Life and Other Inconveniences by Kristan Higgins

Title: Life and Other Inconveniences

Author: Kristan Higgins

Publisher: Berkley Books

Release Date: August 6, 2019

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?

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Kristan Higgins is my favorite author. I own all of her books in digital, paperback and hardcover forms. I think she's an amazing writer and she seems to be an awesome human being too. 

When I received a copy of Life and Other Inconveniences, I was ecstatic! As a book lover, nothing feels as great as getting a book by your favorite author. Then, something happened. I didn't want to read it. Why? because she writes a book a year and if I started it too soon, I was going to have to wait a long time for her next one. Finally, this weekend, I couldn't postpone it any longer. So I prepared for my weekend. I asked my husband to take care of the puppies, breakfast and household chores while I took the morning off to read. No interruptions, no breaks.

Life and Other Inconveniences is narrated in multiple points of views. The main three characters are: 

Emma, a single mother who has abandonment issues. When she was very little, her mother committed suicide and her father Clark, left her with her grandmother and never looked back. When Emma meets the first boy/man who shows her some love, she dates him for three years and just before she graduates high school, she learns she's pregnant. Her grandmother, Genevieve is not happy and pretty much kicks her out. Emma goes to live with her maternal grandfather. Years later, she's starting her career as a psychologist and her daughter, Riley is a teenager.

Genevieve had a perfect marriage. She loved her husband, Garrison with all of her heart. She also had two boys, Sheppard and Clark. She loved Sheppard, her oldest and when he goes missing at a very young age, she loses part of her heart. Then, Garrison dies too and when he dies, Genevieve loses the ability to love. She's never the mother that she should be to Clark (her youngest son) and when years later, he delivers his daughter, Emma to her doorstep, she thinks this is her chance to make amends. Yet, When Emma gets pregnant, she can't be flexible.

Last, we have Riley. Emma's daughter and Genevieve's granddaughter. A smart young woman with a good heart. Riley's having problems at school and when Genevieve's invitation to spend the summer with her is given, Emma and Riley agree it could be a good time to leave town.

Life and Other Inconveniences felt different than her prior novels. I had a hard time concentrating on the story. I felt there was too much inner dialogue by Emma and Genevieve. I missed the humor I've come to expect from KH. I missed the embarrassing moments, I've come to feel for the characters. I missed the romance, I've come to adore. 

I like to clarify that ANY time there was a dialogue, I was 100% immersed in it. Even though, the dialogue was so scattered, when it was there, I craved it.

These are my opinions but I hope this doesn't deter you from reading this book. 

Cliffhanger: No

3.5/5Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Berkley via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Good Luck with That by Kristan Higgins

Title: Good Luck with That 

Author: Kristan Higgins

Publisher: Berkley Books 

Release Date: August 7, 2018 

Emerson, Georgia, and Marley have been best friends ever since they met at a weight-loss camp as teens. When Emerson tragically passes away, she leaves one final wish for her best friends: to conquer the fears they still carry as adults.

For each of them, that means something different. For Marley, it's coming to terms with the survivor's guilt she's carried around since her twin sister's death, which has left her blind to the real chance for romance in her life. For Georgia, it's about learning to stop trying to live up to her mother's and brother's ridiculous standards, and learning to accept the love her ex-husband has tried to give her.

But as Marley and Georgia grow stronger, the real meaning of Emerson's dying wish becomes truly clear: more than anything, she wanted her friends to love themselves. 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Wow, what a tough topic to write about!

I’m not going to lie, parts of Good Luck with That were hard for me to read. I felt an immense amount of empathy for the gut-wrenching pain these heroines had and were going through. 

There were so many things which resonated with me. Body image and weight are two things that do affect me. I love food and I tend to eat more when I’m under stress. I never had to worry about weight until I was in my twenties. If anything, I grew up too skinny and people always commented on this fact which made me uneasy. At present, the opposite is true. Counting calories, carbs, eating healthy, and exercising are all part of my daily routine. I seem to be in a constant fight against gaining weight. I blame this on my lazy metabolism.

Good Luck with That brings to our attention obesity, a very real epidemic affecting this country.  Emerson, Georgia, and Marley are at the center of this novel. All are in a different stage of obesity. 

First, there's Emerson who’s always been the heaviest of the three girls. We get to have a first-row seat to her constant fight against her weight and how her weight starts affecting her health.  In the end, obesity is a major contributing factor to her death. By way of a diary, we learn how she got there and who helped her. 

Then we have Georgia who has suffered from an eating disorder closer to bulimia than anorexia since her teenage years. We see her at three different stages of her life. During her time at fat camp where she first meets her other two friends. Then, during her time in law school, when she falls in love for the first time and when she ultimately marries Rafael. And five years later, when she’s now divorced and living in the same building as Marley but has never forgotten Rafael. She has left her job as a lawyer and is now a teacher.

Last, there’s Marley. I’m not sure if she’s obese or morbidly obese (Kristan never gives us their sizes or actual weight). Yet, she’s the one who over time has become more comfortable with her body. Maybe because her family has always been supportive while Georgia's family has enjoyed fat-shaming her. Marley's life was marked when her twin sister died at four years of age. Her emptiness and survivor's guilt were components which influenced her weight. Ultimately, she’s the daughter Who Survived. The one that should be happy that she is alive. 

Kristan Higgins does an amazing job in Good Luck With That. She had me crying or laughing as per her usual. I will say that the hardest passages for me to read were about Emerson. Those were devastating. This doesn’t mean I didn’t identify with Georgia and Marley. I did.

My favorite parts included a piggyback ride, a spa event, and of course the ending. There was one cringe-worthy scene--> The magic show. I was dreading turning the pages over. But, by the end, I was laughing out loud. Classic HG!

In conclusion, I believe the message Kristan Higgins is sending is one of acceptance. Acceptance about your body, acceptance that not everyone is going to be thoughtful or nice about your weight but that you can continue your life, preferably without them in it. 

I'm not sure everyone is going to love this book (no book is for everyone) but I do believe in not criticizing a book without reading it.

Many thanks to Berkley and Kristan Higgins for providing me with an early review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

Anything for You by Kristan Higgins

Title: Anything for You 

Series: Blue Heron #5

Author: Kristan Higgins 

Release Day: December 29,2015

Before you get down on bended knee… 

…you should be pretty darn sure the answer will be yes. For ten years, Connor O'Rourke has been waiting for Jessica Dunn to take their on-again, off-again relationship public, and he thinks the time has come. His restaurant is thriving, she's got her dream job at Blue Heron Vineyard—it's the perfect time to get married. 

When he pops the question, however, her answer is a fond but firm no. If it ain't broke, why fix it? Jess has her hands full with her younger brother, who's now living with her full-time, and a great career after years of waitressing. What she and Connor have is perfect: friends with an excellent benefits package. Besides, with her difficult past (and reputation), she's positive married life isn't for her. 

But this time, Connor says it's all or nothing. If she doesn't want to marry him, he'll find someone who does. Easier said than done, given that he's never loved anyone but her. And maybe Jessica isn't quite as sure as she thinks…

Amazon

This book had all the “feels”. It made me laugh, cry, laugh again. I knew Conner was a great guy, but I never knew his story was going to hit my heart this way.

Connor O'Rourke is Colleen's twin from Waiting On You. He works with her at their tavern. He is the chef, she's usually the one behind the bar. They have a great relationship and despite their banter, they support each other 100%. Connor doesn’t have a good relationship with his father since he knew he had cheated on his mother. Connor has only loved one woman and her name is Jessica. For years, he has loved her and for years, she has broken his heart every time she had walks away from him.

Jessica Dunn was the town slut. She had the reputation of Jessica Does. She doesn’t care (or, at least, she tries for it not to bother her). The only thing that matters to her is Davey. Her brother who has special needs. She will do anything for him. Or better yet, she has done everything for him since her parents had failed them. Both of her parents were alcoholics and growing up, Jessica and Davey had no one. Jessica likes Connor and she wants to be with him, but she doesn’t think they could have anything serious since Davey hates Connor. 

But, for how long is Connor going to let her break his heart one more time?

"Every time I think you can't break my heart again, ...you find a way."

I had so many feelings reading Anything for You. Connor was beyond awesome. He thought of himself as grouchy and grumpy when in truth he was sweet and thoughtful. He cared about all the women in his life. Was a great son, brother, and friend. 

Jessica had it tough. She had to deal with adult problems from a very young age. It was hard to deal with Davey at times. She did everything she could for him. Even, pushing away the only man who loves her. 

I can’t  recommend this book enough. It's a great addition to the Blue Heron series, but I think you can still read it as a standalone. 

Cliffhanger: No

5/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

If You Only Knew by Kristan Higgins

Goodreads | Amazon

This is the story of two sisters, Jenny and Rachel. 

Jenny Tate is a wedding-dress designer. She is divorced but she remains friends with her ex-husband Owen and his new wife Ana-Sofia. She attends their dinners and she fakes happiness but she knows that for her own self preservation she needs to leave Manhattan behind. She moves back to Cambry-on-Hudson, her home city and into an apartment where her landlord is a hottie piano teacher. Leo Killian is not too happy with his new tenant. He doesn't need a complication and Jenny has it written all over her to be one. 

Rachel Carver is happily married. She has triplets and she's a stay-home mom. She loves her children and her life until she discovers that her husband is hiding something from her. Soon her life is in turmoil. She will need her sister support more than ever. 

~~

This book felt so different to me. I'm so used to Kristan being funny and having those moments in the books were I usually squirm when the heroine makes a fool of herself. 

This book had a serious tone. It doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it. I did. 

The main characters weren't Jenny and Leo. Jenny and Rachel have that role. 

Jenny was a determined entrepreneur. She was successful. Her only flaw was loving her ex-husband. He hurt her deeply but she did the right thing leaving when he told her he didn't love her anymore.

Rachel was the shy one. She thought her life was perfect. Her home situation made her grow a backbone which I was very happy to read. 

I was happy Jenny met Leo but the romance really takes a secondary place in this book. 

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs 

A complimentary copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

In Your Dreams (Blue Heron #4) by Kristan Higgins

In Your Dreams

Emmaline Neal is a cop in a small town. She is happy with her life, her job and her dog. Sometimes she is lonely but she tries to keep herself busy. Her parents still live back west and she is grateful to have her adopted sister in her life, although she is too perfect sometimes.  When a wedding invitation arrives she finds herself in desperate need for a date, hopefully male and striking.

Jack Holland is overwhelmed by the hero worship after saving some kids from getting drowned. But one is still in a coma and this makes Jack feel very guilty. When her sister asked her to help Em with her predicament he jumps to the idea. A few days away from home is what he needs. To his surprise he enjoys Em's company and he wants to get to know her better.

If only his ex-wife was not so needy....

My thoughts:

Disclaimer: I love Kristan Higgins books. She always transportsN me to small town family home where there is happiness, loss, a pet and funny moments. Her books always make me laugh, cry, squirm, LOL (yes, this one did it too and I almost woke up my hubby from all the laughing).

I love the Blue Heron series. The characters have become like family. And with each new book you get to see some of the new developments in their lives. Pru is still crazy, Levi's still serious, Tom is still the perfect Brit.

I like Em, I thought she was sweet but she wasn't a doormat. She was onto Jack's ex from the get go. I felt so bad for what her ex- fincée did to her and how her parents behave toward her.. And don't let me get started on poor Jack. His ex-wife definitely didn't deserve him. She was selfish and superficial.  But, Jack did made some mistakes and he made me want to scream at him a couple of times. I knew he was a good guy but he needed to stop the southern bell sooner.

If you like contemporary romance, you should add Kristan's books to your TBR. I know I do.

Favorite Quotes:

“Yeah, yeah, you’re gorgeous yourself. And where does a winemaker get washboard abs, by the way?”

“Next time we use handcuffs, it’s my turn,”

“Here’s the thing, Jack, I want a devoted husband and three extremely wellbehaved but delightfully irrepressible children. You up for that? Because otherwise, let’s skip dinner, since I’d probably fall in love with you in twenty, twenty-five minutes, then spend months resenting you for not feeling the same about me.”

“Hush, woman. We’re dating."

Cliffhanger :No

A complimentary copy was provided by the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

5/5 Fangs
ML

Waiting On You (Blue Heron #3) by Kristan Higgins

Waiting on You

Complementary copy provided by Netgalley.

Colleen O"Rourke is happy with her life. She loves her brother and her sister. She likes her job as a bartender. She is happy with her volunteer work too. What she doesn't do is relationships. Growing up she was always called beautiful but she really never payed to much attention to her looks or fell in love until she met Lucas Campbell. Lucas was the new kid in town. To her, he looked like a pirate and once his eyes landed on her, she knew her world would never be the same. He was the man she fell  in love with and the one that broke her heart.

Lucas is back in town after many years. He is back because of family. His uncle Joe is dying and he wants to be there for him.  Lucas thinks he is just passing by but once he sees Colleen again he can't stop the pull he feels towards her. He knows he shouldn't get close to her again but he is unable to stay away.

Can they give their love a second chance?

It's impossible for me to dislike any book written by Kristan Higgins. They are full of humor, love, angst, and at the end, they leave you with a smile on your face.

I love Colleen. She was spontaneous, funny, loyal and so in love with Lucas despite everything that happened when they were younger. She is also pretty funny as a matchmaker. Trying to help Paulie and Bryce together made me laugh more than once.
Her relationship with her twin Connor is amazing and she's able to be nice to even her stepmother "The Tail".
Lucas was great too. He pursue Colleen in his quiet way. I just wish that he would have to grovel a little more. Colleen never really puts a good fight and I think he was too sure of her love sometimes.
In the end the story works for me.
It's also nice to see the some characters return and attending a certain wedding.

I think now it will time for Jack or Connor's story.

“Yeah, right. I didn’t marry someone two months after our first fight. And don’t call me mía.” She seemed to realize she still had the bag of vegetables on her head and lowered her arm. “You broke my heart, Lucas,” she said. “It was a long time ago. But I’m not dumb enough to let history repeat itself. So don’t mess with me. Are we clear?” 

“What seems clear,” he murmured, stepping a little closer so that they were almost touching, “is that this is going to happen. You and me. It’s just a question of when.”

4.5/5 Fangs
ML

The Perfect Match (Blue Heron #2) by Kristan Higgins

The Perfect Match

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Honor Holland has been in love with Brogan Cain. They have been having a relationship for a while now.  When Honor is told by her gyn that she may need to start thinking about starting a family due to her age, she takes the next step and asks Brogan to marry her.  She is devastated when he says no.
A few months later she decides that she will start dating again. After all, her eggs are shriveling.  She meets Tom Barlow.
Tom Barlow is British. He is a teacher.  He moved to the Estates to stay closer to the woman he loved. Sadly, she died in an accident and now in order to stay connected with her son he must obtain a green card.
After learning his need to stay in the States Honor agrees to marry him to help him.
But when she starts falling for her British fiancee and she is not sure he reciprocates her feelings, can she continue with the charade?

Kristin Higgins is one of my favorite contemporary romance writers.  She is in my to-go authors list. I own all of her books because I love everything she writes. Some books more than others (Too Good To Be True is my favorite).
I love that she can make laugh, cry and squirm at times.
I love that the heroine always has a pet.  I love that they have crazy family or crazy friends or both. I love that she gets into embarrassing situations but at the end of the day, she gets the guy that will make her happy.  Not necessarily the guy that she first loved but the guy that she will love last. (Just like Klaus and Caroline in Vampire Diaries).
This book is another winner.

"Tom?" she whispered. "I think I'm the type, after all."
A corner of his mouth pulled in a smile. "The type who'll come home with me, then?"
Her hand, she noted, was resting over his heart, and she could feel it thudding solidly against her palm. "yes," she heard herself say. " Hop in."


"Honor Holland: the type of woman who picks up British hotties in bars. Who went back to Hottie Tom Barlow's place and shagged him within an inch of death."

4.5/5 Fangs

The Best Man (Blue Heron #1) by Kristan Higgins

The Best Man

Faith Holland has been away from home for three years.
She was very happy, had the perfect boyfriend, but on her wedding day, her fiancee decided to publicly come out of the closet.
Faith blamed Levi- her fiancee's best friend.
After three years she is worried about seeing Jeremy again. But she misses her family and friends.
Levi Cooper is the Police Chief now. The first time he sees Faith he gives her a speeding ticket. The second time, she is trying to escape seeing Jeremy for the first time since she has been back, but she gets stuck in a window.
At the beginning there is no lost love between them but once they realize they are neighbors and actually do enjoy spending time together, things changed.
As always Kristan Higgins' book have a dog, a small town feel, funny characters and a HEA.
4/5 Fangs


"She's not making babies with anyone but me"

Somebody To Love by Kristan Higgins

Parker Welles has lost her fortune. Or I should say her father lost their fortune in an insider-trade scheme. She decides to sell a home in Gideon's Cove, Maine. But first she has to fix it before she can flip it. To her surprise her father's lawyer James Cahill comes to the rescue. Not only is he here to give her support but has brought his toolbox to help her rebuild it. Parker is rude (kept calling him Thing One) at the beginning but the more she gets to know him, the more wrong she thinks she has been about him. It also helps that they have a past together. James calls her Princess.
Parker who writes children' s books has lost her muse. She starts working as a florist. She also befriends Maggie and helps her with the flowers for her wedding.
I have been expecting this book for a long time. They are a treat. the best part about this book besides the main characters falling in love, is that we see glimpses of two other very important couples from 2 different books: The Next Best Thing (Lucy and Ethan) and Catch of the Day (Malone and Maggie). 
Spoiler Fangalert: We get more than a glimpse about Maggie and Malone's life and their wedding- which was my one complaint in Catch of the Day not knowing more about Malone.
4/5 Fangs

Just One of the Guys by Kristan Higgins

Chastity O'Neill has loved Trevor Meade as long as she can remember. She has recently moved back home and is working as a journalist. As always in Mrs Higgins books she owns a dog, Buttercup. 
Chastity has four brothers, all firefighters. Her father is also a firefighter, but he is separated from her mom. He loves his job more than his wife. Chastity has decided to find a man and settle down, get married, and have kids. She is looking for Mr. Perfect, When she meets a doctor, she decides that he may just be the guy. She has to leave behind the wonderful time she spent with Trevor for a few days in College. As hard as she tries she always comes back to Trevor. He has been there in her life for ever and is considered another son to her parents. How can she forget him or how can she get him back?

I love these books and look forward to the story. This one was not as great some of the other ones. I just thought it took too long for Trevor and Chastity to be together and the end could have been longer. 
4/5 Fangs

The Next Best Thing by Kristan Higgins

Title: The Next Best Thing

Series: Gideon's Cove

Author: Kristan Higgins

Publisher: Harlequin Books

Lucy Lang isn't looking for fireworks...

She's looking for a nice, decent man. Someone who'll mow the lawn, flip chicken on the barbeque, teach their future children to play soccer. But most important... someone who won't inspire the slightest stirring in her heart...or anywhere else. A young widow, Lucy can't risk that kind of loss again. But sharing her life with a cat named Fat Mikey and the Black Widows at the family bakery isn't enough either. So it's goodbye to Ethan, her hot but entirely inappropriate "friend with privileges" and hello to a man she can marry.

Too bad Ethan Mirabelli isn't going anywhere. As far as he's concerned, what she needs might be right under her nose. But can he convince her that the next best thing can really be forever?

Amazon

Lucy Lang is in her twenties, she has been a widow for five years. After her sister gives birth to baby Emma, Lucy decides it is time to move on and start dating again. So maybe it is time to stop sleeping with her dead husband's brother, Ethan Mirabelli.

Lucy wants to find a man whom she can love just a little. She is terrified of falling head over heals and wants to settle for someone she can have a kid with but is not crazy for.

The females in her family seem to lose their husbands at an early age. Her mother and sisters are known as the Black Widows. They own a bakery where Lucy works but they refuse to let Lucy improve the menu. Despite her being a pastry chef and have a passion for baking. 

As always the secondary characters are wonderful. The family gatherings, the small town, the humor is what will make me want to buy any of her books. Surprisingly, this is my first book by Kristan who has a cat instead of a dog as the memorable pet.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs