This book was read thanks to NetGalley



I want to highlight that this author did an amazing job by making the characters and history felt so reeaaal, like to me one of the hardest things to do in the writing is write the emotions and feelings from the characters, and she nailed it, literally it feel some parts as if a friend was telling me how she feels and all I could do was say, do you want a hug?

I recommend this book.

This is my second book by Pagan and I’ve learned exactly what to expect from her novels: real characters and heart.

I understand that this book is a sequel, but I didn’t feel confused at any point or like I missed out by not reading the previous book (although now I plan to!).

Libby is a vividly portrayed character and, as always, Pagan has set up an incredibly real family and marriage dynamic.
Against a backdrop of a last-minute vacation, as you can guess, nothing really goes as planned.

This story is a great beach read but is also chocked full of heartfelt and compelling drama and character development.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC of Don’t Make Me Turn This Life Around in exchange for my honest opinion.

I enjoy this author's work having found her on Net Galley. This book did not disappoint and was one of the best family oriented fiction books I have read. This book will pull your emotions to the surface and that is the mark of a excellent writer indeed ! I loved Libby, a woman finding herself in a rut in her married life as a Mother and cancer survivor. She has a long lasting depression over beating cancer and cannot pull herself out of it even after 10 years of being cancer free . She decides to take her two 12 year old twin girls, her husband to a amazing get a way vacation to try to adjust her sails . One of her daughters is now in a health crisis and Libby is concerned. When they are threatened by a tropical storm and the family is in danger the real work of their family begins
A heartfelt story told by a excellent writer of a family in danger of separating from each other and the Mother that wants to save them all.
Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley. My review opinion is my own. A excellent read.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/39939015865 massive shining stars. Sweet and wonderful!

This novel was a real treat for me, in part because “Life and Other Near-Death Experiences” is one of my all-time favorite books. So I knew picking up Libby and Shiloh’s story a decade plus later, paired with Camille Pagan’s awesome writing style— which always takes you on a close emotional journey—promised to be heart wrenching and wonderful.

You do not have to read the prequel to enjoy this novel, as everything is explained in a seamless way; How Libby met Shiloh in Puerto Rico over thirteen years before when she was about to give up on cancer treatment; How they fell into a passionate romance that convinced Libby to fight for her life. And how they now have two daughters and she’s been cancer free for a decade.

But at Libby’s ten-year cancer-versary, she’s shocked to not be more excited. In fact, that’s the problem with life these days; nothing lights her spark in the way it used to. She thinks she’s coping with life dulling around the edges—except that she’s not — she’s stifling her emotions and forcing fake positivity for her colleagues and family when, instead all she feels is numb. And her forced positivity and papering over the cracks isn’t doing her family any favors.

When she and her husband decide to relight her spark by traveling again to Vieques in Puerto Rico, the island where Libby and Shiloh met, she expects that flame to light right back up – like turning up a gas burner. However, the universe has different plans – jellyfish stings, being trapped in a tropical storm, bickering teenagers who want to be anywhere but here.

This novel has all the hallmarks of classic, fabulous, Camille Pagán, everything that makes her one of my all-time favorites; sensitive writing, close relationships, fear of vulnerability, getting right into a character’s head in a way that enables you to root for them at every step--even when they are far from perfect. And a plot that keeps you turning pages and rooting for this little family of four; every step of their crazy journey back to each other.

Yes, I smile and cried (saw that coming!), but I also finished this book feeling like I’d been on the best vacation. Only Camille Pagán could write this sweet and wonderful book! 5 massive shining stars from me.

This is a follow up to Life and Other Near-Death Experiences but can definitely be read as a stand-alone though - the author does a good job of filling in the background.

A realistic storyline with family struggles, personal turmoil, marriage problems and ups and downs of life in general. Pagán always has realistic complex characters and plots.

I found the main character, Libby, a bit annoying in the first half of the book, to no fault of her own, but the second half she was much more tolerable.

A story with a lot of heart, emotion and one that will be so relatable to many!

Having read and enjoyed Life And Other Near-Death Experiences many years ago, I was looking forward to this follow up. Sadly, I struggled to enjoy it, mostly because I failed to reconnect with any of the characters. At least I finished it, though, which is something.

The premise is promising: The Velasquez family is falling apart. Mum Libby has just reached her 10-year cancer-free milestone, but feels oddly unable to celebrate. Dad Shiloh is stressed out from his job as a private pilot and seems to have lost his libido. And their 12 year-old twin daughters are constantly at each other’s throats. To help the family find itself again, they all head off to Puerto Rico for a bonding holiday. Cue hurricane.

So where does it all go wrong? Well, primarily with Libby, whose behavior is frankly impossible to fathom at times. So Shiloh has a couple of, ahem, floppy moments in the bedroom, but is that any reason to go all, woe is me, my husband doesn’t fancy me anymore? I think not. This is a woman in her forties we’re talking about, not some immature 20 year-old. So much of the narrative was taken up with this daft storyline that my eyes almost rolled right out of their sockets in sheer exasperation.

I like my female protagonists to be strong and feisty or at least to become strong and feisty. Okay, they can be flawed — who doesn’t love a character who’s flawed? — but seriously, no reader wants needy and whiney.

This was a story that required readers to get behind the main character, to sympathize with her, to cheer her on. If I’m honest, all I wanted to do was slap her — heck, slap the lot of them, wimpy Shiloh included.

And why, oh why has it become necessary in contemporary fiction to have an obligatory gay couple hanging out on the sidelines like subs at a footie match who are never going to get off the bench? Is it just me, or isn’t this vaguely insulting?

Finally, (phew!), there’s the wholly unsatisfactory ending, which has clearly been written to leave the door open for another book. Close the door, already! Then lock it and throw away the key.

*Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an early copy of this book for review, all opinions are my own*

I didn't think I would really like this book but I did. It is a very quick story to read since the chapters are short and something is always happening in the story.
I got really attached to the characters which made me (I admit) cry a few times in the end. t
This is a book where disaster happens after a disaster, that even when you think that nothing worse can happen, it happens, but at the same time the book has a very light and good vibe, I think that the author's writing helps a lot in this.
As I said it’s a book that a lot of bad things happens but that teaches us a lot too, like most books everything works out in the end (which I didn’t even like very much) but I think that even then the book managed to get the message across to me that your pain matters, your feelings matter, feel and talk to those you love always!

The cover of this book is absolutely gorgeous, but don’t let it completely fool you, Don’t Make Me Turn This Life Around handles heavy topics and isn’t a light beach read. It’s the sequel to Life and Other Near-Death Experiences, and I loved the chance to catch up with Libby and Shiloh while meeting their twin daughters. The central theme of the book is finding the balance in life when the hits keep coming and you are an eternal optimist trying to put a smile on every situation. Life is tough but so is Libby, and you’ll find yourself rooting for her throughout the whole book.

CW: death of a parent, cancer

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC of Don’t Make Me Turn This Life Around in exchange for my honest opinion.
This quick read was exactly what I was looking for this morning to help distress after a busy week. Libby, the main character, is celebrating her ten year cancerversary with a trip to Vieques, Puerto Rico, to visit an old friend. The trip doesn’t go as she had planned at all! The writing is earnest and enjoyable, and I loved this little “vacation” I felt I went on through reading this book.

A woman who knows how lucky she is to be alive,tries to bring a bit of 5hst wisdom to her family. She hopes a vacation to the place where her Phoenix began its rise,doesn’t go as planned and yet in the end it was just the ticket all along. I loved her can do attitude even in the face of a daughter facing health challenges of her own. Hopeful lighting will strike twice. It’s hard to understand all a spouse endures as a wife struggles and recovers her health. A letdown is inevitable but I thought Shiloh was not as realized as he could have been. Happily Mother Nature takes the reins and the results will have you tearing up.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Camille Pagan - 4.5 stars for an emotional read!

Libby just got the news that she is cancer free and her 10-year remission anniversary is coming up. So why isn't she ecstatic? A normally optimistic person, Libby has dealt with her cancer, the death of her dad and her daughter's medical issues by putting a positive spin on everything. Now her husband, Shiloh, is uncharacteristically distant and Libby fears the worst. Trying to get herself and her life back on track, Libby books a last-minute vacation to the Puerto Rican island where she and Shiloh fell in love. However, nothing is going according to plan.

These characters and situations feel very real, even if you are not on an island vacation. Every person has to deal with issues in their lives and how we handle them makes all the difference. Libby was used to shoving everything deep inside and putting a smile on her face but emotions don't stay hidden forever. There were great family and sibling dynamics in this book and I felt like every character figured things out and improved themselves by the end. Great read!

Libby thinks a trip to Vieques, where she's always been happy, might be the right medicine for her family. Her twin tween daughters are at each other's throats, one of them has been diagnosed with type-1 diabetes, her husband has cooled to her, her father died, and her brother's marriage has failed. On the up side, she's cancer free. Yay. So a trip to spend time with Milagros,, who's been a surrogate mother, should help everyone find balance except that it doesn't work out that way. A hurricane hits and it puts things into perspective. This is a followup to an earlier book but it's perfectly enjoyable as a standalone (as I expect many will read it). Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Good characters and relatable situations make it an enjoyable read.

You will need kleenex! A lot of it! I really wasn't expecting this book to be this tearjerking, but I cried so much! It's sad, emotional yet so beautiful! The bond between Libby and her daughters broke me. It reminded me so much of the bond between my and my mother. The only thing that "bothered" me about this book, is that it's a sequel to a previous book by Camille Pagán, which I didn't know and I hadn't read. Maybe I would've been able to connect the story a bit more if I had known that previously. Nonetheless this is a heartwarming and emotional rollercoaster.

<b> Thank you to NetGalley and the author for kindly providing me with an eArc, in return for an honest review. </b>

I'll read anything Camille Pagan writes and opened this book knowing nothing about what to expect. What a fun surprise to discover that we were back with her wonderful characters from her debut! It's real, true-to-life parenthood and middle-age. As essential to your beach bag as sunscreen!

A heartwarming and an emotional tale of a woman named Libby who was declared cancer free. She felt her marriage to her husband, Shiloh estranged and one of her daughter, Charlotte is suffering from diabetes and she is dealing with her father's sudden death. She then takes her family to an island in Puerto Rico, where she met and fell in love with Shiloh.

This is a quick read, and is based on Libby's perspectives. I am warmed to the character of Libby, who takes cares of her family particularly her daughter Charlotte.. The real story actually starts somewhere in the middle of the book when the family gets stranded in the island, having stuck due to the hurricane. I like how in the end, despite the differences between the family members get together to survive in the hurricane and trying to find a way to get out of the island. Shiloh's revelation in the end was heartbreaking (both good and bad way--not going to give much) and overall, it was a happy ending in the end. The writing was good, the characters, many of them are likable and realistic. It was so cute, heartwarming and emotional a bit story. The part about cancer is realistic and I like how the author make the situation as realistic as possible. Several members of my family died from cancer so this book felt a bit personal as well.

Overall, a tear jerking, heartbreaking book that will make you cry! Worth five stars!

Thank You Netgalley and Lake Union for giving me ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

After receiving good news that Libby is 10 years cancer free, she should be feeling ecstatic! She has a wonderful husband, two daughters a really great job, and a loving twin brother, but she still cant shake the feeling that her life isn't what she expected. Yes her dad passed recently, her daughter was diagnosed with diabetes, and her husband is a little distant, but her sunny disposition blocks her from really understanding her real feelings on all of this. So she decides to bring her family to Puerto Rico where Libby and Shiloh fell in love, but the feelings Libby have been feeling at home follow her and when a tropical storm hits the island Libby finds herself sweeping all her issues under the rug again.

Wow this book really packed a punch! This was a beautiful story about toxic positivity and learning to sit in the discomfort of issues like health, death, and divorce. I really related to this book I too am someone who tends to push the hard stuff under the rug and try to be overly positive and perfect. This book really helped me see the issue in that. I too have had new opportunities come my way recently and yet still feel that uneasy feeling that something isn't right. My eyes have been opened and the work needs to be done and I can't thank Camille enough for writing this book!

Don't Make Me Turn This Life Around was a slow starter for me. However as I read into the story I was soon engrossed in the life of Libby and her family. 

I began not liking Libby that much, she was a bit of an avoider. I thought she could do with a read of one of Brené Brown's books where she talks about not making up stories in your head.

Libby has a loving husband - with a bit of a query there, two twin girls, one of whom has Diabetes 1, a gay twin brother who has had a falling out with his partner, a father's ashes she can't commit to burying and she has lost her taste for her job.

It's a lot, and the way Libby comes to face all this is what makes the story so good. I loved her friendship with the wise woman on Vieques, the dog she lets her heart out to and the way she finds her way back to what is really important. 

Along the way we learn what it is like to experience a bad hurricane for an small island and what is like to live with Diabetes 1 for all the family. 

So family, friendship, loss, love, facing into the difficulties of life - this story has plenty to offer.

I had a love hate relationship with this book. It resonated with me as I had several things in common with the main character - cancer, death of a father, questioning who you are. It fell flat in places overall I it was a lovely read that was emotional so be ready.

Don’t Make Me Turn This Life Around is another wise, poignant, and wonderful novel by author Camille Pagán. All of the characters in this book are complex people who I truly cared about, each of them dealing with the ups and downs of life—but repressing their true feelings is causing cracks in this lovely family. I was completely wrapped up in the emotions of Libby, Shiloh, and their family, sharing their fears, their disappointments, their worries, and always hoping for healing of their bruised hearts. I loved being reunited with Libby, Shiloh, And the others from the author’s book Life and Other Near-Death Experiences, but you do not have to read the first book to fully enjoy this one. However, I highly encourage you to read the first book merely because the characters are so lovely, you’ll want to spend more time with them!

I am continuously impressed by Camille Pagán's writing and Don't Make Me Turn this Life Around is further proof of that. It makes me wish I had started reading her books when she first was publishing them. Especially since I found out that this one is a follow up to Life and Other Near-Death Experiences. While this novel can be read as a standalone, there are a lot of spoilers for the previous one. With all the background information filled in, it was easy to follow and understand what was going on.

I loved feeling like I was on an armchair adventure, minus the storm situation. The bioluminescent bay sounded amazing. I also would have enjoyed relaxing at the guest house and hanging out with Milagros. Pedro sounded adorable too. I could somewhat relate to the dire situation during the storm. Not on the same level that Libby had to though. My kids would be inconvenienced if they couldn't charge their cochlear implant batteries for a few days, whereas it was a life or death situation for one of Libby's kids. That must have been terrifying and I could feel Libby's fear through the pages. I also love how real the characters got with each other.

With great dialogue and descriptions, along with a story that flows seamlessly, this is a must-have for your beach bag (or wherever you like to read). I just hope Camille writes another follow up about this family, as the story makes way for one.

Movie casting suggestions:
Libby: Michaela Watkins
Shiloh: David Zayas
Milagros: Lillian Hurst
Isa/Charlotte: Satine Scarlett Montaz
Paul: Justin Theroux