Raise your hand if you’ve heard these before:

“If you don’t love your stepchildren as your own, you shouldn’t be a stepmother.”

“You signed up for this.”

“Never forget: You’re not their real mother.”

Now raise your hand if you’re sick and tired of being reminded, day in and day out, that you need to be the perfect mother while not really being a mother at all.

This book is for you: my fellow stepmoms needing to hear from someone who understands. If you have been feeling alone, beleaguered, undermined, frustrated, taken advantage of, misunderstood, or just plain over it, you’ve come to the right place.

If you’re so inclined, read on for some real talk about the position we’ve found ourselves in and how to survive it.