Another great read from Barbara Delinksy. This book really engaged me and I imagined myself in the story, like a friend of the main character. The main character is mysterious in some ways, but I was rooting for her. After going through unimaginable tragedy, she tried to start her life over again in a new place. I found myself wanting to read just one more chapter, to find out what would happen to her.

I really enjoyed this book but felt the story could have been accomplished in a much shorter book. It felt like it went on endlessly. Nevertheless, an enjoyable storyline and great characters and would highly recommend.

Let me start of with this statement: You will be thinking "what if that had been me" the entire time you are reading. It will make you think about your own distracted driving and letting your kids have their privacy with their own electronics.

Maggie Reid used to be Mackenzie Cooper in another life. Maggie, as everyone knows her in her small Vermont town, lives a quiet but fulfilled life. She works at the local spa as a makeup artist and lives with her two cats and dog on the outskirts of town. No one knows her past, that is until closet friend's son is arrested for computer hacking. As Maggie becomes the stability her friend needs her own life starts spiraling out of control. Will she be able to keep her past in the past?

I am still thinking about this book days after I have finished. We all know the dangers of looking at our smartphones while driving. What we don't always think about is what could happen to our lives if we cause a serious accident while doing so. We don't think about the legal implications that could stem from the accident. We don't think about the guilt that would eat us up from the inside outside. We don't think how it would affect our family, close and extended. Maggie makes you think about all those things.

Barbara Delinsky is one of the greatest women's fiction writers out there and this is the perfect summer read to pick up as you leave for vacation. Beware as you read you will not hear anything around you and you may forget you are cooking dinner.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Tragedy, heartbreak, love, loss and forgiveness all rolled up in this little book. It also has a little bit of mystery too.
I can always count on Barbara Delinsky to take me to another place and time she does a fantastic job of building up all characters involved including the animals.
I would definitely pick this one up it has a great message.

My thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a compelling book that kept me up until 4 AM. It hit too close to home for me to review on my blog or anywhere my niece can read it. Her experience is too close to Maggie's including prison time. Through some miracle, my niece's marriage survived their son's death and remains strong fifteen years later. But, when as I was reading it just seemed like there was no way to write this review that my niece would see without bringing up pain in a public way. Not that the pain does not haunt her every day, but I can't see a way to do it on my blog..

This is a marker of Delinksy's success. While the circumstances are higher profile with wealth and politicians in the book, those dramatic elements do not erase the humanity of survivor grief.

Emotion packed and character driven, this book was much more than I expected! Welcome to the small town of Devon, Vermont. An idyllic place for those that are in search of second chances. Filled with themes straight from today's headlines, this book is filled with heartbreak, forgiveness, letting go and moving forward. Heart touching and beautifully written.

I picked up this book because I had never read Barbara Delinsky before and wanted to see what the fuss was about. Many readers loved this book, but I struggled for weeks to get through this book.

From its blurb it sounded like a good fit for me, but the execution was weak. First, too much page time was spent describing actions or scenes (like pottery making or make-up application) that didn't propel the story forward. Second, the characters, especially Maggie, could have had a lot more depth. Third, there was a definite lack of emotion for a book that dealt with big issues and readers aren't given enough time to buy into the reasons for much of the emotional discord and hurt.

This book had a good premise, but I think it was trying to be too many things - women's fiction, a book about grief, a crime novel and a story about a woman struggling to rebuild her life. It was too melodramatic with characters who lacked depth, a story that lacked focus (but made up for it in predictability and convenient coincidences) and too many pages were spent describing scenes that pushed me away from the story instead of into it.

Disclaimer: This Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) was generously provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars, rounded up to 5

I absolutely loved this. So much more than I originally thought I would. Maggie is just... one of my favorites characters I've read in a while.

What I liked: The story. The writing. All good.

What I didn't like: Not much, to be honest.

What I LOVED: Maggie Reid. She was spot on for a woman that has lost a child. My sister lost her son when he was a week old, so we don't have many memories with him, but this brought up so many of the things we felt and encountered and fought through when my nephew passed away. This book had me on the verge of tears of quite often.

Compelling and deep... I would recommend this to anyone.

This is the first book I have read by Barbara Delinsky, and it addresses a potential problem for anyone these days who is so focused on a GPS or cell phone that their attention is not completely on the road while driving. In this case, the author gives the reader an inside look at the life of a married woman, Maggie, who is so distracted by her GPS that she fails to see a stop sign and gets hit by a car that is speeding through the intersection. Her daughter and the other driver are both killed.

The author does a great job of characterization, even detailing the small ways that Maggie has learned to cope when she is stressed, and the many ways having a parole officer to report to has affected her life. Maggie also is very careful now when she drives, and she doesn’t drive at all if someone else will. In the beginning, it was hard to feel completely sorry for her because it was her own carelessness that caused the accident. Years ago, my car has hit by a young driver with a small child in her car, who was so busy talking on her phone she didn’t notice that everyone in front of her had stopped for a red light. My car was totaled and the car in front of me was badly damaged. Fortunately no one was hurt. There are too many incidents like this today.

As the book progresses however, my feelings changed to empathy for a woman who lost so much when her daughter died and wasn’t coping well at all. The small community she moved to has other people who are hurting or running away from something that occurred in their life. These people become Maggie’s friends; the revelations about them are unfolded slowly. There is a lot of personal growth for the characters, which I also liked.

I felt the book was well written with a lot of supporting details, However, I did not care for the unnecessary use of F word, using the Lord’s name in vain and sex. I would like more books without all the cursing and sex that every author feels they have to provide.

Before and Again by Barbara Delinsky was an amazing story that I loved! Barbara writes so beautifully that I was instantly drawn to each character’s story. The characters were so real, with flaws and all.
This book will be an emotional roller coast that will have you feeling each character’s guilt and grief. Even after finishing this book a couple weeks ago I still this emotional book staying with me.

People seem to move to Devon, USA, because they are running away and have something to hide.
Written with warmth and sensitivity, this story asks how do you move on with your life after tragedy strikes. Mackenzie Cooper makes one mistake and her life is shattered. Five years later ex husband and estranged family reappear in her life. It’s had enough coping on her own, can she let anyone near her again?
What could have been a depressing read became an uplifting and hopeful one.

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.



My Thoughts: An emotional tale of family, loss, and starting over, Before and Again captured me from the very first pages.

Maggie, our protagonist, reveals much about what her new life looks like through her first person narrative, but it also gives us glimpses of what she has lost.

How will she deal with the newest scandal in her adopted town? Can she stay under the radar, or will her own back story burst through her carefully constructed mask? As each piece of her past pushes its way through, she gradually begins to realize that sometimes one has to accept the past and all of its pain in order to truly start over.

I loved the setting of her new life, and could feel the warmth and coziness she had created. I also began to realize, along with Maggie, that parts of the past could be woven into the new canvas she has drawn. As we watch the drama unfold, we realize that the life we had before can be remembered with a sense of healing, and when we begin again, we can bring forward the lessons we have learned. A beautiful story that earned 5 stars.***My e-ARC came from the publisher via NetGalley.

I have mixed feelings on this novel. I loved the character development of Maggie, and the many interesting folks she has befriended in her new home are wonderful. I really enjoyed her search for forgiveness and the many emotions she went through throughout the book. I did not love the way Ned came back into her life. I felt like it was too much, and unfair to Maggie who had worked so hard to move on with her life after a tragic accident stole her daughters life and ended her marriage. I felt there were better ways to re-enter her life without blindsiding her the way he did. Overall I enjoyed the characters and the story, but it's not a favorite I have read recently.

I received an advanced copy in return of an honest review.

In a lifetime of moments, can just one-a split second-alter the course of your life forever? What if in that one moment you lose the most precious thing in your life-your child- and that leads to the breakdown of your marriage, estrangement from your family, disintegration of your lavish lifestyle, and a criminal record? This is the fate of Mackenzie Cooper in Barbara Delinsky's heartbreaking novel, Before and Again. Driving on an unfamiliar road with her five year old daughter in the backseat, Mackenzie briefly glances at her GPS which causes her to miss a stop sign at the exact moment a car comes barreling into their path. All that is left for Mackenzie is the unbearable burden of having to spend the rest of her life knowing she caused the death of her beloved Lily. With her life in ruins Mackenzie leaves her Boston home for rural Vermont where no one knows who she is or what she has done. Changing her name to Maggie Reid, she takes a job as a makeup artist at an upscale Inn & Spa. The Inn's remote location appeals to Maggie's rich and famous clients for the same reason it does to her-seclusion and privacy. Maggie is slowly building a new life when four years after the accident her ex husband buys the Inn and she has to confront the past while trying to keep it hidden from her new friends and coworkers. Despite his own pain, Maggie's husband does not blame her for the accident (after their divorce he learns the final police report shows the other driver was traveling well above the speed limit- a major factor in the crash) and hopes to reconcile with Maggie and rebuild their shattered lives. Although she has never stopped loving Edward (he has changed his name to Ned and also keeps his past hidden), but is torn between her feelings for him and her inability to forgive herself for the death of their daughter. Before and Again is a delicate dance between living in a tortured past filled with self loathing and regret, or trying to embrace the future with optimism and grace. Ned and Maggie's emotions spill off the pages like a torrential rain as try to figure out if what they had before can be found again. Miss Delinsky specializes in family drama, but her writing is so elegant and fluid it avoids "soap opera" cliches. There's several secondary plots that add some intrigue, but it's the peace that comes from accepting your past and learning to move forward with a resolve not to repeat it that makes Before and Again something to remember.

Mackenzie Cooper’s life was going great, until the day she wasn’t paying attention to the road and had horrible car accident, killing her daughter. She was devastated, charged with a crime and the media coverage. She changes her name and moves to Devon Vermont.

Mackenzie AKA Maggie Reid finds herself in a small town, hope it to pick up the pieces of her life. Her life changed in an instant, losing her daughter and not long after her marriage. Her self guilt and pain was so clearly evident. The writing was beautiful done and I found myself being pulled into her world.

A friend of hers has a son who finds himself in trouble. The media coverage is everywhere in the quite town. I wondered if Maggie would steer clear or help her friends. It’s a risk to take, her privacy which she sought out could be trouble for her as well. The past always a way of catching up, and that was just what she afraid of. Not only that, there is a man who has come in and bought the Inn she works at, threatening to take away the job she has now too. I wondered what Maggie do, stay our run?

This was my first book from Delinsky and was such a wonderful read. It was in no way an easy read in some places, it was raw and emotional yet so beautiful.

I felt that the story was very slow in starting. It was hard to stay interested in the plot. The whole make up artistry was too detailed. The charge and making an example of for the car accident did not ring true. The charges, time in jail and probation was over the top.

This is a first for me from Barbara Delinsky and she broke me right from the very beginning. This novel hits a mom right in the heart. It was cathartic to continue to read after that prologue and see how Maggie’s story ends. Before & Again is an emotional book with a strong story. A woman loses her child and is blamed for her death. What can she do but run away? Faced with same problem, I probably would’ve left, too.

But in the end, we all know- you can’t run or hide from your past. It all eventually catches up with Maggie, whether she likes it or not. With beautiful descriptions of Vermont and character development so raw, you feel as if you’re in the story yourself, Delinsky writes an amazing story of forgiving yourself and facing life, before you miss out on it all together.

I received an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.

Nine days! It took me nine days to read this book and it NEVER takes me that long to finish a book!

I didn’t re-read the book description before starting Before and Again, so I went in completely blank to what the story was going to be about. It did start off well with an opening that was attention grabbing but my attention was not held for long.

Mackenzie Cooper took her eyes off the road for just a moment and the resulting collision was enough to rob her of everything she held dear. Now she lives in Vermont under the name Maggie Reid. She’s thankful for new friends though they know nothing of her past. She takes satisfaction in working as a makeup artist, as covering up scars is a skill she has mastered. But when a friend’s teenage son is accused of hacking a powerful man’s Twitter account, Maggie is torn between pulling away and protecting herself. As the stunning truth behind their case is slowly revealed, Maggie’s own carefully constructed story begins to unravel as well.

Stunning truth?! Umm, no!!! While this side story was the most interesting aspect of this book, I found the reveal lacking and rushed through. And Maggie’s carefully constructed story? That line makes this out to be a bigger deal than it really is, when it’s rather anticlimactic in my humble opinion. What I felt like I got instead was a lot of whining from Maggie. Now I know she experienced something horrible, but I just couldn’t sympathize with her character.

This story moved slowly with actions repeated and repeated in detail each time. There were some interesting factors, but they felt buried under all the uninteresting tidbits. The epilogue does close out everything addressed in the book, but when I closed the book, I closed it happy that I had finally finished. I admit I skimmed a lot of the last 25% because I just wanted to be done. I should have just quit but I had invested days and wanted to see it through.

To the give the book something positive, I should say that lack of an interesting story wasn’t the only reason it took me so long to read this book. Life got in the way when one of my cats became ill. However, this book held little to pull me back when life did settle down.

My first book by Barbara Delinsky did not leave me eager for more, but I’ll give her a second chance one of these days.

Advanced copy of Before and Again provided by NetGalley.

PS – The cat is fine now 😊

Maggie finds out that you can run but not hide, especially if you want to do what's right by your friends. Yes she was at fault for the accident that killed her daughter but the fall out was huge-and made things so difficult and painful that she changed her named from MacKenzie and moved. She's rebuilt her life but now her friend Grace's son Chris is in trouble and lots of things come flooding back, including her ex-husband. Nicely written and engaging. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Recommend this for fans of women's fiction.

This book will take you to a place that is hard to go. Make you look at your own relationships and how you handle them. In the blink of an eye life can change. The characters were so easy to relate to and their problems could easily be anyone's problems. I loved that Maggie could give her husband her heart again even after a tragedy. I wouldn't mind a follow up to this gem!