DESIGNER YOU
Pam Wheeler checked every box: Happy marriage? Check. Fantastic kid? Check. Booming career? Check.
So when her husband dies in a freak accident and their DIY empire goes on life support, Pam must fix the relationship with her troubled and grief-stricken daughter and save the family business.
Pam and Nate were a couple who just couldn’t get away from each other, sharing not only their bed, but also a successful lifestyle empire as DIY home renovators, bloggers, podcasters, and co-authors.
When Nate dies in a freak accident, Pam becomes a 44-year-old widow, at once too young and too old—too young to be thrust into widowhood and too old to rejoin the dating pool.
Now the single mother of a headstrong and grief-stricken teenager, Pam’s life becomes a juggling act between dealing with her loss and learning how to parent by herself. On top of all that she also must reinvent herself or lose the empire that she and Nate had built so carefully.
Now is the time for Pam to seize the opportunity to step up as a mother, come out from behind Nate’s shadow, and rise as the sole face of the Designer You brand, and maybe, possibly, hopefully, find love again.
First published in 2018 by Crooked Cat Books and re-released in 2020.
Praise
Amazon #1 Bestseller
Winner of the Indie Star Book Award 2019
Included on the 2018 35 Over 35 2018 list
‘‘Designer You [is] a brilliant, different story of grief, recovery, and change.” – D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
‘‘A tenderly written story of a mother and daughter’s struggle to move on after loss, with characters so authentic you find yourself cheering and laughing.” – Kelly Simmons, international selling author of ONE MORE DAY and THE FIFTH OF JULY
‘‘Sarahlyn Bruck’s touching debut is a beautifully written novel about love, grief, redemption—and the art of personal and professional recreation. This is a tender mother-daughter story that will stay in your heart long after you turn the final page.” – Dawn Ius, author of ANNE & HENRY, OVERDRIVE, and LIZZIE
‘‘Sarahlyn Bruck’s debut novel Designer You is a story about the unexpected, and the hope that can be found after a tragedy. Once I started it, I didn’t want to stop reading. This well-written and intriguing novel will draw you in and take you on an emotional and satisfying journey.” – Elizabeth LaBan, best-selling author of THE RESTAURANT CRITIC’S WIFE and NOT PERFECT
‘‘Can a professional fixer-upper repair her broken family and business after the tragic death of her husband? Designer You is a story of grief, motherhood, reinvention and growth…told with humor and an unwavering belief in the power of love.” – Sonya Terjanian, author of THE RUNAWAYS and THE OBJECTS OF HER AFFECTION
‘‘This is a gorgeous debut from Sarahlyn Bruck. Heart-wrenching and beautifully-written, Designer You starts with a gut-punch and only gets better. My soul ached for Pam from page 1, and I didn’t want to stop reading. I can’t wait for Bruck’s next book.” – Laura Heffernan, author of the REALITY STAR and GAMER GIRL series
‘‘Every once in a while, you get a debut novel that’s truly something special. That’s the case with Sarahlyn Bruck’s Designer You.” – Ronda Bowen @ Wining Wife
‘‘We need more stories like this.” – Leigh Kramer, Reveling In the Now
‘‘Designer You is a resounding success for Bruck, and it will surely garner her many well-deserved fans of her own.” – Jathan and Heather
‘‘Readers who enjoy stories of hard won reinvention, recovery from unexpected loss, and having to embrace Plan B will root for Pam and Grace and cheer them on as they find hope for the future.” ~Kristen @ BookNAround
‘‘DESIGNER YOU is a delightful and smart starting-over novel that will make you an instant fan of Sarahlyn Bruck and I’m looking forward to what comes next from her.” – 35 Over 35
‘‘If you are looking for a novel with strong females, this is definitely the book you should check out. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. I loved it.” – Comfy Reading
‘‘A heartwarming feel-good story that will have you crying, laughing, and smiling all the way through. Talk about an emotional, engaging, and unputdownable book! I just loved Designer You by Sarahlyn Bruck!” – Nadia A @ A Bookish Way of Life
‘‘Great, feel good women’s fiction!” – Wall-to-Wall Books