Maybe She'll Stay

by Robyn Lucas

A daughter’s return home opens old wounds in a novel of family, love, and emotional rescue by the author of Paper Doll Lina.

After three disastrous marriages, a series of bad dates, and a tumultuous relationship with an emotionally abusive mother, psychology professor Nancy Jewel is through with love and commitment. Romantic or familial, the notion is a waste of her time. Content with being alone, she’s starting to feel normal-ish when she learns her father, incarcerated in Georgia, has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Nancy is determined to get him a compassionate release, even if it means returning home and reaching out for help from the last attorney she wants to see: her recent ex.

Back in her estranged mother’s orbit, and dealing with the fear of losing her father, Nancy wrestles with the ghosts of her toxic childhood and her reconnection with a failed bid at love. When an unexpected career challenge pushes Nancy to the edge, her impulse is to run. What other choice does she have? Face life head-on, and maybe, for once, stay.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Audiobook, Chick Lit, Womens Fiction, Mental Health

238 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 28, 2023

About the author

survivor. sur·vi·vor/sərˈvīvər/noun. a person who survives, especially a person remaining alive after a tragic event.

Robyn Lucas has always been a storyteller.

Being the middle child will do that.

After finding her way to Atlanta, GA by way of Hawaii, USVI, Miami, and South Carolina, Robyn Lucas developed a successful career in communications and marketing. Her background came in handy when her teenagers developed an award-winning mental health app which boasts over 100,000 downloads.

When Robyn is not writing, she enjoys spending time with her teens, Neflixing everything, reading, and snuggling with her dog, Trooper.

Reviews

[Spiritedbookishbabe]

I tried to read this book 4 months ago and I had to put it down and since then, I haven’t been able to put it back up and get it into it. To me this book was a little boring. It wasn’t at all what I thought it was going to be. It was and ok story it just wasn’t interesting enough for me to stay committed to finishing it.

[Susan Z (webreakforbooks)]

Maybe She'll Stay is Robyn Lucas's 2nd book. I absolutely loved her first book and jumped on at the chance to read her second.

Nancy is unlucky in love and has become a commitment phobe after three divorces. Her lack of success in the love department probably comes from her childhood. Growing up, her family was extremely dysfunctional, with a verbally abusive mom and an incarcerated dad.

When a family crisis strikes, Nancy is forced to reopen old wounds. She is also forced to lean on others for help.

Nancy was a complicated character, and much of her relationships with her parents resonated with me, despire is following different paths in love.

I loved watching the evolution of Nancy's character, her growth, vulnerability and trust.

The story lines in Robyn Lucas' two books are very different but what they do have in common is covering tough subjects with complex characters.

Robyn Lucas is a skilled writer and great storyteller. I will be anxiously awaiting her next book.

[C]

I found this to be such a comforting read. Perhaps because it is relatable (Narcissistic mother) tends to be a common thing, to an extent.

The pace was very quick. The plot was heartbreaking with the way the mother treated her and I felt so sorry for her, and myself I guess.

You kept wanting to find out what will happen next.
The story flows quite smoothly.
Thank you to the publishers for sending this novel in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Review: https://clife.blog/2023/02/01/book-re...

[Anna]

Only serial killers drank black coffee.

Thanks, I guess.

➵ 2.5 stars

[Rachel Holmer]

I really enjoyed this book - so much so that I finished it in one day as I simply couldn’t put it down. I really related to Nancy’s character & felt myself feeling all the emotions with her as I read through the book. I was cheering for her to find her way to love & so happy with how the book came to a close.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC - I’m thankful I was able to read it and highly suggest you do as well!

[Randi (randi_reads)]

I really enjoyed this book. I read it in one day. It's a relatively short book (under 250 pages), but it is so readable. Nancy Jewel is afraid to love, and she is afraid that she is unlovable. She has three failed marriages and is done with love and commitment. She has a great job as a college professor and a wonderful best friend in Lina. She thinks that is all she needs.

Nancy keeps her past to herself. Her father is in prison and her mother, Lucy, is emotionally abusive to her. Nancy hasn't spoken to either in a while until one day her mother calls and tells her that her father is dying. Lucy is trying to get him released from prison to live out his last days and wants Nancy's help, and, of course, soon everything is Nancy's fault. (according to her narcissist mother.)

Nancy gets help from Ashish, a lawyer and the one that she let get away. He wanted more than she was prepared to give. Ashish is amazing. He sticks by Nancy and shows her that she is loved and lovable.

Thank you to the author for the advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Tylah Marie]

Thank you to the author, Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts!

I'm finding this one quite difficult to rate but I think a 3 is going to have to do. I started reading this almost two months ago and I never once had a desire to pick it back up whenever I would find myself taking a break from reading it. In saying that, I never felt bored when I was reading this one and was quite enjoyable for the most part. The story flows quite nicely but it just didn't grab me in the way I usually liked to be grabbed when reading a book but I think a lot of people will find this story incredibly joyous to read!

[Shannon]

I really felt this book…I could truly relate to Nancy and what she had gone through as a child. While my situation is very different, there are so many similarities! I always appreciate when an author brings difficult topics to light in their writing.

Nancy is a college professor who had a rough childhood. Her father spent a good part of her life in jail while her mother was narcissistic and seemed to blame her for everything. Because of this Nancy avoided love like the plague - she was married 3 times, engaged a few more times and she was a regular on Tinder. After two years of not speaking to either of her parents, she finds out that her father has Stage 4 Lung Cancer and her mom wants her help getting him out of jail for the remainder of his life.

Fortunately for Nancy, her ex(not)-boyfriend Ashish comes back into her life. He is a lawyer that helps with the process of getting her dad out of jail, which also causes them to spend a lot more time together. It is a lot of “one step closer, two steps back” with them. But it is her father who makes Nancy see that she is loved/loveable.

I especially loved the letter that her dad had written to her, it had me in tears. Hank may not have been the greatest of dad’s but his love for Nancy showed. While there were times that Nancy drove me crazy, I could totally understand why she was acting the way that she did. It was a heartbreaking, quick, relatable read! I just loved Ashish - what a great guy to stand by Nancy’s side even when she was pushing him away.

𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦’𝕝𝕝 𝕗𝕚𝕟𝕕 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕓𝕠𝕠𝕜:
Second chance romance
Sworn off relationships
Emotional scars
Family secrets
No self-worth

Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Robyn Lucas for the Advanced Readers Copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

[Mari]

Note to self: Make sure I am in a better place when I read women's literature concerning narcissistic mothers.

Robyn Lucas tells the story of a woman who is trying to find balance in her life and getting derailed from said balance once her emotional abusive mother comes back into the picture with news of her incarcerated father developing stage four lung cancer. To top it all off, Robyn spirals into depression convincing herself she is unlovable.

I picked this book up from Kindle Unlimited because I wanted to read something with a complicated mother-daughter relationship. I did indeed find just that. While Lucas writing is very good, I did find the first part of the book extremely slow. Normally I can overlook that, but considering this is a very tiny book (able to read it in one day) it was not something I found favorable. Were it not for my interest in the story, I would have to DNF. This is why I am rating it four stars. I cried at the end so 1 star for making me emotional lol.

Once the story picks up, Lucas does a great job going into detail of the effects of having an emotional abusive mother. I appreciate how she made everything grey because all real life relationships especially with this sort of abuse, is complex. There's always an unhealed trauma that passes on to the next generation. I thought the epilogue was perfect as well keeping things realistic and it made me happy to see Nancy (the MC) happy.

[Bonnie]

I won this as a Giveaway. Sometimes these are meh and sometimes they're good. This one was definitely good. At first I thought it was just another book about a screwed up career woman who's trying to figure out herself but then realized I was caught up in the story so kept reading, wondering if it would have a happy ending.

[Jessica Stevens]

2.5 ⭐️

[Hailey Rautanen]

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for an ARC of this story in return for my honest review.
I finished Paper Doll Lina and as soon as I finished, I was so excited to see that Robyn had come out with a second story and that I was able to read it via Net Galley.

Nancy being a hard shell, boss girl, Nancy had it all figured out. She was a professor at a prestigious university, active best friend, and loving Aunt to her best friend's kids. Nancy did not want or need a man and kids to fulfil her goals in life. Enter Ashish. Throughout the story Nancy deals with family trauma that brings her to realize that her hard shell may be making her heart cold on the inside. Ashish shows Nancy in her times of need that she is lovable, and he is willing to show her that.

I really appreciate Robyn for writing a Rom-Com that is so realistic and relatable. As I was reading the story, I had so many parallels in my life that resonated with Nancy. Family trauma can affect a person in so many ways but not be seen by others on the outside. The feeling of never being good enough, accomplishments washed away, unlovable, and not being able to show emotions are all carried out through this story by Robyn so eloquently. Real life issues are on display. Although it can cause some reflection if you relate to any of these issues, it was an overall great story that shows character growth. The last question is will Mimi get a story next?!? :)

[Camille]

Nancy prefers not to have any attachments. She keeps things at a distance. But when her incarcerated father gets diagnosed with cancer, she’s brought back into the life that she thought she had gotten away from.

This book will bring comfort to those who know what it’s like to deal with a narcissistic parent and have experience with strained family relationships. I felt for Nancy and the way she was mistreated by her narcissistic mother. You could see how it affected how she viewed herself— not knowing her own self-worth, fearing that she’s unlovable and can’t love others in return. Her relationship with her estranged brother also brought strain to an already tense situation. Nancy’s safe place throughout all of this is her father, him providing her with the reassurance and love that she needs to move forward through life.

The storyline was a bit too on the nose for me personally. Definitely had its moments of hitting me in the feels with its relatability. The readability and pace of the book was easy and quick. The title of the book is very fitting for Nancy as our main character. She’s used to running but maybe, just maybe, for once, she’ll stay.. And she’ll realize that blood doesn’t always mean family, but being able to choose who is does.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Casey R Kelley]

A book you can get lost in

I found Robyn Lucas by chance last summer via a fellow booktoker talking about Paper Doll Lina - a 5 star read. I was so happy to learn that the story continued with Nancy’s journey. While not the space I am in today, I could see myself in the experience of feeling unlovable and unworthy. I also could relate to having outlets that offered distractions from the emptiness. My hope is that readers that haven’t experienced Nancy’s journey will find empathy and this offer a guide on maneuvering fragile relationships. This author’s writing causes you to get lost in the story so much so that I read this book in one sitting. The characters’ plight leaps off the pages. The rollercoaster of friendships and the confusion caused by some romantic relationships was so tangible in this story. I am looking forward to more from this new author.

[Paulette Kennedy]

MAYBE SHE’LL STAY is a compelling, beautifully human novel exploring the lies we believe about ourselves, generational trauma, and how we reckon with the past. Lucas captivates with her sensitively-written, emotional prose.

Due to her relationship with her narcissistic mother, Nancy believes, deep-down, that she is unlovable and will never be “good enough.” After a string of failed marriages, she goes from hookup to hookup, never letting anyone see the tender heart beneath her strong and capable facade—keeping people at arm’s length so they can’t hurt her. Apart from her best friend, Lina, the protagonist of PAPER DOLL LINA, Nancy has never had a true, lasting friendship.

And then she gets a phone call from her estranged mother. Her incarcerated father, the only parental figure who ever showed Nancy unconditional love, has terminal cancer. After years of asserting self-preserving boundaries, having to deal with her mother again—for her father’s sake—scrapes open old wounds. Nancy is soon in the throes of self-doubt and the devastating scapegoat dynamic she knows all too well. Her ex-boyfriend, Ashish—the most stable and emotionally mature partner Nancy has ever had—serves as a steadfast support as she navigates her mother’s abuse and the possibility of losing her dad. The two of them put aside their differences so that Ashish, an attorney, can work to secure a compassionate release for Nancy’s father.

Wow, this novel. I could go into the personal experiences this book brought to the surface of my own emotions, but suffice it to say that Robyn Lucas has a deep, deep understanding of psychology and the dynamics of codependency, complex familial bonds, and emotional abuse. PAPER DOLL LINA and MAYBE SHE’LL STAY are inspired
novels that will make many people feel seen and offer hope and validation. While it’s not necessary to read them together to have an understanding of Lina and Nancy’s stories, the richness of both stories compliment one another beautifully.

Robyn Lucas’s books get people talking. I can’t wait to see what she writes next!

[Kookie9200]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

I'm going to be honest, this was nearly a DNF for me. I told myself I'd give it to 20% to keep me invested enough to keep going, and it barely did. The book is about Nancy Jewel, a woman with a great house, a nice job, and a single and loving lifestyle. Except all of it is built on lies. She has a narcissistic mother, an absentee brother, and a father in prison. She lies to everyone about her family and pretends she is happy-go-lucky. She isn't. She's stuck in an endless loop of meaningless hook ups and one night stands with strangeres as well as her ex husband.. When she's confronted with the fact her father is gravely ill, she has to find a way to help him.

The main reason I feel that I didn't like this book was Nancy. She's a psychology professor yet she is an absolute mess. Now, I'm not saying that just because she's in the field doesn't mean she can't have mental health problems at all, but wow. At some point, she should have had least realized she needed therapy. Instead, she comes off as completely whiny and unlikeable. there were so many times I wanted to shake her and tell her that she was playing into being a victim. The moments meant to make the reader feel bad for her never clicked for me because there wasn't enough substance to the character to build a bond. I just didn't like her. She was judgemental, whiny, and almost childlike in how she handled things. In the moments where we see her as a take-charge woman, it barely reflects who she actually is. This book was basically a "feel sorry for me because I have trauma and crappy parents" fest and it annoyed me.

The so-called growth of Nancy never happened. She spends so much of the book feeling sorry for herself and pushing people away only to snap out of it near the end because someone says they love her. It isn't growth. She put no work into bettering herself or taking the steps to make changes in how she felt about HERSELF. It was like "Oh, okay, this person loves me so I'm loveable and can be happy." It honestly made me want to throw my kindle. If this book was truly about a flawed character that grows into someone who loves herself and realizes she doesn't need all the props she's put into place to make herself feel better, then I could appreciate her falling in love and learning to accept the relationship with flawed parents. That wasn't this book though.

[Min L]

“Love never really goes away; you just have to look for it a little harder”

Nancy, a successful professor had everything on the outside - well put together and great at her job, no one would think otherwise. Yet Nancy has always believed that she was never the woman who could love and commit to another like the majority of the others. Three failed marriages and a hating mother reminded her repeatedly. One day, her mother came to her with a phone call with news about her father, and all of a sudden, she had to face her greatest fear. Or will she? Will she remain unlovable forever?

**

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

To be honest, I found myself trying to get into the book in the beginning. The progress was slow, I wouldn’t deny especially not when I was trying to figure out Nancy. Until chapter ten when I finally think that there is a silver lining to this book. Even then, I was a little annoyed with Nancy because of how closed up she was, towards everyone around her who love her. I can only imagine how terrible for a mum to always be gaslighting her. Truth be told, perhaps I was unable to relate, which was why I couldn’t understand Nancy. Perhaps it was also why it took me a while to get past the beginning. Yet I had a feeling that this would turn out well, therefore I pushed through instead of DNF this.

True enough, as I went further into this book, Nancy’s false facade was slowly cracking away. Her father was the only person who loved her enough to stand up for her and protect her from her mother. The intimate moments between Nancy and her father captured my heart and nearing the end of the book, I bawled my eyes out.

What if you lose someone forever but instead find that their love never once left you?
What if it takes losing someone to have you searching within yourself, only to find that you are not what you think you are and that you are so much more?

In my opinion, the ending turned out well and it became a beautiful read even though it had a rough start. This is truly a beautiful book of love and self-discovery which I recommend!

[Laurie]

A crazy, heartbreaking story that I adored even when I despised it!
The main character, Nancy wants nothing more than to figure out "what is wrong with her"?
Why must she always run from the people who care?
It's not her. It's the dysfunctional person she grew up with who has created doubt and fear.
The poison and abuse are impossible to unlearn.
Nancy needs to move forward and try to forget, but it can't be done, until she understands that she is loved. Really loved and a good person!
Her dad, who is dying, may be just the one to help Nancy. He knows...
Time is running out for her father. Is there time to help his daughter?

"Love never really goes away; you just have to look for it a little harder. Pay attention to the small things."
This is an amazing, touching quote we all need to remember. Will Nancy?

Thank you to @NetGalley and to @LakeUnion Publishing for this ARC and allowing me to provide my own review.

[Jackie Sunday]

This is a comforting book for those that can relate to a narcissistic mother. Nancy Jewel has been married three times and has buried her idea of love. Her brother, Jeff, isn’t supportive and her mother, Lucy, has all the signs of being an emotionally damaging parent. Her dad has been in a prison most of her life. Is it possible that Nancy can learn to block the negative energy she has been surrounded from birth and find love?

While the pace was quick, I found that the plot was heartbreaking with her mother that weaved in and out of one verbal attack upon another. It was difficult for me to relate to the characters. However, other readers may understand what it’s like to be confronted by constant remarks of guilt, criticism and anger. It’s thought provoking and could lead to a good discussion.

My thanks to Robyn Lucas, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy with an expected release date of February 28, 2023.

[Peggy Wagner]

Nancy Jewell, our protagonist, struggles to find her way after three marriages, a manipulative mother, and a terminally ill father. This book is set in Athens, GA—near my home and the protagonist is a psychologist like me. I found the character a bit disarming—she’s very complicated and had a complicated life. A flamboyant woman with multiple intriguing permanent and transitory relationships, perhaps the reader will find similarities in their own life, perhaps not. An interesting character study of psychological growth and challenges.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advance review copy!

[Cari]

Another satisfying read by Robyn Lucas! I will expand more in my Booklist review, but I wanted to say that I loved seeing characters from Paper Doll Lina here again. Narcissism in families is serious business, so it feels weird to say that I felt comforted by this book. But being back in that universe with those characters I loved so much was nice. (And I felt a kinship with Nancy, having gone through similar situations on my own).

[Leanna Mattea]

I really enjoyed Paper Doll Lina, but just couldn’t connect with this story. Nancy was just too damaged and made no efforts to help herself. She turned away everyone that tried to help her. This story just drags out over the course of the book.
I love Robyn Lucas and will be ready for her next effort.
This one just didn’t grab me.
My thanks to NetGalley, and Lake Union for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Danielle]

Nancy is Lina’s best friend, and keeps herself pretty closed off. Her mom, Lucy, is narcissistic on her best day, and that has created so many issues for Nancy. Loved the writing and storyline!

[Beth]

Oh my GOD, this was a wonderful read! Nancy’s story & character development simultaneously broke my heart & put it back together again and I loved every second of it.

[sclx.archives]

3.5/5 stars

"𝑻𝒐 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝑵𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒚 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒊𝒕 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒈𝒐𝒏𝒆. 𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅. 𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒄𝒂𝒑𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆."

Trigger Warning:- Death, Trauma, Mental Illness, Emotional Abuse.

The story follows the life of a psychology professor, Nancy Jewel, who has a kept her broken family consisting of an estranged brother, a narcissistic and emotionally abusive mother, and a father in the prison, a secret. Besides them she's been through three terrible marriages, a string of unsuccessful dates, and an unruly romantic relationship, but has no one she can love and rely on.

Nancy's living a lie and her life is kept intact by just "faking" it all. She is stuck in an endless loop, and is too tired and too damaged to fight her way out of it. She pushes everyone away to live in the fixed boundary that she has made for all the relationships- be it romantic, platonic, or familial.

She is clear that she is not capable of being loved or loving anyone else, and it is all because of the toxicity that she had to face from her mother during her childhood. When she learns that her beloved father, has been diagnosed with terminal illness, and only has few months left with him, her entire world shatters, and she feels that she'll be left all alone.

The story deeply explores the theme of emotional abuse and toxicity of narcissistic parent that can shape your entire world, keep you from living your own truth, and feel like you are incapable of being loved. The author does a phenomenal job of showing how a parent's behavior towards their children affect them mentally, and how it is the key to the child's future relationships with every other individual, making it or breaking it with the underlying mental trauma.

The only thing that didn't sit right with me was how, during the entire book, Nancy was suffocated with various problems and instead of actually doing anything about it - she just kept criticizing. I felt that the book should have focused more on Nancy's growth as a character instead of showing her crying and complaining about her problems all the time. I found it ironic that despite being a psych professor, Nancy was such a mess and couldn't communicate her issues.

I found the pace of the book to be smooth, but a little slow for my liking. However, I still enjoyed the book!

In the end, I'd like to thank the author, Robyn Lucas, Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing me the arc.

[Jasmine Gold]

This is a book the world should know about.

Heroine Nancy is a 40ish woman, psychology professor, thrice divorced, commitment-phobe, takes no shit from anyone. Despite hiding it from herself and others, Nancy has a good heart. She helps a student in a very bad situation, and loves her best friend's kids. Surprisingly, she is even good with babies.

We slowly learn more about Nancy at the same time the people around her do. She has hidden her past so completely that she decorates her house with frames holding the sample photos they came with.

It turns out, her mother is a narcissist -- not in the casual sense of selfish and likes to talk about herself, but in the DSM-V diagnosis sense. (If you want to know more about what that means, I recommend these videos.) Her father is in prison for armed robbery. She is estranged from them both.

When Nancy learns that her father is dying, her carefully curated life starts to unravel. She is forced to interact with her mother, and face her father's mortality. Her family secrets come to light, as do the lies she has told people who believed they were close to her. She realizes how empty her life is, which gives her the opportunity to fill it, if she can find the courage.

Yeah, there's a guy in the story. His name is Ashish and he's pretty perfect. He's hot and smart and gainfully employed and helps everyone out. He even funded a high school project to grow food to feed the poor. He never complains about how badly Nancy treats him. Apparently he sees her true heart.

It would have been a better book if Ashish were a little more layered. That said, I cried all through the last third of the book, as Nancy navigates her relationships with pretty much everyone in her life and comes to accept that, despite what her mother says, she deserves love. So does this book.

I first published a version of this review in A Middle-Aged Divorcee Writes Smut. Blog is 18+. https://m-adws.blogspot.com/2023/09/r...

[whatnolareads]

Readers are taken on an emotional journey through the tumultuous life of psychology professor Nancy Jewel. Fed up with failed marriages, disappointing dates, and the scars left by her emotionally abusive mother, Nancy has become disillusioned with the idea of love and commitment. However, when she receives news of her father's terminal illness, she's forced to confront her past and her strained family relationships.

As Nancy navigates the complexities of her father's illness and her reconnection with her estranged mother, she grapples with the ghosts of her toxic childhood and her own feelings of inadequacy. Lucas skillfully captures Nancy's inner turmoil and her struggle to find self-worth amidst the chaos of her past.

The novel offers solace and understanding to readers who have experienced similar challenges with narcissistic parents and strained family dynamics. Nancy's journey towards self-acceptance and healing is both relatable and inspiring, as she learns to confront her fears and embrace the possibility of staying instead of running away.

While the storyline may feel familiar at times, Lucas's honest portrayal of Nancy's struggles and her heartfelt exploration of the power of choice and self-discovery add depth to the narrative. The book's easy readability and quick pace make it a compelling and engaging read, with moments of emotional resonance that will leave readers reflecting on their own relationships and experiences.

Overall, "Maybe She'll Stay" is a touching and thought-provoking novel that offers a message of hope and resilience. Nancy's journey reminds us that true family is not defined by blood but by the bonds we choose to nurture and the love we choose to embrace. This book is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the transformative power of self-love and acceptance.

[Kayla]

“Love never really goes away. You just have to look harder for it.”

Thank you Robyn Lucas and Lake House Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Maybe She’ll Stay will be available 2/28/23!

After three disastrous marriages, a series of bad dates, and a tumultuous relationship with an emotionally abusive mother, psychology professor Nancy Jewel is through with love and commitment.
Romantic or familial, the notion is a waste of her time. Content with being alone, she's starting to feel normal-ish when she learns her father, incarcerated in Georgia, has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Nancy is determined to get him a compassionate release, even if it means returning home and reaching out for help from the last attorney she wants to see: her recent ex. Back in her estranged mother's orbit, and dealing with the fear of losing her father, Nancy wrestles with the ghosts of her toxic childhood and her reconnection with a failed bid at love. When an unexpected career challenge pushes Nancy to the edge, her impulse is to run. What other choice does she have? Face life head-on, and maybe, for once, stay.

My heart broke for Nancy. In Maybe She’ll stay we see a new side to the Nancy we meet in Paper Doll Lina. I loved the relationship she has with her dad and how he wanted nothing more than for her to be happy. This was a beautifully written story about mental health and the struggle with having a narcissistic parent. Robyn Lucas always brings awareness to difficult topics with her books. If she writes it, I’m going to read it!

“You are lovable.”

Rating: 4.5 ⭐️s

[Liana Lopez]

**ARC review**

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for having this available as an ARC.

I read this in one day as it has a steady flow throughout the book. This book is really about self acceptance and knowing your self worth.

The MC Nancy clearly had self esteem and worth issues that stemmed from her narcisstic mother. I never had a parent who was a narcissist, though I do know what it's like to have a partner who is, so could really relate to what was happening.. This is where Nancy failed in her three marriages and every relationship after that. The toxicity of the commentary from her mother played on her own thoughts and feelings.

Even though Hank had it tough, going to jail twice, he never stopped appreciating his children and the beauty they brought to his life. With all the feeling of being unloved, it was Hank that uplifted Nancy to realise she was so much more to people and there were those that cared. I think because of her tumultuous relationship with her mum, Nancy held people at an arm's length because in some way she was always sabotaging those connections.

With all the self sabotage, it was evenly distributed to Ashish too. I don't think she fully believed that she could be his equal because she thought she'd lose him eventually. Hank's words cemented into Nancy's growth as a character.

Would love to see if Nancy's mum ever mellows out from her narcisstic behaviour with therapy or something like that, but since this seems like a stand alone, I won't get that answer.

[Luis]

2,5/5
I don’t know how I feel about this book.
On the one hand I like these stories in which one of the main characters believes that it cannot be loved, I ended up excited and leave me with a very beautiful and tender feeling. It’s true that at first you suffer for Nancy, our protagonist, because of how she feels, because she thinks no one will ever love her because she believes she cannot be loved. Because you see how she ends up alienating people who try to support her and tell her that they love her. It really worth it to see how she reconciles with herself.
On the other hand, I didn’t like how Nancy’s mother treated her. She was right to tell her that she doesn’t let himself be loved and that she runs away from her problems, but the way she said it made me feel uncomfortable.
They had a very toxic relationship, being the very cruel mother and for free, and she was always making drama for any nonsense. And the worst thing is that the rest of the family justifies it by saying that she does love her, that she does it for her own good, that is not a big deal. She always treated her badly, made her fell small and made her she didn’t deserve love, and they still says it’s no big deal.
I understand this was the author’s idea to give her drama to Nancy, and she has done a great job with it, but I don’t think his mother deserved a final redemption, let alone in three lines. That’s why I didn’t give to this book the three stars.
Otherwise I have enjoyed the story and I hope to follow more closely the next works of the author.