Fans of Barbara Delinsky (you know who you are) get totally involved
and invested in anything she writes. When I look at her booklist I can't
help but marvel at the fact that I've only missed out on a couple of
them. Every other book I remember vividly, especially the casts of
characters. But Barbara Delinsky doesn't write about characters, she
writes about people. People she makes up in her vivid, imaginative
mind and perhaps some that she's crossed paths with. Some books are
meant to be a fast read, while others are designed to be treasured and
savored like a delicacy. That's how I felt reading BEFORE AND AGAIN by Barbara Delinsky. Each and
every page held another amazing piece of a puzzle, and it was truly
delightful learning what made these characters click. Just like any
Barbara Delinsky story I've ever read, BEFORE AND AGAIN will be remembered long after the
last word is read.
Maggie Mackenzie Cooper Reid is a study in the steps required to
recover from the death of a child. Maggie's decision is to reinvent
herself, so to speak, and distance herself from the past. She divorces
her husband, changes her name, moves to Vermont, and tries to move
on from a painful part of her life. And yet does she really?
The new world of Maggie was going really well even considering the
intrusion of memories brought on by random thoughts and nightmares.
She loves her life in Devon, where she has a fabulous network of
friends and clients. Maggie Reid had been welcomed into this small
town and she doesn't take that for granted. People move to small towns
for many reasons, and in this one, no one has questioned her too much
about her previous life. But alas good things have a way of coming to
an end... Maggie's new life in Devon was slowly becoming invaded by
the very people she fought to distance herself from, including her ex-
husband, Edward, and her brother, Liam. One day Maggie's life was
filled with accomplishments, and the next with self-doubts and perhaps
a little guilt. Maggie's new life faces challenges she never expected and
candidly hoped would never have to...
Barbara Delinsky has us all wrought with sympathy for Maggie because
of one simple mistake, one distracted second, that changes her life
forever. BEFORE AND AGAIN
starts much like Maggie's life does with her decision to move away from
friends and family to Devon. And the burning question is doesn't
everyone deserve a second chance at happiness? But what happens if
you don't feel you are deserving of that second chance? That is the
essence of BEFORE AND AGAIN.
Maggie isn't the only one looking for that second chance and Barbara
Delinsky takes us on the voyage to redemption.
Mackenzie Cooper took her eyes off the road for just a
moment but the resulting collision was enough to rob her not
only of her beloved daughter but ultimately of her marriage,
family, and friends―and thanks to the nonstop media
coverage, even her privacy. Now she lives in Vermont under
the name Maggie Reid, in a small house with her cats and
dog. She’s thankful for the new friends she’s made―though
she can’t risk telling them too much. And she takes
satisfaction in working as a makeup artist at the luxurious
local spa, helping clients hide the visible outward signs of
their weariness, illnesses, and injuries. Covering up scars
is a skill she has mastered.
Her only goal is to stay under the radar and make it through
her remaining probation. But she isn’t the only one in this
peaceful town with secrets. When a friend’s teenage son is
thrust into the national spotlight, accused of hacking a
powerful man’s Twitter account, Maggie is torn between
pulling away and protecting herself―or stepping into the
glare to be at their side. As the stunning truth behind
their case is slowly revealed, Maggie’s own carefully
constructed story begins to unravel as well. She knows all
too well that what we need from each other in this difficult
world is comfort. But to provide it, sometimes we need to
travel far outside our comfort zones.
From a multimillion-selling master of women’s fiction,
BEFORE AND AGAIN is a story of the relationships we find
ourselves in―mothers and daughters, spouses and siblings,
true companions and fair-weather friends―and what kind of
sacrifices we are or aren’t willing to make to sustain them
through good times and bad.
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