Shoes on the Stairs: a great idea but failed in its execution

Shoes on the Stairs by Jan Steele is described as inspiration from the many frustrations of parenthood and the ever-present fear of failure. Claire Blackwell was the mom who did it all. She sacrificed everything to make sure her husband and kids had all they needed or wanted. When she suddenly dies after a car accident, she is left with the feeling of unfinished business. She watches in horror as her husband and kids try to navigate a world without her. She expects a brilliant white light to take her to the afterlife but it never comes. As she struggles with her limbo state, her family begins to see and hear her. Starting with her youngest daughter, she works to help mend her broken family and discovers a situation which puts them in danger. Her son, Edward, had rising tensions with his long-time bully and as the situation escalates, Claire must find a way to help her family before it's too late. Can she help them? Will she ever see that bright, white light?

I chose Shoes on the Stairs as it “centers around a mother’s struggle to accept what she has left behind.” I expected a journey of “laughter and tears.” What I got was a cringey story of a woman who thought she could control everything, even after death. I supposed Claire was written to be the stereotypical housewife who took care of everything for her family that when she was gone, they were lost without her. And it was true, her husband and kids are unsure where things are and how to do even the basic tasks. But Claire was a hard character to care for. I couldn’t relate to her at all. The language she uses was eye rolling horrible and not funny at all. At one point, to describe her own parents, Claire tells readers that “They bicker more often than a vegetarian farts”?!?!?! Seriously!?!?!? Overall, the book was not enjoyable. I didn’t laugh once, no heartstrings tugged. I do not recommend Shoes on the Stairs. I expected so much more than what I got. 

Shoes on the Stairs is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook.