The book description enticed me on this one, making me overlook the dual categories of Romance and Woman's Fiction, personally my least favored genrés. I did become invested in the plot; how could one resist discovering if the varied motivational techniques of her long-removed sister, her overbearing mother, or her distant hunk of a physical therapist worked best in her recovery. However, I kept wishing for better character development and less predictable plot twists. I do appreciate the NetGalley preview privilege. Alas, I am not overwhelmed with this one.

[I received a free advance review copy by St. Martin's Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review]
This was such a raw and genuine read. Calling it a tearjerker would be an understatement, but that's probably because I had no idea what I was getting myself into until a couple of chapters in. No, I didn't expect an intense read that shatters your heart to bits. I was completely blown away by Margaret's patience and courage, especially with her mother, who I must say, was a major asshat 99% of the time.
Her resolve and determination throughout the whole post-accident stage was such an inspiration. I read this book around the time of Stephen Hawking's death and I couldn't help but compare their situations. To find the will to live after such injury/disability (regardless of its majority or nature) quite literally blows my mind. This book is a must-read.

Thank you NetGalley for a digital ARC. Loved this book and would have read in one sitting if it weren’t for bedtime. Adored the characters and relationships. Fans of JoJo Moyes Me Before You Series will love this read although this book is far far better.

How to Walk Away by Katherine Center
What a wonderful, mostly realistic account of a difficult situation. A young woman is coerced by her boyfriend to take a plane trip with him. He has it all worked out and despite the fact she is afraid to fly, guilts her into going with him. Then he crashes the plane and the story begins. There are some characters you will want to root for and some that you will want to strangle.
The only downside of the book for me was the skirting around many ethical issues (patient/therapist relationship, bullying, an uncertified pilot flying a plane). All were present but glossed over.
What I really liked about the book was the portrayal of Margaret, the main character. I can’t speak to how authentic her thoughts, actions and reactions after the crash might be, but Ms. Center certainly did not shy away from what appears to be an honest portrayal of someone left in Margaret’s situation.
I would recommend this book.
I received a free copy of the book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for my honest review. Thank you.
ISBN: 1250149061 (ISBN13: 9781250149060)
PUBLISHER: St. Martin's Press
Publication date: 05/05/18

LIfe was perfect.....Margaret has a newly minted MBA, on the cusp of being offered her dream job, and a handsome boyfriend (Chip) who may be proposing this Valentine's Day. So, why let her fear of flying stand in the way of a too perfect (hopefully) proposal on Valentine's Day?

Life changes dramatically in a second. Margaret is left alone to figure out where to go from here.........a hospital bed in ICU. Her family rallies around with their own views of how to move forward - Mom redecorating as she goes, Dad silently encouraging, and long lost sister Kit shows up after 3 years of silence. There is humor, sorrow, anger, and so much humanity in the story. Margaret grows - stalls - and moves forward again dealing with the cold hard truth that she is a paraplegic. Ian, her Scottish PT, is no-nonsense (does he even have a heart?), but so handsome. Can a man look at her with lust again?

I laughed. I cried. I was angry. This book sucked me in and I enjoyed the world of Maggie! A great story!

i read and adored happiness for beginners, but i was afraid to read any of her other books just in case they weren't as good! which is obviously ridiculous and i'm so glad i requested this one when i saw it on netgalley. this was so, so heartbreaking. i've obviously never been through anything like that, i can't even imagine how i would handle it. at times it was hilarious. i loved the characters, ian, gah let me squeeze his cheeks. the epilogue just killed me, and though some things were sad in the end, they were realistic and i loved that.

I am blown away by How to Walk Away. This is the story that I started one afternoon, forced myself to put it away at bedtime, woke at 1:00 am to read some more, then finished the next morning. You won't be surprised to see that I 100% recommend this book. 

Margaret is a young, adventurous, active woman who is terrified of planes. She just finished college and her life looks perfect: she jwas hired to start a dream job, she bought her dream condo, and her dream man is going to soon propose. As she puts it, "If I'd thought about it, I might have paused to wonder how my boyfriend, the impossibly fit and charming Charles Philip Dunbar, could be one hundred percent perfect for me in every possible way - and also be such an air enthusiast." 

The air enthusiast thinks the perfect way to propose is to do so from the small aircraft that he is flying. She happily accepts, and then tragedy strikes. What follows is a moving and witty look at what happens when your entire future is ripped away, destroyed, and then remade into something unexpected. Life changes, and while heart-breaking and hard, can hold beauty and be better than before.  As one of the characters tells Margaret, "It's the trying that heals you," and Margaret makes that her motto. 

Full review to follow on www.ReadingObsession.com

Not as good as I thought it would be. People on Goodreads all seem to love it.

Wonderful, touching, good advice. This book touched me and a reminded me to live life.
This is my first book from this author and it wont be the last.
Would recommend to others



Thank you to the publisher and net galley for an early release of this book.

I was given an advance copy if this book for an honest review. This is a uplifting, unpredictable story about a young woman whose life is turned upside down in an instant; but who perseveres with such courage and conviction you will cheer from your seat on the couch. Margaret is involved in a plane crash that leaves her severely burned and paralysed. Her fiancé is unsupportive, she loses her dream job and ends up in the hospital for months recuperating. I love books that don't end with all the ends tied neatly in a bow and this is one of those books. Truly inspirational, uplifting, powerful, a book about loving yourself and mending families, and what happens when the life you had planned is not to be.

Heartbreaking, heartwarming, insightful, and thought-provoking, Margaret's struggle to revisit her life path after her accident is a good reminder that, while we might not be quite in the same predicament, we, too, can pick up and head just as happily in a direction that is completely different from the one we thought we would be walking.

OMG, I must have told five friends about this book within five minutes of finishing it. When the offer to read an ARC came from St. Martin’s I almost deleted the email after reading the blurb. This line right here is what had me hesitating, “Then, suddenly, on what should have been one of the happiest days of her life, everything she worked for is taken away in one tumultuous moment.” I mean that sounds like a tissue box or two kind of read, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but did I want to put myself through that kind of emotional turmoil? Then I kept reading and the answer was yes, and I’m so glad. I’ve read a lot of great book lately, but this has been my favorite. Maggie and Ian are still with me even though it’s been a couple of weeks (I wanted to let the story settle before I wrote this review). I miss her crazy sister and I want to read it all over again — something I never do.

This was the first book of Katherine Center’s that I’ve read; it most certainly won’t be the last. Do yourself a favor, read this story. It will break your heart a little, maybe even curse at the fates, but it will make you smile and laugh and be awed by the strength of the human spirit.

A big thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this wonderful ARC of How to Walk Away by Katherine Center.

Margaret Jacobson has it all, an MBA, a dream job and a boyfriend whom she thinks will pop the question any moment. Chip has been taking flying lessons and is one step away to get his pilot license. On Valentine's Day, in an all romantic gesture, he decides to take Margaret on a plane ride and asks her to marry him. Margaret is terrified of flying but reluctantly agrees to go with him. Everything is going according to Chip's plans. He pops the question, she says yes and they are the happiest they can be until the weather changes. Chip is still new at flying and he is relying on his training to land the Cessna safely. After a few attempts to land, he loses control and the plane crashes. He is able to get out, but Margaret is pinned down and cannot move. Disaster strikes and leaves Margaret with a multitude of health and physical challenges. While in the hospital, she meets Ian, a Physiotherapist, who always appears to be upset, frustrated, and annoyed. Margaret is dealing with her own demons, but she sees Ian as a challenge and is determined to make him smile.

Katherine Centre delivers a wonderful story of courage and silver lining. She has thoroughly researched her medical topics and does not spare the reader with the uncomfortable subjects. The story is beautifully written and structured. The characters are amazing and believable. This is a fantastic romance story which will uplift you. In Katherine Center’s words: “You get one life, and it only goes forward. And there really are all kinds of happy endings”

This is the first book that I've read by this author and it's a delight. Margaret and Chip have a great relationship. What she had hoped would be one of the best days of her lives evolves into something drastically different when the unimaginable occurs.
At what point does love prove that it's strong enough to cope with anything and everything? What makes a person resolve to stand with someone else even when it's nearly impossible? When and what inspires a person to gather all of their inner strength and fight back?
This is a page-turner, a heart tugger and just plain ol' great book. Katherine Center, you can add me to your list of readers for good.
I received an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Read this before book! I absolutely could not put this book down. I don’t usually read books like this. I read books with more action and avoid books that are more sedate, especially if they are clearly tragic. This book surprised me. It’s very much about the journey and not the destination. I kept turning pages and staying up far too late because I just couldn’t put it down. I wasn’t racing to find out what was going to happen, I just couldn’t step away from Margaret. This story is so well written that I found myself captivated by Margaret and her cast of characters. This story is really a fun read in spite of the circumstances because Margaret is such an amazing character. Most of the book is really just her thoughts and you cannot help but be charmed by her and want to keep reading. I am now off to see what else the author has written.

The greater our capacity for sorrow becomes, the greater our capacity for joy.

I must admit I was drawn into this book by the beautiful cover and was mildly interested in the plot. Fortunately for me it ended up being a really sweet story although a bit predictable. The wonderful thing about this book though is that it really made you think about overcoming obstacles in life and how fortunate we all can be if we choose happiness and that is something I like to live by.

An enjoyable read with a plucky heroine in the face of tragedy. The secondary plot lines were cute. That’s actually the best word for the entire book: cute, even with the tragic plot. #netgalley #howtowalkaway

How to Walk Away is an engaging story that inspires us all to make the best out of life - even when our situations are at their worst.

Margaret Jacobsen is young, newly engaged to the love of her life, and is, quite literally, flying on top of the world. In a matter of seconds, all that changes and her life cartwheels out of control. What follows is her story of survival, reconciliation, and renewal that can teach us all a thing or three about what it really means to be strong, accepting, and generous.

This is a story about purpose, family, and inner strength that will pull you in and motivate you to do something good afterward. The romance is subtle and endearing, and the characters are very nearly made flesh and bone.

I would recommend this book to those of us who don't regularly read nonfiction, but who appreciate a good motivational novel that reads like a memoir.

Katherine Center writes in a way that makes our sullen, broken main character appear strong and unbeatable in the face of giant obstacles. I laughed, I cheered, but I also cried, felt anger and pity. A good book will take you on a roller coaster of emotions, and I felt all of those hills and valleys while I read.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.

What a beautifully written story of surviving life-altering changes. This book was heartbreaking but, at the same time, witty and warm. Chip talks his girlfriend Margaret into going for a plane ride with him even before he is certified to fly. This results in a plane crash with devastating injuries to Margaret. While recuperating, Margaret's estranged sister, Kit comes back to help her which leads to all sorts of upheavals in the family dynamics. Margaret falls for her physical therapist, Ian and this leads to further complications. This is such a wonderful story about one woman's strength and resilience in the wake of a tragic accident. I highly recommend this book.

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*