Exceeded expectations. Surprisingly inspiring.
How to Walk Away greatly surpassed my expectations – it was unexpectedly inspiring. Told in Margaret’s dynamic and friendly first-person narrative, it is very easy to be engrossed in Margaret’s world. It starts out really pleasant, but I figured it will be a pretty average read.
It’s not till a few chapters in when Margaret goes through her recovery process that I start to realize how realistic it is, but also somehow encouraging and inspiring. At the end of it, I just couldn’t believe I read a fictional account. There weren’t any surprises beyond that which falls into the life is full of surprises category. But I reached this point in the novel when I just couldn’t stop reading anymore because I was so emotionally invested!
Margaret is one of those go-getters who seems to have it all together, but she isn’t overly confident nor excessively mopey. Throughout it all, I rooted out for her, and admired her resilience, but also her vulnerability. I loved how easy she was to relate to. She’s the woman who has lost almost everything – and her narrative so accurately reflected what would have been the state of mind of someone in that situation.
I also enjoyed how we got to know a lot about all the secondary characters, even if only from Margaret’s point-of-view: the controlling and perfectionist mother, the slightly reticent but extremely devoted father, the rebellious but warm and dependable sister, the vengeful and bitter Myles, the grouchy and seemingly dismissive and uncaring Scottish Ian, and the cowardly and guilt-driven Chip.
The romance, of course, is so gratifying! I don't want to say too much and spoil it, but it was slow-burning, and so good, and just perfect!
For a women’s fiction/contemporary romance, Katherine Center’s How to Walk Away is extremely quotable and realistic novel filled with both lovable and love-to-hate characters – and the ending is so rewarding! So, if you’re looking for a nice, inspiring contemporary read, I would highly recommend this one!
It’s not till a few chapters in when Margaret goes through her recovery process that I start to realize how realistic it is, but also somehow encouraging and inspiring. At the end of it, I just couldn’t believe I read a fictional account. There weren’t any surprises beyond that which falls into the life is full of surprises category. But I reached this point in the novel when I just couldn’t stop reading anymore because I was so emotionally invested!
Margaret is one of those go-getters who seems to have it all together, but she isn’t overly confident nor excessively mopey. Throughout it all, I rooted out for her, and admired her resilience, but also her vulnerability. I loved how easy she was to relate to. She’s the woman who has lost almost everything – and her narrative so accurately reflected what would have been the state of mind of someone in that situation.
I also enjoyed how we got to know a lot about all the secondary characters, even if only from Margaret’s point-of-view: the controlling and perfectionist mother, the slightly reticent but extremely devoted father, the rebellious but warm and dependable sister, the vengeful and bitter Myles, the grouchy and seemingly dismissive and uncaring Scottish Ian, and the cowardly and guilt-driven Chip.
The romance, of course, is so gratifying! I don't want to say too much and spoil it, but it was slow-burning, and so good, and just perfect!
For a women’s fiction/contemporary romance, Katherine Center’s How to Walk Away is extremely quotable and realistic novel filled with both lovable and love-to-hate characters – and the ending is so rewarding! So, if you’re looking for a nice, inspiring contemporary read, I would highly recommend this one!