Life and Other Inconveniences by Kristan Higgins – Review & Excerpt
Amazon / B&N / Kobo / iTunes / Google Play / BAM / Book Depository
Description:
Emma London never thought she had anything in common with her grandmother Genevieve London. The regal old woman came from wealthy and bluest-blood New England stock, but that didn’t protect her from life’s cruelest blows: the disappearance of Genevieve’s young son, followed by the premature death of her husband. But Genevieve rose from those ashes of grief and built a fashion empire that was respected the world over, even when it meant neglecting her other son.
When Emma’s own mother died, her father abandoned her on his mother’s doorstep. Genevieve took Emma in and reluctantly raised her–until Emma got pregnant her senior year of high school. Genevieve kicked her out with nothing but the clothes on her back…but Emma took with her the most important London possession: the strength not just to survive but to thrive. And indeed, Emma has built a wonderful life for herself and her teenage daughter, Riley.
So what is Emma to do when Genevieve does the one thing Emma never expected of her and, after not speaking to her for nearly two decades, calls and asks for help?
Review:
Life and Other Inconveniences by Kristan Higgins is another one of her wonderful contemporary stories revolving around Women’s fiction. We meet our heroine, Emma London, who is a therapist, with a teenage daughter. Emma receives a phone call from her grandmother, whom she hasn’t talked to in 17 years. Emma lost her mother when she was 8 years old, her father dumped her to live with her grandmother, but when teenage Emma became pregnant and decided to keep the child, she was told to leave. Now 17 years, her grandmother wants her to come home and bring her teenage daughter, Riley. At first Emma refuses, as she had to struggle as a pregnant teenager, living with her grandfather (from her other side) in Chicago, and manage to go to college and have a career, and bring up a wonderful sweet daughter. Why does she need to see the grandmother who threw her away?
Genevieve London, is a wealthy, well known and successful business women; her fashion designs have made her very famous, but now Genevieve is older and life is changing for her. She decides she wants to meet the great granddaughter she never knew, and try to make amends with her granddaughter. She knows she is sick, and time is of importance. Can she convince Emma to come home?
Emma decides perhaps she should go for the summer with Riley, and offers her grandmother a deal. Help pay for Riley’s college education, maybe leave Riley her rightful inheritance, and allow her to be the guardian for her mentally ill half-sister. When Genevieve agrees, Emma, Riley and Paul (grandfather) go to Connecticut for the summer.
What follows is a wonderful heartwarming story revolving around Genevieve, Emma and Riley, as they slowly come to terms with the past, and find love and forgiveness in a summer that brings them together. Emma will learn the truth about Genevieve’s illness (dementia), and despite her original misgivings, she acknowledges her love for her grandmother, and is determined to be there for her throughout the eventual decline.
It was wonderful to watch Riley win over her great grandmother and over the summer become such a wonderful strong young girl, who not only loved her mother, but also Genevieve. I also thought it was heartwarming to see Genevieve open her eyes to how wonderful Emma did in bringing up Riley, as well as making her own successful career. There was also a nice slow build background romance for Emma and Miller. Miller, who lost his wife to childbirth three years ago, is struggling with bringing up their wild nasty rebellious child, and I loved when Riley and Emma were the only ones who seem to be able to calm and control the little girl (Tess).
Kristan Higgins has created another wonderful story, with three great main characters, but also some wonderful secondary characters. Life and Other Inconveniences gave us an emotional look at a family that needed to rise from past mistakes and tragedy, and find a way to bring them together. It was a heartwarming, emotional, sweet and sad story revolving around three very strong women. I suggest you read this book now.
Reviewed by Barb
Copy provided by Publisher
When I called Genevieve back and told her we were coming—including Pop, who would be staying elsewhere—there’d been a long pause. “Thank you,” she finally said.
“On one condition, Genevieve,” I said. “You do not mention money or inheritance to Riley. Not a whisper, not a hint. I don’t want you dangling your bank accounts in front of my daughter and snatching them away if she uses the wrong fork.”
“By which I assume you’re referring to the fact that I didn’t fund your teenage folly.”
“Teenage folly? You mean your great-granddaughter? Yes. This summer isn’t about the money. It’s us giving you a chance to make amends, and you making me Hope’s guardian.”
“How very gracious you are, my dear,” she said, and I heard a slurp. Five o’clock somewhere.
But she agreed, and here we were.
My clients, the ones I saw in person, were fine with me leaving for two months. I’d TheraTalk with most of them; two were about done anyway, and said they’d call me if they needed me. I’d had to give up my office space, though; luckily, a classmate from my PhD program had sublet it. Once I got back, I’d have to find another space, but I’d deal with that later.
Pop had found himself a little apartment over an antiques shop on Water Street. I was unspeakably grateful that he’d be nearby. He’d always hated Genevieve, who had viewed my mother as insufficient wife material for her wretched son.
Then again, she had a point. My mother had taken her own life. Maybe Genevieve had sensed something, even back then. She was many things, but she wasn’t stupid.
We crossed the Connecticut River, then the Thames. “There’s the Coast Guard Academy, Pop,” I said, pointing. He was an Air Force man himself, but he nodded. We went through Mystic, and I remembered going to the aquarium with Jason on a date. Or a field trip, maybe, but we’d held hands. Kissed in the dim light of the myriad fish tanks, and it had felt like the most romantic thing in the world.
He knew we were coming, of course. He was excited, he’d said on the phone. Talked about being separated, wasn’t sure where things were headed there. The boys couldn’t wait to meet Riley in person, though they knew her from Skype and phone calls.
My heart leaped into overdrive when, just before we hit Rhode Island, Charles exited the highway and entered the land of stone walls and gracious houses, tall oaks and two-hundred-year-old farms. The woods and fields gave way to narrower streets, and we went over the bridge that led to the borough.
Welcome to Stoningham, the sign said.
I found that I was holding my grandfather’s thumb, same as I had when I was little, back before my mother died, when seeing my grandparents was the happiest thing ever. He gave my hand a squeeze.
“Oh, my gosh, this town is so cute!” Riley said.
And it was. The sky was Maxfield Parrish blue, the lights of the Colonials that lined the streets glowing in what seemed to be a welcome. People were out, walking their dogs. At the library green, some kids tossed a football. As we came onto Water Street, Riley exclaimed over the little shops and restaurants. “There’s a café, Mom! Hooray! Oh, and an ice cream place! Even better!”
I smiled, but my stomach cramped again. It felt like I had never left.
The town hadn’t changed much. Still adorable with its colorful buildings and crooked streets. I caught glimpses of Long Island Sound as we drove, smelled garlic and seafood. Would Genevieve have dinner for us? Would she hug me? I swore if she made Riley feel one iota of shame, we’d be out of Connecticut forever.
Charles turned onto Bleak Point Road, where the most expensive houses in town sat like grand old ladies, weathered and gracious. All had names, which Riley read aloud as we passed.
“Thrush Hill. Summerly. Wisteria Cottage. Cliff View. Pop, we have to name our house when we get back!”
“Name it what? Crabgrass?” Pop asked.
“That’s kind of perfect, actually,” I murmured, having gone to war many times with weeds in our small yard.
“Oh, Sheerwater! We’re here!”
The iron gates (yes, gates) opened, and we turned onto the crushed shell drive. Sheerwater had ten acres of land, the very tip of Bleak Point, and it looked like a park, with beautifully gnarled dogwood trees on either side of the driveway, their intertwined branches making a tunnel of white blossoms. Spring was late this year.
We rounded the gentle curve, and my hands were sweating now.
“Holy guacamole,” my daughter breathed. “It’s even prettier than the pictures!” In the rearview mirror, I saw Charles smile. Beside me, Pop stiffened. He’d never been here, of course.
There it was—my grandmother’s twenty-room cottage, pristine and gracious and lit up like the fires of hell.
Kristan Higgins is the New York Times, USA TODAY, Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of 18 novels, which have been translated into more than two dozen languages and sold millions of copies worldwide. Her books have received dozens of awards and accolades, including starred reviews from Kirkus, The New York Journal of Books, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and Booklist. Her books regularly appear on the lists for best novels of the year. Kristan is also a cohost of the Crappy Friends podcast, which discusses the often complex dynamics of female friendships, with her friend and fellow writer, Joss Dey.
The proud descendant of a butcher and a laundress, Kristan lives in Connecticut with her heroic firefighter husband. They own several badly behaved pets and are often visited by their entertaining and long-lashed children.
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads
Kristan Higgins’s publisher is graciously offering a paper copy of GOOD LUCK WITH THAT to ONE lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe. Good Luck With That review
1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.
NOTE: If you are having difficulty commenting after logging onto the site, please refresh the page (at the top of your computer).
2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.
3. Please LIKE Kristan Higgins on Facebook
4. Please LIKE The Reading Cafe on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.
5. LIKE The Reading Cafe on Twitter for an additional entry.
6. Please FOLLOW The Reading Cafe on GOODREADS for an additional entry.
7. Please follow The Reading Cafe on Tumblr
8. Giveaway open to USA only
9. Giveaway runs from August 6 – 11, 2019
Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Google Play / Apple / BAM / Bookbub
