It Was an Ugly Couch Anyway

“Elizabeth’s wit and writing style are as pure as they are delightful. Readers can expect to feel as if they’re on a rainy-day cafe date with a best friend and will enjoy this honest, funny, and candid trip through stories of a life lived one unpredictable but silver-lined day at a time.” —Bunmi Laditan, author of The Honest Toddler, Dear God, and Help Me, God, I’m a Parent

“It Was an Ugly Couch Anyway is a delight—wise, funny, beautifully written. I devoured it in a day. And cried a little, for a couch I never sat on. I loved this book.” —Julia Claiborne Johnson, author of Be Frank with Me and Better Luck Next Time

“I love reading anything Elizabeth writes because, well, she’s hilarious, and I really admire that in a person. But there’s another aspect of Elizabeth’s writing that’s on fine display in It Was An Ugly Couch Anyway: a grounded, sincere tenderness that anchors every bit of her humor. Whether she’s writing about marriage, health, faith, work, or a complicated real estate transaction (I don’t mean to be dramatic, but I experienced secondary stress), Elizabeth opens the door to her very real life and rolls out the proverbial welcome mat as she shares her stories. The end result is a book with so much heart that it’s going to feel like home to the people who are lucky enough to read it. What an absolute gift.” —Sophie Hudson, bestselling author and co-host of The Big Boo Cast

“It’s rare to find a book that’s illuminating and very funny, but this essay collection is both. Crack it open for a deep dive into the insanity of Manhattan real estate, and stay for Elizabeth’s clear-eyed and deeply humane insight into modern life in all of its complexities.” —Shannon Reed, author of Why Did I Get a B?

“A buffet of honesty, humor, and quirkiness that borders on chaos, Elizabeth Passarella’s writing gives us permission to cherish the strange experiences and honest mistakes that make us human. This book is a heckuva ride and I devoured every word.” —Shannan Martin, author of Start with Hello and The Ministry of Ordinary Places

“Elizabeth Passarella’s collection of essays is a delightful mix of contradictions, like the author herself: a devout Christian with an unholy real estate obsession; a devoted mother who can’t wait for her alone time; a journalist who walked away from a job at a big-time media company; a native Southerner who has wholeheartedly adopted the most liberal corner of New York City as her own. But above all, Passarella’s memoir is about a woman’s fierce determination to find a home for her family (and at a good price too), without losing her humanity, in the building she loves. As her neighbor, I was rooting for her all the way.” —Paula Derrow, editor of Behind the Bedroom Door