Carrie Kabak has spun a tale of a mid-life crisis for a 40-something woman, Kate Cadogan, who quite literally "wakes up" one morning to re-examine her life. (She found her house trashed by her teenaged son when she woke up, while her husband was unmoved by the entire scene.)

The story is told in flashbacks to Kate's girlhood, her struggles with her weight in middle school, her relationship with her demanding and domineering mother, and her early relationships with boys. She examines exactly how she got to the place she is in during her 40s.

Kate is a charming narrator, but this story meanders a bit in the middle. There is a good message of self-reliance here -- no matter how long you've let others push you around, you can still seize control. I'm giving it only a cautionary recommendation, but don't let that dissuade you, especially if you are a fan of authors like Jane Green.

by Jessica Lux-Baumann
Rambles.NET
30 September 2006