Wonderful character-driven story that opens in such a heartbreaking way. A story that will stay with me about love, loss, forgiveness ...

Actual rating 4.5

This was my first read from Delinsky, and I found it captivating and interesting enough to finish in two days. No mean feat considering how hard concentrating has been for me lately. I thought she did a good job bringing the characters to life and keeping things moving. Overall no real complaints from me. I would be interested in checking out other books, considering several people have said this isn't one of her best.

I could not finish the book because I didnt like the writing or how it was going. I liked the cover but that’s about it.

3 pages into this book, and I was already hooked. Barbara Delinsky certainly knows how to write a page turner! I immediately felt for MacKenzie/Maggie as she struggled to cope with the loss of her 5 year old daughter Lily, and the relationships she forms as she attempts to start a new are interesting and complicated. Overall, a tremendous book!

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 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 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. Highly recommended.

From tragedy come new direction which Before and Again certainly shows. Mackenzie finds that life doesn't stop even if you think it's over. Values are always important and the true path should be followed. Great read Netgally!

This is a haunting story that begins with a traffic accident and the death of a child. It’s about guilt and reinventing yourself and trying to live in a world without your family. We see how this tragedy destroyed a marriage but how the two people cannot escape their thoughts and feelings. We hope for peace and love and a reuniting of the couple. There are also some more troubled souls and they bond and help each forge ahead. I love the way Barbara Delinsky makes you feel the characters.

This was okay. Not bad but I felt like there could have been more to the story. The plot was good but I didn’t really connect with any of the characters

The preview for this one held so much promise, but it fell flat for me. There seemed to be a lot of extras that didn't add to the storyline. Once the story jumped in to present day, it felt like a huge gap had occurred in Maggie's life. I wanted this to be more.

I received a copy from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I am super late to the party in reviewing this book (sorry I missed it). Barbara Delinksy has always been one of my favorite authors and this book was wonderful. Full of what-ifs, it really made me think. Thank you for the advanced copy. I know our library patrons will love this one!

This was a great easy, light read for me. The pacing was a little slow in parts, but overall enjoyed this book.

Although it felt a bit slow at times, this book is one I found hard to put down. The characters were relatable and well developed, the writing was good and flowed smoothly and the storyline was intriguing. Fans of women’s fiction will love this book.

Barbara Delinsky delivers as usual. It was a very heart wrenching and emotional book. I couldn't put it down. She always surprises me with the depth of her characters.

Barbara Delinsky knows how to write a book. This book makes you think about, how fast life can change, and how to handle the changes. Very well written.

Before and Again was an emotional novel! It was a story about relationships, friendships, marriages, and family. It was also about tragedy and grief. The healing, forgiving, and starting over afterwards. Maggie relocated in Devon after the loss of her child from a car accident they were in. After the accident, she also lost her husband when they divorced. So now five years later, Maggie has good friends and a job she enjoys. She is part of the community of Devon. But Maggie has kept her past including the loss of her young daughter from everyone in the process of starting over. She has new friends, but they have their own pain and secrets from the past. Maggie's life will soon be upended all over again as the people from her past end up in Devon. She is forced to deal with some tough buried emotions when she is confronted by the very same people she hasn't seen in five years. Author Barbara Delinsky presents the characters and the story with emotion and an intricate look at people.

Camille Pagan writes an insightful novel, true to many women's perspective on life, marriage, careers, and parenting. How does it always happen that women think they have to be perfect, do everything, and in so doing try to minimize feelings that life should be treating them better. Penny is this woman, who is sacrificing her own desires to make every one happy except herself until her dearest friend Jenny dies suddenly and her world is is a tailspin trying to find out why. Her marriage to Sanjay is not what she thought it would be. She seeks the truth, what she learns about her friends death and her search for brutal honesty affects her whole life and her marriage. The characters is this book are easy to relate to, their story is poignant and may be helpful to many who face the same life issues.
1 like

Before and Again is the kind of book that raises questions in the reader, is the kind of book that makes you think and reflect on how the past can impact the present and the future and on how we might need help to move on. With well-built characters and a coherent plot, the reader will find in this book a delightful read as only the author is able to do.

Before and Again was just okay for me. The town of Devon, where all misfits gather, seemed a little unrealistic. The Grace and Chris issue was a little over dramatic for me. I did like the story of forgiveness, especially of oneself. I did not love the out of place cuss words. I really wanted to love this one, but I just didn't. For how chaotic the rest of the story felt the epilogue just rolled it into a neat little box and that just didn't feel right. I tried to sit on this one for a few days before I reviewed it, but still felt disappointed. I won't be recommending it, that's for sure.

A great story of love, friendship, loss, devastation, and healing. Readers will love the subject as well as the characters and storyline.

This book is not my go to type book but I was craving something deeper and this delivered. You see these stories and it's so easy to judge people for the worst decisions of their lives. This had me all over the place emotionally. The growth you see and the struggles and triumphs were just so moving.