The Only Way Through Is Out

Suzette Mullen had been raised to play it safe—and she hated causing others pain. With college and law degrees, a kind and successful husband, two thriving adult sons, and an ocean-view vacation home, she lived a life many people would envy. But beneath the happy facade was a woman who watched her friends walk boldly through their lives and wondered what was holding her back from doing the same. Determined to live her next chapter differently, Suzette dug into her past and uncovered a deeply buried truth: she’d been in love with her best friend—a woman—for nearly two decades—and still was. Leaning into these “unspeakable” feelings would put Suzette’s identity, relationships, and life of privilege at risk.

After months of inner turmoil and soul-searching, Suzette chose the riskier route, leaving her marriage for a chance at feeling fully alive. Her initial euphoria evaporated under the oppressive weight of reality: insomnia, illnesses, the election of Donald Trump, a mouse-ridden rental, blizzards, divorce negotiations, online dating, and the news that her husband already had a girlfriend. But when she found herself at her lowest, Suzette called a friend who helped her pick up the pieces. Coincidences populated her visit to her friend’s town, as if the universe was saying, “we’ve been waiting for you.” Finally fully and publicly embracing her true self, Suzette built a life in her new home, with a new girlfriend by her side. Bittersweet and empowering, The Only Way Through Is Out is both a coming-out and coming-of-age story, as well as a call to action for every human who is longing to live authentically but is afraid of the cost.