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Good Intentions Collection #7
A Planned Occasion
A surprising gift brings closure for an elderly widow in a poignant story about grief, memory, and the persistence of love by the acclaimed, award-winning author of Miracle Creek.
Korean immigrant Mina Pak Johnson is clearing out the last of her husband’s things when she finds a picnic basket in his closet—a long-forgotten wedding present from her mother. With it comes decades of memories—of her mother’s wishes for her to be happy and her own shattered hopes for her first child—and regret at never having used it. Pushing her husband’s ashes and a bottle of wine in a rusty old stroller, Mina is determined to re-create the picnic they never had. But with it comes something Mina never expected, illuminating a loving gesture her husband made years ago.
Korean immigrant Mina Pak Johnson is clearing out the last of her husband’s things when she finds a picnic basket in his closet—a long-forgotten wedding present from her mother. With it comes decades of memories—of her mother’s wishes for her to be happy and her own shattered hopes for her first child—and regret at never having used it. Pushing her husband’s ashes and a bottle of wine in a rusty old stroller, Mina is determined to re-create the picnic they never had. But with it comes something Mina never expected, illuminating a loving gesture her husband made years ago.
27 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 27, 2023
146 people are currently reading
3352 people want to read
About the author
Angie Kim
3 books11.6k followersAngie Kim moved as a preteen from Seoul, South Korea, to the suburbs of Baltimore. After graduating from Interlochen Arts Academy, she studied philosophy at Stanford University and attended Harvard Law School, where she was an editor of the Harvard Law Review. Her debut novel, Miracle Creek, won the Edgar Award, the ITW Thriller Award, the Strand Critics’ Award, and the Pinckley Prize and was named one of the best books of the year by Time, The Washington Post, Kirkus, and the Today show. One of Variety Magazine’s inaugural “10 Storytellers to Watch,” Angie has written for The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post, Vogue, Glamour, and numerous literary journals. She lives in northern Virginia with her family. Happiness Falls is her second novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 235 reviews
August 6, 2024
In a Nutshell: A short story focussed on regrets of the past and making amends even when it might be too late. By far, the best story of this collection. Loved the emotions and the realism. Much recommended.
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Plot Preview:
This is the seventh and final story in the ‘Good Intentions’ series, described on Amazon as “a riveting collection of stories about the instincts, fears, and fierce love inherent in motherhood.’
Ladies and gentlemen, we finally have a winner in this series!
‘A Planned Occasion’ is the shortest story of this collection at just 27 pages, and yet, easily the most impactful one in terms of its implementation of the theme, its use of the plotline, the emotions it generates, the realistic characters, and the poignant ending. To be fair, the story is more about the regrets of couple-hood than the instincts and fears of motherhood as mentioned in the theme, but a part of the plot does deal with motherhood, so I’ll give it some grace marks.
Loved the title – so perfect for the story. Loved the Korean representation through the culture and the food. Loved the genuine marriage rep, complete with love, arguments, misunderstandings, open communication, patience, and forgiveness.
I am so glad I kept this story last! It’s great to end a series on a good note, even if the rest was forgettable. This is my first Angie Kim and I'd love to read more of her works.
Much recommended to those who love short stories of the women’s fiction genre. This tale gets a tad emotional (never soppy, though!), so if you are the crying kind, keep tissues around.
4.5 stars.
This standalone story is a part of the “Good Intentions” collection, and is currently available free to Amazon Prime subscribers.
Content warning: miscarriage, death.
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Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Mina Pak Johnson, a widow after more than five decades of marriage, is clearing out her house before she is to move into a nursing home. At the back of her husband’s closet, she finds a picnic basket – an old forgotten wedding present from her mother. This discovery leads to the awakening of past memories and regrets. As Mina looks at the decisions of her youth with a guilty heart, she decides to finally do something that was intended but never done.
The story comes to us in Mina’s third-person perspective.
This is the seventh and final story in the ‘Good Intentions’ series, described on Amazon as “a riveting collection of stories about the instincts, fears, and fierce love inherent in motherhood.’
Ladies and gentlemen, we finally have a winner in this series!
‘A Planned Occasion’ is the shortest story of this collection at just 27 pages, and yet, easily the most impactful one in terms of its implementation of the theme, its use of the plotline, the emotions it generates, the realistic characters, and the poignant ending. To be fair, the story is more about the regrets of couple-hood than the instincts and fears of motherhood as mentioned in the theme, but a part of the plot does deal with motherhood, so I’ll give it some grace marks.
Loved the title – so perfect for the story. Loved the Korean representation through the culture and the food. Loved the genuine marriage rep, complete with love, arguments, misunderstandings, open communication, patience, and forgiveness.
I am so glad I kept this story last! It’s great to end a series on a good note, even if the rest was forgettable. This is my first Angie Kim and I'd love to read more of her works.
Much recommended to those who love short stories of the women’s fiction genre. This tale gets a tad emotional (never soppy, though!), so if you are the crying kind, keep tissues around.
4.5 stars.
This standalone story is a part of the “Good Intentions” collection, and is currently available free to Amazon Prime subscribers.
Content warning: miscarriage, death.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
October 12, 2023
A Planned Occasion by Angie Kim is a Story of Lasting Memories and Love!
A tale of a mother's acceptance, a husband's gift, and a wife's discovery...
After her husband's death, Korean immigrant Mina Pak Johnson goes through the last remaining items in his closet when she spots a gift from the past on the top shelf. It's the wedding present received from her mother on her wedding day. She'd forgotten about the picnic basket but how did it end up in William's closet?
Memories flood Mina's thoughts with why the picnic basket was never used...
When I read a book written by Angie Kim I'm amazed by the depth of the story and its characters. Her stories are written with a family unit at its core and a premise that is both thoughtful and thought-provoking. The same is true of this one.
This Short Read/Listen will surprise you with the emotion it will stir and of the tears that will well in your eyes as you read/listen. Get that box of tissues ready, friends. I'm serious.
A Planned Occasion is a 49M audiobook and part of the Good Intentions Collection of Short Reads/Listens written by bestselling authors about the unique characteristics of motherhood. I recommend this audiobook to readers who enjoy a well-written emotional listen that's easy to fit in during a short walk or drive. Just remember to bring the tissues!
3.75⭐rounded up!
A tale of a mother's acceptance, a husband's gift, and a wife's discovery...
After her husband's death, Korean immigrant Mina Pak Johnson goes through the last remaining items in his closet when she spots a gift from the past on the top shelf. It's the wedding present received from her mother on her wedding day. She'd forgotten about the picnic basket but how did it end up in William's closet?
Memories flood Mina's thoughts with why the picnic basket was never used...
When I read a book written by Angie Kim I'm amazed by the depth of the story and its characters. Her stories are written with a family unit at its core and a premise that is both thoughtful and thought-provoking. The same is true of this one.
This Short Read/Listen will surprise you with the emotion it will stir and of the tears that will well in your eyes as you read/listen. Get that box of tissues ready, friends. I'm serious.
A Planned Occasion is a 49M audiobook and part of the Good Intentions Collection of Short Reads/Listens written by bestselling authors about the unique characteristics of motherhood. I recommend this audiobook to readers who enjoy a well-written emotional listen that's easy to fit in during a short walk or drive. Just remember to bring the tissues!
3.75⭐rounded up!
September 16, 2023
What an incredible message in such a short amount of time. This novella moves your soul as you turn the pages, putting life into perspective. How often we need to be reminded of how thankful we should be at the life we have and how not to squander that life by waiting for something bigger and better.
Absolutely a great read, a beautiful and endearing story that stays with you long after you’ve finished it.
Absolutely a great read, a beautiful and endearing story that stays with you long after you’ve finished it.
August 8, 2023
fuck you for making me cry at a 10 minute story
December 10, 2023
An absolutely beautifully written story which is very moving. One of my favourites of the series.
Kindle Unlimited- Good Intentions collection
Kindle Unlimited- Good Intentions collection
September 11, 2023
With only three works available, Angie Kim has become one of my favorite authors. This short story has all the earmarks of her talent, and although short in length, is mighty in what it delivers. I was reminded of a piece that was circulating around years ago about a woman who was saving a beautiful nightgown for a special occasion, which was found among her possessions after her death, unused. The point was to use those items because you never know what will constitute a special occasion in the future when remembering the past.
November 28, 2023
This is probably the most beautiful short prose I have ever read. When I finished reading, it took fully half an hour for my constricted heart to begin beating normally again and for the tears to stop spilling down my cheeks. That was longer than it took to read the story.
I do not wish to reduce the power of Ms. Kim’s writing, by my own ineptness to do it justice. The story is about love and loss, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, anticipation and regrets, anger and forgiving, youth and aging, tradition, assimilation, acceptance and so much more.
Our MC finishes packing up her house belongings, reduced to so many boxes for her son, so many boxes for her daughter, fifteen for herself – the maximum allowed in the retirement home, and the rest already donated to Goodwill. She finds, tucked away on a top shelf in her husband’s mostly empty closet, a heavy dusty picnic basket given to her by her mother on their wedding day… I can’t write anymore because the tears have started rolling down my cheeks again.
This Amazon Original Story is the best I have read to date. It is available free of charge to subscribers of Kindle Unlimited, as part of the Good Intentions Series. The KU story includes audible, but I recommend reading. If you do so, you will understand why you won’t want to be walking, exercising, cooking, cleaning, or washing the car while doing so.
I do not wish to reduce the power of Ms. Kim’s writing, by my own ineptness to do it justice. The story is about love and loss, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, anticipation and regrets, anger and forgiving, youth and aging, tradition, assimilation, acceptance and so much more.
Our MC finishes packing up her house belongings, reduced to so many boxes for her son, so many boxes for her daughter, fifteen for herself – the maximum allowed in the retirement home, and the rest already donated to Goodwill. She finds, tucked away on a top shelf in her husband’s mostly empty closet, a heavy dusty picnic basket given to her by her mother on their wedding day… I can’t write anymore because the tears have started rolling down my cheeks again.
This Amazon Original Story is the best I have read to date. It is available free of charge to subscribers of Kindle Unlimited, as part of the Good Intentions Series. The KU story includes audible, but I recommend reading. If you do so, you will understand why you won’t want to be walking, exercising, cooking, cleaning, or washing the car while doing so.
May 11, 2024
I'd forgotten the name of the Audible collection this is part of is Good Intentions; and as the narrator announced it at the end, I thought of good intentions gone bad. This was very sad and a reminder to not keep your motives for doing something from your partner until it may be too late to convey them. This author always gives me something new to reflect upon.
August 17, 2023
A sad but sweet story which perfectly sums up the meaning of good intentions. Ren Hanami beautifully narrates this short audible original.
April 30, 2023
Lovely
So much packed into such a short story. I am so glad I didn't miss this one. It was lovely.
So much packed into such a short story. I am so glad I didn't miss this one. It was lovely.
May 6, 2023
Amazingly powerful and emotional. This really moved me. I wasn't crying, that was the rain on my face while I was taking my walk and listening to this book.
June 1, 2023
A planned Occasion
How many have experienced this "putting off until time was right"? A story about lesson learned! A good read, enjoy!
How many have experienced this "putting off until time was right"? A story about lesson learned! A good read, enjoy!
November 4, 2023
5⭑
The way I was actually crying while listening to the audiobook while I was driving. No joke I had to pull over 😭
The way I was actually crying while listening to the audiobook while I was driving. No joke I had to pull over 😭
November 7, 2024
3.75. This is a short novella about regretting past actions and trying to make this right even if it's too late.
It was really powerful and lovely, and it made me tear up a lot at the end.
It was really powerful and lovely, and it made me tear up a lot at the end.
August 13, 2023
Short story that had me crying and frankly, it was worth the tears.
Mina is clearing out things as she leaves her home after her husbands death to move to an assisted living home. She comes across a picnic basket that opened her up as memories flooded in. This basket was a symbol of hope, a symbol of joy and a gorgeous gift. So why was it unused? As that part of the story is presented, i wondered what special occasion would have been enough for Mina but I also I felt the deep and never ending love of her husband.
Mina is clearing out things as she leaves her home after her husbands death to move to an assisted living home. She comes across a picnic basket that opened her up as memories flooded in. This basket was a symbol of hope, a symbol of joy and a gorgeous gift. So why was it unused? As that part of the story is presented, i wondered what special occasion would have been enough for Mina but I also I felt the deep and never ending love of her husband.
May 14, 2023
Importance of Closure
What a beautiful tale of a life filled with love and the importance of closure.
This story was wrought with real emotion and explored the importance of living in the moment instead of saving experiences for some “perfect” future occasion. This story reminded me that life is worth celebrating, every day, even when it doesn’t feel all that special or all that positive.
What a beautiful tale of a life filled with love and the importance of closure.
This story was wrought with real emotion and explored the importance of living in the moment instead of saving experiences for some “perfect” future occasion. This story reminded me that life is worth celebrating, every day, even when it doesn’t feel all that special or all that positive.
January 30, 2024
Goddamnit, who is cutting onions because the series had no right ending with such a beautiful story.
But it was so easy to say nothing, to tell herself that it was such a huge apology that she should wait a little longer, make sure it was the perfect time, the perfect words.
I'm going to say my tears aren't any type of water but especially the water from the river where Mina went and decided to finally have that picnic her husband kept giving ideas and promising to make it count for a special occasion.
How everyone deals with grief is different, Mina thought her best way to mourn and protect herself was to hurt the world to make them feel her pain. Even though we get to see how her husband struggled but kept trying to make her happy.
But it was so easy to say nothing, to tell herself that it was such a huge apology that she should wait a little longer, make sure it was the perfect time, the perfect words.
I'm going to say my tears aren't any type of water but especially the water from the river where Mina went and decided to finally have that picnic her husband kept giving ideas and promising to make it count for a special occasion.
How everyone deals with grief is different, Mina thought her best way to mourn and protect herself was to hurt the world to make them feel her pain. Even though we get to see how her husband struggled but kept trying to make her happy.
December 11, 2023
A moving novella by Angie Kim that reminds us there is no perfect time to live life. Time doesn’t align itself for your idea of the perfect time. You align yourself with the time you have, which is NOW.
May 7, 2024
Read for AAPI month
Surprisingly excellent for a short story!
Surprisingly excellent for a short story!
January 19, 2024
I'm so happy that I heard about Angie Kim last year, I've loved everything I've read by her so far, and this was no exception. I only wish that this had been published in hard copy, so that can I give it to people.
December 23, 2023
I guess this is kind of cheating as a book to finish my reading challenge up with since it was only 30 pages long but I love this series so much. Every book is so girlhood in a way I can’t explain it and this one was no different- beautiful writing I think I might read all of them!
July 25, 2024
This was the saddest short story. 😭
October 30, 2023
A very short story but packed with emotion.
April 29, 2023
Looking back on a life, at regrets, coming to terms with missed opportunities, realizing it’s never too late, and finally letting go. What a sweet, sweet ending to a difficult story.
June 1, 2023
I cried at work
This book should have a miscarriage trigger warning. But with that, it’s good for you if you have had a miscarriage because it says things exactly how you felt and how no one understood. I feel seen and heard. It said things we aren’t suppose to say and feel but we do. It’s so very raw.
And I cried at work while listening to the audio. It was embarrassing.
This book should have a miscarriage trigger warning. But with that, it’s good for you if you have had a miscarriage because it says things exactly how you felt and how no one understood. I feel seen and heard. It said things we aren’t suppose to say and feel but we do. It’s so very raw.
And I cried at work while listening to the audio. It was embarrassing.
February 14, 2024
Very touching.
February 19, 2025
Beautiful short story!!
March 9, 2025
The ending got me
January 1, 2024
So sad and deep but so meaningful. I will read anything that Angie Kim writes.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 235 reviews