Moving Forward, Looking Back is essentially two stories in one: Beth Ann and Tom's meeting, marriage, and life together, and Beth Ann's experience during the first year after Tom's death. Each chapter begins in the present and then reveals some of the past, so that the full story of their lives together is formed by the end of the book. The reader sees them come together but also lose each other at the same time, creating a unique juxtaposition that doesn't come with a linear plot.

Beth Ann and Tom's relationship was not always easy, which makes their story relatable. Although they struggle, there is clearly love and admiration between them in the way that Beth Ann Blackwood portrays the relationship, and you can't help but root for them throughout the book. The reader can feel her emotions through her personal and illustrative way of writing.

In her own words, Beth Ann wrote this book because "one of [her] goals is to provide hope to those who are grieving" Although this story is heartbreaking, her journey through grief and finding ways to cope are inspirational to anyone who might be going through something similar. She picks up new hobbies, talks to new people, forms new bonds with her pets, and much more. Even so, she makes sure to add in chapters where she is struggling. Coping with loss is not a straightforward experience, and ups and downs add a sense of realism to Moving Forward, Looking Back. Beth Ann shares the lessons that she learned and how to find hope again.