Book Review: Brighter Than Before by Courtney Walsh
Sometimes the books you least expect end up touching your heart the most, and Brighter Than Before by Courtney Walsh was exactly that kind of read for me.
At its core, this charming women’s fiction book follows Claire as she tries to rebuild her life after divorce. She wants to rediscover who she is, and figure out what happiness really looks like moving forward.
What I loved most about this book was the balance between humor, heart, and hope. It made me laugh, made me reflect, and reminded me that new beginnings can come from even the hardest seasons of life. In this review, I’m sharing my honest thoughts about the story, the characters, and what made this book such a meaningful read for me.
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What is Brighter Than Before by Courtney Walsh About?
After a painfully public discovery shatters her marriage, along with her picture-perfect, country club life, Claire finds herself suddenly single and faced with a blank page for a future. On that page she writes a simple list that reads like equal parts dare and daydream–Move to a new city. Make a real friend. Get a job I love–and she vows to accomplish every single one.
Before she can talk herself out of it, she takes a step of faith, puts her old life in the rearview mirror, and leases an apartment in Chicago, the city that has always had her heart. This one step sends Claire on a journey of self-discovery, giving her the courage to conquer her fears, one checklist item at a time, and showing her that life can be a whole lot brighter than she imagined.
She rediscovers a love for baking, stumbles into new friendships, and even allows her daughter, Minnie, to create a dating profile and choose her dates for her. Perhaps the biggest surprise, though, is Miles, the charming, off-limits neighbor whose kindness makes it hard to remember why he’s off-limits at all.
Between late-night journaling, disastrous first dates, great big lessons and priceless small victories, Claire learns to quiet the voice telling her she wasn’t enough and listens to the one that asks the harder question . . .
What do I really want?
As old expectations loosen their grip, Claire discovers that belonging isn’t a place you’re invited to–it’s a life you build one brave choice at a time. And the sweetest things often show up when you finally get out of your own way. (from Amazon.com)
My First Thoughts
I listened to the audiobook because I was given a review copy through Netgalley. I’m so glad, because I really enjoyed listening to this book while I was out on my evening walks! The book is narrated by Patti Murin and I thought she did a great job. She was very enjoyable to listen to.
I Really Enjoyed the Story
I enjoyed Brighter than Before by Courtney Walsh so much! It’s funny how even though it takes place in a big city (Chicago) it still felt very familiar, like a small town romance.
It’s the story of a woman named Claire who uses her recent divorce as inspiration to change her life. She makes a list of things she wants to accomplish and takes a big leaping by moving to the city of Chicago, Illinois. After all, she’s always wanted to live somewhere new.
With the help of her adult daughter and a new friend Miles who lives in the apartment across the courtyard, she starts taking risks and putting herself out there. This story was so fun and the author perfectly captured the awkwardness of trying new things and meeting new people. I loved Claire’s positive attitude and how she took everything in stride. Even when she had a disaster (like rude first dates or recipe mix ups) she still managed to keep her cool.
Would I Recommend This Book?
Yes! I would recommend Brighter Than Before by Courtney Walsh if you enjoy women’s fiction with humor and heart. This story features a slow burn romance that I found completely adorable. I was rooting for Claire to find love every step of the way, so the ending was very satisfying.
In Conclusion
I think if you like women’s fiction with fun characters and witty humor, you will really enjoy this book. It’s all about second chances and learning to live your best life. I loved that Claire used her fresh start to make new friends and become a business owner (her dream job has always been to run a bakery). Her new life in the big city turned out great and was so fun to read about.
I think we can all take inspiration from this story. Professional Failure? Broken Marriage? Need a chance of pace? Follow Claire’s lead. Because things could turn out even better than you ever imagined.
This is my first book by author Courtney Walsh but now I want to go back and read everything in her backlist. This book will be published on June 8th so make sure you preorder your copy today.
