Reading books by Lisa-Jo Baker is like having a good friend over for tea while you sit and chat about what's on your heart.

"The Middle Matters" is a perfect example of her down to earth, relatable style. I don't know her personally, but while reading, I'm often saying "me, too" or "wow, I'm not alone".

The book is written in easy to read, essay format. You can easily bounce from part one to part 8 and then back to part 5. I personally love this format. It made the book feel more like she was emailing me a note helping me through stages of life. I recommend The Middle Matters to any woman in the middle of life, middle of parenting babies to teenagers to adults. This book is relevant to those in the middle of doubting faith to strong in faith.

I did receive an advanced copy for my honest review. This is my honest review, and I would highly recommend this book.

I wish I could give Lisa-Jo Baker's new book TEN stars, but five will have to do. This collection of essays about loving the middle years of our lives is breathtakingly gorgeous.

I cried my way through these pages, nodding my head as she met me right where I am. Trying hard to see the beauty in a photo instead of focusing on my double chin.

Remembering the frustration and struggle of nightly homework with my youngest daughter, worrying that she wouldn't receive a diploma but only a certificate of completion. Crying and remembering how proud I was when she graduated at the top of her class.

These pages are soaked in grateful tears, and I urge you to read every word. Let them seep into your heart and take root. Because every day of our lives really matters. It's too easy to forget that...Let Lisa-Jo remind you.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I can see from looking at other reviews that this is a hit or miss book. Some people say that it seems to be targeted towards a certain audience and I guess I liked it more than they did because I AM that audience. But I also don't agree. What she has to say does not necessarily apply to just a certain age group or a certain religious group or a certain any kind of group. She is talking about what SHE has learned being the person she is and obviously she is that age group and that religious group...the words that come out of her mouth are words that we all need to hear every now and then and I know I needed to hear them right now. She talks about important things that maybe we all sometimes forget . I know I do...sometimes the little things slip through the cracks because we don't think they are important or at least not as important as other things happening in life at the moment. But sometimes it really IS the little things that matter. This is a book of hope and faith and by the time you are done with it, you kind of wish she was a friend you could just call up whenever you needed some quick advice.

I would recommend this to any female, regardless of age. You might not know it, but you need to read books like this whenever you get the chance.

The Middle Matters by Lisa-Jo Baker is a collection of essays pointing to the importance of things that seems so very ordinary in the middle of our life, but Baker, would argue are really the most extra-ordinary things. As I am creeping ever closer to my own middle years, Baker feels like a big sister letting me in all of the secrets of making this time of my life the best it can be. I loved it! Her stories made me laugh and cry. Her writing in honest and she is not afraid mention or expose things other may choose to gloss over. Her writing is conversational and earnest, as she just wants her readers to know how to make the most of the middle years. I will be coming back to this book again and again when I need encouragement and a reminder of what life in the middle should be like

Baker shares her thoughts through her personal stories and relationships. You will get to know a close-up and personal look at her family, with extended details.

This is a feel-good book that will likely not grow you or challenge you in your relationship to God. Baker makes subtle references to her church and just a couple of Bible verses are referred to. My concern in this is that Baker is teaching her readers that they don’t need to read the Bible to grow in a deeper relationship with God. We need the wisdom from the Scriptures to foster a deeper relationship with our Savior and we need the wisdom from Christian authors to encourage us to dig into our Bibles more.

I write this review with disappointment. I had hoped for much more truth and wisdom in succeeding in my middle years. Unfortunately, I did not find that in Lisa-Jo’s newest book.

In delightfully well-crafted and organized essays, Lisa-Jo puts her arms through the pages of her book to give her readers a hearty hug as they navigate the many roles women wear today: mom, wife, friend, daughter, citizen of the world. My favorite thing about Lisa-Jo is that she has lived many of the worse-than-mundane difficult life circumstances that face ordinary folks: debt and the accompanying shame, big moves, difficult kids, grief, and she allows those things to be what connects her to her audience. Reading The Middle Matters, I felt like I was sitting on the couch of a mom just a season ahead of me, receiving judgment-free advice and encouragement. It's impossible not to connect with her.

Lisa-Jo encourages us to embrace the ordinary moments of our day-to-day, recognizing the good ones as miracles and the hard ones as meaningful. The personal stories she shares, although specific to her, transcend the ordinary experiences we all face in our chauffeuring, our fights with our spouse, our small groups, our difficult relationships.

I recommend this book to any mom heading into the middle years, in the thick of them, or just past them. Lisa-Jo's essays will change your perspective and help you be grateful for more than you can imagine. I especially appreciated her lessons on handling mom guilt and keeping a humble attitude in the face of fame. I'm inspired by her willingness to fail in order to grow and connect with others.

If I have to be critical of anything, it's that this is a book for the privileged, for people who get to choose to make a comfortable life. I could never give this book to my neighbor whose husband is incarcerated, to my Muslim refugee friend, or to anyone in the midst of terribly painful circumstances. While every word is true, every word is not for every person, or even every believer. We must learn to be grateful for the ordinary moments, but believers shouldn't be afraid of extraordinary just because it might also mean "uncomfortable." Lisa-Jo doesn't necessarily confuse ordinary for comfortable, but I think a reader hoping to avoid suffering and maintain a comfortable American life might use it as an excuse.

Lisa-Jo is the galpal every girl wishes she had. I love the truth and relatability in her writing. Her wisdom and humor are so refreshing. As a woman who is faster approaching the middle but still feels like a little girl on the inside, this book really hit home for me in so many ways. I also love how Lisa-Jo points women to God and helps us to remember that even with our flaws, we are still loved and adored by our Father. This book is a must read for all women, especially worn out mamas in the middle.

As a Mom who also lost her Mom to cancer as a teen, and as a woman who was hesitant to become a mother, this book resonated with me deeply. It's hopeful, encouraging, and Lisa-Jo shows great insight and compassion as she cheerleads women in this specific stage of life. It's entertaining and a subtle mentorship at the same time. She is vulnerable and honest, and her dependence on Jesus and love for Him also shines through, weaving a wonderful story of how motherhood is a spiritual work that impacts generations, as well as a physical act of love.

Lisa-Jo talks about all aspects of life in the middle years. She covers her experiences regarding body image, marriage, parenting, hospitality, failures, sports practices, friendship, and faith.

It was encouraging to hear her stories. I'm not quite to the middle but it's nice to see what's coming and have a positive perspective to draw from.

I really enjoyed this book as a wife and mother approaching middle age far too quickly. This was a quick read for me and I could relate to so much of it. This is one I’ll be sharing with other women friends, especially fellow moms who need to know they aren’t alone in how they feel at the mid stage of life.

I did not finish this book....while it had a great beginning i got little tired of reading all about author over and over again.

Another great book by Lisa-Jo Baker! As a middle child myself and a mom of 3 boys, there was so much insight and truth in this book. I highly recommend!

I absolutely love Lisa Jo Baker. This wasn’t my first interaction with her. This book is amazing!! And I can relate to everything that Lisa wrote about here. The middle does matter. We do need to realize as we get older, priorities change, body changes and our needs. Lisa shares her experiences and wisdom along with God’s word with her humorous wit. I laughed and I even tested up, cause it felt like she was talking straight to me and I needed to read this book.

I am not middle aged yet, but this story touched my heart!!! Im a mama of three and just reading about how it didn’t get easier, it just gets different really resonated with me. It made me feel so much less alone and that’s never a bad thing.

I really wanted to like this book. It’s an important topic and I’m in this age bracket. But, I’m not married and I’m not a mom. So, the majority of this I could not relate to. I realize I’m the minority, but I wish this book was more applicable to all women.

I was excited to see that Lisa-Jo Baker had a new book out on midlife and how to embrace it. I had just had a knee replacement and was feeling a little old at 46! Lisa-Jo is honest in her books and relates to her women readers and this one does not differ. The book is broken into different relationships and aspects of her life and how midlife has made her value them more. I did enjoy the book and found myself relating to her, but many chapters were written more like a letter to her a specific person, such as her child. I enjoyed the chapters that were written for the reader giving us life stories. I would recommend this book to other women as I think many of us our surprised how hard our mid-forties can be with older children, aging parents and body changes! It would be a great book club choice.

This book wasn't quite what I expected it to be. It was ok, but I thought maybe it would be a little edgier and funnier. It definitely had its humorous moments but I thought it fell a little flat in some areas. With that said, I do think just about every middle aged woman can relate and for the right reader, this book will really hit home.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

I'm quitting this at 14% (and I've been skimming for a while). The excerpt amused and interested me - the author is a little younger than me, but nevertheless I thought the book might speak to my life. However the last three chapters I have read were about how important it is for girls to be told they are beautiful (and dress in princess dresses) and the author's concerns about her weight and 'muffin top'. This is not for me.

First of all, before I even opened the book, I really liked the cover. I was picturing a launch party where ladies get to wear t-shirts like the one Lisa Jo is rocking on the cover (bonus points for the tutu as well). Inside, I truly enjoyed the short essays on life at age 40 — the middle of parenting, marriage, and womanhood. I HIGHLY recommend this when it comes out, even though you will have to wait several months for it. I am not 40 yet, but I found myself identifying with a lot of what Lisa Jo wrote. I am not too far from “over the hill,” so it is interesting and comforting to hear from someone who has hit that milestone. This book seems to be a way to express thanks to God for a life well-lived and to honor the experiences that have made up a beautiful life. Looking at life in the middle is a time to cherish everything that others might see as “imperfect” and to realize how it’s all a gift to enjoy and steward. Her description of the 100th day of school milestones were hitting close to home for me because my son is in that stage now. Above all, the book is beautifully written.

Any book that makes me cry this hard while reading in the bathtub, because the author ab-so-lutely nails this adulting thing, is worth at least five stars. Lisa-Jo Baker writes in such a friendly, funny, real-life, relatable way, that I just couldn't put "The Middle Matters" down.

The book is both hilarious and heartbreaking, and covers "the middle" part of marriage and parenting (and just being a not-so-young-anymore) woman so beautifully. I was literally sobbing when she described her daughter's bravery in one chapter, then laughing out loud in another chapter while reading about the author's coveting of certain trendy mugs at a certain trendy home store. Oh, she's got such a talent for making a situation come to life!

I adored this book, and will happily gift copies to friends once it is released later this year. Such a wonderful, endearing, inspiring read, that shows just how special and important the everyday moments are. An absolute wonderful read for any Christian woman.

Thank you too the publisher, who provided me with a free electronic ARC of this book, via Netgalley. I was not required to write a review of any kind. The opinions started in this review are my own.