A Haunting Exploration of the Ties That Bind and Break
In Both Can Be True by Jessica Guerrieri, the author captures the quiet erosion of identity that happens when duty and caretaking begin to eclipse a woman’s own needs. Set in a quiet Northern California mountain town, the atmosphere is as layered as the relationship between sisters Frankie and Mere. If you’ve ever felt like you’re losing yourself to the roles you play in life—such as mother, wife, or sister—then this story will resonate deeply.
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When Secrets Surface in Plain Sight
Part mystery, part profound family drama, Guerrieri’s sophomore novel uses a local disappearance as the catalyst for a much more personal reckoning. The story is told through alternating perspectives, allowing us to inhabit the worlds of both sisters simultaneously. You feel the grit of Frankie’s restless energy as she finds her footing in sobriety, contrasted with the exhaustion of Mere’s “perfect” life as the steady one. Guerrieri handles heavy themes—mental illness, trauma, and neurodivergence with a wry compassion that keeps the story from feeling bleak. Instead, it feels honest.
The Unspoken Weight of Identity
One thing that really got to me while reading was how Guerrieri captures those heavy, silent burdens that a woman can carry without ever complaining. We often talk about “having it all,” but we rarely talk about the masks we have to wear to keep the peace or stay afloat. In the book, you see this through Mere, who is doing everything right on the outside, but inside, she’s practically drowning under the pressure of being the perfect caretaker. It’s a powerful look at how we often set our own needs aside so completely that we start to lose the thread of who we actually are.
Then you have the theme of “truth” itself, which the title plays on so perfectly. The alternating POV really forced me to think about how two people can live through the exact same childhood and come away with two completely different versions of the truth. It’s not that one sister is lying; it’s just that their perspectives are shaped by their own pain and survival instincts. We see this in the sisters’ memories—how one event can be a trauma for one and a blur to the other. It challenges the reader to look past their own biases about what makes a person “good” or “reliable.”
My Final Thoughts
The setting of that Northern California mountain town really adds to this feeling of isolation. There’s something about a small, rugged town that makes secrets to feel even heavier. Between the struggle to stay sober in a place that only remembers your mistakes and the “closed-in” feeling of the mountains, the atmosphere is just as tense as the mystery itself.
This isn’t just a story about a missing woman; it’s a story about the masks we wear and the courage it takes to take them off. It’s a gripping reminder that before we can find someone else, we often have to find the truth about ourselves. Both Can Be True by Jessica Guerrieri is a wonderful read for fans of character-driven fiction who aren’t afraid to get a little dark. It’s the kind of book that makes you want to reach out to your own sisters or friends and ask, “Are you actually okay, or are you just being the “steady” one today?” Check out this novel that is set for release May 19.
Thanks to Harper Muse and HarperCollins for this #gifted book for this review.
