I really wanted to love this book. I enjoyed the talk about the program that Amy was creating for her students and I loved that she was finally taking time for herself in New York after 3 years of being estranged from her husband (ex-husband?). She has been a single mom for these years and managed to figure things out as a librarian at a local school.

I don't feel that I am connecting with the characters. I don't like the added journal entries from Cori, they didn't seem to be adding any extra information for me.

I have seen plenty of better reviews for this one, but I think that since I am not a mother or a wife I didn't see the connection with these characters. It seems like a very average novel to me, but I did like that it was a quick read.



Much thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Kelly Harms for this complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and opinions are fully my own.

WOW! What a fun story of Amy Byler, the exhausted single mom of two incredible kids. Amy gets the opportunity to refresh her life when her ex-husband shows up after exiting the marriage three years earlier, and wants to reconnect with the kids. He offers to keep them for the summer, while Amy goes to New York, and experiences the life she has been missing.

Amy gets to do all the things we moms feel like we're don't ever get to do - sleep, get our wardrobes and hair redone, meet and date beautiful guys, while all the time staying connected to our kids via text messages. The story is so well written, I felt like I was Amy B., enjoying a new life for a summer!

I highly recommend this book to all moms. Read this book on your vacation - the chapters are short and manageable and you can read some on the flight and some on the beach. You can put the book down for a couple of days and pick it up without having to go back and reread. You'll have a smile on your face when you "turn" that last page!

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms is the warm, witty, and hugely relatable story of the titular character's need to reconnect with herself, following years of shouldering the responsibilities of single motherhood. Many readers, I believe, will recognize at least a part of themselves in Amy.

Amy Byler has been raising her two children alone for the past three years, ever since her husband took a business trip and never returned. But after the extended absence, he has reappeared and offers to take the kids for a week, while Amy takes some time for herself in New York. Reluctant at first, Amy takes him up on the offer, and ultimately rediscovers parts of herself that had long been forgotten, on what becomes known as a 'momspringa', a complete departure from everyday life. But as the end of 'momspringa' approaches, Amy must make a choice. Will she be seduced by the path not taken?

This is a charming read that I'm certain will have many longing for a 'momspringa', or similar, of their very own. Amy resonates as an everywoman, and such is her tremendous appeal as the heroine of her own story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC.

Amy Byler is a school librarian who is raising her two kids on her own after her husband announces he is not coming home from a business trip. Three years later, he comes back and offers to take their kids for a week, as a way to reconcile with them. Suddenly without responsibilities, Amy heads to New York City for a library conference and ends up staying the summer with an old friend and making over her entire life.

The general tone of the narrator is as if she’s talking to an old friend she knows very well. It’s quick but personal, raw but witty. Each chapter starts with a journal entry from her 16 year old daughter begrudging the books she has been assigned to read by her mother while she is gone. It’s whimsical and sweet and illustrates their close relationship in a nice way. This was a fun, light, summer read. It would be perfect as a vacation book.

This tuned out a little fluffier than I was expecting...but was a fun quick read. The main character is abandoned by her husband, leaving her with 2 small children and an uncertain path forward. Three years later he shows back up, wants to rekindle the relationship with his children, but she is not sure what that means for her. He takes the kids for the summer, and she heads to NYC and one of her best friends to figure herself out. Ends up getting a make-over, dating, etc. Fun, cute, just not much meat. Thank you NetGalley and publishers for providing a digital copy for review.

This book was very mixed for me. It was zippy and smart and funny and a quick, enjoyable read, and I appreciated the point the author was trying to make about the ways in which motherhood can consume and overwhelm women. But I could not get past a lot of the premises and characters, which just felt inexplicable and under developed. The super rich, sole breadwinner husband left because he thought his family would be better off without him, and didn’t even pay child support and nobody asked him to? When he comes back, we keep being TOLD how sorry he is but we don’t actually ever see him really being sorry, just a lot of commentary about what’s wrong with HER and how she’s such a martyr. He never even really explains himself? Then she goes to New York where she conveniently has a BFF she can basically move in with for months on end, and relationships fall into her lap and nothing is hard? I just felt like... I saw where the author was trying to go with this one and I appreciated the idea, but the concepts and relationships necessary to execute it successfully just weren’t built out the way they needed to be.

Great summer beach reading! I thoroughly enjoyed this book about an overworked, under-appreciated single mom who goes off to NYC on a "momspringa." With a little help from friends, she re-discovers herself as an adult and finds new love. The book moves along at a good clip, with interesting characters and no boring parts. Highly recommended to moms who need a fantasy break this summer!

This may be an unpopular but I didn’t love this one! I had a hard time connecting with the characters. I even found the daughter’s journal entries quite boring. The characters were not relatable and the story was not realistic.

This book was super cute!! I love a modern day mom taking a break and living an independent life for a few days. However, I think she should have given her husband a little more grief; tell him off for god's sake!! I thought the relationship between the mother and the daughter was very real.

Amy Byler is a school librarian and single mom trying to do it all for her two kids. Her husband up and left them three years ago when he suddenly returns and wants to spend the summer with the kids, which results in Amy spending her alone time in New York City.

The characters in this book are very charming and relatable, but Kelly Harms’ quick wit and humor are what makes this book so great. I enjoyed Amy’s friends who guide her through her “momspringa” and the journal entries from Amy’s teenage daughter, Cori. This book fits the bill if you’re looking for a lighter read and the literary references will make any book nerd smile.

Thanks to NetGalley for the gift of this e-book in exchange for my honest review.

Amy’s husband went on a business trip three years ago and never came back, leaving her with their two children, the mortgage, and without a job herself. As most woman do, Amy persevered and has turned things around and is handling this single mom thing with ease. Until she runs into her ex one day and he begs for a chance to spend some time with the kids he abandoned three years ago. After much debate, Amy allows it and decides to spend some time with an old friend in New York City. But Talia is not about to allow Amy to just hang around and read all week, it’s time for a makeover and eventually what is dubbed a “momspringa.” When John begs to spend the rest of the summer with the kids, Amy has to decide if she should come home, or continue to find herself in the big apple.

This book was absolutely darling. For fans of younger-it’s kind of what I had hoped Marriage Vacation would be, though I thought that one fell very short. This was perfection. I feel like I could really understand how Amy felt about leaving her kids, enjoying her time away, and the guilt she felt for it. I loved her supportive friends and the additions she met while in New York. I was rooting for her from page one when she ran into her ex!

🅡🅔🅛🅐🅣🅐🅑🅛🅔. 🅗🅘🅛🅐🅡🅘🅞🅤🅢. 🅕🅐🅝🅣🅐🅑🅤🅛🅞🅤🅢.

Kelly harms! BRAVO! This was such a relatable story told with so much heart and humor, I absolutely adored it! Amy is the single mother of 15-year-old Cory and 12-year-old Joe. Three years ago Amy’s husband John went out of country for work and never came back. Amy picked her self up, dusted herself off, went back to work, and learned how to be a single parent. Now John is back wanting to repair his relationship with his Children and offering Amy a summer off from parental responsibility. What follows is Amy’s summer of freedom, fun, self discovery, love, and a new wardrobe. #momspringa

Amy was such a real and relatable character. As a single mother I saw so much of myself in Amy. It is so easy to get caught up in your kids lives and not make enough time for yourself. But you also don’t know who you are if you’re not a mom. It was so much fun reading about Amy rediscovering herself in New York. I loved the makeover, all the shopping, and all the crazy dates. I also loved her support system her Besties Lena and Tallia, and Mathew who was kind of a bit of a fairy godfather. Also loved the big part that books played in this story. Amy was a librarian and she had this really interesting program she presented at a librarian convention. I’m sure all bookworms will appreciate the amount of booktalk in this book. And there is a hot librarian love interest. Another part of the book I really loved was Corey’s journal entries, Kelly harms really nailed the 15-year-old voice. There was just so much fun and goodness in this book!

This is one of those books that will make you smile, make you laugh, and leave you feeling good when you have turned that last page. The characters are relatable, likable, and entertaining. The storyline is amusing and authentic. I think all moms will absolutely love this book! BUT I think the book will not only appeal to Mom’s it will appeal to anyone who is ever needed a break from their real life, A little re-charge. Simply put this is an uplifting feel-good story with relatable characters and a lot of humor!

*** Big thanks to Lake Union for my copy of this book ***

Predictable but fun account of how one single mother rediscovers her passion for her work, her life and her true self over one week in New York.

Every parent deserves to have a mom/dadspringa!
This is a light, charming read about Amy Byler, a single mom who got a chance to rediscover her own identity and the importance of self-care. Even though not everyone is lucky enough to have a best friend who is a fashion magazine editor who lives in New York City with a spare bedroom and has the time (or her assistant's) and the budget to arrange head-to-toe makeovers, spinning lessons, hot dates, and a new best friend for you, but I love the idea that a group of parents getting together, supporting each other and allow each one of them to take turns in taking a little chill time away from the hustle and bustle of parenthood once in awhile.

I loved this story!!! I got attached to here characters right away!! I think a lot of women and moms can relate to this story!!!! Highly recommend

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler tells the story of single mom Amy and her adventures in New York, away from her children, when her husband returns after leaving the family for 3 years and wants time with the kids. In New York, her magazine editor friend gives her a "momspringa" and she tries to rediscover herself without children, without her ex, and with love? Her journey takes her through many new experiences but eventually summer end and she has decisions to make.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read. This was a story about self reflection and forgiveness and a humorous story to which many can relate.

This probably more of a 3.5, if I'm allowed half points. The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms was a cute read and I enjoyed her bookish relationship with Daniel in particular. I felt the pain of needing to get away from children as a mother myself, and how it would be hard to let go of an ex-husband even if he super deserved it.
My main issues were a general lack of conflict I felt throughout most of it. The whole time she was just taking a vacation in New York and getting free things and dating hot guys and refusing to date Daniel for invented reasons and obsessing over how happy her kids were to be spending time with their dad. It all just felt like cooked up drama. The real tension did come at the end when she finally talked things out with her ex-husband and realized what she wanted, but I just felt like I needed more of that tension throughout.
Regardless, I finished it no problem and I would say I overall enjoyed myself because it was cute and sweet and I appreciated the message about moms still letting themselves have their own lives.

While I liked the basic premise of this novel, I was ultimately disappointed. There are too many things taking place that made it difficult for me to suspend disbelief. For example, if Talia is her best friend, why does she treat Amy so shabbily by forcing her to make changes to her body and clothing by “shaming” her? Why does Amy so willingly go along with the makeover when she seems so unhappy with what’s being done to her? Why does she eagerly remain in NY for the entire summer while continuously wailing about what a poor mother she is? Then there is the sudden plot twist near the end that manages to bring together the many diverse characters while so neatly wrapping up all sorts of loose ends. The resolution is too facile and too predictable.

There are many humorous moments, Latin jokes, and incongruous situations that make this fun to read. But, I didn’t find enough substance to warrant more than three stars.

I received this as a free digital ARC from Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Amy Byler,a exhausted single mom, who wants to escape her s daily life of adult responsibilities and given the chance for "the big break.
Her husband,an attorney for a food product company ,pops into town in PA,after having abondoning them three years ago to Hong Kong on a business trip. She never filed for the divorce,so legally, he is still her husband .
His guilt suddenly wants to suddenly reunite and spend a week with their daughter Cori, 15 and son Joe, 11 to make up for lost time.
Amy,feeling guilty to say no..lets him and she can go to NYC for her library conference.
She is a school librarian and needs these credit hours to get ahead in her job.
Plus the chance to see what it feels like being single without having family commitments.
Her longtime college freind, Talia lives there and lets her stay in her apt. She owns a magazine "Purely Beautiful" and creates a single mom(Amy) into a Tweeter sensation, #momspringa. She gives her an absolute amazing makeover.
Amy's college friend Lena lives by Amy. She goes abck and forth to check up on the kids and letting AMy know how they are doing.
The two college freinds from long ago, spur up and encourage Amy to live it up in NYC & enjoy the moment of inspiring other women to enjoy themselves first ;families second...and to date . After all,she isnt really married to John still. So what if Amy put off filing for divorce after John left is how they feel.
They rely on texting, to continue this freindship in NYC. Talia has to leave out of town & allows Amy to stay in her apt, furnishes her with a new look, clothes, blind dates..for this #momspringa world, and magazine high ratings.
Her daughter Cori has been writing a journal that her mom initiates..She has an empathetic and cute teenage sense of humor writing in the journal. We get to know the teen's personality through her feelings about books, and life , to her mom, and protesting reading the scheduled weekly books her mom puts on the reading list to her.
You get the sense that Amy really wants her daughter to find her inner self by writing into this journal and emailing them to her mom.
Joe, the 11 yr old is alittle unsure of himself,especially when their father asks Amy if he can spend the whole summer there instead with the kids,and is going to send Cori to diving summer camp,and Joe to space camp for a week. The kids do want this opportunity, after all,they are making sure they can get as much as they can out of their dad,for lost time.
He even gives Amy an American Express credit card for "essentials and emergencies" while in the Big Apple.
When asked if he can be there the whole summer with the kids,she looks at it as an expanded adventure of her new found single life.
To me, I could see why their marriage grew distant...and children can make a mom place first(of course), but the husband second...some men may see it as an opportunity to explore an open door to their new adventure and not realizing,they may lose their own wife from experimenting too.
In this story, single moms can relate of being the sacrificer and main parent(s) to their children and all the challenges of being a single parent cause.
Even a mom with another parent in the house, needs alone time now and then too.
Moms dont need to lose their identity nor spirit and shouldnt feel guilty seeking out to regain themselves again.
I liked how Kelley Harms put family relationships close to heart, and a crisis brings them all together without putting blame on each other.
I predicted what Amy Byler would choose to do and applauded her for it.
Thank you NetGalley for giving me this book to review.

This was a quicki lght read that I really enjoyed. It was fun and engaging. It also mentions my favorite reading app, Litsy, which I loved! I think this would be a great book if you want a light read.

I would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.