Friday Focus: The Friday 56 & Book Beginnings

It's Friday . . . time to share book excerpts with:

• Book Beginnings on Fridays hosted by Rose City Reader, where bloggers share the first sentence or more of a current read, as well as initial thoughts about the sentence(s), impressions of the book, or anything else that the opening inspires.  
• The Friday 56 hosted by Freda's Voice, where you grab a book and turn to page 56 (or 56% of an ebook), find one or more interesting sentences (no spoilers), and post them.

Today I'm featuring A Girl's Guide to Moving On by best-selling author Debbie Macomber, borrowed from the library.

 

 

 

Prologue 

Nichole

 

Not so long ago I assumed I had the perfect life.  Because my husband made a substantial income, I was a stay-at-home mom for our toddler son, Owen.   My husband loved and cherished me.  We lived in an upscale community outside of Portland, Oregon.  Jake and  I were members of one of the area's most prestigious country clubs.  My in-laws lived close by and adored their grandson, especially my mother-in-law, Leanne.

  

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Page 56:  "Once more Kaylene hesitated. 'I've got a problem with my dad,' she said, 'and I don't know what to do.'"

 

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My thoughts:  I find Debbie Macomber's novels to be a good change of pace for me, especially after reading several thrillers.  I didn't realize that this is actually book 2 in the New Beginnings series, but so far it reads like a stand-alone.

 

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From Goodreads:   In this powerful and uplifting novel, a mother and her daughter-in-law bravely leave their troubled marriages and face the challenge of starting over. Leaning on each other, Nichole and Leanne discover that their inner strength and capacity for love are greater than they ever imagined.

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.