Book ~ "Maggie's Turn" (2013) Deanna Lynn Sletten

From Goodreads ~ Sometimes you just have to walk away … to rediscover who you are.

Maggie Harrison is a devoted wife and mother, always putting the needs of her family ahead of her own. Then, one day, without planning to, she drives away, leaving behind an indifferent husband and two sulking teenagers. Maggie goes off on a quest of self-exploration, enjoying adventures, meeting new people, and rediscovering her passions. For the first time in years, she dreams about what she wants out of life, and she realizes that her deteriorating marriage can no longer continue as it is. Can she and Andrew repair their floundering relationship, or is their marriage over?

Andrew Harrison likes his life to be in perfect order. He enjoys his work and status in the community, leaving Maggie to take care of everything at home. He knows his marriage isn't perfect, but after twenty-three years and two kids, whose marriage is? When Maggie leaves without a word, he is forced to start paying more attention to his home life and his almost grown children, and he begins to do a little self-exploration of his own. Slowly, he begins to understand what drove Maggie away, and how important she is in his life. Is it too late to resolve their differences and save their marriage? Or will Andrew lose Maggie forever?

Maggie and Andrew have been married for about 20 years and are the parents of two children ... Kyle is 19 and Kaia is 14.  The kids are sulking and Andrew is snapping at her.  After she drops Kaia off at school one morning, she hears Bob Seger's Roll Me Away and that inspires her to take a couple hours for herself.  She has her camera with her and is going to take some photographs.  When Andrew and the kids get home at the end of the day, they are surprised and annoyed to realize that supper isn't ready and Maggie's not there.

Though she hadn't planned it, Maggie had kept driving, stopping along the way with her camera, listening to Bob Seger and realizing how good it felt to be free.  What follows is Maggie's journey to find herself again and decide what she wants in life.

It is left to Andrew to take care of the household.  Maggie has always done everything so Andrew has no clue how to do even the simple things like buying groceries and doing laundry.  He also doesn't know how to relate to his children since he has been too busy the last few years to spend time with them.  As all the responsibilities fall on him, he realizes how much Maggie had taken care of over the years and the impact she has had on others' lives.

This is the first book I've read by this author and I enjoyed it.  I liked the storyline ... we all get so busy and overwhelmed at times that it's tempting to run away and have some time to ourselves.  I liked the writing style.  I found that it flowed well and kept me wanting to read more.

I liked the characters.  Maggie had carried quite a load and had reached the point where she couldn't take it anymore.  Along the way, she meets people who encourage her to find herself again.  I was glad that she didn't give in and head back home no matter how much pressure Andrew and the kids put on her ... she finally put herself first.  Andrew makes bad decisions and instead of fixing his messes as she always has, she knows he has to do it for himself for things to change.  For most of the story, Andrew is an selfish arrogant A-hole who had taken Maggie for granted.  As the story progresses, Andrew realizes that unless he changes, he's going to lose everything.  Kaia and Kyle also take their mother for granted and come to appreciate her after she's left.

I look forward to reading other books by this author.