Life and Other Inconveniences by @Kristan_Higgins #BookReview #WomensFic

From the New York Times bestselling author of Good Luck with That comes a new novel about a blue-blood grandmother and her black-sheep granddaughter who discover they are truly two sides of the same coin.

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?

Biography

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 have 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. She is a five-time nominee for The Kirkus Prize for Best Work of Fiction, and her books regularly appear on the lists for best novels of the year of many prestigious journals and review sites. If you want to keep up with Kristan’s new releases and get a free short story, sign up for her mailing list at http://www.kristanhiggins.com.

The proud descendant of a butcher and a laundress, Kristan lives in Connecticut with her heroic firefighter husband, two long-lashed children, a couple of frisky rescue dogs and an occasionally friendly cat.

My Review

Emma London hasn’t had it easy. Her mother committed suicide when she was eight and her father dumped her on a grandmother who was the antithesis of sweet and kind-hearted.

At eighteen, Emma became pregnant. When she refused to give up the child, her grandmother kicked her out. Emma had to dig deep for her London strength and pride to get through the next few years- thank God for Pops. Her mother’s father took her and baby Riley in and the three of them formed a tight family unit.

Everything changed with one fateful phone call– Genevieve London (Emma’s perfect patrician grandmother) was dying.

Though it goes against Emma’s instincts, she packs up Riley and they go to Gigi’s aid, only to find she’s as judgmental and rude as ever. Tempted to leave her to die by herself, it takes along time before Emma finds it in her heart to understand the woman who had such a strong influence on her life.

Favorite Lines:

You never realize it until you’re pregnant, or holding your baby in your arms, but your heart, soul and peace of mind will never be yours again. The tiny hijackers take over before they draw their first breaths, and you would do anything to keep them safe. Anything.

Higgins, Kristan. Life and Other Inconveniences (p. 7). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Parenting isn’t always a peachy-colored glow. Half the time, it’s just showing up and doing your best.

Higgins, Kristan. Life and Other Inconveniences (p. 393). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Family ties aren’t always easy, but they play an integral part in the person you become. Kristan does a beautiful job creating a tough, yet vulnerable matriarch in Genevieve and a supporting cast of characters who are sure to steal your heart (even Mac- you’ll have to read the story to see what I mean 🙂 )

I give Life and Other Inconveniences 5+ lovely kisses- My favorite kind of read; #FamilyFirst