Holding Pattern

by Maggie Friedenberg

Leaving her marriage was the last thing anyone expected of Natalie, including her.

She and Ben had a perfect love story—high school best friends who fell in love and got married, dreaming of a family of their own. Years later, crushed by infertility and loss, Natalie faces the likelihood of never having a child. Consumed by grief and self-blame, frustrated by Ben’s fix-it attempts and a lack of empathy from family and friends, she takes off, shocking everyone.

And then she meets Richard. A few years older than Natalie, charming and handsome, his attention and flattery are captivating—but more than that, he understands the pain she’s carrying. No stranger to failure himself, Richard’s struggle with drugs and alcohol destroyed his own marriage. Now in recovery, he’s working to reconnect with his children and rebuild his life.

Each desperate to leave their mistakes behind, Natalie and Richard form an immediate connection. As their affection grows, their pain subsides. But when Natalie is forced to face the consequences of leaving, she must figure out what really matters—and how to break free from the holding pattern keeping her from it.

Genres: Contemporary

438 pages, Paperback

Published June 3, 2022

Reviews

[Alisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It need to be a movie. Maggie does a really great job and setting the scenes. You are immediately transported into the character’s world. I found myself falling deeper and deeper with every word and page, and suddenly I was immersed and totally invested. These characters are far from cookie cutter. You feel their pain, heartbreak, flaws, memories, and dynamics. You root for them. You cry with them. It’s such a relatable story. Thank you, Maggie.

[Mae Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate to receive an ARC of Holding Pattern.

This novel tells the story of Natalie, a woman paralyzed by grief and plunged into a deep state of emotional crossroads. I personally found Natalie incredibly relatable… can she be frustrating? Sure… but she’s trying.

While going through the motions, unsure what she wants and consumed by the ache and loss propelling her forward, Natalie finds herself at the center of an unexpected love triangle.

On one hand there’s the dashing and mysterious Richard, while on the other is Natalie’s soon-to-be ex husband Ben.

Navigating topics such as addiction, child loss/infertility, difficult/strained relationships, grief, divorce, and health trauma—Maggie Friedenberg has done a beautiful job of crafting characters we can see ourselves, our disappointments, and our struggles in. The most incredible thing about these pages is the healing and growth that takes place in the character’s lives through the connections they form and maintain with one another—sometimes very unexpectedly.

[Leisa Greene · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has been years since I’ve read a book that I simply could not put down. Holding Pattern broke that cycle. I devoured this book eagerly reading what happens next. The author weaves the characters and circumstances so well and beautifully you ache for more of her words. No doubt one of the best reads for me in years! If you love contemporary romance, stories on complicated relationships, and fiction that hits hard issues, you must read this book.

[Kara Bohonowicz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good people go through hard things, and they spread love wide and far. This story captivated me and literally had me on the edge of my seat. Heartfelt romance in the real world. I kept thinking how kindhearted the author must be to write truly good hearted characters. Delightful read.

[Felicia Blaedel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful, deeply emotional, real story of messy, difficult lives, grief, hope, second chances, friendship and love.
This book made me cry. It'll stay with me for a long time. I'm so impressed by Maggie's writing and storytelling (even if I also think she's a little mean right now, haha)
The characters are refreshingly flawed and real. And even when they did hurtful things, were selfish or stuck, I couldn't help but care for them and feel with them. This book deals with several heavy topics, but I think Maggie handled everything with a lot of heart.
I had no idea where the story was going, and I kept wanting to read more but also needed breaks to process what I read.
Holding Pattern is heart-wrenching and heartbreaking, with smooth storytelling and depth.

I can't recommend this book enough but check the content warnings. If you usually read my reviews on Goodreads you know I mostly read romance, so I'll just point out that this isn't a romance, even though it contains two different but beautiful love stories.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good book has the power to draw you in. To make you feel things. A good book has the power to heal you. To teach you a lesson you didn’t know you needed. Holding Pattern touched something very deep inside me. Topics of love, loss, illness, grief, and healing are handled with such grace that reading this book almost becomes a cathartic experience.

Holding Pattern tells the story of Natalie’s journey through a life touched by infertility, infidelity, addiction and redemption. A life of immeasurable joys and devastating sorrows. Life is a series of wins and losses, trial and error, and all we can do is our very best to keep a forward trajectory. Natalie’s journey is our own. I know you will love Holding Pattern as I do. Your heart will take flight.

[C.L. Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful work of fiction that explores grief. Freidenberg takes readers on a journey through a marriage falling apart due to fertility struggles and the grief that comes with that unmet desire. As Natalie grapples with her own grief, she meets Richard who offers her a gentle place to fall. But her husband Ben isn’t willing let go just yet and pursues his wife so they can grieve together.

[Carmen Vigil · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was hooked on my ARC! The experience reading the story was like listening to a story about extended family. You feel the wins, you experience the sorrows and losses. Natalie and Ben's marriage is like many in the world of infertility. Richard makes you think of a you get Tom Sellick from Magnum PI. The story unfolds and wraps you in a blanket. Its purely relatable.

[W. A. Ford · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you're walking away from your past, but you don't know how to move forward, you're stuck, like a plane wating to land, in a holding pattern. In Maggie Friedenberg's novel, HOLDING PATTERN, we are introduced to the relatable protagonist Natalie as she struggles to break free of complacency and compliance in the framework of her family's expectations.
As she's looking for a way out of the cozy confines, she meets a man who is looking for a person to call home. Their courtship becomes its own holding pattern and the reader is taken on a emotional loop-to-loop that has a fantastic finish.
I enjoyed this book and recommended it for your summer TBR.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic story that illustrates the strain infertility puts on a marriage, the pain of going through that, and the hope on the other side. Having been through it, I recognized the characters’ experience, emotions, and efforts to cope - so many moments I thought, “Yes! That’s exactly what it’s like!”

[Ginny Silvestro · Rating 5 out of 5]

My new favorite book to recommend! The characters are easy to fall in love with. You hit the highs and lows with them throughout the entire book. It evoked so much emotion in myself as I read chapter after chapter. It was hard to put down!

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible story

There were many moments that took my breath away in this story. The characters were easy to get to know & love. I look forward to more from the author.

[Meghana]

Was hard not to find the main character a little annoying but overall engaging.