Member Reviews

I think everyone wants to read a story with this kind of premise. A woman scorned finds her own footing again and moves on. But this one just didn't hit me like I wanted it to. Maggie is a great character, but she seemed a little "dingy" to me. Her trip to Rome was the most exciting thing to happen but after that I had trouble staying interested. It's a good girlfriend read, but not the substance that I like in order to balance it all out. The overall idea and story had a lot of potential but I kept waiting for more to happen. I think the author did a fantastic job of identifying all of the emotions one might go through when abandoned by your life partner right when you think you are about to start a new chapter in your lives. I connected with Maggie's emotions and sympathized, but her actions didn't impress me as much.

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This was a book that was relatable in so many ways. When one gets to a certain age, kids have left home and your marriage breaks up, you do feel like you are invisible, especially if it is not expected.
The main character in this book, Maggie Harris has just this problem, she doesn't know what to feel, how to react and finds she needs a change in her life, to discover herself once again.
She goes on a trip to Rome that had been in the works before her marriage had fallen apart, and there she starts, with baby steps to stand on her own. On her way to Rome on the plane, she meets a fellow North American, a woman who is an artist from Michigan, on her way to an art retreat. They see each other a couple of times in Rome before they each depart, and become close enough, that the new found friend, offers Maggie her home in Ann Arbor, for the 6 months she will be away, so that Maggie can get perspective on what she wants in this new life she is going to have to figure out. Taking her up on her offer was the best thing to clear her mind and here she finds new friends and purpose.
The story, has a lot of twist and turns as Maggie tries to find her Independence. The love and support of her children, her friends and even that of the ex-mother in law. Dealing with her ex and all of the emotions that go along with that. Finding new romance and a job where she feels useful. This story was a good read, and I would certainly recommend it.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC of this book

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The book had potential but fell short for me. My biggest complaint is that Maggie had to chose between two men. Why did she have to be in a relationship? If the point of self-discovery is to find herself and accept herself, why must there be a man in the picture for her to recognize who she is? It felt superficial and actually took away from the writing style, which I did enjoy. I would have preferred a more open ended ending without all that frou frou.

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This is the first book I have read from Camille Pagan and it surely will not be the last.
This is the story of Maggie who after thirty years of marriage is faced with being single again.
Her journey is moving and heartwarming. Highly recommend.
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this opportunity.

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When Maggie’s husband Adam walks out the door after 30 years of marriage it is a shock and may be a blessing in disguise. Adam is handsome, successful and an excellent father - but the passion has been missing for quite some time. Maggie regrets letting things go a little, especially in the intimacy department - that has all but disappeared after three decades as a homemaker and two of them laser focused solely on her children. Having never contemplated anything except a safe, dependable retirement, Maggie finds herself terrified of being alone for the first time. A natural worrier of all mishaps, Maggie had never contemplated life on her own, let alone getting back into the dating game. She long ago abandoned her career and her children have grown and flown. Maggie vaguely remembers her independent girl self from years ago, now she is determined to go and find her. Loved this easy read. I seem to be on a mid life (let’s leave out “crisis”) theme of books. Gee, wonder why.

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This novel is about a woman in her 50s whose kids are adults and husband tells her he wants a divorce, and she has to figure out who she really is. Camille Pagan is becoming one of my favorite authors - she just has such a knack for creating real, sympathetic characters, and imbuing her books with both humor and poignancy.

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This is a great read of ups and downs. The main character Maggie was well written. I enjoyed reading Maggie's journey on her finding herself again. I would definitely recommend this book to a friend. This is my first book by this author and I am a new fan. I will be looking out for upcoming novels. Thank you!

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Wow! I did not see this one coming! I had not read any novels by this author, but the cover captured my eye first. When I read the blurb about it, I couldn't resist.

How many women over 40 feel like all the world revolves around 20-somethings or, dare I say it, milennials? I don't think I did at 40, but in my 60's I really feel it. TV commercials, TV shows...it runs through our entire society! So this particular book caught my eye right away. And, it succeeded in holding my attention throughout. Maggie spoke to me and I wanted to be in my 50's again and fly off to Rome and live some of my dreams. I did, vicariously, through this book. I loved it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing me with a "dream come true" book that was a great read and an easy to review book! I look forward to reading more by this author.

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I Loved this book! Maggie had the worst thing happen to her when her husband asked for a divorce.. I loved how she picked up the pieces of a broken life with such class, highly recommend!

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Enjoyable story about a woman who is forced into finding herself after her husband leaves her. She goes out of her comfort zone to explore new things in an effort to regroup and discover enjoyment in her new life and she learns how strong she really is.

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Excellent book that anyone in their thirties could relate too. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would definitely recommend. This is certainly one I will reread again.

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4 stars. I liked this honest story of Maggie's struggles to deal with her divorce. This book wasn't a happy go lucky tale and I found the character relatable and honest. Camille Pagan was still able to show her humor on the pages and it was a story of growth for many characters. I am not sure if I would recommend this book to a friend that is going through divorce, I am not sure if it would help or if it would just be another reminder of the stresses experienced. I worry this takes out a large audience for the author, but it still is a good book.

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A very moving and heart warming story of losing all and reconstructing. It was a very good read and I strongly recommend it to any woman who is over 40.
Recommended.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing

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I think every mom or wife experienced one point in their life where they lose a piece of themselves. You live and breath for your family. It's not just about you anymore. When poor Maggie's husband turns her world upside down and leaves, my heart broke for her. This wonderful story took me on the journey of Maggie rediscovering herself and learning how to be alone again. I loved this book feom start to finish.

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Woman Last Seen in Her Thirties is the story of Maggie. She is in midlife, that time after her children have flown the nest but before she and her husband, Adam have reached retirement. Her adult life has been everything she has ever wanted. Up until the moment Adam tells her he is leaving her and totally upends her world. What follows is a relatable story of sorrow, grief, and finding her way in a new life she never wanted.
I found myself relating strongly to Maggie even though I am a good decade and a half from reaching the point in my life where she is. Her emotions and were raw and often times not pretty and that's what I liked about her. This was an easy read and is perfect to take on vacation, to the beach, or even just for a rainy Saturday.
*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a free digital copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

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I enjoyed WOMAN LAST SEEN IN HER THIRTIES from the cover to the ending. Camille Pagan has continues to master the art of writing ordinary people who are thrown into unexpected circumstances only to find out that they have more strength than they ever realized. Both realistic and engaging, this is another winner by this author. I received an advanced review copy of this book and all opinions are my own.

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"Woman was Last Seen in her Thirties" is the story of Maggie, 53, who believes she is fortunate to have a good marriage and well-adjusted children. But as you might guess, Maggie’s husband walks out on her and this novel focuses on the aftermath. I read a lot of novels of this genre, and this is not the typical “woman scorned, seeking revenge” story. Nor does this tale follow the clichéd “Eat, Pray, Love” path. Maggie’s story is unique and believable with plenty of laugh out loud moments.
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I always love Camille Pagán's writing, and this book was no exception. I am certainly looking forward to her next novel. I'd like to thank NetGalley for providing me an advanced copy.

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When Maggie's seemingly stable marriage ends, she embarks on a journey to rediscover herself.

"When had I ceased to be a human a metamorphosed into a windowpane? Maybe people had been looking right through me for years, and I was only now realizing it."

Brave steps into an independent life mingle with her 30-years of married life.

"I had loved him so long that my love for him had become a part of me. I could no sooner undo it than I could rewrite my own genetic code."

Nice writing combines with a quick pace to lead the reader on a humorous and heartfelt ride into Maggie's new world.

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A heart-breaking and heart-warming read; following the struggles of a woman who has given so much of her life to her husband and her children, only to be betrayed, is a hard read at times but an important one for women young and middle-aged, alike,

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I was initially interested in this book based on the title and cover. I went in thinking it was going to be a pure fluff read but I felt like it was more than just a beach read. The story centers around Maggie as she navigates her divorce and rebuilding herself. I thought the first half of the book was fantastic-the writing and character development drew me in and I had a hard time putting the book down. As a reader you could feel all of Maggie's emotions and experienced her rollercoaster of emotions as she grieved for her marriage and then came to terms with how to pick up the pieces. I thought the cast of characters was well developed and I enjoyed that there were not additional complex side stories to take away from Maggie's. I thought the book dragged a little in the middle and that the ending was fairly predictable but I still enjoyed this book. A solid 3 star read. Thanks for the opportunity for an advanced copy Netgalley!

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