Book Review
It’s been a while since I’ve done a book review, so I was excited to get a sneak peek at Charity Pimental-Hymas‘ new offering, The Widow’s Survival Guide: Living With Children After the Death of Your Spouse. Available for pre-order on Amazon and targeted for release on
December 8th.
Recommended (Five Stars)
While I didn’t have to deal with the challenges faced by a newly widowed sole-parent, I can relate to everything else Pimentel-Hymas writes about the early days of widowhood. Her new book is a valuable resource. Here’s why I recommend it to any new widows with children or to friends and family of new widows with children:
Authentic
Pimentel-Hymas shares her authentic experience, giving her the street cred needed for new widow buy-in. I don’t care how many degrees are hanging on your office wall; if you haven’t walked this walk, you can empathize but not understand. As a childless widow, I’ve read many books on this topic, but am not in a place to understand what a sole parent goes through.
Pro-Tip: Single parenting and sole parenting are two very different things. Don’t ever call a widow or widower a single parent and compare them to someone with a co-parent or bio-parent still breathing, even if they are out of the picture.
Widow-brain Friendly
I’ve written about widow-brain so many times that long-term readers can probably write their own posts about it. The Widow’s Survival Guide is short, concise, and labeled, so a widow in the brain fog, still trying to care for young children, can quickly digest and find what she needs.
Practical
There are no useless platitudes here, ladies. Pimentel-Hymas offers practical tips on how to get through the worst of it, utilizing friends and family and other resources. And friends and family, this is your checklist on how to help your new widow with young children even if she doesn’t know how to ask for it.
Hope
While still new into her widowhood journey at just a year-and-a-half at the time of writing, Pimentel-Hymas shines a ray of hope on a recent widow with children. It gave me hope, and I instantly contacted the newest widow in my group to offer her my advanced reviewers’ copy.
XOXO,
Lisa
Live Now. Dream Big. Love Fierce.
This book is available in both paperback and Kindle formats.
ISBN 978-1631950209
By Morgan James Publishing
132 pages
$12.95 pre-order price guarantee on Amazon.com
A side note: Endorsement of The Widow’s Survival Guide is not an endorsement of widow coaching businesses. I still have strong feelings against for-profit “widow coaching” but find this book to be a valuable tool. As with anything, there are always exceptions to the rule, but a licensed counselor is still the best option in the early stages of grief and often paid for through health insurance or EAP programs. I discourage any newly bereaved person from making a financial commitment of this nature for at least the first year of The AfterLoss.
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I receive a small commission if you purchase through my link, at no cost to you or the author. You may also read this book at no charge at your local library.