Belinda Benny “Boobs” Bernstein lives in Los Angeles, about as far as you can get from her home state of Virginia. Her life in LA isn’t perfect, but it’s fun and carefree. Recently, she’s even met a new man, Mickey. Unfortunately, before she has the chance to see if this relationship will be another failure, Benny must fly home to Virginia to help her mother who broke her leg in a car crash.

Benny’s not sure what to expect when she arrives home, but it’s certainly not a house filled wall-to-wall with junk of every kind, it’s not the numerous animals living in the yard, and it’s certainly not the many men in her mom’s life. Benny’s not sure where she is, but it doesn’t feel like home. But then, has it ever since the death of her dad? It’s not helping that Benny’s sister, Jami, is as flighty, irresponsible, and sarcastic as ever. She’s in another dead-end relationship with a man who is beyond bad for her, but like usual, Benny can’t convince her to drop him. Nothing is quite sane in Virginia and to add to the mix, Benny’s on-the-surface friendly relationship with the man she’s hired to help clean up the home is starting to heat up, even while Benny is still taking calls from Mickey. What’s a girl to do when life as she knows it is going haywire? Blame it on Mom of course!

Pamela Ribon is one of the few authors I’ve read who has truly made family problems realistic, humorous, sentimental, and relatable. Yes, the situation is a bit over the top, but the emotions that these situations evoke are genuine, harsh and all too real. Benny has a lot to come to terms with at home, more than she ever imagined. I don’t think she expected her family to change her more, but they did. Her character grows during the space of her mother’s convalescence and it happens through witty, tender, and snarky moments that make you laugh, tear up and nod your head in understanding. This is not so much a book about Benny but rather, Why Moms are Weird is a book about the family dynamics we get dealt in life and how we choose to deal with them. Pamela Ribon digs deep into the heart of Benny and company to produce a believable, sardonic and absorbing story. Not to be missed!

Reviewed by: Sarah W