Book Review: I’m Divorced Now What?: A Guide to the Rest of Your Life
I’m Divorced Now What?: A Guide to the Rest of Your Life
Author: Adrienne Rothstein Grace
Published: June 1, 2023
Paperback: 175 Pages
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: July 19-28, 2024
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
Divorce is one of the most difficult things a woman can go through. Unfortunately, the difficulty doesn’t end when the divorce becomes final. There are many challenges and many potential pitfalls as you enter this new phase of your life. From practical matters like finances to emotional issues of self-worth, the question “Now what?” comes up time and time again. Adrienne Rothstein Grace has helped countless woman answer that question. Now, in her latest book, Adrienne and a select group of experts share insights that will help you move forward with confidence. I’m Divorced, Now What? A Guide to the Rest of Your Life will empower you to make the right decisions and take the right steps on the path to a new life and a new you.
Jessica’s Review:
This review will be one with emotions on mainly how 2024 has gone for me. You know how it is, you just need to get it out and since this is a self help book on divorce, this book gets some of my story. This is a sort of therapy in a way.
2024 became a year I never expected: My husband had been having some issues for a few years and finally told me. Needless to say, I was beyond devastated. I tried to help the marriage and we went to counseling even though he didn’t want to. In the third session I realized that there is no fixing it and changing his mind. Then it became about taking care of MYSELF. He even told me that it is not my fault, it’s all him. (And it is!) I found myself having to figure things out: Money (as everything is so expensive now!), where I was going to live (again… how am I going to afford it on my own on a government worker’s salary) and the end of a life that I thought I was going to have.
I have a great support system of friends and family. I say friends first as my family is at least an hour away in heavy traffic. They have all been so much help. The divorce is final now (it was very quick too, my lawyer was on it!) , and I have two of the cats. I would have taken all three if I could have. And I am doing much better now. I continued therapy and am now at a point where I don’t need to see my therapist unless something major comes up. I have received my new driver’s license with my maiden name (and a terrible picture! It’s like they try to take the worst possible one of you! Can you do that close up of my face any closer!?!?! LOL) and still working on getting everything set up for my new chapter of life.
Now that I have gotten that out, some tears out of the way, and you know some of my divorce story, here are my thoughts on the book:
The book is made of two sections: Practical and Personal Development. It seems like this book was written for a different type of divorcee than what I am. It seemed like it was written for someone who was totally dependent on the ex-husband and may or may not have children. I have always been independent, so it felt like this book wasn’t totally for me. The Personal Development section was better for me. We didn’t have children, but I had three cats, now two as he kept one. I would have taken all three but apartments only let you have two pets.
Each chapter in the two sections seemed like it was a conversation between the author and an expert that was typed up. The chapter ends with a biography of whom the author talked with along with their contact information. The chapters also come with ‘takeaways’ where you can write down your thoughts to questions the author poses.
Needless to say, the author has done this for over 30 years and helped many women as they start their new chapter. I did like her Facebook page.
It will take some time, and I know some things will be very hard to do, but I do know I will be ok! I am at a complete 180 from where I was in January. I hope you don’t, but if you ever find yourself in this situation, I totally know how it feels: It feels like a death and in some ways it is, but the other person is still alive. It feels like the end of the world, and even though it doesn’t feel like it, YOU WILL BE OK! I know I will be!
Purchase Links:
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Book Review: Out of the Darkness by Kelly Smith
Out of the Darkness
Author: Kelly Smith
Published: July 28- August 3, 2021
127 Pages
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: July 28- August 3, 2021
Jessica’s Rating: 5 stars
Book Description:
After enduring an abusive, toxic relationship, what do you do when you leave? You heal. In Out of the Darkness, the follow up to Kelly’s first book Signs in the Rearview Mirror: Leaving a Toxic Relationship Behind, Kelly takes you on her journey of her healing process recovering from her own past abusive tendencies and her previous toxic relationship. Dating soon follows and so do the bad and unhealthy dates.
A life-changing trip to Europe with a friend shows Kelly what she’s truly looking for in a healthy relationship. With eyes wide open, Kelly meets Cruz. They click right away and as they move forward together, Kelly guides you throughout her firsts in her new healthy relationship after healing from a toxic relationship. What does a healthy relationship look like after abuse? Find out in Out of the Darkness.
Jessica’s Review:
Kelly continues to tell us her story of recovering from her past toxic relationships and healing. After finally leaving Gabe at the end of Signs in the Rearview Mirror, Kelly moves forward in her life with self-healing and eventually dating with Out of Darkness.
Kelly is again telling us her story and she is 100% honest. Learning her own triggers and working to love herself first, she goes on a trip of a lifetime through Europe with Matt (just as friends). Through this trip she realizes she is basically on a trip with Gabe’s ‘twin’ in actions. She eventually loses touch with Matt and continues to heal.
After some time, Kelly goes on what can only be called “adventures in dating”. We are given the good and the bad. Eventually Kelly meets Cruz and slowly she finally finds herself in a healthy relationship.
Through time Kelly has healed while still learning her triggers, but she is finally complete. Whatever happens in her life with Cruz, Kelly and now also the reader will know that she will be fine with whatever life brings her next. Many thanks to Kelly for telling her story to us through these two memoirs.
Out of the Darkness is recommended. I was given a copy to read and review from the author. Both of her memoirs are recommended!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Book Review: Signs in the Rearview Mirror by Kelly Smith
Signs in the Rearview Mirror: Leaving a Toxic Relationship Behind
Author: Kelly Smith
Published: April 3 , 2018
214 Pages
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: July 22-26, 2021
Jessica’s Rating: 5 stars
Book Description:
What kind of person ends up in a toxic relationship? And why does she stay? This searingly honest novel answers both those questions head-on. Coming out of a failing marriage, Kelly turns to Gabe out of fear of being alone. Her gradual slide into danger is at once terrifying and inevitable, and the steps she takes to get out of it will both inspire and offer hope.
Jessica’s Review:
Signs in the Rearview Mirror is Kelly Smith’s firsthand account of her toxic relationship and how she finally escaped from it. She speaks to us herself telling her story, though names have been fictionalized. Kelly leaves her marriage where she was not the best spouse herself, thus exposing her children to a bad female relationship example. Then via Facebook (isn’t it always through Facebook!) she reconnects and then turns to Gabe who she barely knew in high school and once had a meaningful conversation. Out of her fear of being alone she began a long-distance relationship. Looking back, she now sees the warning signs, but chose to ignore them and the danger she was putting herself and her children in.
Many times, you may think it is a ‘mild and meek’ person who falls into a toxic relationship, but Kelly was far from that. Since these kinds of relationships actually do exist, it was helpful to see a stronger woman can also fall into the trap of a toxic relationship. This memoir would definitely help those who have not been in a toxic relationship or say they would never find themselves in one.
Kelly’s relationship with Gabe gradually got worse over time, but eventually she was able to leave. There were so many times as I was reading this memoir that I was hoping at Kelly would leave Gabe. This was a quick but also difficult read as this was what someone actually went through in her life. And many women (and also men!) experience this life daily.
Bravo to Kelly for sharing her experiences and story with the world. This is a book that can help those that are in a similar relationship. To them: You CAN succeed and get out of that toxic relationship! I actually plan to put my copy of this memoir in my local free little library in hope that it might help someone who sees this memoir and in this type of relationship.
Signs in the Rearview Mirror is recommended.
Purchase Links
Amazon US
Amazon UK
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