Starting Now: A Blossom Street Novel

I read all of Debbie Macomber's books and can not wait until the next one in the series comes out. I love her writing and would not miss one of them. I value her as an author and respect her beliefs in life.

Have just received this book and can hardly wait to finish "A Week in Winter" by Maeve Binchy. I have never been disappointed in one of Debbie Macomber's books. So sorry to hear of the loss of Maeve Binchy.

I love Debbie Macomber and thought that the character development was outstanding, and the pace of the book was very good. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good, real romantic fiction.

I haven't finished it yet, but I am hooked on it and can barley put it down. Can't wait to see what happens next. I haven't read the Thomas Kinkade book yet but am looking forward to reading it. All those books have been good.

I always look forward to a new Debbie Macomber novel. And the beginning of a new series is most welcome. I am already eagerly waiting for the next one. When you read you become part of the neighborhood.
Lorraine Weitsen

I have read the entire Blossom Street series. I am waiting for the next book. I read everything that Dabbie Macomber writes., But the Blossom Street Novels are my favorite. That could be that I am a knitter.

Even though the ending in many of Debbie Macombers' books can be quite expected, the story line in this book kept me interested and was very believable. Was somewhat controversial and could possibly happen to anyone. Very good read

I have never been disappointed in a Mary Higgins Clark story yet. Just wish she could write books faster - don't want much, huh??
Thanks Mary. Hope we have another book soon.

Marlene J
Buffalo City, WI

As with all of Ms. Macomber's books, you get so involved you feel as though you are part of the story. I so enjoy the life lessons she incorporates. They always put a smile on your face and a warm feeling in your heart.

I have read a few of Debbie Macomber's novel and have come to the conclusion that I am not a natural fit for her fiction. Having stated that, I know that her works are very popular and she has a huge following. For those of us who like women's fiction with more of a bite, there are many other authors out there that fit that category. Someone once likened reading Ms Macomber's novels to getting a warm hug from your grandmother, and I think that is a good way to frame this review. It is a very sweet book with a predictable ending, and with characters that will not stay with you for more than a few hours after you finish the novel. The most edgy, and believable, part came when Libby, the laid-off workaholic attorney, decides to get a tatoo after having a few drinks at a bar with one of her friends. There are several stories intertwined in this book, including a possibly - pregnant thirteen year old girl. The novel is part of a series, "Blossom Street," involving knitting, but it can serve as a stand-alone book, which is how I read it. The book should appeal greatly to Ms Macomber's fan base, and there is nothing inherently "wrong" with the book, but for me I just like my women's fiction with more of an edge.

Worst blossom street novel. The characters don't make sense, the writing is terrible, especially when it comes to the pregnant teenager. I don't know any 13 year old girl who doesn't know where babies come from. The story lines are just frankly unbelievable and unrealistic.
There was just no research done into the reality of adoption or teen pregnancy or even volunteering at hospitals. I can't speak as to the being a lawyer bit but even that seemed lousy.
I loved the other blossom street novels but not this one. Sure they're predictable romantic fluff for the most part but at least they made sense and had wonderful lovable characters.
Also, as a knitter myself, I'm telling you right now, you don't pick up needles after twenty years and turn out twenty baby hats in a weekend. Nope. Not gonna happen. I know well experienced knitters who couldn't do that

I have never been disappointed in a Mary Higgins Clark story yet. Just wish she could write books faster - don't want much, huh??
Thanks Mary. Hope we have another book soon.

Marlene J
Buffalo City, WI

As with all of Ms. Macomber's books, you get so involved you feel as though you are part of the story. I so enjoy the life lessons she incorporates. They always put a smile on your face and a warm feeling in your heart.

I have read a few of Debbie Macomber's novel and have come to the conclusion that I am not a natural fit for her fiction. Having stated that, I know that her works are very popular and she has a huge following. For those of us who like women's fiction with more of a bite, there are many other authors out there that fit that category. Someone once likened reading Ms Macomber's novels to getting a warm hug from your grandmother, and I think that is a good way to frame this review. It is a very sweet book with a predictable ending, and with characters that will not stay with you for more than a few hours after you finish the novel. The most edgy, and believable, part came when Libby, the laid-off workaholic attorney, decides to get a tatoo after having a few drinks at a bar with one of her friends. There are several stories intertwined in this book, including a possibly - pregnant thirteen year old girl. The novel is part of a series, "Blossom Street," involving knitting, but it can serve as a stand-alone book, which is how I read it. The book should appeal greatly to Ms Macomber's fan base, and there is nothing inherently "wrong" with the book, but for me I just like my women's fiction with more of an edge.

Worst blossom street novel. The characters don't make sense, the writing is terrible, especially when it comes to the pregnant teenager. I don't know any 13 year old girl who doesn't know where babies come from. The story lines are just frankly unbelievable and unrealistic.
There was just no research done into the reality of adoption or teen pregnancy or even volunteering at hospitals. I can't speak as to the being a lawyer bit but even that seemed lousy.
I loved the other blossom street novels but not this one. Sure they're predictable romantic fluff for the most part but at least they made sense and had wonderful lovable characters.
Also, as a knitter myself, I'm telling you right now, you don't pick up needles after twenty years and turn out twenty baby hats in a weekend. Nope. Not gonna happen. I know well experienced knitters who couldn't do that

I am a big fan of the Blossom Street series because the books are usually as much (or more) about the friendships formed among the women who come to the shop as about the romantic love they find along the way. I was especially looking forward to this book because I felt a lot in common with the main character Libby. But knowing so much about her professional field ended up reducing my enjoyment of the book because it bothered me too much when the book didn't line up with reality.

Also, the connection to the Blossom shop and the people there wasn't as strong as in some of the previous books and the friendships Libby made were more like passing references than real friendships. Basically there wasn't the same kind of bonding between women where they share their feelings and support each other and I missed that.

I also didn't particularly like (or believe) the romance between Libby and Phillip and I didn't like how Phillip acted when things changed in Libby's life. I'd explain more but it would involve giving away spoilers. i also felt that Libby stayed fairly passive throughout the book -- the book talks about the changes she made but she still reacted to things that other people did or said rather than changing how she reacted and I didn't think she had changed in any major way. Again, it may be that Libby is a little too close to home for me.

Because the story really revolves around Libby, her friend Robin, her unemployment, and her relationship with Phillip, you don't need to have read the earlier Blossom Street books before reading this one.

Author Debbie Macomber returns to her beloved "Blossom Street" series with the inspiring and heartwarming story of a woman who thought she lost it all, only to find her world to be much larger than she could have ever imagined. In "Starting Now", we meet career-driven attorney Libby Morgan, who receives a shock to the system when she is called "into the office" and, instead of her much-anticipated promotion, she is given a termination of employment. Ironically, her boss tells her to take losing her job as a chance for a new lease on life--"starting now". The recession which affected the law firm where she worked has Libby still seeking employment months after she lost her job. As a teenager, Libby had lost her mother to cancer, further distancing her relationship with her father. Libby's younger brother had been killed by a drunk driver, and her father had not been the same since the accident. He had later remarried a woman with whom Libby had a pleasant relationship, but no one could take the place of Libby's mother. With time on her hands, and an ache in her heart, Libby slowly reaches out for new experiences, starting with joining a gym to lose the weight she has gained from late-night ice cream binges. Joining a friend on a visit to a yarn-shop, Libby remembers the fun she had knitting with her mother, and she once again picks up needles and yarn. Knitting little warming caps for hospital preemies leads to volunteering as a "rocker" for the tiny babes who need a soothing and nurturing touch. At the hospital, she makes the acquaintance of Dr. Phillip Stone, the handsome man she had seen working out at her gym. His abrupt, remote manner is off-putting, but the more time she spends around him, the more she realizes that he is a kind and caring person. Both of them have known disappointment in love, but as their friendship grows closer, so does their awareness of each other. A surprise chance at regaining her former career threatens the new happiness she finds with Phillip. Can Libby have it all? Will she be able to balance love, legal cases, and life? "Starting Now" includes a well-sketched cast of supporting characters who add depth to the story line, and old friends from Blossom Street are a welcome presence. Libby and her story had a special resonance for me. I have been unemployed through no fault of my own more than once in my life. The last time was the worst--losing my job in the middle of the global recession was something from which I will never fully recover. The consequences have been monumental and lasting. However, like Libby, I did eventually reach out to keep from losing my grip on life. In my case, I made a return to the world of all things books, and here I still reside.

Read from May 06 to 07, 2013

BOOK SYNOPSIS

#1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber returns to Seattle's beloved Blossom Street in this heartfelt tale of friendship, renewal, and discovering what's truly important in life.

For years Libby Morgan dreamed only of making partner in her competitive, high-pressure law firm. She sacrificed everything for her career--her friends, her marriage, her chance at creating a family. When her boss calls Libby into his office, she assumes it will finally be good news, but nothing can prepare her for the shocking reality: She's been let go and must rebuild her entire life . . . starting now.

With no job prospects in sight, Libby reaches out to old friends and spends her afternoons at A Good Yarn, the local knitting store. There she forms a close bond with Lydia, the sweet-natured shop owner; Lydia's spirited teenage daughter, Casey; and Casey's best friend, Ava, a shy yet troubled girl who will shape Libby's future in surprising and profound ways.

As A Good Yarn becomes a second home--and the women a new kind of family--Libby relishes the different person she's become. She even finds time for romance with a charming and handsome doctor who seems to be her perfect match. But just as everything is coming together, Libby must make a choice that could forever change the life she holds so dear.

Warmly told and richly textured, Starting Now is filled with the promise of new beginnings and the unending delights of companionship and love.

My Thoughts

Life lessons learned the hard way and a truly inspiring story for all workaholics!

From the very beginning of the book Libby was a character whose story begged to be read, she just was so very troubled and in such a bad place that it just broke my heart and yet as the story moved along that feeling of sadness gave way to one of hope that maybe this workaholic woman could find a way to make her life turn around.

For those of us who have watched someone we hold dear lose a job that they worked long and hard at with the ultimate goal to rise to the top of their career ladder only to be toppled off due to downsizing by their employers this book will bring back some uncomfortable memories, for those of us who have never faced such a trauma or known anyone who had to go through it the book will still resonate on a deep level as we all have faced a difficult loss in our own lives that changed us just as Libby was changed.

The shock of going from rushing to work every day and staying long past quitting time to being unemployed with no particular need to be in a hurry to be anywhere is one that Libby finds to be totally devastating, that is until the day she realizes that she must stop feeling sorry for herself and make some positive changes in her life before she goes completely around the bend. The first step to that is to join a gym so she can work off the weight that has her clothes bursting at the seams after only a few short months of too much junk food and late night television with no daily exercise to offset the empty calories.

Libby finds herself looking forward to going to the gym each day but she also finds it to be lonely without a workout partner, she reaches out to an old study buddy from her college days and a fellow attorney Robin Hamlin. Libby and Robin start exercising together and then one day they end up going to buy some yarn for Robin's mother, when she walks into A Good Yarn for the first time in a long time Libby feels a sense of peace and a sense that she has a connection to a place as her mother was an avid knitter prior to her death when Libby was a teenager. Finding herself drawn to the idea of once again knitting herself she starts out by helping the owner and her daughter create caps for the preemies at the local hospital. This simple task becomes something that allows Libby to tap into a creative side of herself that she has almost forgotten, it also one day leads to her finding herself sitting in a rocking chair with the newborns as a volunteer rocker. These two steps to finding a new life lead to more exciting changes for Libby in the pages to come, watching as all these changes unfold is both a joy and a realization that we too need to open ourselves up to what life has to offer before it passes us by.

There is so much genuine emotion that wells up as you take the journey with Libby, the sadness that one feels in the beginning is soon replaced with deeper feelings of hopefulness and the sense that everything happens in life for a reason even the bad things. This is as others have said before me not the type of story one can read all the time but it is a story that will leave you smiling at the end just as I was!

As a first time reader of the author's work and one who has not read any of the previous books in the series I have no basis for comparison but feel that this story can stand alone as it ties up nicely for Libby even though there are side threads that can be followed up on with other characters I am sure later on in another book or more.

[EArc from Netgalley in exchange for honest review]

Libby is a driven woman. She's an excellent lawyer, has had a lot of success with her cases and fully expects to be a partner in the business soon. She gets called into her boss' office and is fully imagining herself as a partner two years earlier than normal. She can't believe her ears when she's told she's being laid off...

Debbie Macomber has been writing for years and her romances have always been interesting, sweet, and filled with personal problems her characters must resolve to live happily ever after. This contemporary love story is the same. While it is set on Blossom Street, it can be read separately from the rest of the series. Some of the characters are the same but it is a stand-alone story.

Libby is lost without her job. She had no life except her life as an attorney. No one is hiring currently and she is adrift in the sea of life with no rudder. When she finds the local yarn shop, she wanders in mostly because she has nothing else to do. Soon she is knitting preemie hats and making friends with the women and young adults she meets there. And, somehow, she ends up holding babies at the hospital and calming them down. It calms her down, too.

Libby hasn't been good at love. Her career has been first in her life and she hasn't adjusted to having a balanced life. She and one of the doctors spark an interest between them, but they both have baggage. His wife died; her ex-husband left her because he wanted a family. There is a lot of give and take between them and Ms. Macomber made me wonder whether she would ever give Libby the shove necessary to move on with her life. Part of what makes this author's books so good to read is that they are realistic. No one gets love without some risk, not everyone finds love, and not all love is good for us. She adds that quantity in her stories.

This is a sad/glad story that has a good viable ending. Whether you're a fan of Ms. Macomber's books or you are just reading her work for the first time, I think you'll enjoy this book. I'm glad that Libby finally got her head on straight!

Originally posted at Long and Short Reviews

Libby Morgan's career was her life. Forsaking all else, including an ex-husband, friendships and starting a family Libby's only dream was to make partner in the high-pressure law firm where she worked. When called into her boss' office Libby assumed it was her day! However, it didn't work out that way - she was let go instead and had to face starting all over again. Months later with no job prospects in sight, Libby reaches out to old friends and takes up knitting again at A Good Yarn, the local knitting store, forming close bonds with Lydia, the owner; her daughter Casey; and Casey's best friend, Ava, a shy teenager who would end up shaping Libby's future in a surprising and profound way.

*** As usual, Ms Macomber writes a novel that is just filled with good people, good times, and always a remarkable life lesson. In STARTING NOW that lesson is one that resonates in a lot of people who have forgotten how to live because of thinking that career means success and happiness. In the meantime, they lose what matters most.

Libby had put her career foremost in her mind, until her boss after letting her go, imparted some important words to her. "....enjoy life .....take time to find some balance in life ...." Eventually, with the help of old and new friends, Libby found real importance in her life in the guise of a young lost teenager along with and including the love of a handsome doctor.

The lovely prose, plot lines, and well-expressed words of Ms. Macomber are a gift to all her fans, old and new. She reminds the reader in a simple way of the things that are important in the fast and furious pace of today's world. Gentle lessons to be learned for young and old alike.

Bottom line: An inspiring and uplifting story by one of the best. Highly Recommended.

A perfect read for a weekend away, Starting Now brought me back to the warmth and comfort of Blossom Street. Libby Morgan works tirelessly trying to make partner at her law firm. But one meeting with her boss dashes every one of those dreams, sending Libby on a journey in search of what’s most important in life. Through a series of ups and downs, Libby learns how to slow down long enough to enjoy life. Along the way, she learns the importance of taking time to face the kind of emotions that accompany deep loss.

Macomber provides a clean and lighthearted romance, weaving previous characters from other books in flawlessly. I felt empathy for every thread on the page, and I found myself caring about the more difficult characters. This author is gifted at providing her reader with the kind of diplomacy that fosters this well-rounded story. Because of this, Debbie Macomber is one of my favorites in the sweet romance genre.

I highly recommend Starting Now for anybody who is looking to curl up and embrace the wonder of real relationships and the mess they carry. I came away with life lessons that I will incorporate in my own life. I love being entertained and taught something at the same time. This book delightfully does both.

Starting Now is the ninth full length novel in the popular Blossom Street series by American author, Debbie Macomber. The main players are Libby Morgan, an attorney dealing with estate planning who finds herself unexpectedly unemployed, and the brusque, unpleasant Dr Phillip Stone, aka Heart of Stone, a physician working with newborns and premature births. Libby's enforced leisure time leads her to A Good Yarn, where she makes friends with Lydia, Casey and Casey's friend, a troubled teen named Ava. Other activities bring her into Dr Stone's sphere. After some radical life changes, Libby thinks she has discovered what is important in her life. But another unanticipated event finds Libby trading her physical treadmill at the gym for a metaphorical treadmill at work. There is a background romance as one of Libby's friends, attorney Robin Hamlin starts a relationship with widower, Judge Roy Bollinger. Macomber touches on quite a few topical issues: work/life balance, tattoos, teen pregnancy and adoption. Fans of the Blossom Street series will be pleased to encounter cameos or mentions of characters from at least four previous books. Discounting the naiveté that attorney Libby shows about adoption, and the inordinate amount of free time physician Dr Stone seems to be able to conjure for coffees and lunches and afternoons of sailing, this is still a sweet romance.

Debbie Macomber is predictable, but comforting. I like her stories, they are about people. The events in her stories actually happen to real people.
HOWEVER . . . the narrator ruined the story. Her pace was slow and even no matter WHAT was happening in the story. Everything had the same emotional value. Her male characters sounded like old men . . . grating old gravely voices. The female characters went between sounding like chirpy cheerleaders and drones. EVERY story, no matter the author, has some elements (violence, graphic sex, sappiness, too much detail, etc.) not pleasing to each reader (you can't please all the people all the time). Most of the time you can ignore it. Some (most?) of DM's stories have a "sappy" element in them. Which is a little annoying, however the way the narrator paced the story, it was EXTRA sappy and EXTRA annoying! You couldn't easily get past it!

I have very rarely found a narrator to be the make or break on a story, but i guarantee I will NOT listen to another story by this narrator no matter how much I like the author.

Starting Now --returns to Seattle's Blossom Street to discover what is important in life. A busy estate planning attorney, Libby has spent her entire life trying to make partner at the law firm-with high pressure and long hours, while she ignored her husband and personal life and put off raising a family until her husband left. She continued on this path putting work first. Until one day - she lost her job and now she must start over.

She had no luck in finding a job and became fat with no motivation or personal life. She decided to take up knitting (meeting a mother, her teenage daughter and her friend Ava), volunteer at a hospital rocking babies, joined a gym, renewed her friendship with Robin, and along the way met a doctor which changed her way of thinking about romance and family.

The knitting shop (A Good Yarn) becomes her safe haven--meeting a new family (since she lost her mother as a teen). She befriends Casey's best friend, Ava, a troubled shy teen who has no family life and later discovers she has no one to turn to except for Libby. When she finds herself pregnant at age 13, Libby takes her under her wing.

She is happy with her freedom from work; however, she has to pay the bills, gets back into the same work routine and leaves all her friends and new lover behind. Then she finds out money does not create happiness. She has to make a choice to which could change her life. An inspiring read!!!!
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"Starting Now: A Blossom Street Novel" is the second book I have read by Debbie Macomber and the first in this series for me. It was simply a wonderful read. I didn't feel disconnected because of the prior books, so I don't think that you necessarily have to read those first. However, I think I will certainly want to go back and read them now to find out how the back story individuals got to this point in their lives.

The book deals with loss - loss of loved ones, loss of jobs, loss of self-confidence, loss of innocence and more. It shows how each individual either overcomes or is overcome by their loss. Balancing between work and personal life, giving into to self emotions and giving of yourself to your friends is also dealt with with a deft hand. Starting over occurs for a number of characters in the book and most notably and more than once, for Libby, the main character of the book. Libby keeps surfacing and treading water and starting with a new plan just to be dunked back under. I was able to connect with her and I think that a lot of readers will too.

I enjoyed the book and read it in a twenty four hours span. It was easy to read and carried the serious subjects with a respectful and not heavy handed approach. I highly recommend the book.

Starting Now A Blossom Street Novel by Debbie Macomber
Libby has recently lost her job that she worked at. She hadn't brought in any new clients but she kept very busy to keep the ones the agency had.
She had lost her mother when she was 10. When she joins a gym she also looked up another friend she used to stay in contact with and that got her to the French cafe on Blossom Street. Then a stop into the yarn store where she remembered knitting with her mother.
The girls in the back were making preemie caps and I felt a bond as that's what I do for my local hospital, that and booties. Glad she did learn how to make them again and she went with the girls to the hospital to drop them off where they were looking for people to hold and rock the infants on a volunteer basis.
Her husband had wanted kids but she wanted a career first so they divorced.
Love how the older characters are brought up to date with just the briefest of information, doesn't clog up the book.
Dr. Phillip Stone, the heart of stones doctor he's referred to as gives off a rude mood anytime Libby has been around him-at the gym or at the hospital...He's a specialist in heart defects on the very young and he talks to Libby one day asking about her pregnant daughter til she realizes he meant one of the girls that helped her drop off the preemie hats.
How she can approach Lydia at the yarn store about it, especially since it's none of her business and she doesn't know her very well either...
Robin her friend is on a secret mission=-to get the judge to get Libby a job and to go on a date with the judge herself...
I liked the book but did not like the subject of what was going on with the 13 year olds. I know it's an everyday thing but it disgusts me that it occurs.
Surprised there are no patterns with this book.

If you don't want to spend calories on your favorite comfort food, you can always read one of Debbie Macomber's books. This one in particular is satisfyingly comforting and uplifting.

One thing I can always count on with any Macomber story: No matter how the main characters might differ from me, I will always be able to relate to several of them. Combine that with wholesomeness, wisdom and a happy ending, and what more could you want from a quick read when your spirits are low? She really has a winning combination that she applies to all her novels. So, when that certain mood hits me; when I need some TLC or need to be reminded of the goodness in life, in others, in myself; I know that I can pick up a Macomber book and find food for thought and encouraging words.

This Blossom Street Novel was no different: I cried with the human frailties I saw. I cheered when a character overcame their problem or rose above their pain and suffering. I was happy to see people working together and supporting each other. I saw true friendship and true love. And besides all that, there were lots of babies to rock and sing to!

Good read! I recommend adding it to your Debbie Macomber collection.

That is the lesson that Libby Morgan is facing in Debbie Macomber's newest book. Libby Morgan has worked hard to make partnership in her law firm. One day she is called into the senior partner's office knowing full well that the offer was coming her way. By the time that she leaves his office, she is unemployed.

Months go by with no job offers, her friends try to help but with this economy, there is not much out there for a talented estate attorney. Wanting to fill her time, she decides to try her hand at knitting and learns that the local hospital accepts items for their neo-natal ward.

Upon their first delivery of knitted items, Libby and two young girls run into an attractive but rather cold-hearted doctor. The unexpected meeting and the news that he reveals to Libby changes both the direction and trajectory of her life.

Debbie Macomber's books are relaxing summer reads. There is always a slight twist, but nothing high-end that the reader has to be prepared for. The slow meandering flow leads to a predictable conclusion full of young romance. Take a break from the world and settle in for a relaxing afternoon.

You can always count on Debbie Macomber to provide her readers with a reason to love her, and this book was no exception. It was good to see some familiar characters again, and even if you aren't familiar, this book could be a standalone without any issues.

What fascinated me about this, and I feel relatively comfortable saying this as I have literally read every Debbie Macomber book I have been able to get my hands on, is that she strayed a little from her usual formula. There actually is a very serious and troubling matter at the heart of this book. Rather than the total "feel good" story that we have come to expect from her, she delved in a bit deeper this time and gave a whole different group of people something to identify with.

This is not to say that the romance wasn't there, because it was and as usual it exceeded my expectations. I was just surprised a little by the subject matter the author chose and how she decided to work with the developments from that story at the end of the book.

If you are a fan of this author and have been anticipating a return to the characters you love, this book will not disappoint.

This review is based on a digital review copy from the publisher.

Hott Synopsis:
When Libby is laid off from her all encompassing job at a prestigious law firm it's with the advice that she `get a life'. Awestruck at the audacity of the senior partner she begins right away to look for work only to find that no one needs her expertise.
After months of searching relentlessly for new employment and depleting her generous severance package and most of her savings Libby begins to wonder if maybe that advice wasn't worth more than she first assumed.
So begins the journey to acquaint herself with someone she's never gotten to know - herself.

Hott Review:
What I liked: I loved this journey of self-discovery. Yes, there is a romance in here but overall this story is all about a who decides to have a life. It was emotional, fun, and heart-warming.
What I didn't like: WOW! I can't believe that's all of the Blossom St novels - I could have sworn I'd read more.

More...
Author: Debbie Macomber
Source: Ballantine Books via Netgalley
Grade: A
Steam: Adult
Series: Blossom Street #9

Workaholic Libby Morgan is determined to make partner. However, a huge monkey wrench is thrown in her plans when her law firm decides to end her employment. Her mentor at the firm advises that she "get a life". Libby has not taken time to enjoy life for a long time. She's too busy working.

This book was a deeply emotional book. It's from Debbie Macomber's Blossom Street Series. Libby begins to fill her time with a number of activities that enrich her life. She takes up knitting and mentors a troubled teenaged girl. If you've read other Blossom Street books, then you'll see some familiar characters.

This is a story about Libby's journey to finding herself, finding peace, happiness and love.

#33 Book Read in 2013
Starting Now by Debbie Macomber

Macomber is one of my comfort authors. I love her writing style and her character development. Her Blossom Street series is one of my favorite series, and this latest installment did not disappoint. In this book, Libby Morgan is a workaholic attorney who is unexpectedly laid off from her firm. She finds herself in Lydia's yarn shop and begins to knit hats for preemie babies. This leads her to volunteering at the hospital, which leads her to handsome doctor, Phillip Stone. Throughout this book, Libby rediscovers herself and what things she wants in her life.

Starting Now introduces an interesting new character to the Blossom Street canvas in Libby. It was nice to see the return of character such as Lydia, Brad, Casey and Margaret. Reading this book was like returning to your hometown--known and accepted. Macomber's writing style is great for developing romantic plots while including an interesting twist to make this more than "just" a romance novel. I loved it; I read it in a day.

[...]

Blossom Street. Old friends. New friends. Libby is a hardworking attorney, thinking she is about to make partner. What she has worked her whole life for. Given up everything else. No friends, no husband, no children. But she doesn't make partner. They let her go.

What will Libby do now? She starts by getting a gym membership. Then she goes to our favorite knitting store, finding new friends, which leads to rocking newborns at the hospital. Which leads to a possible romance and maybe more?

A few sideline stories going on in here, classic Macomber fashion! There is Robin and Judge Bollinger. Ava and her family. We see a few glimpses of Lydia and Casey as well. Macomber blends it all together, you will love coming back to some of our old friends, and new alike!

This story of hardworking woman has given up everything for her career only to find out maybe that isn't where it is at. Same old lines, but Macomber weaves it so wonderfully, as usual, you will love getting to know Libby and Dr. Stone. Happy reading!!!

For fans of the Blossom Street book series, readers will find this book fits in well with the rest of the series. New characters are introduced with the main storyline, while a few familiar faces are also included. The story mostly focuses on Libby, whose life plan goes awry after she loses her job. Recognizing that her life had been all about work, Libby realizes she has to expand her world and decides to do some volunteering. Her efforts lead her to the knitting shop, A Good Yarn, where she learns about ways to contribute in the community through knitting. As a result of her outreach, Libby rediscovers what is important in her life, and how to prioritize people, not things.

I found the book satisfying, with well developed characters. Some aspects were predictable, yet the overall story had a few twists and turns which kept me engaged. I wanted to see how each of the main characters overcame difficulties and moved on with her life. The book ends with just the right amount of closure too, for those who like loose ends tied up. The book can be read as a stand alone, though I think it is best as part of the series.

To start off, let me admit that if I'd seen this book in a grocery store (I was given a free copy for an honest review), I would never have brought it home. The flowers, the ball of yarn, the pastel colors- this doesn't make me think I'll be interested in a book. I prefer graphic covers, naked bodies, promises of detailed sex scenes. However, within the first chapter, Debbie's writing style and her main character Libby had already won me over. Her job loss and the withered plant by her late mother's picture made me need to keep reading; I just had to know how her life got better. Through the many plot twists as Libby's life got better and got worse by turns, I wanted to keep reading. The budding relationship with Philip and the many ways they improved each other's lives was beautiful to read. I also enjoyed the side plot of Libby's friend Robin and her romance, which she keeps secret from Libby for quite awhile. Towards the end, there were some truly heart breaking scenes, but I was grateful that nonetheless, Libby and Philip still got their "happily-ever-after."

Having enjoyed other books by the author, I decided to read this one and sure enough I enjoyed curling up for the cozy read. You don't need to have a background in the blossom street novels to enjoy this one. However, if you want to return to familiar characters, this is an opportunity.

The book opens in a high anticipation moment for the main character expecting a promotion and finding herself laid off instead. A flurry of emotions begin the ride into her realizing where she has been spending all her time. It's a life example of how often people that deserve better often find themselves facing events they did not plan.

I think this is a good book for those taking a new direction in life or a good reminder to appreciate what you have. It's a comforting read that probably will be enjoyed by most fans of the author and those finding common ground with the characters.

Read from May 06 to 07, 2013

BOOK SYNOPSIS

#1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber returns to Seattle's beloved Blossom Street in this heartfelt tale of friendship, renewal, and discovering what's truly important in life.

For years Libby Morgan dreamed only of making partner in her competitive, high-pressure law firm. She sacrificed everything for her career--her friends, her marriage, her chance at creating a family. When her boss calls Libby into his office, she assumes it will finally be good news, but nothing can prepare her for the shocking reality: She's been let go and must rebuild her entire life . . . starting now.

With no job prospects in sight, Libby reaches out to old friends and spends her afternoons at A Good Yarn, the local knitting store. There she forms a close bond with Lydia, the sweet-natured shop owner; Lydia's spirited teenage daughter, Casey; and Casey's best friend, Ava, a shy yet troubled girl who will shape Libby's future in surprising and profound ways.

As A Good Yarn becomes a second home--and the women a new kind of family--Libby relishes the different person she's become. She even finds time for romance with a charming and handsome doctor who seems to be her perfect match. But just as everything is coming together, Libby must make a choice that could forever change the life she holds so dear.

Warmly told and richly textured, Starting Now is filled with the promise of new beginnings and the unending delights of companionship and love.

My Thoughts

Life lessons learned the hard way and a truly inspiring story for all workaholics!

From the very beginning of the book Libby was a character whose story begged to be read, she just was so very troubled and in such a bad place that it just broke my heart and yet as the story moved along that feeling of sadness gave way to one of hope that maybe this workaholic woman could find a way to make her life turn around.

For those of us who have watched someone we hold dear lose a job that they worked long and hard at with the ultimate goal to rise to the top of their career ladder only to be toppled off due to downsizing by their employers this book will bring back some uncomfortable memories, for those of us who have never faced such a trauma or known anyone who had to go through it the book will still resonate on a deep level as we all have faced a difficult loss in our own lives that changed us just as Libby was changed.

The shock of going from rushing to work every day and staying long past quitting time to being unemployed with no particular need to be in a hurry to be anywhere is one that Libby finds to be totally devastating, that is until the day she realizes that she must stop feeling sorry for herself and make some positive changes in her life before she goes completely around the bend. The first step to that is to join a gym so she can work off the weight that has her clothes bursting at the seams after only a few short months of too much junk food and late night television with no daily exercise to offset the empty calories.

Libby finds herself looking forward to going to the gym each day but she also finds it to be lonely without a workout partner, she reaches out to an old study buddy from her college days and a fellow attorney Robin Hamlin. Libby and Robin start exercising together and then one day they end up going to buy some yarn for Robin's mother, when she walks into A Good Yarn for the first time in a long time Libby feels a sense of peace and a sense that she has a connection to a place as her mother was an avid knitter prior to her death when Libby was a teenager. Finding herself drawn to the idea of once again knitting herself she starts out by helping the owner and her daughter create caps for the preemies at the local hospital. This simple task becomes something that allows Libby to tap into a creative side of herself that she has almost forgotten, it also one day leads to her finding herself sitting in a rocking chair with the newborns as a volunteer rocker. These two steps to finding a new life lead to more exciting changes for Libby in the pages to come, watching as all these changes unfold is both a joy and a realization that we too need to open ourselves up to what life has to offer before it passes us by.

There is so much genuine emotion that wells up as you take the journey with Libby, the sadness that one feels in the beginning is soon replaced with deeper feelings of hopefulness and the sense that everything happens in life for a reason even the bad things. This is as others have said before me not the type of story one can read all the time but it is a story that will leave you smiling at the end just as I was!

As a first time reader of the author's work and one who has not read any of the previous books in the series I have no basis for comparison but feel that this story can stand alone as it ties up nicely for Libby even though there are side threads that can be followed up on with other characters I am sure later on in another book or more.

[EArc from Netgalley in exchange for honest review]

Libby is a driven woman. She's an excellent lawyer, has had a lot of success with her cases and fully expects to be a partner in the business soon. She gets called into her boss' office and is fully imagining herself as a partner two years earlier than normal. She can't believe her ears when she's told she's being laid off...

Debbie Macomber has been writing for years and her romances have always been interesting, sweet, and filled with personal problems her characters must resolve to live happily ever after. This contemporary love story is the same. While it is set on Blossom Street, it can be read separately from the rest of the series. Some of the characters are the same but it is a stand-alone story.

Libby is lost without her job. She had no life except her life as an attorney. No one is hiring currently and she is adrift in the sea of life with no rudder. When she finds the local yarn shop, she wanders in mostly because she has nothing else to do. Soon she is knitting preemie hats and making friends with the women and young adults she meets there. And, somehow, she ends up holding babies at the hospital and calming them down. It calms her down, too.

Libby hasn't been good at love. Her career has been first in her life and she hasn't adjusted to having a balanced life. She and one of the doctors spark an interest between them, but they both have baggage. His wife died; her ex-husband left her because he wanted a family. There is a lot of give and take between them and Ms. Macomber made me wonder whether she would ever give Libby the shove necessary to move on with her life. Part of what makes this author's books so good to read is that they are realistic. No one gets love without some risk, not everyone finds love, and not all love is good for us. She adds that quantity in her stories.

This is a sad/glad story that has a good viable ending. Whether you're a fan of Ms. Macomber's books or you are just reading her work for the first time, I think you'll enjoy this book. I'm glad that Libby finally got her head on straight!

Originally posted at Long and Short Reviews

Libby Morgan's career was her life. Forsaking all else, including an ex-husband, friendships and starting a family Libby's only dream was to make partner in the high-pressure law firm where she worked. When called into her boss' office Libby assumed it was her day! However, it didn't work out that way - she was let go instead and had to face starting all over again. Months later with no job prospects in sight, Libby reaches out to old friends and takes up knitting again at A Good Yarn, the local knitting store, forming close bonds with Lydia, the owner; her daughter Casey; and Casey's best friend, Ava, a shy teenager who would end up shaping Libby's future in a surprising and profound way.

*** As usual, Ms Macomber writes a novel that is just filled with good people, good times, and always a remarkable life lesson. In STARTING NOW that lesson is one that resonates in a lot of people who have forgotten how to live because of thinking that career means success and happiness. In the meantime, they lose what matters most.

Libby had put her career foremost in her mind, until her boss after letting her go, imparted some important words to her. "....enjoy life .....take time to find some balance in life ...." Eventually, with the help of old and new friends, Libby found real importance in her life in the guise of a young lost teenager along with and including the love of a handsome doctor.

The lovely prose, plot lines, and well-expressed words of Ms. Macomber are a gift to all her fans, old and new. She reminds the reader in a simple way of the things that are important in the fast and furious pace of today's world. Gentle lessons to be learned for young and old alike.

Bottom line: An inspiring and uplifting story by one of the best. Highly Recommended.

A perfect read for a weekend away, Starting Now brought me back to the warmth and comfort of Blossom Street. Libby Morgan works tirelessly trying to make partner at her law firm. But one meeting with her boss dashes every one of those dreams, sending Libby on a journey in search of what’s most important in life. Through a series of ups and downs, Libby learns how to slow down long enough to enjoy life. Along the way, she learns the importance of taking time to face the kind of emotions that accompany deep loss.

Macomber provides a clean and lighthearted romance, weaving previous characters from other books in flawlessly. I felt empathy for every thread on the page, and I found myself caring about the more difficult characters. This author is gifted at providing her reader with the kind of diplomacy that fosters this well-rounded story. Because of this, Debbie Macomber is one of my favorites in the sweet romance genre.

I highly recommend Starting Now for anybody who is looking to curl up and embrace the wonder of real relationships and the mess they carry. I came away with life lessons that I will incorporate in my own life. I love being entertained and taught something at the same time. This book delightfully does both.

Starting Now is the ninth full length novel in the popular Blossom Street series by American author, Debbie Macomber. The main players are Libby Morgan, an attorney dealing with estate planning who finds herself unexpectedly unemployed, and the brusque, unpleasant Dr Phillip Stone, aka Heart of Stone, a physician working with newborns and premature births. Libby's enforced leisure time leads her to A Good Yarn, where she makes friends with Lydia, Casey and Casey's friend, a troubled teen named Ava. Other activities bring her into Dr Stone's sphere. After some radical life changes, Libby thinks she has discovered what is important in her life. But another unanticipated event finds Libby trading her physical treadmill at the gym for a metaphorical treadmill at work. There is a background romance as one of Libby's friends, attorney Robin Hamlin starts a relationship with widower, Judge Roy Bollinger. Macomber touches on quite a few topical issues: work/life balance, tattoos, teen pregnancy and adoption. Fans of the Blossom Street series will be pleased to encounter cameos or mentions of characters from at least four previous books. Discounting the naiveté that attorney Libby shows about adoption, and the inordinate amount of free time physician Dr Stone seems to be able to conjure for coffees and lunches and afternoons of sailing, this is still a sweet romance.

Debbie Macomber is predictable, but comforting. I like her stories, they are about people. The events in her stories actually happen to real people.
HOWEVER . . . the narrator ruined the story. Her pace was slow and even no matter WHAT was happening in the story. Everything had the same emotional value. Her male characters sounded like old men . . . grating old gravely voices. The female characters went between sounding like chirpy cheerleaders and drones. EVERY story, no matter the author, has some elements (violence, graphic sex, sappiness, too much detail, etc.) not pleasing to each reader (you can't please all the people all the time). Most of the time you can ignore it. Some (most?) of DM's stories have a "sappy" element in them. Which is a little annoying, however the way the narrator paced the story, it was EXTRA sappy and EXTRA annoying! You couldn't easily get past it!

I have very rarely found a narrator to be the make or break on a story, but i guarantee I will NOT listen to another story by this narrator no matter how much I like the author.

Starting Now --returns to Seattle's Blossom Street to discover what is important in life. A busy estate planning attorney, Libby has spent her entire life trying to make partner at the law firm-with high pressure and long hours, while she ignored her husband and personal life and put off raising a family until her husband left. She continued on this path putting work first. Until one day - she lost her job and now she must start over.

She had no luck in finding a job and became fat with no motivation or personal life. She decided to take up knitting (meeting a mother, her teenage daughter and her friend Ava), volunteer at a hospital rocking babies, joined a gym, renewed her friendship with Robin, and along the way met a doctor which changed her way of thinking about romance and family.

The knitting shop (A Good Yarn) becomes her safe haven--meeting a new family (since she lost her mother as a teen). She befriends Casey's best friend, Ava, a troubled shy teen who has no family life and later discovers she has no one to turn to except for Libby. When she finds herself pregnant at age 13, Libby takes her under her wing.

She is happy with her freedom from work; however, she has to pay the bills, gets back into the same work routine and leaves all her friends and new lover behind. Then she finds out money does not create happiness. She has to make a choice to which could change her life. An inspiring read!!!!
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"Starting Now: A Blossom Street Novel" is the second book I have read by Debbie Macomber and the first in this series for me. It was simply a wonderful read. I didn't feel disconnected because of the prior books, so I don't think that you necessarily have to read those first. However, I think I will certainly want to go back and read them now to find out how the back story individuals got to this point in their lives.

The book deals with loss - loss of loved ones, loss of jobs, loss of self-confidence, loss of innocence and more. It shows how each individual either overcomes or is overcome by their loss. Balancing between work and personal life, giving into to self emotions and giving of yourself to your friends is also dealt with with a deft hand. Starting over occurs for a number of characters in the book and most notably and more than once, for Libby, the main character of the book. Libby keeps surfacing and treading water and starting with a new plan just to be dunked back under. I was able to connect with her and I think that a lot of readers will too.

I enjoyed the book and read it in a twenty four hours span. It was easy to read and carried the serious subjects with a respectful and not heavy handed approach. I highly recommend the book.

Starting Now A Blossom Street Novel by Debbie Macomber
Libby has recently lost her job that she worked at. She hadn't brought in any new clients but she kept very busy to keep the ones the agency had.
She had lost her mother when she was 10. When she joins a gym she also looked up another friend she used to stay in contact with and that got her to the French cafe on Blossom Street. Then a stop into the yarn store where she remembered knitting with her mother.
The girls in the back were making preemie caps and I felt a bond as that's what I do for my local hospital, that and booties. Glad she did learn how to make them again and she went with the girls to the hospital to drop them off where they were looking for people to hold and rock the infants on a volunteer basis.
Her husband had wanted kids but she wanted a career first so they divorced.
Love how the older characters are brought up to date with just the briefest of information, doesn't clog up the book.
Dr. Phillip Stone, the heart of stones doctor he's referred to as gives off a rude mood anytime Libby has been around him-at the gym or at the hospital...He's a specialist in heart defects on the very young and he talks to Libby one day asking about her pregnant daughter til she realizes he meant one of the girls that helped her drop off the preemie hats.
How she can approach Lydia at the yarn store about it, especially since it's none of her business and she doesn't know her very well either...
Robin her friend is on a secret mission=-to get the judge to get Libby a job and to go on a date with the judge herself...
I liked the book but did not like the subject of what was going on with the 13 year olds. I know it's an everyday thing but it disgusts me that it occurs.
Surprised there are no patterns with this book.

If you don't want to spend calories on your favorite comfort food, you can always read one of Debbie Macomber's books. This one in particular is satisfyingly comforting and uplifting.

One thing I can always count on with any Macomber story: No matter how the main characters might differ from me, I will always be able to relate to several of them. Combine that with wholesomeness, wisdom and a happy ending, and what more could you want from a quick read when your spirits are low? She really has a winning combination that she applies to all her novels. So, when that certain mood hits me; when I need some TLC or need to be reminded of the goodness in life, in others, in myself; I know that I can pick up a Macomber book and find food for thought and encouraging words.

This Blossom Street Novel was no different: I cried with the human frailties I saw. I cheered when a character overcame their problem or rose above their pain and suffering. I was happy to see people working together and supporting each other. I saw true friendship and true love. And besides all that, there were lots of babies to rock and sing to!

Good read! I recommend adding it to your Debbie Macomber collection.

That is the lesson that Libby Morgan is facing in Debbie Macomber's newest book. Libby Morgan has worked hard to make partnership in her law firm. One day she is called into the senior partner's office knowing full well that the offer was coming her way. By the time that she leaves his office, she is unemployed.

Months go by with no job offers, her friends try to help but with this economy, there is not much out there for a talented estate attorney. Wanting to fill her time, she decides to try her hand at knitting and learns that the local hospital accepts items for their neo-natal ward.

Upon their first delivery of knitted items, Libby and two young girls run into an attractive but rather cold-hearted doctor. The unexpected meeting and the news that he reveals to Libby changes both the direction and trajectory of her life.

Debbie Macomber's books are relaxing summer reads. There is always a slight twist, but nothing high-end that the reader has to be prepared for. The slow meandering flow leads to a predictable conclusion full of young romance. Take a break from the world and settle in for a relaxing afternoon.

You can always count on Debbie Macomber to provide her readers with a reason to love her, and this book was no exception. It was good to see some familiar characters again, and even if you aren't familiar, this book could be a standalone without any issues.

What fascinated me about this, and I feel relatively comfortable saying this as I have literally read every Debbie Macomber book I have been able to get my hands on, is that she strayed a little from her usual formula. There actually is a very serious and troubling matter at the heart of this book. Rather than the total "feel good" story that we have come to expect from her, she delved in a bit deeper this time and gave a whole different group of people something to identify with.

This is not to say that the romance wasn't there, because it was and as usual it exceeded my expectations. I was just surprised a little by the subject matter the author chose and how she decided to work with the developments from that story at the end of the book.

If you are a fan of this author and have been anticipating a return to the characters you love, this book will not disappoint.

This review is based on a digital review copy from the publisher.

Hott Synopsis:
When Libby is laid off from her all encompassing job at a prestigious law firm it's with the advice that she `get a life'. Awestruck at the audacity of the senior partner she begins right away to look for work only to find that no one needs her expertise.
After months of searching relentlessly for new employment and depleting her generous severance package and most of her savings Libby begins to wonder if maybe that advice wasn't worth more than she first assumed.
So begins the journey to acquaint herself with someone she's never gotten to know - herself.

Hott Review:
What I liked: I loved this journey of self-discovery. Yes, there is a romance in here but overall this story is all about a who decides to have a life. It was emotional, fun, and heart-warming.
What I didn't like: WOW! I can't believe that's all of the Blossom St novels - I could have sworn I'd read more.

More...
Author: Debbie Macomber
Source: Ballantine Books via Netgalley
Grade: A
Steam: Adult
Series: Blossom Street #9

Workaholic Libby Morgan is determined to make partner. However, a huge monkey wrench is thrown in her plans when her law firm decides to end her employment. Her mentor at the firm advises that she "get a life". Libby has not taken time to enjoy life for a long time. She's too busy working.

This book was a deeply emotional book. It's from Debbie Macomber's Blossom Street Series. Libby begins to fill her time with a number of activities that enrich her life. She takes up knitting and mentors a troubled teenaged girl. If you've read other Blossom Street books, then you'll see some familiar characters.

This is a story about Libby's journey to finding herself, finding peace, happiness and love.

#33 Book Read in 2013
Starting Now by Debbie Macomber

Macomber is one of my comfort authors. I love her writing style and her character development. Her Blossom Street series is one of my favorite series, and this latest installment did not disappoint. In this book, Libby Morgan is a workaholic attorney who is unexpectedly laid off from her firm. She finds herself in Lydia's yarn shop and begins to knit hats for preemie babies. This leads her to volunteering at the hospital, which leads her to handsome doctor, Phillip Stone. Throughout this book, Libby rediscovers herself and what things she wants in her life.

Starting Now introduces an interesting new character to the Blossom Street canvas in Libby. It was nice to see the return of character such as Lydia, Brad, Casey and Margaret. Reading this book was like returning to your hometown--known and accepted. Macomber's writing style is great for developing romantic plots while including an interesting twist to make this more than "just" a romance novel. I loved it; I read it in a day.

[...]

Blossom Street. Old friends. New friends. Libby is a hardworking attorney, thinking she is about to make partner. What she has worked her whole life for. Given up everything else. No friends, no husband, no children. But she doesn't make partner. They let her go.

What will Libby do now? She starts by getting a gym membership. Then she goes to our favorite knitting store, finding new friends, which leads to rocking newborns at the hospital. Which leads to a possible romance and maybe more?

A few sideline stories going on in here, classic Macomber fashion! There is Robin and Judge Bollinger. Ava and her family. We see a few glimpses of Lydia and Casey as well. Macomber blends it all together, you will love coming back to some of our old friends, and new alike!

This story of hardworking woman has given up everything for her career only to find out maybe that isn't where it is at. Same old lines, but Macomber weaves it so wonderfully, as usual, you will love getting to know Libby and Dr. Stone. Happy reading!!!

For fans of the Blossom Street book series, readers will find this book fits in well with the rest of the series. New characters are introduced with the main storyline, while a few familiar faces are also included. The story mostly focuses on Libby, whose life plan goes awry after she loses her job. Recognizing that her life had been all about work, Libby realizes she has to expand her world and decides to do some volunteering. Her efforts lead her to the knitting shop, A Good Yarn, where she learns about ways to contribute in the community through knitting. As a result of her outreach, Libby rediscovers what is important in her life, and how to prioritize people, not things.

I found the book satisfying, with well developed characters. Some aspects were predictable, yet the overall story had a few twists and turns which kept me engaged. I wanted to see how each of the main characters overcame difficulties and moved on with her life. The book ends with just the right amount of closure too, for those who like loose ends tied up. The book can be read as a stand alone, though I think it is best as part of the series.

To start off, let me admit that if I'd seen this book in a grocery store (I was given a free copy for an honest review), I would never have brought it home. The flowers, the ball of yarn, the pastel colors- this doesn't make me think I'll be interested in a book. I prefer graphic covers, naked bodies, promises of detailed sex scenes. However, within the first chapter, Debbie's writing style and her main character Libby had already won me over. Her job loss and the withered plant by her late mother's picture made me need to keep reading; I just had to know how her life got better. Through the many plot twists as Libby's life got better and got worse by turns, I wanted to keep reading. The budding relationship with Philip and the many ways they improved each other's lives was beautiful to read. I also enjoyed the side plot of Libby's friend Robin and her romance, which she keeps secret from Libby for quite awhile. Towards the end, there were some truly heart breaking scenes, but I was grateful that nonetheless, Libby and Philip still got their "happily-ever-after."

Having enjoyed other books by the author, I decided to read this one and sure enough I enjoyed curling up for the cozy read. You don't need to have a background in the blossom street novels to enjoy this one. However, if you want to return to familiar characters, this is an opportunity.

The book opens in a high anticipation moment for the main character expecting a promotion and finding herself laid off instead. A flurry of emotions begin the ride into her realizing where she has been spending all her time. It's a life example of how often people that deserve better often find themselves facing events they did not plan.

I think this is a good book for those taking a new direction in life or a good reminder to appreciate what you have. It's a comforting read that probably will be enjoyed by most fans of the author and those finding common ground with the characters.

I love the Blossom Street series and how even though each novel focuses on a different character or two, the old friends we know and love pop up in the new characters' lives. I have loved Lydia since the beginning and having her around through all the books really sets a tone of cohesion.

But back to Starting Now - wonderful book! The theme of having balance in life was interspersed through not only Libby's life, but others as well. I appreciated that everything didn't come together smoothly and the characters had to continue to make mistakes before they finally realized what they wanted out of life. The other plot revolving around the teenager, Ava, made for a thought-provoking read as well. I won't go into details to spoil the book, but how it all came together was satisfying and real. Anytime I have tears in my eyes at the end of the book, shows me how well the story drew me in.