I Thought It Would Be Better Than This by Jessica N. Turner is raw, compassionate, and deeply hopeful. Turner turns heartbreak and disappointment into a story of healing, forgiveness, and rebuilding a life worth loving. A must-read for anyone who has ever felt life should have been “better than this.

I really loved the first few chapters and highlighted a lot throughout this book. I liked the memoir parts better than the self-help parts, as it didn’t feel like anything new, really— yes, we’ve been told already that we need community, and to exercise, and to have hobbies etc.

But overall a really helpful and empowering message

I was privileged to be able to read the first few chapters months ago and once I received a copy as part of the launch team, I literally devoured it. This is very appropriate for me to read this with my own situation being over a decade ago but it is finally feeling like spring is coming for me. I appreciated the vulnerability with which Jessica shared. This will help so many people no doubt! Things I had to learn on my own over a decade ago are detailed so lovingly here.

Jessica is so down to earth and authentic. Her wise words can be applied to a variety of situations. This is the book I wish had existed during my hardest days. Luckily, I have it now! This book will provide practical tips for navigating disappointment. Jessica’s story will make you feel seen and less alone.

I've followed Jessica and her ex-husband for years on Instagram, and have really admired how they've handled their whole situation, so was really excited when I heard she was coming out with a book. It was pretty much what I hoped it would be—she was open and shared her experience while being respectful of her own, her kids', and ex-husband's boundaries, provided a lot of insight and reflection, compassion, humor, and hope.

Although I have never, and most people won't experience her situation of her partner coming out, I think her experience and insights will resonate with a broad audience as it seems to be a fairly universal thing at some point in our lives to think something would be "better" than we expected.

As with many memoirs/autobiographical books, there's a lot that might not be new or groundbreaking to certain readers, however, Jessica is very relatable and shares really solid advice. While she's in the Christian sphere, there's plenty for non-Christians to take away from it as well.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the eARC.

I can’t say enough good things about this book. Truly a grace upon grace story. Jessica is able to capture every emotion she felt on the pages of this book. As you read, it feels like you are holding her hand and navigating this messy and beautiful life with her. This is one of those books that is worth picking up and reading again and again.

Jessica turned tragedy into lessons when her marriage changed and her life was no longer the one she dreamed of. Her stories and advice are great for everyone.

My interview with Jessica N Turner on Meg’s Reading Room podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/megs-reading-room/id1761060886?i=1000702828578

I love Jessica Turner. I have been a loyal follower for a while. Her story is beautiful, though laced with trauma. I can't say I enjoyed this book because it's about HARD THINGS but I will be coming back to it in moments of hardships. Jessica writes with such humanity, truth, and tenderness.

“This book will change your life! If you're wrestling with disappointment, heartache, or the curveballs life throws at you, Jessica Turner's story will speak right to your soul.” True!

I have followed Jessica online for many years and continue to be amazed at her openness and vulnerability as she navigated the changes in her life the past few years. Reading her newest book was not just her personal stories but inspiration to others to look at their situation and find the way to move forward and come out a stronger person then they are right now.

I know I will keep this on my shelf for years to come and pull it out as I navigate the various twists and turns life is sure to put on my path.

This book feels like a little memoir, but more about practical and real advice for moving your life forward in the face of disappointment. This is a great book to share with someone who might be going through a difficult season. I’ve been through difficult seasons in the past and come out on the other side. But I’ve also thought recently about how my life hasn’t gone as I assumed it would. I never had any solid plans for how I wanted my life to look, but at the same time I’m not disappointed with where I am.

This book gave some practical advice for people who are going through devastating life issues or trauma. It was engaging and encouraging to see how the author was able to move on. However, this book was listed as a Christian title so I was expecting the author to talk about God and how He is our ultimate Help and Healer when we are brokenhearted. The viewpoints of the author also didn't appear to line up with biblical values which made it feel more like a general self-help book than from a Biblical perspective. I was disappointed that it was different from what I was expecting.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from netgalley; all opinions are solely mine.

I think this will be a lovely book for people who find it at the right time in their lives. When I requested this I didn't realize that it was part memoir that focused largely on the authors divorce and upheaval. That isn't something that I can relate to, having never been married, and I appreciated the effort the author made to include other types of grief in the self-help aspects of the book but it unfortunately didn't really resonate with me.

Strong recommend for people who are going through a divorce and want to see their experience reflected back to them.

I think the author was trying too hard to walk the line of self-help and memoir, but the end result is a bunch of advice/steps that are common knowledge, a couple good tips, and a whole lot of words that repeat. There are a couple brief stories that are moving, but overall this is super surface level.

As someone who has also gone through a lot of life disappointment moments or just moments where I thought things would be different or better, this book was a balm. Something I wish I would’ve had in the past and so glad it is out there as a great resource for others. I’ve followed Jessica for years on social media and saw this all play out in realtime and I’ve been cheering her on ever since.

Nothing totally wrong about this book, but nothing new here either. I think I've read about fifty versions of this same book. Perhaps the author and publisher should consider that this is a well-trod topic that may very well be deplete of new material.

I was a little turned off when Jess opened the book with her husband's coming out story. It just felt so abrupt and I'm sure will turn a lot of people off from reading the book. I follow her, so I had a basic understanding going in and knew where the story was going. I thought this was incredibly well written. I loved the way it was organized and I loved that it was focused on moving forward and not staying in a rut.

I thought this book was going to really just be about the author's divorce and her life story, but I was wrong. This book offered so much more. We all are going through our own struggles- health, relationship, financial, and this book can be applied to all of these different struggles. I appreciated Jessica Turner's vulnerability in this book.

This is a wonderfully, vulnerable book that includes tons of practical advice about grief, forgiveness and so much more as the author has to deal with a marriage that dissolves as a result of her husband coming out. I can see this book being very useful for anyone who reads it, not just one who is having marriage struggles. I also enjoyed the literature and tv references. The author and I share many of the same favorites!
Highly recommend!

Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read it in exchange for my honest thoughts