Before and Again: A Novel

From Barbara Delinsky, the New York Times bestselling author of Blueprints and Sweet Salt Air, a brand-new novel about a woman in hiding finding the courage to face the world again.\n\nMackenzie Cooper took her eyes off the road for just a moment but the resulting collision was enough to rob her not only of her beloved daughter but ultimately of her marriage, family, and friends-and thanks to the nonstop media coverage, even her privacy. Now she lives in Vermont under the name Maggie Reid, in a small house with her cats and dog. She's thankful for the new friends she's made-though she can't risk telling them too much. And she takes satisfaction in working as a makeup artist at the luxurious local spa, helping clients hide the visible outward signs of their weariness, illnesses, and injuries. Covering up scars is a skill she has mastered.\n\nHer only goal is to stay under the radar and make it through her remaining probation. But she isn't the only one in this peaceful town with secrets. When a friend's teenage son is thrust into the national spotlight, accused of hacking a powerful man's Twitter account, Maggie is torn between pulling away and protecting herself-or stepping into the glare to be at their side. As the stunning truth behind their case is slowly revealed, Maggie's own carefully constructed story begins to unravel as well. She knows all too well that what we need from each other in this difficult world is comfort. But to provide it, sometimes we need to travel far outside our comfort zones.\n\nFrom a multimillion-selling master of women's fiction, Before and Again is a story of the relationships we find ourselves in-mothers and daughters, spouses and siblings, true companions and fair-weather friends-and what kind of sacrifices we are or aren't willing to make to sustain them through good times and bad.\n\nEditorial Reviews\n\n"Through a fast-paced and accessible narrative voice, Delinsky tackles many weighty issues in this complicated tale of friendship, loss, love, and redemption. A tale about surmounting life's most difficult moments and finding hope when one least expects it." - Kirkus\n\n"This is a rewarding, emotionally intense novel." - Publishers Weekly\n\n"With a bucolic New England setting and an emotional story that plumbs depths without feeling too heavy, Delinsky perfectly portrays the temptations of starting over." - Booklist\n\n"It's largely about love and loss, mistakes and second chances and ultimately learning to survive life and whatever it throws your way and to go on living." - Medium\n- From the Publisher\n\nMary Stuart Masterson is quite wonderful narrating Delinsky's uplifting novel of a woman's struggle to rebuild her life after a personal tragedy. In one second of distraction, Mackenzie Cooper misses a stop sign and crashes into another car, killing that car's driver and her own 5-year-old daughter. Masterson offers a poignant, understated delivery as Mackenzie's life spirals out of control. Notorious in the press, disowned by friends and family, and divorced, Mackenzie moves to a quiet town in Vermont, changes her name, and starts a new life. Masterson provides a nuanced performance as Mackenzie/Maggie faces an ethical dilemma: whether to stand by a new friend who is in serious trouble and facing the possibility of public exposure, or to keep quiet and not get involved. Worthwhile listening. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine\n- AUGUST 2018 - AudioFile