Sometimes characters from a story leave an imprint on your heart and you hope one day to be able to visit with them again to just check in. Libby is one of those characters for me. Her struggle with losing her mom... her marriage and cancer... and her eternal lust for life just made me love her. So I was very excited to find out Camille was bringing these characters back. I loved this story. Not as tongue in cheek as the first but there were moments. And it made me cry and think. And the ending... camilles books always leave me with hope and the knowledge that the characters are still there. In my mind I see Libby Shiloh and the girls thriving. I hope there will be a third installment!

Review

Camille Pagán has the unique ability to weave a story and create characters that feel absolutely real. My first read from her was Life and Other Near-Death Experiences and I really enjoyed it. A little out of my typical genre, but I loved the character of Libby. Imagine my surprise and excitement when I discovered that Don’t Make Me Turn This Life Around was a continuation of Libby’s story!

After beating cancer, Libby and her now husband, Shiloh, have successful careers, a happy marriage, and twin preteen daughters, one of whom has recently been diagnosed with diabetes. Libby has just passed the 10-year anniversary of being cancer-free and should be elated. But for some reason, she finds herself in the dumps. The story builds from there and is told from Libby’s POV.

While I love Libby, she was also a downside for me as I found her personality a little gloomy and somewhat whiny this time around. I also wished she and Shiloh would just be honest, their marital games were a little childish (just say what’s on your mind, people!) Still, the characters were well-rounded and believable - like people we all know. Throw in a trip back to Vieques (where they fell in love) and you have a lovely story of the trials of life and relationships.

All-in-all, I enjoyed the book and getting to catch up with Libby. It wasn’t as good as the first book, but I am impressed with Pagán’s ability to craft a story and her penchant for grounded characters and real-life situations.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC.

This was such a beautiful book! I have been a fan of each of Camille Pagan's books that I have read and this one did not disappoint. This was a quick read, I really enjoy books like this that are set in one condensed time frame with no jumping around in timelines.

This is a perfect read for a dark time, it inspired hope and positivity that while there are always setbacks, losses, changes and obstacles, there is always beauty to be found in life as well.

From the beginning of the book, Libby, the main character felt like a character I'd known before even though this was a new story, she was so wonderfully written . I'm excited for others to read this novel when it is published in May.

I'm usually a big Camile Pagan fan but this book didn't impress me much. The main character was so negative and kind of a mess for about 90 percent of the book. She finally pulled herself together during the storm but I was annoyed how just because her brother had marital issues that she then assumed she did too. The story was decently written and I did like the twins and how Charlotte dealt with the diabetes. Ok book but not my favorite. Thanks so much!

I loved everything about this book! It was a wonderful “mid life crisis” story and hit all the emotions for me. Pagán did an amazing job of portraying the feelings you have when you are questioning yourself and things in your marriage but didn’t take it too far. It was very relatable! Well done!

I wish I could have made myself finish it, but I just couldn’t. The set-up is straightforward: Libby Ross-Velazques is a New Yorker and wife and mother and head of a medium-sized charity and cancer-survivor.

She met her husband on an escape-trip to Puerto Rico more than decade before, and now things are beginning to seem a little shaky between them. And Libby, naturally, suspects he’s having an affair. Her gay brother is getting divorced from his long-time partner, who is also having an affair. One of her ten-year-old twin daughters is diabetic and Libby hovers over her constantly, trying to get her to take it seriously. She just celebrated ten years cancer-free, but she still worries that it will come back. (Because in her world, of course it will.) Maybe going back to Puerto Rico and the beach cottage, with the twins this time, will help them sort things out. But the island isn’t the same after Hurricane Maria,and the cottage isn’t the same, and the old woman who runs the place, and with whom Libby has been close friends all these years, isn’t the same. And then -- just when you thought there couldn’t possibly be any more trials and tribulations -- they’re trapped at the beach by a huge, dangerous tropical storm.

Piling on to this extent is just too much. What’s more, Libby is the whiny sort of self-righteous woman who fake-curses under stress (“Oh, sugar!”), which doesn’t make her any more sympathetic, or realistic. Not to me, anyway. This isn’t the author’s first book, either. I finally packed it in at the halfway point. I just couldn’t face the volcanic eruption and the meteor strike and the alien landing I was sure were coming in the second half.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Don’t Make Me Turn This Life Around by Camille Pagan starts with Libby discovering that she is cancer-free on the tenth anniversary of the end of her treatment. This should be a happy time for her but she is relegated to seeing the worst in every situation because her father has died, one of her twin daughters has type one diabetes, and her husband is acting oddly. Instead of being happy, she’s depressed. However, Libby plans a celebratory vacation to Vieques, Puerto Rico in an attempt to break out of her malaise and make her family happy. What she doesn’t count on is that her beloved friend in Puerto Rico is not well, a hurricane is heading towards them and Libby fears everything is going to slip through her fingers and die because they’ll be without power, short on drugs, stranded, no cold storage for diabetic medicine, etc. There are many things that I felt were inconsistencies in the story, and honestly, the biggest one was that I thought I was reading a “seriously funny” (publishers description) book. This was not a funny book although the cover makes it seem like a vacation in paradise. It wasn’t a vacation in paradise. This book is a tearjerker. I appreciate ARC from @NetGalley but my thoughts are my own and without bias.

Goodness gracious, this novel is sad. It’s not only that its pages hold a melancholy undertone, but the entire work is serious.

Libby is nearly in cancer remission, but finds herself smack dab in the middle of a mid-life crisis. Stasis. Her husband, Shiloh, is pulling away, she’s dealing with familial loss, and her teenage girls are... not very appreciative of their mom. To remind herself of the happiness she once had, Libby gets an idea to revisit Vieques, a place that had shed so much light on a previously dark moment in her life.

I like many aspects of this story. Camille’s writing is exquisite and I enjoyed her descriptors throughout the novel. I even like the seriousness of the message, to some degree, because life can be serious; I found it very realistic. However, there weren’t a ton of uplifting factors in this novel until the very end and for me, it needed a tad more in order to be a 5 star read. With that said, if you’re a fan of realistic narrative and unpredictability, you may absolutely love this book!

Recently diagnosed cancer free at her 10 year checkup, Libby is not feeling as elated as she should be. Still dealing with the death of her father she is feeling like she is in a rut with her job and family life. Libby decides that in order to get her groove back all that is needed is a fun family vacation. The dream vacation suddenly turns south and everyone is tested.

#Don’tMakeMeTurnThisLifeAround
#Netgalley

This was such a good book. So heartfelt. I’ve never read a book by this author and I definitely will after reading this. I flew through it. I hope and definitely think people will enjoy it as much I did. Thank you for the opportunity to read it. I’m gonna definitely buy a copy for my shelf

I didn't realize until now that this is a sequel to Life and Other Near-Death Experiences, which I read five years ago (no wonder!). Libby is now married to Shiloh with twin 12-year-old daughters and having a bit of a midlife crisis. A trip to Puerto Rico -- where the couple met met -- ends up being enlightening, and not in the ways Libby expects.

I enjoy all of this author's books. In her note at the end, she reveals that her husband is from Puerto Rico, so they go often. That explains why the scenes there felt real, including the devastation from Maria. I heard about Vieques years ago and it's been on my list of places to visit since!

Love the title.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC.

Return To Vieques. As it turns out, this book is a sequel to Life And Other Near Death Experiences. I didn't know that going in, but I've read a couple of Pagan's other books and had to read this one too. (And yes, I *have* Life already, I just haven't *read* it yet. :D) But this is a "sequel" in that it follows some of the same characters years later, rather than being an "immediate aftermath" type sequel. So in that sense, think of it more along the lines of Nicholas Sparks' The Wedding ("sequel" to The Notebook, years later) or maybe the new Saved By The Bell reboot (which I haven't seen yet, but have seen the premise of). In other words, not knowing the first tale might have *slight* detriments here as far as getting the full potential impact of certain scenes, but overall this book is closer to being a standalone book rather than a "you MUST read this other book first" type.

Within this tale itself, you get a strong look at what life in the Caribbean (and, technically, nearby Atlantic) can do for a "mainlander" - but also a view of what life there is *really* like, specifically in the aftermath of storms like Irma and (specifically used in the text) Maria. Potential real world spoiler sentence: <spoiler>(Indeed, it seems that Pagan uses a fair amount of real life observation, as she herself is married to a Puerto Rican native and they regularly go back with their kids to Vieques - much as the characters in the book do - and were there during a storm as she was writing this book.) </spoiler> And we're back: Overall, this book is what I've come to expect from Pagan: Tackling solid, hard hitting issues with enough humor to be enjoyable and enough heart to be heart wrenching. So read it, enjoy it, and consider the possibilities. Very much recommended.

Libby is a cancer survivor. She is a very optimistic person, and always tries to focus on the sunny side of things. Libby has a wonderful husband and two healthy daughters. However, Libby has noticed that something is not quite right with her life. Libby and her husband, Shiloh, decide to take the family on a vacation to Vieques, which happens to be the Puerto Rican island where she fell in love with Shiloh. After arriving in Vieques, the family encounters several setbacks. Will the family members grow more distant with one another, or will they be able to regain the closeness they once felt? I instantly fell in love with this family through all of their struggles! Once again, Camille Pagan has written a wonderful book!

I love this author and I loved this latest installment! Such depth to the writing while tackling real life issues of family and marriage and womanhood. Have already recommended to friends!

Camille Pagán’s books are automatic must-reads for me and I was so excited when I found out she was bringing back my favourite character (Libby) from my favourite book (LIFE AND OTHER NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCES) in this one.

A fast-paced and utterly absorbing read, DON’T MAKE ME TURN THIS LIFE AROUND is full of Pagán’s trademark wit and humour. I found myself immediately drawn into Libby’s world and relating to so many of the situations she was dealing with. Libby is an eternal optimist who is constantly putting on a brave face for the people around her. But never saying how you truly feel has a tendency to backfire and that is exactly what Libby is about to learn.

Most of the book takes place on the tiny island of Vieques in Puerto Rico and, in stark contrast to the setting we experienced in Libby & Shiloh’s original story, this is an island ever-changed by the devastation of Hurricane Maria. In the author’s note, Pagán acknowledges the special place Puerto Rico holds in her heart and the pain she feels for the country as it continues to struggle to rebuild. That pain is beautifully reflected in the characters' feelings about Vieques and how the island is at the heart of the story.

I devoured this book in a few sittings. I laughed, I cried, I got angry but most of all, I enjoyed the emotional journey it took me on. DON’T MAKE ME TURN THIS LIFE AROUND releases in May 2021 and should definitely be on your pre-order list. While you’re waiting, be sure to read LIFE AND OTHER NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCES first, as well as all of Camille Pagán’s backlist. They are all fabulous.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing for the advance reading copy.

This book kept me intrigued right from the start. While I did find the main character, Libby, to be really annoying at times, I loved the descriptions of Puerto Rico and the combination of loveliness and devastation that happened there after hurricane Maria. Milagros was a wonderful character who knew just how to say the right things at the right time.

It took me about 3 hours to read this book from cover to cover. I refused to put it down! It really packed a few emotional punches (love, loss, life-changing events and decisions) nicely wrapped into a heartwarming and relatable storyline. Recommending this one for sure!

This book was FANTASTIC. An amazing balance of funny, sweet, and sad. I flew through this one, simply because I didn’t want to put it down. The characters were imperfect and lovable, the storyline was relatable and full of emotion, and I just couldn’t have loved it more. It truly attacked how people really deal with grief and hit it spot on.

Thank you so much to @amazonpublishing, @lakeunionauthors, and @camillepaganbooks for my copy of Don’t Make Me Turn This Life Around! I adore Camille Pagan’s writing, and was so excited to receive my ARC of this book.

Synopsis: It’s been thirteen years since doctors declared Libby Ross-Velasquez a goner. Yet here she is—cancer-free. So why doesn’t she feel more alive? Sure, Libby’s husband, Shiloh, has been distant. One of their daughters has a serious health condition. And her father’s death hovers over Libby like a rain cloud. Still, this eternal optimist knows she’s the winner of the existential lottery.

But when her forced cheer isn’t enough to keep her family from catching her blahs, she decides to fly them all to Vieques. The Puerto Rican island is where she and Shiloh fell in love—and where she decided to fight for her life after her cancer diagnosis. Where better to put their problems into perspective?

Then a tropical storm strikes. Libby pretends everything is fine, even as she fears she’s doomed her family. What she can’t see is that the worst disaster they’ve faced may be the best thing that ever happened to them. But first, they have to get through it.

If you love a book with a plot that pulls you in and characters that tug at your heartstrings, Pagan’s writing is the one for you. And, this book is no exception. Libby was an easy character to fall in love with and root for, even has her and Shiloh continued to become more distant. I love how they evolved as the book went on. Milagros and Hector became my favorites though. And the settings, oh the settings! I love Puerto Rico and Vieques (we honeymooned there), and Pagan made me feel like I was back on Vieques, exploring the island with my husband. Her descriptions are beautiful and vivid, even in the middle of an awful storm.

Keep your tissues handy for this one, folks (don’t say I didn’t warn you). Don’t Make Me Turn This Life Around is out on May 11th, and Pagan has a wonderful backlist to check out in the meantime!

I remember enjoying this author's previous titles which I listened to when I needed something lighthearted. This one is no different! Camille Pagán didn't disappoint is delivering another funny yet relevant novel on real issues.

Our protagonist Libby is not particularly happy. Married and with young teenage twins, she should certainly feel more excited about life, especially when she's been cancer-free for thirteen years, right? Unfortunately, each of their family member is fighting their own demons while Libby's relationship with her husband dwindles. So, she books a family vacation to the Puerto Rican island the couple first fell in love with to rekindle their relationship, and the one with the twins, too.

But then, a tropical storm strikes and now entire family has to deal with life and death situation. And they learn things about each other they didn't expect!

I just loved how this book was simultaneously happy and sad, hilarious and tear-jerking.

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.