2019 IPPY Gold Medal Winner in South - Best Regional Fiction

“What makes the narrative exceptional is its nuanced approach to Mallie’s spiritual transformation.”
—Kirkus

“Thought-provoking, well-written, and emotionally riveting.”
—Valerie MacEwan, Editor and Publisher of The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature

“Alice Gorman’s beautiful first novel tracks the eponymous Valeria’s journey as she finds her way from dutiful wife and mother to independent and enlightened single woman, aware of herself and sure of her place in the world. Gorman is exquisitely attuned to social nuance and psychological detail, and she renders this community—Memphis in the mid-twentieth century—with wonderful accuracy. This is a necessary story about a journey all women take in one form or another, and the book is enriched by Gorman’s wisdom and compassion. Brava.”
—Roxana Robinson, author of Sparta

“Here is that rare jewel—a spellbinding literary pageturner. It's hard not to love its desperate and fascinating heroine—Mallie, Memphis mother, ex-belle, and artist—caught at a point of extreme crisis. You literally can't put this book down, from the surprise revelation of Mallie’s husband's repeated infidelity through her priest's sexual exploitation during counseling sessions. Mallie’s determined search for her own spiritual self and her authentic identity is a winding trail that leads her into the past and back again, a rejuvenation through honesty and art. Beautifully written by Alice Bingham Gorman, this everywoman’s journey is a trip well worth taking.”
—Lee Smith, author of Dimestore: A Writer’s Life

“In this impressive debut novel, Mallie Malcolm of Memphis, Tennessee, boldly transforms herself into the titular Valeria Vose. Mallie/Valeria’s story is that of so many women of a certain generation, an arc Alice Bingham Gorman traces with the sense and sensibility of a true artist.”
—Robin Lippincott, author of Blue Territory: A Meditation on the Life and Art of Joan Mitchell

“A moving and honest portrayal of a woman who finds herself propelled into uncertainty and turmoil when her relatively sheltered and secure life is blasted apart by a betrayal. Alice Gorman’s story will carry you through waves of aftershocks into a heartfelt exploration of how a life gets pieced back together, slowly and painfully, and how a seeming disaster can carry the seeds of new hope and deeper meaning.”
—Eleanor Morse, author of White Dog Fell From the Sky

"Valeria Vose is a brilliant, heartbreaking, and affirming story of a woman’s life after the disintegration of her marriage. Set in 1976 in Memphis, a city still reeling after the murder of Martin Luther King, Jr., the novel tells the story of a young mother struggling to find her way forward, rediscover herself, and expand her world. Valeria is resilient, honest, and funny. Spending time with her and the people in her life is a treat. The duck hunting scene! England! That priest! I'd like to ring his neck. Valeria, I miss you already."
—Elizabeth Stuckey-French, author, Writing Fiction: A Guide to the Narrative Craft, The Revenge of the Radio-active Lady

“Valeria Vose made it through the dark tunnel like so many of us have done. This book reveals the 'shadow side' of feminine life in the South and the commitment it takes to recover from it.”
—Linda Douty, author of Rhythms of Growth: 365 Meditations to Nurture the Soul

“The great gift of this book is Alice Gorman’s willingness to take a deep dive into multilayered truth and deliver the wisdom into our hands as model and inspiration. She captures many of the themes/issues/struggles women undergo, both in past decades and even to this day.”
—Rt. Rev. Chilton Knudsen, former Bishop of Maine