Maggie, a 53 year old, is blindsided when her husband of 30 years decides to leave her. She is shocked, grieving her marriage and realizes she has lost herself in that time. Completely predictable and pretty boring.

I don't know how to describe this other than a coming of age but in a very different way. More like coming of being. It was very good and interesting! I loved to hear about Maggie and her growth as a person. It was all about this woman who finally got the chance to learn who she was without her marriage. There were moments during this book where I physically cheered her on and moments where I felt her heartbreak. I think even though there was around 30 year age gap between myself and the character, I could absolutely relate to her. I would absolutely recommend this book to people. It was great.

Fifty-three year old Maggie Harris has a good life, with two grown children and a loving husband.
What happens when the life she knows comes crashing down? Can Maggie find herself among the wreckage of her life?

The thing I like best about author Camille Pagán is her skill at characterization. Maggie comes to life and, although the story itself is nothing too unique, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel. The author does not go for the expected ending and this gives readers a more realistic view of life through the fictitious character's eyes. Woman Last Seen in Her Thirties will resonate with all readers, though women of a certain age may feel more of a connection with the character. I heartily recommend Woman Last Seen in Her Thirties, as well as the previous works by this author.

Disclaimer: Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley provided me with an Advanced Reader's Copy of Woman Last Seen in Her Thirties. The choice to review this book was my own.

I found Camille Pagàn by accident as in a friend saying have you heard of this author?? Me responding no! I picked up her last book and couldn’t put it down. I couldn’t wait for her to write another book. Camille Pagàn is one who takes you on an adventure and captures you from the start. You feel as if you are in the book and one of the characters. She never disappoints! I was lucky enough to recive an ARC for an honest review and hands down recommend this book! Once again I have had my socks knocked off of me. I will be awaiting another novel by the talented Camille Pagàn.

This is such a great story of self discovery! I loved the main character and the lessons she learned. I will be looking out for more from this author.

Pagan is great at exploring relationships and life in all its complexities. This book is no exception. A fast-paced interesting read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

I really enjoyed this story of self discovery. It’s sort of a light hearted read that takes in some serious topics. I thought the protagonist was written with very real characteristics. Maggie’s journey was very real to me and I enjoyed her journey.

Superbly touching and bold, this is the tale of a fierce woman, dragging herself out of manmade deception and the misery of lies and divorce, in order to rise and bloom and found a new life for herself.

Divorce would never be easy or smooth, lies remain as thorns in the "relationship", even if love is still somehow present between the two people who wrote history together, built a life and a family together. Castles crumble, yet the force behind the builders can raise mountains and rebuild new and stronger castles, even if separately.

Choice is the magic word in this novel: strength to choose to bloom and to discover oneself, to rise to greatness of mind and love. The message of this novel is clear for me: dare to rise and fulfill yourself, dream big and act on your choice. It is so easy to go back to the common life, to the same routine and never make time for achieving dreams.

This book is a reminder that anyone can choose to live life to its fullest, rather than live for the sake of others. Definitely a must read. Many thanks to Netgalley and the publiasher for the opportunity to read and review this arc.

Another great book by Camille Pagan
I love Camille Pagan's books. Her characters are real to life and very relatable.
Maggie was already dealing with an empty nest when her husband told her he was leaving and filing for divorce. She felt as if her whole world had crumbled. "I had lost myself...." For decades her life revolved around her identity as a wife and mother. Women are a combination of identities: personal identity and self-worth are the ones that hold the rest together. This is Maggie's story of the road to recovery and her journey back to personal identity and feeling good about herself.

Woman Last Seen In Her Thirties is a fresh reminder that just because something is comfortable, it doesn't mean it's right for you. We meet Maggie at a time of change - her husband has left her and she's single and alone for the first time in a long time. How do you pick yourself back up after something like that? It's so easy to become complacent and put your identity in the things that are important to you (your husband, your children), but sometimes you need to make sure that you're taken care of too.

It's an age old story of reinvention, love, friendship, and the fact that being in the right place at the right time can change everything. Travel, find love, do what makes you happy - now that I'm saying that, maybe this book is just right for the new year since it's the time of reevaluation and inspiration!

While the story was well written, and the characters were relatable enough, there was just something missing for me in the book. Maybe it's the way it all fell into place so easily at the end there, or maybe it was the fact that I couldn't fully invest myself in the characters and their troubles. Either way, I found myself leaving this book with a sense of meh-ness instead of awe, or joy. I would say this is a great read if you're looking for something kind of quick and light (ish). But, if you don't want to be bogged down by someone else's troubles, this book probably isn't for you.

Plot: 2/5
Characters: 3/5
World Building: 3/5
Writing: 4/5
Pacing: 2/5
Overall: 2/5
GoodReads Rating: 3.78/5

eARC obtained via Lake Union Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Moving story of a woman reclaiming her life--and identity--combined with humor and heart-felt characters.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a tough subject - a woman gets the surprise of her life when her husband up and decides their marriage is over. Getting divorced in her 50s, the main character, Maggie, must pick up her jaw and the pieces in her life to get through and move on. But how do you do that when the only life you’ve known for years is stripped away? What do you want, who are you, and where do you begin? This story has been told time and time again but Camille Pagán writes in such a witty, amusing and real way that this book is relatable, funny, and uplifting. It can feel familiar at any age or stage in your life. You root for Maggie, feel for her, and join her on the emotional roller coaster. Maggie is a great character and through her progression she learns how to take a chance on others and yourself. A bit sappy in parts, funny and poignant - like life. Overall a great read. The clever writing kept me engaged and quickly turning pages. Recommended read!

On the whole a light, entertaining read. Maggie is a sympathetic character, likeable and relatable. When I first picked up this book, I was hoping to be uplifted and inspired by her story. I wanted to laugh and cry with her, cheer for her. In the end, the writing let this story down, let Maggie down. One dimensional, simple, uninspiring, and not even the 'Eat, Pray, Love' vibe it had going for it could save it.

A digital copy was provided by NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an honest, unbiased review.

This is a story of a woman of a certain age whose husband declares that he no longer wants to be married.
What follows is her journey to find herself and it's an OK read, although, I was disappointed that it felt so formulaic, almost as if there were certain things that this woman should experience (holiday by self, tick, meet new man, tick) and it just didn't feel fresh and in any way enlightening.

It's well written and if you just want some escapism, go for it. For me, I wanted and expected more from this accomplished writer.

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to preview this book in exchange for this honest review.

I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Camille Pagan has done it again! ‘Woman Last Seen In Her 30s’ deserves 5 stars and one Halfmoon  I was rooting for the loveable Maggie Halfmoon Harris from the first page. I felt her pain at the ending of her marriage and I cheered for as she started to discover a new, better version of herself. The characters were real and relatable, their story both heartbreaking and at times, laugh-out-loud funny.

Pagan has a way of writing travel scenes that make you feel like you’re right there, discovering new worlds with her characters. I loved seeing Italy through Maggie’s eyes, and the description of pepe cacio was so mouthwatering that I’ve been on the hunt for it ever since. I even tried (unsuccessfully) making it myself!

The ending, like the rest of the book was beautiful, honest and real. It made me think of the country song about thanking God for unanswered prayers. Sometimes what we think we want isn’t what we need. But part of the fun of life is figuring that out.

A great read, one I would highly recommend!

I read this book in a few quick days! I found the main character to be easy to relate to, and that made the book easy to get wrapped up in. I was interested to see what would happen next. A great book for anyone who loves Sophie Kinsella, or Fern Michaels. I will definitely be on the look out for more books from Camille Pagan.

I have received a much appreciated digital copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

With two grown children and almost 28 years of marriage, Maggie thinks her life is pretty settled but the rug is pulled out from under her when her husband tells her that he’s unhappy and is leaving her for another woman.

Maggie is understandably shocked and confused. She gave up her career, her identity to be wife and mother to her family and now she is adrift. As she’s coming to terms with the news, she realizes that the anniversary trip they had booked to Italy is all paid for so she decides she owes it to herself to go and live her life.

I know this may sound like the typical book where the main character goes to Italy or France and finds love and adventure and life is immediately better but while Maggie does meet some interesting people, this story is about her path to a new life even after the trip and it’s not always easy.

As Maggie is coming to terms with her new life a family emergency gives her another option. So what will Maggie do?

I really enjoyed this book because I felt like Maggie’s path seemed realistic. It wasn’t all grand adventures and fantastic times. Actually lots of indecision, lots of questioning her choices but most of all this book is a reminder that whether you are busy working or caring for a family or both, it’s important not to lose sight of yourself.

This was a well written book with a realistic protagonist. Maggie is blindsided when after years of marriage her husband unexpectantly tells her he wants to separate. She has spent the last few years focusing on being a wife and a mother to her now grown children and not prioritizing her own interests. Maggie soon realizes she doesn’t even know herself very well. Taking control of her life and looking for adventure and independence Maggie goes on a trip to Rome by herself. While there she meets a woman who she develops a friendship with. They later arrange that Maggie will sublet her friend’s house in Ann Arbour where she will be able to distance herself a bit from her old life and hopefully find clarity. After finding a great temporary job, meeting new people and immersing herself in her new life, Maggie then has to make more difficult decisions. Her husband has suffered a heart attack and wants to reconcile. I really appreciated the realistic ending to the book. Another nice aspect of the book is Maggie’s relationship with her mother in law who suffers from dementia. This book was well written and brings out a lot of emotions for the reader as we go along on Maggie’s journey.

I wanted to read this book because of the title and the description. I was disappointed to find it had a very slow start for me. Can’t you have a midlife crisis without involving infidelity? There was too much focus on her husband of thirty years leaving her for a younger woman. As the book went on I found it boring and depressing.

Even after the main character got past her grieving and depression I still was unable to enjoy the book. I was expecting more humor and less predictability.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was really looking forward to reading this book because I had heard so many good things about it and I usually enjoy Camille Pagan's work. Unfortunately, I was not my cup of tea. It took me a long time to finish the book. The premise of a fifty-something woman being dumped because she is "invisible" is very common these days and I didn't find the plot remarkably unique. That being said, I am sure many other people will enjoy the novel.