A gripping and emotional tale of a woman’s heartbreak, recovery and self-realization.
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SUMMARY
MacKenzie Cooper was using her phone’s GPS, desperately trying to find the home of her five-year-old daughter’s friend. It was a narrow, dark and wooded road. She looked at her phone again for just a second. She didn’t see the stop sign, it blended with the fall foliage. A large van hit her hard. The accident killed her daughter, and the aftermath destroyed her relationship with her husband, family and friends. To escape the unrelenting pressure, she changed her name to Maggie Reid and moved to Devon, Vermont. There, she built a new life, made new friends and now has a job working as a make-artist at the local spa. She particularly loves helping clients hide visible signs of injuries and illness. She enjoys anonymity in the town, and her goal is to stay under the radar and make it though her remaining months of probation. But many people in this quaint town have stories of their own.
When a friend’s teenage son is arrested for hacking a journalist’s computer and the national media turn their spotlight on the Devon, Maggie struggles with whether to become involved. She know better than most, the importance of friendships during trying times. But she also knows that if she becomes involved, her heartbreaking past will be revealed.
REVIEW
Everything can change in the blink of an eye. We hear it all the time. But for Maggie it really happened. It was an accident, but her world turned upside down. Her daughter died, her husband divorced her, her parents would not speak to her and her friends abandoned her. There is so much emotional pain at the start of this book that you are immediately drawn in and captured by the story. The story was in a word: masterful. It takes you from agonizing heartbreak and grief, down a road of carefully constructed recovery, toward a decision of life altering consequences.
The writing is engaging and easy to read. You are easily transported to Devon, Vermont though vivid descriptions of the cold weather, the local shops and restaurants, and the encircling woods. The cast of characters are diverse and perfect and their underlying stories are entertaining. This 416 page book is easily devoured in no time, because once you start you can’t put it down.
BARBARA DELINSKY, the best at strong women characters, writes about everyday people facing major challenges. She has written over 22 bestsellers and BEFORE and AGAIN is sure to be another. Thanks to NetGalley for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Publisher St. Martin’s Press.
Publication Date June 26, 2018.