This is my first book by Kristan Higgins that I’ve read. Honestly, it was a little dark, but her writing style and ability to tell a story from multiple angles and perspectives kept me going with the page-turning.
What I like best about this book is the consistency and various voices of the characters. Emma’s character was consistent all the way through. Genevieve, through growth, introspection and finally, her medical circumstances, evolves. But a last-minute revelation truly shows her nature and reinforces her manipulative behavior. And just like in real life, we see people giving the seemingly rich a pass for this kind of behavior in exchange for empty promises and to surround themselves with the finer things in life.
What I didn’t like where a couple of things. Maybe this is an east-coast thing, but the college tuition payments seemed a bit entitled, demanding secondary education expenses all of a sudden without planning for it first. Secondly, many students, myself included, had to put themselves through college through loans and working three jobs over the summer, as early as 1997. So it interested me that Riley’s character wasn’t working hard at a job, bearing that responsibility as it would be her choice to pursue college, and not to anyone else’s benefit. It seems odd that Emma wouldn’t have something planned or had that talk with Emma like “hey, I don’t have much, so you’re going to have to get a job”. The writing on this just seemed last-minute to add a conflict with Jason that wasn’t supported with what is reality for many: getting a job and getting loans. Because a lot of times, parents are zero help.
The second thing I didn’t like was Miller’s character. I didn’t find him appealing as many other readers did. I viewed him as a failing parent with an insufferable toddler with zero manners. It just amazes me the lack of parenting skills some of these characters have, and it almost gets to a point where it’s just not natural, and it almost impacts the quality of the book. Miller’s daughter was a thorn for me and took away from the book rather than added to it.
Overall, it’s a gripping story, and one that I could recommend to others for reading. I give this one 4 stars because I love the consistency element, the scene setup, and the dynamics at play regarding life choices.
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?
