Margaret's boyfriend Chip ignores her fear of flying and takes her for a ride in a Cessna to romantically propose even though he hasn't earned his pilot's license yet (WTF, CHIP?). A strong storm blows the plane arse over teakettle. Badly injured, Margaret has a long road to recovery in the hospital, where in addition to attempting to walk again she will have to deal with her sister Kit's antics, trying to figure out if she still has the dream job she just landed, and her demanding but handsome Scottish physical therapist. And of course Chip, who escapes uninjured, will have to deal with the consequences of his dumbassery. How much can Margaret endure, and how will she put her life back together? How to Walk Away by Katherine Center is chicklit at its best.

I don't want to dig in too much on the plot, because you should discover it for yourself. It's a worthwhile read for anyone who enjoys reading about family relationships, finding your feet again after trauma, and hot Scottish physical therapists. It's also quite funny, and wraps up with some hilarious and sweet escapades in Belgium. The theme of recovering after trauma is heavy, and Center doesn't flub it or make it saccharine-sweet. Being in the hospital sucks, and it's hard, and that is all there in the book. Center also handles the issues of disability very well, and is not complimentary to her characters who engage in ableism. I don't think it's too much of a spoiler to say that we have a happily ever after in this book. It's a 5-star chicklit book. Pick it up! It's romance but it is totally closed door.

This book is fantastic! It is witty, heartbreaking, and so charming I could not put it down. How does one have the best thing and the worst thing happen to them on the same day? That is what Margaret Jacobsen wonders as she wakes up in a hospital after what she thought would be the best night of her life. It was and it wasn't. Unsure of what her future holds, she is resilient, tougher than she thinks she is, and just an overall warm and loving woman. I loved her and cheered her on. I feel I can't say too much about the book as I don't want any spoilers for other readers. I just have to say that the writing was so very well done. It touched my heart and had me laughing and crying. This one is definitely going on my Favorites List for 2018. It's just a wonderful, wonderful book and one I will be recommending to everyone.

I received an advance reader's copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This book is very different than previous Katherine Center books, but I mean this the best of ways. I wasn't prepared for the emotional roller coaster Maggie would take. I was shocked by the accident she had, every detail pulling at my heart, wanting to cry out, this feels wrong, don't get in that plane. I believe my anger at her current boyfriend was bigger than hers. I wanted to pummel him! What must it be like to be in shock, to not know the pain and horror of your injuries? Katherine Center has dug down and found those answers, as we the reader experience what Maggie realizes bit by bit, it's gut wrenching.
Day by day she learns how she's going to refocus her life, rebuild it, or try to. Her family which is loving by slightly dysfunctional is there for her, and there are laughs along the way, unexpected smiles and nudges for Maggie to try, try anything.
I truly loved this book, it made me feel sad, and then hopeful but with reservations. I loved the journey I was able to travel with these characters and I won't soon forget them.
I highly recommend How to Walk Away.

Margaret is a good and kind person and so far life has treated her well. She is young, educated, beautiful and in love. She is about to start a dream job and envisions a happy life with her boyfriend Chip. Unfortunately, fate has other plans and Margaret's entire world changes in ways she could never have imagined.
This was a heartbreaking life-altering story. I personally don't know if I possess the inner strength and fortitude that Margaret demonstrated, but I do know I was rooting for her every step of the way. I have a good friend who suffered a similar injury and I witnessed first hand the absolute best and the absolute worst behaviors from his family and friends. Every word and every page of this story felt real and I didn't stop reading until the last page. This isn't the type of book I've been reading lately, but I am so glad I did read How to Walk Away. It was a beautifully written reminder that even when everything you know changes in the blink of an eye, a meaningful life is still possible.
I first read an excerpt from this book in Buzz Books 2018 Spring/Summer addition and immediately put it on my TBR list. Thank you Katherine Center, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the complimentary digital ARC. This is one book that really made me think about life and I won't forget Margaret's story.

Fans of women’s fiction novels will find a lot to like in <i>How to Walk Away</i>.

Margaret Jacobsen’s fiancée crashes the small plane he’s piloting after coaxing her into a flight she didn’t want to take. He walks away without a scratch, but she’s left with third degree burns and a fractured spine. Faced with the possibility that she might never walk again, Maggie has to figure out how to pick up the pieces of her life. Chip turns out to be useless. Instead, it’s her estranged sister Kit who becomes her strongest supporter. Also in her corner is Ian, her physical therapist, who challenges Maggie both physically and mentally.

Women’s fiction novels are built around the transformative journey of a main character dealing with life changes, and Maggie is certainly goes through a big change. It’s not just a physical one, either, although a lot of the book has to do with rehabilitation from her injuries. I really liked the way the author handled that aspect of the story, giving Maggie a form of paralysis that I wasn’t familiar with and detailing the ins and outs of coping with that kind of injury. But I also liked the way the author handled the mental aspects of her journey. Maggie has always lived her life striving to succeed, to overcome every obstacle and be the best, but her paralysis is not something she can power through. She has to learn to accept that she may not ever have the picture-perfect life she imagined, but she can still find the good in living.

Obviously there’s a lot of pain in this novel, but it’s not all sad. In fact, it’s quite funny at times, and Maggie’s relationship with her sister is a definitely a bright spot. And there’s also romance, in the form of Ian, who just happens to be a handsome Scot as well as a PT.

Recommended for anyone who enjoys well-written women’s fiction.

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

An engaging contemporary romance about a young woman whose life is turned upside after an accident. While some developments were a bit predictable, I enjoyed the characters, especially main character Margaret and her outlook after learning her life would be much different than she'd expected. Recommended for fans of family dramas, romance, and overcoming adversity.

I fully went into this story expecting it to be dark and depressing but it is actually quite funny any many places! There are sad times but it is also a great story about courage, love and family that will make a great summer read.
I really liked Margaret, the main character, and many of the other characters are just as enjoyable and funny. Chip, the boyfriend, and Margaret's mom were super annoying and I really wanted to smack both of them but everyone else was great. But sister, Kit? She is a long lost breath of (hilarious) fresh air that the family needs.
There were times when a new secondary plot line would pop up that I would stop and think "really? this might be too much" but honestly, I ended up not caring. This book was touching, hilarious and will give you just the right amount of romance for your summer reading.

I absolutely loved this charming, witty, uplifting story! This is the story of Margaret, a young woman on the cusp of her dream life. Until a tragic accident, on what should have been one of the happiest days of her life, turns her world upside down. Margaret's world will never be the same again and she must figure out how to move forward. While this is a heavy topic, this book covers it in a light and witty way. I loved the characters, I loved the witty rapport, I loved watching Margaret find her way. This was my first book by the author and Ive already put library holds on her others. This was a fantastic, heart warming story. For me, this was ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars. A truly delightful read. Thank you @stmartinspress for this advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

that will capture reader’s hearts with every page.

“There are all kinds of happy endings.” – Eve Lapin

Margaret Jacobsen’s life seems perfect: she’s about to start her dream job, she has a boyfriend who loves her and is about to propose, and everything she’s ever wanted is within her reach. That is, until a devastating accident changes everything. Suddenly Margaret is fighting to hold on to the barest semblance of normalcy, and the perfect life she thought she would have is gone.

Margaret spends long weeks in the hospital healing and trying to recover, and faces challenges she never expected. She learns things about herself and her family that are surprising, in good ways and not-so-good ways. She develops connections that may be painful to break.

“I would never tell you that the life you wanted couldn’t have been exactly as great as you planned. But you have to live the life you have.”

How to Walk Away was delightful from beginning to end. Although Margaret’s story is one of struggle and pain, she is funny, compassionate, and brutally honest. Her relationships, especially with her parents and her estranged sister, Kitty, are an especially bright spot in an already beautiful novel. Their quirks and banter bring humor and levity into Margaret’s life when things seem bleak.

Margaret’s challenge is evident pretty early in the book, and normally that would prove to be boring. But Center has crafted a novel full of subplots, romance and intrigue that keep the reader turning the pages. This is one that was hard to put down!

I thoroughly enjoyed How to Walk Away. It proved to be a sweet, easy read that was just what I needed after a few “heavier” novels. I think you’ll love Margaret, her family, and her story just as much as I did.

If you love stories of survival and overcoming challenges, with plenty of funny moments and a sweet love story thrown in, then this one is for you.

this book tells the story of Margaret (Maggie) Jacobsen who has had a lifelong fear of flying. However, one fateful day she allows her boyfriend talk her into taking a short flight with him. The flight goes smoothly until it’s time to land and a weather event causes the plane to crash. While her boyfriend walks away without a scratch, Maggie is left paralyzed. We are then taken on the high and lows of of her adjustment to her new life; a life of grueling physical therapy and moments of despair, thoughts of suicide and the loss of the man she once thought she would spend the rest of her life with. Ultimately, she is able to triumph and create a new life for herself. I could not put this book down on e I started it.

To say that I enjoyed this book would be a major understatement. How to Walk Away had my complete attention right from the first page and didn’t let me go until the end. Actually, that’s not quite true, I continued to think about the story, the characters, and the inspiring message that this book had long after I finished reading it.

How to Walk Away was the whole shebang. It was tragic, heartbreaking, hopeful, witty, and romantic. A good book is an enjoyable diversion for an hour or so, but a great book pulls the reader in, immediately invests them in the lives of the characters, and doesn’t let them go. This was a great book! I was in Margaret’s corner right from the beginning. I felt as though I was right beside her, feeling all of the emotions along with her, rooting for her, and cheering her on. The life that she knew was pulled out from under her. She was on a new course, a bumpy path to learn her way down, and it was anything but easy.

When Margaret gets paired up with a less than encouraging physiotherapist to help her in her recovery, he is nothing but distant and all-business. He certainly wasn’t blessed with the warmest bedside manner. Despite his cool, standoffish demeanor, they end up establishing a rapport that seems to benefit both of them. And I’m sorry, but it doesn’t hurt that he has a Scottish accent!

I can best describe this book as being well-rounded and multi-layered. The author did a fabulous job of tapping into the relationships in this book. Along with Margaret’s story, we also get an understanding of her family dynamic, and we get to know her fiancé, Chip. From the easy-going dad, the pushy, perfection-driven mother, the outcast sister, and good old Chip, there was never a dull moment with this cast of characters, and the story propelled forward at a very quick pace.

How to Walk Away is an addictive reading experience that is filled with so much heart, hope, and healing. It made me take pause to reflect on my own blessings in life. To, perhaps, enjoy some of the smaller things that we all tend to take for granted on a daily basis.

This book has definitely earned a spot on my list of favorite books for the year. This was my first novel by Katherine Center, and I’ve since added all of her other books on my to-be-read list.

*5 Stars

I quite enjoyed this new novel from Katherine Center. I read Everyone is Beautiful a few years ago and was blown away by her ability to tell realistic, human, and hilarious stories. How To Walk Away displays that same humanity and humor. Margaret is sure that today is the day her boyfriend is going to propose. She’s ready for romantic evening out, but instead she is faced with her fear of flying. And when her worst fears become reality, she has to learn how to rebuild her life. I devoured this book, rooting for Margaret (and her family) the whole way.

Katherine Center will take your tender heart and wring it like a wet dishrag in this book. So prepare yourselves for that.

Maggie loses everything, yet not quite all at once. You sense, before she does, that everything she thought about and planned for is over and that she needs to find new thoughts and new plans. There will be times when you wonder why she ever had those first thoughts and plans in the first place.

There are some tender moments in this book, some sweet, some hilarious, and some that are hopeful. Katherine Center forces Maggie to face facts, and some of those facts are painful and require honest self-examination. How much do we choose to believe what we want to believe? What happens when we stop believing? What happens when we find something new to believe in?

The title is a play on words, one with several levels. Maggie desperately wants to walk away, but she can't. And when she finally decides she will, she does so because she thinks she has something to walk toward. What she has to learn, though, is that she must walk away for herself and toward herself.

Parts of this book are utterly delightful, and parts are a bit predictable. I did tear up more than once, despite Maggie occasionally really getting on my nerves. You just care about her, and you want her to learn how to walk away.

How to Walk Away by Katherine Center was a pleasant surprise of a read! I am not sure what I was expecting, other than an interesting read by a newer author to me. What I found was a book full of promise and challenge. The main character was Margaret Jacobsen. She has been the hard worker; the child who always succeeded. She went to college, business school and just was within a whisper of the job she wanted and an engagement to a man she loved. That’s when it happened and her life changed totally. It is then she as she struggles to understand what happened and what the new normal is, that she truly finds what makes her happy.

There are some characters that everyone will love to hate! One you would like to just strangle. Some you will love, but mostly it is all about Maggie. She is stronger than she thinks and has plenty of gumption!

How to Walk Away by Katherine Center was a great read!

5 Big Brilliant Beautiful Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

BEST BOOK of 2018 so far.... WOW! This book had all the feels.... I was absolutely captivated from first page to last... my emotions went on an amazing rollercoaster.... sorrow, anger, hope, elation, frustration, happiness, sadness, love, Hate, and so much more....

Margaret was a remarkable and inspiring character... she had a bright future and then tragedy struck and it was all taken away from her.... this book was about Margaret’s struggle and journey to the other side of tragedy... along the way she found out who the true people in her life were....

Margaret didn’t always do things how I would have liked, but who am I to judge? I’ve never fortunately been in this situation.... there were also some people in her life that frustrated me quite a bit, and some of the things said were mind blowing.... there were also some people in Margaret’s life that exceeded both her and my expectations.... I realize I’ve been pretty vague.... but I want you to go on this journey without too much information and enjoy it as much as I did.... something beautiful that was touched on in this book is the deeper the sorrow you have felt, the greater the joy you will feel....#Truth

Strongly encourage you to read this beautiful book filled with hope and resilience and love.💕

*** thank you so much to the publisher and Net Galley for a copy of this brilliant book ***

• Goodreads 5/15
•Amazon 5/15
•Blog 5/15?8??;7

I received a copy of this book for review. I received it via ebook format, and I must say I am so upset. I love this book so much that I wish I had received a hard copy so that I could pass it on to everyone! But, I guess that means I can buy a copy to support the author, and pass it along that way!  If you like romances with a bit of tragedy, I highly recommend this book. If you enjoyed Me Before you and have wanted something with a similar feeling to fill that void, I would also recommend this book. Basically, read this book!!

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the eARC of this book! After being seriously injured in a plane crash she didn’t want to take, Margaret’s perfect life falls totally to pieces. But as she works to heal she starts to learn “How to Walk Away” from her old expectations. I read this book in 2 (school) nights, because although I was pretty sure I knew what would happen, I was so drawn in by the characters that I couldn’t stop reading! I think this would be a great summer read, but maybe not on the plane!

Really loved this book. It starts out as fairly predictable, although the author does a great job of reflecting the rainbow of emotions: from depression to elation and back again that the main character goes through.
Maybe people as a whole are pretty self-centered, but I was kind of astounded at exactly *how* self-centered that Chip and his entire family were about all of this. It made me doubt his mother's relationship with Margaret's mother could be sincere.
I also liked the ultimate resolution of the story because it definitely took a different turn than I would have guessed, and I love it when that happens.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary review copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I LOVED this book! Maggie is a terrific character but equally good are her sister Kit (I wish I had a sister like Kit), her parents, and Ian. Then there's Chip and Evelyn. Watch for an amazing conversation with the latter. For all the horror of what happens on her engagement day, Maggie emerges whole and with purpose. That said, this isn't as sugar coated as it could be and that's what makes it special. There's a terrific scene in Bruges that actually made me smile = a lot. The epilogue goes ways I didn't expect it to. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is just terrific.

I loved this book. Well written with a great plot, cast of characters and setting. The author is new to me and I enjoyed her writing and look forward to reading more of her books.