"Budd's unflinching honesty about love, loss, and self-discovery makes this novel both heartbreaking and healing. Raw, real, and ultimately redemptive."— Kerk Murray, bestselling author of Since the Day We Danced "Bridget Budd deftly weaves together a relatable story, layered with humor, humility, and in the end, a soulful surrender to self-love. A beautiful tale that will empower any woman on their journey within!" — Dr. Katherine T. Kelly, Licensed Clinical Psychologist Behind the Mirror is therapeutic fiction at its core—where emotional healing collides with high-functioning burnout, generational trauma, and a fourth marriage on the brink. Julie Sloan has spent her life performing: a polished professional, a chronic overfunctioner, and a master of pretending things were fine. Wife of the year? Not exactly—more like emotionally unavailable in heels. When her fourth marriage nearly collapses, Julie faces a truth she can’t outrun: she’s been chasing love and worthiness her entire life because, deep down, she never believed she was enough. It isn’t betrayal that shakes her—it’s the quiet realization that she’s never truly lived for herself. What follows isn’t a breakdown, but a breakthrough. A raw, redemptive journey that dismantles survival patterns and makes space for something more real. Years later, when a journalist comes knocking, Julie finally tells the story she’s never shared—the one about how she stopped abandoning herself to keep everyone else comfortable. For fans of Cheryl Strayed, Elizabeth Gilbert, and Glennon Doyle, Behind the Mirror is literary fiction with therapeutic insight—an invitation into healing, awakening, and self-discovery. "An earnest book of self-discovery that bridges reflection and story—might inspire those seeking to leave their own Slygores behind so they can truly shine." — BlueInk Review Foreword Clarion Reviews calls Behind the Mirror "an inspiring and expressive novel about healing and self-discovery." Set over a two-day interview on Whidbey Island, the book follows Julie Sloan—a woman who has spent a lifetime overcoming emotional wounds—as she reflects on her journey from dysfunction to purpose. Through evocative imagery and emotional candor, Behind the Mirror explores how one woman finds peace after a childhood shaped by instability, ultimately transforming pain into presence and purpose. "Inspiring... expressive... reflective." — Foreword Clarion Reviews Foreword Clarion Reviews calls Behind the Mirror "an inspiring and expressive novel about healing and self-discovery." Set over a two-day interview on Whidbey Island, the book follows Julie Sloan—a woman who has spent a lifetime overcoming emotional wounds—as she reflects on her journey from dysfunction to purpose. Through evocative imagery and emotional candor, Behind the Mirror explores how one woman finds peace after a childhood shaped by instability, ultimately transforming pain into presence and purpose. "Inspiring... expressive... reflective." — Foreword Clarion Review