. This was one of those books that will stay with me long after I’ve finished it, and without a doubt one of my favorite reads of the year.
I cried. This book absolutely wrecked me in the best possible way. It was raw, and emotional, and one of the most honest portrayals of anxiety, depression, and finding your self-worth that I’ve ever read. I had to take multiple breaks because I kept tearing up, I related to a lot of what Tilly was going through and I was deeply invested in Tilly’s journey from beginning to end, as it gave me hope that things won’t be like this forever. What impressed me most was that the story never treated romance as a cure for her struggles. Instead, it focused on growth, healing, and learning to value yourself first, which honestly helped me to reflect a lot on my own life. This was one of those books that will stay with me long after I’ve finished it, and without a doubt one of my favorite reads of the year.
August 6, 2026
I'm not going to talk about the plot. Other people can do that far better than I can. I'm going to tell you why this book matters.
If you're looking for a light, fluffy romance, this probably isn't the book for you. But if you've ever loved someone whose mind is louder than the world around them, if you've ever struggled to explain what anxiety feels like, or if you've ever wished someone could simply understand, then read this book. Better still, read it with someone you love.
The Weight of Living comes with some significant trigger warnings, and they're there for good reason. Rhi Steel doesn't shy away from emotional abuse, anxiety, intrusive thoughts or the quiet ways someone's confidence can be dismantled over time. There were chapters I had to put down for a while because they hurt. Reading Tilly's thoughts was heartbreaking, but watching my fiancée quietly nod beside me was even harder. I was being given a window into the mind of someone I love.
No amount of asking, "How are you feeling?" has ever explained anxiety as clearly as this book did. It gave my fiancée words she'd struggled to find herself, and it gave me a better understanding of what she's carrying on the days when, from the outside, she looks absolutely fine.
That's an extraordinary thing for a novel to do.
As a man, my instinct is to fix things. If the woman I love is hurting, I want to take the hurt away. I want to solve it. I want to be the reason she feels better.
This book reminded me that I can't.
Healing isn't something we can do for the people we love, no matter how much we wish we could. It has to come from within, in its own time. What we can do is give them the space to heal. What we can do is make that journey a little less lonely.
We can make sure they eat properly. We can encourage "that stupid walk for my stupid mental health". We can build a blanket fort on the days the world feels too big. We can make the tea, sit quietly beside them, hold them when they need holding and give them space when they need space.
Connor understands that. He doesn't rescue Tilly. He gives her the safety to begin believing in herself.
This book reminded me why fiction matters.
It creates understanding.
It starts conversations.
It gives people words they've never been able to find for themselves.
I don't think I have the words to do The Weight of Living justice, but can I say something on behalf of a lot of us men?
I've heard women apologise for their bodies. The curves on their hips, the softness of their stomach, the stretch marks, the scars, the cellulite... all the things they wish they could change.
You're looking at yourself through completely different eyes than we are.
You see a stomach that isn't flat enough. We see the woman we can't wait to wrap our arms around.
You see curves you wish would disappear. We see the body of the person we love.
That's the tragedy of Tilly. She spends so much of the book believing her body makes her less worthy of love, while Connor simply sees... Tilly, the woman he's loved all along.
The truth is, you could meet someone who tells you every single day that you're beautiful, but if the voice in your own head refuses to believe them, those words can only travel so far.
The most important relationship you'll ever have is the one you have with yourself.
Please don't spend your life waiting until you've lost the weight, changed the dress size or become a different version of yourself before you allow yourself to be happy. You deserve kindness now, including from the person staring back at you in the mirror.
As the dad of two daughters in their twenties, that's the message I want them to carry away from this book more than any other.
And if, while you're reading this, you recognise someone like Rhys in your own life, I hope this book helps you recognise something else too. You deserve better. You deserve to be listened to instead of dismissed, encouraged instead of criticised, and loved instead of made to feel as though you're never quite enough.
Leaving isn't always easy, and it isn't always something you can do overnight. But I hope this story reminds you that the way Rhys treats Tilly isn't what love is supposed to look like.
You are worth so much more than that.
When I closed this book, I understood the woman I love a little better than I had a few days earlier. That's a gift I'll always be grateful to Rhi Steel for. And that's why stories change lives.
If you're looking for a light, fluffy romance, this probably isn't the book for you. But if you've ever loved someone whose mind is louder than the world around them, if you've ever struggled to explain what anxiety feels like, or if you've ever wished someone could simply understand, then read this book. Better still, read it with someone you love.
The Weight of Living comes with some significant trigger warnings, and they're there for good reason. Rhi Steel doesn't shy away from emotional abuse, anxiety, intrusive thoughts or the quiet ways someone's confidence can be dismantled over time. There were chapters I had to put down for a while because they hurt. Reading Tilly's thoughts was heartbreaking, but watching my fiancée quietly nod beside me was even harder. I was being given a window into the mind of someone I love.
No amount of asking, "How are you feeling?" has ever explained anxiety as clearly as this book did. It gave my fiancée words she'd struggled to find herself, and it gave me a better understanding of what she's carrying on the days when, from the outside, she looks absolutely fine.
That's an extraordinary thing for a novel to do.
As a man, my instinct is to fix things. If the woman I love is hurting, I want to take the hurt away. I want to solve it. I want to be the reason she feels better.
This book reminded me that I can't.
Healing isn't something we can do for the people we love, no matter how much we wish we could. It has to come from within, in its own time. What we can do is give them the space to heal. What we can do is make that journey a little less lonely.
We can make sure they eat properly. We can encourage "that stupid walk for my stupid mental health". We can build a blanket fort on the days the world feels too big. We can make the tea, sit quietly beside them, hold them when they need holding and give them space when they need space.
Connor understands that. He doesn't rescue Tilly. He gives her the safety to begin believing in herself.
This book reminded me why fiction matters.
It creates understanding.
It starts conversations.
It gives people words they've never been able to find for themselves.
I don't think I have the words to do The Weight of Living justice, but can I say something on behalf of a lot of us men?
I've heard women apologise for their bodies. The curves on their hips, the softness of their stomach, the stretch marks, the scars, the cellulite... all the things they wish they could change.
You're looking at yourself through completely different eyes than we are.
You see a stomach that isn't flat enough. We see the woman we can't wait to wrap our arms around.
You see curves you wish would disappear. We see the body of the person we love.
That's the tragedy of Tilly. She spends so much of the book believing her body makes her less worthy of love, while Connor simply sees... Tilly, the woman he's loved all along.
The truth is, you could meet someone who tells you every single day that you're beautiful, but if the voice in your own head refuses to believe them, those words can only travel so far.
The most important relationship you'll ever have is the one you have with yourself.
Please don't spend your life waiting until you've lost the weight, changed the dress size or become a different version of yourself before you allow yourself to be happy. You deserve kindness now, including from the person staring back at you in the mirror.
As the dad of two daughters in their twenties, that's the message I want them to carry away from this book more than any other.
And if, while you're reading this, you recognise someone like Rhys in your own life, I hope this book helps you recognise something else too. You deserve better. You deserve to be listened to instead of dismissed, encouraged instead of criticised, and loved instead of made to feel as though you're never quite enough.
Leaving isn't always easy, and it isn't always something you can do overnight. But I hope this story reminds you that the way Rhys treats Tilly isn't what love is supposed to look like.
You are worth so much more than that.
When I closed this book, I understood the woman I love a little better than I had a few days earlier. That's a gift I'll always be grateful to Rhi Steel for. And that's why stories change lives.
August 11, 2026
Some books you read and enjoy. Some books stay with you. And then there are books that feel particularly special because you’ve had the privilege of watching them come to life.
I was lucky enough to read The Weight of Living in draft form, and even luckier to have had a little window into Rhian’s journey of writing it. So rereading it now as a finished, published book feels a little bit emotional, if I’m honest.
Because I know how much this book has come from the heart.
To take something so raw and so incredibly human and turn it into a story that is funny, warm, heartbreaking, uplifting and, at times, painfully honest is such an achievement. Especially when so much of what Tilly battles feels like the kind of thing we’re taught to hide. The self-doubt. The shame. The constant feeling of not being enough. That horrible little voice that somehow always knows exactly what to say to hurt the most.
There were moments reading this where my heart genuinely hurt for her, and others where I was laughing out loud. And somehow Rhian manages to hold all of those things together so beautifully.
But I think what I love most about this book is that it isn’t really about weight at all. It’s about the weight we carry.
The weight of other people’s opinions. The weight of our own expectations. The weight of believing we have to look a certain way, be a certain way, or somehow earn the right to feel worthy of love.
And for anyone who has ever looked at themselves and thought I’m not enough, I think there is something incredibly special waiting for them in these pages.
And then there’s Connor ❤️🥰
I absolutely adore what his character brings to this story Because this isn’t a man comes along and fixes everythnig kind of love story. Connor doesn’t fix Tilly. He doesn’t magically take away all of the things she is struggling with or make her suddenly love herself. He stands beside her while she learns to do that for herself. He listens. He encourages her to get help. He reminds her of the things she can’t yet see in herself. And, most importantly, he lets her do the work.
I think that’s such a beautiful message. You are a queen. You can absolutely drag yourself out of hell. You can rebuild yourself, find yourself, learn to love yourself and create a life that makes you happy. And maybe, when you’ve done that, someone wonderful comes along and gets to add to it.
Not rescue you. Not complete you. Just compliment the beautiful life you’ve already built yourself. Isn’t that so much more satisfying that way?? It is for me 🥰
That’s the part really stayed with me.
And I think that’s why this book means more than just a lovely romance to me. It has the potential to make someone laugh, make someone cry, make someone feel seen, and maybe make a woman who has spent years believing she isn’t enough realise that she already is. Always was actually!
What Rhi has created on her first attempt is honestly phenomenal. A masterpiece.
A story full of heart, humour, hope and so much honesty. And, knowing the self-doubt and all the things that can go unsaid when you’re creating something this personal, I hope Rhian knows just how bloody proud she should be of herself.
This isn’t just a book you’ve written, Rhian. It’s A little piece of you that will now belong to every woman who picks it up and sees a little bit of herself in Tilly.
What a beautiful thing to have created.
I’m so proud of you. And so incredibly lucky that I got to watch a little bit of this journey unfold.
Now it’s out there in the world and I really hope it finds every woman who needs it ❤️ I know I did xxx
I was lucky enough to read The Weight of Living in draft form, and even luckier to have had a little window into Rhian’s journey of writing it. So rereading it now as a finished, published book feels a little bit emotional, if I’m honest.
Because I know how much this book has come from the heart.
To take something so raw and so incredibly human and turn it into a story that is funny, warm, heartbreaking, uplifting and, at times, painfully honest is such an achievement. Especially when so much of what Tilly battles feels like the kind of thing we’re taught to hide. The self-doubt. The shame. The constant feeling of not being enough. That horrible little voice that somehow always knows exactly what to say to hurt the most.
There were moments reading this where my heart genuinely hurt for her, and others where I was laughing out loud. And somehow Rhian manages to hold all of those things together so beautifully.
But I think what I love most about this book is that it isn’t really about weight at all. It’s about the weight we carry.
The weight of other people’s opinions. The weight of our own expectations. The weight of believing we have to look a certain way, be a certain way, or somehow earn the right to feel worthy of love.
And for anyone who has ever looked at themselves and thought I’m not enough, I think there is something incredibly special waiting for them in these pages.
And then there’s Connor ❤️🥰
I absolutely adore what his character brings to this story Because this isn’t a man comes along and fixes everythnig kind of love story. Connor doesn’t fix Tilly. He doesn’t magically take away all of the things she is struggling with or make her suddenly love herself. He stands beside her while she learns to do that for herself. He listens. He encourages her to get help. He reminds her of the things she can’t yet see in herself. And, most importantly, he lets her do the work.
I think that’s such a beautiful message. You are a queen. You can absolutely drag yourself out of hell. You can rebuild yourself, find yourself, learn to love yourself and create a life that makes you happy. And maybe, when you’ve done that, someone wonderful comes along and gets to add to it.
Not rescue you. Not complete you. Just compliment the beautiful life you’ve already built yourself. Isn’t that so much more satisfying that way?? It is for me 🥰
That’s the part really stayed with me.
And I think that’s why this book means more than just a lovely romance to me. It has the potential to make someone laugh, make someone cry, make someone feel seen, and maybe make a woman who has spent years believing she isn’t enough realise that she already is. Always was actually!
What Rhi has created on her first attempt is honestly phenomenal. A masterpiece.
A story full of heart, humour, hope and so much honesty. And, knowing the self-doubt and all the things that can go unsaid when you’re creating something this personal, I hope Rhian knows just how bloody proud she should be of herself.
This isn’t just a book you’ve written, Rhian. It’s A little piece of you that will now belong to every woman who picks it up and sees a little bit of herself in Tilly.
What a beautiful thing to have created.
I’m so proud of you. And so incredibly lucky that I got to watch a little bit of this journey unfold.
Now it’s out there in the world and I really hope it finds every woman who needs it ❤️ I know I did xxx
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 9, 2026
I was so intrigued by the blurb of this one, and it absolutely lived up to it! Such a beautifully written story with so much heart. It was incredibly easy to relate to Tilly and understand the choices she made, even when they weren’t always the right ones. I absolutely loved watching her journey and seeing her slowly find the courage to choose herself.
The ending was especially beautiful. The courage Tilly showed at the end was genuinely commendable, and I loved how everything came together. And while Tilly and Connor’s story doesn’t quite live up to the “nemesis” part of the trope, I loved how beautifully their relationship evolved. Connor has been so kind, patient, and dependable throughout, and I absolutely loved that about him. He never felt like someone who was there to “save” her, but rather someone who stood beside her while she learned to save herself.
I also absolutely loved the few chapters we got from Connor’s POV! They gave such a lovely insight into his thoughts and feelings, and honestly, I wish we’d gotten even more.
The writing could have been a little stronger in places, and I did feel like the story progressed a bit too quickly at times, but the vibes, the emotions, and the overall execution worked so well for me. I’ve highlighted SO many lines in this book.
Absolutely loved Tilly’s journey. A beautiful, emotional story that I’m so glad I picked up.
The ending was especially beautiful. The courage Tilly showed at the end was genuinely commendable, and I loved how everything came together. And while Tilly and Connor’s story doesn’t quite live up to the “nemesis” part of the trope, I loved how beautifully their relationship evolved. Connor has been so kind, patient, and dependable throughout, and I absolutely loved that about him. He never felt like someone who was there to “save” her, but rather someone who stood beside her while she learned to save herself.
I also absolutely loved the few chapters we got from Connor’s POV! They gave such a lovely insight into his thoughts and feelings, and honestly, I wish we’d gotten even more.
The writing could have been a little stronger in places, and I did feel like the story progressed a bit too quickly at times, but the vibes, the emotions, and the overall execution worked so well for me. I’ve highlighted SO many lines in this book.
Absolutely loved Tilly’s journey. A beautiful, emotional story that I’m so glad I picked up.
August 8, 2026
It's for sure my favourite book of this year. It's a poignant story and I saw so much of myself in Tilly, so much. O want to thank the author for writing this book because the world needs books like this. Sometimes I was screaming at Tilly for her decisions, but I know how hard is it to fade into the shell of yourself and let the negative thoughts win and swallow you whole.
Connor was a breath of fresh air for her and a constant in her life. He was there for her, in the shadows and helped her when she was in need, and waited for her when she had to take the next steps in order to finally shine.
I am not gonna lie, it was hard reading some parts of this book. It's not an easy read, for sure, but it is worth the candle. Go, pick it up and read it now! But be aware of the triggers and stay safe.
Connor was a breath of fresh air for her and a constant in her life. He was there for her, in the shadows and helped her when she was in need, and waited for her when she had to take the next steps in order to finally shine.
I am not gonna lie, it was hard reading some parts of this book. It's not an easy read, for sure, but it is worth the candle. Go, pick it up and read it now! But be aware of the triggers and stay safe.
June 25, 2026
The blurb already suggested that The Weight of Living by Rhi Steele would not be a light beach read for a summer vacation. However, I was not prepared for the emotional depth and authentic insight into the human psyche that awaited me in the pages ahead.
I don’t want to reveal too much about the story itself, as the risk of spoiling it feels too high. Instead, I’d like to focus on the narrative style and writing of the author’s debut novel.
Rarely have I read a book that places such emphasis on dialogue while also demonstrating the ability to craft conversations that are fluid, sharp, and purposeful. I often felt as though I were physically present during these exchanges, standing right beside the protagonists. Unfortunately, this also meant that there were several moments when I wanted to either shake them or scream at them because I had become so emotionally invested. I understand that healing is not a linear process and that it takes time. From an outside perspective, though, it was sometimes difficult to witness how deeply certain behavioral patterns and ways of thinking were rooted within the protagonist, and how challenging it seemed for her to break free from them and embrace a different reality or perspective.
The true star of this book is the romance. A relationship built on mutual respect, equality, and open, meaningful communication, where do I sign up? What is portrayed here is a genuine, unflinching, and honest depiction of a relationship, complete with its flaws and rough edges. At times, I found myself wishing for more outside intervention, but I also understand that some processes must be intrinsically motivated in order to be successful.
The Weight of Living acknowledges the ugliness and darker depths of humanity without ever losing sight of hope, healing, and the light that life can offer, perfectly reflecting the book cover’s motto: 'Sometimes the dark has to come before the light.' This is a book that will stay with me for quite some time, lingering in both my thoughts and emotions, and I am very grateful to have read it.
I highly recommend reading the trigger warnings before starting the book.
I don’t want to reveal too much about the story itself, as the risk of spoiling it feels too high. Instead, I’d like to focus on the narrative style and writing of the author’s debut novel.
Rarely have I read a book that places such emphasis on dialogue while also demonstrating the ability to craft conversations that are fluid, sharp, and purposeful. I often felt as though I were physically present during these exchanges, standing right beside the protagonists. Unfortunately, this also meant that there were several moments when I wanted to either shake them or scream at them because I had become so emotionally invested. I understand that healing is not a linear process and that it takes time. From an outside perspective, though, it was sometimes difficult to witness how deeply certain behavioral patterns and ways of thinking were rooted within the protagonist, and how challenging it seemed for her to break free from them and embrace a different reality or perspective.
The true star of this book is the romance. A relationship built on mutual respect, equality, and open, meaningful communication, where do I sign up? What is portrayed here is a genuine, unflinching, and honest depiction of a relationship, complete with its flaws and rough edges. At times, I found myself wishing for more outside intervention, but I also understand that some processes must be intrinsically motivated in order to be successful.
The Weight of Living acknowledges the ugliness and darker depths of humanity without ever losing sight of hope, healing, and the light that life can offer, perfectly reflecting the book cover’s motto: 'Sometimes the dark has to come before the light.' This is a book that will stay with me for quite some time, lingering in both my thoughts and emotions, and I am very grateful to have read it.
I highly recommend reading the trigger warnings before starting the book.
July 11, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This one hit me right in the heart- a beautiful gut punch ♥️
As someone who has struggled with my weight, body image, and self-acceptance for most of my life, I knew this book was going to be emotional. Tilly’s anxiety, people-pleasing, negative self-talk, and constant feeling of never being “enough” felt incredibly real. At times it was almost painful to read knowing that so many people in the world have these same struggles
For every single thing I loved about Connor, I absolutely despised about Rhys. That man was the worst. The emotional abuse was really rough to read, but it also made Tilly’s journey toward healing, self-worth, and finding someone who truly loved her all the more powerful.
This isn’t an easy read. It’s raw, heartbreaking, and brutally honest, but it’s also hopeful. Rhi Steele tackles depression, mental health, body image, and learning to love yourself with so much care and compassion. It reminded me that healing isn’t linear and that we’re all deserving of the same love and grace we so easily give to everyone else
This one hit me right in the heart- a beautiful gut punch ♥️
As someone who has struggled with my weight, body image, and self-acceptance for most of my life, I knew this book was going to be emotional. Tilly’s anxiety, people-pleasing, negative self-talk, and constant feeling of never being “enough” felt incredibly real. At times it was almost painful to read knowing that so many people in the world have these same struggles
For every single thing I loved about Connor, I absolutely despised about Rhys. That man was the worst. The emotional abuse was really rough to read, but it also made Tilly’s journey toward healing, self-worth, and finding someone who truly loved her all the more powerful.
This isn’t an easy read. It’s raw, heartbreaking, and brutally honest, but it’s also hopeful. Rhi Steele tackles depression, mental health, body image, and learning to love yourself with so much care and compassion. It reminded me that healing isn’t linear and that we’re all deserving of the same love and grace we so easily give to everyone else
June 24, 2026
I received an early copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher, and I am so incredibly grateful because it completely blew me away. I am writing this with a tight chest and a very full heart.
This story absolutely destroyed me in the best possible way. I lost count of how many times I had to pause, close the book, stare into the void and reconsider my entire existence while gently recovering from Tilly’s emotional rollercoaster. I cried so often I started wondering if I should just hydrate through tears instead of water.
Tilly’s internal battles felt painfully real. Her spiral of anxiety, people pleasing, body image struggles and the aftermath of a broken marriage hit hard. This wasn’t just reading, it is easily one of the most honest, raw portrayals of mental health and fractured self worth I have ever read.
Now, about the romance. Rhi Steele really said, “Let’s not do the usual chaos” and I respect that deeply. When Tilly moves in with Connor, her nemesis and her best friend’s older brother, you’d expect instant chaos, tension and dramatic swooning. And yes, there is tension… but not the “he fixes her life with a stare” kind.
Connor does not arrive as a magical emotional repair kit. He is not a walking therapy session with abs. Instead, the story actually lets Tilly do the hard, unglamorous work of rebuilding herself, while Connor becomes a steady presence rather than a solution. Their shift from sharp insults to soft, hesitant comfort is a slow burn in a way that sometimes made me want to shake the book and whisper, “BE HAPPY ALREADY.”
Their relationship feels earned, not rushed, and honestly I had to remind myself that healing is not supposed to come with a fast forward button, even if I desperately wanted one. If I had to complain, the emotional weight is heavy and the slow burn occasionally feels like it is personally testing your patience and character development as a reader. But also… fair. The repetition and struggle make it feel real, even if I briefly considered bargaining with the universe for just one happy chapter sooner.
This story absolutely destroyed me in the best possible way. I lost count of how many times I had to pause, close the book, stare into the void and reconsider my entire existence while gently recovering from Tilly’s emotional rollercoaster. I cried so often I started wondering if I should just hydrate through tears instead of water.
Tilly’s internal battles felt painfully real. Her spiral of anxiety, people pleasing, body image struggles and the aftermath of a broken marriage hit hard. This wasn’t just reading, it is easily one of the most honest, raw portrayals of mental health and fractured self worth I have ever read.
Now, about the romance. Rhi Steele really said, “Let’s not do the usual chaos” and I respect that deeply. When Tilly moves in with Connor, her nemesis and her best friend’s older brother, you’d expect instant chaos, tension and dramatic swooning. And yes, there is tension… but not the “he fixes her life with a stare” kind.
Connor does not arrive as a magical emotional repair kit. He is not a walking therapy session with abs. Instead, the story actually lets Tilly do the hard, unglamorous work of rebuilding herself, while Connor becomes a steady presence rather than a solution. Their shift from sharp insults to soft, hesitant comfort is a slow burn in a way that sometimes made me want to shake the book and whisper, “BE HAPPY ALREADY.”
Their relationship feels earned, not rushed, and honestly I had to remind myself that healing is not supposed to come with a fast forward button, even if I desperately wanted one. If I had to complain, the emotional weight is heavy and the slow burn occasionally feels like it is personally testing your patience and character development as a reader. But also… fair. The repetition and struggle make it feel real, even if I briefly considered bargaining with the universe for just one happy chapter sooner.
August 4, 2026
My Review
The Weight Of Living is a contemporary romance, it has the trope of enemies to lovers, whilst also looking at the themes of anxiety and self worth. The story follows Tilly as after her marriage break up she looks to rebuild her life again but finds unexpected support in Connor, her best friend's older brother.
The story looks at romance and falling in love but also looks at healing. Instead of relying completely on romantic tension, Steele focuses on Tilly's emotional journey, looking at the messy emotional trauma, recovering and learning to value herself again. This gives emotional depth to the story rather than your standard contemporary romance.
I enjoyed seeing the chemistry between Tilly and Connor and their relationship happening naturally. The relationship begins with sharp banter and years of irritating each other, but as the story progresses we see Connors patience and tenderness. I felt that the characters were relatable adding authenticity to the story.
A strength of the story is the way Steele handles difficult themes and it's a credit to her. Exploring anxiety, body image struggles and the effects of a lingering unhealthy relationship yet this does not overwhelm the romantic side of the story. Again this felt relatable and authentic.
Overall, this is a fantastic contemporary romance novel balancing vulnerability with hope. I really enjoyed watching the exploration of Tilly's growth. Highly recommended.
The Weight Of Living is a contemporary romance, it has the trope of enemies to lovers, whilst also looking at the themes of anxiety and self worth. The story follows Tilly as after her marriage break up she looks to rebuild her life again but finds unexpected support in Connor, her best friend's older brother.
The story looks at romance and falling in love but also looks at healing. Instead of relying completely on romantic tension, Steele focuses on Tilly's emotional journey, looking at the messy emotional trauma, recovering and learning to value herself again. This gives emotional depth to the story rather than your standard contemporary romance.
I enjoyed seeing the chemistry between Tilly and Connor and their relationship happening naturally. The relationship begins with sharp banter and years of irritating each other, but as the story progresses we see Connors patience and tenderness. I felt that the characters were relatable adding authenticity to the story.
A strength of the story is the way Steele handles difficult themes and it's a credit to her. Exploring anxiety, body image struggles and the effects of a lingering unhealthy relationship yet this does not overwhelm the romantic side of the story. Again this felt relatable and authentic.
Overall, this is a fantastic contemporary romance novel balancing vulnerability with hope. I really enjoyed watching the exploration of Tilly's growth. Highly recommended.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I am still sitting here in absolute disbelief that The Weight of Living is Rhi Steele’s debut novel. To tackle such incredibly sensitive, heavy topics with this level of grace, nuance, and beautiful storytelling is a massive achievement. It is the kind of book that bruises your heart a little but heals it right back up.
Matilda’s character is written with so much raw honesty. Her struggles with anxiety, body image, and the crushing weight of simply not feeling "enough" are so beautifully crafted that it almost physically hurt whenever she had a negative thought.
Reading her journey made me reflect so much on the world we live in today. We are constantly surrounded by a curated social media culture where everyone is flashing their perfect highlight reels, making it so easy to compare yourself and feel inadequate. It made me realize how universal that feeling is...whether someone is stressing over being overweight or underweight, skin color, height, or having frizzy, straight, or no hair at all. The world is just so loud and filled with pressure, and watching Tilly navigate her own exhausting mental noise was deeply relatable. You just want to reach into the pages and give her the biggest hug.
Let’s talk about Rhys. I have never wanted to physically manifest inside a book just to punch a character so badly in my entire life. He was a cloud of pure negativity, and the way he slowly chipped away at Tilly’s self-worth was devastating to read. The scariest part about his character is how convincing he was...because if you look around in the real world, you will find toxic people exactly like him who thrive on making you feel worthless just to elevate themselves.
But thank goodness for Connor!! 💓🥺🫶🏻
Can we please collectively petition the author to find us a real-life Connor? Because I need one immediately to live in absolute peace! He is, without a doubt, the greenest flag to ever exist in contemporary romance! He is patient, fiercely understanding, and to top it all off, he’s the best friend’s brother. The execution of that trope was flawless. The way he sees Matilda, protects her peace, and values her is everything.
The only single reason this missed a perfect 5-star rating is that I desperately wanted a longer Happily Ever After (HEA). After watching Matilda carry such a heavy emotional weight through the entire book, my heart needed to see her and Connar just be happy for a few more chapters. We went through the trenches with her, so seeing them basked in that joy a little longer would have fully satisfied my heart!
If you want a book that handles heavy, real-life insecurities with gentleness while delivering a top-tier romance, pick this up immediately.
Matilda’s character is written with so much raw honesty. Her struggles with anxiety, body image, and the crushing weight of simply not feeling "enough" are so beautifully crafted that it almost physically hurt whenever she had a negative thought.
Reading her journey made me reflect so much on the world we live in today. We are constantly surrounded by a curated social media culture where everyone is flashing their perfect highlight reels, making it so easy to compare yourself and feel inadequate. It made me realize how universal that feeling is...whether someone is stressing over being overweight or underweight, skin color, height, or having frizzy, straight, or no hair at all. The world is just so loud and filled with pressure, and watching Tilly navigate her own exhausting mental noise was deeply relatable. You just want to reach into the pages and give her the biggest hug.
Let’s talk about Rhys. I have never wanted to physically manifest inside a book just to punch a character so badly in my entire life. He was a cloud of pure negativity, and the way he slowly chipped away at Tilly’s self-worth was devastating to read. The scariest part about his character is how convincing he was...because if you look around in the real world, you will find toxic people exactly like him who thrive on making you feel worthless just to elevate themselves.
But thank goodness for Connor!! 💓🥺🫶🏻
Can we please collectively petition the author to find us a real-life Connor? Because I need one immediately to live in absolute peace! He is, without a doubt, the greenest flag to ever exist in contemporary romance! He is patient, fiercely understanding, and to top it all off, he’s the best friend’s brother. The execution of that trope was flawless. The way he sees Matilda, protects her peace, and values her is everything.
The only single reason this missed a perfect 5-star rating is that I desperately wanted a longer Happily Ever After (HEA). After watching Matilda carry such a heavy emotional weight through the entire book, my heart needed to see her and Connar just be happy for a few more chapters. We went through the trenches with her, so seeing them basked in that joy a little longer would have fully satisfied my heart!
If you want a book that handles heavy, real-life insecurities with gentleness while delivering a top-tier romance, pick this up immediately.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
First off, check trigger warnings before going into this book.
Tilly's marriage has ended when she finds her husband Rhys cheating on her. She turns to her best friend, Ivy, for a place to stay which also means staying with Ivy's brother, Connor. Turns out Ivy is out of town for work and Connor, who has always been a jerk now steps into the role of friend.
While this premise seems like a light rom-com, it isn't. Tilly struggles a lot with negative self thoughts and anxiety, both of which have worsened thanks to her emotionally abusive ex husband. This book does not shy away from these topics which is both refreshing and hard to read. Tilly's journey is not fast, easy, linear, or logical to the reader (at times) - all of which make it that much more accurate.
This was a story where I not only cried at an inflection point but rather all the way through. I cried reading Tilly's negative self-talk, hearing the way her ex treated and spoke to her while she thought it's what she deserved, while she found someone who sees her differently even when she can't, when she finds some semblance of happiness and still can't be happy. I really commend the author for depicting such an honest and raw story.
Yes this is a romance, but the romance isn't the star of this book. It's lovely and I adored these two going through this together. However, this is a story about something much bigger that (just based on my own reading expeience) probably impacts a lot of people to some degree.
Taking off one star as there are a few things that I didn't love as much, all of which I know were in there to move the story along so I accept them
- I wanted more of Connor's journey to his feelings for Tilly
- Ivy needed to be there for her best friend at some point
- the trainer's involvement at the end was weird
- rushed ending (I wanted more time spent in those last few chapters)
Overall, this is an EXCELLENT read if you are in a space to be able to read it. I look forward to seeing what this author does next.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book - all opinions are my own.
Tilly's marriage has ended when she finds her husband Rhys cheating on her. She turns to her best friend, Ivy, for a place to stay which also means staying with Ivy's brother, Connor. Turns out Ivy is out of town for work and Connor, who has always been a jerk now steps into the role of friend.
While this premise seems like a light rom-com, it isn't. Tilly struggles a lot with negative self thoughts and anxiety, both of which have worsened thanks to her emotionally abusive ex husband. This book does not shy away from these topics which is both refreshing and hard to read. Tilly's journey is not fast, easy, linear, or logical to the reader (at times) - all of which make it that much more accurate.
This was a story where I not only cried at an inflection point but rather all the way through. I cried reading Tilly's negative self-talk, hearing the way her ex treated and spoke to her while she thought it's what she deserved, while she found someone who sees her differently even when she can't, when she finds some semblance of happiness and still can't be happy. I really commend the author for depicting such an honest and raw story.
Yes this is a romance, but the romance isn't the star of this book. It's lovely and I adored these two going through this together. However, this is a story about something much bigger that (just based on my own reading expeience) probably impacts a lot of people to some degree.
Taking off one star as there are a few things that I didn't love as much, all of which I know were in there to move the story along so I accept them
- I wanted more of Connor's journey to his feelings for Tilly
- Ivy needed to be there for her best friend at some point
- the trainer's involvement at the end was weird
- rushed ending (I wanted more time spent in those last few chapters)
Overall, this is an EXCELLENT read if you are in a space to be able to read it. I look forward to seeing what this author does next.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book - all opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
this book was beautifully written. it’s a frustrating book in a way, which makes it even better. my feelings were all over the place: i was so annoyed and upset at rhys, and it got so frustrating because i just wanted to help her. at times, i wish i had been a character because i would’ve gotten her out of there and put her in therapy STAT!!!!
tilly and connor’s relationship becomes almost sort of a side quest as we focus more on tilly’s healing, which was something i liked. her journey is very realistic, it doesn’t get brushed aside and we see the good and the bad. the author is incredibly skilled, in my opinion.
i think it also has the real potential of hopefully saving lives. i hope that if anyone relates to tilly, or even to tilly and rhys’ relationship, that they get the help they need.
all that being said, personally, i had a few issues with it that stem from my own personal experience. tilly and i have had similar thoughts, i used to be a lot like her. and what helped me heal was being surrounded by a support system so i’m not very much into the idea that you have to do it alone. i also felt like some of their relationship was rushed. i wish we had gotten connor and tilly being best friends for a lot of it while he helped her heal (even if she’d been aware of his feelings). I think that tilly would've benefited from a friend, which is why another issue I have with it is that I dont understand why her best friend was barely in the story. her main focus should've been going to therapy (also did not understand why her trainer got involved like that. her breaking up with him right after that conversation also felt rushed in my opinion).
overall, I would recommend this book but be aware of triggers.
tilly and connor’s relationship becomes almost sort of a side quest as we focus more on tilly’s healing, which was something i liked. her journey is very realistic, it doesn’t get brushed aside and we see the good and the bad. the author is incredibly skilled, in my opinion.
i think it also has the real potential of hopefully saving lives. i hope that if anyone relates to tilly, or even to tilly and rhys’ relationship, that they get the help they need.
all that being said, personally, i had a few issues with it that stem from my own personal experience. tilly and i have had similar thoughts, i used to be a lot like her. and what helped me heal was being surrounded by a support system so i’m not very much into the idea that you have to do it alone. i also felt like some of their relationship was rushed. i wish we had gotten connor and tilly being best friends for a lot of it while he helped her heal (even if she’d been aware of his feelings). I think that tilly would've benefited from a friend, which is why another issue I have with it is that I dont understand why her best friend was barely in the story. her main focus should've been going to therapy (also did not understand why her trainer got involved like that. her breaking up with him right after that conversation also felt rushed in my opinion).
overall, I would recommend this book but be aware of triggers.
August 7, 2026
Trigger Warnings: Self-harm, domestic abuse, attempted suicide, body dysmorphia, depression, anxiety, and anxiety attacks
Tilly’s marriage has ended, and it triggers her low sense of self-worth. With nowhere else to go, she finds herself staying with the one person she never expected to turn to: her childhood nemesis.
Connor Wilson, her best friend’s older brother, has always had a way of getting under Tilly’s skin. But as she struggles with anxiety, body image, and the heavy feeling of never being enough, he slowly becomes the one person who truly understands her. What began as teasing and sharp words grows into quiet, late-night conversations, and maybe more.
This book did more than tell a story. It broke my heart and healed it too. Long after I finished reading, I found myself reflecting on my own experiences and how I navigate life’s harder moments.
Rhi Steele writes with such warmth and honesty that her characters feel real and more like people you see around. There were moments I saw myself in Tilly, which made her journey feel all the more meaningful.
And truly, everyone deserves someone like Connor. Someone who sees you, supports you, and accepts you exactly as you are. His steady presence brings so much warmth to the story.
The emotions run deep, but they are beautifully balanced with hope, love, and silly moments that made me smile. I could hardly put it down. It is a story that hurts, then comforts most wonderfully.
I highly recommend this if you want a story that will make you laugh, bring you to tears, and leave you reflecting on yourself. Remember to pay attention to trigger warnings before you read it.
Thank you to Cranthorpe Millner Publisher for allowing me to be part of the book tour.
Tilly’s marriage has ended, and it triggers her low sense of self-worth. With nowhere else to go, she finds herself staying with the one person she never expected to turn to: her childhood nemesis.
Connor Wilson, her best friend’s older brother, has always had a way of getting under Tilly’s skin. But as she struggles with anxiety, body image, and the heavy feeling of never being enough, he slowly becomes the one person who truly understands her. What began as teasing and sharp words grows into quiet, late-night conversations, and maybe more.
This book did more than tell a story. It broke my heart and healed it too. Long after I finished reading, I found myself reflecting on my own experiences and how I navigate life’s harder moments.
Rhi Steele writes with such warmth and honesty that her characters feel real and more like people you see around. There were moments I saw myself in Tilly, which made her journey feel all the more meaningful.
And truly, everyone deserves someone like Connor. Someone who sees you, supports you, and accepts you exactly as you are. His steady presence brings so much warmth to the story.
The emotions run deep, but they are beautifully balanced with hope, love, and silly moments that made me smile. I could hardly put it down. It is a story that hurts, then comforts most wonderfully.
I highly recommend this if you want a story that will make you laugh, bring you to tears, and leave you reflecting on yourself. Remember to pay attention to trigger warnings before you read it.
Thank you to Cranthorpe Millner Publisher for allowing me to be part of the book tour.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book is quite heavy, no pun intended. It’s not a light-hearted, happy romance. While it follows the best friend’s brother trope, the story truly centers around mental health. Matilda moves in with her best friend Ivy after discovering her husband’s infidelity. Ivy is on a work trip, but her brother Connor is home and lives in the house. Throughout the years, Connor has teased Tilly, but it’s because he has a big crush on her.
However, the story takes a dark turn as it demonstrates the abuse Tilly enduresbfrom her husband. This abuse is portrayed in graphic detail, including gaslighting and fat-shaming. As a result of the abuse and possibly other factors, Tilly struggles with hidden and undiagnosed depression, anxiety, and body dysmorphia.
Connor’s support was commendable, but I felt that his approach sometimes missed the mark. His responses sometimes feel more like attempts to help her mental health by providing her with sexual gratification. The help she truly needed didn’t materialize until the latter part of the book. The last few chapters and the epilogue were particularly well-written, but I wished the healing part wasn’t at the very end. I found it difficult to read through the abuse and her mental health struggles.
As this is an arc, I hope the book includes trigger warnings at the beginning. While some readers may find this story deeply moving, I personally found it too sad to be enjoyable.
Thank you, Cranthorpe Millner Publishers, for providing this book for review consideration through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
However, the story takes a dark turn as it demonstrates the abuse Tilly enduresbfrom her husband. This abuse is portrayed in graphic detail, including gaslighting and fat-shaming. As a result of the abuse and possibly other factors, Tilly struggles with hidden and undiagnosed depression, anxiety, and body dysmorphia.
Connor’s support was commendable, but I felt that his approach sometimes missed the mark. His responses sometimes feel more like attempts to help her mental health by providing her with sexual gratification. The help she truly needed didn’t materialize until the latter part of the book. The last few chapters and the epilogue were particularly well-written, but I wished the healing part wasn’t at the very end. I found it difficult to read through the abuse and her mental health struggles.
As this is an arc, I hope the book includes trigger warnings at the beginning. While some readers may find this story deeply moving, I personally found it too sad to be enjoyable.
Thank you, Cranthorpe Millner Publishers, for providing this book for review consideration through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
August 2, 2026
“My Mum says words are like toothpaste. You can’t put them back once they’re out. So learn to keep some thoughts inside your head”
Matilda-Tilly, supposed to live happy life with her life. She got good-looking husband, Rhys, got the actual job as a teacher and supporting friend like Ivy. Yet, her self-conscious and lack of confidence makes her suffer. On top of that her husband cheat on her and she have to move out and live with her friend home but only meet her annoying brother, Connor.
Another live events past and she has to bear to live what she’s already chosen. Yet all the lives she has chosen not always right and wrong but she keeps blaming herself. Although this book genre is romance but i think we can feel how Tilly’s feeling towards herself and how to cope everything.
Honestly i really grateful that there are friends who still supporting Tilly beside her, i can’t imagine how harsh live if she has no one to depend to. You can see Tilly progress to overcome her mental health slow but sure on each chapter.
Shout out to the author!! I love this book but i hope i can get more Connor’s POV more, perhaps another spin off book *winks*
Also many thanks for the publisher to give me a chance to review the ARC ❤️❤️
Matilda-Tilly, supposed to live happy life with her life. She got good-looking husband, Rhys, got the actual job as a teacher and supporting friend like Ivy. Yet, her self-conscious and lack of confidence makes her suffer. On top of that her husband cheat on her and she have to move out and live with her friend home but only meet her annoying brother, Connor.
Another live events past and she has to bear to live what she’s already chosen. Yet all the lives she has chosen not always right and wrong but she keeps blaming herself. Although this book genre is romance but i think we can feel how Tilly’s feeling towards herself and how to cope everything.
Honestly i really grateful that there are friends who still supporting Tilly beside her, i can’t imagine how harsh live if she has no one to depend to. You can see Tilly progress to overcome her mental health slow but sure on each chapter.
Shout out to the author!! I love this book but i hope i can get more Connor’s POV more, perhaps another spin off book *winks*
Also many thanks for the publisher to give me a chance to review the ARC ❤️❤️
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was not prepared for this book at all. Based on the summary, I knew there would be some self reflection from the character and her body image would play a part. However, I did not expect this book to portray anxiety, depression, and body image issues in such an accurate and relatable way. This book hit close to home. It was difficult to see it from a viewer perspective but I could not put it down and read it in one day. It's a great example for people not experiencing anxiety to understand what inner voice does for people with anxiety and how it's so hard to get out of spiraling.
Now for the romance! Let's forget about the terrible husband and just look at Connor. He is the sweetest around and I loved how fierce and protective he became of Matilda. He is a great support for her. However, his attention towards her borderlines on unhealthy obsession which I was not a big fan of. But in the end, he gave her the time and space she needed each time she asked.
Yes, this book is a romance but not how you might think. The character learns to love herself first for once, and works hard to make healthy choices for her. And really, what's better than that?
Now for the romance! Let's forget about the terrible husband and just look at Connor. He is the sweetest around and I loved how fierce and protective he became of Matilda. He is a great support for her. However, his attention towards her borderlines on unhealthy obsession which I was not a big fan of. But in the end, he gave her the time and space she needed each time she asked.
Yes, this book is a romance but not how you might think. The character learns to love herself first for once, and works hard to make healthy choices for her. And really, what's better than that?
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was really looking forward to The Weight of Living, especially because I love seeing more plus-size representation in books. It was refreshing to have a main character whose story explored body image, self-worth, and learning to heal.
That said, I found this one a little bit of a mixed bag. While I appreciated the themes the book was trying to tackle, I felt like the healing journey happened a little too quickly. I would have loved to see more time spent on that personal growth because it had the potential to be incredibly powerful.
I also felt that the romance ended up taking focus away from what I thought was the strongest part of the story. For me, the emotional journey and self-acceptance were far more compelling, and I found myself wishing those aspects had been explored in more depth.
Overall, I enjoyed parts of the book and think it has an important message, even if the execution didn't quite hit the mark for me. If you enjoy contemporary romances with themes of self-discovery and body positivity, this one may still be worth picking up.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book x
That said, I found this one a little bit of a mixed bag. While I appreciated the themes the book was trying to tackle, I felt like the healing journey happened a little too quickly. I would have loved to see more time spent on that personal growth because it had the potential to be incredibly powerful.
I also felt that the romance ended up taking focus away from what I thought was the strongest part of the story. For me, the emotional journey and self-acceptance were far more compelling, and I found myself wishing those aspects had been explored in more depth.
Overall, I enjoyed parts of the book and think it has an important message, even if the execution didn't quite hit the mark for me. If you enjoy contemporary romances with themes of self-discovery and body positivity, this one may still be worth picking up.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book x
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Weight of Living by Rhi Steele is an emotional novel that delivers a story that handles heartbreak, healing, and self-worth with the honesty and compassion it deserved. In this novel, we are introduced to the FMC Tilly, a woman who struggles with anxiety towards her body image and the MMC Connor, best friend of her older brother and her childhood nemesis. Between the two characters, my favorite had to be Tilly. Watching her navigate the aftermath of a toxic marriage was both heartbreaking and inspiring. Her struggles felt authentic, and her journey toward healing was handled with care and sensitivity. Overall, The Weight of Living was an emotional journey filled with pain, healing, hope, and a love that reminds you that everyone deserves to be cherished.
I received an ARC copy from NetGalley. Thank you for giving me the chance to read this novel and share my honest review of the novel!
I received an ARC copy from NetGalley. Thank you for giving me the chance to read this novel and share my honest review of the novel!
July 28, 2026
MUST READ!! When i was younger you would never find me without a book in hand, but as usual, you grow up and life gets hectic and in the way and you just don’t have the time! i’ve tried on many occasions to fall back in love with reading over the last 10 years with absolutely no luck! But The Weight of Living?….not even 10 pages in and i was hooked, the story was incredible and i really loved how unpredictable it was, it wasn’t just another romance that was a clear straight path to ending with the main character falling in love and living happily ever after…the issues Tilly face are real and touch so close to home for me and i imagine many others! Since finishing the book 6 days ago i’ve already read 3 others🤪 so im unbelievably grateful to Rhi (and Tilly & Connor ofcourse) for helping me find my love of reading again!
July 31, 2026
I was unsure what to expect from the debut novel of Rhi Steele, the blurb touches on anxiety, body image issues and self doubt like several books I've read lately along with romance. I can honestly say none of them cover the mental health topic like The Weight of Living. A very real meaningful honest insight to what many people feel about themselves not helped by an idiot ex sadly.
Tillys journey is a roller coaster and thankfully this book shows life isnt a quick fix like others have you believe. Theres no knight coming along to save you, put the work in yourself and make that man show he's worthy.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Weight of Living and finished it in two sittings, eager to find out if Tilly would get HER happy life.
All together a fantastic first novel and well recommended. I look forward to reading more from this new author.
Tillys journey is a roller coaster and thankfully this book shows life isnt a quick fix like others have you believe. Theres no knight coming along to save you, put the work in yourself and make that man show he's worthy.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Weight of Living and finished it in two sittings, eager to find out if Tilly would get HER happy life.
All together a fantastic first novel and well recommended. I look forward to reading more from this new author.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Received a copy from Netgalley
First of all, I would highly recommend reading the trigger warning of the book, from the start it may be hard to read some of the issues, so don’t start without it.
I thought I was going to read another love story, but ended up reading a story of the journey to deal with mental health and learning to love yourself.
I found it to be a real and honest portrait of mental health issues, something that is very difficult to portrait in paper, but in here is shown in every social interaction. Although it was difficult to read throw some of the scenes, it was this what make the story stand out. It didn’t sugar coat anything.
While the love story takes a second place in here, it still is a wonderful show of how a person could love another with all their flaws without judging, and how they could be someone to lean on and built you up. The MMC is the perfect embodiment of unconditional love.
And yes, at the end we get a HEA.
First of all, I would highly recommend reading the trigger warning of the book, from the start it may be hard to read some of the issues, so don’t start without it.
I thought I was going to read another love story, but ended up reading a story of the journey to deal with mental health and learning to love yourself.
I found it to be a real and honest portrait of mental health issues, something that is very difficult to portrait in paper, but in here is shown in every social interaction. Although it was difficult to read throw some of the scenes, it was this what make the story stand out. It didn’t sugar coat anything.
While the love story takes a second place in here, it still is a wonderful show of how a person could love another with all their flaws without judging, and how they could be someone to lean on and built you up. The MMC is the perfect embodiment of unconditional love.
And yes, at the end we get a HEA.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley for the Arc as well as the publisher.
Wow.
That is all.
I absolutely loved this book. Without giving any spoilers, all the emotions that Tilly goes through have gone through my head before. The way she deals with them, the damage she has dealt with, the self doubt - just everything was written beautifully. I absolutely loved this book.
I had my angry moments where I screamed at Tilly, wanting to ask her why is she doing certain things (lol) but I understand her point.
I loved that the romance of this book became a side story in the end.
I would have loved to hear more of how she spent the months healing but I also loved the ending.
Wow.
That is all.
I absolutely loved this book. Without giving any spoilers, all the emotions that Tilly goes through have gone through my head before. The way she deals with them, the damage she has dealt with, the self doubt - just everything was written beautifully. I absolutely loved this book.
I had my angry moments where I screamed at Tilly, wanting to ask her why is she doing certain things (lol) but I understand her point.
I loved that the romance of this book became a side story in the end.
I would have loved to hear more of how she spent the months healing but I also loved the ending.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I found this book pretty frustrating, which may have been intentional but unfortunately just made it pretty hard for me to read.
Perhaps I just chose the wrong book, as generally prefer stories with strong female leads.
I think this book would've appealed to me more if it was simply a story of the end of Tilly's marriage and her finding independence rather than having romance mixed in as well.
In some parts of the story I also felt the dialogue was written in a way that was slightly hard to believe - it didn't read as natural.
I do feel it tackles some pretty important topics such as healthy relationships with food, body image, loving oneself etc.
Perhaps I just chose the wrong book, as generally prefer stories with strong female leads.
I think this book would've appealed to me more if it was simply a story of the end of Tilly's marriage and her finding independence rather than having romance mixed in as well.
In some parts of the story I also felt the dialogue was written in a way that was slightly hard to believe - it didn't read as natural.
I do feel it tackles some pretty important topics such as healthy relationships with food, body image, loving oneself etc.
July 28, 2026
Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me at 24%.
I really tried to stick with it, hoping things would improve, but Tilly’s constant negative inner dialogue was difficult to read. She was relentlessly hard on herself, especially about her body, and the repeated self-hatred—including moments where she wondered if everyone would be better off without her—was just too heavy for me.
Connor seemed like a great character, but I couldn’t see how Tilly’s journey to self-love would feel believable by the end after everything that came before.
Thank you to NetGalley and Cranthorpe Millner Publishers for the free advanced copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I really tried to stick with it, hoping things would improve, but Tilly’s constant negative inner dialogue was difficult to read. She was relentlessly hard on herself, especially about her body, and the repeated self-hatred—including moments where she wondered if everyone would be better off without her—was just too heavy for me.
Connor seemed like a great character, but I couldn’t see how Tilly’s journey to self-love would feel believable by the end after everything that came before.
Thank you to NetGalley and Cranthorpe Millner Publishers for the free advanced copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 2, 2026
I understand that this story was supposed to be empowering and eventually romantic, but I found it hard to get through. Tilly's inner monologue was so negative, telling herself that everyone was better off without her, I knew where it was heading. I also wish the story had started later, maybe with Tilly sitting on her friend's bed and the details of her break-up and how her husband had treated her being filled in a bit later?
For anyone who expects a cute story with an actually not that plus-sized FMC, please be aware that this book comes with a lot of darkness (abuse, gaslighting, anxiety, depression, body dysmorphia) before the sweetness of a new and strong relationship.
For anyone who expects a cute story with an actually not that plus-sized FMC, please be aware that this book comes with a lot of darkness (abuse, gaslighting, anxiety, depression, body dysmorphia) before the sweetness of a new and strong relationship.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Weight of Living is a sweet friends-to-lovers romance that thoughtfully handles heavy topics like negative self-talk, eating struggles, and self-harm. The heartbreaking way Rhys treats Tilly is perfectly balanced by the incredibly supportive and gentle love she finds with Connor, making her journey to self-discovery a deeply satisfying read. Thank you netgallery for letting me read this early.
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