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    Life and Other Inconveniences
    Life and Other Inconveniences
    Life and Other Inconveniences
    Audiobook13 hours

    Life and Other Inconveniences

    Written by Kristan Higgins

    Narrated by Barbara Caruso, Dion Graham, Suzy Jackson and Xe Sands

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    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?
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateAug 6, 2019
    ISBN9781980025030
    Life and Other Inconveniences
    Author

    Kristan Higgins

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    Reviews for Life and Other Inconveniences

    4.5/5

    104 ratings15 reviews

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    • 5/5
      The minute I started reading this book, I knew it was going to be tough to put it down. It was really good.
    • 5/5
      What made this book so great? Everything! I didn’t want it to end! Every part of this book was brilliant.
    • 5/5
      Loved it. Very well written and narrated. I highly recommend.
    • 4/5
      Life and Other Inconveniences by Kristan Higgins is a 2019 Berkley publication. Genevieve is facing a challenge that, for once, money can not fix. She calls her estranged granddaughter, Emma, explaining her situation, and demands she return home. After decades of not speaking to each other, Emma is having none of it. But when Emma’s teenage daughter, Riley, hits a rough patch, she decides a change of scenery might do her good. To that end, Emma returns home to face the woman who kicked her out when she needed her most, to make peace with her past- and maybe to carve out a different future for herself and Riley in the process.This is just the kind of story I needed, at just the right time. To put it into context- I am severely behind on my reviews, and the truth is, I read this book a couple of months ago. I needed a story that had depth and humor, and punched all the right emotional buttons, without being to heavy. I was immediately drawn in by Emma and Riley as a mother and daughter team, then found myself more charmed, and impressed by Riley, who was able to penetrate the barriers between her mother and Genevieve, becoming something of a gentle go between, or moderator, unlocking the doors of communication resulting in a little more understanding of each person’s position. While the novel explores important issues, such as bullying and paternal roles, regret, acceptance, grief, and forgiveness as the core themes of the novel. There are many thought provoking elements here, but despite some weighty topics, Higgins keeps the tone on the lighter side. The passages between Riley and Genevieve are some of the most revealing, poignant and funny parts in the book.The romantic elements are also light and realistic, with plenty of charm and chemistry, but mostly runs in the background for much of the novel. While I have enjoyed Kristan Higgins work in the past, for some reason her novels tend languish on my TBR list for ages, despite my best intentions. I need to work on that!! Other than a bit of strong language, here and there, I think this is a book anyone could enjoy! 4 stars
    • 3/5
      I've always liked Ms. Higgins books whether the older contemporary romances or the newer women's fiction. This one was okay, but not one of my favorites. True, it has the usual funny scene (corn oil) that always makes me laugh out loud, but the rest of the plot just barely held together. Most of the characters seemed unrealistic, either too good or stereotypes. It's not a bad read, just not some of her best work.
    • 4/5
      Emma London would have never categorized her relationship with her grandmother - the famous designer Genevieve London - as loving. After losing her mother at eight years old, and when her father proved a less than willing caregiver, Emma was sent to live with her grandmother. Genevieve coming from an old-school blue-blood time, and suffering her own familial loss, she doesn't know really how to relate to Emma, but she make sure Emma is clothed, fed, schooled, and generally looked after. When Emma gets pregnant right after graduating high school, and wants to keep and raise the baby, Genevieve cannot believe Emma would throw all of her potential away like that. So she kicks her out and lets her make her own way.Fast forward about seventeen years and Emma is now a, mostly, single mother to Riley. She worked hard to get her degree and works as a counselor. She hasn't spoken to Genevieve in all this time. That is, until Genevieve calls informing Emma that she's dying and she would like to meet Riley. Dangling a huge inheritance - enough to cover Riley's schooling - helps make up Emma's mind and soon they're off back to Connecticut for the summer. But all is not exactly how Genevieve has made it seem. Emma and Genevieve will have to reconcile a lot with the past if they want to make the most of the time they have left.It took me a while to read and get into this book. Kristan Higgins is typically a read upon release author for me, but something about the tone of Life & Other Inconveniences had me hesitating at first. It's not an easy read for sure. It tackles issues such as death, suicide, child neglect and abandonment, missing children, bullying. It runs the gambit. It's also very generational. There's a lot of backstory that has to be incorporated because it influences where our characters are in the present, where they came from, and in a way, where they need to go. I liked filling in all the pieces and seeing how everything fit together. Seeing the layers pulled back on each character to see what, thus far, has informed their life. Why does Genevieve hold back her affections from Emma? Why is Emma a hypochondriac?I really thought that the stories Kristan Higgins gave each character were fitting. I liked each time I had formed an opinion about a character just to have it turned around by some new revelation. And the revelations themselves were well done. Slowly unfolding in an organic way to the overall story, never seeming to come out of left field.The relationship between the three female characters Genevieve, Emma, and Riley was my favorite part of the book. I loved seeing the progression of Genevieve and Emma's relationship contrasted with Emma and Riley's and then Riley and Genevieve's relationship. Then bringing it back around again to healing the fissure between Genevieve and Emma. I also loved seeing a story with a teenage girl and her mother where there wasn't any teenage animosity going on. I know that it's a real thing that sometimes happens in mother-daughter relationships, but it's not always the case, and I liked seeing the closeness of Riley and Emma without so much drama between them. It's also plays a huge contrast to how things stand between Genevieve and Emma.Overall, it's a more somber read than what I'm used to with Kristan Higgins. I liked what the story says about the circumstances that change our lives and how we deal with them. It's at times hopeful and heartbreaking, but it definitely leaves you with a sense of lightness at the end.
    • 4/5
      I totally enjoyed this fast read about Family and what we do to make it work. Flawed characters, drama in abundance, most situations are relatable. There is a lot going on in this book, but that is what makes it so fast paced! Friend drama, unplanned pregnancy, a missing child, an grandmother is faced with a heartbreaking diagnosis, loss of a partner, plus more ...but somehow, it all works and comes together. Ending is fairly predictable.

      The title of this book is perfect for the storyline!

      Thanks to Library Thing for this ARC. Opinion is my own.
    • 4/5
      4.5 stars.

      Life and Other Inconveniences by Kristan Higgins is a poignant, heartwarming and humorous novel of family, new beginnings and healing.

      A single mother in her mid-thirties, Emma London is finally establishing herself in her career. She remains estranged from her wealthy paternal grandmother Genevieve who turned her back on her granddaughter when she became pregnant at eighteen. Emma's beloved grandfather, Pop, took her in and she and her sixteen year daughter Riley still live with him. They are extremely close-knit but Emma is worried about Riley, who has suddenly become moody and uncommunicative. When Genevieve unexpectedly calls to tell her she is dying of cancer and would like to meet Riley, Emma is uncertain whether or not she wants to expose her daughter to her overly critical great-grandmother. But after Riley becomes a victim of bullying from her longtime former "best" friends,  Emma decides a change of scenery will go a long way in helping her daughter. But can a summer with her acerbic grandmother heal their rift?

      Genevieve is a harsh woman who became hardened with grief following her young son's disappearance and her beloved husband's premature death. Instead of comforting her son Clark, she threw herself into starting her own business. Clark never lived up to her exacting standards and her disappointment in him has never abated. After her daughter-in-law's death, raising Emma falls on Genevieve's reluctant shoulders.

      Emma is slightly neurotic yet surprisingly upbeat and cheerful. She is a fierce mother bear but she tries to give her daughter the space and privacy she needs to deal with whatever is bothering her.  Emma initially keeps her distance from Genevieve but she is pleasantly surprised at the instant rapport between Riley and her great-grandmother. She finds it surprisingly easy to settle back into her grandmother's orbit and Emma easily holds her own against Genevieve's biting comments.

      Riley is an absolutely delightful teenager who is quite charmed by her great-grandmother. Their interactions are laced with witty banter as they grow close.  Riley also finally gets the chance to connect with her younger half-brothers and she forms a warm friendship with the son of her great-grandmother's friends.

      Emma unexpectedly  becomes close with Miller Finlay, a widower with a troubled three year daughter, Tess. Miller is struggling with his grief over the death his wife, Ashley.  Young Tess is quite the handful and her mischief creates one of the funniest scenes in the novel.

      Life and Other Inconveniences is a captivating family-centric  novel that is deeply affecting. Emma is an endearing woman with enviable strengths and relatable flaws. Riley is a refreshing breath of fresh air who is well-adjusted and genuine.  Genevieve is initially rather off-putting, but she is surprisingly easier to like as she grows close to Riley. The storyline is well-written and fast-paced.  Kristan Higgins brings this heartfelt, entertaining novel to a wonderfully uplifting yet slightly bittersweet conclusion.  I absolutely loved and highly recommend this emotionally compelling novel.
    • 3/5
      This was a cute enough book (with a few heartbreaking moments), but in retrospect, it kind of feels like a rehashed version of the Gilmore Girls (except that Riley isn't an awful, annoying teenager like Rory Gilmore). There's the single mother who was raised by a rich relative until becoming a pregnant teen, the irresponsible (also raised wealthy) baby daddy and his parents who deny their grandchild, etc. That said, it held my attention and was a quick read. 3 stars.
    • 3/5
      When she was eight years old, Emma London's mother committed suicide. With her mother dead, her father "unable to cope," and her maternal grandparents unable to take on a child because her grandmother, Joan, was beginning to suffer the symptoms of ALS, Emma was sent to live with her other grandmother, Genevieve London.Genevieve had suffered her own losses, the disappearance of her other son, Sheppard, two years older than Emma's father, Clark, when Sheppard was seven, and the death of her own husband, Emma's other grandfather, Garrison, a few years later. One might think this common experience of loss would help the two bond, but Genevieve had responded to her losses by becoming very closed off and self-protective. She thought her duty to Emma was teaching her to be strong, pragmatic, and focused on success. When at 18, just about to go off to Smith College in the fall, Emma gets pregnant, Genevieve is disgusted, and kicks her out when she refuses to either have an abortion, or give the baby up for adoption.Emma goes to Chicago, to stay with her other grandparents. Far more able to help a pregnant near-adult now than a grieving child when they were grieving too, and just learning to cope with Joan's illness, they welcome her.Seventeen years later, Emma is a Ph.D. in psychology, working as a therapist, and her daughter, Riley is sixteen, beautiful, doing well in school, and pretty well adjusted. Emma's grandmother, Joan, has died, but her grandfather, Paul, is alive, active, and devoted to his little family. They live together in the house Paul and Joan bought many years ago.When Genevieve calls, saying that she's dying, and asking Emma to come home to Connecticut, dangling the possibility of making Riley rather than Emma's father, Clark, her heir, Emma, despite some qualms over the prospect of Riley not having to worry about tuition and other schooling costs, says no. They're doing fine. Emma doesn't need to sell her self-respect for money. And she doesn't want Riley through the same pain she did, of trying to win Genevieve's love and never quite succeeding. Then Riley's closest friends at school metamorphose into Mean Girls, with Riley as their new principal target. We eventually learn that Riley had seen some of this behavior before, but she never thought they were this bad, or that they'd turn on her.Getting Riley out of Chicago and to Genevieve's house in Connecticut suddenly seems like an excellent idea.What follows is a summer of self-discovery and mutual discovery for Emma, Riley, Genevieve--and people they know, or come to know.Genevieve is hard to like, and not all her decisions have been good, for her or her family, but she has tried hard to do her duty, and to do her best for them. The Emma we meet early on has a lack of real confidence, but we come to see she's been a good mother and is also a very good therapist. We meet Riley's father, Jason, and his wife, Jamilah, and their sons. We learn something about why, maybe, Clark grew up to be such a weak character and a crappy father. We see them all growing, or not, confronting their weaknesses and mistakes, or not. It's an absorbing, and satisfying, fammily story.I'm going to talk for a moment about Genevieve's dogs. She has five, much to Emma's surprise, and they're all apparently a result of her having been lured into what was originally a duty involvement with a local shelter. They are each, in their way, sweet dogs. But one of them is a pug, called Allegra.Allegra, like many pugs, due to the horribly squished face, which many people, unaware of the effects on the dog, mistakenly think is "cute." It isn't. It's heartbreaking. That snorting and snuffling and snoring is a result of these almost uniformly sweet-tempered, loving dogs not being able to breathe properly. As an asthmatic, I can tell you with absolute certainty that your snorting, snuffling, snoring little pug is suffering, and also sleep-deprived.Here's the kicker. There's a surgery, involving soft palette resection and some other things, that can enable your suffering pug to breathe comfortably, and sleep properly. It's not cheap. But this is a woman with great resources, and whom we know from the text of the book is aware her pug is suffering due to this. Allegra should have been given that surgery, but there's no indication that Genevieve is aware of it. Perhaps the author is unaware of it--but since she clearly knows pugs suffer with their breathing problems, that's just inexcusably lazy, at best.So, it's a good book, and enjoyable. But if you love dogs, especially if you love pugs, be aware. If you have pugs, be aware.And yes, when I post this review on sites that have star ratings, this is costing the book a star.I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, and am reviewing it voluntarily.
    • 5/5
      Corn oil and mixer beaters. Yep. If you don’t read this book for any other reason, read it to find out how corn oil and mixer beaters could possibly fit in to the story. And nope, no spoilers.I had just started reading Life and Other Inconveniences when I had to stop and take a breath. Whoa, I thought. This is one intense book. I thought Kristan Higgins’ last book, the marvelous Good Luck with That, was hard hitting, but every character I met in Life and Other Inconveniences went straight to my heart. And if there was any question just how much Emma had been hurt by Genevieve, Emma’s comment, “Have a nice death.” sure answered that question.Life and Other Inconveniences is brilliantly crafted, with a cast of unforgettable characters weaving in and out of Emma’s and Genevieve’s lives. And so many of them are truly awful people. Even if they do something redeeming later, what they have already done remains pretty unforgivable. So many lives affected, changed, stunted by past events and the actions of these terrible people. Sure, there may have been reasons, but still.Emma, Genevieve Riley, Clark, Paul, Jason, Hope, Miller, Tess, Donelle, Helga, Jamilah– all of the characters, these named and many more, including Sheppard, the lost boy, are vividly portrayed and captivating. Emma’s life reads like a disaster checklist. Genevieve turned to ice when she couldn’t get past her grief. Miller had the fairy tale love story but now life seems like a soap opera tragedy. It goes on and on, everybody has a story and everything seems to be connected somehow. Some are survivors, some give up, some are lazy, some are just mean. But each and every one is fascinating with a story to tell. The setting and atmosphere are like additional characters. Genevieve’s house (house nothing, mansion!) called Sheerwater in Stoningham, Connecticut came to life.Life and Other Inconveniences is fabulous, charming but tough, heartbreaking and uplifting. Excellent plot, great characters, satisfying ending. And as always when you are reading Kristan Higgins, have plenty of tissues handy. Some for wiping your eyes when you can’t stop laughing, and some for mopping your face when you can’t stop crying. Serious issues are addressed, but there’s a lot of joy and lots and lots and lots of love. Love all around.You know when you are reading a book and you never want it to end? You realize there's a plot and a point to the story but it’s become a bit secondary in your mind because you don’t want to leave, you just want to spend forever with these people, walk through life with them? Well, welcome to Life and Other Inconveniences and the world of Kristan Higgins. Thanks to Goodreads for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review and thanks to KW for writing another winner. Remember Whoa when I started reading? At the end I took another and thought Double Whoa. I loved this book and recommend it without hesitation.
    • 5/5
      Lindas Book Obsession Reviews "Life and Other Inconveniences" by Kristan Higgins, Berkley, August 2019WOW! Kristan Higgins, Author of "Life and Other Inconveniences" has written an intriguing, riveting, emotional, dramatic, entertaining and thought-provoking novel. The Genres for this novel are Fiction, and  Women's Fiction. The timeline for this story is set in the present and goes to the past when it pertains to the characters or events in this story. The author describes her colorful and dramatic cast of characters as quirky, dysfunctional, complex, and complicated. I love that there are some dogs in this story as well.Emma London is a single Mom and has done a great job raising her 16-year-old  daughter Riley while working jobs and going to school. Emma has had a hard life with abandonment issues from several family members. Emma's grandmother did take her in for years, when she was a child but when Emma got pregnant, threw her out to fend for herself.  It certainly is quite surprising that Emma gets a call now from her Grandmother, Genevieve London, requesting that Emma return to her home, Sheerwater. This is the uber-wealthy Genevieve London, responsible for the top designer handbag line.Emma is ambivalent of what she should do, but Riley would really like to meet her Grandmother. Emma's Pop who has always been in her life is ready to go with them. It would bring them closer to Riley's father, who leaves nearby. I appreciate that the author discusses the importance of family, decent moral values, understanding, compassion, communication, forgiveness, love and hope. Sometimes situations are not what they seem to be, and sometimes even mean spirited people can surprise you. What is the motivation for making people do the things that they do?  This is also a coming of age novel. I would highly recommend this thought-provoking novel and emotional novel.
    • 2/5
      This is a cute book. Although, I struggled with connecting with the characters. The only ones that I did like was Miller and his daughter, Tess. In fact, after my first introduction with these two, I could not wait to see them again. It would be quite some time before Miller made an appearance again in the story. I tried to find a connection towards the other characters but as I stated, I struggled to find that connection. This it made it a bit difficult to want to stay in the moment while reading this book. However, I did finish the story. Only because I did want to see how it would all come together. In addition, that I did find myself reading this book fairly quickly. The latter third of the story was good. Sadly, this book ended up not my cup of tea but this does not mean that other readers should not try it out. It is part of a series but can be read as a stand alone novel.
    • 4/5
      From the flap copy, I was a bit worried that this novel would read like stereotypical chick lit and be all fluff with no substance ... I'm so glad to have been so wrong! I loved this book. Told from different perspectives, the story came alive through well-crafted, distinct character voices. Higgins did a masterful job capturing the frustrations, neuroses, and niggling inner voices of real people -- I laughed out loud in multiple places, and felt my own anger and frustration mounting in others. Though a few plot 'twists' were a bit predictable, I was so engaged in the story that I didn't mind at all. Definitely a great summer read -- 4 stars.
    • 5/5
      I’m sitting here at 3:57 am with tears running down my face trying to figure out what to put in my review to convey my feelings. For me, if a writer can bring me to true tears, it’s a sign of a fantastic book. I loved this book! It takes the reader through every gamut of emotion. I felt sympathy for the young girl (Emma) who lost her mother & then was dumped on a stern grandmother by her immature father. I admired the mother Emma became for for sticking to her principles instead of doing the “easy” thing. Genevieve is the one I couldn’t put a lock on. I admired her courage in going on after losing one son & her husband. I sympathized with her grief but yet was appalled by her treatment of Clark & Emma. These characters were all so well developed, it felt like I was living their story along with them. The descriptions & dialogue bring you right into the scenes with them. I had planned to start reading this book as soon as I received it but decided to hold off until the weekend. I wanted to be able to lose myself in it. Once I opened the cover, I didn’t put the book down until I was finished. I’ve read everything Ms. Higgins has published & this isn’t one of her typical romances but it’s so much more! I don’t feel that I’ve done this book justice but suffice it to say, I loved it & in a week or two will be rereading it to capture anything I missed the first time.