Name: Martyna's review of How to walk away by Katherine Center
Item: How to walk away
Rating: 3
Author: Martyna

Katherine Center

From the author of Happiness for Beginners comes an unforgettable love story about finding joy even in the darkest of circumstances. Margaret Jacobsen is just about to step into the bright future she's worked for so hard and so long: a new dream job, a fiancé she adores, and the promise of a picture-perfect life just around the corner. Then, suddenly, on what should have been one of the happiest days of her life, everything she worked for is taken away in a brief, tumultuous moment. In the hospital and forced to face the possibility that nothing will ever be the same again, Maggie must confront the unthinkable. First there is her fiancé, Chip, who wallows in self-pity while simultaneously expecting to be forgiven. Then, there's her sister Kit, who shows up after pulling a three-year vanishing act. Finally, there's Ian, her physical therapist, the one the nurses said was too tough for her. Ian, who won't let her give in to her pity, and who sees her like no one has seen her before. Sometimes the last thing you want is the one thing you need. Sometimes we all need someone to catch us when we fall. And sometimes love can find us in the least likely place we would ever expect. How to Walk Away is Katherine Center at her very best, a masterpiece of a novel that is both hopeful and hilarious; truthful and wise; tender and brave.

How to walk away

Samantha Stone

It was a really heartwarming book, showing how much a person can do even if her world was falling apart.

Martyna

How to Walk Away

Erin Darlyn

How to Walk Away is the fictional story of a woman’s journey of recovery after a tragic accident changes her life completely. 

This was the second book I have read by this author and I did enjoy it, though I must say I liked The Bodyguard better.

It was interesting to read a novel written in this particular setting and I could tell that the author did her research and consulted with medical professionals who helped inform her timeline and descriptions of things. I appreciated that, as it made the story feel more realistic than some novels I have read in the past. She did a great job creating an interesting story within a more limited group of settings than many novels have.

Seeing the characters each go through their own journeys of healing was also interesting. There are likeable characters here, despicable characters, and characters you want to root for. The narrative never became boring to me and the ending was satisfying.

I routinely take a star off of my ratings for the presence of language in a book (particularly if it is strong language, as it is just not my thing), so do note that without that, my rating would have been 4 stars of 5.

Kenzi Linton

It’s been a long time since I’ve started and finished a book in a single day. This book was amazing and had me smiling and crying at parts. The writing was beautiful, the characters were beautiful (minus Chip, Myles and Evelyn of course). Katherine Center truly has become one of my favorite authors as this is my second book by her, with both being rated 5 stars. I don’t know what else to say other than that everyone needs to read this book.

momo-reads

It was fine. It would have been better as a movie.

Kerry Kalinoski

Such a good story! I definitely think Things You Save in a Fire was better from her but I loved this one! A good story about appreciating what you have and making the most out of your circumstances

*libby ebook

Juhi 

Not the typical genre I read but I was pleasantly surprised that I wasn’t bored and finished this within a day! Lovely/wholesome story with relatable characters and a fascinating perspective/reminder to find joy even in difficulty.

If your life fell apart, could you start again? The New York Times bestseller. 'If you read just one book this year, read How to Walk Away' Nina George, author of The Little Paris Bookshop Maggie Jacobsen is just about to step into the bright future she’s worked so hard and so long for: her dream job, a fiancé she adores and the promise of a perfect life just around the corner. But on what should have been the happiest day of her life, everything she worked for is taken away in a single catastrophic moment. In hospital Maggie is forced to confront the unthinkable. First there is her fiancé, Charlie, wallowing in self-pity while demanding forgiveness. Then there’s her sister Kit, who shows up after pulling a three-year vanishing act. Finally there’s Iain, her physical therapist, the one the nurses said was too tough for her. Iain, who won’t let her give in to her despair, who makes her cry, but also manages to make her laugh . . . Maggie’s new life is nothing like she expected. But could it be more than she had ever dared hope for? How to Walk Away by Katherine Center is an uplifting story of learning to live – and love – again.

Aundreya Rich

4.5 stars.


This was my first book by this author and I wasn’t disappointed.
Katherine has an incredible way of writing that makes you FEEL everything her MC is feeling.
Margaret has spent her whole life in fear. Even when she was Beautiful, smart, had dream fiancé, and dream job. Until she loses everything in her life EXCEPT that fear.

We watch Margaret struggle and grow after her accident and it’s raw and believable. There were moments I just wanted to reach down and help her myself, or wrap her in a bubble to protect her.

The best part of the entire story for me was her sister Kit and their new beginnings relationship. Kit was pushy and eccentric and I found myself looking forward to takeout with Kit or any shenanigans she planned. She gave this story so much power.

Ian, the hot bruiting Scottish PT helping Maggie recover.... yep you will love him. 
I felt there was a little lack of dialogue from him that I wanted more from, but the way Kit and Maggie push him on the daily to be uncomfortable and break free of his shell makes you want to poke at him too just to see it crack sooner.
My half knock star is mainly from this being a RAW believable story about Margaret’s accident and recover and the most unbelievable part for me was their relationship. It was sweet, uplifting and you knew they liked eachother but it just evolved when I was in the bathroom or something.


You will cry, laugh, yell in frustration, but in the end you will feel love.

From the author ofHappiness for Beginners comes the instantNew York Times bestseller (May 2018), an unforgettable love story about finding joy even in the darkest of circumstances. Margaret Jacobsen is just about to step into the bright future she's worked for so hard and so long: a new dream job, a fiancé she adores, and the promise of a picture-perfect life just around the corner. Then, suddenly, on what should have been one of the happiest days of her life, everything she worked for is taken away in a brief, tumultuous moment. In the hospital and forced to face the possibility that nothing will ever be the same again, Maggie must confront the unthinkable. First there is her fiancé, Chip, who wallows in self-pity while simultaneously expecting to be forgiven. Then, there's her sister Kit, who shows up after pulling a three-year vanishing act. Finally, there's Ian, her physical therapist, the one the nurses said was too tough for her. Ian, who won't let her give in to her pity, and who sees her like no one has seenher before. Sometimes the last thing you want is the one thing you need. Sometimes we all need someone to catch us when we fall. And sometimes love can find us in the least likely place we would ever expect. How to Walk Away is Katherine Center at her very best--a masterpiece of a novel that is both hopeful and hilarious; truthful and wise; tender and brave. Praise forHow to Walk Away: "A heartbreak of a novel that celebrates resilience and strength." --Jill Santopolo, bestselling author ofThe Light We Lost "If you just read one book this year, readHow to Walk Away." --Nina George, New York Timesbestselling author ofThe Little Paris Bookshop "Warm, witty, and wonderfully observed." --Emily Giffin,New York Timesbestselling author ofFirst Comes Love "Sympathetic and refreshing!" --Elinor Lipman, bestselling author ofThe Family Man "I can't think of a blurb good enough for this novel...poignant, funny, heartbreaking." --Jenny Lawson, bestselling author of Furiously Happy

Liz Carpenter

Compulsively readable, although a lot of the action seemed to be packed into the back end, making for slightly uneven reading. Having spent quite a bit of time working with paras, the protagonist's experiences as a new wheeler seemed pretty authentic to me, so kudos to Center for capturing that so well.

Sahi K

I actually got this ARC a long time ago and was very interested too, especially with all the great reviews, but the subject matter seemed very intense and I wasn't ready for it. Imagine my surprise when I pick it up after all this time and it turns out to be so completely different.

After Margaret is paralyzed due to the plane crash, it takes some time for her to even realize the gravity of the situation. She goes through a myriad of emotions that we expect - anxiety, hope, despair, determination, depression - and the whole cycle repeats day to day. I really admire her for her strength, not just in the wake of the accident, but also breaking up with Chip, losing her dream job and basically losing a sense of her old life and not knowing what the future has in store. She never completely lets go and holds onto some sliver of hope and works very hard every single day.

It's the side characters and their personalities that were a huge turn off for me. Margaret's father is the calm in the storm that is her mother. And when her estranged sister Kitty comes back, more drama ensues. Both mother and sister are pushy, forceful, want Margaret to do just what they tell her to without any questions. Keeping a positive attitude in such a devastating situation is understandable but they take it whole another level. Margaret's boyfriend/fiance/ex was another person I couldn't sympathize with. I understand the guilt he was going through but he made it all about him and never even gave Maggie a chance to talk or sort through her feelings. His mother clearly loves her son but I couldn't understand how she could be so apathetic towards her best friend's daughter who was lying in the hospital. Kitty and Chip also take pictures of Maggie in the hospital and post to their social media without ever asking her permission or considering her right to privacy and it really infuriated me. Even Maggie's PT Ian initially pissed me off but the relationship that slowly developed between them was sweet and heartening. 

I also felt that the last part of the book was rushed through. The romance, the secrets and revelations, Maggie's plans for the future - everything just happened very quickly and all the storylines got wrapped up neatly which felt too unrealistic.

This was a quick read and the writing was very easy to get through. Margaret is the highlight of this book and I loved her. If you don't mind an overtly optimistic book, then you might enjoy this one. But I guess I expected a little more intensity and emotions. Not a bad book at all but just not what I hoped it would be.

Kate Gravelle

I enjoy an easy to read love story with a relatable topic.

Tiffany Robinson

By movietiffany 
 



The biggest irony about that night Is that I was scared to fly. 

How to Walk Away is about, Margaret who seems to have it all. She just bought a house she adores, is engaged to the man she loves and is just about to land her dream job. Things take a turn for a worse when on one life changing night when she is in a plane crash which leaves her paralyzed and with third degree burns. Margaret ends up reevaluating her life and what really makes her happy. 
This book starts off tragically, but ultimately I think it is a story about hope and finding yourself. It was a little predictable at times, but I still found myself really enjoying it and couldn't put it down. I feel like the author did her research when it came to this type of injury and what struggles people face. I also y enjoyed reading about these characters and all the things they had to deal with. 

I received an advance copy of this book.

Anna Agarwal

Lauren Lopez

Margaret Jacobsen has the perfect life. Everything is going according to plan. As a matter of fact, everything is going so smoothly for her that she can practically predict what will happen next in her life. 

Her perfect life crumbles quickly after she’s in a plane crash with her new fiancé. You know that saying “when life hands you lemons, make lemonade”? Well Margaret has to learn how to make lemonade with the lemons that life just tossed her way. The story revolves around her recovery after the crash and the inevitable unhappiness that surrounds such a tragedy. While she’s recovering she also has to deal with her failing relationship, a huge family secret, and a physical therapist that she can’t seem to stop thinking about. 

It’s a really heartwarming story about learning to appreciate the things you have and using your experiences to help others. It’s also a lesson in how perfection doesn’t always lead to happiness.

Tayler Park

** spoiler alert **
           Wow, what a great book! 
I love Ian from the very minute. His main goal is to help her achieve her goal of being able to walk again and not be nice. He was not there to be her friend but to strengthen her body. 
I wish Margaret would standup for herself more. Here she was taking her mother not being able to look at her own daughter, her mother would walk all over her and insult her, and Margaret did not really stand up for herself like I hoped. I noticed halfway through the book she does get more confident in herself which I loved. 
She is a character I have grown to love through out the book though. I love her sister and their relationship. Kitty despite her differences with her mother she showed up for her sister when she found out what had happened, and she pestered day after day to be a part of her life. It felt realistic since they haven’t talked in years, and they didn’t make up right away. It took a little bit of time which was written perfectly. It felt real. 
Kitty was my favorite character though! 
It kind of dragged on 85% through but I still really liked this book. 4 and a half stars! 
Would recommend 😊
One of my 2020 Favorites.

Hala Abdulaziz 

This book amazed me at how different it is from any contemporary book I’ve read before ! 
It didn’t romanticize the main character’s journey, it didn’t try to make everything too happy and sugary, it gave me a totally new perspective on how to deal with life when everything changes in one single moment , it discusses how disabilities are not something that should be pitied and looked down upon, or even too glamorized ! 
I LOVED it , I loved the characters, kitty , chip , and even the mother ! 
I loved how realistic this book was 
How it didn’t try too much to be something more than it has to be 
How it had many things happening ( not just a swooning romance ) like a real life story , I was really really happy that not everything surrounded the romance and the love interest , it all felt so natural and realistic 
Ugh , I just loved it

Alicia Haws

5 STARS
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Each book I read by Katherine Center just gets better, and she really hit it out of the park with this one.

I absolutely LOVED everything about this book. It was raw, emotional, funny and hopeful all in one delightful story. 

One of the best things about Center's books is that her characters are so in depth and well developed that you feel like you can either relate to them deeply in some way, or that they could be your best friend in real life. They literally jump right off the page and feel so incredibly real, and that takes a lot of talent to do.

The writing is absolutely captivating, and completely immersive. All her books that I have read are unputdownable, this one included.

I loved the storyline of our MC Margaret. It was such a deeply powerful and heartfelt story, of Margarets journey of being so close to having your dream life, and having it all taken away in a heartbeat. It shows how Margaret has to climb out of the depths of despair and find the courage and motivation to live life to the fullest again.

THIS IS A MUST READ!


  


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Jan Talkington

This is a 4 1/2 stars book to me - almost a 5. I am not the most insightful reader. I like stories and can pick up on big themes, but often don't get the full range of layers and lessons. This was written in a way that I got the layers. A lot of "lessons" and things to think about. So why not 5 stars? Some of the story was just too predictable. Even with that - one of my recent favorites.

Jolie

How to Walk Away is one of those books that will have you crying, laughing and cheering at the same time. This book showcases how a perfect life can go off the rails. It also shows that true love isn’t always with the person you thought it would be. It also shows that people are stronger than what they are given credit for. I would recommend reading this book with tissues. You are going to be needing them.

Margaret was terrified of flying. Had been ever since she was a little girl. But she wasn’t one to let her fears dictate her life. When Chip, her boyfriend, asks her to go flying with him, she goes. Her worse fears come to life when the plane crashes during landing. Chip is not hurt but Margaret suffered a devastating spinal cord injury and burns. With the help of a grumpy (but cute) Scottish PT, Margaret starts to put her life in order. But it isn’t easy. There is heartbreak that will set her back. There is also the emergence of a deep dark family secret that will shake the foundation of her family. But there is also good, but only if Margaret is willing to go to any lengths to get it.

I liked Margaret. Her attitude was what I expected someone who suffered a traumatic injury to be. One of disbelief and grief. I wouldn’t go as far to say that she accepted what happened to her. It was more like she came to terms with it. Of course, everything hits the fan in the weeks afterward. She definitely wasn’t likable in the first half of the book. I actually liked that. I liked that I had to learn to like her. I liked that her true personality came out while in the hospital. It was refreshing.

I wanted to smack both Chip and Margaret’s mother. Chip, I could kind of understand why he acted the way he acted….up to a certain point. What ticked me off is that he didn’t even bother to defend Margaret when his mother commented on her face. That is when I wanted to reach through my Kindle and smack him upside his head. Don’t get me started on Margaret’s mother. She was a witch with a capital B!! I couldn’t believe the fuss she made over Margaret’s face. The things that were said was unbelievable. When Kitty arrived, she acted like such a jerk. Of course, there was a reason for it but didn’t change that she acted like a class A jerk for most of the book.

I thought that the romance part of the book was a bit slow to start. So slow that there was one point in the book where I thought it fizzled out. Of course, I enjoyed that Ian was Scottish. I read all his dialogue in a Scottish brogue. I did think that his back story was tragic. I could understand why he was so grumpy all the time.

I do think that the whole Kitty/mother storyline was a bit overplayed. While there needed to be an explanation for them not talking for 3 years, it felt drawn out. Like I stated above, it made Margaret’s mother look bad when everything was revealed.

The end of the book made me laugh. The lengths that Margaret went to do what she did made me cheer and laugh. Of course, I liked the epilogue. Who doesn’t like a happy ending?

Pros of How to Walk Away:

A) Great storylines

B) Realistic characters

C) Ian and Margaret’s romance

Cons of How to Walk Away:

A) Chip

B) Margaret’s mother

C) Kitty/mother’s storyline (the strife that went along with it)

I would give How to Walk Away an Adult rating. There are sexual situations, language, and mild violence in it. I would recommend that no one under the age of 20 read this book.

There are some triggers in this book. They would be: traumatic injuries, plane crash, long-term hospitalization, family/work strife, and talk of murder. I would recommend if any of these trigger you then to please not read the book.

I would recommend this book to family and friends but I would add a warning about the triggers. I would reread this book.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review How to Walk Away.

All opinions stated in this review of How to Walk Away are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy*

Samantha Stone &
How to walk away by Katherine Center

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