Saumya Dave’s The Guilt Pill is a timely novel that asks a deceptively simple question: What if women could get rid of their guilt? Through the story of Maya Patel, a successful tech founder and new mother, Dave delivers a nuanced look at the impossible standards placed on women-especially those juggling motherhood, careers, and cultural expectations.

Maya Patel is a first-generation Indian American, tech entrepreneur, and new mother. Maya’s life appears picture-perfect: she’s the founder of a successful startup, has a loving husband and a newborn son. But beneath the surface, Maya is overwhelmed and isolated, struggling with postpartum anxiety and the crushing weight of guilt-about her work. And when Maya is offered a magic pill which promises to take away her guilt, she is desperate enough to try it. What follows is the depiction of how Maya’s life and relations are affected by this pill.

The idea of a “guilt pill” is both original and instantly relatable, providing a speculative lens through which to examine real-world issues. I found the ending is bit too perfect and sweet, especially when the book dealt boldly with difficult topics.

The book is labelled as a ‘mystery thriller’ and ‘science fiction’. The book is neither of those, but a generic fiction book which is a good read, nevertheless.

Maya Patel seems to have it all: a new baby, a thriving company, perfect apartment in NY, & a handsome, successful husband. It's an Instagram=perfect life, but in reality, Maya feels guilty all the time. If she spends time on her company she feels guilty at 'neglecting' her baby, but if she spends all her time with Shaan, she feels guilty & responsible for her staff. Not to mention Maya has hardly any time for herself & yet her husband's life seems to have barely changed. If only she didn't feel so guilty all the time. What if there was actually a solution? "If a pill could free you of guilt … would you take it?"

This was not the usual kind of topic that I choose to read but it turned out to be rather good. Even women who aren't parents can identify with the many demands on our time & being expected to multitask, so being a mother must be a whole other level. It's also about the fact that women are held to much higher standards in business & also the additional pressures & judgement on Maya because she is a woman of colour.

The use of interview transcripts & social media messages alongside the usual narrative worked here given the nature of Maya's business dealings, & it kept things interesting. Overall I thought it was an interesting read although the sudden switch to a thriller in the last few chapters was a bit jarring. I also thought that the ending was a little too neat but they are minor quibbles. 3.75 stars (rounded up)

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Hera Books, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

This was a very compelling read, it made question what I would do and made me think the pressures put on women everyday.

3.75 stars out of 5

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this in exchange for a honest review.

I loved how unusual this storyline was and in the beginning I was really sucked in. I also really enjoyed the ending particularly the last page. However midway through the book I did get a little bored for about 5 chapters that felt repetitive, but I was pleased I persevered.

I loved the fact the book had an underlining message about the pressure faced by mothers/woman in the workplace.

Overall I would recommend this book.

The Guilt Pill is a sharp indictment of the double standards placed on women, especially women in tech/the corporate world when they become mothers. But it was more than that: the story weaves deep issues and questions of prejudice, class, the American immigrant experience, familial relationships, friendships and marriage with lighter examinations of what it means to be a people pleaser, to try and be a friend while being a parent, to try and fit in. It was well paced and beautifully written, fresh with an exciting new voice. Ideal for fans of The Other Black Girl.

Maya is struggling to juggle being a new mother and going back to work as CEO of her own company. As everything starts to fall apart, her mentor, Liz, offers her an experimental drug she has been working on, promising it will help rid her of guilt, and make her day-to-day life easier.

Such a fun, thought-provoking, addictive read. I really liked the themes this book covered, and the way it was done. The writing was so engaging and it made for a truly unputdownable story. There are some things I wish were expanded on, such as the relationship with Maya's in-laws, or how I wished Liz would be more included into Maya's inner circle, but it's such minor details, and, to me, they truly take nothing away from the final product.

The story alternates in between a current event, and what lead up to it, and I really enjoyed all the mixed media bits. It was a really fun way to jump back and forth in time, without it feeling confusing. It definitely wasn't an earth-shattering plot twist or anything like that, but I don't think that's what it sets out to do, and it works perfectly for the story. I really enjoyed the characters and the way they were depicted throughout the story; the various relationship were also very intriguing and so fun to dive into and explore.

This is likely to be one of those most incredible and thoughtprovoking books I read this year.

Removing the thriller elements, this incredible narrative on guilt, women having to always get it right and accountability and responsibility and all the ridiculous expectations faced as a woman and a mother, gave me anger, peace and I felt seen.

Further than that the conversation of race that is weaved in to this novel seamlessly holds you tight and reminds you that even though this is a book, the reality is real all around us.

This book is for everyone, not just mystery and thriller readers, it’s for women or others that care about women.

Exquisite