Maddie has hit the doldrums: empty nest, not really seeing her husband as a partner, worries for her aunt-in-law and her failing health, feeling adrift and not a little nostalgic for the “Maddie that used to be”. All topped off with a reunion where she ran into her first love, felt a ‘zing’ and never really moved forward from that point. Meanwhile, Olive, her husband’s aunt and Maddie’s favorite of all his relations is in a care home near to their house, and Maddie is seeing her deterioration into the confusion of dementia: something she went through with her own father and isn’t interested in it again.

Much of this story, although I wanted to find something new and hopeful was a re-hash of Maddie’s what-ifs list: and her desperately (and often clumsily) attempting to ‘regrasp’ something she felt she lost. And that’s great – if there is some emotional component to the moments – but the only truly heartfelt moments are with Olive and her belief and caring for Maddie- the rest of the time feels very “overview from a distance” without much context that brings new issues to focus or light. And when we add in Maddie’s rather childish fantasies of moments with her first love, the desperation and grasping for that “connection’ even though none seems apparent, there wasn’t much of Maddie left for us to hold onto.

It was pleasant if repetitive, glossy without real tangible depth, and while the moments with Olive and the struggles as yet another person is “leaving but still there” for Maddie, there was not much else memorable or particularly moving. It’s best described (for me) as a beach read – easy to leave, easy to pick up, little investment required or asked of readers. Sad, because I had heard great things about this author’s earlier works and was hoping that this would compare. For me, it didn’t.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href= “ https://wp.me/p3OmRo-aGe/” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>

This story are told from Maddie and Olive point of view. The main character, Maddie are rediscovering herself at the age of 40 something. While Olive, Maddie's aunt has Alzheimer and it was fun reading from her view. She understands Maddie more than Maddie understand herself and She loved Maddie more than she loved her nephew, Tim which is Maddie husband. Btw everything that I read here are predictable especially Maddie love interest.


Thank you Netgalley, publisher and author for Take A Look At Me Now ARC!

A multi-generational story about life, love, romance and friendship. Maddie regrets her choices made twenty years ago. Can she be the person she is inside? Maddie is a relatable character, easy to empathise and like. Essentially this is a journey of belated self-discovery, it retains its grip on reality because Maddie doesn't shy away from her responsibilities., but realises she deserves to do things for her too.

I received a copy of this book from Aria via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

DNF @ 55%

I have never dnf’d an EARC before especially when I requested and was graciously accepted for it. I just can’t read a book that has to do with cheating. The main character is married and is emotionally cheating as well as is on the verge of cheating throughout the first half of this book. I just know if I would have continued something ultimately would have happened. Thank you for the opportunity to read an advanced copy but this just isn’t for me

I just could not get into this book. Maddie is a 40 year old woman with a struggling marriage and a pseudo empty nest with her son away on a gap year. When Maddie runs into Greg, the one who got away, at a class reunion, this presents a new opportunity.

I wanted to really like this book. I love a second chance romance but I think as a 20-something, this book was just too mature for me. I don't think I was the right audience for it (even though I did love Evie Drake Starts Over and I thought this would be like that...)

Thank you to NetGalley, Aria, and Kendra Smith for my eARC in exchange for my honest review!

This is a smashing read! It made me laugh, it brought tears to my eyes but more than anything I nodded my head and smiled!

Maddie Brown is a wife and mother; her son means more to her than anything. Her husband runs his own wine business and is regularly away from home. Now that her son is heading to university and is currently enjoying a gap year abroad, Maddie is lonely. Which is probably why she allows herself to be talked into going to her own uni reunion, where she again meets Greg - the love of her life. But Maddie has kept secrets Greg doesn't even suspect . . .

A well-spun tale of an empty-nester, it was a delight to witness Maggie's story. I think every woman could identify with - and be entertained by - this novel. I found myself cheering her on at every turn! This is the third book I've read by this author and each one has been light-hearted but with a ring of truth running through. This is an author who really knows her characters and writes beautifully. I guessed Maddie's secret before it was revealed but that doesn't take away from what an excellent read this is. Very enjoyable and definitely worth 4.5 stars.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley and to Vicky Joss for my spot on this tour; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

I picked this one up hoping for a light, fluffy read. The synopsis and the cover made me think that's what I was getting. But it was so much more than that. It was more of a life drama. I loved Maddie, though I found the men in her life to be a tad irritating. I also enjoyed Olive. I almost had to put the book down though as Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep, was highly unexpected and an incredibly emotional poem for me. I did not expect to be sobbing during this book.

I would have liked to see more of Tim's story. And maybe their backstory. I almost felt that he was solely a villain. And I feel like a man raising another man's child wouldnt be just a villain.

3.5 rounded to 4

This is another book that just didn't pull me in like I'd hoped it would...which is okay because I do not think I am the intended audience. This also explains why I couldn't connect with Maddie. Nothing wrong with the writing or anything, just didn't personally work for me.

This book was very middle of the road for me. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't anything special. I feel like it was marketed as a second chance lovers trope, when it's really more about Maddie rediscovering herself once she becomes an empty nester.

While I could relate to some of Maddie's thoughts on losing herself to motherhood, it seems a bit far fetched that it would have taken her 18 years to realize she had 0 personality or interests on her own.

And Greg was just...Meh. Seemed pretty boring after they introduced Johnny first. I guess he was sweet, but there wasn't a lot of passion between the MCs.

Like I said, it's not an outright bad book. But it also isn't really one I would recommend to a friend.

I guess this was not a book for me.
I couldn't connect with the characters at all.
The only reason I finished it is cause I'm stubborn and I hate to DNF.

Maddie's a woman in her forties. She's also newly an empty nester and her relationship with her husband Tim is shaky. Seeing Greg, the love of her university years, opens up her mind and her desire to spread her wings. This isn't a second chance romance and Maddie doesn't escape some of the challenges that face us (there's a dementia patient in the family). She does, however, rethink and redo how she lives. There aren't really any surprises here but Maddie's a good relatable character. Thanks to Netgalley for the arc.

I read less than half of this book before I abandoned it. The characters and plot are not interesting. The writing is not very complex.

I was really excited to read Take a Look at Me Now because it sounded like something I'd totally love. Unfortunately, I only made it 20% of the way into the book before I put it down and chose not to finish.

I have no problem reading books that I can guess the outcome (mainly romance) because I feel like the love interests are fairly predictable. But I do like when the plot line has some twists in it. I really felt like I could see the plot line coming a mile away in this one early one. Cheating husband (or at the very least incredibly emotionally abusive and disinterested in her) and her kid most likely is the college boyfriend's.

I decided I didn't need to finish reading this because it wasn't holding my interest and it is a fairly long book.

This is the first book I have read by author Kendra Smith, but it won't be the last!
I fell in love with the characters and the little coastal town and of course, Taffie...Tim however is a tool.

I was needing something light to read and this hit the mark. I will say that I guessed the ending by the second chapter, but it was still an enjoyable read.

Unfortunately this story just wasn't for me. I just couldn't relate to the characters and found the main character to be quite annoying.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately, this book just wasn’t what I was looking for at the moment. Maddie was a bit two dimensional. The dialogue didn’t always connect and I think there was too much inner dialogue when things should’ve been vocalized. I will purchase a copy and reread at a later date to see if it was just the timing that made me not enjoy it thoroughly. Thank you.

As I’m fast approaching the same age as our heroine, I’m really wondering if women are really thinking and acting like Maddie . It’s difficult to find oneself in nowadays times, especially when your child is taking his life in his hands and the husband that you thought you love is not there at all times as you would expect.
It was an interesting read but unfortunately not a memorable one for me.

Thanks for my review copy to the publisher and author

3.75 stars- This book is categorized as a romance and it does have elements of that, but I would call it more a "woman who finds herself" book. If you liked Evvie Drakes Starts Over or The Overdue Life of Amy Byler, then this book is for you. The story line was interesting and not completely predictable, although the book was a bit too long.
Maddie is in her early forties and is at a cross roads in her life. Her 19 year old son, who has been her sole focus for so long, is grown and gone and she and her secretive husband have a frayed relationship. Starting with a class reunion, Maddie goes on a series of steps to redefine herself.

Thank you to Netgalley for the free, advance copy.

Love this book, it’s been a great escape read! I haven’t been able to put it down. This is a great read by a great author.

This was very mediocre. And WAY too long. With her son away on gap year before University, Maddie starts to notice that her life is not what she dreamed of—a mid-life crisis if you will. She then sees an opportunity with her former flame Greg, I usually love second-chance romances but this was just blah.