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Almost Forty
Attempting a re-do on her own childhood, a busy mom of two spends her days creating the type of family that she always wanted. When unexpected drama comes to her small town, she finds her daily, admittingly tedious, life in total upheaval. Despite the multiple changes and challenges she encounters, she can’t help but find a little excitement in having feelings that she would not have previously allowed herself. Two years, and circumstances she could have never imagined, lead her to have relationships she would never expect. While facing the craziness, and the oftentimes comedic situations of her present, she must also confront the past that she has tried hard to ignore…all at the unspeakable age of, well, almost forty.
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Published April 3, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 22, 2022
What. A good. Book. If I had the time I would have read it in 3 days.
A “rom com” or “beach read” may not be my usual choice but next time I want that kind of book candy it will be hard to find a better option than this. So well written. I couldn’t stop thinking about it and its characters even when I went long stretches of not having time to read it. The characters and their story worms its way into your every day thoughts in the most simple and effective of ways. It doesn’t drag and even though it seems like a cut and dry love story it isn’t. It’s much more real than that. Everyone in it is a real person, with a whole life, dealing with real things. All the characters are well developed and none of them are perfect. You don’t have to be almost forty to enjoy this book. You just have to know what it is to care about people and how hard it is to remember to care for yourself.
A “rom com” or “beach read” may not be my usual choice but next time I want that kind of book candy it will be hard to find a better option than this. So well written. I couldn’t stop thinking about it and its characters even when I went long stretches of not having time to read it. The characters and their story worms its way into your every day thoughts in the most simple and effective of ways. It doesn’t drag and even though it seems like a cut and dry love story it isn’t. It’s much more real than that. Everyone in it is a real person, with a whole life, dealing with real things. All the characters are well developed and none of them are perfect. You don’t have to be almost forty to enjoy this book. You just have to know what it is to care about people and how hard it is to remember to care for yourself.
May 29, 2022
I’ll start this review by saying that this is not my normal genre and that I don’t usually write reviews. That being said… I would like to read every book this author ever writes in the future! The writing style is excellent, the characters are compelling, and the story keeps you on your toes. You feel so much for Andrea and you can’t wait for the happy ending you hope is coming. I wanted the book to get to the happy ending but I also didn’t want it to end! And that’s what I think a good book should do. It should make you want to know what’s going to happen at the end and also make you never want to get to the end because you’re enjoying the journey so much. I hope to read more from this author in the future!
May 13, 2022
I hope readers enjoy Almost Forty as much as I enjoyed writing it!
June 13, 2022
I loved this book! This isn't my usual genre, I'm typically more into mystery/thriller novels. I am so glad I gave this one a chance! At the beginning of the book I thought I knew where the story was going but it turned out to be filled with surprises I didn't see coming, down to the very last sentence. I felt the characters were well developed and (most of them) lovable. The dialogue was realistic and well done. Possibly my favorite part of the novel was how relatable it was! I felt like I could've been best friends with Andrea and I wished that I could give her a hug at many points throughout the novel. I was sad to see this book come to an end and I'll definitely be recommending it to all my friends!
July 2, 2022
3.5 stars rounded up. Enjoyable book with some trigger topics for me personally, which actually made the main character extra relatable for me.
April 19, 2022
Amanda Kay's debut novel came along in a very timely way for me, as I'm almost forty myself. This story is a perfect genre mixture of women's fiction, romantic comedy, and domestic fiction. Almost Forty is a novel of second chances, heartache and healing, and the ability to get through tough times with the help of family and friends.
Our heroine, Andrea, finds herself in the middle of an unbelievable and unexpected situation where her husband has strayed from their marriage. This leaves her reeling, as she is trying to take care of her two young children, while also wondering what went wrong. If only her new found friend and fellow pre-school parent, Bret, would reciprocate the feelings she is starting to feel for him. Andrea feels like she is able to confide in Breet and is thankful for his friendship, but he has her firmly planted in the friend zone. He does, however, keep her guessing with his confusing actions and statements at times.
But just when Andrea didn't think her situation could get any more bizzare, it does. And then, she and Bret unforteunately have more in common than either would have ever dreamed.
Andrea becomes a stronger, more independent person during the course of this story, realizing that even though she is pushing 40, her kids and her role as a mother are not the only things that define her, and that's totally okay. I loved the friendships portrayed in the novel between Andrea and her much older sister, Beth, as well as her friend Meg in London. Andrea's visit to London allowed me to fondly remember my trips to London and stirred up my desires to return some day. The story is well-written and unique, with spot-on dialogue and a very unexpected twist about three-quarters of the way through. The author also ends the book on a bit of a cliffhanger, alluding to a possible sequel so readers can see more of Andrea and Glen's future together. Though there is reference to romance in the novel, it's all closed-door and very clean and tasteful. Fans of Katherine Center and Kristy Woodson Harvey will enjoy this book.
Our heroine, Andrea, finds herself in the middle of an unbelievable and unexpected situation where her husband has strayed from their marriage. This leaves her reeling, as she is trying to take care of her two young children, while also wondering what went wrong. If only her new found friend and fellow pre-school parent, Bret, would reciprocate the feelings she is starting to feel for him. Andrea feels like she is able to confide in Breet and is thankful for his friendship, but he has her firmly planted in the friend zone. He does, however, keep her guessing with his confusing actions and statements at times.
But just when Andrea didn't think her situation could get any more bizzare, it does. And then, she and Bret unforteunately have more in common than either would have ever dreamed.
Andrea becomes a stronger, more independent person during the course of this story, realizing that even though she is pushing 40, her kids and her role as a mother are not the only things that define her, and that's totally okay. I loved the friendships portrayed in the novel between Andrea and her much older sister, Beth, as well as her friend Meg in London. Andrea's visit to London allowed me to fondly remember my trips to London and stirred up my desires to return some day. The story is well-written and unique, with spot-on dialogue and a very unexpected twist about three-quarters of the way through. The author also ends the book on a bit of a cliffhanger, alluding to a possible sequel so readers can see more of Andrea and Glen's future together. Though there is reference to romance in the novel, it's all closed-door and very clean and tasteful. Fans of Katherine Center and Kristy Woodson Harvey will enjoy this book.
August 7, 2022
In short: A story of self discovery, grief, friendship and love after Andrea learns her husband has cheated on her.
What I liked:
💟 Easy writing style. It flowed so well, I couldn’t put it down.
💟 The characters were compelling & relatable.
💟 Andrea’s journey from trying to have the perfect family, to learning about Reid’s indiscretions to the aftermath to healing and finding love, and herself, again.
💟 The friendships. From Bret to her sister Beth to Glen and Reid’s parents.
💟Easter dinner. Awkward. 😂
Final thoughts: As someone over 40 I absolutely love when a main character is closer to my age. I really loved this story and seeing how Andrea dealt with her marriage falling apart but then rediscovering herself and finally having someone choose her. There were definitely a few twists I did not see coming that added to the story. Overall, the strength of friends and family shines through. Great debut novel!
January 1, 2023
I completely fell in love with this book! As a mom, I could relate to the main character on some levels. This book made me laugh and made me cry, happy tears and sad tears. So much to love about this book! Highly recommend!
June 21, 2024
Just a reminder that their is still a lot of life left to live..even at 40!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews