Reba McEntire Was Never The Same After Her Divorce From Narvel Blackstock (Thankfully)

Going through a divorce can seriously change a person, but that doesn't always have to be a bad thing. Just look at country music star Reba McEntire. She was never the same after her divorce from her former manager Narvel Blackstock, and though there was almost certainly a lengthy healing process after the fact, it's clear she's flourishing.

In an October 2025 interview with People, 10 years after her divorce from Blackstock, McEntire remarked that she was happier than ever with new beau, Rex Linn. "I've never been loved by a man like Rex Linn. Rex is a very tender-hearted man, and I just love him with all my heart," she said. McEntire and Linn confirmed their engagement about a month before the interview took place.

The List exclusively consulted Kimberly Miller — founder and chief divorce educator at PartWise — for her opinion about Reba's transformation. She tells us that the risk McEntire took was certainly worth the reward. "Reba McEntire's story is a great reminder that love and fulfillment can come later in life and sometimes only after we've let go of what no longer serves us," Miller said, adding, "For those going through divorce, it's natural to grieve the loss of what was. But it's also important to recognize that divorce can be a courageous choice. It can be a step toward rediscovering your needs, values, and personal growth."

There were always some telltale signs that Reba McEntire's marriage to Narvel Blackstock wasn't going to last. "We started out working together in the band — he was part of the band, and then became my manager later on, then my husband," McEntire said on "The Drew Barrymore Show" in 2024, adding, "But it was a situation of — it was always business. Whether we were getting ready in the morning, pillow talk, whatever. But it was business."

In stark contrast, McEntire and fiancé Rex Linn, who star opposite one another on the NBC sitcom "Happy's Place," seem to have found the secret to keeping the romance alive while also being coworkers. As McEntire said in her October 2025 interview with People, "Getting to work with Rex, drive to work with Rex and do the show, the rehearsals, drive home, talk about it, rehearse together — that's what's really special for me. I've not had that before."

It all really drives home expert Kimberly Miller's point about viewing a divorce not as the end of your story, but the start of a new chapter ... even if that new chapter takes some time to really get going. But sometimes, she says, all it takes is a change in perspective to find what you were looking for all along. "It's not about giving up — it's about creating space for something better, even if that 'better' isn't immediately clear," Miller advised, concluding that, "stories like Reba's show it's never too late for new beginnings."