Imitation NyQuil, Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage, and Joy

About this episode

Renee discusses her experience with imitation NyQuil, reviews a memoir about marriage, and answers listener questions about joy.

May 7th 2026: Ever taken an imitation NyQuil thinking “how different could it really be?” Well… apparently VERY different. In today’s solo episode of The Mom Room, I recap the recent cold that absolutely took me out and the off-brand nighttime cold medicine that somehow managed to derail my entire night instead of helping me sleep. Turns out the non-medicinal ingredients matter more than I ever knew, and I have thoughts. I also share my honest review of Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden. This review may ruffle a few feathers, but if you know me, you know I can’t fake enthusiasm for a book that didn’t land for me. Let’s discuss. Plus, I answer a few listener questions, including: what’s one small thing lately that has brought you an unexpected amount of joy? A simple question with surprisingly wholesome answers. A chaotic cold, questionable pharmaceuticals, controversial book opinions, and tiny joyful moments, a pretty accurate representation of life lately. Enjoy! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

People in this episode

Host: Renee Reina

Topics covered

• cold medicine
• book review
• marriage
• listener questions
• joy
• parenting
• health

Keywords

• NyQuil
• cold medicine
• book review
• marriage memoir
• listener questions
• joy
• parenting

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Imitation NyQuil

Books & works: Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage

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