Between Chapters: How I Started Over, Took Some Chances, and Found the Plot

by Zibby Owens

Featured in People magazine

“Zibby Owens writes like a woman with her life cracked wide open—and the courage to look straight inside. Between Books is funny, tender, unflinching, and so deeply human." —Jen Hatmaker, author of Awake

From the national bestselling author comes a heartfelt, humorous look at a book lover’s life in relaunch.

Bestselling author and award-winning podcaster Zibby Owens’s life today is very different than it was ten years ago. She went from being an Upper East Side stay-at-home-mom of four to becoming a “book-fluencer” adored by authors and readers, a bookstore owner, publisher, TV personality, event host, and community builder. In her decade of reinvention, like so many women, she gained and lost weight, gained and lost friends. Her lifelong passion for writing and reading helped her through it, as did the many conversations she had with authors on her podcast.

In Between Books, Zibby opens up about the chances she took and mistakes she made, sharing stories of friendship, parenting, divorce, loss, and love.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Books About Books, Audiobook, Writing, Jewish

240 pages, Paperback

Expected publication September 22, 2026

About the author

ZIBBY OWENS (www.zibbyowens.com -- sign up) is the bestselling author and editor of six books including Blank, Bookends: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Literature, Princess Charming, and the On Being Jewish Now anthology, which has spent 29 weeks on the USA Today bestseller list and inspired a companion essay platform and a stage adaptation.

Her seventh title, Between Books: How I Started Over, Took Some Chances, and Found the Plot, comes out September 22.

Owens has contributed to Vogue, Oprah Daily, Good Morning America, and the Washington Post, and writes a weekly bestselling Substack. She hosts the award-winning podcast Totally Booked with Zibby with more than 2,300 author episodes, and the weekly TV show Totally Booked with Zibby on JBS (Jewish Broadcasting Service).

A frequent speaker, moderator and broadcast guest, Owens is known for highlighting the book industry’s most anticipated new releases and emerging authors. In 2021 she founded Zibby Media with the launch of Zibby Publishing and unique year-round hosted retreats and events for book lovers. In 2023, she opened Zibby’s Bookshop, the independent bookstore in Santa Monica, CA.

A graduate of Yale University and Harvard Business School, Owens, a mother of four, lives in New York and L.A. with her husband.

Reviews

[Jordan White]

Zibby Owens is an author, publisher, bookstore owner and podcast host. I forget how I first heard (read?) about BETWEEN CHAPTERS, but the synopsis immediately sounded like something I’d love. I love reading about book people.

The book opens with Owens falling in love with her tennis coach and then going through a divorce, which is an incredibly messy life event. But the author’s upbeat narration makes it sound almost like an “oops, lol!” situation, without much reflection or context about how or why it happened. For me, this set the tone for a memoir that stays glossy and surface-level rather than digging deeper into who Owens is as a person and why she’s made certain decisions.

There are also offhanded mentions of growing up incredibly privileged: her father is a CEO, she grew up on the Upper East Side, flew first class and shopped at Bergdorf Goodman as a teenager. (Her father is a billionaire and an adviser and donor to President Trump, btw.) Later, she’s able to open a bookstore in California and rebuild her home after devastating wildfires. There’s nothing inherently wrong with writing about a privileged life, but I wanted more acknowledgment or examination of how that privilege shaped her experiences. (An LATimes article said she had access to “unlimited funds.”)

Owens seems like a kind, thoughtful person, but this collection of essays just didn’t work for me. Each one felt like something you’d skim in a personal newsletter: short, mostly light and simplistic, with an observation or a “here’s a thing that happened to me” takeaway. (The emotional chapter about losing her stepfather is a notable exception.) Maybe readers who already know and follow Owens will connect with this book and her more than I did.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Zibby Publishing for an advanced audiobook copy of #BetweenChapters. Publication date Sept. 22, 2026.

[Kimberly]

Zibby Owens’s Between Chapters had already been keeping me company on audio when a FUN surprise showed up in my mailbox—a physical copy of the very book I was listening to. Thank you so much to Zibby Owens and Zibby Books for the gifted early copy. Have you ever been right in the middle of a book and then had the physical copy unexpectedly arrive? Book mail timing doesn’t get much better than that.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I ended up tandem reading and listening, and since Zibby narrates the audiobook herself, listening felt especially personal. There’s just something about hearing someone tell you their own story in their own voice.

Between Chapters takes us through roughly a decade of Zibby’s life, and WOW, a lot can change in ten years. She goes from being a stay-at-home mom of four to building an entirely new life around books—as an author, podcaster, bookstore owner, publisher, event host, and someone who has created this huge bookish community.

But what I loved is that this isn’t simply a highlight reel of everything she accomplished.

Zibby gets into the messy stuff too. Motherhood, divorce, remarriage, friendship, shared custody, grief, loss, mistakes, taking chances and trying to figure out who you are when life suddenly looks nothing like the one you thought you were building.

And, of course, books are woven throughout it all.

That may have been what I connected with most. Books can entertain us, but they can also get us through some pretty difficult chapters. They give us somewhere to land while we figure out what comes next.

There were moments when Zibby made me laugh and others that caught me completely off guard emotionally. Hearing those moments in her voice made them hit even harder.

More than anything, I came away loving the reminder that starting over doesn’t have an expiration date. Sometimes the next chapter looks NOTHING like the one you thought you were writing.

And Zibby, what a comeback. I’m so glad you decided to keep turning the pages.

What chapter of your own life turned out completely differently than you expected?

#BetweenChapters #ZibbyOwens #Memoir #BooksAboutBooks #Bookstagram

[Evgenia]

Review of advance copy received from NetGalley

I discovered Between Chapters through NetGalley, and it truly caught my eye from the very beginning. First, there was the cover—it felt warm, cheerful, and inviting, almost like an open door into a cozy room filled with stories. But once I got to know the book itself, I realized that discovering it was one of those beautiful serendipitous moments life sometimes gives us.

Between Chapters by Zibby Owens felt like a warm embrace for my soul. As a librarian myself, I have always cherished the love, comfort, and little bit of magic that books can bring into our lives. Zibby seems to understand that magic deeply. Reading the stories, and learning about the many twists, turns, and roller-coaster moments of her life, I found her journey incredibly inspiring.

There is something wonderfully intimate about the way Zibby writes. It feels as though she takes you gently by the hand, sits beside you, and opens her heart as a dear friend would. Her honesty, warmth, and raw truth for life shines through every chapter.

This book reminded me that sometimes the stories we stumble upon by chance are the ones that stay with us the longest. Thank you, Zibby, for letting me get to know you through these pages. I discovered your book through NetGalley, but I feel I have also discovered the person behind it—and now I find myself following all the beautiful projects you have in mind.

[Lauren S.]

in her latest work, between chapters: how i started over, took some chances, and found the plot, zibby's essays allow us a glance into her own heart and mind as she works through the latest decade (or so) of her life. she is grieving, laughing out loud, remembering, wishing, celebrating, and just living, and you can't help but feel the emotions conveyed through the pages. i find zibby's voice soothing and enjoyed listening to this book on audio. memoirs read by the author are always my preferred selection.

on paper, zibby owens and i don't have very much in common. however, i found my heart clenching when she read about her stepfather's death and i giggled out loud when she told us about watching "the video" with her children in bed...and then warning her ex-husband about the potential questions they might ask him. writing connects us through recognition and documentation of the universal human experience and i very much enjoyed reading about zibby's life stories featured in this work. in the acknowledgements, zibby notes that she writes "to soften the falls, to soothe the soul, and to sort it all out". i couldn't have said it better myself!

thank you to zibby publishing audiobooks for providing this book for review consideration via netgalley. all opinions are my own.

[Cindy]

Zibby was unhappy in her marriage so she had an affair with her tennis pro. While that sounds like a familiar suburban trope, she took it a step further: she divorced her husband and married the pro. (I found it interesting that she took great pains to say that her now-husband is more than a tennis pro, as if we were judging her by his job.) Now, some ten years later, she is sharing her multiple success stories and bi-coastal lifestyle to prove she is better than ever, as if to say your life could be better too. But her story is one of privilege, with safety nets.
I don’t begrudge her success. She pursued who and what (reading) she loves, and has been building her career, reputation, and followers. And she gives back in important and meaningful ways. In this collection of essays she narrates for the audiobook, she comes across as enthusiastic, upbeat, and occasionally emotional when tackling heavier subjects like antisemitism. I enjoyed her “voice” and would be interested in more audiobooks or anthologies by the author.
My thanks to the author, @ZibbyPublishingAudiobooks, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook of #BetweenChapters for review purposes. Publication date: 22 September 2026.

[Shannon (The Book Club Mom)]

I’ve been following Zibby Owens and her enviable bookish career for years now. I was first introduced to her through her podcast, then anthologies, novels, publishing house, and finally, the opening of her adorable book shop. In my opinion, Zibby is the ultimate book influencer. There should be a picture of her face in the dictionary next to the definition of book lover.

Her forthcoming release, BETWEEN CHAPTERS is a memoir in essay form that I found extremely entertaining and relatable. It’s on the shorter side—just under 250 pages—but Zibby covers it all. She discusses her divorce, second marriage, writing career, mental health, motherhood, loss, grief, activism, the pandemic, the devastating California wildfires, and of course, her love of books—and much more. These are just the topics that I’m remembering off the top of my head. She writes with humor, heart, and honesty. Reading this felt like I was having a meaningful and enjoyable conversation with a good friend. I whizzed right through it!

If you love a good starting over story, or life relaunch, then please don’t skip out on BETWEEN CHAPTERS. I give it 4/5 solid stars! Grab a copy on September 22nd!

[Stacy Igel]

I laughed, I cried, and I found myself thinking about my own chapters along the way.

Between the Chapters is vulnerable, honest, funny, and deeply human. Zibby shares not only the highs, but the lows, the pivots, the messy moments, and everything in between.

As someone who knows how vulnerable it can feel to put your own story on the page, I felt especially proud of Zibby for going there. For sharing the moments that shaped her, not just the polished ones.

There were moments that made me smile, moments that made me emotional, and so many that made me stop and reflect on my own journey. That is what I loved most about this book. It reminds us that our lives are made up of all of it. The wins, the heartbreaks, the people we meet, the people we lose, the chances we take, and all those moments in between the chapters.

A beautiful, vulnerable, and inspiring read. So proud of you, Zibby. ❤️

Thank you to Zibby Publishing for an advanced copy of Between Chapters. Publication date: September 22, 2026.

[Esther]

I devoured this book and expect to dip back in occasionally or whenever necessary. It's that kind of book: warm, friendly, conversational, insightful—like a good friend always willing to just hang out to keep you company. Not surprisingly, I found myself literally nodding in agreement at some of Zibby's observations and life experiences. That she is so open and honest is a testament to her deep desire to connect with people everywhere. It's a book that will soften loneliness, inspire confidence, make you cry and a few pages later have you laughing out loud. I've also started listening to Zibby's amazing podcast, "Totally Booked." It's a way to continue the conversation. The questions she asks her guests elicit responses that, like her, are insightful, informative, and real. When you buy this book put another in your cart for a friend. After all, aren't we all between chapters in one way or another?

[Shannon]

I enjoyed this upcoming memoir from podcaster, author and bookstore owner, Zibby Owens. I've been a big fan for years and I really liked the structure of her book with its short chapters that made for a fast read. She was honest, heartfelt and funny while covering some tough moments in her life. From motherhood, divorce, the pandemic, starting over in midlife, health scares, depression and more. Great on audio and highly recommended! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early physical and audio copy in exchange for my honest review.

Fav quote:
"Maybe that's all I have been looking for all along. My parents' approval. Love. Acceptance. Praise. Attention. Validation. It's so basic, but so essential. I'm almost fifty and still seeking that powerful affirmation that somehow steels me for everything, including being a parent myself."

[Kayleigh]

Between Chapters opens with Owens falling in love with her tennis coach and going through a divorce, while navigating how to tell her children what’s going on and adjusting to this messy life event.
Owens is incredibly open about what it was like for her starting over and what grief and motherhood looked like while she did it. I can see how her privileged upbringing and multiple safety nets can be a bit of a turn off to people overall, this was a good and quick read and I found her refreshing tone to be a good change of pace- it’s okay to leave a situation you’re unfulfilled in. It’s okay to say that it’s hard but you’re happier for it and it’s okay to change things.

3.5

Between Chapters will be published September 22, 2026 and I received an advanced copy from Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for my review.

[Bonnie Goldberg]

Zibby Owens is an autobuy for me and receiving a collection of her essays is one of the best book gifts possible. At this point, many of us feel like we "know" Zibby - because she is a prolific sharer, but also because she has created an extraordinary presence in the Jewish advocacy space and in the book space. Zibby (in my mind, she is a friend, hence we should be on first name basis!) offers concrete advice to mid-life women about doing "goal adjacent" things when our goals feel hard to attain. She articulates the myriad ways that reading is a balm to the anxious and stressed soul. Most importantly, she reminds us why she "is not lowering [her] voice" during this time of unimaginable antisemitism and why I should not either. Thank you Zibby!

[Dana Matte]

Thanks to LibroFM for the ALC!

This whole endeavor felt self-indulgent and totally unnecessary. It opens with the author telling her friends she is getting divorced. But never fear - she’s elated because she’s in love with her tennis pro! WTF. I get that this happens. And certainly well aware from personal experience. But I was sickened by the way she romanticized a relationship with a man that wasn’t her husband while simultaneously destroying the lives of her four children. The devastation she felt at being “torn apart from the loves of my life” felt so disingenuous. It was all her doing and she claimed zero responsibility or guilt. Spoiler: It doesn’t get better as it goes. Don’t waste your time.

[Jennifer]

4.5 stars

Zibby Owens is a writer, podcaster, book store owner and activist.

I mostly listened to the audiobook, which is narrated by Zibby herself. Her stories are touching and wonderful. And I found myself tearing up multiple times.

This is a vulnerable honest look at her life for the last 10 years. This essay collection discusses her divorce and remarriage. It looks at mental health struggles and grief and loss with the death of her stepfather Howard. There are so many incredible stories about her kids and the heartbreaks of shared custody. All of these subjects are so thoughtfully addressed. This is a beautiful and very Jewish book. I loved it.

Thanks to @librofm for the gifted audiobook and thank you @zibbyowens @zibbypublishing for the gifted ebook.

[Stephanie Affinito]

Zibby doesn’t know it, but she has been what Gretchen Rubin calls my spiritual master or my spiritual guide for the bookish work I do. After reading her first memoir BOOKENDS and getting so much inspiration from her daily podcast and work, I not only started one, but two podcasts that lean into the bookish work I love so much. Just like her last book, I’m gaining bookish inspiration, but I’m also feeling seen as a parent and woman in the world, too. These essays are honest and raw, funny and poignant, both light and deep. It’s the ultimate reading experience that will make you feel like you’ve found a friend on the page.

[Susan]

I just finished reading Zibby Owens' new book, Between Chapters, and feel like it’s her best yet! I fought like crazy to get sole custody during my divorce 26 years ago, so I really felt for her when she was parted from her kids when they went to their dad’s place. The arrangement of the essays is brilliant and tells the story of her transformation from just before she turned 40 to just before she turns 50. (Hint: the 50s are great!) I recently heard Zibby read from one of the later chapters in the book, so when I got to that chapter I could almost hear her reading it again. Her new book comes out in a month and can be pre-ordered wherever you like to buy books!

[Sara (BandSBookClub]

I truly enjoy Zibby Owen's writing style. I thought the stories that she wrote about her life were fascinating, real and emotional. I found myself laughing, crying, cheering and feeling all the feels alongside Owens. She shares not only the good and positive aspects of her life, but is vulnerable in sharing the stories that may not be as pretty and polished, but are equally as important to who she has become. Overall, I enjoyed reading about someone else's life and how they got to be who they are today. Thank you to Zibby Owens for speaking out against antisemitism, sharing the challenges (and many joys!) of motherhood and so much more. Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

[Katelyn]

Zibby Owens is deeply imbedded in the book world and a huge cheerleader for books. She is an author, publisher, bookstore owner, and book podcaster, and does so much to get books into the hands of readers. I loved her memoir "Bookends: a Memoir of Love, Loss, and Literature," and enjoyed reading this collection of essays about divorce, new love, the pain of her children splitting their time between households, the Palisades fire and books. She has also published multiple essay anthologies, which I excitedly pulled off my bookcase to return to.

[Cari]

I read this book of essays for Booklist. I didn't realize Zibby Owens was so formidable in the publishing world--I knew she had a publishing arm but didn't realize she had a podcast or owned her own bookstore. I don't know how she has time to do everything she does. While a bit repetitive, with many recurring themes, this is a really fun book. I died laughing during the essay where she has to explain the facts of life to her kids. Like, actual tears in my eyes. It's worth a read just for that one!

[itsallaboutbooksandmacarons]

A quick listen that wasn’t always easy, but I found it very genuine and inspiring. The reminder that life doesn’t end when a marriage ends really stayed with me.

Ending a marriage can change so much, and I liked the idea of seeing it as the beginning of a different life rather than simply an ending. It may not be easier, but it can still bring happiness, freedom and experiences you never expected.

That gave me a lot to think about, without making the whole thing sound simple or pretending that moving forward is easy.

[Amy]

I enjoyed this memoir by publisher, podcast host, Jewish activist, bookstore owner and renowned speaker Zibby Owens. It covers a 10 year period of her life, starting at age 39, when she divorced and remarried as a stay at home mother of four children, and started a very successful literary business. She grew up with extreme wealth and privilege and has led an interesting life.

She experiences joy and loss but is not particularly perceptive, and little context is provided for her feelings. It would have been better if she was more thoughtful about how her life unfolded.

[Alyson (alysonbookishthoughts)]

I enjoyed Between Chapters and Zibby inviting readers to get a peek into her life with things that she has gone through in her divorce, falling in love with her second husband, motherhood, starting her business, and becoming a champion for books and Jewish authors and stories. The essays she shares are heartfelt, honest, and relatable.

I listened to the audiobook, which is narrated by Zibby herself, and truly enjoyed each chapter and getting to know Zibby better!

Thank you to NetGalley, Zibby Publishing, and LibroFM for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Heather Metz]

These short essays by Zibby Owen’s are perfect for anyone who has, or is thinking about making changes in midlife.
Zibby changed so much about herself in her forties. She got divorced, remarried, moved,opened a bookstore, started a bookish podcast and became a publisher.
Even for those of us who haven’t made huge changes, her essays are relatable about everyday life, including parenting and aging parents.

[Tina]

I read this book already being a fan of her previous books, but Zibby's sharp, insightful writing really won me over. It could be because I also watched "The Middle" as a family activity and still quote from it, or it could be that her description of the Palisades fire was eerily similar to my own with the Eaton fire. Either way, she made me feel less alone as a mom and a post-October 7th Jew, and I lover her for that.

[Elizabeth]

Thanks to NetGalley and Zibby Publishing for my audio ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be published September 22, 2026.

This collection of short stories covers her early life, marriages and a divorce, and kids growing up.

What I was hoping to read was more about her podcast, how she chooses authors to interview and how that career has shaped her reading choices.

Sadly cannot recommend.

[Sonia]

This is somewhat a follow up to Zibby’s memoir where it’s a collection of essays she’s written about her life since that memoir came out. It covers topics from parenting, marriage, loss, and more.

Maybe it’s because I love reality television so much that reading memoirs of people’s actual lives are so fascinating, they take you into the mind of other people as opposed to just what the camera shows us.

Thank you Zibbey Owens and Zibby publishing for an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

[Allyn Oliver]

Enjoyed this book of essays by Zibby Owens, about the messiness of life as a working mom of 4 who doesn’t have it all figured out and doesn’t want to settle as she navigates a divorce, losses, and life in general. Very easy read.

Thanks to Two Rivers and NetGalley for the ARC.

Releases September 2026.

[Kara Kavensky]

Sitting with a close friend after years apart, and all the fun feels are there as if no time has passed--this is what it's like to read BETWEEN CHAPTERS. Grab a latte and curl up with this collection of essays, and have the tissues ready for tears of laughter! Brava, Zibby! Love this collection; it's your best yet! -- Kara Kavensky, author TELL ME ABOUT JOY

[Loree]

I am a huge fan of the author as a person, but less enthusiastic about this book. Someone turned me on to the word(s?) "Me-moir," and that's all I could think as I read each vignette. Because I like Zibby the person, activist, publisher, and podcaster, I'm sorry to write a less-than-stellar review. But here we are.

[Jane Morrison]

Such a wonderful book! I couldn't wait to read each chapter. Even though my life has taken a different route than Zibby's, I could totally relate to most of what she wrote. She's the type of person that I would love to be friends with. Looking forward to her coming to my library's Book & Author event! Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Becky of Becky's Bookshelves]

Between Chapters: How I Started Over, Took Some Chances, and Found the Plot
by Zibby Owens is out today. Zibby's writing is very engaging.  I felt like I was sitting next to her as she told her story.  She is honest about her challenges, shares deeply,  nd is an excellent story teller.  A very  interesting read. 
 
I was gifted a copy and not required to write a positive review.