Definitely Thriving by Kerry Clare | The Miramichi Reader

A quirky romcom that starts off with a bang and keeps on providing. This is the story of Clemence, an unhappily married, eager-to-be fulfilled magazine writer of dream wedding articles. She quite spectacularly works to end her marriage and start fresh.

A marriage that seemed practical, inspiring articles and filling a need that filled her bank account, Clemence had half-heartedly tried to make it work until she didn’t. When the fireworks were set, she moved back home to be closer to friends who accepted her for who she was, mostly, and were close enough to be harsh and tell her when she was wrong.

From the outside it appears that Clemence lost everything — her family, her home, her job, but what she found was worth a whole lot more. Discoveries beyond a Korean landlord who thought she was a man, her son who seemed to be flirting with her, and her love of paperbacks, Clemence is no longer the typical adult woman. At the same time, she is a very relatable and normal adult woman searching for something, not someone, more.

The characters were well thought out, placed, and the plot matched the quirky pace. Parts of this novel may infuriate, which highlights the beauty and power of Clare’s writing style. She wonderfully harmonizes romance with comedy and harsh lessons we all need to live through, though lets her characters do the exploring and living for us.

Clemence’s friends compare her journey to Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love though she stays put, eats little and doesn’t actually pray — she does love. Swearing off men as she navigates her quiet life of no deadlines, no projects, and no promise of pay, Clemence works on discovering who she is without all the weight that holds her back.

Lucking upon a job when she discovers what appears to be an abandoned bookstore overrun with books, dust, and equally lacking customer service, Clemence weaves herself into a community of strangers to fight battles she never expected.

This is more than a story of friendship, it is more than a tale of sisterhood and rebirth.

This is more than a story of friendship, it is more than a tale of sisterhood and rebirth, and it is exactly all of this. Falling into a world of volunteering for a church jumble sale with her landlord, the complications of which she never expected. Clemence reveals her strengths, imperfections, and how being honest with yourself helps build a community that will be there for you.

There were mishaps, kooky characters and crazy situations that were not expected but relatable and they all made this story a delightful and addictive read. With love affairs, raunchy moments and memorable closet moments, Clemence teaches us all that starting again can be all that is needed.

Clemence learns to worry less about doing what is expected of her and doing more of what she loves, even if it is eating sardines from a can bought at a nearly abandoned grocer.

With a one-eyed cat, a room in an attic, a job of getting a young man to talk and ridding a book store of “Women’s Fiction”, Clemence learns to worry less about doing what is expected of her and doing more of what she loves, even if it is eating sardines from a can bought at a nearly abandoned grocer.

Kerry Clare is the author of the novels Asking for a Friend, Waiting for a Star to Fall, and Mitzi Bytes; and editor of The M Word: Conversations about Motherhood. Her essays have been nominated for National Magazine Awards. She edits 49thShelf.com, a website about Canadian books, and writes about books and reading on her longtime blog, Pickle Me This. Kerry Clare lives in Toronto with her family.

Publisher: House of Anansi Press (March 17, 2026)
Paperback 8″ x 5″ | 312 pages
ISBN: 9781487013936

Sarah Butland

Website

I am a struggling artist, a challenging and challenged mother who always thinks she is failing, an emerging freelance writer and reporter, an author with my name on several books crossing genres and always hoping to find more readers who enjoy them.

I am also a successful artist, a wonderful and thriving mother of one, a reacher towards both people and dreams despite all of the turned backs and obstacles in my way. I am a thriving freelance writer and reporter, an author loved by enough readers to make it worthwhile and a discombobulated conundrum who loves to hear new music, tell new tales and meet new authors. And I’m doing something I always dreamed of doing – reviewing books to support others as well as myself and my family.