REVIEW: Starting Now by Debbie Macomber

Title: Starting Now
Series: Blossom Street
Author: Debbie Macomber
Published Date: April 2, 2013
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Format: ebook
Pages: 352
ISBN: 0345533534 
Copy provided by: NetGalley
Genre: fiction
Add to: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon
Rating: 4 1/2 stars

Synopsis: #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber returns to Seattle’s beloved Blossom Street in this heartfelt tale of friendship, renewal, and discovering what’s truly important in life.
For years Libby Morgan dreamed only of making partner in her competitive, high-pressure law firm. She sacrificed everything for her career—her friends, her marriage, her chance at creating a family. When her boss calls Libby into his office, she assumes it will finally be good news, but nothing can prepare her for the shocking reality: She’s been let go and must rebuild her entire life . . . starting now. 
With no job prospects in sight, Libby reaches out to old friends and spends her afternoons at A Good Yarn, the local knitting store. There she forms a close bond with Lydia, the sweet-natured shop owner; Lydia’s spirited teenage daughter, Casey; and Casey’s best friend, Ava, a shy yet troubled girl who will shape Libby’s future in surprising and profound ways. 
As A Good Yarn becomes a second home—and the women a new kind of family—Libby relishes the different person she’s become. She even finds time for romance with a charming and handsome doctor who seems to be her perfect match. But just as everything is coming together, Libby must make a choice that could forever change the life she holds so dear.
Warmly told and richly textured, Starting Now is filled with the promise of new beginnings and the unending delights of companionship and love.

My Review: I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book for review. This was the first Debbie Macomber book I've ever read. My mother-in-law has been after me to read some of her books and I never got around to it.
After reading this book, I'm kicking myself for not starting sooner. There's no death-defying action, or paranormal creatures in it. But it makes you feel good, reading this book. You really start to care about the characters, and towards the end of the book, I was pacing as I was reading, wanting to kick the major character for doing what she was doing. I wanted to shake her by her shoulders and say, "What the heck do you think you're throwing away?!"
It's been awhile since I've felt that emotionally invested in a character.