REVIEW: Goodbye Again by Mariah Stewart

Goodbye Again by Mariah Stewart is the second book in the Wyndham Beach series. I have not read the first book, but I think the author did an excellent job keeping the reader current. The book focuses on the friendship of three lifelong friends (Liddy, Maggie, and Emma) as they support each other through grief, new relationships, second chances, and hope.

Liddy was devastated by her daughter Jessica’s suicide followed by her husband Jim suddenly announcing he wanted a divorce. She is trying to move on and finds motivation in purchasing and renovating the bookstore in their small town of Wyndham Beach. She has many fond memories of taking Jessica there when she was a child and hopes to provide that same feeling to others.

Tuck has a local contracting business and has been a friend of Liddy’s for years. He helps Liddy with the repairs needed at the bookstore while hoping he can move out of the friend zone. Maggie, Emma, and Grace, Maggie’s daughter, help Liddy with ideas to incorporate Jessica’s art into the store. Having Jessica’s art showcased in the store is a way for Liddy to remember and honor Jessica. Liddy is finally able to find some closure with Jessica’s suicide when the reasons behind it are slowly revealed.

The book was written from multiple points of view which I liked because it gave more perspective into all the characters’ lives. Interwoven with Liddy’s story, the side characters have their own romances and new beginnings developing.

I loved watching Liddy’s friends and their families come together and show so much support for Liddy. The friendship between the three friends had survived over long distances and many years which was inspiring. This was a wonderful story that will touch your heart as the women find happiness.

Book Info:

Publication: February 8, 2022 | Montlake | Wyndham Beach #2

In the wake of her daughter’s unexplained suicide and her husband Jim’s sudden abandonment, Liddy Bryant is determined to move on and make some positive changes in her life. In her hometown of Wyndham Beach, the neglected and shuttered bookstore is also in need of renewal, and Liddy recognizes an opportunity to get herself and the bookshop back on track. With a little help from her friends, she’s well on her way.

Local contractor Tuck Shelby has been a friend of Liddy’s forever. He’s made himself indispensable in the rehab of her shop—and in her life—but now he wants out of the friend zone. Then Jim returns with a long-overdue apology, hoping for forgiveness and a chance to start over, and Liddy has a life-changing choice to make.

Into a year when Liddy’s faced changes and the shocking truth of a well-kept secret comes not only a second chance at love, but a second chance at life.