LOVED IT! WHAT AN ENGAGING, SMART AND HEARTFELT DEBUT NOVEL. PERFECT BOOK CLUB SELECTION.

The writing was captivating and flowed so beautifully. I simply could not put this book down. Isabelle's journey of self discovery entwined with complicated relationships was compelling. I wanted to know what would happen next with Isabelle. The unwavering support Isabelle had, particularly from her brother, is what most people only dream of having. Book clubs would have a field day discussing the intricacies and the choices each of the characters made.

I really appreciated the timeline notation on each page in the printed copy of the book. I have never seen that level of detail before and since we get to understand Isabelle's personal journey from young adulthood, it provided a great quick reference.

Strong recommendation for this book.

Such an amazing book! I felt it in my bones, and related to the main character instantly. I felt seen, I cried and I celebrated with them. I thought I knew where things were headed and can usually predict a books ending pretty early, and this one really got me with a twist I wasn’t expecting. I cannot recommend it enough to anyone who has experienced the pain of what-ifs and the depth of trauma that going into lock-down for COVID was like for so many women with school age children.

"In her debut novel, Berthiaume captures a woman's full experience of life in the most realistic way I've encountered. She flawlessly paints the steadfast comfort of long-term love and the anguish of forbidden chemistry side by side. This book has everything! The horribly relatable coping struggles throughout the height of the pandemic, childhood nostalgia, the complicated nature of growing and changing relationships with family and friends-even action and drama and twists when you least expect them! Defining Me is the perfect vacation book to tear through, reluctantly setting down for meals and other activities, and one you will want to recommend to every one of your girlfriends. I hope this marks the beginning of a long writing career by a phenomenal new author."

Defining Me by brand new author LM Berthiaume is a great escape into what could have been. A successful businesswoman, adoring mom of two kids, wife of dreamy husband, Isabelle struggles with a tenuous relationship with her mother; healthy tension relating to career, travel and motherhood; and some particularly powerful unfinished heartsplosure from her past. All colliding against the strange backdrop of Covid when time seemed to standstill. Isabelle journeys back to her childhood home to rediscover herself and sort through the scattered chapters of her life to ultimately determine her path forward. It’s equal parts funny, sad, raw, and sexy… everything you want in a page-turning beach read.