Fans of Barbara Delinsky (you know who you are) get totally involved and invested in anything she writes. When I look at her booklist I can't help but marvel at the fact that I've only missed out on a couple of them. Every other book I remember vividly, especially the casts of characters. But Barbara Delinsky doesn't write about characters, she writes about people. People she makes up in her vivid, imaginative mind and perhaps some that she's crossed paths with. Some books are meant to be a fast read, while others are designed to be treasured and savored like a delicacy. That's how I felt reading BEFORE AND AGAIN by Barbara Delinsky. Each and every page held another amazing piece of a puzzle, and it was truly delightful learning what made these characters click. Just like any Barbara Delinsky story I've ever read, BEFORE AND AGAIN will be remembered long after the last word is read.

Maggie Mackenzie Cooper Reid is a study in the steps required to recover from the death of a child. Maggie's decision is to reinvent herself, so to speak, and distance herself from the past. She divorces her husband, changes her name, moves to Vermont, and tries to move on from a painful part of her life. And yet does she really?

The new world of Maggie was going really well even considering the intrusion of memories brought on by random thoughts and nightmares. She loves her life in Devon, where she has a fabulous network of friends and clients. Maggie Reid had been welcomed into this small town and she doesn't take that for granted. People move to small towns for many reasons, and in this one, no one has questioned her too much about her previous life. But alas good things have a way of coming to an end... Maggie's new life in Devon was slowly becoming invaded by the very people she fought to distance herself from, including her ex- husband, Edward, and her brother, Liam. One day Maggie's life was filled with accomplishments, and the next with self-doubts and perhaps a little guilt. Maggie's new life faces challenges she never expected and candidly hoped would never have to...

Barbara Delinsky has us all wrought with sympathy for Maggie because of one simple mistake, one distracted second, that changes her life forever. BEFORE AND AGAIN starts much like Maggie's life does with her decision to move away from friends and family to Devon. And the burning question is doesn't everyone deserve a second chance at happiness? But what happens if you don't feel you are deserving of that second chance? That is the essence of BEFORE AND AGAIN. Maggie isn't the only one looking for that second chance and Barbara Delinsky takes us on the voyage to redemption.

Book Summary

Mackenzie Cooper took her eyes off the road for just a moment but the resulting collision was enough to rob her not only of her beloved daughter but ultimately of her marriage, family, and friends―and thanks to the nonstop media coverage, even her privacy. Now she lives in Vermont under the name Maggie Reid, in a small house with her cats and dog. She’s thankful for the new friends she’s made―though she can’t risk telling them too much. And she takes satisfaction in working as a makeup artist at the luxurious local spa, helping clients hide the visible outward signs of their weariness, illnesses, and injuries. Covering up scars is a skill she has mastered.

Her only goal is to stay under the radar and make it through her remaining probation. But she isn’t the only one in this peaceful town with secrets. When a friend’s teenage son is thrust into the national spotlight, accused of hacking a powerful man’s Twitter account, Maggie is torn between pulling away and protecting herself―or stepping into the glare to be at their side. As the stunning truth behind their case is slowly revealed, Maggie’s own carefully constructed story begins to unravel as well. She knows all too well that what we need from each other in this difficult world is comfort. But to provide it, sometimes we need to travel far outside our comfort zones.

From a multimillion-selling master of women’s fiction, BEFORE AND AGAIN is a story of the relationships we find ourselves in―mothers and daughters, spouses and siblings, true companions and fair-weather friends―and what kind of sacrifices we are or aren’t willing to make to sustain them through good times and bad.