In delightfully well-crafted and organized essays, Lisa-Jo puts her arms through the pages of her book to give her readers a hearty hug as they navigate the many roles women wear today: mom, wife, friend, daughter, citizen of the world. My favorite thing about Lisa-Jo is that she has lived many of the worse-than-mundane difficult life circumstances that face ordinary folks: debt and the accompanying shame, big moves, difficult kids, grief, and she allows those things to be what connects her to her audience. Reading The Middle Matters, I felt like I was sitting on the couch of a mom just a season ahead of me, receiving judgment-free advice and encouragement. It's impossible not to connect with her.

Lisa-Jo encourages us to embrace the ordinary moments of our day-to-day, recognizing the good ones as miracles and the hard ones as meaningful. The personal stories she shares, although specific to her, transcend the ordinary experiences we all face in our chauffeuring, our fights with our spouse, our small groups, our difficult relationships.

I recommend this book to any mom heading into the middle years, in the thick of them, or just past them. Lisa-Jo's essays will change your perspective and help you be grateful for more than you can imagine. I especially appreciated her lessons on handling mom guilt and keeping a humble attitude in the face of fame. I'm inspired by her willingness to fail in order to grow and connect with others.

If I have to be critical of anything, it's that this is a book for the privileged, for people who get to choose to make a comfortable life. I could never give this book to my neighbor whose husband is incarcerated, to my Muslim refugee friend, or to anyone in the midst of terribly painful circumstances. While every word is true, every word is not for every person, or even every believer. We must learn to be grateful for the ordinary moments, but believers shouldn't be afraid of extraordinary just because it might also mean "uncomfortable." Lisa-Jo doesn't necessarily confuse ordinary for comfortable, but I think a reader hoping to avoid suffering and maintain a comfortable American life might use it as an excuse.

Lisa-Jo is the galpal every girl wishes she had. I love the truth and relatability in her writing. Her wisdom and humor are so refreshing. As a woman who is faster approaching the middle but still feels like a little girl on the inside, this book really hit home for me in so many ways. I also love how Lisa-Jo points women to God and helps us to remember that even with our flaws, we are still loved and adored by our Father. This book is a must read for all women, especially worn out mamas in the middle.

As a Mom who also lost her Mom to cancer as a teen, and as a woman who was hesitant to become a mother, this book resonated with me deeply. It's hopeful, encouraging, and Lisa-Jo shows great insight and compassion as she cheerleads women in this specific stage of life. It's entertaining and a subtle mentorship at the same time. She is vulnerable and honest, and her dependence on Jesus and love for Him also shines through, weaving a wonderful story of how motherhood is a spiritual work that impacts generations, as well as a physical act of love.

Lisa-Jo talks about all aspects of life in the middle years. She covers her experiences regarding body image, marriage, parenting, hospitality, failures, sports practices, friendship, and faith.

It was encouraging to hear her stories. I'm not quite to the middle but it's nice to see what's coming and have a positive perspective to draw from.

I really enjoyed this book as a wife and mother approaching middle age far too quickly. This was a quick read for me and I could relate to so much of it. This is one I’ll be sharing with other women friends, especially fellow moms who need to know they aren’t alone in how they feel at the mid stage of life.

Another great book by Lisa-Jo Baker! As a middle child myself and a mom of 3 boys, there was so much insight and truth in this book. I highly recommend!

I absolutely love Lisa Jo Baker. This wasn’t my first interaction with her. This book is amazing!! And I can relate to everything that Lisa wrote about here. The middle does matter. We do need to realize as we get older, priorities change, body changes and our needs. Lisa shares her experiences and wisdom along with God’s word with her humorous wit. I laughed and I even tested up, cause it felt like she was talking straight to me and I needed to read this book.

I really wanted to like this book. It’s an important topic and I’m in this age bracket. But, I’m not married and I’m not a mom. So, the majority of this I could not relate to. I realize I’m the minority, but I wish this book was more applicable to all women.

I was excited to see that Lisa-Jo Baker had a new book out on midlife and how to embrace it. I had just had a knee replacement and was feeling a little old at 46! Lisa-Jo is honest in her books and relates to her women readers and this one does not differ. The book is broken into different relationships and aspects of her life and how midlife has made her value them more. I did enjoy the book and found myself relating to her, but many chapters were written more like a letter to her a specific person, such as her child. I enjoyed the chapters that were written for the reader giving us life stories. I would recommend this book to other women as I think many of us our surprised how hard our mid-forties can be with older children, aging parents and body changes! It would be a great book club choice.

This book wasn't quite what I expected it to be. It was ok, but I thought maybe it would be a little edgier and funnier. It definitely had its humorous moments but I thought it fell a little flat in some areas. With that said, I do think just about every middle aged woman can relate and for the right reader, this book will really hit home.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

I'm quitting this at 14% (and I've been skimming for a while). The excerpt amused and interested me - the author is a little younger than me, but nevertheless I thought the book might speak to my life. However the last three chapters I have read were about how important it is for girls to be told they are beautiful (and dress in princess dresses) and the author's concerns about her weight and 'muffin top'. This is not for me.

Lisa-Jo Baker's The Middle Matters is an enjoyable, encouraging, and engaging read. While I didn't fit her target audience (middle aged women) being 27 years old, I still enjoyed reading through Baker's antidotes, wisdom, and advice on living your best life while moving through your middle aged years. Baker makes an excellent argument on why the middle years matter. Though I couldn't relate to much of what was said in the book, I could take it and store it in my brain for when I reach those "middle years". Overall it was a wonderful, enjoyable read. I'd definitely recommend it to wives, mothers, and other women currently in their "middle years" or to those who are quickly approaching them.