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.

Lisa-Jo Baker's The Middle Matters is an enjoyable, encouraging, and engaging read. While I didn't fit her target audience (middle aged women) being 27 years old, I still enjoyed reading through Baker's antidotes, wisdom, and advice on living your best life while moving through your middle aged years. Baker makes an excellent argument on why the middle years matter. Though I couldn't relate to much of what was said in the book, I could take it and store it in my brain for when I reach those "middle years". Overall it was a wonderful, enjoyable read. I'd definitely recommend it to wives, mothers, and other women currently in their "middle years" or to those who are quickly approaching them.