This is a book that made me fall in love with its rich and layered characters from page one. I grieved for days after I finished reading because I knew I would miss Lib, Jack, and all the rest so much.
I’ve never read a book more than once (because there are so many good ones still waiting to be discovered!), but this is one I just might return to (especially because the audiobook just came out!)
I also loved that Ginsberg’s two main protagonists were older adults. You see that so rarely, and I was tickled by the representation as well as her complex depiction (no cliches or stereotypes.) Of course, the plot is wonderful, emotional, and compelling, too, but I'm a total sucker for a great character-driven narrative with flawed but lovable people, and this book is one of the best I've ever read.
One summer evening, Lib Hanson is confronted by her painful past when Matt Marlow, the forty-year-old son she abandoned as an infant, shows up on her porch. Fiercely independent, Lib has never revealed her son's existence-or her previous marriage-to her husband, Jack. Married nearly three decades but living in separate houses (to the confusion but acceptance of their neighbors), they enjoy an ease and comfort together in small-town Anthem, Wisconsin. But Jack is a stickler for honesty, and Lib's long-dormant secret threatens to unravel their lives.
When ten-year-old Charlie Taylor arrives at Jack's workshop shortly thereafter, he's not the first…
This is a book that kept me thinking about it for weeks after I finished it!
It's not my typical book; I had to suspend some disbelief and be willing to think metaphorically rather than literally, and if it hadn’t been recommended to me, I probably would have judged the book by its cover and not read it. I’m SO glad I did!
The middle-aged woman-power that jumps off the pages of this book made me (even more) proud to be a middle-aged woman. The characters were so relatable, and I couldn’t not cheer for these women every step of the way. It also gave me some ideas for how to handle my awful neighbors, but I held back (tee hee.)
I highly recommend this unique, powerful, and much-needed read for women over 40 who want to see themselves better represented in fiction.
'A perfect contradiction, existing in the shades of grey that real life is so often painted in . . . A story that's as furious as it is tender' Emily Henry
'A roar of rage, a pacy page-turner, I loved it with all my broken heart. Read it. You'll love it' Marian Keyes
'A propulsive plot and characters that roar off the page, this is a novel that's unafraid to take on societal misogyny while being satirical and even funny at the same time' Guardian
'An addictive, fast-paced crime novel like nothing you've ever read before' Red magazine
My goal for this year is to build the professional speaking side of my business. This book was recommended to me, and I read it in two days.
I never read non-fiction books that quickly, but this one was so chock full of valuable wisdom and advice I just couldn’t put it down. It was also different from the advice I was encountering in podcasts and on other platforms in a way that really made me think and believe in its approach.
I can’t speak to the efficacy yet, but hopefully, this time next year, I will be able to!
You spend a ton of time building your personal brand to generate more speaking opportunities. You write a blog, record podcasts, post on Instagram, and upload to YouTube. You refine your speaking website, work on that book, participate in Clubhouse, and comment on LinkedIn. You share your expertise and insight freely. All of that hard work might get you one gig.
And, unfortunately, none of those things will guarantee you the next gig. But what if you became a referable speaker?
In this ground-breaking guide to building a speaking…
For years, I was convinced that the only reason I was accepted into a competitive graduate school program was through my father’s connections. No matter my continued success and achievements well after graduating, I couldn’t shake the feelings of self-doubt and the fear that I would be outed as a fraud. I am not alone: deep down, many successful people question their professional legitimacy.
My book lays the groundwork for understanding and tackling imposter “syndrome.” Whether you’re learning a new skill, going after your next big promotion, presenting at a conference, or even contemplating a career pivot, this book will provide you with actionable steps for cultivating psychological flexibility so you can choose bold career moves despite bias, self-doubt, and imposterism.
