Great and inspiring book. The author has a wonderful way of writing that makes you feel like your living in this book. Margaret is in a horrific plane crash. The saying goes “when life gives you lemons make lemonade. Margaret tries to do this but with many ups and downs. Thank goodness there are people along the long road to help if Margaret will accept the help. This book has given me a new way of looking at disabled people.. it really is a must read.

I'd highly recommend this book. It's not your usual romance novel, whatever that is. This is a well-drawn portrait of a person whose life has been pulled apart and who eventually finds happiness in what she has left. It is poignant as she journeys through grief, anger and frustration. Despite that, it is an uplifting story.

How to Walk Away is "The Power of Positive Thinking" wrapped in a sweet love story. Maggie is engaged to the man of her dreams and about to start the job of her dreams when her world literally comes crashing down in a ball of flames. Left with life changing injuries and abandoned by her fiance (Katherine Center's next book should be about the bad karma that comes Chip's way for being such a cad), Maggie has to rebuild her life one small step at a time. Learning her insurance company will only pay for six weeks of in patient rehab, and with a mother who keeps telling Maggie her recovery is "mind over matter," Maggie is ready to chuck it all. The two bright spots in Maggie's life are the return of her estranged sister Kit, and the sessions with her brooding but gorgeous physical therapist Ian. Even though Maggie is physically damaged, and Ian seems to be sleep walking through his life and job, there's a definite "vibe" between them. But Ian tells Maggie his feelings for her are strictly platonic, leaving her heartbroken again. How To Walk Away is predictable-but in a delightful way-making the journey just as important as the destination. The last few chapters and the "epilogue" are where the story really shines- the writing is breathtakingly beautiful and filled with emotion. How To Walk Away is a fast read, but the messages about the power of love and the resiliency of the human spirit are so powerful it's a story you won't forget.

This is both a heartbreaking and an uplifting story. After a very tragic accident, Margaret Jacobsen is forced to rebuild her life. Through the process, family secrets are discovered and recovery begins for the whole family. I enjoyed this story so much. Even though Margaret is a strong character, I like the way the author wrote about the real life emotions someone would feel in this position (like anger and pity). I highly recommend this book and I want to read more by this author.

What an unexpected surprise this book gave me! I, typically, do not read these types of romancey, feel good, lovey-dovey types. WELLLLLLL, this really isn't any of that. It is a story about a woman that must do a lot of hard work to get back to what she is meant to have/be. I laughed right out loud and cried without shame (sometimes at the same time).

My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this advanced readers copy.

This book isn't hitting the stores until May 15th and so I strongly recommend my fellow reviewers to check it out.

How to Walk Away is about a contemporary Texan family that is brought together after a devastating plane crash leaves one of their daughters(Margaret)in critical condition and prompts the return of their prodigal daughter, Kit. Margaret soon realizes that she's facing a life of paralysis which turns her "perfect " life upside down.

How to Walk Away is a poignant tale of how we must accept the things we cannot change and find the strength to move on. But don't fear, it isn't all doom and gloom. I found many times that there were humorous moments especially in the narrative style of Margaret's voice. Katherine Center makes her such a memorable character. At times, I wanted to throttle both her mother and fiancee for the way they behaved or what they said, but at least with the former, it was really from a place of love. As for the latter, he definitely is not in my good books. Oh and I loved Ian! Margaret's Scottish PT was my favorite character in the book, even though we don't get to hear his p.o.v.

4 very powerful stars!

"There are all sorts of happy endings."
This quote at the very beginning sets the tone for a wonderful and inspiring book beautifully written. As we read of the very real human struggles of our leading character, we are drawn into the difficulty of working through anger, resentment, frustration, and depression. The love, support, and care of family and a dedicated physical therapist, along with her own will power, gradually lead her to realize, "You have to live the life you have and make the best of things."
This is a story of hope, courage, determination and eventual success after meeting all the hardships to achieve it.
This is a beautiful book and anyone will love its message!

The book description enticed me on this one, making me overlook the dual categories of Romance and Woman's Fiction, personally my least favored genrés. I did become invested in the plot; how could one resist discovering if the varied motivational techniques of her long-removed sister, her overbearing mother, or her distant hunk of a physical therapist worked best in her recovery. However, I kept wishing for better character development and less predictable plot twists. I do appreciate the NetGalley preview privilege. Alas, I am not overwhelmed with this one.

[I received a free advance review copy by St. Martin's Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review]
This was such a raw and genuine read. Calling it a tearjerker would be an understatement, but that's probably because I had no idea what I was getting myself into until a couple of chapters in. No, I didn't expect an intense read that shatters your heart to bits. I was completely blown away by Margaret's patience and courage, especially with her mother, who I must say, was a major asshat 99% of the time.
Her resolve and determination throughout the whole post-accident stage was such an inspiration. I read this book around the time of Stephen Hawking's death and I couldn't help but compare their situations. To find the will to live after such injury/disability (regardless of its majority or nature) quite literally blows my mind. This book is a must-read.

Thank you NetGalley for a digital ARC. Loved this book and would have read in one sitting if it weren’t for bedtime. Adored the characters and relationships. Fans of JoJo Moyes Me Before You Series will love this read although this book is far far better.

How to Walk Away by Katherine Center
What a wonderful, mostly realistic account of a difficult situation. A young woman is coerced by her boyfriend to take a plane trip with him. He has it all worked out and despite the fact she is afraid to fly, guilts her into going with him. Then he crashes the plane and the story begins. There are some characters you will want to root for and some that you will want to strangle.
The only downside of the book for me was the skirting around many ethical issues (patient/therapist relationship, bullying, an uncertified pilot flying a plane). All were present but glossed over.
What I really liked about the book was the portrayal of Margaret, the main character. I can’t speak to how authentic her thoughts, actions and reactions after the crash might be, but Ms. Center certainly did not shy away from what appears to be an honest portrayal of someone left in Margaret’s situation.
I would recommend this book.
I received a free copy of the book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for my honest review. Thank you.
ISBN: 1250149061 (ISBN13: 9781250149060)
PUBLISHER: St. Martin's Press
Publication date: 05/05/18

LIfe was perfect.....Margaret has a newly minted MBA, on the cusp of being offered her dream job, and a handsome boyfriend (Chip) who may be proposing this Valentine's Day. So, why let her fear of flying stand in the way of a too perfect (hopefully) proposal on Valentine's Day?

Life changes dramatically in a second. Margaret is left alone to figure out where to go from here.........a hospital bed in ICU. Her family rallies around with their own views of how to move forward - Mom redecorating as she goes, Dad silently encouraging, and long lost sister Kit shows up after 3 years of silence. There is humor, sorrow, anger, and so much humanity in the story. Margaret grows - stalls - and moves forward again dealing with the cold hard truth that she is a paraplegic. Ian, her Scottish PT, is no-nonsense (does he even have a heart?), but so handsome. Can a man look at her with lust again?

I laughed. I cried. I was angry. This book sucked me in and I enjoyed the world of Maggie! A great story!

i read and adored happiness for beginners, but i was afraid to read any of her other books just in case they weren't as good! which is obviously ridiculous and i'm so glad i requested this one when i saw it on netgalley. this was so, so heartbreaking. i've obviously never been through anything like that, i can't even imagine how i would handle it. at times it was hilarious. i loved the characters, ian, gah let me squeeze his cheeks. the epilogue just killed me, and though some things were sad in the end, they were realistic and i loved that.

I am blown away by How to Walk Away. This is the story that I started one afternoon, forced myself to put it away at bedtime, woke at 1:00 am to read some more, then finished the next morning. You won't be surprised to see that I 100% recommend this book. 

Margaret is a young, adventurous, active woman who is terrified of planes. She just finished college and her life looks perfect: she jwas hired to start a dream job, she bought her dream condo, and her dream man is going to soon propose. As she puts it, "If I'd thought about it, I might have paused to wonder how my boyfriend, the impossibly fit and charming Charles Philip Dunbar, could be one hundred percent perfect for me in every possible way - and also be such an air enthusiast." 

The air enthusiast thinks the perfect way to propose is to do so from the small aircraft that he is flying. She happily accepts, and then tragedy strikes. What follows is a moving and witty look at what happens when your entire future is ripped away, destroyed, and then remade into something unexpected. Life changes, and while heart-breaking and hard, can hold beauty and be better than before.  As one of the characters tells Margaret, "It's the trying that heals you," and Margaret makes that her motto. 

Full review to follow on www.ReadingObsession.com

Not as good as I thought it would be. People on Goodreads all seem to love it.

Wonderful, touching, good advice. This book touched me and a reminded me to live life.
This is my first book from this author and it wont be the last.
Would recommend to others



Thank you to the publisher and net galley for an early release of this book.

Heartbreaking, heartwarming, insightful, and thought-provoking, Margaret's struggle to revisit her life path after her accident is a good reminder that, while we might not be quite in the same predicament, we, too, can pick up and head just as happily in a direction that is completely different from the one we thought we would be walking.

OMG, I must have told five friends about this book within five minutes of finishing it. When the offer to read an ARC came from St. Martin’s I almost deleted the email after reading the blurb. This line right here is what had me hesitating, “Then, suddenly, on what should have been one of the happiest days of her life, everything she worked for is taken away in one tumultuous moment.” I mean that sounds like a tissue box or two kind of read, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but did I want to put myself through that kind of emotional turmoil? Then I kept reading and the answer was yes, and I’m so glad. I’ve read a lot of great book lately, but this has been my favorite. Maggie and Ian are still with me even though it’s been a couple of weeks (I wanted to let the story settle before I wrote this review). I miss her crazy sister and I want to read it all over again — something I never do.

This was the first book of Katherine Center’s that I’ve read; it most certainly won’t be the last. Do yourself a favor, read this story. It will break your heart a little, maybe even curse at the fates, but it will make you smile and laugh and be awed by the strength of the human spirit.

A big thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this wonderful ARC of How to Walk Away by Katherine Center.

Margaret Jacobson has it all, an MBA, a dream job and a boyfriend whom she thinks will pop the question any moment. Chip has been taking flying lessons and is one step away to get his pilot license. On Valentine's Day, in an all romantic gesture, he decides to take Margaret on a plane ride and asks her to marry him. Margaret is terrified of flying but reluctantly agrees to go with him. Everything is going according to Chip's plans. He pops the question, she says yes and they are the happiest they can be until the weather changes. Chip is still new at flying and he is relying on his training to land the Cessna safely. After a few attempts to land, he loses control and the plane crashes. He is able to get out, but Margaret is pinned down and cannot move. Disaster strikes and leaves Margaret with a multitude of health and physical challenges. While in the hospital, she meets Ian, a Physiotherapist, who always appears to be upset, frustrated, and annoyed. Margaret is dealing with her own demons, but she sees Ian as a challenge and is determined to make him smile.

Katherine Centre delivers a wonderful story of courage and silver lining. She has thoroughly researched her medical topics and does not spare the reader with the uncomfortable subjects. The story is beautifully written and structured. The characters are amazing and believable. This is a fantastic romance story which will uplift you. In Katherine Center’s words: “You get one life, and it only goes forward. And there really are all kinds of happy endings”

This is the first book that I've read by this author and it's a delight. Margaret and Chip have a great relationship. What she had hoped would be one of the best days of her lives evolves into something drastically different when the unimaginable occurs.
At what point does love prove that it's strong enough to cope with anything and everything? What makes a person resolve to stand with someone else even when it's nearly impossible? When and what inspires a person to gather all of their inner strength and fight back?
This is a page-turner, a heart tugger and just plain ol' great book. Katherine Center, you can add me to your list of readers for good.
I received an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.