REVIEW: HOW TO WALK AWAY, BY KATHERINE CENTER

 

Margaret Jacobsen is just about to step into the bright future she’s worked for so hard and so long: a new dream job, a fiancé she adores, and the promise of a picture-perfect life just around the corner. Then, suddenly, on what should have been one of the happiest days of her life, everything she worked for is taken away in a brief, tumultuous moment.

In the hospital and forced to face the possibility that nothing will ever be the same again, Maggie must confront the unthinkable. First there is her fiancé, Chip, who wallows in self-pity while simultaneously expecting to be forgiven. Then, there’s her sister Kit, who shows up after pulling a three-year vanishing act. Finally, there’s Ian, her physical therapist, the one the nurses said was too tough for her. Ian, who won’t let her give in to her pity, and who sees her like no one has seen her before. Sometimes the last thing you want is the one thing you need. Sometimes we all need someone to catch us when we fall. And sometimes love can find us in the least likely place we would ever expect.

 

My Thoughts: A captivating tale of a tragedy that changes everything in a life, and leads our MC to a realization that the people who should have stood by are wallowing in their own self-pity. When I stopped feeling angry on her behalf, I settled down to watch how she struggled to move forward, and then began to truly connect with herself and who she could become.

Will Margaret come to realize that the life she wanted was not at all what she needed? Can she discover new ways to find strength and confidence?

How To Walk Away kept me glued to the pages, loving the unexpected moments and hating a few of the characters.

Margaret’s mother, Linda, was one of those annoying characters, full of bossy suggestions that turned out to be her way of controlling the uncontrollable. Over time, she was able to find another way to overcome the need to control everything.

I liked how Ian, the physical therapist who seemed so frustrating at first, turned out to be the most inspirational character of all. But then…just when we are rooting for something specific to happen, we realize that it probably won’t. Until we are surprised by the unexpected.

Margaret’s sister Kit had disappeared three years ago after a major fight with their mother. Unpacking those events would bring eye-opening changes to the family.

Could one create a mosaic out of a life that has been shattered? By moving forward and not looking back, one can put together something hopeful out of courageous moments…these are the inspirational themes I took away from this captivating book. 5 stars.***My e-ARC came from the publisher via NetGalley.