The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms: a review

Rating: 4/5

Review by: Riya

I picked this book up as I wanted a light read and the premise sounded interesting. While the balance between character growth and romance was quintessential chick-lit, I got to experience the fresh and new perspective of an overworked and exhausted mother.

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler explores the events of Pennyslyvanian librarian Amy Byler's life when her no-good husband John who left her 3 years ago, without any warning, pops up out of the blue wanting to spend time with their teenage children Cori and Joe. So what does Amy do? She tries to push away the hurt and pain plaguing her so that her children can spend time with their supposedly repentant dad. She practically put her life on hold for the past 3 years to juggle a librarian job that barely covers expenses and raise her children single-handedly. So when John asks for a week with the children, Amy decides to take time off and attend a librarian convention in NY.

What follows next is a series of wild experiences! While in NY for her librarian convention, Amy meets a hot, Latin pun spouting librarian Daniel, whom she forms an intellectual connect with and shares intense chemistry too. They bond over her innovative program Flexthology for librarians. Her best friend Talia, the owner of a women's magazine, gives her a head-to-toe makeover for a piece on the modern mom and sets her up on a "momspringa"! A momspringa is based on the rite of passage Rumspringa in which Amish teenagers get to explore the outside world and form romantic relationships before finally deciding whether to commit to the Amish way of living or leaving the community. As part of Amy's momspringa, she gets to attend the latest workout classes, has yoga on the roof sessions, gets a makeover from a frumpy to a stylishly dressed mom and tries out the dating world.

Though she goes on dates with multiple men, her heart keeps straying back to Daniel who seems like the perfect match for her but has a teenage daughter he is responsible for as well. At the end of summer, she is left with a choice, go back to her old life or start a fresh life with Daniel.

I loved this book as a breezy rom-com but what really appealed to me were the wholesome characters and the fact that the author delved into the fact that women often neglect themselves while trying to be good mothers and how taking a break to make themselves happy is as just as important as being there for their children and doesn't make them a bad mother.

Looking at the relationships, Amy's relationship with her children is rock solid. Her daughter Cori is a teenager but doesn't behave selfishly and absorbed all the time. She tries to understand her mom's perspective while a the same time, doing things her own way. They have very balanced conversations and Cori looks up to Amy for advice and vice versa. A particular conversation between them which I really liked was when Cori asks Amy for advice on dating:

"What am I looking for when I try to figure out if someone is good enough for me?" she asks. "Well what do you like most about the people you like? Include yourself", I instruct. She thinks for a moment. "I like people who are pretty kind deep down. And also who tell the truth. I like people who show up when they say they're going to. Oh, and people who don't think they're better than everyone else." I nod. "That's a terrific list of things to watch out for in Brian. I see all of those things in you, so you deserve all that and more."

A lot of people criticised the teenage characters as being unrealistic, saying that teenagers don't behave like that. What I feel is that we are a function of the society we grow up and the media we consume. The media we consume shows us teenagers behaving in a bratty, selfish manner. But I feel that children who grow up reading literature which shows teenagers exercising more grounded behaviour will themselves try to emulate the same.

Going back to the relationships, Amy has two really close friends - Lena and Talia - who give her balanced advice and form a mutual support system for each other which I loved. Most importantly, the romance between Amy and Daniel is rooted in practicality. They acknowledge their attraction but realise that they have to find a way to make their romance fit into their lives. Amy and John have some important conversations and ultimately figure out a way to be comfortable around each other.

Overall I would say the book is a lovely, bright read with fun, summer vibes and wholesome characters and relationships. It has its drawbacks but deals with the issue of balancing the demands of parenting and keeping yourself happy in a lovely manner.