Deborah A. Lott

Where Have I Been All My Life? vividly describes what is not often disclosed in books about grief—how losing one’s mother can cause a woman to question everything about her life and herself. In the journey that is this book, Rice confronts her longings for the unattainable, her compulsion to take care of everyone else – even her therapist — and inability to fully accept herself. From the very first page, I could relate. I know the longing and the self-loathing Rice writes of all too well. And I suspect many other women do too. With humor and grace,  and through the process of crafting this poignant and humane book, Rice accepts loss, recognizes the impossibility of long-held fantasies, and is able to finally take in real love.