It’s Better This Way by Debbie Macomber

Many of you who have been following my blog will know how much I love Debbie Macomber’s books.  It’s Better This Way is my 31st book by the author and one that identifies the impact of divorce on family and relationships.

Plot Summary

Six years ago, Julia had her heart broken when her husband Eddie left her for another woman.  Despite her two girls being of adult age, the end of Julia’s marriage impacted the relationship that Eddie had with his daughters: the young women determined their relationship with their father ended the moment he left their mother.

When Julia meets Heath in the gym of their condominium complex, they become fast friends.  They found they had so much in common, including failed marriages.  Falling in love was something neither one of them was expecting.  Little did they know that Heath’s ex-wife Laura was the other woman that Eddie had left Julia for.  They were head over heels by the time this was revealed, starting a cascade of emotion for all concerned.

When one of Julia’s daughters announces her engagement, Julia and Heath’s love and their family relationships are tested.  Could the families resolve these issues in time for the wedding?

Book Review

I enjoyed this story of love and family.  As a more mature reader, I appreciate books written from the perspective of older protagonists.  While the plot includes several romances, it identifies to me as Women’s Fiction.

Despite the book having quite a large cast of characters, the author writes in such a way that there is no confusion to the reader.  The characters are well developed and the story was easy to follow. Blended families are challenging at the best of times, and the author represented the dynamics of this family with the values and respect I have come to expect from a Debbie Macomber book.

Audiobook Review

I listened to the audiobook version of It’s Better This Way which was narrated by Therese Plummer. Her performance was expressive and easy to listen to.  For those of you who enjoy audiobooks, I would not hesitate to recommend this book in this format.

What I Liked:

• The more mature protagonists
• The respectful manner in which this complex story is written
• The positivity in the book including the reason for the title

I Recommend This Book To:

Those readers who enjoy Romantic Women’s Fiction involving family.

My Rating:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Add It’s Better This Way to your Goodreads shelf

Acknowledgments:

Thank you to my local library for purchasing this audiobook!

Similar Books I’ve Reviewed:

A Walk Along the Beach by Debbie Macomber

Jingle All the Way by Debbie Macomber

A Mrs. Miracle Christmas by Debbie Macomber

Thanks for reading and supporting my blog.  Have you read any Debbie Macomber books?  Let me know in the comments.  I hope that you have a wonderful day.