The Lost Husband by Katherine Center

The Lost Husband Reviews

• 
  KAS

  
  Few “women’s fiction” writers hold my attention like this author! Few make me feel giddy and grinning like this author! Few have me burning the midnight oil like this author! Few have this author’s talent!
  
  So with as much enthusiasm as I can muster, I highly recommend this family oriented/romantic story with completely endearing characters.
  
  O’Connor, the shaggy bearded farmer, had only said his first twenty words and I was already head over heels for him ;)
  
  Rarely do I listen to audiobooks, but found this one to be awesomely unputdownable.
  
  I don’t say this enough, but my local library is the greatest source for books/ebooks/audiobooks, and am so grateful for them!
• 
  Susan's Reviews

  This engaging, heartwarming story has been adapted into a movie: and is a total hit on Netflix. This is a totally enjoyable read and you will love the kids in this story. Katherine Center captures the family dynamic so well! School bullying, single parenthood and never-ending farm chores make for a highly amusing and entertaining story.
  
  
  
  Have you read this wonderful story already? Then check out the trailer for the movie adaptation on Youtube. (
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zr5Gi...)
  Josh Duhamel did a great job with this tricky role.
  
  
  
  Highly recommended!
  P.S. The movie adaptation of The Lost Husband is now available on HOOPLA. My public library subscribes to HOOPLA so that means I get to watch this FOR FREE with my library subscription. So excited!!!
• 
  Corina

  3.5 stars
  
  I read my first Katherine Center book two years ago, when
  How to Walk Away was released, and since then I've fallen in love with her incredible and brilliant writing. I just recently found out that the movie for The Lost Husband is being released soon, and it was time for me to pick up the book. Since I'm always trying to read the book before watching the movie.
  
  Overall the book was very sweet, and rather touching. Writing wise I don't think it matches the author's latest works, but the story was exactly what I came to love about her work. A feel good story, with wonderful characters, and many sweet and enchanting moments.
  
  The characters as always, were wonderfully relatable and charming. I enjoyed them all, except for Libby's mother. But her aunt, her kids, and of course O'Connor made for a fantastic cast. Especially O'Connor, who was my favorite, kind, genuine, devoted, hard-working, and adorable with the kids. Now after reading this book, I can't wait to see the movie, especially since I know that Josh Duhamel is playing O'Connor. I'm a bit in love with the character if I'm honest.
  
  And even though this book wasn't the author's strongest or best work, it's still an adorable and sweet read, and it was the perfect story for a slow Saturday, and in-between thrillers.
  
  
  
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• 
  Christy

  3 stars
  

  You can’t just wish strength for yourself. Or wisdom. Or resilience. Those things have to be earned.

  
  I picked up The Lost Husband because I have loved Katherine Center's previous works, plus I saw there was a film that just came out based on the book (I'll be watching that asap). I think the movie will be super cute and even though this wasn't my favorite of her books, it was a good read that I enjoyed listening to.
  
• 
  ReadAlongWithSue

  A fabulous story about love, loss and starting over.
  Just that sentence hold a vast set of emotions which the author makes you feel whilst reading this book.
  
  Great talent.
• 
  DeAnn

  4 sweet but some substance stars
  
  After two dark reads, I had to find something lighter and Katherine Center perfectly fits the bill! I've been eyeing this one for a while as there's a movie out based on the book, I'll be queuing that up tonight!
  
  This one has Libby, a mom of two, recently widowed and she is a worry wart. I can totally relate to that, always thinking the worst is going to happen. After her husband's death, things fall apart financially and she eventually gets an offer to go stay with her aunt and help on the goat farm.
  
  It's quite a new experience and adventure for her kids and Libby finally starts to make peace with herself. There are some episodes of bullying for her daughter and my heart ached for them. They did find a great solution though! There might even be a new love interest, but things are so complicated.
  
  There were some near tears with this one and some laugh out loud moments. I'm glad a have a few more of her books to read.
• 
  Sheyla ✎

  
  
  
  

  “You can’t just wish strength for yourself. Or wisdom. Or resilience. Those things have to be earned.”

  
  
  Another great novel by Katherine Center!
  
  After reading 3 books by Katherine, I've come to appreciate her writing style. I'm a fan for life.
  
  The heroine of this novel is Libby Moran. She's a widow and has two children, Abby and Theo. Her husband, Danny, passed away three years ago in a motor vehicle accident. Her daughter Abby was hurt during the same accident and she still walks with a limp. Libby still feels residual guilt about his passing. They had an argument the morning before the accident.
  
  For the last year, Libby has been living with her mother. They don't get along and arguments are always present. Then a letter from her aunt arrives. In this letter, her aunt offers her a job at her goat farm and a place to live for her and her children. Libby doesn't think about it twice. She immediately packs their few belongings to start a new chapter in her life and the life of her children.
  
  At the farms, things are different. She has to wake up early to milk the goats. She's dressing in overalls and makeup is a thing of the past. She has to learn to deal with the farm manager, who has a lot of facial hair. Her children are starting a new school and she worries about Abby and her limp. So many changes but at the end of the day, she's happy she made this choice.
  
  The shaggy manager, James O'Connor stole my heart. He was so good to Libby's children. He was sweet and caring. I love all of their interactions.
  
  

  “That’s not a farm manager,” I said. “That’s Chewbacca.”

  
  
  The Lost Husband is quite inspirational. It's about family, loss, despair, love, and hope. It's also about moving forward and adapting to changes.
  
  Cliffhanger: No
  
  4/5 Fangs
  
  
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• 
  Robin Hill

  5.5 stars
  
  Gahhhhhhhhhhh!!! I was up all night with this book and then sucked in again this morning. I had to finish it because I knew I wouldn't be able to focus on anything else until I did. It gave me
  The Simple Wild feels throughout, and I'm pretty sure if you loved Jonah, the hot Alaskan bush pilot yeti, you'll love O'Connor, the hot Texan farmer yeti just as much. This is women's fiction with a heavy dose of romance, so keep that in mind. Remember how you felt at the end of Simple Wild? You'll likely feel the same at the end of this one--desperate for more.
  
  The Lost Husband is sweet, poignant, inspiring, and full of heart. And O'Connor? SWOONNNNNNN!!! Loved it. #1 read so far this year!
  
  Note: I checked out the audio and it seemed pretty good, but I knew right away this would be a top read for me and wanted to experience it 100% in my mind, so I ended up reading it.
• 
  Heather

  I wanted to read something a little lighter as the last several books I’ve read have been pretty intense for me. This book did not disappoint. It was a sweet, heartwarming story about a woman who’s husband passed away a couple years ago. Her and her two kids were staying with her mother and she was offered the opportunity to go stay on her Aunt’s farm and help with running the farm. The characters were likeable and it was a nice, feel good story, and when I finished I hugged the book to me, smiled and thought ‘ah that was so sweet’. Just what I needed!
• 
  Linda

  I received an uncorrected advanced copy of The Lost Husband by Katherine Center from Netgalley.com in return for my honest review.
  
  From the minute I first started reading The Lost Husband, I loved it. It was just my kind of novel, charming and quirky with heartwarming characters. However, as the story progressed, although I enjoyed the book, very much in fact, I felt there were several problems that were hard to get past.
  
  When the book opened, the reader learned that Danny, the husband of the main character, Libby, was killed in a car accident 3 years prior. Due to Danny's mistakes, and his desire to keep things a secret, upon his death, Libby and her two young children, Abby and Theo, discovered that they were in a desperate situation; they were financially unstable, forced to sell their home and moved in with Libby's controlling mother. These facts were covered within, what seemed like, a very few pages. Libby's Aunt Jean, an amazing, lovable character, invited Libby and her children to come live and work her goat farm. Libby was only too relieved to leave her mother's home. Unfortunately, the reader didn't really experience the relationship between Libby and her mother first-hand. Clearly Libby's mother was difficult and overbearing, but fleshing out their relationship a little more thoroughly while they were all living together would have presented a more complete picture. Because the move progressed so quickly, the reader had to essentially take Libby's word for it, although there were a few indications of the mother's disposition and selfishness. It might have been better to have slowed the story down a bit.
  
  Additionally, Libby appeared to have no animosity towards her late husband despite their circumstances. This didn't seem realistic. In fact, I was expecting more to be revealed about Danny and what happened to all of their money, but that story-line never developed. It would have been interesting if it had.
  
  That being said, there were certain parts of the book that were wonderful, Jean’s interaction with Libby and the kids as well as the depiction of small-town living. Sunshine and Russ rounded out the cast of characters. The goats turned out to be a fun bonus. There was even a slow-moving romance. There was something for everyone.
  
  This book is definitely worth reading, and I would like to read more by this author. It is not quite a four star rating, but I definitely would have given 3 1/2 stars if the option was given.
• 
  Wendy'sThoughts

  3.5 Lost And Found Stars
  * * * 1/2 Spoiler Free- A Quick Review
  I Have a Confession: I did not read the book. Instead, I discovered this on Netflix today. I saw it was originally a book, looked to see the blurb here and then watched the film. I figured since it had 7,384 ratings and 1,040 reviews, adding my two cents about the film would be a service for all of those who may be interested.
  
  The film took the idea and did an excellent job of following everything one would feel from the blurb. A woman who lost her husband through a car accident, her daughter's leg injured but now healed, a son who was at the age of being a good kid, and now wondering how she was going to cope with all that was left.
  
  All of the conflicts from the story were there...plus beautiful visuals of the farm. And let's not forget the farm manager...He is played by Josh Duhamel, yum. Nora Dunn is wonderful as Aunt Jean, strong, direct, and loving in her way.
  
  This film/story worked on many levels, had detailed moments, and probably held true to the book.
  
  
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• 
  Dee Montoya

  Five Stars Of Wonderful*****
  Such a sweet and hopeful story. This is one of those feel good books that leave a big smile on your face after reading it.
• 
  T. Rosado

  5+ STARS!!
  
  This author is quickly becoming a favorite and The Lost Husband is my first 5+ rating for 2019. I love this author's writing style, story development, and wit. The story moves quickly and I couldn't flip the pages fast enough. In turns, it had me sad, indignant, laughing, and then swooning. Not only did it have a sweet and subtle romance, but the friend and family relationships were just as compelling. I recommend this story to those who enjoy witty and poignant women's fiction with a lovely dose of romance.
• 
  Mary Gramlich

  It is not really what happens to you that matters as much as who you become in response to those things
  
  Starting over is never easy and when you are forced to make a change in your life you never wanted the stress is doubled. For Libby and her children it is time to move on and when her eccentric Aunt Jean makes her an offer she should probably refuse, Libby does not. It has been a long, tough time since her husband died but Libby wants to prove it is not really what happens to you that matters as much as who you become in response to those things.
  
  Libby was not sure what she expected from her aunts offer but a goat farm with an unruly host of town occupants surrounding it was not ever one of her thoughts. But as she learns the chores, her children start to survive without a television, and O’Connor, the wilderness man she works alongside becomes more human Libby learns to worry less and release the pent up anger she carried for so long. It might be the overalls that are a staple in her wardrobe or the time she gets to spend enjoying her children that is bringing Libby such peace but it might just be the strength she has inside her that was never released. While not sure why life brought her to this place Libby does know, even a long held secret cannot steal her newly found joy.
  
  Her children may stumble at school but the one discovery Libby makes is that the perfect mothers are the ones that keep trying after every mistake and never stop loving regardless of how the day rolls out.
  
  Katherine Center has written a story that will invoke every positive emotion and reaction possible from the reader. It is impossible to find anything wrong with this book it is that well written.
• 
  Lisa

  A fast, entertaining read with enough substance to make it interesting.
• 
  JanB

  This was a quick and fun book that I read at the beach but I would not put it in a fluffy “beach read” category. Libby, a widow, and her 2 young children leave her mother’s condo in the city, where they’ve lived unhappily for several years after her husband's death, and move to a small town to live with Jean, her quirky aunt who runs a goat farm (amusingly, the goats are named for famous women).
  
  The themes of loss, grief, and change are never heavy-handed or depressing. I loved the characters and the setting, and the lessons this story imparts are told with humor and charm. A highly recommended heartwarming tale and just what i needed after a darker read!
  
  
  
• 
  Anne Bogel

  If Brené Brown wrote fiction, this would be it. In fact, I seriously considered whether Brené could possibly be writing under the pseudonym "Katherine Center." (No way, both these ladies are far too busy! And ... real.)
  
  But the comparison is a good thing. The Lost Husband reads like chick lit--easy, breezy--but has a surprising depth. I'm now adding the rest of Center's books to my to-read list.
• 
  Jocelyn

  I loved this book! So inspiring and heartwarming. I received a galley of this title and filed it away with my massively growing To-Be-Read pile. I remember reading Center's earlier books, The Bright Side of Disaster, Get Lucky and Everyone is Beautiful and having really enjoyed both of those books, decided to give her latest a try. In her earlier works, Center wrote about the themes of female empowerment, confidence, taking chances, starting over and personal strength. Her upcoming release, The Lost Husband, focuses on similarly inspiring themes.
  
  Libby Moran is a widow. Her husband, Danny, died three years ago in a car accident and she has been living with her two young children at her mother's house. Her mother is a difficult person, to say the least. She's controlling and condescending and Libby has had it with her antics. After receiving a letter from her Aunt Jean, her mother's free-spirited sister, inviting her to come live with her on her farm, Libby jumps at the chance for change.
  
  Packing up her two small children, she makes the brave move to a new life. But what Libby doesn't expect is how much this new life is going to change her, for the better. Surrounded by a wild cast of characters including the lovable O'Connor and her take charge Aunt Jean, Libby begins to learn things about herself, about her life and about parenting. There are so many inspiring gems in the dialogue and characters thoughts that I found myself highlighting at least one line per page. It was uplifting without sugar-coating the complexities of life. Essentially, The Lost Husband teaches the reader that life is hard, but if it wasn't hard we would never become the strong, resilient, optimistic people we are meant to be.
  
  I am so glad I picked up The Lost Husband and I hope that Katherine gets all the accolades she deserves for this sweet, smart, and inspiring novel.
• 
  Jennifer Kyle

  3.5 Stars ⭐️
• 
  Sandie

  Katherine Center, the author of THE LOST HUSBAND, could easily have cut her title down to two words and called her book THE LOST. Everyone in this book seems to be stumbling along, mourning some aspect of their lives, with little true direction (except, perhaps for Aunt Jean).
  
  Three years after the death of her husband Danny, Libby still cannot seem to let go. To add insult to injury she is obsessive/compulsive about her children always imagining that the worst things possible will befall them. I realize it is a mother's prerogative to worry, but this woman is ridiculous. Her self-involved mother Marsha must have been the poster child for that country song "Looking for love in all the wrong places" and Sunshine, the goth girl she meets in town, is lost in her own world trying to escape her past. O'Conner, part "country hunk" part Grizzly Adams and part cheesemaker, is the predictable love interest and has suffered a few losses of his own. Aunt Jean's losses have been many but she has managed to adjust to her lot in life while acting as the town's resident shrink and repository of secrets. And then there are the children. Tank and Abby, whose vocabulary and thought processes certainly are far above what their six and eight year old minds should be capable of.........or perhaps my children and their friends were just developmentally stunted because they never acted like these kids.
  
  If your preference tends toward thoughtful narratives with some substance, you might want to pass on this one. If, on the other hand, you are looking for something that won't put any strain on your grey matter and will help you pass a few hours, this is your book.
  
  I am not sure of the genre in which this book is being marketed but, if asked, I would suggest fantasy.
• 
  Nicole Leigh Reads

  I'm not sure that a 4 star is *totally* warranted. The main character didn't quite have all the revelations I hoped for to round out her story better, the ending was a little bit tied up with a quick, pretty bow, one of the side characters had an unnecessarily eccentric backstory, and the title was a bit irrelevant to the way the story actually played out.
  
  However.
  
  Katherine Center knows how to write about love and spirit and heart. And she planted this adorable family in such a picturesque setting--a goat farm in a small hippie agricultural Texas town--it's damn near impossible to resist the charm.
  
  That's the best way to describe this novel; charming. It was quick, cute, cozy, comfortable, and charming. It's meant to be a short and sweet read and it does accomplish that. Books don't always have to be perfect to be enjoyable. Sometimes you can just get lost in the ease of the writing and the melodrama and have fun.
  
  There were things I would have changed, yes. But I ended up falling in love with this hodge podge family and their quaint country lifestyle. It was aesthetically pleasing, heartwarming, and brought me joy as I turned the pages!
• 
  Nancy

  I liked it more than I thought I would. Certainly, I like a cute story of finding love. Nothing too cheesy or easy, though. There's the attraction portion of the story but more poignant is the life lessons about doing what's right because it's the right thing to do. Even though it's hard. And not fun. The book is about human resiliency and knowing when it's time to move on. There's a time to mourn, a time to cry but there always comes a time to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, reflect on how you have grown, count your blessings, and turn your face toward the sunshine again.
  
  The story centers around a woman who loses her husband in an accident that her daughter barely survived. She finds her savings depleted, broke and tired of her mother's company and victimized personality when she receives the invitation to stay with her aunt. It is here that a childhood is revealed, duty is fulfilled, forgiveness is granted, and new friendships forged.
• 
  Pam

  I don't think I have words to adequately talk about how amazing this book is! It's been a long time since I've read such a great story with characters that I felt like I was experiencing life with!!
  I LOVED the entire story and I want an Aunt Jean and I want to be Aunt Jean!!! <3
  
  This is a pricey one for a Kindle, but I definitely recommend it!
• 
  Lorelei's Lit Lair

  Definitely one of the sweetest, heartwarming love stories out there! It's about learning to start a new chapter for 2 lonely hearts. It's different, filled with many important lessons and hope, that not only heals Libby, the heroines heart, but other characters in the story too, specially O'Connors.
  Libby is a widow and a very protective mom of 2 young kids. She portrays her role with genuine emotion. I loved the chemistry between Libby and O'Connor. The author creates great anticipation to their kissing scenes which made me swoon. I loved Jean, the "crazy hippie" aunt, she'll be your favorite, too. There's small town charm and current issues are touched, such as bullying. I laughed and cried, and could really feel the emotions of sorrow, delight and I even wanted to cheer- Yes! - in certain scenes.
  The story is written in 1st person, great voice. There's drama, a secret and many surprises that will keep you turning page after page till the end.
  I received a free copy of this book for my honest opinion, and the only thing I regret is not having read it sooner! 5 happily ever after stars for this one!
• 
  Patricia Williams

  A really good book and a love story, of course. I was introduced to this author in my book club and I really like this author, so this is second book I've read by her. She has great characters and a good story line. Very good story about lost and found love.
• 
  Creya

  Katherine Center has definitely gotten better with each new book she writes. This was my first try at one of her "early" releases, and it was okay. Set on a farm in Texas, we follow Libby as she tries to rebuild her and her kids' lives after the loss of her husband. I think I'm salty because I wouldn't want my husband finding a new woman... I'M SELFISH, OKAY. However, the characters were cute and the ending was wholesome.
• 
  Brandie

  Will make a cute movie, which I’ve heard is in the works.
• 
  Joanne Ragona

  I am in LOVE with this book. Such a character driven story with life lessons throughout. I loved the messages, I loved the characters, I loved the humor, I loved the writing, I loved it all. This is my third Katherine Center book and she has delivered every single time. She has quickly climbed to one of my favorite authors.
  
  The Lost Husband is a journey of a brave mom who has suffered a horrible tragedy. Libby wants to pick up her life and find a new normal for herself and her two children. I loved her insights along the way. I loved her relationship with her aunt Jean. (Jean is an AMAZING character) I loved watching Libby turn her life around and take on new roots in an unlikely place, with unlikely people. I didn’t want this story to end. I laughed, I cried, I cheered for Libby to find her happiness. Such an amazing, heartwarming story that left me with tears in my eyes and a smile on my face.
  
  “It seemed so clear now—the way we were all connected, the way together and apart pushed and pulled on each other, the way you had to lose one thing to find another.”
• 
  Laurel-Rain

  Dear Libby, It occurs to me that you and your two children have been living with your mother for--Dear Lord!--two whole years, and I'm writing to see if you'd like to be rescued.
  
  The letter comes out of the blue, and just in time for Libby Moran, who--after the sudden death of her husband, Danny--went to stay with her hypercritical mother. Now her crazy Aunt Jean has offered Libby an escape: a job and a place to live on her farm in the Texas Hill Country. Before she can talk herself out of it, Libby is packing the minivan, grabbing the kids, and hitting the road.
  
  Life on Aunt Jean's goat farm is both more wonderful and more mysterious than Libby could have imagined. Beyond the animals and the strenuous work, there is quiet--deep, country quiet. But there is also a shaggy, gruff (though purportedly handsome, under all that hair) farm manager with a tragic home life, a formerly famous feed-store clerk who claims she can contact Danny "on the other side," and the eccentric aunt Libby never really knew but who turns out to be exactly what she's been looking for. And despite everything she's lost, Libby soon realizes how much more she's found. She hasn't just traded one kind of crazy for another: She may actually have found the place to bring her little family--and herself--back to life.
  
  And so begins the wonderful tale of how losing one kind of life can lead to finding something unexpectedly wonderful. Narrated in Libby's first person voice, the reader is gifted with wonderful word pictures of the country setting and the simple folks who take nothing for granted. Who knew that the quiet country life would hold such sweetness, mixed in with all the hard work? And even though Aunt Jean's house doesn't even have a TV, and the smallness of the community takes some adjusting, Libby is finally carving out some wonderful connections here.
  
  But what is the root of the antagonism between Aunt Jean and Libby's mother Marsha? What daunting secret can explain a decades-long rift that has carved a groove into Aunt Jean's normally-serene persona? And what about O'Connor, that shaggy man who seems attracted to Libby, but does nothing about it?
  
  "The Lost Husband: A Novel" reminds us that losing people and one kind of life doesn't mean that you can't find something else. And that accepting that loss isn't a betrayal, but, in a way, a tribute to the lost one.
  
  I like this excerpt (in Libby's voice):
  
  "And then I realized something: I would always miss Danny. No matter how full my life became, there would always be a hole where his living presence had been. But the truth was, I was already better. And not despite that hole--but because of it. His loss was now a part of the story of my life...."
  
  I enjoyed this story, despite it's predictability at times, and maybe because of it, too. Who doesn't love a feel-good ending to a beautifully wrought story? Four stars.