Before and Again: A Novel

Barbara Delinsky

Jun 2018 · Sold by St. Martin's Press

About this ebook

From Barbara Delinsky, the New York Times bestselling author of Blueprints and Sweet Salt Air, a brand-new novel about a woman in hiding finding the courage to face the world again.

Mackenzie Cooper took her eyes off the road for just a moment but the resulting collision was enough to rob her not only of her beloved daughter but ultimately of her marriage, family, and friends—and thanks to the nonstop media coverage, even her privacy. Now she lives in Vermont under the name Maggie Reid, in a small house with her cats and dog. She’s thankful for the new friends she’s made—though she can’t risk telling them too much. And she takes satisfaction in working as a makeup artist at the luxurious local spa, helping clients hide the visible outward signs of their weariness, illnesses, and injuries. Covering up scars is a skill she has mastered.

Her only goal is to stay under the radar and make it through her remaining probation. But she isn’t the only one in this peaceful town with secrets. When a friend’s teenage son is thrust into the national spotlight, accused of hacking a powerful man’s Twitter account, Maggie is torn between pulling away and protecting herself—or stepping into the glare to be at their side. As the stunning truth behind their case is slowly revealed, Maggie’s own carefully constructed story begins to unravel as well. She knows all too well that what we need from each other in this difficult world is comfort. But to provide it, sometimes we need to travel far outside our comfort zones.

From a multimillion-selling master of women’s fiction, Before and Again is a story of the relationships we find ourselves in—mothers and daughters, spouses and siblings, true companions and fair-weather friends—and what kind of sacrifices we are or aren’t willing to make to sustain them through good times and bad.

Ratings and reviews

Before and Again by Barbara Delinksy was a heart wrenching, soul crushing life changer that left my chest aching in all the right ways. Imagine you take your eyes off the road for just a moment and your entire life is turned upside down. That’s what happens to Mackenzie. The life she had cannot be put back together so she runs away from what she knows to try and rebuild a new existence where no one recognizes her. Her marriage is over and her family doesn’t speak to her, so she finds a small town and makes new friends under the name Maggie, with other like-minded people who prefer to live under the radar for one reason or another. Maggie spends her time working as a makeup artist by day and dabbling in pottery occasionally on the side, which was how she used to make a living before her past life came tragically crashing down. Her newly created life was going really well until a friend’s son is accused of hacking into a high profile Twitter account and everyone’s small town lives become public. As Maggie is thrown back into the public spotlight, she fears her past may come back to haunt her after all these years in hiding. Can Maggie continue to support her friend while keeping her true identity hidden? This book dug deep, provoking a gamut of feelings including sadness, loss, love, forgiveness and survival. There was a beautiful thread of hope woven throughout the story that kept Maggie holding on throughout the struggles, pain and guilt that she carried. She proves that if you persevere there is hope for those who are willing to give life a second chance. In addition to all the feels be ready for few unexpected twists that will make you gasp. The only downfall of this story was that parts of it seemed to drag just a little. It is well written and a great storyline, but I had to push through a few parts that were a little slow going. That said, this is a box of tissue kind of book so get ready to experience a heartbreaking emotional read with this one.

This is a highly emotional and powerful story. It's a story of horrendous loss, self loathing, forgiveness, and starting over. The characters are well developed. They are flawed, engaging, and lovable. The story is memorable and I enjoyed the small town flair. My only complaint, and I never thought I'd say this but, the writing is almost too descriptive making the flow slow and the story feel drawn out. I found myself skimming several pages - how much do I need to know about applying makeup to get the gist of the story? Even with this I walked away from the book with a warm heart and a smile. I would definitely recommend it.

I thought it to be a little depressing. Had a hard time staying focused and continuing to read on. Sorry, not one I liked very much.

About the author

BARBARA DELINSKY is the author of more than twenty New York Times bestselling books. She has been published in twenty-eight languages worldwide. A lifelong New Englander, Delinsky earned a B.A. in psychology at Tufts University and an M.A. in sociology at Boston College. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, more books than she'll ever be able to read, two tennis racquets, and enough electronic devices to keep in close touch with her children and their families.