About the Book
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?
My Review
I am a big fan of Kristin Higgins and her past titles, and what a fascinating read Life and Other Inconveniences was. The title really is spot on with the cast of characters in here – from Genevieve London never recovering after her son goes missing, to Emma London dealing with a teenage pregnancy on her own, and even the men in the story – losing a wife in childbirth and growing up in your brother’s shadow – each person had their own narrative of why life could simply be inconvenient at times. I liked this novel because a lot of tough issues were discussed. Genevieve is not the nicest character, and while I disagreed with so many of her decisions, I do believe she could be a relatable character, and it’s more interesting to me to watch the growth (even at her age and declining health) and learn from those around her. There are a lot of different storylines in here, and we move in and out of the past, but I truly never felt lost or confused or had trouble keeping the characters apart. I thought this book was very interesting and thought provoking, though a warning: I did shed a few tears at the end!
5 stars
