The Book:
Book Title: The Future She Left Behind
Book Author: Marin Thomas
Page Count: 352
Publishing Date: September 5th, 2017
Publisher: Berkley
Date Read: August 10th, 2017
The Review:
Prepare to fall in love with this charming story of life, love, and family. The Future She Left Behind is beautifully written and shows us that “life happens”. This one holds humor, small town glamour, and self discovery.
“Katelyn had always wanted to find something she and her mother-in-law could bond over–she just never imagined it would be Don’s infidelity.”
The Plot: After 19 years of marriage, a set of twins heading off to college, and becoming the “babysitter” to her forgetful mother in law, Katelyn is suddenly faced with a gripping reality. Her husband files for divorce and admits to cheating. So, what’s a woman to do when she realizes she no longer knows who she is? She decides to take off to visit her mother in her home town of Little Springs, Texas. There’s just one problem. Her mother in law’s new apartment is not ready to be moved in to, and her husband is still away on business, so she is forced to bring her mother in law with her. Can Katelyn find herself again in her hometown, stuck with a woman she hates, and faced with a possible reconciliation with her high school sweetheart?
“The way things were going with this visit, she’d need to make a liquor run and stock up on the happy juice.”
The Future She Left Behind is such a beautiful story! It is a perfect example of what happens when we become complacent in life and lose ourselves. It shows us that we should never give up on our dreams or settle, and it shows the importance of family and finding one’s roots. I feel like the author drew inspiration from Steel Magnolias, Hope Floats, and Legally Blonde. This book is full of life, love, laughter, and strong women. It is a story about learning to open up to those around you, and it is a story of self discovery for several of its characters.
“When the locomotive drew closer, she shut her eyes and concentrated on the tremors in the ground beneath her feet…Years ago she’d stood by these tracks and envisioned herself jumping in to an empty boxcar as the train sped by. She’d imagined the faraway places she’d see.”
Our main character, Katelyn, is a beautiful, strong woman that finds herself lost in life. After her 19 years of marriage, she has become complacent and unhappy. After she finds out that her husband cheated, filed for divorce, and put their house on the market, she decides to find herself again. It takes her hometown, her mother, her mother in law, and her old flame to prove to her that she was hiding inside the whole time. What emerges from her cocoon of life is a stunning, happy, talented butterfly, strong enough to live in the here and now and enjoy her life and family.
“How had she gotten lost when she’d left this place to find herself?”
Katelyn’s mother, Birdie, is also a beautiful, strong woman complacent in life, knowing she gave up on her dreams. She is a woman who is used to working for a living to make ends meet. It takes the help of her daughter to realize that she, too, should try to find herself again and revisit the talent she left behind. Birdie becomes more connected to her daughter, her love for music, and her new friendship with Katelyn’s soon to be ex-mother in law.
“I like birdie because no matter how tired she is, she’s always got a smile for you when you get to the register.”
Katelyn’s mother in law, Shirley, is a misunderstood, ornery, stubborn woman. She starts off being stuck in her ways, snooty, and manipulative. It takes the town of Little Springs, Birdie and her friends, Katelyn, and another lonely soul to help her discover the lonely, fun loving woman dying to come out.
“She googled ammonium thioglycolate: a pungent, colorless, clear liquid that burns the eyes, nose, lungs, and may explode if subjected to high heat–that described Shirley Pratt to a T.”
And finally, we have Katelyn’s old beau, Jackson. Jackson is known for being the town bad boy in his youth. He is coming to terms with the mistakes he has made in life and realizing that he only he is responsible for his past and only he can be responsible for his future.
“Jackson looked older, but there were still traces of the young man she’d fallen hard for in his dark gaze. Silver strands mixed with black along his temples gave her beloved bad boy an almost respectable air.“
Pretty much every character in this book has a “not so shiny” past and undergoes some sort of self discovery. The story is real, heartfelt, and entertaining. If you are looking for a “feel good” story with well written characters, charming imagery, and beautiful morals, then look no further than The Future She Left Behind.
Thank you to First to Read to providing me with this free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Darque Dreamer
Blogger/ Punk Rocker / Quirky Housewife
Fantastic review and a book I really want to read. It’s so true that we become complacent and often lose ourself. It’s something to ponder on.
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This book really changed the way I think about some things. I have plans to buy it for my mom and my sister in law. It’s one of those must read, feel good, women’s books! ❤ I hope you love it when you read it!
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This one sounds like it has a lot of great depth! If I can take a break from YA anytime soon, it sounds like I need to check it out! Wonderful review! ❤️
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Yes! It was a refreshing read in between YA and fantasy lol. Thank you. I hope you love it when you read it!
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It’s nice to shake things up like that sometimes. I pretty much just flip between YA genres these days, but those are diverse enough it definitely keeps me from getting bored. 🙂
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I do enjoy that about YA. There are so many YA genres to choose from!
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I could not agree more. 🙂
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oh man, that sounds so good! great review! i want to read it like now 😂
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Thanks!! I didn’t think I would love it as much as I did!! I hope you love it when you get to it!
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whooop whoop! 🤗
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This looks cute. I’m going to add it to my TBR. Great review!
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Thanks! It was really great! Definitely refreshing!
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Great review! Sounds like a really good read, glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Jo-Ann
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Thanks! It was a great book! ❤
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Steel Magnolias, Hope Floats, and Legally Blonde? Wow, seeing those comparisons definitely makes me interested in checking this book out. Sounds amazing!
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Yes! It was great! She even mentions Legally Blonde in the book, haha!
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