Claire Casey's Had Enough
- Judith D Collins
- Apr 1
- 8 min read
Updated: 3 hours ago
By: Liz Alterman
ISBN: 9781448315772
Publisher: Severn House
Publication Date: 06/03/2025
Format: Hardcover
My Rating: 5 Stars (ARC)
Back in the day, Claire had dreams. She was going to be somebody!
Now a forty-something mom of three (four if you count her husband!), drowning in laundry and PTA chores, with a job she can’t stand, she's finally had enough . . . A hilarious, heart-warming mom-com, perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella and Fiona Gibson.
Claire Casey has reached her breaking point. For years, she’s juggled it all: kids, husband, career, and a never-ending list of responsibilities. But when the man who’s supposed to be her partner – who promised he wouldn’t let his phone die and would pick her up from the airport – completely forgets about her, Claire snaps.
It’s the final straw. Claire is done. And so are they.
Sort of . . . maybe. (It’s not easy saying goodbye to sixteen years of marriage, ok!)
Still, Claire’s determined to reclaim her life. She’s tired of being the overworked, worn-out mom in her forties. She wants to be hopeful, vivacious Claire again.
Attending her college reunion reconnects her with former flame, Alex. And while flirting with him over email is innocent, his invitation to meet for drinks at a swanky hotel is not!
As Claire begins to rediscover the woman she was, she’s forced to confront the harsh reality that recapturing her sense of self could blow up her marriage . . . Now Claire must decide: risk the unknown or rebuild the life she has, flaws and all?
Told over the course of a day in the life of this relatable heroine, Claire Casey’s Had Enough is a laugh-out-loud mom-com that readers will adore!
About the Author
Liz Alterman is the author of The Perfect Neighborhood, He'll Be Waiting, and Sad Sacked. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, McSweeney's, and other outlets. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and three sons where she spends most days microwaving the same cup of coffee and looking up synonyms. When Liz isn't writing, she's reading. WEBSITE
Photo credit: Gracemarie Photography
Exceptional Authors.
Standout Books. Elevator Talk.
Behind the Book & the Author
INTRIGUING QUESTIONS. INQUIRING READERS WANT TO KNOW.
A fun Elevator QA ride with Author Liz Alterman
CLAIRE CASEY'S HAD ENOUGH
Welcome to the second (of three) June #AuthorElevatorSeries! Joining us for the first time is a personal favorite, notable guest bestselling author, Liz Alterman with her sixth novel, the dazzling CLAIRE CASEY'S HAD ENOUGH, out June 3, 2025.
Join us as Liz shares som behind the scenes exclusives and up close and personal moments from this talented and witty author.
Welcome, Liz!
Behind the Book
Q. Give us your best ELEVATOR PITCH for your new novel.
Told over the course of 13 hours, CLAIRE CASEY’S HAD ENOUGH features a newly separated forty-six-year-old mom of three who's lost herself while caring for everyone else. When she reconnects with a former boyfriend at her college reunion, Claire begins to rediscover the woman she was and must make a tough choice: risk the unknown or rebuild the life she has, flaws and all.
Q. DESCRIBE your novel in three words or less.
Funny, relatable, thought-provoking
Q. SETTING: Tell us more about the book setting and why you selected it.
I set the novel in a New Jersey suburb because that’s the world I know and have lived in nearly all my life. There’s so much about small town life that’s simultaneously maddening and hilarious. It gives me a lot to play with.
Q. GENRE: Liz, in addition to writing rom com’s you also write thrillers. Which do you prefer and how difficult is it switching back forth between the genres?
Oh, that’s a tough one! I tend to hop from thrillers to memoirs to literary fiction to romcoms, usually guided by the recommendations of friends and librarians.
I really haven’t made a conscious choice in terms of what to write, as strange as that may sound. I tend to pursue for the idea that won’t leave me alone or seems most intriguing at that moment in time. I would definitely like to be a bit more strategic going forward.
When I set out to write CLAIRE CASEY’S HAD ENOUGH, I was just having fun with it. But, when it came time to try to sell earlier versions of it, I encountered a lot of rejection as editors said it straddled the line between women’s fiction and romcom and they didn’t know how to market it. So now I try to be really clear about where a book would sit on a shelf before I begin.
Q. COMEDY: Liz, as I have mentioned previously, in reading Claire, you could be a standup comedian! Hilarious. Please share more about your personal experience.
Thank you so much! That is the greatest compliment! I have always loved comedy and last year after a rough writing patch, I signed up for standup comedy classes to try to shake off some bad feelings about writing—and it worked! I’m very fortunate to have made a wonderful friend who lives nearby and she’s put together comedy shows for us alongside some other super-talented, more experienced comics. It’s been a really fun and challenging (and somewhat scary!) new hobby.
Q. TAKEAWAY: What important message, theme, or takeaway would you like readers to be left with when reading your book?
I like to think that the takeaway can be summed up in one of Claire’s former boyfriend Alex’s LinkedIn posts: Dreams don’t have expiration dates.
Q. UPCOMING: Can you share what you are currently working on or what is next in ten words or less (or more)?
I’m polishing up another thriller and the main character is a writer so that’s been fun!
Q. Is there anything else you would like to add that we have not covered today?
I love to visit with book clubs both virtually and in person. So, if you’re part of a book club and select one of my stories, don’t hesitate to reach out to me through my website lizalterman.com or on social media where I’m @lizalterman.
Fascinating! Continue reading below for more fun up close and personal with Liz!
Behind the Author
BIRTH STATE?
New Jersey, US
CURRENT STATE?
New Jersey
ZODIAC SIGN?
Aries
FAVORITE FLOWER?
Peonies
FAVORITE COLOR?
Green
WHAT IS YOUR WRITING KRYPTONITE?
The internet! As soon as I struggle with a plot point or even finding the right verb, I begin scrolling and next thing I’m ordering new socks and buying tickets to a concert, an hour has passed and I have no idea what I was looking for in the first place!
YOUR SECRET TALENT OR SUPERPOWER?
I can toss a treat to my cat from about 20 feet away and have it land right at her paws. I keep joking that this needs to become an Olympic event.
FAVORITE KITCHEN/COOKING/HOME/GARDEN PRODUCT OR TIP
I am a huge fan of onion goggles.
FAVORITE FOOD/DRINK?
Coffee! Hot, two sugars and cream
DOG/CAT LOVER?
Cat
FAVORITE HOBBY?
Reading
YOUR FAVORITE LIFE LESSON QUOTE?
"The harder I work, the luckier I get.”
DESCRIBE A PERFECT DAY?
Spending the day at the beach with my family and a good book.
IF YOU WERE STUCK IN AN ELEVATOR ALONE WITH ONE CELEBRITY, AUTHOR, OR CHARACTER— WHO WOULD IT BE? (Male or Female)
I love Sharon Horgan. Catastrophe and Bad Sisters are some of my favorite series. She is so smart and funny and talented.
THE FIRST BOOK YOU REMEMBER READING THAT MADE YOU WANT TO BECOME AN AUTHOR—THE ONE YOU CANNOT STOP THINKING OF.
I remember falling in love with A Wrinkle in Time and returning to the library to see if Madeleine L'Engle had written anything else. Then I found Camilla (which I also adored) and that was when it sort of hit me that someone could build a body of work and write for a living.
FAVORITE READING FORMAT?
1. Hardcover
2. Paperback
3. Digital
4. Audio
I’m hooked on audio lately. I love listening to a story in the car, while I’m cooking dinner, or when I can’t fall asleep.
MOST MEMORABLE PLACE YOU HAVE TRAVELED?
I was very fortunate to attend the inaugural Leopardi Writing Conference in Recanati, Italy in 2018. The conference is held in this charming town about three hours from Rome and about twenty minutes from the sea. While I was there, I received invaluable feedback on my young adult thriller, He’ll Be Waiting. I returned to the conference in the summer of 2023 as a guest editor and the area and the people were even lovelier than I’d remembered. The whole experience feels magical.
IF YOU WERE GRANTED 3 MONTHS OF UNINTERRUPTED WRITING TIME—WHERE WOULD IT BE?
1. A Busy Urban City
2. A Quiet Scenic Mountain Cabin surrounded by nature
3. A Coastal Seaside Cottage
4. An Exotic Tropical Island
5. A Countryside Farmhouse surrounded by animals and organic gardens.
6. A charming, quaint historic Bed and Breakfast Inn
7. A Scenic Hunting Lodge
8. A Nostalgic Lake House
9. A Writer's Retreat
10. Other
I’d probably choose 9) A Writer’s Retreat because I love hearing about other writers’ projects. The support that comes from being surrounded by people doing the same work is so helpful and energizing.
IF YOU COULD ELIMINATE ONE THING FROM YOUR DAILY LIFE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Grocery shopping. Even with a list, I always forget something! I suppose this is why it’s “daily” for me. Ha!
A FAVORITE CHARACTER FROM YOUR BOOK(s).
I’d have to say Claire Casey is my favorite because she has a bit of snark but her heart is in the right place.
HOW MANY BOOKS HAVE YOU WRITTEN?
Six
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HORROR MOVIE (OR LOVE STORY)?
I love Misery, probably because it involves a writer and Kathy Bates is so scary!
YOUR FAVORITE DESSERT RECIPE? (Include link if you wish).
My neighbor made this Strawberry Tart once and I thought it was the best thing I’d ever tasted. I make it on special occasions because it’s a labor of love.
IF YOU WERE TO WRITE A BOOK ABOUT YOURSELF, WHAT WOULD BE THE TITLE?
Ha, I did. It’s a memoir, Sad Sacked, and I often joke that the subtitle should be: More than you ever wanted or needed to know about Liz Alterman.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO CHILDREN?
Pursue your dreams and don’t ever let anyone make you feel like you’re not good enough.
WHAT ARE EARLIER JOBS YOU HAD BEFORE BECOMING AN AUTHOR?
I was a bond broker in the mid-1990s so I would cold call people all day long and that really set me up nicely for publishing because there was so much rejection.
COULD YOU RECOMMEND ANY BOOKS THAT YOU HAVE READ RECENTLY AND LOVED?
I’m currently listening to Jane and Dan at the End of the World and loving it. Hillary Huber is one of my favorite narrators and between her voice and Jane’s interior monologue, I could listen to this novel for the rest of my life!
WHAT IS YOUR WRITING PROCESS LIKE?
· PLOTTER
· PANTSER
· BOTH
Panster with the hope of one day becoming a plotter!
YOUR FAVORITE THING TO DO AS A CHILD?
Read
FAVORITE CHILDHOOD BOOK?
The Cat Ate My Gymsuit by Paula Danziger
ONE THING YOU HAVE LEARNED SINCE YOUR DEBUT NOVEL?
The writing itself probably won’t get much easier but you’ll make a lot of friends who’ll help you get through the toughest parts.
IF YOU WERE NOT A WRITER, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR IDEAL CAREER?
Pastry chef
THANK YOU, Liz, for spending time with us today!
Thank you so much for having me, Judy! This was fun!
Praise for Claire Casey's Had Enough
“Liz Alterman’s Claire Casey’s Had Enough is a hilarious and heartwarming romcom that captivated me from the first page”
—Ann Garvin, USA Today bestselling author
“Charming and unexpected. . . Liz Alterman has a true talent for writing all-too-relatable characters and the challenges midlife can throw our way”
—Camille Pagán, bestselling author of Good for You
“A propulsive story that will have you turning the pages deep into the nightA propulsive story that will have you turning the pages deep into the night”
—Catherine McKenzie, USA Today bestselling author
Praise for The Perfect Neighborhood
"Entertaining and relatable."
—L. Alison Heller, author of The Neighbor's Secret, on The Perfect Neighborhood
"Riveting . . . With characters so compelling and real in both their humanity and flaws, you'll feel certain you've known these people in real life."
—Rebecca Taylor, award-winning author of The Secret Next Door on The Perfect Neighborhood
"Super-relatable characters . . . made it impossible to stop reading."
—Sarah Warburton, author of You Can Never Tell, on The Perfect Neighborhood
"Well written from start to finish."
—Manhattan Book Review on The Perfect Neighborhood
"With razor-sharp commentary and biting humor . . . Liz Alterman is a masterful storyteller."
—May Cobb, award-winning author of The Hunting Wives
