#BookReview- Always the Last to Know by @Kristan_Higgins #WomensFic #amreading

Sometimes you have to break a family to fix it.

From New York Times bestselling author Kristan Higgins, a new novel examining a family at the breaking point in all its messy, difficult, wonderful complexity.

The Frosts are a typical American family. Barb and John, married almost fifty years, are testy and bored with each other…who could blame them after all this time? At least they have their daughters– Barb’s favorite, the perfect, brilliant Juliet; and John’s darling, the free-spirited Sadie. The girls themselves couldn’t be more different, but at least they got along, more or less. It was fine. It was enough.

Until the day John had a stroke, and their house of cards came tumbling down.

Now Sadie has to put her career as a teacher and struggling artist in New York on hold to come back and care for her beloved dad–and face the love of her life, whose heart she broke, and who broke hers. Now Juliet has to wonder if people will notice that despite her perfect career as a successful architect, her perfect marriage to a charming Brit, and her two perfect daughters, she’s spending an increasing amount of time in the closet having panic attacks.

And now Barb and John will finally have to face what’s been going on in their marriage all along.

From the author of Good Luck with That and Life and Other Inconveniences comes a new novel of heartbreaking truths and hilarious honesty about what family really means.

As posted on Amazon.com

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About the Author

Biography

Kristan Higgins is the New York Times, USA TODAY, Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of 19 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 , People and Booklist. 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.

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.

My Review

Sadie Frost left her first love, her family, and her home in Connecticut to chase her dream of becoming a famous artist in New York City. But a frantic phone call from her older sister sends her racing back to the past.

Beth Frost loves her life. She has two successful (well, one more than the other, but we won’t get into that), beautiful daughters, a career she enjoys, and a husband of almost fifty years. And yes, there is a reason John comes in on the end of the list. Truthfully, their marriage is hanging by a tattered thread. They don’t have the same interests, rarely talk, and have seperate bedrooms. He doesn’t even see her anymore. He’s planning a triathlon for pete’s sake. She’s ready to move on and plans to ask for a divorce on their anniversary.

But a horrible accident changes everything.

Juliet Frost has worked hard to get to where she is in the prestigious architect company she helped grow into an international corporation, and expects to become partner any time now. Her husband is one in a million. Her two daughters are beautiful (if moody), and her house is perfect. So why is she having these stupid panic attacks? And then she sees her father practically making out with a woman on the sidewalk near her work and Juliet’s already teetering world, crashes.

This story is of a dynamic family whose secrets almost tear them apart. I love Beth. She’s seventy years old and has been through many crises, but when her husband has a stroke and she learns he’s been cheating on her, she doesn’t do the expected and dump him on his sorry ass. Instead, she overcomes her anger and hurt feelings to give him the care he needs.

Juliet is a complicated character with incredible strength, yet she’s also vulnerable and weighs her worth by her successes.

Sadie is a free spirit, and while I liked her character, I don’t think she deserves Noah. He never got over her and she can’t decide if being an artist in New York is more important than their relationship.

Kristan Higgins is a master manipulator when it comes to emotions. She gets the most out of her characters, thereby leaving the reader laughing or in search of tissues!

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I give Always The Last to Know 5+ lovely kisses- Family drama done right!