The Runaway Wife: A laugh out loud feel good novel about second chances Paperback – April 30, 2018

Fast paced. Excellent storytelling. Thank you for writing such an excellent book. It's really fun to take the bull by the horns and live our best life. Thanks, again!

Was she bored? Was she being silly? Was she tired of being dutiful? Perhaps all three-so Connie crawls out of her domestic rut and hops in her little green car. She leaves her safe and staid Sussex life and head towards freedom and the “thrill of being naughty.”Goodbye to boring golfer husband Roger, three fine adult children and an uninspiring retirement bungalow. Connie leaves a note for Roger by the kettle, emails her kids and heads off on the This is Your Life Tour. And it is so much fun for us to travel along with Connie, as she explores where her parents lived when they were young, reunites with friends from her past, and meets some interesting folks along the way. As she wends her way to Scotland, she beings to sort herself out. What does she want the rest of her life to look like? And how does dull but responsible Roger fit in? Will she go home? Will she leave Roger?Serious questions for sure, but this is not a serious book. It’s a loving and light-hearted look at life, as viewed by a pleasant and caring 66 year-old woman. Connie has a change of attitude-life is for the living and for Connie, living means being more “determined, less guilty, and less dithery”. It’s a good thing Connie becomes more open to living in the moment, because quite a moment awaits her at the end of this creative and witty “laugh out-loud feel good novel about second chances”.

I really enjoyed this story! It was a perfect book to curl up&read with. Loved all of Connie's adventures! Shared it with my Mom and she also enjoyed it!

Good book by slow

This book is excellent. It's so fun to find a mature protagonist who is positive about life. Not just moaning over sad events, awaiting rescue. This heroine is someone you'd like to be, strong, resilient, and interesting. The author tells a great story that incites the reader's interest and empathy. It's clearly, and concisely written, hopeful, but not unrealistic. It's a fun read.

Very clever with predictable unpredictability. A delightful read.

I was looking for a funny and uplifting book. In the opening chapters of "The Runaway Wife," by Dee MacDonald, I thought I had chosen unwisely, because I found it mildly depressing that protagonist Connie McColl, at 66 years of age, was so unfulfilled and unappreciated. Her husband, son, and one of her daughters took her for granted, depending on Connie to meet their needs (cooking, cleaning, and childcare.)One day she decided she had enough. She loaded up her old car, sent text messages to her family announcing she was leaving for some alone time and didn't know when she would be back. Selfishly, her husband and one daughter concentrated only on how inconvenient Connie's absence would be for them. Her other daughter's reaction was more of a "Good for you, Mum!"Connie set out with no real agenda other than to visit some places which held memories of her mother, who had died when she was very young. The fun began as she met a host of interesting and flamboyant characters along her journey. For example, against her better judgment, she picked up a young man who was hitchhiking and dropped him off at his destination. By chance, she met him again later on her trip. The actions of some of the characters she befriended provided the "laugh out loud" moments, which made me think the book would be even funnier if adapted to the big screen. In addition to the humorous segments, Connie cared for a woman in hospice, met a romantic interest, and had quite literally the time of her life.Eventually, she had to return home. In the finale to the book, I experienced one minor surprise and one major shock at a twist that I never saw coming, thanks to the skillful word choices of Dee MacDonald. This was a story of self-discovery and liberation, which completely erased the sad feelings I had while reading the opening chapters.

I must say this book was a delightful surprise. Especially the ending. Not only did Connie have key take aways from each character in her journey, but it seemed they all learned something from her as well.