My favorite books to read if you’re going through a divorce

Why am I passionate about this?

During my divorce, I became fascinated with the psychology behind divorce and the pathology behind personalities. I started doing a lot of research for my memoir that I was writing. Working professionally in the entertainment industry, I was fortunate enough to publish my book and get some publicity behind it. Because of my research and experience, I’ve been a guest on ABC, FOX, and have been in publications like HelloGiggles, Woman's Day, Authority Magazine, and more. I truly love understanding why a relationship works and why it doesn’t sometimes. Humor can’t cure a divorce, but I do believe it can help and if I can contribute to that, well then I think that’s fabulous. ☺ 


I wrote...

Female. Likes Cheese. Comes with Dog.: Stories About Divorce, Dating, and Saying “I Do”

By Lauren Peacock,

Book cover of Female. Likes Cheese. Comes with Dog.: Stories About Divorce, Dating, and Saying “I Do”

What is my book about?

When Lauren Peacock was twenty-three years old, she got her fairy-tale wedding. But she soon discovered that a dream wedding doesn’t guarantee a dream marriage. Divorced at twenty-seven, Lauren did a figurative face-plant onto the floor of the dating scene and had to learn some awkward lessons, like how it’s not socially acceptable to push a crush into the dirt after the age of seven.

A mix of self-deprecating humor and fearless vulnerability, Lauren’s collection of hilarious anecdotes will win over readers prone to pairing rosé with mac and cheese and waxing nostalgic over nineties-era pop culture references. With unapologetic honesty, she reveals even the least-flattering details of her dating life, which are so relatable they’ll make readers either cringe or laugh out loud.

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Greenlights

Lauren Peacock Why did I love this book?

This book is a must if you are going through a divorce. When you go through a divorce, a lot of times you are confused as to what is the right path forward. What’s next? Am I making the right decisions? Matthew’s simple analogy of Greenlights really gives hope for the possibilities ahead. Life and love aren’t over after divorce. The uplifting message hit close to home for me and I re-read this book often and keep quotes handy to constantly remind myself that opportunities will present themselves. 

By Matthew McConaughey,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Greenlights as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the Academy Award (R)-winning actor, an unconventional memoir filled with raucous stories, outlaw wisdom, and lessons learned the hard way about living with greater satisfaction.

I've been in this life for fifty years, been trying to work out its riddle for forty-two, and been keeping diaries of clues to that riddle for the last thirty-five. Notes about successes and failures, joys and sorrows, things that made me marvel, and things that made me laugh out loud. How to be fair. How to have less stress. How to have fun. How to hurt people less. How to get hurt less.…


Book cover of When God Winks on Love

Lauren Peacock Why did I love this book?

I’m not an overly religious person and you don’t have to be either to enjoy this book. No matter what your denomination is, this book, like Matthews, is filled with positivity. The short stories of true people (including Denzel Washington and his wife) continued to give me hope that I’d find love again at the right time. This book made me laugh, cry, and also opened my eyes to a new way of thinking about relationships. It is another I frequently re-read and am reminded that divorce doesn’t mean game over.

By Squire Rushnell,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked When God Winks on Love as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

When God Winks on Love affirms a belief held by most readers: there is something more to coincidences than meets the eye, especially in affairs of the heart. Like winks from a loving parent or grandparent, coincidences are messages from a higher power that you are not alone and everything will be okay. This book demonstrates that you can retrace crossroads (an unexpected conversation in a restaurant or starting a new job) that took you into a whole new direction, showing you how to map the coincidences that have guided you to finding the love of your life.


Book cover of Real Life: Preparing for the 7 Most Challenging Days of Your Life

Lauren Peacock Why did I love this book?

One of my lines in my book was, “Dr. Phil, It’s Your Girl” when I was sarcastically calling out for help. And hey, it’s true, sometimes we just need to bask in some form of self-help. If you can’t afford therapy or reading is an addition, this book can help you address feelings you may have parallel to Dr. Phil and the specific days he talks about. Some you may have experienced (like divorce) and others may not have occurred yet. This was a mini therapeutic dive for me and helped me with perspective in various situations.

By Phil McGraw,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Real Life as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The #1 New York Times bestselling advice guru, Dr. Phil McGraw, presents a practical and inspiring guide to overcoming life’s seven biggest crises.

Sooner or later, every adult faces a potentially devastating situation. Dealing with the stress of a traumatic event—whether it’s the loss of a loved one or a sudden illness—requires skills and insights very different to those used to manage day-to-day turbulence. And no author is as equipped as Dr. Phil to guide readers in navigating their most trying moments.

With his trademark calm and prescriptive approach, Dr. Phil divides these life-altering events into seven categories—including loss, fear,…


Book cover of Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come: One Introvert's Year of Saying Yes

Lauren Peacock Why did I love this book?

Although I tend to lean towards being an extrovert, during my divorce, I was a full-blown introvert. I had no interest in going anywhere or doing anything. This book is subtle in humor and I love the journey the author takes you on. If you’re going through a divorce, it can encourage you to try new things, go on trips, and that meeting new people isn’t so bad. Getting out of your comfort zone and forcing yourself to get out during a divorce is very important. This book is also a reminder that sometimes we just don’t know the answers in life and that’s ok. 

By Jessica Pan,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'Funny, emotional and deeply inspiring, this is perfect for anyone wanting to break out of their comfort zone' Heat

What would happen if a shy introvert lived as an out-and-out extrovert for one year? Jessica Pan is about to find out...

*

When she found herself jobless and friendless, sitting in the familiar Jess-shaped crease on her sofa, she couldn't help but wonder what life might have looked like if she had been a little more open to new experiences and new people, a little less attached to going home instead of going to the pub.

So, she made a…


Book cover of The Five Love Languages

Lauren Peacock Why did I love this book?

An oldie but a goodie. Again, I’m not overly religious, but revisiting this during my divorce and really tuning into what my love languages are, only set me up for success in future relationships. Not sugarcoating things or justifying behaviors really helped me be honest with future partners. I strongly recommended taking tests at the end and exploring what your love languages are that way you can understand your needs in a relationship. The more you can understand yourself better, the better you can communicate that to a future partner. 

By Gary Chapman,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked The Five Love Languages as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Through fun-filled presentations before a live audience, Gary Chapman helps you identify your personal love language. He also helps you understand the love language of your spouse.


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Tiny Tales: A Year of Daily Prompted Stories

By Beth C. Greenberg,

Book cover of Tiny Tales: A Year of Daily Prompted Stories

Beth C. Greenberg Author Of First Quiver

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Writer Perpetual Student Encourager Frustrated Golfer Puzzler

Beth's 3 favorite reads in 2023

What is my book about?

Tiny Tales is a collection of 365 bite-sized stories and poems, written each day of 2023 to a one-word prompt created by one of the official #vss365 (very short story, 365 days a year) ambassadors on Twitter ("X").

Tweet-sized (280 characters or fewer) storytelling (aka "Twitterature") inspires experimentation and variety, and that is exactly what you'll find in this collection of compositions ranging from true stories to playful limericks, romantic fiction to war-inspired tales, wistful observations from a long-ago childhood to fantastical imaginings of a distant future.

Whether you want to read a story a day or use the prompts (included in their original order at the end of the book) as a springboard to jumpstart your own writing, Tiny Tales will keep you entertained and inspired throughout the year. It is a perfect gift to yourself or for any aspiring or avid writer in your life.

Tiny Tales: A Year of Daily Prompted Stories

By Beth C. Greenberg,

What is this book about?

Tiny Tales is a collection of 365 bite-sized stories and poems, written each day of 2023 to a one-word prompt created by one of the official #vss365 (very short story, 365 days a year) ambassadors on Twitter ("X"). Tweet-sized (280 characters or fewer) storytelling (aka "Twitterature") inspires experimentation and variety, and that is exactly what you'll find in this collection of compositions ranging from true stories to playful limericks, romantic fiction to war-inspired tales, wistful observations from a long-ago childhood to fantastical imaginings of a distant future.

Whether you want to read a story a day or use the prompts…


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