I am SO EXCITED to bring you my review of Agatha Arch is Afraid of Everything by Kristin Bair O’Keeffe for Suzy Approved Book Reviews

About The Book: 

Release Date: November 10, 2020

Alcove Press

A quirky, nervous wreck of a New England mom is forced to face her many fears in this touching, irresistible novel from author Kristin Bair.

Agatha Arch’s life shatters when she discovers her husband in their backyard shed, in flagrante delicto, giving the local dog walker some heavy petting. Suddenly, Agatha finds herself face to face with everything that frightens her…and that’s a loooooong list.

Agatha keeps those she loves close. Everyone else, she keeps as far away as possible. So she’s a mystery to nearly everyone in her New England town. To her husband, she’s a saucy, no-B.S. writer. To her Facebook Moms group, she’s a provocateur. To her neighbor, she’s a standoffish pain in the butt. To her sons, she’s chocolate pudding with marshmallows. And to her shrink, she’s a bundle of nerves on the brink of a cataclysmic implosion.

Defying her abundant assortment of anxieties, Agatha dons her “spy pants”–a pair of khakis whose many pockets she crams with binoculars, fishing line, scissors, flashlight, a Leatherman Super Tool 300 EOD, candy, and other espionage essentials–and sets out to spy on her husband and the dog walker. Along the way, she finds another intriguing target to follow: a mysterious young woman who’s panhandling on the busiest street in town.

It’s all a bit much for timorous Agatha. But with the help of her Bear Grylls bobblehead, a trio of goats, and a dog named Balderdash, Agatha may just find the courage to build a better life.

Miss W’s Review:

THIS BOOK ! IS EVERYTHING!

Agatha Arch is Afraid of Everything by Kristin Bair O’Keeffe is a heartfelt, comical well written novel. I LOVED this novel to no END, and I didn’t want it to end. And yes, Agatha Arch is Afraid of Everything! When Agatha comes home to find her husband and the dog walker (NO they don’t have a dog) having sex in the backyard shed, she loses her mind. As someone with anxiety, I totally related to Agatha. Her character is well written and quirky and I laughed so many times. And …goats! Yes there are goats in the book which really added such a layer of fun. I would be remiss if I did not mention the Facebook Moms Group. After discovering her husbands affair she reaches out to her moms Facebook group for support and goes off the rails. There are so many things to love about Agatha , I mean she has a nickname for her therapist and the moms on Facebook the interactions are hilarious. I think that Agatha find unique ways to deal with her fears. I have to say , this is one of my favorite books of 2020. It is fresh, unique and well written. I was cheering on for Agatha the whole time! Highly recommend this fun read!

About The Author:

Kristin Bair is the author of the novels The Art of Floating and Thirsty, as well as essays about China, bears, adoption, off-the-plot expats, and more. Her work has appeared in numerous magazines and journals, including The Manifest-Station, The Gettysburg Review, Flyway: Journal of Writing and Environment, The Christian Science Monitor, Poets & Writers Magazine, Writer’s Digest, and other publications. As a writing instructor, her peripatetic nature has landed her in classrooms and conferences around the world. A native Pittsburgher, Kristin now lives north of Boston with her husband and two kiddos.

http://www.kristinbairokeeffe.com/

I hope you will get a copy of this book and love it as much as I did!

Until the next chapter,

Wilfrieda