Women's Fiction
![Debbie Macomber - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B000AQ451E.jpg)
It's Better This Way: A Novel
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • After her marriage ends, one woman's struggle to pick up the pieces finally leads to a new beginning but is the past truly behind her? #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber explores the powerful intersections of love and family in this poignant novel.
It's been nearly six years since Julia Jones had her heart broken. After her husband became involved with another woman, she did everything she could to save their marriage, to no avail. The couple's two daughters continue to stand by Julia in the wake of their father's behavior-and they've had a tough time getting along with the other woman who's become their stepmother. Distraught after selling the family home, Julia moves into a condominium complex that offers the warmth and charm of a fresh start. Now, having settled into her new community and sold her successful interior design business, she's embraced a fulfilling new life, one that doesn't seem to need a man in it. Her beloved father's trusty saying is ringing truer than ever: It's better this way.
But when Julia meets a handsome new resident in the building's exercise room, she can't help but be drawn to him. Heath Johnson is a welcome change from the men she's encountered on the occasional-mostly disastrous-dates her sister has eagerly planned for her over the years. As she and Heath, a divorcé himself, begin to grow close, their friendship blossoms into an unexpected love. However, they soon realize that combining families proves to be a challenge, even though their four children are adults.
When a dramatic revelation threatens the happiness they've found, Julia and Heath must reconcile their love for their children with their love for each other. If they can't, their bright future together may be nothing but a dream.
It's been nearly six years since Julia Jones had her heart broken. After her husband became involved with another woman, she did everything she could to save their marriage, to no avail. The couple's two daughters continue to stand by Julia in the wake of their father's behavior-and they've had a tough time getting along with the other woman who's become their stepmother. Distraught after selling the family home, Julia moves into a condominium complex that offers the warmth and charm of a fresh start. Now, having settled into her new community and sold her successful interior design business, she's embraced a fulfilling new life, one that doesn't seem to need a man in it. Her beloved father's trusty saying is ringing truer than ever: It's better this way.
But when Julia meets a handsome new resident in the building's exercise room, she can't help but be drawn to him. Heath Johnson is a welcome change from the men she's encountered on the occasional-mostly disastrous-dates her sister has eagerly planned for her over the years. As she and Heath, a divorcé himself, begin to grow close, their friendship blossoms into an unexpected love. However, they soon realize that combining families proves to be a challenge, even though their four children are adults.
When a dramatic revelation threatens the happiness they've found, Julia and Heath must reconcile their love for their children with their love for each other. If they can't, their bright future together may be nothing but a dream.
Editorial Reviews
"Macomber (A Walk Along the Beach; Window on the Bay) has a firm grasp on issues that will resonate with readers of domestic fiction. Well-drawn characters and plotting-coupled with strong romantic subplots and striking coincidences-will keep readers rooting for forgiveness, hope and true love to conquer all."-Kathleen Gerard, blogger at Reading Between the Lines
"Macomber keeps her well-shaded, believable characters at the heart of this seamlessly plotted novel as she probes the nuances of familial relationships and the agelessness of romance. This deeply emotional tale proves it's never too late for love."-Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Macomber keeps her well-shaded, believable characters at the heart of this seamlessly plotted novel as she probes the nuances of familial relationships and the agelessness of romance. This deeply emotional tale proves it's never too late for love."-Publishers Weekly, starred review
Readers Top Reviews
EconomistMaureen Vau
This book is written at less than a sixth grade level. Terrible writing, no real story. Even I like a lighter read for summer but this was just bad.o
CherylGranny of Five
I enjoyed this book but it was just okay. I just felt there were too many subplots. Characters not fleshed out enough, etc. For example, there was no reason to have the main character's niece in the book and her little subplot which felt rushed and really not necessary for the story. Again it was a nice little read but not one of her better books in my opinion. I am sure others totally enjoyed it and will give it RAVE reviews. Sorry but I will not be one of them.
KathyWitt
I have read over 50 Debbie Macomber novels. Most of them I really like, but there have been some recently that I only thought were "okay." (Most of the "okay" were part of the "Classics" series.) Because of this "hit and miss" response, I was not sure what to expect from It's Better This Way. Once I started reading it, I could not put it down. The characters were very well developed. I found myself really getting caught up in the ups and downs of their daily lives because the plot had a sense of truthfulness. Yes, "girl meets boy," and there are the usual conflicts, but this did not come across as just a typical romance. There were times when I actually thought "I did not see that coming," which sometimes never happens in some of Macomber's other novels. Maybe it was the fact that this novel was able to take me away from the craziness of today's reality. This novel shows that love can happen even after 50 (which some novels, and people, seem to forget or think is not possible.) I recommend it to anyone who has been hurt by someone they loved because it shows that sometimes what seems like a tragedy ends up for the best. Even if a person has not had those experiences (but I would guess most people have) I would recommend it for its ability to take the reader away even for just a little while.
NanaCav
Debbie Macomber is an author I discovered many, many years ago and her books have only gotten better with each one she writes. In It's Better This Way Julia finds herself divorced after thirty-one years of marriage. To say she was blindsided is an understatement. Julia and her ex, Eddie, felt it wouldn't really impact their daughters as they were older and out of the house. They couldn't have been more wrong. Six years later and divorced Julia has found herself a really nice condo where she finally feels at home. She has her interior design business to keep her busy. Each day she goes to the exercise room where one day she meets Heath. For awhile they just say 'Hi' to each other. Then they start to have coffee after their workouts. Soon they are dating. Julia never thought she would find love again but she feels different now. Heath is also divorced and also can't believe his luck in finding Julia. Unfortunately their romance did not go smoothly. At times it almost seemed like they were over. But the road to true love never runs smooth. They had many obstacles to overcome and also some surprises. I loved this book so much that once I started it I couldn't put it down. I read it all in one day and didn't want it to end. I loved it !
Sue
A terrific book about a broken relationship and how both sides work together to bring peace and harmony. Fabulous read as hard to put down.
Short Excerpt Teaser
Chapter 1
Nearly six years later
Julia woke, glanced at the clock on her nightstand, and wondered how long it would take for her to sleep past six. Old habits die hard, even though she no longer had any need to set her alarm. For more years than she could remember, she had risen at six every morning. Her business, West Coast Interiors, had been sold, and she was easing into retirement, working part-time as a consultant.
The decision to sell had been a weighty one and followed on the heels of her mother's passing. As Julia neared sixty, she felt she had plenty of good years left. Then an offer had come through that was far and above her expectations. Julia didn't feel like she could turn it down. She wasn't ready to give up her work entirely, which was why she'd made continuing as a consultant part of the agreement. The buyers had asked her to stay on, as well. She could work as much or as little as she wanted. After finishing this latest project, she'd decided to take a few days off and test what semiretirement felt like.
This certainly wasn't how she'd once anticipated retirement. There'd been a time when she'd hoped to travel the world with her husband. Julia longed to explore Europe and Asia. As of now, traveling alone held little appeal. Perhaps one day.
As she knew it would, her dream home had sold less than a week after it had been listed. So many changes had come into her life. After her divorce was final, she'd rented an apartment before making a decision on her new home. She knew she wanted to remain living in Seattle, and possibly in the downtown area itself.
The city was her home and there had been enough upheaval in her life without facilitating another major life change. Her girls were close, as was her sister and her family. She waited a year to start looking, and then the search had taken on a life of its own.
For three long years, Julia was on an endless quest to find a place she felt she could call home. The Heritage was an older brick condo building, built in the 1960s, that was filled with warmth and character. So many of the newer high-rise buildings were steel structures, with little to no personality or charm. Set in the heart of the city, it was close enough for her to walk down to Pike Place Market for fresh produce and seafood. The 5th Avenue theater was nearby, as was plenty of shopping. As a bonus, there was a coffee shop next door, as well as several restaurants on the block.
The instant she stepped into The Heritage and viewed the large fountain in the center lobby, Julia sensed this was the place for her. The building, with only twelve floors, rarely had a vacancy. Julia was patient, and in time a unit became available. She'd lived here a little over two years now and loved the community of friends she'd made. Because it was an older building, The Heritage didn't have many of the amenities of the newer condos that attracted the techies from Amazon and Microsoft. This move was a new beginning for her. A fresh start, and she had settled in comfortably.
Tying the sash on her silk robe, she wandered into the kitchen and brewed a cup of coffee. Lazy mornings generally happened only on Sundays, when she attended the late service at church. She needed to create a new schedule for herself-or, on second thought, no schedule at all.
She'd just taken her first sip of coffee when her phone rang. It was her sister, Amanda.
"Hey, you're up early," Julia said by way of greeting.
"I didn't wake you, did I?"
"No, I was up. I can't seem to sleep past six. What's going on?"
"It's Carrie," her sister said.
Julia's niece, an only child, was especially close to her parents. She suspected what was coming. Carrie still lived at home, and the failure to break out on her own was a thorn between Amanda and her husband, Robert.
"Robert and I had another heated discussion about Carrie last night," her sister said with a groan. "He wants Carrie to move out. I mean, she's twenty-eight. It's time. Past time," she added in defeat. "The problem is: How do we tell her?"
"Glad it's not up to me." As Carrie's godmother, Julia dearly loved her niece. She understood her sister's concern. Carrie had graduated from college with a degree in French literature. A degree that didn't offer much in the way of career opportunities. Never one to be idle, Carrie had applied for several jobs, many of which had lasted only a few months.
Since her graduation from college, Carrie had steadily drifted from one position to another. She'd been a receptionist for a real estate company, worked for an accountant, had done a stint at an employment agency, sold cosmetics at a department store as a beauty specialist. And those were only the jo...
Nearly six years later
Julia woke, glanced at the clock on her nightstand, and wondered how long it would take for her to sleep past six. Old habits die hard, even though she no longer had any need to set her alarm. For more years than she could remember, she had risen at six every morning. Her business, West Coast Interiors, had been sold, and she was easing into retirement, working part-time as a consultant.
The decision to sell had been a weighty one and followed on the heels of her mother's passing. As Julia neared sixty, she felt she had plenty of good years left. Then an offer had come through that was far and above her expectations. Julia didn't feel like she could turn it down. She wasn't ready to give up her work entirely, which was why she'd made continuing as a consultant part of the agreement. The buyers had asked her to stay on, as well. She could work as much or as little as she wanted. After finishing this latest project, she'd decided to take a few days off and test what semiretirement felt like.
This certainly wasn't how she'd once anticipated retirement. There'd been a time when she'd hoped to travel the world with her husband. Julia longed to explore Europe and Asia. As of now, traveling alone held little appeal. Perhaps one day.
As she knew it would, her dream home had sold less than a week after it had been listed. So many changes had come into her life. After her divorce was final, she'd rented an apartment before making a decision on her new home. She knew she wanted to remain living in Seattle, and possibly in the downtown area itself.
The city was her home and there had been enough upheaval in her life without facilitating another major life change. Her girls were close, as was her sister and her family. She waited a year to start looking, and then the search had taken on a life of its own.
For three long years, Julia was on an endless quest to find a place she felt she could call home. The Heritage was an older brick condo building, built in the 1960s, that was filled with warmth and character. So many of the newer high-rise buildings were steel structures, with little to no personality or charm. Set in the heart of the city, it was close enough for her to walk down to Pike Place Market for fresh produce and seafood. The 5th Avenue theater was nearby, as was plenty of shopping. As a bonus, there was a coffee shop next door, as well as several restaurants on the block.
The instant she stepped into The Heritage and viewed the large fountain in the center lobby, Julia sensed this was the place for her. The building, with only twelve floors, rarely had a vacancy. Julia was patient, and in time a unit became available. She'd lived here a little over two years now and loved the community of friends she'd made. Because it was an older building, The Heritage didn't have many of the amenities of the newer condos that attracted the techies from Amazon and Microsoft. This move was a new beginning for her. A fresh start, and she had settled in comfortably.
Tying the sash on her silk robe, she wandered into the kitchen and brewed a cup of coffee. Lazy mornings generally happened only on Sundays, when she attended the late service at church. She needed to create a new schedule for herself-or, on second thought, no schedule at all.
She'd just taken her first sip of coffee when her phone rang. It was her sister, Amanda.
"Hey, you're up early," Julia said by way of greeting.
"I didn't wake you, did I?"
"No, I was up. I can't seem to sleep past six. What's going on?"
"It's Carrie," her sister said.
Julia's niece, an only child, was especially close to her parents. She suspected what was coming. Carrie still lived at home, and the failure to break out on her own was a thorn between Amanda and her husband, Robert.
"Robert and I had another heated discussion about Carrie last night," her sister said with a groan. "He wants Carrie to move out. I mean, she's twenty-eight. It's time. Past time," she added in defeat. "The problem is: How do we tell her?"
"Glad it's not up to me." As Carrie's godmother, Julia dearly loved her niece. She understood her sister's concern. Carrie had graduated from college with a degree in French literature. A degree that didn't offer much in the way of career opportunities. Never one to be idle, Carrie had applied for several jobs, many of which had lasted only a few months.
Since her graduation from college, Carrie had steadily drifted from one position to another. She'd been a receptionist for a real estate company, worked for an accountant, had done a stint at an employment agency, sold cosmetics at a department store as a beauty specialist. And those were only the jo...
