Woman Last Seen in Her Thirties: A Novel

I wanted to read this book because of the title and the description. I was disappointed to find it had a very slow start for me. Can’t you have a midlife crisis without involving infidelity? There was too much focus on her husband of thirty years leaving her for a younger woman. As the book went on I found it boring and depressing. Even after the main character got past her grieving and depression I still was unable to enjoy the book. I was expecting more humor and less predictability. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. Overall this was a good women’s fiction read. I enjoyed Maggie’s arc and definitely think her story and self rediscovery will resonate with a lot of readers. My only complaint is that I would’ve liked the story to have a faster pace.

In Woman Last Seen in Her Thirties, Maggie is completely shocked when her husband of many years leaves her for another woman. She feels like she’s lost track of who she is, so she embarks on a journey of self-discovery, starting with a trip to Italy. Maggie and Adam had been planning to take an anniversary trip, and it’s mostly paid for, so she goes anyway. New relationships and a change of scenery, twice, seem to help her find herself again. I really enjoyed this novel. I’ve been there with feeling like I’ve lost myself, when I was a new mother. I was cheering for Maggie all the way through this book. I love to see a woman stand on her own after a relationship crumbles. Some elements of this story were a little far-fetched, but the characters, major and minor, were well developed. The plot was a bit slower than I usually like, but I found myself engrossed in this story. http://opinionatedbooklover.com/review-woman-last-seen-in-her-thirties-by-camille-pagan/

I have heard of Camille Pagan and her other novels, but though they sound interesting to me, I have not had the opportunity to read any of them until this one. What an introduction to a talented writer! The story was realistic and the characters and situations were believable. I really have no complaints other than I stayed up far too late reading this simply because I didn't want to leave without knowing what was happening on the next page, and the next, and the next. Well-written, well-paced, overall an entirely enjoyable read. Many thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

I could definitely relate to this book. Married for so long and just as soon as the kids are about to move out, your "significant other for life" decides everything has been a waste. No growing old together, no until death do us part, and yes, lots of heartbreak. Divorce can be really hard, especially after that many years, and I really sympathized with Maggie. However, I so admire her. Many women probably would have gone back to their ex with a weak spine and a severe case of loneliness. However, not Maggie. She took the bull by the horn and turned her life around. Definitely a feel good book for the women who can totally relate to Maggie and the term "woman last seen in her thirties" because after that, all she became was wife and mother. The rest of her was lost taking care of her family. An absolutely great book that I thoroughly enjoyed. Huge thanks to Lake Union Publishing and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

So Relatable! Maggie Harris has spent the past 30 years as wife and mother. In that time, she worried about anything that could possibly happen to anyone in her family. The one thing she never worried about was her husband. Her marriage was her one sure thing, so when he comes to her and tells her he is done, she can't believe it, sure he will come to his senses and come back. After planning Thanksgiving as "one last holiday as a family" that turns into a complete disaster, she realizes she doesn't know who she is or what makes her happy and starts trying to figure it out. To me, this book was pretty relatable. As a Mom, you can lose yourself while doing everything for your family, especially if you choose to stay home with your kids. We travel with Maggie through her ups and downs as she navigates her new reality: her family, her kids, new town, and old and new friends. As she settles into her new reality, she comes to a crossroads and has to decide who she wants to be. I really enjoyed this book. It was my first experience with the author, and I liked the characters because they just felt real. Maybe more so because I am a 40-something stay-at-home Mom, I can see how Maggie ended up where she was personally, her lack of confidence and feeling lost and invisible as an individual. Once I started this one, I read straight through, not wanting to miss a thing or take a break. #BloomReads

I devoured this book, Camille's writing is fantastic. I read this book during a road trip and despite the stormy weather, her writing kept me warm like a cozy blanket. Being a mom of three small children, this book stood out to me and had me reflecting myself throughout the book. I appreciated the raw, realistic feelings. Maggie is a unique character that is torn and I felt that is what I found endearing about her because she didn't jump the gun on things. I felt like I was reading Eat, Pray, Love during some moments of the book, which was fun too. Life can be chaotic, nervous changes, and within there can be some form of awakening. To some, this book may sound run of the mill or typical but I found it very real & raw, overly at times because it connected me as a reader. Thank you Camille for keeping womanhood and what I call "mommy life", at whatever age real. Thank you Lake Union Publishing for the E-copy ARC via Netgalley.

Woman Last Seen In Her Thirties is the story of how a woman was able to find herself after giving so much to her family. Maggie Harris is a 53 year old woman, living in Chicago and in a good marriage with two adult children or so she thinks. It's when her husband of nearly 30 years walks out on her that Maggie struggles to find the reason why until a upcoming trip to Rome, Italy that they had planned for their anniversary looms upon her. As Maggie goes to Italy by herself, it's there that she meets a woman that will force Maggie to make a decision that will change her life by being a short-term renter for the woman's home in Michigan. With Maggie taking the house, she is still struggling with who she has become and why is it so hard to let go of the past. Until a life changing incident with her ex-husband will force her to really look at everything and where does she go from there. It will all lead to an ending that no one will see coming on how Maggie is able to reclaim her life, once and for all! I thought this was a pretty good book, it really shows the hard truth of a woman discovering what life is really like after a divorce and not this everyone gets their happy ending that certain books have. You can't help but to root on Maggie for what she is going through and even after the life-changing incident with her ex that you can see that Maggie is coming into her own but she's not quite there until the very end of the book. To have a book that shows the true real life, is a winner in my book! It's books like this one that show what a really great Author can bring to the table and I can't wait to see what will come next for Camille Pagan! Thank You to Camille Pagan for this great book that shows the cold, hard truth of what a divorce will do a woman that has lost her way in this world. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the Publisher! I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley!

Adam Harris is leaving his wife, Maggie, after 32 years of marriage for a woman named Jillian Smith, age 30. She is near the age of their children, Jack and Zoe. Maggie always thought that she and Adam had a great marriage so she is totally shocked and devastated at Adam’s defection. We follow Maggie as the days pass and little by little she tries to accept that her marriage is over. She finds herself drowning her sorrows by drinking too much wine so she works to stop drinking. As Thanksgiving approaches, she decides to have one last family dinner so she invites her son, daughter, and Adam. After dinner when Adam confesses that he didn’t really leave her for another woman but because he didn’t love her anymore, her heart is truly broken. But life goes on and so does Maggie as she slowly accepts her new life and begins to grow from it. This novel could have been a bit better if it had been written as it had been promoted. Thinking Maggie is in her thirties instead of her fifties and that there would be humor in the book, I was disappointed to find that it was also rather depressing. I can’t say that I cared that much for Maggie either. Just another story of a broken marriage. Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Woman Last Seen In Her Thirties is a heart-wrenching, touching and thought-provoking tale. The author crafts this story with rich details, fully developed characters, realistic dialogue, and humor. Wow, what an engrossing, emotional and moving novel! After twenty-seven years of marriage, Adam Harris packed his bags, told his wife that he didn’t love her anymore, and left. Maggie was shell-shocked. She never thought that there was anything wrong with her marriage. How could, she have missed the signs, of Adam’s unfaithfulness? Maggie did her best, grasping at straws, to put her marriage back together again. But, when it was obvious that Adam didn’t want to fix it, Maggie began the long process of rebuilding her life. Somewhere between raising two children and putting her career on hold, she had become invisible. Maggie didn’t know who she was anymore, but she was determined to find out. Maggie emerged from her painful betrayal a stronger, more self-sufficient woman, a person who was no longer invisible. Camille Pagan pulled me deep into Maggie’s thoughts and feelings. As the story unfolded, each page, came alive for me. This is the first book that I have read by this talented author, but it won’t be my last. I am looking forward to reading more by Camille Pagan. Thank you, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley, for my advanced review copy. I loved it!

"I once read that the recipe for a good life had but three ingredients: something to do, someone to love,and something to look forward to." Maggie at 54 years old, has been told by her husband that Adam doesn't love her any longer and wants a divorce. What's she supposed to do? She doesn't work and she still loves Adam. How can she go on? Maggie needs to pick herself up and move forward and this is a delightful story about just that. It is not all love and light. The feelings of being lost, ashamed and determined to find herself as the book enfolds tell it in a way that will catch your heart. I was so proud of Maggie and kept thinking "what would I do if handed this scenario. "Remember-- there's still time."

My Review of “Woman Last Seen in Her Thirties” by Camille Pagan Lake Union Publishing February 27,2018 Kudos to Camille Pagan , Author of “Woman Last Seen in Her Thirties” for such a wonderful, emotional and encouraging read. Can you imagine thinking you have it all, married for thirty years, two grown children, a house , and friends, and finding that everything in your life is about to change? How would you feel if said husband informs you that he no longer wants to be married? You’re 53 years old and you realize that your husband is not coming back. What should you do? What do you do? Camille Pagan describes her characters as flawed, complex and complicated. Maggie Harris has a load of insecurities and anxieties, but there was no way that she can believe that this has happened to her. Of course, she is hoping Adam will change his mind. Maggie is starting to feel invisible. She had left her career as a social worker years ago, to take care of her children and husband. She works part-time for a dentist for the convenience. Many times she feels lonely, and goes through the gamut of emotions. Maggie goes to Rome by herself. She makes a special friend and meets people and takes the time to reflect. The friend that she meets in Rome suggest that Maggie stay in her home, when she goes back to the United States. Maggie has to learn to take care of herself. The blurb from NetGalley says that Camille Pagan writes about “a woman on the verge of a nervous breakthrough.” I appreciate that the author discusses the importance of believing in yourself, having self-esteem, and learning what you want. The author also stresses the importance of family, , emotional support, love and hope. I like that age is just a number , and you can do what you want to. I would recommend this enjoyable story to readers that like Woman’s Fiction. I received An Advanced Reading Copy from NetGalley for my honest review.