Marika's Best Laid Plan by Judy V. Stanigar

Marika’s Best Laid Plan by Judy V. Stanigar

Release: October 15, 2021
Format: Paperback
Publisher: All Things That Matter Press
Source: Suzyapproved Book Tours
Find it at: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, TBD, Bookshop.org

Marika is a social worker trying to heal her drug addict clients, but she can’t seem to mend her damaged self. She avoids love because love sits too close to death. Her choices have left her carefully ordered life a lonely, disconnected one.

Everything is about to change.

Big-hearted, quirky, emotionally walled-off Marika embarks on a plan that ultimately forces her to confront the very thing she’s spent her life avoiding: love.

Marika’s Best Laid Plan is a story about the power of connection and hope, the things without which life is unbearable.

About the Author:

Judy Stanigar is a psychotherapist and an emerging author. Her novel, Marika’s Best Laid Plan is due to be published by All Things That Matter Press in 2021.

Besides Judy sees herself as a voyager. She was born and raised in Israel and moved to the U.S in her teens. After graduating from Columbia University with a Master’s in Clinical Social Work, she worked as a psychotherapist in a variety of settings. She has lived in many cities across the U.S. but considers herself a non-reformed New Yorker.

Judy writes with a therapist’s keen observation of human nature, and enjoys writing about people’s frailties, which make them lovable and relatable. She infuses her characters with humor and poignancy in equal measure.

Judy has also lived in Jamaica where she taught at the University. She now resides in San Diego with her husband. Her spare time is spent writing, painting, walking the local beaches and trails, and cooking Israeli food with a Jamaican twist. She’s also trying to keep the flowers in her garden from dying.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

Marika’s Best Laid Plan Review:

“Marika’s Best Laid Plan” is a beautiful tale of moving on and self-reflection, and I enjoyed reading it because of the main character, Marika.

The first aspect that struck me about the story is how smoothly the author wrote it. She narrates the story with characters that you can immediately connect with because you feel you know them.

Secondly, I adored the main character, Marika. I loved her positive attitude as she embarks on the Cecil project and plans to get him back in her life. Even though things do not turn out the way she hopes, she never feels dejected. As the story progresses, you also realize how Marika undergoes self-reflection, especially in the way she behaves towards Nathan and Daphne at times.

Moreover, I thought the author brought up the topic of drug addiction and trauma realistically. While it is not the theme of the story, it was interesting to see it depicted. On a side note, I liked how the author described New York City in the 80s. The author contrasts both the good and the bad. Also, The author includes quite a few memorable quotes, like “Expect rain, and you will never be disappointed when it pours,” or “the less you love, the less you lose.”

The author also adds quite a few twists that keep the story exciting. There are also some dramatic moments, like she Marika gets into the ambulance or when Marika meets Derrick. Frankly, I loved Derrick’s role in the story, even if he only appeared for a particular time. The author writes the story so engagingly that even their regular daily activity together felt special.

Overall, “Marika’s Best Laid Plan” is a lovely piece of fiction worth checking out.