“A soon-to-be empty nester learning to love herself one blunder at a time. After Happily Ever After is delightful….”—Foreword ReviewsMaggie Dolin is forty-five and isn’t dealing with getting older very well. Seventeen years ago, she gave up her job in publishing to raise her daughter, Gia—but now her only child is about to leave for college, and Maggie isn’t sure what her new purpose will be. … She’s been the caretaker and nurturer for so long that she can’t even remember the last time someone took care of her. She wishes Jim, her husband of nineteen years, would take that role on—but he’s been distracted and disconnected, and she’s convinced he’s hiding something from her. Her self-involved, judgmental mother and resentful brother, meanwhile, are certainly no help, and her father—the only person in her life who’s always been there for her and asked nothing in return—is dealing with increasingly serious health issues, leaving Maggie without her rock. As all these stressors pile on, a chance meeting with a younger man causes Maggie to act in a way that is completely out of character for her. As she gets deeper in, she’s forced to make some big decisions about what she wants and deserves—decisions that could change her life forever. After Happily Ever After deals with love, marriage, family, the empty nest, aging parents and what happens when they all come crashing down at the same time.
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A Debut Worth a Read
In After Happily Ever After (She Writes Press) by Leslie A. Rasmussen, Maggie finds herself sandwiched between her testy teenage daughter and her aging parents, where she’s being pulled in at one end of the spectrum and pushed away at the other. In the middle, her husband is having a mid-life crisis and her brother is well, acting like the spoiled brat he probably was when they were young.
So among all this chaos, where in the world is there room for Maggie? What are her needs and desires and how will they be fulfilled and who is up for that task? Who is she really? Will the real Maggie please stand up?
And that’s a challenge for Maggie to figure out as she faces rejection from all the people in her life that are supposed to be in her corner, ensuring that she’s happily ever after.
In this her debut novel, Rasmussen displays her comfort and skill in telling a story today’s mature women will relate to as they themselves face the possibility of having and/or wanting to redefine themselves.
Of particular note is the titling of chapters. They are numbered when it’s Maggie’s point of view and named when another character takes center stage. The one edit, and the only edit, I’d have made would have been to title the last chapter: Maggie. Perhaps that would make her happy…after all.
Lost middle-aged woman saves herself!
Leslie Rasmussen has written a warm-hearted, instantly recognizable story for married women who find themselves wondering what to do when the child they gave up their career for is about to leave for college and their husband is growing more distant. Throw in the joys and agonies of caring for elderly parents and an inappropriate attraction, and just about all women over 40 can find something to relate to in this poignant and enjoyable tale. Even as a never-married, childless woman, I was fascinated to follow protagonist Maggie on her page-turning journey, which had just the right amount of droll self reflection along the way to the twists and turns of the ending. Rasmussen deftly captures the nuances of raising a teenager, wanting sex from her husband, gamely trying to improve their relationship, pondering whether she gave up too much when she opted to stay home and raise their daughter, being tempted by a handsome stranger, and having mixed feelings about her aging parents. A cautionary tale with lots of life lessons tucked inside a flawed but endearing character, it is an entertaining as well as educational read.
This is the story of Maggie. Maggie’s daughter Gia is heading to college soon and for the first time Maggie isn’t sure of her place in the world. She left a publishing job to raise Gia, and she misses the work and deadlines and having someone notice her for more than grocery shopping and laundry. On top of this, she’s also dealing with a husband who seems to have lost interest in her, parents whose health is falling apart, and loneliness she can’t seem to fill.
Enter Michael from the gym. Young Michael. Attentive Michael. Michael with the abs. As always happens, Michael gives her the attention she craves. But at what cost? To find that out go pick up a copy. Seriously. This is a good read that deals with a real life issue women all face. Who are we outside of mothers?
For a debut novel this is a well written easy read. Some parts felt rushed and I did feel the ending was too abrupt. Its also on the shorter side for book length so adding more wouldn’t have been overkill. Definitely a good debut however. Solid four stars.
Thank you to.NetGalley, She Writes Press, and Leslie Rasmussen for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
After Happily Ever After is a comical, yet heartwarming story about the protagonist, Maggie, who is struggling with a life sandwiched between her ailing parents and soon to be college bound teenager. Rasmussen takes us on the journey of her chaotic midlife crisis to a surprising end as Maggie claims her midlife empowerment. The characters are simple and relatable while being complex in their thoughts, feelings, actions, and storylines. As we navigate the story, Rasmussen explores the inner lives of the strong male characters and exposes the soft underbelly of emotions that is not often discussed in novels that are heavily female oriented. It is easy to see why the book has won many awards! After Happily Ever After is an easy must read for anyone seeking a relaxing, entertaining, and relatable novel. ~ Dr. Melissa L. Strawser
After Happily Ever After left me so happy. The character of Maggie is great. So strong, fighting to do and get what she wants. The book really struck a chord for me about a long-term marriage, and how we navigate that. I don’t want to add any spoilers, but the ending blew me away. Honestly, the book made me feel emboldened to be better at doing and asking for what I need because I know I’m not alone. Other women — and men, check out the Jim chapters — feel the same way so many of us do. Also, in her acknowledgements, Rasmussen says: “… to all the mom’s who are left with an empty nest and a journey to find themselves once again. This book is for you.” It really is. Thank you, Leslie Rasmussen.
The laugh out loud humor may have hidden the deeper story line of this empty nester book for some. Maggie’s declared worry about her teen-age daughter bending to her latest boyfriend’s whims was an artful foreshadowing of Maggie’s late insight into her own possible weaknesses and the journey she seems ready to travel to sort herself out. Sandwich generation challenges with parents and mid-career choices are well chronicled in this easy-to-read book.
Bold. Refreshing. Poignant. Witty. AFTER HAPPILY EVER AFTER takes a look a Maggie’s journey of self-discovery, whirlwind romance, marriage, and (often humorous) life in crisis, all while deftly nudging readers to face their own relationship fears.
“After Happily Ever After,” by Leslie A. Rasmussen, is an engaging, inspiring novel about finding yourself again in the face of an empty nest. This story centers on a woman in her mid-forties, Maggie Dolin, who doesn’t necessarily want to grow old gracefully. She’s always placed her daughter Gia first, actually traded in her career in publishing to bring her up, but what’s she going to do with the rest of her life when her daughter goes away to college? Maggie needs a new purpose. She needs to learn how to put herself first for a change. Her husband isn’t as involved as she needs, and he may be keeping secrets. She would turn to her mother, father, and brother, but they have issues of their own. So, this leaves Maggie floundering. Without support systems, she finds solace in a younger man, and this isn’t like her. As this new relationship develops, she finds herself at a crossroads, facing choices she thought she’d never have to make.
I really like the balance the author shows in this novel—the balance between entertainment and social issues. Because as much as I adore the plot, the underlying problems are so very real to most people in Maggie’s situation. Even though you will be entertained, with some laughter and tears, you will also gain insight into what it would and does feel like at the empty nest stage of life. I like the honest way the author has Maggie sorting this out–with stress, confusion, uncertainty, loneliness–all in an intimate first-person POV. She leaves no emotional stone unturned.
This is a book for all generations, in my opinion, not just middle age. We can all learn something from Maggie’s story, about how to cope with stress, emotional abandonment, heavy responsibility, and life-altering decisions. As a general reader looking for a well-executed story, and former social worker, I highly recommend “After Happily Ever After,” by Leslie A. Rasmussen.
Leslie Rasmussen’s After Happily Ever After resonates with me because, like the protagonist Maggie, I’m an empty nester and face similar challenges that she does. I especially appreciate the humor in Rasmussen’s writing that makes it easy to explore this unique phase of life with love and compassion. I highly recommend this book.
Maggie was unhappy. There was simply no way around it. Her husband was distant and uninterested, her father was in an assisted living facility, her mother was as unsupportive as ever, and the daughter that she had given up her career for couldn’t wait to move away for college. It all left Maggie wondering where her place in the world was, as she tried to deal with the looming inevitably of change that waited on the horizon. It took a chance encounter that she would never have expected to ignite the chain reaction that brought everything crashing down in a way that helped her to finally begin putting together the pieces.
In After Happily Ever After, the first book from Leslie Rasmussen, we meet Maggie as she’s in the midst of a full blown mid-life crisis. Having been a stay at home mom for nearly 20 years, being faced with an empty nest is just one of the many things life has decided to throw at her suddenly. Marital problems, the inevitable loss of her father, other family drama, frustrations and uncertainty about re-entering the workforce, and unexpected attention from a handsome stranger- Maggie wonders daily if she can withstand the pressure. Over the course of the book, Rasmussen writes a story that is without frills and presents every day just as it happens, which is precisely its biggest strength. Maggie is most women at some point in their lives, in at least one aspect of her struggles. That very relatability makes her easy to sympathize with and become invested in. Her husband, Jim, and daughter, Gia, are never fleshed out enough as characters to create more than a surface impression, but that just stands to further illustrate the point that this book is about Maggie.
In that vein, this book explores the idea of identity. While it’s easy to read it as a simple story of a woman dealing with the stress of life, the first crisis Maggie encounters, and the one that continues as an undercurrent throughout, is the question of who she is once her primary role is no longer a mom. What does that make her, where does that leave her? As most people are defined by their roles inside and outside the home, Maggie faces the fact that with Gia gone, she fills a purpose in neither. The lack of availability from those she should be able to seek for support only snowballs everything into a larger problem.
I found myself completely invested in Maggie’s future and unable to put the book down. After Happily Ever After is an emotionally resonant story following a compelling character through a crisis that is relatable, grounded and engaging. This is definitely a book I would highly recommend!
I can’t believe this is a debut novel by Leslie Rasmussen just because it has been written so well. It touches so many topics like feeling of loneliness and loss that every parent goes through when they become empty nesters. The sense of purpose and finding what to do next in their lives. Secondly how to keep the spark alive in one’s marriage in mid life and lastly dealing with aging parents and how to provide them the best care and love. All these were very well woven into a wonderful story. I really enjoyed all the characters as they portrayed real emotions and being a recent empty nester myself I could totally relate to what Maggie was going through.
I highly recommend this book to everyone who loves women’s fiction. You will laugh and cry at times.
Thank you Leslie Rasmussen for your giveaway on Wild Sage Book Blog on Facebook. I am looking forward to reading more books by you in future.
Maggie’s life is changing. She is not sure where she goes from here. She gave up her job in publishing years ago to take care of her daughter, Gia. Well, Gia is flying the coop. This leaves Maggie with nothing to hold on to. Her husband is distant, her father is in a difficult stage of Alzheimers and Maggie needs a focus. And it SHOULD NOT be what she focuses on…you have to read this to find out!
Maggie is a character which struck a chord with me. It may not have been a good chord…half the time I wanted to jerk her bald headed (especially over the hot guy!). And the other half, I wanted to hug her and tell her it was going to be ok. Maggie definitely created some huge feelings in me!
This is a tale most women can relate to at one point or another. The aging parents, the life we thought we would have, the children…it is all in this novel. I laughed in places, I probably should not have laughed! And I definitely felt like crying in others. I enjoy a good emotionally creative novel!
Need a book about life changing issues with sweet twist! THIS IS IT! Grab this one today!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
I sailed right through this book and thoroughly enjoyed the ride. Well-written with a great story and compelling characters. Funny and moving on a relatable subject. A fantastic read. I look forward to more from this author.
Mini Thoughts and Book Tour
Maggie Dolan is a 45 year old stay at home mom who needs a change. A change in her marriage and her current lifestyle. Her only child, Gia, is pulling away from her every day and will be off to college soon. Maggie’s husband pays her no attention because he himself is having a crisis unknown to her. Then there is her father who is living in assisted living, and his health is deteriorating rapidly. With her life in a tailspin Maggie looks for comfort in all the wrong places that could have devastating consequences.
What a book. I loved that Maggie is a SAHM in her forties, because until the beginning of this year I was as well. Aside from her questionable choices outside the home, it’s everything that Maggie doesn’t say that had me laughing out loud. I think if she would have said some of the thoughts she was having while talking with Gia, a lot could have been avoided. That child drove me bananas the way she talked to her mom, but typical teenage I guess.
You could see the ending coming from a mile away! I wasn’t surprised, but I will say that it just ended. I want a follow up to know how everyone is doing!
Thank you Suzy Approved Book Tours, Author Leslie A. Rasmussen and She Writes Press for my #copy!
Available today!
Book Rating: 4/5
Wine Pairing: Shannon Reserve Chardonnay 2016
Linda’s Book Obsession Reviews “After Happily Ever After” by Leslie A. Rasmussen, She Writes Press, 2021 On Tour With Suzy Approved Book Tours
Leslie A. Rasmussen, Author of “After Happily Ever After” has written a riveting, captivating, heartfelt, memorable, and thought-provoking novel. The Genres for this story are Domestic Fiction, Family Fiction, Women’s Fiction, and Fiction. The timeline for this story is set in the present and goes to the past when it pertains to the characters or events. The author describes her characters as complex, complicated, confused, and flawed. I appreciate that the author discusses important contemporary topics such as Alzheimer’s, and dementia, and recognizing the problems of the senior population and how it affects their families and society. Leslie A. Rasmussen also discusses family dynamics, grandparents, parents, adult children, coming-of-age children, and happiness and problems.
As people go through different stages, their problems are different. As the characters get older, their values change, and sometimes they really don’t communicate or know what they really want. In this novel, Maggie Dolan is 45 years old, and her daughter Gina is going to be going off to college. Maggie’s husband seems to be indifferent and distant from her. There seem to be secrets. Maggie is in the “sandwich” generation and struggles with visiting her Dad, who is in an assisted living facility, and dealing with her mother, who constantly finds fault with her. Gina has a boyfriend and doesn’t want to talk about him. Now Maggie needs something more in her life to make her feel validated.
I appreciate the writing style of the author, which vividly describes the characters and their anxiety, ambivalence, and their actions. The author mentions the importance of family, communication, honesty, love, and hope. I would highly recommend this novel to others.
This book gave me all the feels. It definitely was an emotional roller coaster for me…I laughed…probably inapproately…so many times!
Maggie suddenly finds her world unraveling…her daughter is going off to college…her husband won’t give her the time of day..and her dad is getting forgetful..she wonders how she got here..
Oh Maggie..I feel you girl! I loved this author’s witty writing. I seriously did find myself laughing…when I shouldn’t. I found Maggie so relatable..she felt pushed to the brink, invisible and full of regrets…however it was balanced off with humor so it made it a fun read. Who hasn’t looked back and wondered…what if?! I know I have..
I did yell and scream at Maggie a couple of times..but she didn’t listen…step away from the hot guy at the gym…there is nothing to see here! I ended up liking Maggie and appreciating what she was going through…basically life…
This is a fantastic debut that I was fully invested
After Happily Ever After had me entertained by both the witty dialogue and relatability of the challenges faced by Maggie. This is a great conversation starter led by a 40-something who faces a second awakening as she searches for purpose for the second half of life. Maggie has to look within for her value and worthwhile navigating losses of those who she relied on to give her meaning. It is not only empowering to read her process but a window into freedom when she realizes that she is the one who gets to decide her value. Love that she did not jump back into the known at the end and embraced the uncertainty of life in this crazy mixed-up world! Well done Maggie and Leslie- onward!