Just The Way You Are by Beth Moran was just the little burst of sunshine that I needed today while riding out a winter storm. Ollie's story is one that will warm your heart, and perhaps even provide the impetus to begin your own journey of self-discovery.

Still living with her emotionally dependent and manipulative mother as she nears her thirtieth birthday, Ollie decides that the time has come to take her own best interest in hand, and will not only live independently for the first time, but will begin to tick off a bucket list of items that has sat untouched for years. In the process, she will learn to trust in herself, and to open her heart to others, enriching her life in ways that, for many years, she never thought possible.

This is an utterly charming read, and I will certainly look for more from this author in the future.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.

Olivia Tennyson is fed up with her mother controlling her life and choices. Realizing that living with her mother will get her nowhere, she moves out which doesn't go over well with mummy dearest. Starting "new" at 29 years old, Olivia decides that she'll finally start on her Dream List, a list she made with the intention of completing to prove to herself she's capable of tackling life all on her own...

so initially i requested this book because i thought the romance would be super cute...but calling it a romance would be pushing it. a women's fiction, was more the vibe i was getting from it

the side characters came to play a lot which i actually enjoyed. i think the friendships Olivia made was really and truly special. through it all, Olivia was basically a saint, focusing on her list as well as still attending to others needs

the love interest, Sam, was a dear and i wish we could've had more scenes with them together in the romantic sense. their ending was cute but abrupt

as much as i still ended up enjoying it, it did take me 4 days to finish...if it was just my personal mindset or the length of the book, i couldn't really tell you.
But if it sounds like something you'll enjoy, I'd definitely recommend you give it a try :)

*𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳, 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘤 𝘪𝘯-𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸*

I really enjoyed Beth Moran's new book, Just the Way You Are. It's the third book of hers I've read, and they never fail to entertain and offer some uplifting, feel-good, reading. Highly recommended for those looking for a boost or after something that's not light and fluffy, but genuinely heart-warming.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my review copy.

What a delight!

I'm 98% certain that I requested this on NetGalley thanks to the cute cover. I really didn't know the premise going in and that usually works well for me as it did here.

Every character really added something to the story and I find that to be rare in novels anymore. Beth Moran really gave each of them a thoughtful and meaningful story line and I very much appreciate that as a reader. This book was beyond charming, sweet, easy to read and absolutely adorable. I enjoyed picking it up each time. I found the story, for the most part to flow easily., there were a few times where I felt it start to stall out, but then it would pick right up.

The library scenes were some of my very favorite, mainly thanks to Irene. Irene is the curmudgeon old librarian who we instantly don't like, but man did I love her story arc. Irene!! We can all use an Irene in our lives. Ebenezer/Barry was another curmudgeon with his salty notes and elusive tasks that I just loved. Leanne and Joan - be still my heart. Little Joan was a force and I loved everything she added to the story.

Ollie. What a leading lady Beth Moran brought us. Ollie was stuck and Ollie was OK letting her Mom run the roost and keep her ensconced in a smothered home. Once Ollie broke free she came alive and it was a joy to read. Ollie and Sam had such a sweet dynamic and I was rooting for them the entire way.

I think my only gripe and reason for 4 stars instead of 5 was the pacing. At times I couldn't put this down, at other times it felt like I'd been reading it for years. Otherwise, this story is one that will definitely stick with me and I look forward to more from Moran.

Thank you NetGalley, Moran and Boldwood books for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Basic plot: Olivia (Ollie) Tennyson is living at home with her controlling mother. Ollie realizes that she needs to move on with her life and make a life of her own. She has a Dream List that she wants to accomplish and she is determined to do it.

Rating: 4/5

What I have to say: “Just The Way You Are” was a good book. It took about a week to finish, as I was having a hard time getting into it. I very much liked following Ollie on her adventure of self-discovery. The characters were charming and relatable.

Thank you to NetGalley for granting me permission for an advanced copy of this book!

While I enjoyed this book a great deal I don't really think it's romance as much as I was led to believe it is that's not really wrong it's just a bit mislabeled in my opinion.

This book was such an incredible read. It had such strong and powerful messages of self-growth, friendship and acceptance. I was immediately captivated by the writing style and the characters. This novel is easy-flowing and light-hearted and just an overall happy read. I absolutely loved the journey of growth for Ollie. It was a bit extreme but necessary for her to be whom she wanted to be. It was super cute and kept me laughing. I loved following her journey of in to becoming a strong independent woman. I loved the relaxed and easy-going banter between Ollie and Sam and the strong friendship between Ollie and Joan. Ollie’s friends became her family and supported her journey.
I’m jealous of all the things that Ollie was determined to do and achieved throughout this book!
Favourite quote: “You really are the wild man of the forest.”
Rated: 4.0 stars.

A lovely read that I am going to suggest for my Book Club. A lovely story that shows life doesn’t always go as you want it when you want it. Well done.

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Someone used the word uplifting about this book and it is so apt. This book is about a woman who never really got the chance to be herself and live life for her. Yes there were elements of romance but that wasn’t the driving force behind the changes the MC made in her life. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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If you need a book about someone who has bloomed late and has had to fight for her independence this is the one for you. But it is also so much more it is about embracing your strengths and who you are, for fighting for your boundaries and happiness and found family. I cried and laughed and loved throughout this whole book. Thank you for writing this @bethmoranauthor 💛 this book is all heart. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Thank you @netgalley for the chance to read this book, I loved reading it. This book will be available from 17/02/2022 💛

Ollie is nearly 30 living with her overbearing mum. When her mum starts planning her 30th birthday party she realises her mum has been mooching in her bedroom and reading her diaries etc and it's the last straw so she decides to move out.
A fab story of a single woman determined to start living her life her way before she is 30
Loved it

While I am very grateful to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC I do have one complaint. The advertisement tag read the feel good book of 2022 and it was tagged as romance. While there is a general romantic plot line in the story this book Tugged on the heartstrings entirely too much to be a feel good book.

Ollie is trying to escape years of manipulation from her mother while also figuring out who she wants to be going into her 30s. A dedicated civil servant Ollie takes broken people under her wing left and right. It was a beautifully written book that tackles some seriously heavy stuff.



Content Warning: substance abuse, emotional abuse, child abuse, missing children,

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Boldwood Books and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.


A novel about a woman seeking independence from an emotionally abusive and controlling mother. Well done.

The story
Ollie is nearly 30, living with her emotionally abusive and controlling mother. With the help of her supportive best friend Steph, Ollie decides to move out and buy a tiny cottage for herself in a rural village on the edge of the forest. Ollie works for an adult literacy charity, helping adults and coaching others to teach. Ollie wishes she had found the Dream Man to complete her Dream List, but Steph convinces her to tackle the Dream List items by herself and manless. But what about Sam the solicitor turned Forester is everything Ollie wishes for in the Dream Man?

My thoughts
This is the second Beth Moran story I have read, I noticed it had a similar vibe to the first story. Ollie’s character has so much grace. She accepts the situation with her mother calmly and rationally and plans to leave home in a safe way that will cause the least pain to her mother. When her mother oversteps boundaries, she shuts her off until she feels like the response she gets is more reasonable. I love the way Ollie befriends her neighbours in such a gentle and kind way, the other characters from the village and shows her kindness in looking after others in need. I felt like the pace of the story was calming and the interactions between Ollie and Sam were really sweet. Such a happy read!

This is a brilliant book about love, friendship and family although mainly about friendship and family. It's about setting boundaries and gaining independence.
I wont deny that there are a couple of emotional bits but over all its a brilliant book. I fell in love with the character's particularly Ollie and Nesbit. I hope there is more to come from these character's in future books by this author.

I was a little concerned at times that perhaps there were a bit too many topics in this book: controlling parents, grooming, relationship problems, illiteracy, mental illness, lonely neighbours, physical illness, drug and alcohol abuse…I was debating if it was all needed, but in the end, I felt it gave a good cross-section of the good and bad of humanity, but it is a fine line.

I do feel Beth ripped into my soul and wrote my life story. Okay so it’s not all true, my mum isn’t as manipulative as she is and I don’t have a hunky forest ranger for a neighbour, but I am a 29 year old, single woman liv with mother, desperate to move out and into a quaint little cottage, and find that perfect someone to spend it with.

I’ll admit, I didn’t feel as strongly about the characters as I would have liked to, they felt a bit so-so, but there were definitely one or two I explicitly disliked, regardless of any redeemable scenes.

It is a sweet easy-going rom-com. It is light hearted but touches on difficult topics. I think there were some subplots that were weaker than others, and some I’d have liked more focus on, but that’s personal preference. Overall though, it is enjoyable, comforting and easy to read in front of the fire with a large glass of wine.

The perfect novel about a woman’s journey to independence and living for herself for once. I could totally relate to these characters and loved how character driven this entire story was. Bravo! So well done.

I enjoyed this story a lot, it was the feel good read I needed right now and Ollie was a character i cared about so much. I know I just said "feel good" and this book is that but it is also so much more. It's about overcoming an abusive past, coming into ones own and making new friends. It is also has a romantic vibe but I don't think this book is a romance in the traditional sense and I liked that about it.

This book made me laugh, cry and sigh...the type of book you hug when finished. The characters were so relatable to me and I felt connected to them and cheered them on. Even though the main character basically looks at life through rose coloured glasses the book deals with some hard hitting topics as well. I connected with Ollie and was so pleased to join her on her journey of self discovery.

Having reached her wit's end with her overbearing mother, Ollie decides to move out and forge a life for herself. In the pursuit of the completion of her Dream List, she makes a no-man pact until the task is through.

The writing is absolutely beautiful and there's no denying Beth Moran's talent! She teases out the intricacies of the mother-daughter relationship in a way that tugged hard on my heartstrings and I also loved the subplots with Joan and Ebenezer. However, I began reading expecting more of a lighthearted and fast-paced rom-com -- which this work is not. The romantic relationship itself is actually not a prominent plotline. I found myself deeply invested in little Joan and though I loved the characterization of everyone and sweet, homey descriptions of Ollie's new home and community, it simply was not what I was looking for or expecting at the time.

Many thanks to Beth Moran, Boldwood Books, and NetGalley for this ARC!

This book just wasn't for me. The writing was fluid, the characters were well-developed, and the story was detailed - however, it was missing that *spark* that made me want to read and re-read. Although the story was nice, there wasn't much to keep my interest - no major storylines or climatic plot elements and it felt like it took a very, (very!) long time for Ollie to finally reach her happy ending.
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This one is SO CUTE! THE COVER, the story, and everything in between! I absolutely love it. I highly recommend.