Cheat Day

A Novel

By: Liv Stratman

Narrated by: Allyson Ryan

This clever and witty debut novel about the unexpected consequences of one woman’s attempt to exert control over her life by adhering to a strict wellness routine is “the kind of book you devour in a day or two…sexy and funny, but also very perceptive” (BuzzFeed).

Kit and David were college sweethearts. Now married and in their thirties, they live in Kit’s childhood home in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. While David has a successful career, jetting off on work trips to exciting destinations, Kit is stuck in a loop. She keeps quitting her job managing her sister’s bakery to seek a more ambitious profession, but fear of failure always brings her back to Sweet Cheeks. Kit finds a fraught solace in cycling through fad diets, which David, in his efforts to be supportive, follows along with her. Their latest program is the Radiant Regimen, an intense cleanse, and Kit is optimistic about embarking on a new chapter of healthy eating and self-control.

Hungry in more ways than one, she soon falls into a flirtation with a carpenter named Matt who is building new shelves for the bakery kitchen. Unable to resist their mutual attraction, Kit and Matt soon begin a passionate affair. Kit suppresses her guilt by obsessing over her diet, pushing herself in greater extremes. Told in precise, intimate detail, Cheat Day is “an incredibly likable novel of hungers controlled and liberated, and marriage’s gray areas” (Booklist) that explores monogamy versus monotony, deprivation versus indulgence, and limitations of modern wellness.

What if you had a great life but couldn’t feel it?

This is a subtle but rich story about a woman whose life is going well all the while she cannot experience joy or allow herself comfort. The metaphor for sticking to a life changing food regimen (diet culture repackaged as wellness) as a way of trying to improve her self image and general outlook is very relevant. This is a wholly new book, exploring topics that relate to our current moment. Unique, real characters. Understated narration. Highly recommended.

Just nope

Poorly developed characters, plot line, and sub-plot line. Neither interesting nor entertaining. It made my DNF pile and I was more than halfway through it. Couldn't waste anymore time or energy on it.

Ugh

I can handle an unlike me narrator. But listen to this book, actually made me mad. I’ve never seen such a miserable and unhappy, blame everyone else, ungrateful holier than though character. 3 hours left to go, DNF.

Circled the airport…barely landed the jet

Wow! Hard to get through. Story went in and on and never really got anywhere. Light, yet a snooze fest.