The stories, which deal with addiction, abuse, suicide, and childhood, are journeys into the private lives of twelve women.
[3][4] Botha has lived in South Africa, Ra'anana, Israel and Halifax, Nova Scotia, all of which informed her character's experiences in her debut novel.
[5] Too Much on the Inside, which was published in May 2015 by Quattro Books, follows four newcomers to Toronto who struggle with their pasts, their new home and falling in love.
[18] The Winnipeg Review praised her for "speaking smartly, even boldly... [and]repaint [ing] the stoic male canvasses of Cheever and Carver, but with a sensing, reflective affect"[19] In May 2017, it was a named a finalist[20] for the Trillium Book Award.
Stories from it have appeared in Canadian literary publications such as Humber Literary Review, the anthology Changing the Face of Canadian Literature, The Antigonish Review, Grain Magazine Jewishfiction.net and more, as well as American and European publications [25] The title story was nominated for a Pushcart Prize by Blank Spaces Magazine.
[26] The collection has been praised for exhibiting "Chekhovian humanism and pulsing empathy" by the Miramichi Reader,[27] as "compelling, highly readable and frequently relatable" by the Winnipeg Free Press,[28] and as "full of unmatched precision...illuminat[ing] truths about the world with economy and elegance" by Open Book.
[29] The Literary Review of Canada described it as " Heartbreaking and sentimental, this collection contains elements of magical realism and eccentric, inquisitive prose" [30]while Great Lakes Review described it as "not operat{ing] within easily identifiable parameters... it’s not the mix of drama, humour, or quirkiness of some of the characters that makes Botha’s collection hard to classify...what is new or unexpected is the layer of subversiveness, a dark and satirical edge in certain narratives that goes beyond descriptions of young creatives consciously balking at conventional careers or familial expectations.