Are We There Yet?
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A novel
by Kathleen West
On Sale: March 16, 2021
Publisher: Berkley
Hardcover: 352 Pages
Publisher Description
Among fake Instagram pages, long-buried family secrets, and the horrors of middle school, one suburban mom searches to find herself in a heartfelt and thought-provoking novel from the author of Minor Dramas and Other Catastrophes.
Alice Sullivan feels like she’s finally found her groove in middle age, but it only takes one moment for her perfectly curated life to unravel. On the same day she learns her daughter is struggling in second grade, a call from her son’s school accusing him of bullying throws Alice into a tailspin.
When it comes to light that the incident is part of a new behavior pattern for her son, one complete with fake social media profiles with a lot of questionable content, Alice’s social standing is quickly eroded to one of “those moms” who can’t control her kids. Soon she’s facing the very judgement she was all too happy to dole out when she thought no one was looking (or when she thought her house wasn’t made of glass).
Then her mother unloads a family secret she’s kept for more than thirty years, and Alice’s entire perception of herself is shattered.
As her son’s new reputation polarizes her friendships and her family buzzes with the ramification of her mother’s choices, Alice realizes that she’s been too focused on measuring her success and happiness by everyone else’s standards. Now, with all her shortcomings laid bare, she’ll have to figure out to whom to turn for help and decide who she really wants to be.
About the author
Kathleen West is a veteran middle and high-school teacher. She graduated with a degree in English from Macalester College and holds a Master’s degree in literacy education from the University of Minnesota. She lives in Minneapolis with her hilarious husband, two sporty sons, and very bad goldendoodle.
For more about Kathleen, check her website HERE!
Praise
“Kathleen West’s latest novel, Are We There Yet, brilliantly portrays the angst, the pain, and the triumph of modern day parenting. But this book is about more than hyper-competitive parenting. It’s about friendships and betrayals. It’s about how we handle failure and the many ways we let those we love down, and then put the pieces back together again. Are We There Yet perfectly captures the friendships we form when our children are little, and the often painful ways they shift and change as our kids grow up and into their own identities. I fell head-first into this novel and I didn’t want to leave.”—Julie Clark, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Flight
“A sparkling, page-turning take on modern motherhood that reminds us, in the most entertaining way possible, that the illusion of control can be blinding. A family drama full of surprises and plenty of heart, Are We There Yet will give you all the feels. I loved it.”—Jamie Brenner, author of The Forever Summer and Blush
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“With crisp prose, a compelling cast of characters, and a storyline that will immediately strike a chord with parents (as well as anyone who’s spent time around tweens and teens), Are We There Yet hits all the right notes. Kathleen West’s latest is at once a clear-eyed portrait of the challenges of our fast-paced, technology-obsessed society and a heartfelt and empathetic examination of motherhood. Highly recommended.”—Camille Pagán, bestselling author of This Won’t End Well
“An astute and witty look at the ties that bind us and the events that can undo them. Are We There Yet is a nuanced take on contemporary parenting bursting with warmth and heart.”—Julia Whelan, author of My Oxford Year
“A timely, engaging story about modern parenthood and familial angst told with graceful insight, witty humor, and more than a few deliciously page-turning twists. Kathleen West has delivered a novel full of heart and soul.”—Lisa Duffy, author of My Kind of People
“Are We There Yet is a sharp-eyed but generous novel, filled with a vivid cast of characters. Despite their flaws, you can’t help but root for them as they grapple with their competitive urges, family secrets, and some very lewd graffiti. I laughed out loud, and got real nervous about someday having tweens of my own.”—Laura Hankin, author of Happy and You Know It“West has her hand on the pulse of adolescent angst fed by academic and social pressure, jealousies and raging hormones—all compounded by social media—but also the self-doubts experienced by parents (mothers in particular) who can be as lost as their children when it comes to handling the challenges of puberty. Soulful and entertaining, this offers plenty of insight on the space children need to make their own mistakes.” —Publishers Weekly
“From the very first page of ARE WE THERE YET, Kathleen West treated my emotions like a rag doll being thrown across a room. Taking the energy of MINOR DRAMAS to a new level, Kathleen brings us a new set of kids and parents that seem to have a magical ability to take a problem and make it exponentially worse! Parents are going to love this cringe-worthy, read in one-sitting novel! Kathleen West shows us that you are never too old or too young to have a major screw up, but you can always make a fresh start.” —Mary O’Malley, free-range bookseller-at-large for Skylark Bookshop and Because Books
“Kathleen is the American Liane Moriarty. Anyone who has raised children in comfortable suburbia will recognize these characters – and laugh or cringe as you recognize yourself. Gossip, social mayhem, and jealousy are neatly wrapped up in smart prose that will have the book clubs reaching for more wine as they discuss “ARE WE THERE YET?” Kathleen West combines an astute look at middle class parenting with laugh out loud fun. This is an all around winner.” —Pamela Klinger-Horn, Excelsior Bay Books
“With situations familiar to parents anticipating, in the midst of, or just happy to be past their kids’ teenage years, Are We There Yet? brings grace, wit, and warmth to a challenging time.” —Booklist
