When Jill Murray’s husband left her to raise their daughter, Anastasia, all by herself seven years ago, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to make it on her own. Since her parents were no longer living, she turned to her in-laws, but they were no help. Left with no other options, Jill picked herself up, dusted herself off, and moved forward. Things haven’t always been easy, but in the last seven years, she has managed to make a life for herself and Anastasia.

Since her focus has been on her daughter, Jill hasn’t had much time for a personal life, but has finally met a man with some potential. At around the same time, her husband decides that he wants to come back into Jill’s and Anastasia’s lives. Of course, Anastasia’s thrilled at the prospect, but Jill’s not so sure. Jill has to find a way to strike some balance in her life.

Seven Year Switch by Claire Cook is a delightful book! Even though I have very little in common with Jill, I could totally relate to her, and I think a lot of other women will be able to as well. She was fiercely protective of her daughter and didn’t want her to be hurt again. Jill often sacrificed her own wants and needs in order to do what she thought was best for her daughter, yet she struggled with self doubt.

Jill has two girlfriends – her boss and mentor, Joni, and her next door neighbor, Cynthia – who play large roles in her life and are very supportive of her. I loved reading about their friendships, because they were so true to life. Even though Cynthia could drive Jill crazy, some small part of Jill still wanted to be like her. I loved that Joni and Cynthia were there for Jill when she needed them and the two of them were instrumental in her finding her own strength and discovering how she wanted to live her life.

Don’t let that cute cover fool you into thinking this is a fluffy book – Seven Year Switch is an uplifting story of love, determination and finding your inner strength, and I do recommend it!