From bestselling author Camille Pagán comes a hilarious and hopeful story about a woman on the verge of a nervous breakthrough.At fifty-three, Maggie Harris has a good marriage and two mostly happy children. Perpetually anxious, she’s also accumulated a list of semi-reasonable fears: falling air conditioners, the IRS, identity theft, skydiving, and airbag recalls. But never once did Maggie worry … did Maggie worry that her husband of nearly thirty years would leave her.
On the day Adam walks out the door, everything that makes Maggie secure goes with him. Only then does she realize that while she’s been busy caring for everyone else, she’s become invisible to the world—and to herself.
Maggie cautiously begins to rebuild her life with a trip to Rome, a new career, and even a rebound romance. But when a fresh crisis strikes and an uncertain future looms, she must decide: How much will she risk to remain the woman she’s just become?
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A book about rising from the ashes of betrayal, loss and abandonment to find yourself stronger and happier. I could really relate to the protagonist, Maggie, and felt honored to travel on her journey with her. An enjoyable read.
Another great real world emotional read by Pagan. I highly recommend this book to fans of the women’s fiction genre.
I enjoyed this book. I was interested to know what direction Maggie would go in her life. I loved seeing her character develop throughout the course of the book, and I feel that the author portrayed Maggie’s challenges and the choices she ultimately makes in a realistic way. The ending brought tears to my eyes. Nicely done.
Great read. A friend told me to read this,so glad I did.
Interesting book, very insightful
I love a good book about a mature woman finding her path. Highly recommend.
Another winner by one of my favorite authors~
Kind of a coming-of-age story for post-menopausal women. Romantic, heart-breaking, funny, inspiring, and insightful, with just a tiny dab of gravitas. 😉
This is a good book about getting your life back together and not being dependent on your spouse for ones identity.
I would have passed on this book if it hadn’t been offered as a read and listen option. It’s so convenient to have both options. This was a story of a woman who has just experienced her world collapsing when her husband announces he wants a divorce after more than 25 years of marriage. Having been a dedicated wife and mother who set aside her career for her family, she deals with the pain and hurt of rejection while searching for her own identity and purpose. Touching, realistic, beautifully written and pleasantly narrated.
This week’s book review is a woman’s fiction title I’ve heard a lot about over the summer and just finally came in at the library! (Love my local library, but that’s a topic for another day…) This is my first Camille Pagán book but it won’t be my last!
See what else I had to say in my video book review:
https://youtu.be/lOZdPLuoGu8
This book kept me going until the very last page! This book will inspire every woman that she can do whatever she sets her mind to, and it’s okay to do things unplanned, sometimes they work out for the best.
I felt very emotionally connected with these characters, like i have known them for years.
This was my first time reading Camille Pagan. I’m so grateful I was given the chance to get an ARC of this one to read and find a new author I love! This book was a great joy to read and one I couldn’t put down. I loved Maggie from the beginning and enjoyed following along on her journey. I couldn’t wait to see what she would do next as she found a new life for herself. This story is so well- written. I cannot wait to read more from this fantastic author!
This was a book that was relatable in so many ways. When one gets to a certain age, kids have left home and your marriage breaks up, you do feel like you are invisible, especially if it is not expected.
The main character in this book, Maggie Harris has just this problem, she doesn’t know what to feel, how to react and finds she needs a change in her life, to discover herself once again.
She goes on a trip to Rome that had been in the works before her marriage had fallen apart, and there she starts, with baby steps to stand on her own. On her way to Rome on the plane, she meets a fellow North American, a woman who is an artist from Michigan, on her way to an art retreat. They see each other a couple of times in Rome before they each depart, and become close enough, that the new found friend, offers Maggie her home in Ann Arbor, for the 6 months she will be away, so that Maggie can get perspective on what she wants in this new life she is going to have to figure out. Taking her up on her offer was the best thing to clear her mind and here she finds new friends and purpose.
The story, has a lot of twist and turns as Maggie tries to find her Independence. The love and support of her children, her friends and even that of the ex-mother in law. Dealing with her ex and all of the emotions that go along with that. Finding new romance and a job where she feels useful. This story was a good read, and I would certainly recommend it.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC of this book
I enjoyed WOMAN LAST SEEN IN HER THIRTIES from the cover to the ending. Camille Pagan has continues to master the art of writing ordinary people who are thrown into unexpected circumstances only to find out that they have more strength than they ever realized. Both realistic and engaging, this is another winner by this author. I received an advanced review copy of this book and all opinions are my own.
Middle aged woman (Maggie) finds herself after husband (Adam) leaves her for younger woman. OK, that simple description makes this book sound mundane and predictable, but please believe me when I tell you that it was not! It started out light and humorous, so I was not at all expecting the depth of emotion sprinkled throughout and especially at the end. #Bawling
I must add that my mom passed away less than 3 months ago (and her outlook on life was very similar to Maggie’s mom), so I think that definitely contributed to my extreme emotional reaction to this story. Even if you haven’t lost a parent, there are so many other themes in this book (divorce, midlife crisis, career change, mothering grown children, forgiveness, trying new things, etc), I think it’ll hit a chord with almost everyone and highly recommend it!
Thank you to the author, the publisher, and the Great Thought’s Ninja Review Team for a free ARC of this book! All opinions are my own.
This is the story of 53 year old Maggie. She is a wife and mother who has led a full and busy life. After 28 years of marriage, her husband comes home one day and says he wants a divorce. He has met a younger woman and he is moving out. Maggies world is suddenly turned upside down. She starts to rebuild her life by taking a trip to Rome. This was a vacation she was supposed to do with her husband, so she decides not to cancel and take it by herself. She meets a woman on the plane who she befriends. This woman is spending 6 months abroad, and offers Maggie her home while she is away to Maggie and start her life over. She starts to figure out how she is going to live alone when her husband approaches her with new information. Then Maggie has a choice to make that throws her into trumoil.
This book was fine. It was a fast and easy read. It was predictable and Maggie wasn’t that likable. The ending was predicatable and disappointing. I was hoping for a funny, light summer read, but all I got was light and boring.
Eh – I would skip it.
Woman Last Seen in Her Thirties is a brilliantly funny, relatable story of a woman rediscovering who SHE is after a lifetime of being a good wife, raising two, now adult children and providing a HOME. Her anxieties are many and I’ll never see an air conditioner in a window again the same. Ha! Hubby decides to “trade in” for a new model and what ensues is a crazy and entertaining ride across the Midwest, a hilarious plane ride to Europe, new friends, and what happens when we find LIFE or LIFE finds us. I loved this book so much. I related so much to Maggie, she is you, we are her and I felt like she was my best friend calling me with these “holy cow, girl!” stories of what happens when we strip everything away and go for it. Camille Pagan is a brilliant storyteller, her wit and humor remind me of my own family. I found myself yelling “GO GIRL!” and laughing out loud every few pages. Do yourself a favor and go get this book. I will read everything Camille Pagan writes. I’m sure I’ll read this again. 5 stars!
A very fast read about a sympathetic character making her way through a midlife divorce. Especially loved her finding her work again, and the new romantic involvement.
I loved this book so much! I could relate to Maggie so much even though I remain happily married. Christ on a cracker! I laughed out loud so many times! Woman Last Seen in Her Thirties is a heartwarming tale of finding happiness after bad times. And of the ability to fold life’s bad moments into the good!