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After Happily Ever After
7 hours and 50 minutes.
After Happily Ever After deals with love, marriage, family, the empty nest, aging parents, and what happens when they all come crashing down at the same time.
Maggie Dolin is 45 and isn’t dealing with getting older very well. Seventeen years ago, she gave up her job in publishing to raise her daughter, Gia—but now her only child is about to leave for college, and Maggie isn’t sure what her new purpose will be. She’s been the caretaker and nurturer for so long that she can’t even remember the last time someone took care of her. She wishes Jim, her husband of 19 years, would take that role on—but he’s been distracted and disconnected, and she’s convinced he’s hiding something from her. Her self-involved, judgmental mother and resentful brother, meanwhile, are certainly no help, and her father—the only person in her life who’s always been there for her and asked nothing in return—is dealing with increasingly serious health issues, leaving Maggie without her rock.
As all these stressors pile on, a chance meeting with a younger man causes Maggie to act in a way that is completely out of character for her. As she gets deeper in, she’s forced to make some big decisions about what she wants and deserves—decisions that could change her life forever.
After Happily Ever After deals with love, marriage, family, the empty nest, aging parents, and what happens when they all come crashing down at the same time.
Maggie Dolin is 45 and isn’t dealing with getting older very well. Seventeen years ago, she gave up her job in publishing to raise her daughter, Gia—but now her only child is about to leave for college, and Maggie isn’t sure what her new purpose will be. She’s been the caretaker and nurturer for so long that she can’t even remember the last time someone took care of her. She wishes Jim, her husband of 19 years, would take that role on—but he’s been distracted and disconnected, and she’s convinced he’s hiding something from her. Her self-involved, judgmental mother and resentful brother, meanwhile, are certainly no help, and her father—the only person in her life who’s always been there for her and asked nothing in return—is dealing with increasingly serious health issues, leaving Maggie without her rock.
As all these stressors pile on, a chance meeting with a younger man causes Maggie to act in a way that is completely out of character for her. As she gets deeper in, she’s forced to make some big decisions about what she wants and deserves—decisions that could change her life forever.
8 pages, Audiobook
First published January 1, 2021
39 people are currently reading
6657 people want to read
About the author
Leslie A. Rasmussen
4 books167 followersLeslie A. Rasmussen was born and raised in Los Angeles and graduated from UCLA. She went on to write television comedies for Gerald McRaney, Burt Reynolds, Roseanne Barr, Norm McDonald, Drew Carey, The Wild Thornberrys, and Sweet Valley High. After leaving the business to raise her boys, Leslie obtained a master's degree in nutrition and ran her own business for ten years. Leslie has been published in the Huffington Post over twenty times and speaks on panels discussing female empowerment. She’s a member of The Writers Guild of America, Women in Film, and The UCLA Alumni Association. After Happily Ever After is Leslie’s debut novel and has won over fifteen awards, and her second novel, The Stories We Cannot Tell, has won eleven awards, and she’s been interviewed about it on NPR and XM radio. Leslie’s newest novel, When People Leave, came out in May 2025. When Leslie isn’t writing, she loves reading, exercising, and spending time with friends. Leslie lives in Southern California with her husband and two sons.
Please follow Leslie on Bookbub at:https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lesli...
Please follow Leslie on Bookbub at:https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lesli...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 252 reviews
August 11, 2023
"After Happily Ever After" by Leslie A. Rasmussen is a 'Stay-at-Home Wife & Mom' story!
Maggie Dolan, forty-five-year-old stay-at-home wife and mom, is feeling neglected!
Her daughter, Gia, will be heading to college soon and doesn't need her so much. Her husband, Jim, is busy with his patient's so he doesn't talk to her so much. When he comes home, he's always too tired, very uninterested, and never romantic. Her beloved father, who has always been her 'go-to', is now in assisted living. Her mom has always been super critical of everything 'Maggie' and her brother could care even less!
Life, according to Maggie, has hit rock bottom!
I tried really hard to like our main character, Maggie, but she's not my cup-of-tea. It's clear Maggie is taking a lot on her shoulders but she's quickly spinning out control. She's making poor choices a mature wife and mother shouldn't be making in the real world. I've always had issues with immaturity, poor decision makers, and whiners and Maggie is all of these!
Although the story is written to have a humorous undertone, it doesn't come across that way for me from the audiobook's narrator, Tiffany Phillips. Her narration lacks voice inflections and sounds like she's reading the book rather than becoming the story. Her gender voicing is muddled and all the characters begin to sound the same. As a reader/reviewer who listens to more audiobook's than any other format, this is not what I look for in a great narration!
I do appreciate the inclusion of the important topics that are covered in this story: dementia, caring for aging parents, coping with loss, and becoming empty-nester's. This is what gives texture to Maggie's 'Sandwich Generation' dilemma.
This debut novel had strong positive reviews when first published last year; however it has not translated well to the audiobook. I may be an outlier in my opinion so be sure to check out other reviews before crossing this one off your list.
Thank you to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing, and Leslie A. Rasmussen for a free ALC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.
Maggie Dolan, forty-five-year-old stay-at-home wife and mom, is feeling neglected!
Her daughter, Gia, will be heading to college soon and doesn't need her so much. Her husband, Jim, is busy with his patient's so he doesn't talk to her so much. When he comes home, he's always too tired, very uninterested, and never romantic. Her beloved father, who has always been her 'go-to', is now in assisted living. Her mom has always been super critical of everything 'Maggie' and her brother could care even less!
Life, according to Maggie, has hit rock bottom!
I tried really hard to like our main character, Maggie, but she's not my cup-of-tea. It's clear Maggie is taking a lot on her shoulders but she's quickly spinning out control. She's making poor choices a mature wife and mother shouldn't be making in the real world. I've always had issues with immaturity, poor decision makers, and whiners and Maggie is all of these!
Although the story is written to have a humorous undertone, it doesn't come across that way for me from the audiobook's narrator, Tiffany Phillips. Her narration lacks voice inflections and sounds like she's reading the book rather than becoming the story. Her gender voicing is muddled and all the characters begin to sound the same. As a reader/reviewer who listens to more audiobook's than any other format, this is not what I look for in a great narration!
I do appreciate the inclusion of the important topics that are covered in this story: dementia, caring for aging parents, coping with loss, and becoming empty-nester's. This is what gives texture to Maggie's 'Sandwich Generation' dilemma.
This debut novel had strong positive reviews when first published last year; however it has not translated well to the audiobook. I may be an outlier in my opinion so be sure to check out other reviews before crossing this one off your list.
Thank you to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing, and Leslie A. Rasmussen for a free ALC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.
May 31, 2022
EXCERPT: A half hour later, I was turning down my block when I realised I didn't want to go home. I didn't want to do any more laundry. I didn't want to wash any more dishes. Or walk the dog. Or cook dinner. Since Gia started her senior year, and would be leaving for college soon, I'd been struggling with how I was going to find a new purpose to my life. There were plenty of people who would have been happy to not have to go to a job every day, but right now I wasn't one of them. If I had a job, after she left, I'd have a place where I could still feel important. At forty-five, I was insecure, and I worried whether I'd ever get back into the workforce, and at the same time, wondered if I really wanted to. My mixed-up thoughts depressed me. And then I remembered something that made my day even worse. I'd offered to volunteer at Gia's school to set up for Winter Carnival. Oh yay! I'd get to be with Mom's who loved to boss people around.
ABOUT 'AFTER HAPPILY EVER AFTER': Maggie Dolan finds herself at forty-five at a crossroads in her life. Once a high-level executive, she’s chosen to be a stay-at-home mom for the last seventeen years. But now with her daughter, Gia, soon leaving for college, and her husband, disconnected and with secrets he hasn’t shared, Maggie decides it’s time to figure out what she wants for the rest of her life. As she begins her journey, she has to deal with a narcissistic mother, a brother who doesn’t like her and most damaging of all, the news that her father, her rock, has medical issues that may take him from her. Overwhelmed by all these issues, she’s led in a direction that could destroy what she’s built and make her question the choices she’s made. She’s torn between the life she’s always known and something more exciting that she never expected.
MY THOUGHTS: If you're looking for a character to despise, you've found her. Meet Maggie Dolan. The book synopsis calls Maggie's mom narcissistic, but Maggie wins that contest hands down.
In Maggie's world, everything is about Maggie. 'Oh, poor me! My daughter's leaving home, I won't know what to do with myself. My psychologist husband seems withdrawn and depressed, he should be paying me more attention. My mom is having to cope with my dad, the love of her life, living in a care facility, but she annoys me and I can't be bothered to give her the time of day except when I want something from her, and anyway, my mom likes my brother more than me, what's wrong with her?' And best friend Ellen is just a killjoy because she wants Maggie to stop seeing the hot, much younger guy from the gym.
Maggie set my teeth on edge.
The story is told almost entirely from Maggie's point of view, with just the occasional and mostly irrelevant chapter from the point of view of Maggie's husband, and her father.
I liked Maggie's dad, and his story is the only reason I continued with this read.
I enjoyed Tiffany Phillips narration of the audiobook.
⭐⭐
#AfterHappilyEverAfter #NetGalley
I: @leslierauthor @blackstonepublishing
T: @LeslieRAuthor @BlackstonePub1
#audiobook #chiclit #contemporaryfiction #domesticdrama
THE AUTHOR: Leslie has written personal essays for online magazines such as Huffington Post, MariaShriver, and SheKnows. She loves dogs and besides having two adorable Labradors, she is a member of The Alliance of Therapy Dogs and has volunteered at her local animal shelter. Leslie lives in Los Angeles and has two sons, and a husband she has been with since college.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Blackstone Publishing via Netgalley for providing an audio ARC of After Happily Ever After written by Leslie Rasmussen and narrated by Tiffany Phillips for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
ABOUT 'AFTER HAPPILY EVER AFTER': Maggie Dolan finds herself at forty-five at a crossroads in her life. Once a high-level executive, she’s chosen to be a stay-at-home mom for the last seventeen years. But now with her daughter, Gia, soon leaving for college, and her husband, disconnected and with secrets he hasn’t shared, Maggie decides it’s time to figure out what she wants for the rest of her life. As she begins her journey, she has to deal with a narcissistic mother, a brother who doesn’t like her and most damaging of all, the news that her father, her rock, has medical issues that may take him from her. Overwhelmed by all these issues, she’s led in a direction that could destroy what she’s built and make her question the choices she’s made. She’s torn between the life she’s always known and something more exciting that she never expected.
MY THOUGHTS: If you're looking for a character to despise, you've found her. Meet Maggie Dolan. The book synopsis calls Maggie's mom narcissistic, but Maggie wins that contest hands down.
In Maggie's world, everything is about Maggie. 'Oh, poor me! My daughter's leaving home, I won't know what to do with myself. My psychologist husband seems withdrawn and depressed, he should be paying me more attention. My mom is having to cope with my dad, the love of her life, living in a care facility, but she annoys me and I can't be bothered to give her the time of day except when I want something from her, and anyway, my mom likes my brother more than me, what's wrong with her?' And best friend Ellen is just a killjoy because she wants Maggie to stop seeing the hot, much younger guy from the gym.
Maggie set my teeth on edge.
The story is told almost entirely from Maggie's point of view, with just the occasional and mostly irrelevant chapter from the point of view of Maggie's husband, and her father.
I liked Maggie's dad, and his story is the only reason I continued with this read.
I enjoyed Tiffany Phillips narration of the audiobook.
⭐⭐
#AfterHappilyEverAfter #NetGalley
I: @leslierauthor @blackstonepublishing
T: @LeslieRAuthor @BlackstonePub1
#audiobook #chiclit #contemporaryfiction #domesticdrama
THE AUTHOR: Leslie has written personal essays for online magazines such as Huffington Post, MariaShriver, and SheKnows. She loves dogs and besides having two adorable Labradors, she is a member of The Alliance of Therapy Dogs and has volunteered at her local animal shelter. Leslie lives in Los Angeles and has two sons, and a husband she has been with since college.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Blackstone Publishing via Netgalley for providing an audio ARC of After Happily Ever After written by Leslie Rasmussen and narrated by Tiffany Phillips for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
August 15, 2021
This book gave me all the feels. It definitely was an emotional roller coaster for me...I laughed...probably inapproately...so many times!
Maggie suddenly finds her world unraveling...her daughter is going off to college...her husband won't give her the time of day..and her dad is getting forgetful..she wonders how she got here..
Oh Maggie..I feel you girl! I loved this author's witty writing. I seriously did find myself laughing...when I shouldn't. I found Maggie so relatable..she felt pushed to the brink, invisible and full of regrets...however it was balanced off with humor so it made it a fun read. Who hasn't looked back and wondered...what if?! I know I have..
I did yell and scream at Maggie a couple of times..but she didn't listen...step away from the hot guy at the gym...there is nothing to see here! I ended up liking Maggie and appreciating what she was going through...basically life...
This is a fantastic debut that I was fully invested in! Thank you so much to @shewritespress for my gifted copy!
Maggie suddenly finds her world unraveling...her daughter is going off to college...her husband won't give her the time of day..and her dad is getting forgetful..she wonders how she got here..
Oh Maggie..I feel you girl! I loved this author's witty writing. I seriously did find myself laughing...when I shouldn't. I found Maggie so relatable..she felt pushed to the brink, invisible and full of regrets...however it was balanced off with humor so it made it a fun read. Who hasn't looked back and wondered...what if?! I know I have..
I did yell and scream at Maggie a couple of times..but she didn't listen...step away from the hot guy at the gym...there is nothing to see here! I ended up liking Maggie and appreciating what she was going through...basically life...
This is a fantastic debut that I was fully invested in! Thank you so much to @shewritespress for my gifted copy!
April 19, 2022
3.5 stars
Forty-five old Maggie Dolan gave us her high-level executive, seventeen years ago to be a stay at home. Her daughter is now older and will soon be going to college. Her daughter who once needed her, now not so much. Her father is having medical issues (Dementia) and is in a home. Her mother loves to come over and rearrange her kitchen and butt her nose in Maggie's business. Her husband has been pulling away and she feels he is keeping secrets. After twenty years of marriage, she feels the divide between them.
That is a lot to deal with. So, when Maggie finds an escape, she takes it. She years to matter, to be heard, to have a shoulder to lean on.
Maggie is dealing with things a lot of people in her age group are dealing with - children leaving the home, aging parents, reflection on your life, your choices, and feeling as if your long term relationship has become more routine than exciting.
I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the narrator. Maggie is a character to relate to but also shake your head at. Some of the characters in this book are more likeable than others as is the case with all books.
This was a debut book that worked for me. I enjoyed the story, the journey of Maggie and the narrator. I look forward to reading what this author writes next.
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Forty-five old Maggie Dolan gave us her high-level executive, seventeen years ago to be a stay at home. Her daughter is now older and will soon be going to college. Her daughter who once needed her, now not so much. Her father is having medical issues (Dementia) and is in a home. Her mother loves to come over and rearrange her kitchen and butt her nose in Maggie's business. Her husband has been pulling away and she feels he is keeping secrets. After twenty years of marriage, she feels the divide between them.
That is a lot to deal with. So, when Maggie finds an escape, she takes it. She years to matter, to be heard, to have a shoulder to lean on.
Maggie is dealing with things a lot of people in her age group are dealing with - children leaving the home, aging parents, reflection on your life, your choices, and feeling as if your long term relationship has become more routine than exciting.
I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the narrator. Maggie is a character to relate to but also shake your head at. Some of the characters in this book are more likeable than others as is the case with all books.
This was a debut book that worked for me. I enjoyed the story, the journey of Maggie and the narrator. I look forward to reading what this author writes next.
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
October 26, 2023
3.25⭐
Genre ~ women's fiction
Setting ~ Connecticut
Publication date ~ April 12, 2022
Page Count ~ 272
Audio length ~ 7 hours 50 minutes
Narrator ~ Tiffany Phillips
Featuring ~ debut, annoying characters
This book dives into marriage, mother/daughter relationships and daughter/father relationships.
My only daughter and I are only a couple of years off in age to Maggie and Gia. 'Fine' is an answer I hear all too often, so I can totally relate to some aspects of this book.
Maggie and Jim have been married for nearly 20 years. Their 17 year old daughter, Gia, is heading off to college soon. They're all growing apart. Maggie doesn't feel like Jim listens to her or has time for her anymore. They don't appreciate her. They take advantage of her and expect her to do everything. She has a troubled relationship with her own mother and brother, and her father is deteriorating in a nursing home. Jim is getting annoyed with his job as a therapist and knows he's slowly pulling away and avoiding Maggie. So when she meets Michael at the gym, she starts to feel better about herself with this younger man showing interest in her.
Mostly told in Maggie's perspective, we get a couple of parts told by Jim and Maggie's father, Isaac. It was heartbreaking to hear Isaac tell his side about coping with his forgetfulness.
Overall, I wasn't overly wowed, but it was a solid debut. Every character was pretty much annoying at one point or another, except for Isaac. I'm not too sure about the ending, perhaps an epilogue would have been nice to wrap everything up nicely. I would give this author a go again.
Narration notes:
It was good for Maggie's voice, but not so much for the male characters. I really wish we had a male narrator for Jim, Isaac and Michael. There were some long pauses that made me think I lost my audio connection, but if I looked at my phone it was just because they were switching to different parts within the chapters ~ would have been nice if the narrator said that maybe.
*Thanks to Netgalley, Blackstone Publishing and the author for the audio copy. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Follow me here ➡ Blog ~ Facebook
Genre ~ women's fiction
Setting ~ Connecticut
Publication date ~ April 12, 2022
Page Count ~ 272
Audio length ~ 7 hours 50 minutes
Narrator ~ Tiffany Phillips
Featuring ~ debut, annoying characters
This book dives into marriage, mother/daughter relationships and daughter/father relationships.
My only daughter and I are only a couple of years off in age to Maggie and Gia. 'Fine' is an answer I hear all too often, so I can totally relate to some aspects of this book.
Maggie and Jim have been married for nearly 20 years. Their 17 year old daughter, Gia, is heading off to college soon. They're all growing apart. Maggie doesn't feel like Jim listens to her or has time for her anymore. They don't appreciate her. They take advantage of her and expect her to do everything. She has a troubled relationship with her own mother and brother, and her father is deteriorating in a nursing home. Jim is getting annoyed with his job as a therapist and knows he's slowly pulling away and avoiding Maggie. So when she meets Michael at the gym, she starts to feel better about herself with this younger man showing interest in her.
Mostly told in Maggie's perspective, we get a couple of parts told by Jim and Maggie's father, Isaac. It was heartbreaking to hear Isaac tell his side about coping with his forgetfulness.
Overall, I wasn't overly wowed, but it was a solid debut. Every character was pretty much annoying at one point or another, except for Isaac. I'm not too sure about the ending, perhaps an epilogue would have been nice to wrap everything up nicely. I would give this author a go again.
Narration notes:
It was good for Maggie's voice, but not so much for the male characters. I really wish we had a male narrator for Jim, Isaac and Michael. There were some long pauses that made me think I lost my audio connection, but if I looked at my phone it was just because they were switching to different parts within the chapters ~ would have been nice if the narrator said that maybe.
*Thanks to Netgalley, Blackstone Publishing and the author for the audio copy. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Follow me here ➡ Blog ~ Facebook
June 7, 2021
Leslie Rasmussen's debut novel,
After Happily Ever After
, is a poignant, thought-provoking look at a woman who wants more from her life.
Maggie used to feel important. She used to feel needed. She decided to leave her successful career as an editor when her daughter Gia was born and stay at home while she grew up, but now Gia is getting ready to go to college, and to say they don’t see eye to eye is a bit of an understatement. What happens when your daughter just views you as a chauffeur and errand-runner?
Meanwhile, her husband Jim, a therapist, is getting more and more distant. He barely wants to be in the same room with her, let alone have sex, and he doesn’t want to tell her what’s bothering him.
To top it all off, Maggie's father’s dementia seems to be getting worse, leaving her to deal with her mother and her brother, with whom she has complicated relationships.
So this is 45? When the only thing giving her any happiness is a flirtation with a handsome younger man at the gym, Maggie really doesn’t know which way to turn, or what her future might hold. But if she doesn’t know what she wants, how can she get it?
So many of us around a certain age have struggled with one or more of these issues, so After Happily Ever After has resonance and emotional weight to it. The characters don’t always make the best choices, and of course if they only said what they were thinking, things would be easier, but that’s just life.
I did feel the ending was a little abrupt, and I would have loved an epilogue of some sort to know what happened. But this is a debut novel that definitely didn’t feel like one, so can’t wait to see what comes next for Rasmussen!!
BookSparks and She Writes Press provided me with a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2020 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2020.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
Maggie used to feel important. She used to feel needed. She decided to leave her successful career as an editor when her daughter Gia was born and stay at home while she grew up, but now Gia is getting ready to go to college, and to say they don’t see eye to eye is a bit of an understatement. What happens when your daughter just views you as a chauffeur and errand-runner?
Meanwhile, her husband Jim, a therapist, is getting more and more distant. He barely wants to be in the same room with her, let alone have sex, and he doesn’t want to tell her what’s bothering him.
To top it all off, Maggie's father’s dementia seems to be getting worse, leaving her to deal with her mother and her brother, with whom she has complicated relationships.
So this is 45? When the only thing giving her any happiness is a flirtation with a handsome younger man at the gym, Maggie really doesn’t know which way to turn, or what her future might hold. But if she doesn’t know what she wants, how can she get it?
So many of us around a certain age have struggled with one or more of these issues, so After Happily Ever After has resonance and emotional weight to it. The characters don’t always make the best choices, and of course if they only said what they were thinking, things would be easier, but that’s just life.
I did feel the ending was a little abrupt, and I would have loved an epilogue of some sort to know what happened. But this is a debut novel that definitely didn’t feel like one, so can’t wait to see what comes next for Rasmussen!!
BookSparks and She Writes Press provided me with a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2020 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2020.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
September 26, 2023
This is a story about life fifteen years or so after HEA. It's witty, entertaining, and relatable. I recommend the audiobook.
Blog: LucyKnowsThings.com.
Blog: LucyKnowsThings.com.
February 24, 2023
The real deal, seriously this is real life and it was so full of snarky fun. I bust out laughing more than once, looking crazy while walking my dog. Again 🤦🏼♀️
Maggie is part of the sandwich generation, having to take care of her daughter and her aging parents. And her husband.
Maggie is the type of person who is up early taking on all of the family responsibilities while her husband enjoys a lazy morning in bed. Maybe a little resentful while she makes a ton a noise trying to rouse him innocently. Anybody been there❓🙋🏼♀️ I remember when my girls were little and we had a new puppy who would nip at them in the morning. They would cry and whine, and I never tried to quiet them down. He never woke up either 😂
Although this book was hilarious and I was laughing through most of it, it does touch on sensitive topics dealing with aging parents. As such, I did get choked up and emotional on more than one occasion, including one jaw dropping heart breaking moment that completely took me by surprise.
I loved the yin and yang of this story but it's important to know it's not all fun and games. The first half or more was light and fun, the 2nd half had far less laughs and many deeper moments. Not all authors can pull this off. This was done perfectly.
Maggie is part of the sandwich generation, having to take care of her daughter and her aging parents. And her husband.
Maggie is the type of person who is up early taking on all of the family responsibilities while her husband enjoys a lazy morning in bed. Maybe a little resentful while she makes a ton a noise trying to rouse him innocently. Anybody been there❓🙋🏼♀️ I remember when my girls were little and we had a new puppy who would nip at them in the morning. They would cry and whine, and I never tried to quiet them down. He never woke up either 😂
Although this book was hilarious and I was laughing through most of it, it does touch on sensitive topics dealing with aging parents. As such, I did get choked up and emotional on more than one occasion, including one jaw dropping heart breaking moment that completely took me by surprise.
I loved the yin and yang of this story but it's important to know it's not all fun and games. The first half or more was light and fun, the 2nd half had far less laughs and many deeper moments. Not all authors can pull this off. This was done perfectly.
October 12, 2021
Maggie is a spoiled, selfish 45 year old Daddy's girl who is raising a spoiled selfish teenager named Gia and wants to cheat on her husband because he doesn't tell her she's pretty.
For no apparent reason, the men in Maggie's life - her husband or her father - would randomly get a chapter told from their perspective; which was at least something different from the "every other chapter" thing that has been done to death, but it was disconcerting and in my opinion added nothing to the story.
Having been through the pain of slowly losing a loved one to dementia, this part of the narrative resonated with me a bit, but for the most part the characters left me cold. I didn't DNF only because it's getting to be too much of a habit with me, so I forced myself to finish even though I didn't care at all what happened to any of these people. And I have to admit that towards the end there were a few surprises and I thought I might change my opinion. But then the abrupt, non-ending ending killed off any slight good feelings I started to have for the book.
For no apparent reason, the men in Maggie's life - her husband or her father - would randomly get a chapter told from their perspective; which was at least something different from the "every other chapter" thing that has been done to death, but it was disconcerting and in my opinion added nothing to the story.
Having been through the pain of slowly losing a loved one to dementia, this part of the narrative resonated with me a bit, but for the most part the characters left me cold. I didn't DNF only because it's getting to be too much of a habit with me, so I forced myself to finish even though I didn't care at all what happened to any of these people. And I have to admit that towards the end there were a few surprises and I thought I might change my opinion. But then the abrupt, non-ending ending killed off any slight good feelings I started to have for the book.
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April 26, 2022Well... unfortunately this book was a miss for me and will be a DNF at 42%. This is a story about a woman who gave up her career to raise her now 17 year old and ungrateful daughter, whose marriage is in a slump, father is dealing medical decline, and has strained relationships with her mother and brother. I found the main character to be a whiny, down-on-herself doormat that did everything for everyone, but couldn't speak up for herself or any of her needs with anyone and I didn't like the direction the story was taking. I assume there will be personal growth later, but at 40% she was still on the downslope. I did not like the decisions she was making and wasn't interested in taking that journey with her. In addition, part of the story is told from the husband's perspective and his part is just as dreary, unhappy in his job and pretty uninterested in his flat marriage.
I don't want to put everyone off this book. I'm sure it will work for a lot of people. I would be interested in reading something else by this author in the future; this particular story just wasn't a fit for me. However, if you are interested in a story where the MC is in a life slump and assumably fixes their life late in the story after making some mistakes, then go ahead and give this one a try.
No rating.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing me with a complimentary electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I don't want to put everyone off this book. I'm sure it will work for a lot of people. I would be interested in reading something else by this author in the future; this particular story just wasn't a fit for me. However, if you are interested in a story where the MC is in a life slump and assumably fixes their life late in the story after making some mistakes, then go ahead and give this one a try.
No rating.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for providing me with a complimentary electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
April 9, 2022
Between Gen X and Baby Boomers, in the US alone, there are more than 75 million “mature women” searching for stories featuring relatable characters like this book’s protagonist, who is a middle-aged woman at a crossroads.
"After Happily Ever After" is about a woman who's trying to decide what to do with the next chapter of her life, while dealing with her teenage daughter, aging and sick parents, family dynamics, long-term relationships, and the empty nest. The book deals with real life situations with humor and drama, and you can't help but think of your own family and your own life while reading it.
"After Happily Ever After" is about a woman who's trying to decide what to do with the next chapter of her life, while dealing with her teenage daughter, aging and sick parents, family dynamics, long-term relationships, and the empty nest. The book deals with real life situations with humor and drama, and you can't help but think of your own family and your own life while reading it.
April 6, 2021
Heartfelt. Poignant. Moving. And when you least expect it: Laugh-out-loud funny! So many witty lines.
I loved this book so much. I became immediately attached to the characters and hungry to find out what they were going to do next. Leslie Rasmussen captures the essence of a family—and all the ways we can turn ourselves upside down to figure things out in a complicated world.
The charm of these characters will remain with you long after.
I loved this book so much. I became immediately attached to the characters and hungry to find out what they were going to do next. Leslie Rasmussen captures the essence of a family—and all the ways we can turn ourselves upside down to figure things out in a complicated world.
The charm of these characters will remain with you long after.
February 1, 2021
Debut has never looked or read so good! I loved this one with its laugh out loud story and unforgettable characters. This one will having you laughing and having fun as you turn each page. I loved how I could relate to the characters so much. It was like this book was written just for me and my life.
May 4, 2021
Leslie Rasmussen’s debut novel is laugh out loud funny but also full of social commentary on ageism, friendship and family. It captures a resilient woman juggling parental and daughter obligations as so many women are these days.
April 8, 2022
Maggie is in her forties, has been married for twenty years, and is the mother to a teenage daughter. But she wants more from her life than cleaning up after her family and making sure dinner is on the table on time. She’s always had a great relationship with her dad, but after his health starts to deteriorate, she realizes that he won’t always be there for her. Anxious and worried, she begins to bump into a younger (and incredibly attractive) younger man who seems to be interested in her. Is he the excitement Maggie has been waiting for?
This work is largely told from Maggie’s point of view. There are a few chapters told from her husband’s and her dad’s points of view interspersed throughout the book. While I disliked this at first, it added a great deal of insight into Maggie’s story and struggles. It turned the story from being one-sided and biased into a well-rounded view of what was actually occurring. I believe that having the multiple points of view strengthened the work.
The characters were well written overall. They had unique voices, and even the secondary characters had some good development. I felt that Michael’s character was a little unbalanced – the shift that happened with his character was sudden and seemed a bit unrealistic to me. Maggie was honestly a delight – she was one of the most relatable protagonists I’ve run across. Her sense of humor was perfect, and her flaws were incorporated well.
I listened to the audiobook version of this work. The narrator did an excellent job with the different characters’ voices and was able to realistically convey emotions.
This was an easy story to listen to, and I absolutely enjoyed it. I recommend this work for anyone who is interested in family drama, family relationships, dealing with aging parents, romance, and overcoming marital problems.
I received a complimentary copy of this work through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This work is largely told from Maggie’s point of view. There are a few chapters told from her husband’s and her dad’s points of view interspersed throughout the book. While I disliked this at first, it added a great deal of insight into Maggie’s story and struggles. It turned the story from being one-sided and biased into a well-rounded view of what was actually occurring. I believe that having the multiple points of view strengthened the work.
The characters were well written overall. They had unique voices, and even the secondary characters had some good development. I felt that Michael’s character was a little unbalanced – the shift that happened with his character was sudden and seemed a bit unrealistic to me. Maggie was honestly a delight – she was one of the most relatable protagonists I’ve run across. Her sense of humor was perfect, and her flaws were incorporated well.
I listened to the audiobook version of this work. The narrator did an excellent job with the different characters’ voices and was able to realistically convey emotions.
This was an easy story to listen to, and I absolutely enjoyed it. I recommend this work for anyone who is interested in family drama, family relationships, dealing with aging parents, romance, and overcoming marital problems.
I received a complimentary copy of this work through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
April 12, 2022
I think this book will resonate with so many female readers. Too often stay at home moms and mothers in general are peripheral characters in contemporary fiction. Or, a novel is all about what happens TO them and not how they create their own paths.
Maggie, a stay at home mom, is entering a new part of her life. Her only daughter, Gia, is 17 and starting to consider leaving the home. The past 17+ years of Maggie's life have revolved around Gia and taking care of her home, but what happens after Gia is no longer under her roof? With a disinterested husband, lackluster career opportunities, a father in a nursing home, a meddling mother, and a major life shift underway, it's almost no surprise that Maggie starts to seek satisfaction elsewhere. And when that elsewhere turns out to be a hot, young gentleman at her gym, Maggie must decide what this next chapter in her life will look like.
This novel took a very pragmatic look at life after marriage and once the kids are more independent. The relationships Maggie had with her family felt incredibly authentic and relatable, as did her struggles with her changing role and identity. I particularly enjoyed the relationship Maggie had with her father and felt that Rasmussen did a great job detailing his failing health and describing the impact it had on his family. Admittedly, I really disliked Maggie's daughter, Gia. She came across as spoiled, ungrateful and extremely bratty - but maybe I'm just misremembering my own charming self at 17!
Though I'm at a very different time in my life than Maggie as I am working and have a young child, much of her story still resonated with me. It was easy to feel empathy for her as she struggled to come to terms with deciding her next steps in life. Her feelings of resentment and of being unappreciated were also well written and relatable.
I listened to the audio of this novel and overall felt the narrator did a good job. There were instances where her inflection at the end of a sentence or part of the novel felt a little awkward and like there should have been another thought. I also generally prefer when a book has different narrators for chapters told from different perspectives. Because this just used one narrator and she didn't change her voice much for the Dad or Jim parts, I would have to remind myself that it wasn't Maggie narrating. During Maggie's parts, I did feel like the narrator did an excellent job differentiating the voices and wished that had been carried through to the non-Maggie chapters. Finally, I didn't particularly like the narrator's voice for Michael so I was a little put off by him from the beginning, which maybe wasn't such a bad thing!
Overall, I enjoyed this story. It felt realistic and I could see a group of women in their 40s and 50s relating to much of it over a glass of wine at a bookclub. I'll be excited to read more from this author in the future.
Maggie, a stay at home mom, is entering a new part of her life. Her only daughter, Gia, is 17 and starting to consider leaving the home. The past 17+ years of Maggie's life have revolved around Gia and taking care of her home, but what happens after Gia is no longer under her roof? With a disinterested husband, lackluster career opportunities, a father in a nursing home, a meddling mother, and a major life shift underway, it's almost no surprise that Maggie starts to seek satisfaction elsewhere. And when that elsewhere turns out to be a hot, young gentleman at her gym, Maggie must decide what this next chapter in her life will look like.
This novel took a very pragmatic look at life after marriage and once the kids are more independent. The relationships Maggie had with her family felt incredibly authentic and relatable, as did her struggles with her changing role and identity. I particularly enjoyed the relationship Maggie had with her father and felt that Rasmussen did a great job detailing his failing health and describing the impact it had on his family. Admittedly, I really disliked Maggie's daughter, Gia. She came across as spoiled, ungrateful and extremely bratty - but maybe I'm just misremembering my own charming self at 17!
Though I'm at a very different time in my life than Maggie as I am working and have a young child, much of her story still resonated with me. It was easy to feel empathy for her as she struggled to come to terms with deciding her next steps in life. Her feelings of resentment and of being unappreciated were also well written and relatable.
I listened to the audio of this novel and overall felt the narrator did a good job. There were instances where her inflection at the end of a sentence or part of the novel felt a little awkward and like there should have been another thought. I also generally prefer when a book has different narrators for chapters told from different perspectives. Because this just used one narrator and she didn't change her voice much for the Dad or Jim parts, I would have to remind myself that it wasn't Maggie narrating. During Maggie's parts, I did feel like the narrator did an excellent job differentiating the voices and wished that had been carried through to the non-Maggie chapters. Finally, I didn't particularly like the narrator's voice for Michael so I was a little put off by him from the beginning, which maybe wasn't such a bad thing!
Overall, I enjoyed this story. It felt realistic and I could see a group of women in their 40s and 50s relating to much of it over a glass of wine at a bookclub. I'll be excited to read more from this author in the future.
June 25, 2021
It’s such a wonderfully hilarious and sensitive book, it’s hard to believe it’s a debut.
Empty nest syndrome affects thousands of parents each year. It’s not a disorder, but a combination of loneliness and grief when your children leave home. As a mother whose daughter is about to leave for college (not right away, there’ still time! But I’m bracing myself for the eventuality) I could identify a lot with Maggie Dolin, the main protagonist.
The author, Leslie Rasmussen, sums her book up perfectly... “And lastly to all the moms who are left with an empty nest and a journey to find themselves once again. This book is for you.”
Maggie Dolin is the heart of this story. She is like the countless women whose lives revolve around their families; and yet there’s a nagging feeling of emptiness. She is questioning her identity and purpose. “The last time I felt significant was the day that Gia was born. I loved being the main attraction, but as soon as she popped out, it was no longer about me. I wanted it to be about me again.”
40 plus, married to a Psychologist and mom to a seventeen-year-old daughter Gia, Maggie feels trapped, unseen and unheard. Working as a publishing personnel, she quits her job to take care of her daughter; promising to go back to work when the daughter starts kindergarten; unfortunately, it remains an unfulfilled promise. Now, after having spent nearly 18 years at home, she is going through the empty-nester syndrome when her daughter is about to leave for college. “I hated packing lunches, but next year when I had no one to pack for, I would be sad. I was going to have a constant reminder that I was a vacation mom.”
On top of that, she is also dealing with a marriage which has become all too familiar, regular and lacking any fizz. All her attempts to spice up the marriage fall flat, as her husband Jim is perennially tired. But he is not the villain here, he is grappling with his own issues which are affecting his behavior. “We had become one of those boring couples where nothing was exciting. It was sad. And even sadder that I thought kung pao chicken was going to liven things up.”
Amidst all this, she is also dealing with the ill health of her Dad, who has recently moved into an assisted living facility. The parts narrated from the father’s POV are quite emotional, and heart-breaking. As dementia takes over, he loses a bit of him every day; and Maggie’s struggles to accept and deal with it brought tears in my eyes. “I need you to promise you won’t visit all the time if I don’t know who you are. I don’t want you to have hope when there isn’t any.”
Her world starts to collapse when she treads on a dangerous and thrilling path. A chance encounter with Michael, a cute 30-something guy kindles a spark. But the spark soon ignites a fire and threatens to rock her marriage. “I couldn’t wait to see him again, which when you are married, is not a good sign.”
Does Maggie’s world collapse or does she rediscover herself? Well, that’s something one can figure out only on reading!
BLOG
Empty nest syndrome affects thousands of parents each year. It’s not a disorder, but a combination of loneliness and grief when your children leave home. As a mother whose daughter is about to leave for college (not right away, there’ still time! But I’m bracing myself for the eventuality) I could identify a lot with Maggie Dolin, the main protagonist.
The author, Leslie Rasmussen, sums her book up perfectly... “And lastly to all the moms who are left with an empty nest and a journey to find themselves once again. This book is for you.”
Maggie Dolin is the heart of this story. She is like the countless women whose lives revolve around their families; and yet there’s a nagging feeling of emptiness. She is questioning her identity and purpose. “The last time I felt significant was the day that Gia was born. I loved being the main attraction, but as soon as she popped out, it was no longer about me. I wanted it to be about me again.”
40 plus, married to a Psychologist and mom to a seventeen-year-old daughter Gia, Maggie feels trapped, unseen and unheard. Working as a publishing personnel, she quits her job to take care of her daughter; promising to go back to work when the daughter starts kindergarten; unfortunately, it remains an unfulfilled promise. Now, after having spent nearly 18 years at home, she is going through the empty-nester syndrome when her daughter is about to leave for college. “I hated packing lunches, but next year when I had no one to pack for, I would be sad. I was going to have a constant reminder that I was a vacation mom.”
On top of that, she is also dealing with a marriage which has become all too familiar, regular and lacking any fizz. All her attempts to spice up the marriage fall flat, as her husband Jim is perennially tired. But he is not the villain here, he is grappling with his own issues which are affecting his behavior. “We had become one of those boring couples where nothing was exciting. It was sad. And even sadder that I thought kung pao chicken was going to liven things up.”
Amidst all this, she is also dealing with the ill health of her Dad, who has recently moved into an assisted living facility. The parts narrated from the father’s POV are quite emotional, and heart-breaking. As dementia takes over, he loses a bit of him every day; and Maggie’s struggles to accept and deal with it brought tears in my eyes. “I need you to promise you won’t visit all the time if I don’t know who you are. I don’t want you to have hope when there isn’t any.”
Her world starts to collapse when she treads on a dangerous and thrilling path. A chance encounter with Michael, a cute 30-something guy kindles a spark. But the spark soon ignites a fire and threatens to rock her marriage. “I couldn’t wait to see him again, which when you are married, is not a good sign.”
Does Maggie’s world collapse or does she rediscover herself? Well, that’s something one can figure out only on reading!
BLOG
July 17, 2024
I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ARC provided by Blackstone Publishing.
Maggie Dolan finds herself at forty-five at a crossroads in her life. Once a high-level executive, she’s chosen to be a stay-at-home mom for the last seventeen years. But now with her daughter, Gia, soon leaving for college, and her husband, disconnected and with secrets he hasn’t shared, Maggie decides it’s time to figure out what she wants for the rest of her life. As she begins her journey, she has to deal with a narcissistic mother, a brother who doesn’t like her and most damaging of all, the news that her father, her rock, has medical issues that may take him from her. Overwhelmed by all these issues, she’s led in a direction that could destroy what she’s built and make her question the choices she’s made. She’s torn between the life she’s always known and something more exciting that she never expected.
This novel took a very pragmatic look at life after marriage and once the kids are more independent. The relationships Maggie had with her family felt incredibly authentic and relatable, as did her struggles with her changing role and identity and gave me all the feels. It definitely was an emotional roller coaster. The characters also don’t always make the best choices, and of course if they only said what they were thinking, things would be easier, but that’s just life. The ending did feel a little abrupt and I wished there may have been an epilogue or something to tie the ending together. I still cannot believe how well this was written for a debut novel, and cannot wait to see what other books Rasmussen write/publish.
Maggie Dolan finds herself at forty-five at a crossroads in her life. Once a high-level executive, she’s chosen to be a stay-at-home mom for the last seventeen years. But now with her daughter, Gia, soon leaving for college, and her husband, disconnected and with secrets he hasn’t shared, Maggie decides it’s time to figure out what she wants for the rest of her life. As she begins her journey, she has to deal with a narcissistic mother, a brother who doesn’t like her and most damaging of all, the news that her father, her rock, has medical issues that may take him from her. Overwhelmed by all these issues, she’s led in a direction that could destroy what she’s built and make her question the choices she’s made. She’s torn between the life she’s always known and something more exciting that she never expected.
This novel took a very pragmatic look at life after marriage and once the kids are more independent. The relationships Maggie had with her family felt incredibly authentic and relatable, as did her struggles with her changing role and identity and gave me all the feels. It definitely was an emotional roller coaster. The characters also don’t always make the best choices, and of course if they only said what they were thinking, things would be easier, but that’s just life. The ending did feel a little abrupt and I wished there may have been an epilogue or something to tie the ending together. I still cannot believe how well this was written for a debut novel, and cannot wait to see what other books Rasmussen write/publish.
February 6, 2021
Not my normal style of book, but the description really interested me, and I read it in just 2 sittings!
Maggie Dolin is in her mid forties and facing the reality of the empty nest, when her daughter will go off to college. This book is set about 6 months before that actually happens, but the realisation of what it will mean is already causing Maggie to try and understand what her role will be once Gia leaves the family home. Maggie gave up her career to be a stay at home mother, so the business world has moved on without her. There are other stressors in her life - her father’s illness, her husband’s apparent distance, among others - which all contribute to these feelings of uncertainty of her place in the world.
I would really recommend this book, it made me cry in a couple of places, but it also made me smile. I also have a teenage daughter thinking about going to college, though I have another year or so to go, but it made me think about how different things will be when she goes.
I look forward to reading this author again.
Maggie Dolin is in her mid forties and facing the reality of the empty nest, when her daughter will go off to college. This book is set about 6 months before that actually happens, but the realisation of what it will mean is already causing Maggie to try and understand what her role will be once Gia leaves the family home. Maggie gave up her career to be a stay at home mother, so the business world has moved on without her. There are other stressors in her life - her father’s illness, her husband’s apparent distance, among others - which all contribute to these feelings of uncertainty of her place in the world.
I would really recommend this book, it made me cry in a couple of places, but it also made me smile. I also have a teenage daughter thinking about going to college, though I have another year or so to go, but it made me think about how different things will be when she goes.
I look forward to reading this author again.
February 9, 2021
Loved this book! It was such a deep look at one family and how life, time and choice shapes each person. It was so well done.
October 16, 2021
The writing is glorious and so relatable. Maggie is one of the best characters that will stay with me for a long time. Read this book everyone!
March 3, 2021
AFTER HAPPILY EVER AFTER – LESLIE A RASMUSSEN
PUBLISHED BY SHE WRITES PRESS
PLOT- Maggie Dolin, 45, gave up her job as an editor with a publishing house to raise her daughter who now 17, will go off to college. The only think Maggie knows and has been doing is taking care of everyone, from picking up and cleaning her daughter’s room everyday to finding misplaced things for her husband who has been neglecting her too taking care of her ailing father. She is feeling out of sorts when she meets a younger man by chance and she starts acting differently and she is eventually forced to make some hard decisions about what she wants from her life in order to be happy and satisfied!
This is a story which will relate to most mid- aged SAH mama’s, some even suffering from empty nest syndrome. This book explores all the various emotions be it loneliness, frustration, dissatisfaction towards your body, work, married life even sex life beautifully which a women undergoes in their midlife. The feelings are portrayed so well that it connects a cord instantly and even makes you realise that somewhere even you are going through something similar and makes you take a step back and assess your life too.
The only thing which I wished for in the book was if the author could include an epilogue…it would make the end a picture perfect in readers mind.
And lastly as the author herself says “to all the mom’s who are left with an empty nest and a journey to find themselves once again. This book is for you.”
For a debut novel this book is fantastic. Give this one a 4.5 stars.
Looking forward for more of her work in the future!
PUBLISHED BY SHE WRITES PRESS
PLOT- Maggie Dolin, 45, gave up her job as an editor with a publishing house to raise her daughter who now 17, will go off to college. The only think Maggie knows and has been doing is taking care of everyone, from picking up and cleaning her daughter’s room everyday to finding misplaced things for her husband who has been neglecting her too taking care of her ailing father. She is feeling out of sorts when she meets a younger man by chance and she starts acting differently and she is eventually forced to make some hard decisions about what she wants from her life in order to be happy and satisfied!
This is a story which will relate to most mid- aged SAH mama’s, some even suffering from empty nest syndrome. This book explores all the various emotions be it loneliness, frustration, dissatisfaction towards your body, work, married life even sex life beautifully which a women undergoes in their midlife. The feelings are portrayed so well that it connects a cord instantly and even makes you realise that somewhere even you are going through something similar and makes you take a step back and assess your life too.
The only thing which I wished for in the book was if the author could include an epilogue…it would make the end a picture perfect in readers mind.
And lastly as the author herself says “to all the mom’s who are left with an empty nest and a journey to find themselves once again. This book is for you.”
For a debut novel this book is fantastic. Give this one a 4.5 stars.
Looking forward for more of her work in the future!
February 8, 2021
Maggie Dolin is a dues paying member of the Sandwich Generation. She’s caught between the needs of her teenage daughter, Gia and those of her aging parents. Gia is about to leave for college and Maggie is anxious about becoming an empty nester. She and her mother have a distant, prickly relationship that makes daily calls bothersome. Her father, whom she is very close to, has Parkinson’s and is in an assisted living facility. Her day careens from the early morning calls from her mother to making her daughter’s lunch to afternoon visits to her father. In between, there is the constant flow of laundry, meal planning, shopping and cooking. Neither her daughter nor her husband Jim, a psychologist, seem to notice all she does for them. Maggie’s feelings of being ignored are setting her up for a major mistake. Although she steps away from a dangerous path, she realizes changes must be made.
After Happily Ever After is beautifully written novel that describes emotions incredibly well. Although Maggie is the main narrator, several passages give voice to Jim and Isaac, Maggie’s father. Isaac’s thoughts as he sinks into dementia are heartbreaking as is Maggie’s grief, losing him bit by bit, word by word, day by day. And Jim, the incommunicative husband, is not a vague villain. He has worries and problems of his own that are affecting his actions. It is hard to believe that After Happily Ever After is a first novel. I can’t wait to see what Leslie Rasmussen does next. 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, She Writes Press and Leslie A. Rasmussen for this ARC.
After Happily Ever After is beautifully written novel that describes emotions incredibly well. Although Maggie is the main narrator, several passages give voice to Jim and Isaac, Maggie’s father. Isaac’s thoughts as he sinks into dementia are heartbreaking as is Maggie’s grief, losing him bit by bit, word by word, day by day. And Jim, the incommunicative husband, is not a vague villain. He has worries and problems of his own that are affecting his actions. It is hard to believe that After Happily Ever After is a first novel. I can’t wait to see what Leslie Rasmussen does next. 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, She Writes Press and Leslie A. Rasmussen for this ARC.
March 1, 2021
I requested to read this book because I was hooked by the title. Women focus so much on the marriage and the kids that it is difficult to believe that you can have all of you have dreamed of, but still yearn for something more. “After Happily Ever After” is the story of Maggie Dolin who faces midlife and a multiple of crises.
Maggie Dolin has a lot going on in her life. Her teenage daughter, Gia, is gearing up for college while her dad, whom she shared a poignant relationship with, is in an assisted living facility because of Parkinson’s. Meanwhile, Maggie struggles with relating to her mother, whom she talks to by phone every day. Gia nor her husband (who ironically happens to be a psychologist who has plenty of time for his patients, but not his wife) fail to notice (or appreciate) all of the sacrifices that Maggie makes.
Everything about this novel was affecting. Because I had to watch my dad fade away, day by day, I really related to Maggie having to say goodbye to her father bit by bit as his conditions deteriorates. Even her husband, who could easily come across as a villain, has reasons for his distance. I was shocked to discover that this was Leslie Rasmussen’s novel as her ability to capture the awkwardness and dysfunctional that makes us human is awesome.
Four and a half stars for sure!
Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for my advanced copy.
Maggie Dolin has a lot going on in her life. Her teenage daughter, Gia, is gearing up for college while her dad, whom she shared a poignant relationship with, is in an assisted living facility because of Parkinson’s. Meanwhile, Maggie struggles with relating to her mother, whom she talks to by phone every day. Gia nor her husband (who ironically happens to be a psychologist who has plenty of time for his patients, but not his wife) fail to notice (or appreciate) all of the sacrifices that Maggie makes.
Everything about this novel was affecting. Because I had to watch my dad fade away, day by day, I really related to Maggie having to say goodbye to her father bit by bit as his conditions deteriorates. Even her husband, who could easily come across as a villain, has reasons for his distance. I was shocked to discover that this was Leslie Rasmussen’s novel as her ability to capture the awkwardness and dysfunctional that makes us human is awesome.
Four and a half stars for sure!
Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for my advanced copy.
April 2, 2021
After Happily Ever After by Leslie A. Rasmussen. Thanks to @booksparks and @shewritespress for the gifted copy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Maggie’s daughter is close to leaving the home for college and her husband is disconnected. She is frightened of how lonely her future seems. When she meets a younger man at the gym, she starts a flirtation.
I love books where I get a glimpse into other people’s households. I have two boys and I have pretty much come to terms with the fact that I won’t have a daughter. So the mother daughter relationship is something I love to read about. Boy does Maggie have a difficult time with her teenage daughter. I really felt for Maggie, with her defiant daughter and disconnected husband. I enjoyed her dry, witty humor throughout the book. While she makes many mistakes, she grows and the reader is there the entire way. The story is sad at times, as she is also dealing with her father’s dementia and an unhealthy family balance between her parents. This was an entertaining read that was funny, sentimental, and sad at times. The ending did feel a bit abrupt to me but the story was still worth the ride.
“I used to be an important person.”
After Happily Ever After comes out 4/6.
Maggie’s daughter is close to leaving the home for college and her husband is disconnected. She is frightened of how lonely her future seems. When she meets a younger man at the gym, she starts a flirtation.
I love books where I get a glimpse into other people’s households. I have two boys and I have pretty much come to terms with the fact that I won’t have a daughter. So the mother daughter relationship is something I love to read about. Boy does Maggie have a difficult time with her teenage daughter. I really felt for Maggie, with her defiant daughter and disconnected husband. I enjoyed her dry, witty humor throughout the book. While she makes many mistakes, she grows and the reader is there the entire way. The story is sad at times, as she is also dealing with her father’s dementia and an unhealthy family balance between her parents. This was an entertaining read that was funny, sentimental, and sad at times. The ending did feel a bit abrupt to me but the story was still worth the ride.
“I used to be an important person.”
After Happily Ever After comes out 4/6.
February 5, 2021
I still can't believe that this is a debut novel.
I fell utterly in love with Maggie , she is just endearing and throughout the book I rooted for her wholeheartedly. I can see so many of my own female family members in her and perhaps that's why I resonated with her so much.
Maggie feels like she is going through the motions ; her daughter Gia is preparing to leave for college and well her marriage to Jim is pretty much stale. Maggie finds herself questioning who and what is she going to become once Gia leaves for college. Whilst trying to figure out what’s happening to her once loving marriage
Whilst at the gym she starts to befriend a younger man and starts to fantasise and question the what ifs?
I found the chapters where Maggie is visiting her dad and the ones from her Dads perspective a teary read as the love they have for one another is palpable and his decline is something that neither of them are ready to acknowledge.
I can't wait to read more from Leslie Rasmussen!
I fell utterly in love with Maggie , she is just endearing and throughout the book I rooted for her wholeheartedly. I can see so many of my own female family members in her and perhaps that's why I resonated with her so much.
Maggie feels like she is going through the motions ; her daughter Gia is preparing to leave for college and well her marriage to Jim is pretty much stale. Maggie finds herself questioning who and what is she going to become once Gia leaves for college. Whilst trying to figure out what’s happening to her once loving marriage
Whilst at the gym she starts to befriend a younger man and starts to fantasise and question the what ifs?
I found the chapters where Maggie is visiting her dad and the ones from her Dads perspective a teary read as the love they have for one another is palpable and his decline is something that neither of them are ready to acknowledge.
I can't wait to read more from Leslie Rasmussen!
March 1, 2021
Oh the seasons of life we go through as we get older...here we have Maggie, a stay-at-home mom, in her 40’s, faced with many different issues. A marriage where she feels neglected and not fulfilling, a 17 yr old daughter, who will be leaving for college soon, and her father in a nursing home with declining memory. There are other aspects of this novel that I will not give away here.
As an empty nester with a long marriage and my parents in a nursing home, I could relate to many parts of this book. It was an enjoyable read and kept me engaged with the characters and story.
The author, Leslie Rasmussen, sums her book up perfectly... “And lastly to all the moms who are left with an empty nest and a journey to find themselves once again. This book is for you.
Thank you NetGalley and She Writes Press for a complimentary advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review. #AfterHappilyEverAfter #NetGalley
As an empty nester with a long marriage and my parents in a nursing home, I could relate to many parts of this book. It was an enjoyable read and kept me engaged with the characters and story.
The author, Leslie Rasmussen, sums her book up perfectly... “And lastly to all the moms who are left with an empty nest and a journey to find themselves once again. This book is for you.
Thank you NetGalley and She Writes Press for a complimentary advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review. #AfterHappilyEverAfter #NetGalley
April 12, 2021
A new literary fiction debut that takes a deep look at how our choices in life shape each person individually, and how that impacts our relationships. This has a complex perspective about the weight of unspoken hurts, miscommunication, and the mistakes we make when we lose our way. Great for fans of family and relationship drama, personal growth, and self-discovery. Unlike other reviews, there were definitely no laugh out loud moments. This is a very serious dissection of life choices and repercussions.
While this was a big miss for me, I'd recommend giving it a try if you love character driven novels about family/loss/relationships.
Thanks to Booksparks and She Writes Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
While this was a big miss for me, I'd recommend giving it a try if you love character driven novels about family/loss/relationships.
Thanks to Booksparks and She Writes Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
December 31, 2020
Maggie is in a stale marriage with a man who, in her opinion, is keeping deep dark secrets from her. Her life is further complicated by a teenage daughter at odds with everything her mother says or does, and a father with dementia who can no longer stay in his home. Meanwhile, Maggie fantasizes about having an affair with Michael, a much younger man she meets at the gym. Disappointments lead her to reevaluate her life, discover her strengths and address her weaknesses. After Happily Ever After is a great read, with engaging characters and relatable problems. I highly recommend picking up a copy.
February 23, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. Everything about this book is a pure example of good writing and phenomenal storytelling. While reading it, I was practically sucked into the main character, Maggie's world as the prose allows you to truly know her and feel her emotions. It's an absolute rollercoaster of emotions contained within a well-written and grounded story about real people and the problems they face in life. I can't recommend this book enough and I can't wait to read it again and again.
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