Very few people can pull every emotion you have out of you in one afternoon. My heart ached for Maggie and the enormous amount of guilt she is living with. Still a few months shy of her probation being over, she has a decision to make. Will she protect her self and her own heart or will she stand by her friend?

This town of Devon that Maggie has claimed as her own safe space is full of characters hiding from something. And when her ex-husband shows up she is sure one of them must leave. She has built a protective shell around her heart and he is determined to break through. 

With twists and turns around every corner I couldn't stop reading. I'm glad I read this. 

Very Well Done!

Netgalley/ June 26th 2018 by St. Martin's Press

At the start of the book, Maggie/Mackenzie experiences one of the worst tragedies that can happen to a parent. Five years later, Maggie is still struggling with her guilt and grief while also trying to carve out a new life in a new town where no one knows anything about her or her past. But things start to change when her ex-husband buys the business where she works…
I am confused about this book. I genuinely liked some parts of it and its message of hope and forgiveness. At the same time, I found some parts a bit too slow and disconnected. There aren’t many light moments, understandable because Lily’s death throws a huge shadow that’s difficult to come out from.

There's a lot going on in this book and while I enjoyed reading it, it wasn't totally the book for me. It follows Maggie, a woman in her late 30s who is living in Vermont and hiding from her "previous" life. We learn early on that her daughter has died in a car accident that she allegedly caused (though I honestly had a hard time understanding how SO much blame was placed on her since the other guy was speeding and seemed to be driving recklessly). Her husband leaves her, her parents stop talking to her, and she gets in serious trouble with the law, being placed on probation with a probation officer checking in with her regularly.

Maggie is relatively happy now that she's in Vermont, with good friends (most of who don't know about her past) and a job she enjoys, though she's still dealing with the blame she places on herself for her daughter's death. But things begin to take a turn when one of her close friend's son's gets in trouble with the law and her husband suddenly shows up in town. The premise is interesting and I definitely wanted to read on to find out what would happen. The main thing I didn't love about the story is that it didn't feel quite so believable. I don't want to give any spoilers, but the way the relationships with her family change throughout the book just seemed so easy and I feel like in real life, things would have been a whole lot more complicated. Even though things seemed to get resolved easily, the book also felt a little longer than it needed to be.

I do normally love chick lit, but I think the kind of chick lit I most enjoy has a bit of humor and is a little more fluffy while still being smart, if that makes sense. Before and Again is definitely serious and no-nonsense, which is perfectly fine; it's just not what I love best.

What a beautful story about life, love, loss, forgiveness and moving on after a tragedy. This was well=written and flowed seamlessly; the characters were well developed and believable. I was completely invested in their stories and the outcome. This is a book I will be thinking and talking about for months to come.
Thank you #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for this eARC.

Before and again by Barbara Delinsky. The synopsis grabbed my attention. I am not sure if I have read a book by this author before.

The first chapter or two I found difficult to get into the story. I am not sure if it was because it was very descriptive or because I kept getting pulled away. However, when chapter three comes, buckle your seatbelt. I found myself irrevocably pulled into a story that I could not stop thinking about until the last page.

I found myself rooting for Mackenzie aka Maggie to find her forgiveness and redemption. This is a story of love, loss, and finding that love again.

I really enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more from this author.
Thank you for the chance to read and review.

Typical Barbara Delinsky. This one examines how crime in its various forms can change lives. Two different crimes. An accidental murder and a hacking. Fluffy love story and examination of family, forgiveness and moving on thrown in for good measure.

This was a very powerful book. A young mother looks at her GPS for a second, runs a stop sign, and is hit by a van - killing her beautiful 5 yr old daughter. She ends up being charged, put on probation for 5 years, divorced and estranged from her family. She moves away to a small town, changes her name and starts over. She can't rid herself of the guilt and is having trouble moving on despite making friends, and starting over successfully. 5 years after she moves there, her ex-husband and brother move to town to stay. She is NOT happy about it and tries to get them to leave. This book had so much drama - it was hard to stop reading once I started. It just kept you riveted to see what would happen next. You will love this book. It's not a fluff book. It deals with family dynamics, death, grief, guilt, forgiveness, friendship and love. Pick it up. You won't be sorry. I got this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

Barbara Delinsky has always been one of my favorite authors and she did not disappoint with this book. I had no clue how the story would turn out and the ending was a great one. To reinvent yourself and make a new life after all she’d been through was inspiring. I’m glad it took all the turns but never was unrealistic.

Barbara Delinsky's newest book is about a women who has an accident and her daughter is killed. As a result, her entire world is shattered. Her marriage, her family and her ability to survive it all. Maggie moves to a small town in Vermont to start again. This story is about sadness, loss, love and survival.
I have never read any of Ms. Delinsky's work prior to this, and found this to be repetitive and not all that enjoyable. Her writing style is ok, but perhaps it was the subject, which has been done many times before.
Thank you #Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review, Before and Again.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.
I pride myself on being able to predict books.
I felt foolish that I couldn't with this one. Just want I thought I had it, there was a twist.
It starts off dramatic enough: Mom careless driving, killed child, life ruin etc. I can't go to much into detail because then it would just spoil the whole thing. Lets just say a lot of twist and turns.

At times it seemed too much to be honest and I was getting confused as I got further into it. but it all came together and I truly enjoyed it.

This was my first Barbara Delinsky book but I very much enjoyed the story and found myself rooting for the characters. I liked that the secondary characters' stories were well fleshed out and that they didn't just feel like sidekicks. It's definitely not literary fiction/prestige fiction, but it's a well written yarn that pulls you in and will easily keep you entertained. And sometimes, that's really all you need!

Have beach? Perfect beach read. A very traditional Delinsky novel. The secret, the past, present and future in a compilation of events. Good read, you won’t be disappointed

This was a good read. There are multiple story lines that are enjoyable, but also thought provoking. It's definitely one that can make you think about how you would react if you found yourself in a circumstance that you never intended or had little control over or how you pick up the pieces when life throws you something that isn't fair. The feelings and resolution of the story line with the main character's ex-husband was not fully fleshed out and seemed rushed, but overall, this book was enjoyable.

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC.

4.5*
In order to survive after the death of her five year old daughter in a tragic road traffic accident, Mackenzie Cooper, now known as Maggie Reid, lives a quiet life in the rural town of Devon, Vermont. The trial, her arrest, time in the media spotlight and the breakdown of her marriage left Maggie feeling increasing stress over the lack of privacy and the intense anguish and guilt that never leaves her. All she wants is to live in obscurity and get through the remainder of her probationary period. Devon seems to attract people who, for one reason or another, have a past they need to move on from.

Maggie enjoys working as a make up artist at the local spa, helping to make her clients feel good about themselves, hiding their perceived flaws. She has made some good friends, loves her small cabin and her pets and has settled into Devon life.

Maggie’s close friend, Grace Emory, is a massage therapist at the spa and has been in Devon for the past twelve years. The two of them never speak about their pasts, just accept each other and their friendship for what it is in the present. When Grace’s teenage son Chris, is arrested for hacking the Twitter account of a well known and powerful journalist, it signals the beginning of the end of their peaceful lives.

Maggie is torn between staying anonymous and not violating her parole by associating with someone facing a felony charge, or standing by her friend as the case against Chris escalates, with the FBI becoming involved. Then to complicate matters further, Maggie’s ex-husband, Edward, and her estranged brother turn up in Devon.

I’ve enjoyed several of Barbara Delinsky’s books and this was no exception. Maggie is a sympathetic character from the start. How such a trauma could impact on both parents is dealt with sensitively and realistically. Maggie’s and Edward’s characters develop throughout the story, showing how they work though the healing process, each in their own way. Grace was harder to like initially, seeming quite self-absorbed even when Chris finds himself in trouble, but as her story develops it becomes more apparent why she gives that impression.

There’s a powerful theme of forgiveness and trust running through the character driven narrative – self forgiveness is at the forefront, but also forgiveness for those who perhaps didn’t handle the fallout from their own distressing experiences in the best (although understandable) way. A tale of loss, acceptance and new beginnings.

Before and Again by Barbara Delinsky, St. Martin's Press, Pub date 06/26/18
Author Barbara Delinsky has written a story about a women that has a vehicle accident and her daughter is killed. That is every mothers worst nightmare...to lose a child. She loses her marriage and her family. So Maggie starts over. She moves to a small town, changes her name, makes friends and starts a new career. This story is about sadness, loss, love and survival.
I found the book to be too long and repetitive. But, it is entertaining.
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review, Before and Again.

The novel starts out with every parents worst nightmare; losing a child. To make matters worse; it is the mothers fault. Maggie carries the guilt of her childs death and ultimately it destroys her marriage. The novel is centers on the rebuilding of her life, love and coping with the loss.
She changes her name; moves to a small town and attempts to move on with her life.
Was a good read; pulls on the heart strings. This is the first novel I've read of Barbara Delinsky; will definitely look to read more of her.

**Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review

Enjoyable from start to finish. A writer that I always look forward to reading.

This book was such a heart wrenching story. This is a story about a devastating loss of a child and then the consequences of human pain of that loss. The story skips five years from the accident to the place where the main character, Maggie, is. The story picks up with the consequences that take place after the fall out from the accident. Maggie has a line in the book that says, "Five years ago I chose to take my eyes off the road. Then I chose to divorce Edward. Then I chose to reinvent myself as a makeup artist. I chose to move to Devon." This story is about the choices and results of them. It's about loss, regret, what ifs, running away only to have what you ran from catch up with you, loyalty, friendship, forgiveness and most important....unconditional love.
The characters in this book became my friends as I read the book. Maggie had so much to work through and I wanted to be there for her. Edward has such a big heart and he never gave up in his love for Maggie. She struggled with forgiving herself for what happened. Sometimes the hardest person to forgive is yourself. I was pulling for Maggie and Edward. I hurt when they did. I felt the urgency and fire between them. The people who supported them are all relatable and fit the story so well. I felt involved in the story. To me that makes a great story when I feel a part of it.
I hadn't read any books by Barbara Delinski before but I am most certainly going to read more. I want to thank her team for the awesome privilege of reading the ARC copy of the book. I would give it more than 5 stars if it were possible.

Mackenzie Cooper is now Maggie Reid. She has tried and been very successful in remaking her life after a disastrous accident took away the life of her child whilst she was driving. The grief following this accident destroyed her marriage and she and Edward are now divorced. Maggie lives a very structured life, alone but settled well into this small community where she is liked with a few friends who have no inkling of her previous life.

Edward buying a Inn and moving into this small town will definitely upset Maggie. On top of it all, she feels her brother has turned traitor when she discovers he is the new chef at the Inn joining her ex husband in this new endeavour. However what really turns Maggie's world upside down is when her colleague's son Chris just fifteen years old is caught hacking into the computers of not just the Inn but of customers of the Inn and now faces federal prison. The ensuing publicity, media frenzy that descends on this town fills Maggie with foreboding as she knows it is only a matter of time when people start connecting the dots and discovering who she is. Someone with a past and a record.

The story though it is about Maggie and Edward mainly also chronicles the life of Grace and Chris - the boy at the middle of the hacking saga, with a lot of secrets that Grace wants kept hidden. How the two stories interact though totally disconnected from each other and how it evolves is very well done.

Friendship, small town support (and gossip) all keep the story going and the love story binding Maggie and Edward is a plus.

Goodreads review posted on 19/4/2018. . Amazon is not permitting reviews right now. Review on my blog early June 2018