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Atmosphere Press

Pub date April 21, 2026

ISBN 979-8901741788

Print length 376 pages

Price $18.99 (USD) Paperback, $7.99 Kindle edition

A middle-aged real estate agent’s carefully constructed life unravels, and forces her to rebuild from the inside out in Brown’s latest novel. Peg McMann is not where she expected to be at this stage of life. Her husband has left, her children offer little sympathy, and a younger, ambitious colleague is circling both her career and her ex. With menopause comes an unwelcome trio of hot flashes, mood swings, and mental fog, leaving Peg unsettled, reactive, and reexamining the very foundations of her identity. To those around her, she still projects control and competence. However, beneath the surface, she is coming undone.

Told in a sharp, self-deprecating voice, Peg’s story balances chaos with humor. Her ongoing conversations with both herself and God are witty, candid, and often laugh-out-loud funny, offering relief amid the heavier themes of divorce, aging, and self-worth. Brown captures the dissonance between outward appearances and internal struggle with authenticity and compassion. When everything seems to unravel—her career faltering and her personal life uncertain—Peg begins to shift her perspective. Moving beyond self-pity and impossible standards, she starts to rebuild her sense of self. What emerges is a gentle, realistic path toward purpose and inner balance. With equal parts humor and heart, the novel portrays midlife as a space for growth, where discomfort and uncertainty give way to renewed strength and clarity. A definite winner.

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