Praise for the book

“She sought help—the system failed her. She medicated—it numbed her temporarily. She tried to leave on her terms—the universe said ‘absolutely not.’”

This book is unlike anything I’ve read before. It is deep, dark, and completely unfiltered. There are warnings in the first few pages because she is not sugarcoating a damn thing.

She’s a real person: a mom, a wife, a nurse, and a veteran. Speaking from a nurse’s perspective, I know how consuming this career is. You try not to take your work home, but that’s never the case. Even when your life feels like it’s falling apart, you are expected to get out of bed, paint that smile on, and show up to care for strangers when you’re struggling to even care for yourself.

She has lived a life of turmoil starting at a very young age. The people who should have protected her taught her that ignorance was bliss. If you ignore it, it doesn’t exist, it can’t hurt you. The more she ignored and pushed things down, the worse things got for her.

She has a purpose: she’s breaking generational trauma, she’s speaking up. For all the little Tiffs out there, for those who think there’s no way out. For the moms, the daughters, the veterans, and for the nurses, like me, who need to know that putting themselves first is essential. She’s strength and light. A WARRIOR! ♥

“This isn’t another Disney movie about a single mom who can’t cope. Reader beware, this is real.”

This is a self-help book like no other. You will be on the edge of your seat relating to the raw reality of life through the eyes of the author. Abuse. Drug use. Trauma. And of course dysfunctional family.

As in real life, serious healing is needed in many areas in order for Tiff to choose to live, but in this case, it doesn’t come in traditional Western ways. If you are open, you may relate to some of her journey, and eventually find some of your own personal healing along the way.

“This would be a good read for anyone who struggles to be ‘good enough’, anyone raising kids on their own, or working a demanding job, anyone who has suffered abuse or is affected by addictions, especially in their family, anyone who feels alone, or that they can’t go on, anyone facing their ‘demons’, and looking for self-help, or anyone realizing that the Western World approach of more, bigger, harder, faster, stronger, better, is NOT what life is about… anyone who is ready.”

“One of the most raw, honest, and deeply human books I’ve read.”

Tiffany’s unique writing style draws the reader into the internal world beneath everyday life, weaving intrusive thoughts, trauma, addiction, and dissociation into ordinary moments with a visceral honesty that makes the experience feel incredibly real.

The descriptions of doing something as ordinary as getting pizza while simultaneously experiencing this incredibly complex and painful internal world gave the reader a much more visceral sense of what that experience actually feels like. She wasn’t just telling the reader what was happening inside her head; she was showing us how those thoughts and experiences can exist alongside everyday life, sometimes without anyone around her knowing what is happening beneath the surface. I found that really powerful.

This is the kind of book where you find yourself thinking about it while you’re doing completely mundane things — washing dishes, folding laundry, driving home, etc. It sticks with you for hours and days, and I imagine for much longer.

I LOVE the writing style. It feels very fresh precisely because it isn’t overly polished. It feels raw and genuine, and I think that works incredibly well for what she is trying to communicate. There is something deeply meaningful about seeing yourself reflected in someone else’s words, or realizing that something you thought you were experiencing alone has been experienced by someone else too. Beneath the heaviness is also a story of self-healing, self-forgiveness, and learning that you are worth the effort of rebuilding. This is a difficult, beautiful, and deeply personal book that offers both perspective and connection, and it is the kind of story that stays with you long after you’ve set the book down.

More than anything, my first thought after reading this was just thank you. Thank you, Tiffany, for sharing your story with the world in this way.

“Raw, honest, emotional, and incredibly brave.”

Reading your story, I found myself pausing because I related to so many of the feelings and experiences you put into words. As a woman who has spent 20 years in the military and as part of the LGBTQ+ community, your words often felt especially close to home. I know I’m not the only one who will see pieces of themselves in these pages.

Thank you for trusting us with something so personal. It takes incredible courage to open those doors and let people see what’s behind them.

I am so damn proud of you. You are truly one of the bravest women I know. Thank you for being a hero, a warrior, and a voice for those of us who sometimes couldn’t find the words. Let’s go, chica! ❤️🔥

“…this is raw, powerful, and an emotional roller coaster.”

For readers who take their time, this will really hit home. There is an almost demonic intensity to some of the imagery.

The emotional weight comes through before the full picture does.

You are a superwoman. I genuinely don’t know anyone who is a better mother. The attention and care you give your family—and everyone around you—are unrivalled. Knowing the person you are today makes this all the more powerful. I’m proud of you.

“This book is intense, raw, heavy, and deeply informative. Most of all, it is validating.”

Every modality, every experience, and every piece of the journey can become part of the puzzle.

It validates the experiences of people living with addiction. It validates those who have experienced abuse. And it validates the complicated, deeply personal journey of survivors—reminding us that healing rarely happens in a straight line. It comes in spurts, in unexpected moments, and no one can know exactly how long the journey will take.

In the end, each person has to find their own way of putting those pieces together and, along the way, reconnect with their own inner compass.

The book also gives us an opportunity to better understand the experience of those who love and support someone who is struggling. There is so much pain, exhaustion, uncertainty, love, and determination in walking alongside a loved one. And those who support them can sometimes lose their own sense of direction in the process. By telling your story so honestly, you have exposed both your strengths and your vulnerabilities, reminding readers that they are not alone.

“Dude! It is riveting! My biggest takeaway is that you cannot heal until you believe that you deserve to be healed.”

“My perfectionism was just a high-level ego defense mechanism. Manipulating the world to keep it safe, but all it did was exhaust my own battery.” I feel that through your experiences, I’m understanding myself better. I’ve realized lately that I’ve been wearing masks for a good part of my life. You’ve made me realize that they were also my defense mechanisms, a highly empathic child and adult who rarely felt like they fit in. Square peg, round hole.

This is definitely not normally my kind of book, but if life didn’t keep getting in the way, I would have read it all in one shot just to see what happens next. My biggest takeaway is that you cannot heal until you believe that you deserve to be healed, to be whole.

“You are truly a warrior. I’m so proud and grateful you took this journey to help heal little Tiff.”

I just finished your book. Wow, it was quite a ride. I knew a little bit of your past, but never imagined how much pain you must have been in. I’m happy for your beautiful children, as they have a mama with the best heart to love and care for them.

Thank you for sharing your incredible story. I could relate to a few things.