In-Laws Unite in A Girl’s Guide to Moving On

As the title suggests, the book includes suggestions for ways to move on, one of which is to volunteer—which is how Leanne’s love story happens. She volunteers to teach English as a second language and makes a connection with Nikolai, a Ukranian student in her class. His and Leanne’s love story would probably inspire the most debate in any group of girlfriends, due to the issues he and Leanne encounter.
Nikolai is a widower, and meeting him is kind of like meeting an older version of Peeta from “The Hunger Games.” Instead of being the Boy with the Bread, he is the Man with the Bread. He is a baker and, bottom line, he bakes Leanne a lot of bread, because that’s the best way he can express his feelings for her. Nikolai has basically worshipped Leanne from the moment he saw her. After the passionless existence Leanne went through with her husband for so many years, it’s really nice to see her being so actively adored.
That said, Nikolai is no pushover. A major test of his relationship with Leanne is when Sean gets some scary medical news. Nikolai prays for Sean and expresses his support, but he also gets angry with Leanne for doing too much for a man who showed her zero love when he was healthy. Another test of their relationship is that Leanne feels the need to go on dates with other men to make sure she really likes Nikolai and is not interested in him simply because he gives her the time of day. Nikolai definitely makes Leanne feel like a natural woman, but Leanne still thinks she needs to get more of a sample of what’s out there. This may seem a bit ludicrous to some readers, considering how wonderful Nikolai is to her. True, no one can fault Leanne for wanting to tick her boxes, but Nikolai ticks all of her boxes in the best possible way. (Leanne, get it, girl! Life is too short!)
As for Nichole, she meets Rocco, a towing company owner who pulls her car out of a ditch. He’s immediately drawn to her, and tells the financially struggling single mom that he won’t charge her for the tow if she helps his 15-year-old daughter pick out a decent dress for a school dance. Nicole does so, and from there she and Rocco start to see more of each other.

The differences between Rocco and Nichole’s ex-husband, Jake, are almost comical. Jake is polished, suave, and had a privileged upbringing. Rocco was incarcerated for a bit during his younger years and has tattoos up and down both arms. He didn’t want to acknowledge his daughter until a paternity test proved she was his. Unlike Jake, though, Rocco grew up. His wayward past is far behind him and he’s focused on making sure his daughter doesn’t make his same mistakes. This is a far cry from Jake, who barely makes a minimum effort to be a good father to his son.
Throughout all of this drama, Nichole and Leanne turn to each other for support. This is part of what makes Macomber’s story so refreshing. Forget about the villainess mother-in-law stereotype who thinks her son can do no wrong and blames the wife for not being enticing enough; Leanne is a realist who is under no illusions about Jake, her only child. She realizes that he’s grown up to be a cheater just like his father, and she’s impressed with Nichole for standing up to him and leaving him right away. Throughout everything, she happily continues to babysit her grandson, and she introduces Nichole to Nikolai as her daughter. She and Leanne respect each other’s post-divorce relationships and are supportive without prying.
As for Sean and Jake, they both actually display somewhat redeeming qualities in the end, and this is where Macomber really nails it. She gives readers closure about both heroines and their relationships with these two particular men in a way that won’t leave readers wanting more proof.
There are plenty of other characters who help move the story along and provide balanced levels of drama and comic relief. There’s Shawntelle, for one, a feisty, outspoken woman Nichole meets through her own volunteer gig. Rocco’s daughter is also a trip. And then there are Nichole’s various family members, including her sister, Cassie, whose story was told in Last One Home.
Friends and allies and lovers can be found in the most unlikely places, and that is what our heroines discover in this story. It’s not to say that Leanne and Nichole were ever enemies, but it’s nice to see what happens when a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law truly respect each other the way these two do. Readers will also appreciate the men Leanne and Nichole find who enhance their lives in ways they never thought possible, but the loving relationship between these two women, and the way Macomber shows rather than tells, are what ultimately steals the show.