In this day and age, people put labels on others to help them make sense of the world. Some labels are more flattering than others. However, most are not and often have a stereotype attached to them. For Missy Benson, she loathes being called “the divorced girl,” which she has become after her husband suddenly leaves her for another woman. Although she recognized that their marriage was not ideal, Missy didn’t realize how off the rails it was and her world gets sent into a tailspin. Depressed and bitter and drowning in Häagen-Dazs, she eventually gets a wake-up call. Newly motived, Missy is on a mission and decides to give her $14,000 engagement ring to a worthy man for just 99¢! One simple choice leads Missy on a path of healing, self-discovery, and renewed hope, but will she manage to sabotage the good things that come her way?
Having previously read a novel by Jackie Pilossoph, I knew to expect heartfelt storytelling, strong female characters, and life lessons that ring true for a wide audience. I was not disappointed. In many way, Ms. Pilossoph’s writing feels like that gentle, loving advice from a beloved aunt, with a healthy dose of “smack you upside the head” every now and then.
As a reader, one does not have to have gone through a divorce to be able to understand what Missy is dealing with. That is the beauty of Ms. Pilossoph’s writing; she is so in tune with her characters’ emotions that the reader can easily empathize. She utilizes flashbacks intelligently to allow readers a peak into important life moments in Missy’s past.
One of the biggest stand-outs for me is Missy’s assistant J.J. She has a fantastic outgoing bold personality (I seem to be drawn most to the supporting characters who have big personalities that match their heart). She is also a voice of reason that Missy dearly needs, and her biggest support.
As a reader, while I was pleased overall with how the story ended, I didn’t “get” the resolution with the engagement ring. Also there were a few instances where a reminder about a character was inserted in parentheses. I didn’t feel these where necessary. However, other readers may not be bothered. One other note is that there may be trigger points in the area of pregnancy (without wanting to give away any spoilers).
Ms. Pilossoph scores another hit with this tale of a divorcée wading (and sometimes floundering) her way through her failed marriage and learning to embrace her new identity. Make sure you get your copy of Divorced Girl Smiling today; you’ll be smiling the whole way through!
Thanks to Jackie Pilossoph for the book in exchange for an honest review.
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It sounds like this will be an interesting book to read. I can't wait to see how she puts her life back together.
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