Title:  A Girl’s Guide to Moving On
Series:  New Beginnings #2
Author:  Debbie Macomber
Genre:  Women’s Fiction, Contemporary Romance
Published:  February 23, 2016
Publisher:  Ballantine Books
My Rating:  4.5 stars
Source:  NetGalley
Cover Description:

When Nichole discovers that her husband, Jake, has been unfaithful, the illusion of her perfect life is indelibly shattered. While juggling her young son, a new job, and volunteer work, Nichole meets Rocco, who is the opposite of Jake in nearly every way. Though blunt-spoken and rough around the edges, Rocco proves to be a dedicated father and thoughtful friend. But just as their relationship begins to blossom, Jake wagers everything on winning Nichole back—including their son Owen’s happiness. Somehow, Nichole must find the courage to defy her fears and follow her heart, with far-reaching consequences for them all.

Leanne has quietly ignored her husband’s cheating for decades, but is jolted into action by the echo of Nichole’s all-too-familiar crisis. While volunteering as a teacher of English as a second language, Leanne meets Nikolai, a charming, talented baker from Ukraine. Resolved to avoid the heartache and complications of romantic entanglements, Leanne nonetheless finds it difficult to resist Nikolai’s effusive overtures—until an unexpected tragedy tests the very fabric of her commitments.

An inspiring novel of friendship, reinvention, and hope, A Girl’s Guide to Moving On affirms the ability of every woman to forge a new path, believe in love, and fearlessly find happiness.

Read on for my thoughts about A Girl’s Guide to Moving On.  No true spoilers, promise.

There is one constant that I can always count on in a story by Debbie Macomber – and that is simply a story full of realistic, believable people who might populate my neighborhood or my family.  While A Girl’s Guide to Moving On is the second story in the New Beginnings series, please do not let that cause you one moment of hesitation in picking up this story.  Aside from some very light mention of characters or events in the first novel (Last One Home), this story could be easily read as a stand alone novel.

The “Cover Description Blurb” does give us a lot of information about this novel, so I’m not going to do a rehash tease about it.  I’d much rather talk about how this story hits emotionally.  Nichole and Leanne are facing some very tough, emotional decisions in their lives.  A Girl’s Guide to Moving On is the dual story of a mother-in-law and a former daughter-in-law moving on from painful marriages… of finally seeing, accepting that the men they loved and married are not the men they want to remain married to.  Yes, there are things much worse than cheating in a marriage, but it ranks right up there near the top.  There are moments in this story when their pain just reaches out and grabs your heart.  We’ve all, unfortunately, known some type of cheating or being lied to in a relationship (and if you haven’t.. God bless you and hold on to that partner!), even if it was back in high school.  So, I believe we all can relate to either of these women and their decisions to finally.. move on.

Yet, the reality is… moving on is not easy.  It’s scary and exhilarating.  Frightening and exciting.  Comforting and annoying.  But it certainly is life, and Nichole and Leanne get out there and live.  They didn’t leave their past behind and hide – they went out and made a new future by letting others into their lives, they took that chance that life could be good to them, eventually.

I won’t spoil your experience of reading A Girl’s Guide to Moving On by giving up every tiny detail.  I will say that in this story you will find very human characters – some more flawed than others.  But they will all touch your emotions in some way … annoyance perhaps but that’s an emotion too.  🙂

I absolutely enjoyed my time with Nichole and Leanne.  I found their story to be believable, uplifting at times, wipe away a tear at others and spaced within the two extremes were some laugh out loud moments when I totally “got” a moment in the character’s life.  I would gladly recommend this story to any reader who loves a good story, rediscovering what makes you strong, and most of all a story that will linger with you long after you turn the final page.

*I received an e-ARC of A Girl’s Guide to Moving On from the publisher, Ballatine Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. That does not change what I think of this novel.*

Available in hardback, paperback and for the Kindle