Review: "Finding my Happy Pace" by Heather Wardell

30-year-old Megan is a doormat, there is no doubt about it. She will do absolutely anything for anyone and if she dares refuse anyone she feels guilty about it immediately afterwards. Her best friend Amanda is the most demanding of them all and is determined to keep the focus on her and her toxic relationship at all times. Megan's mother is no better and often accuses Megan of "counting beans" when she protests that her brother seems to get to do what he wants, when he wants.

Megan takes up running as a way to stay fit and healthy, and although she is unsure of her abilities in the beginning, her handsome but sad running coach Andrew quickly convinces her of her own value. As Megan trains for her first marathon and becomes stronger on the track, she learns that she must "find her happy pace" not only on the track, but off of it as well.

Finding My Happy Pace is yet another enjoyable read from Heather Wardell. Although Megan irked me quite frequently at the beginning because she was so unable to say no to anyone, especially to her so-called friend Amanda, I did find myself relating to her more than any of Wardell's previous characters. I tend to be a people pleaser, even if pleasing someone else leaves me cranky, so I could relate to her inability to say no. However, I may be a people pleaser at times, but I can be a bitch too. Megan seemed to lack that very necessary bitch gene. Since I related to Megan so much, I did especially enjoy it when she started coming into her own and she began performing the very necessary task of saying "no", and I loved it when she realized the importance of surrounding herself with people who cared as much about her as she did about them.

In addition to liking the character of Megan, I also enjoyed getting to know Andrew, a character from a previous story (Planning to Live), better. He really enhanced the story line and I loved that he was included as an important and very necessary part of Megan's story.

My only critisism for Finding My Happy Pace is that Megan's actions, at times, seemed too extreme, even for a people pleaser. There were instances when I just wanted to smack her because she was such a doormat. I honestly haven't met anyone in person who would go to such extremes to make undeserving people happy, although that made her eventual transformation that much more satisfying.

A well-written and satisfying read, Finding My Happy Pace by Heather Wardell joins the list of books that I can recommend without hesitation. It is a must-read for anyone who has ever had a problem saying no to the people who drag you down in life, but who wishes that they could. My thanks to the author for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.