Three years ago, Amy's husband left her and their two kids. He left her with a big house, a large mortgage and no money coming in. She got a job and re-negotiated the mortgage but most important she created a strong family structure for her and her two children - teenager Cori and nerdy son Joe.
Oh sure, she got some sarcastic remarks from her daughter but she was a teenager so Amy handled it as needed. Then out of the blue, with no warning, her ex-husband shows up. He is full of guilt and realizes that he handled things wrong and he wants to spend time with his kids and develop a relationship with them. After lots of NOs, Amy breaks down and decides that she needs a vacation from being a full time mom. She goes to NYC and starts to create her life as a single woman with no children. She gets herself into some hilarious situations when she starts to date again and even when she is depressed, she is still funny. A huge tragedy sends her back home again and she has to decide which life she wants to choose -- or is there a way that she can have the best of both lives?

Amy spends her days like a lot of mothers - especially single mothers - taking care of everyone else and not worrying about themselves. When she has the opportunity to spend the summer by herself, she immediately says no because being a mom how she identifies herself. Once she saw what life was like in NYC, she decided that it was time to take care of herself. I sure can't blame her - we've all had those days that getting away from our current lives and disappearing into a new life would be a fantastic change.

Even though there are some serious issues in this book - it's a charming book with laugh out loud moments. You'll find yourself rooting for Amy throughout the book.

I laughed, I cried, I avoided doing some cleaning - all in all this book is a win. Amy Byler has been a single working mom since her husband left her and her two children 3 years ago. Imagine her surprise when he comes back filled with regret and wants to be part of their lives again. After much coercing Amy decides to give him a chance to reconnect with the kids while she goes to a conference in New York that turns into a full on "momspringa". Don't know what a "momspringa" is? Read the book - you'll want to go on one of your very own. This book is for any mom that has wanted to get away from it all for a few days. So really...it's for any mom.

LOL'd: Yes!
Ugly Cry Potential: Medium (you might be able to get away with this one in public if you don't mind a few sideways glances)
Unputdownable-ness: Medium-high
Perfect for: Any mom
Read this if you enjoyed: "I'm Fine and Neither are You" by Camille Pagan

Thank you to Kelly Harms and the #tallpoppywriters for letting me read an advance copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book was just fun. A wonderful story of a mother, still stung from the abandonment by her husband, and struggling to keep her young family together. When he returns to try and reconnect with his children, he gives Amy the time to attend a conference in NYC and spend time with her college roommate. That’s where she meets the “Sexy Librarian “.
Kelly Harms is a wonderful storyteller with likable characters and the humor and emotions of a page turner. A great beach read!
I really liked this book and thank Net Galley and Ballantine Books for the ARC in return for my honest review.

#Tall Poppy Reviewer

Kelly Harms is one of my favorite writers and once again she does not disappoint! This book tells the story of Amy who has been left by her husband to raise her two children alone for 3 years. Once her husband comes back into the picture again, Amy realizes she still has a life she needs to live.

This book is such a testament to the power of good female friends. Amy's friends encourage her to go out and rediscover herself again now that she doesn't have to be a full time mom for the summer. They give her good, honest and funny advice on how to put herself out into the world again.

Ms. Harms really touches on how being a mom is tied to our identities. She beautifully captures all the love, decision making and guilt that is involved. I loved seeing Amy come into her own as a woman, educator and love interest.

# Momspringa
Amy’s husband disappeared 3 years ago. He decided he needed a break. Amy has managed to keep the house afloat , raise 2 terrific kids, keep them in private school and take all responsibility and never have any time for herself.
Her husband suddenly is back and wants to be a good father and reconnect with her kids . He also claims Amy is “ stuck”
Hoping to help him have any relationship with his kids... she agrees to let him have them for a week.
She reaches out to an old college friend in NYC, thus starting her Momspringa ! A makeover for body, mind and life. I enjoyed this book, it was well written with relatable characters and many laughs along the way.
What would you do with a Momspringa ?

This book! Buy this book! Seriously. This book was so uplifting, joyous and plain old fun! I laughed at so many things and was so excited for overwhelmed single mom Amy as she explored her life and #Rumspringa in NYC.

I can't begin to tell you how good this was, you really have to find out for yourself. This book has everything and will leave you happy you read it. What more could you want?

Thank you very much to Netgalley, the author and publisher for approving my request for an ARC! All thoughts in this review are my own and freely given.

This book is everything you need in your life right now! This book is hilaroius, poignant and thought provoking. My favorite quote from the book is "I must never again forget to care for myself".

The protaganist, Amy Byler is a school librarian and single mom with two children, teenage years. Her exhusband had left them all 3 years ago but suddenly he is appearing out of nowhere wanting three months with the kids. All this leads of to Amy going on a "momspringa" in New York City.

I laughed so much during this novel and there are some definite "bookish" themes in the book with two of the characters are librarians.

The author has created such likeable characters that I found myself rooting for.
The fact is, I am not a mom, but this book is for EVERY woman in every situation. I loved it so much and I highly recommend it.

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler was a delight to read, captivating me from the very first sentence, and keeping me turning pages long into the night. Amy Byler's husband left her high and dry with two children, a big mortgage, and little money three years previous, and she has had to reinvent herself and her family for them to become thriving and happy. When he suddenly reappears and wants to devote himself to his children, Amy has to reinvent herself again! Amy's journey was poignant, touching, and at times, hilarious! The banter and dialogue between Amy and her friends, her kids, the hot librarian, and even her husband is sparkling and oh so witty!! There is a seriousness to this book, too, as Amy struggles with guilt and angst over her kids, and somehow trying to do the right thing for everyone, at the same time realizing how much she likes this new Amy that she discovers in NYC. As a certified bookworm, I loved that a lot of the book was devoted to books; the love of books, and getting kids to love books, and I loved that they used the word "unputdownable" to describe a book, because that's exactly what this book was-unputdownable! This is the first book I've read by Kelly Harms, but I'm going to go check out her backlist right now! #momspringa

Don't we all wish to be Amy at some point? To escape our life that's become so overwhelming that we've lost ourselves? She does everything for everyone and nothing for herself. Amy's husband John left three years earlier saying he needed a break and like that he went off to Hong Kong, leaving her to take care of their two kids, forced to take a job as a librarian at her kids private school, to continue to afford their life. One day John waltzes back in, expecting to pick up where he left off. Amy decides a bit of space in order and heads to NYC.. There she meets the "hot librarian" Daniel, but the feelings she has for him freak her out. When Amy's friend Talia asks her to participate in a makeover for her magazine, she reluctantly does. The story idea is titled #momspringa, similar to Amish teens rumspringa, rite of passage. Amy's #momspringa includes blind dates, hair & makeup, and workouts. Is Amy's real life overdue? Is it her time to shine? Will she find love? You'll be utterly charmed by this lovely book.

This book is hysterically funny! Amy through no fault of her own, finds herself a single mom. Her husband walks on his family. He has a new younger girlfriend and moves to Hong Kong. 3 years later, he returns and wants to reconnect with his children who are now teenagers. Amy goes to New York for the summer. Amy's entire life revolves around her children and for the summer it is all about Amy. As Amy rediscovers herself, the reader is taken along for the most hilarious ride. I loved this book and the characters. I received an advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing. All opinions are my own.

Just in time for summer reading this book will be your best beach buddy! There is some Amy Byler in all of us and we can totally understand her from the start and the really nice part about her is that she shows us that it’s ok to want more from the life you have. You can still be an amazing mom and have a life outside of your kids school, carpool, sports, social activities.......you get the idea. It’s also fun to see how she is transformed and how she ends up making that transformation part of her life. Grab this book, slap on the sunscreen the big floppy hat and nestle down in that beach chair and get ready for a great read!
Diane H., New York

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for providing a copy for an honest review

This book is engaging, insightful and, at times, laugh out loud funny...sometimes in the same sentence!!!
The writing was wonderful. I've not read anything by Kelly Harms before, but I am now a fan! The plot was engaging, I could not put it down! I adored all the fun characters. Would go higher than 5 🌟 if I could!! Fully recommend!!

Amy Byler used to have an exciting life. But two kids, crushing bills, and a long absent husband have left her exhausted and frumpy. So when her ex reappears and offers to care for their kids for the summer, she reluctantly agrees to a few weeks in New York City, to a makeover from a fashion magazine, to high heels and dates and well-fitting bras.

Kelly Harms' THE OVERDUE LIFE OF AMY BYLER is a fresh and very funny reminder for every woman who struggles to put herself first that creating an enjoyable life is an important part of being a great mom.

I have never read anything by Kelly Harms before, and truly didn’t know what to expect from this novel.

It’s the story of a school librarian who gets the chance to take a break from a pretty stressful life. She learns to be herself again while also hanging on to the hope that her kids still need her.

I enjoyed the “teaching” (librarian) perspective of this book, as I am a teacher and it resonated with me and the difficulties of getting students to enjoy reading. I also appreciate that sometimes life can be very difficult to handle on your own.

Amy’s #momspringa was a way to get away from it all, but also her way to understand how much she has already.

I think this book would be an excellent vacation or beach read for any parent/teacher who feels a bit overwhelmed and would like to live vicariously through Amy Byler.

I’m spilling over with love for this book.

There is a very bookish theme, sparkling banter between the characters, including in-depth discussions on books. And there is food porn, there was so much food consumed that I was constantly hungry. And there was journaling. And a New York setting. And all the humour, literally laugh out loud moments.

And, and, and.

I could keep whispering sweet nothings about this book, but I rather you discover the joys of it yourself.

If you love books bursting with wit, and highlighting the power of female friendships, and the joy of finding yourself, then I highly recommend this gem of a book to you.

I have been reading some heavy novels recently and thought it was time for something a little less oppressive. This one fit the bill perfectly.

Amy Byler is a school librarian and single mom with two kids, ages 12 and 15. Her husband up and left them for nebulous reasons three years previously. It has been a struggle to make things work, but Amy has indeed made a good life for her family even though she is worn down from her efforts. Suddenly Amy’s husband reappears and wants three months of re-bonding time with the kids, which eventually results in Amy getting a “momspringa” vacation in New York City.

This book is engaging, funny, and thought provoking. Amy finally has time to actually think about finding her true self, and to try to determine in what direction she wants her life to go. Things are complex, and Amy has much to sort through. What exactly does her husband want? How will the kids react to him? Does she still love him or is she ready to move on to someone else? Her whole recent adult life has revolved around being a wonderful mother to her kids. But at what cost to herself? Is it possible to find a way to take better care of Amy? The cast includes a couple of great longtime friends of Amy’s - a magazine editor and an ex-nun (whom I loved) who dole out advice and a couple of interesting male companions Amy connects with during her journey in New York.

Amy has a ton of decision trees in this novel, and it was fun to think about what I would do in her position. Humor is present throughout; I smiled a lot and laughed out loud several times. I also liked the fact that two of the main characters are librarians and we get some good librarian book talk in this story. Extra credit goes to Ms. Harms for her dialogue, which simply sparkles.

Amy is so easy to cheer for and I kept hoping for a way for everything to fall into place for her and her family. I looked forward to grabbing the book every time I had a few minutes to read; I felt invested in the characters and was engrossed in their story.

I recommend The Overdue Life of Amy Byler to anyone looking for a quick, easy, and fun read featuring a very likeable main character on a thoughtful journey.

Thank you Net Galley, Lake Union Publishing, and Kelly Harms for the gift of an advanced review copy. Thanks also to Sonja Yoerg for kindly bringing this book to my attention. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

Our new association with #tallpoppywriters has yielded another great read. The Overdue Life of Amy Byler introduces us to Amy, a single mother with two teenage children. Her husband John, had left her and the children three years earlier to take up with his much younger (and tinier) girlfriend/coworker in Hong Kong. Suddenly, and without warning, John returns, with a desire to reunite with his children.
Mild-mannered Amy accepts the situation and allows her guilt-ridden husband to spend the summer with the kids. This surprise break provides her with the perfect time to escape her Pennsylvania surroundings and take a journey to the big city of New York for a library conference.
Once in the Big Apple, the book really takes off. She bunks with longtime friend Talia, whose magazine Pure Beautiful, needs a boost. Together the women give birth to #momspringa. The story of an overworked, exhausted mother recharging her batteries over the summer in the city that never sleeps. The concept proves to have the power to raise Talia’s magazine ratings with laugh-out-loud results that set Twitter on fire. Amy discovers one surprise after another in New York City.
The Overdue Life of Amy Byler is just plain funny. Featuring spin classes at Flywheel, a few blind dates, and a host of other unexpected escapes that all play into the new chapter of Amy’s life. One of the best parts of the book is night texting with her two best friends. Trust me on this one, it’s great fun.
This is an amazing story about identity, raising kids, moving on, and love. Kudos to Kelly Harms for terrific writing. Just when you think the book has peaked, my gosh, it gets even better.

This book is hilarious, I’ve never been a single parent but I started getting anxious just reading about Amy. I read this book in a few hours and was kicked out of my bed for laughing so hard. My husband was not amused but I certainly was. I look forward to reading this author in the future

This was a funny book! The author did a great job with the main character, Amy Byler, as well as the supporting characters - especially Amy's quirky friends Lena (a former nun) and Talia (a single, childless, fashion magazine editor). The story focuses primarily on Amy, a determined mom who has been working nonstop after her husband left her and their two kids 3 years ago. Her estranged husband randomly reappears and decides he wants to be a part of his children's lives by taking the kids for a week. So while the kids are with their father, Amy goes to NYC to attend a conference for librarians. What was supposed to be a quiet and uneventful week without her kids turns into a wild adventure that lasts the summer (#momspringa)! I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading others by this author.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for providing a copy for review.

I'm so grateful to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and the author for an opportunity to read this wonderful novel prior to publication. I have been in a lengthy reading slump, and though I've started several great books, I have not finished one until THE OVERDUE LIFE OF AMY BYLER, which I could not read fast enough! I will provide a more in-depth review on my blog closer to publication in April, but for now I will say that this book is honestly and engagingly written, has wonderful character development, witty dialogue (including some laugh-out-loud text message exchanges), emotional depth, and thought-provoking situations arising between the characters. It deals with marriage, children, including teenagers, friends, regret, and the road to possible redemption. And, if you read this book, you will understand when I say that I want a #Momspringa, like, right now! This will end up as a favorite read of the year. Really well done.