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Always the Last to Know
RUNNING TIME 12 hours, 58 minutes
Sometimes you have to break a family to fix it.
From New York Times bestselling author Kristan Higgins, a new novel examining a family at the breaking point in all its messy, difficult, wonderful complexity.
The Frosts are a typical American family. Barb and John, married almost fifty years, are testy and bored with each other...who could blame them after all this time? At least they have their daughters-- Barb's favorite, the perfect, brilliant Juliet; and John's darling, the free-spirited Sadie. The girls themselves couldn't be more different, but at least they got along, more or less. It was fine. It was enough.
Until the day John had a stroke, and their house of cards came tumbling down.
Now Sadie has to put her career as a teacher and struggling artist in New York on hold to come back and care for her beloved dad--and face the love of her life, whose heart she broke, and who broke hers. Now Juliet has to wonder if people will notice that despite her perfect career as a successful architect, her perfect marriage to a charming Brit, and her two perfect daughters, she's spending an increasing amount of time in the closet having panic attacks.
And now Barb and John will finally have to face what's been going on in their marriage all along.
From the author of Good Luck with That and Life and Other Inconveniences comes a new novel of heartbreaking truths and hilarious honesty about what family really means.
©2020 Kristan Higgins (P)2020 Recorded Books
Sometimes you have to break a family to fix it.
From New York Times bestselling author Kristan Higgins, a new novel examining a family at the breaking point in all its messy, difficult, wonderful complexity.
The Frosts are a typical American family. Barb and John, married almost fifty years, are testy and bored with each other...who could blame them after all this time? At least they have their daughters-- Barb's favorite, the perfect, brilliant Juliet; and John's darling, the free-spirited Sadie. The girls themselves couldn't be more different, but at least they got along, more or less. It was fine. It was enough.
Until the day John had a stroke, and their house of cards came tumbling down.
Now Sadie has to put her career as a teacher and struggling artist in New York on hold to come back and care for her beloved dad--and face the love of her life, whose heart she broke, and who broke hers. Now Juliet has to wonder if people will notice that despite her perfect career as a successful architect, her perfect marriage to a charming Brit, and her two perfect daughters, she's spending an increasing amount of time in the closet having panic attacks.
And now Barb and John will finally have to face what's been going on in their marriage all along.
From the author of Good Luck with That and Life and Other Inconveniences comes a new novel of heartbreaking truths and hilarious honesty about what family really means.
©2020 Kristan Higgins (P)2020 Recorded Books
13 pages, Audible Audio
First published June 9, 2020
1895 people are currently reading
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About the author
Kristan Higgins
65 books12.9k followersKristan Higgins is the New York Times, USA TODAY and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of more than twenty novels, which have been translated into more than two dozen languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide. If you want to receive a free short story and be notified when Kristan releases a new book, sign up at kristanhiggins.com.
Kristan enjoys gardening, mixology, the National Parks and complimenting strangers on their children. The mother of two entertaining and wonderful humans, and the grandmother of one perfect child, Kristan lives in Connecticut with her heroic firefighter husband, cuddly dog and indifferent cat.
Kristan enjoys gardening, mixology, the National Parks and complimenting strangers on their children. The mother of two entertaining and wonderful humans, and the grandmother of one perfect child, Kristan lives in Connecticut with her heroic firefighter husband, cuddly dog and indifferent cat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,729 reviews
May 18, 2022
I love this heart melting, tear jerker, emotional, riveting and realistic family story! You can find a part of yourself written in this story. The dynamics between mothers and daughter, daughter with father are so familiar.
So far I think this is one of my favorite Kristan Higging’s books tells about life, happiness, dreams, realities, betrayal, lies, thin red line between life and death, childhood sweethearts, resentments, infertility, lack of communication.
The story is told by POVS of four different members of the family:
Barb: mother, wants a divorce after living with her husband like two strangers in the same house for last 10 years. She has so many resentments about her marriage, about their shared life and the anger, frustration she has bottled up for years are about to come out with explosive burst out! When she is about to tell her decision, she finds out her husband at the hospital, he had a stroke and he is in critical condition. And the last stab wound comes as she also finds by husband’s text messages that he has a mistress for so long! Dammit! Shame, anger, desperation hit her face! She has to keep it to herself. Her daughters cannot find out!
Juliet: She’s mother’s favorite, successful architect with two daughters, adorable husband. She is responsible, perfectionist, dependable but yes now she’s 42 and competing 10 years younger nemesis colleague who takes entire credit from her own hard work, dealing with animosity of her teenage daughter who hit the puberty, suffering from panic attacks. Yes, she was my less likeable character. I found her parts of the story not so interesting but she has an important part for family dynamics that I have to admit.
Sadie: 31, free spirited, joyful artist, living in big apple, dating with gorgeous rich boyfriend but her dreams become a successful painter slowly fades away and she faces with the reality and gets a teaching job at Bronx. She never gets over her ex Noah, childhood sweetheart, two times proposed her before. Now she proposes her new boyfriend, she gets rejection and after hearing that her father’s stroke, she has to go back to her hometown and face her past, including seeing Noah having a baby.
I have to admit I enjoyed Noah and Sadie’s heartbreaking, emotional love story so much and I wished they had their own book. I felt like their story is told too fast like watching a summary of series’ entire season in 5 minutes. I couldn’t absorb their angst, despair, emotional breakdowns. Two people madly love each other but want different things from life but unfortunately they keep finding each other for breaking hearts. Wow! Yes I rooted for these stubborn, passionate characters!
And John, father of the family, seems like the villain of the story. The cheater and the responsible of his wife’s unhappiness: Some of you may think he got what he deserved!
We got some parts of his story and his thoughts about his loved ones in pieces because the author gives us a tour of a man’s brain suffering from stroke, barely gathering his thoughts, feelings. He barely forms words to communicate with people.
That’s true: he is bad husband and he had soft spot on Sadie, teamed up with her against his wife and Juliet. But as you read more parts about family story you start to understand, there are so many unsaid words, misunderstandings drifted them apart. And you also start to get that each of the parties can make mistakes to ruin a long term commitment and without coming clear about your feelings, you never find your own happiness.
Overall: I wish there were three different books because all those POVS deserved to be told separately. There are so many good three unique stories belong to three women here. But I still loved the author’s way of telling things genuinely from her heart and of course I liked my journey to a family’s impeccably depicted and heartwarming, poignant story. So it deserved my solid 4 stars.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for sharing this meaningful ARC COPY with me in exchange my honest review. It is always pleasure to read Kristan Higgins’ amazing stories.
So far I think this is one of my favorite Kristan Higging’s books tells about life, happiness, dreams, realities, betrayal, lies, thin red line between life and death, childhood sweethearts, resentments, infertility, lack of communication.
The story is told by POVS of four different members of the family:
Barb: mother, wants a divorce after living with her husband like two strangers in the same house for last 10 years. She has so many resentments about her marriage, about their shared life and the anger, frustration she has bottled up for years are about to come out with explosive burst out! When she is about to tell her decision, she finds out her husband at the hospital, he had a stroke and he is in critical condition. And the last stab wound comes as she also finds by husband’s text messages that he has a mistress for so long! Dammit! Shame, anger, desperation hit her face! She has to keep it to herself. Her daughters cannot find out!
Juliet: She’s mother’s favorite, successful architect with two daughters, adorable husband. She is responsible, perfectionist, dependable but yes now she’s 42 and competing 10 years younger nemesis colleague who takes entire credit from her own hard work, dealing with animosity of her teenage daughter who hit the puberty, suffering from panic attacks. Yes, she was my less likeable character. I found her parts of the story not so interesting but she has an important part for family dynamics that I have to admit.
Sadie: 31, free spirited, joyful artist, living in big apple, dating with gorgeous rich boyfriend but her dreams become a successful painter slowly fades away and she faces with the reality and gets a teaching job at Bronx. She never gets over her ex Noah, childhood sweetheart, two times proposed her before. Now she proposes her new boyfriend, she gets rejection and after hearing that her father’s stroke, she has to go back to her hometown and face her past, including seeing Noah having a baby.
I have to admit I enjoyed Noah and Sadie’s heartbreaking, emotional love story so much and I wished they had their own book. I felt like their story is told too fast like watching a summary of series’ entire season in 5 minutes. I couldn’t absorb their angst, despair, emotional breakdowns. Two people madly love each other but want different things from life but unfortunately they keep finding each other for breaking hearts. Wow! Yes I rooted for these stubborn, passionate characters!
And John, father of the family, seems like the villain of the story. The cheater and the responsible of his wife’s unhappiness: Some of you may think he got what he deserved!
We got some parts of his story and his thoughts about his loved ones in pieces because the author gives us a tour of a man’s brain suffering from stroke, barely gathering his thoughts, feelings. He barely forms words to communicate with people.
That’s true: he is bad husband and he had soft spot on Sadie, teamed up with her against his wife and Juliet. But as you read more parts about family story you start to understand, there are so many unsaid words, misunderstandings drifted them apart. And you also start to get that each of the parties can make mistakes to ruin a long term commitment and without coming clear about your feelings, you never find your own happiness.
Overall: I wish there were three different books because all those POVS deserved to be told separately. There are so many good three unique stories belong to three women here. But I still loved the author’s way of telling things genuinely from her heart and of course I liked my journey to a family’s impeccably depicted and heartwarming, poignant story. So it deserved my solid 4 stars.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for sharing this meaningful ARC COPY with me in exchange my honest review. It is always pleasure to read Kristan Higgins’ amazing stories.
June 9, 2020
Love isn’t always the thing that fills up the room, or your heart. Sometimes, it’s what sneaks into the in between spaces.
Heartfelt and sincere, Always the Last to Know conveys the message that unmitigated joy often comes with self-acceptance. Or finding the guts to crumple up the blueprints of what life should look like, in favor of an unexpected and more rewarding path. And that, right there, is why Kristan Higgins continues to reign as one of my favorite authors. Her characters and humor infuse charm, while her plot lines deliver a meaningful message.
In her twentieth novel (wow!), Higgins brings readers into the lives of the Frost family during a tumultuous time.
Barb, mother to Juliet and Sadie and husband to John, is forced to reevaluate her situation. Her plans to divorce John, after 50 years of marriage, come to a standstill when he has a debilitating stroke and needs round-the-clock care. Their five decades together have been far from fulfilling, leading Barb to feel less than, in more ways than one.
Juliet, Barb’s oldest and favorite daughter, has an impressive career as an architect in a male-dominated firm, a loving and yummy British husband, and two girls. Yet, the attention showered on a new, younger architect, with a less impressive skillset, spurns loads of self-doubt.
And then there’s Sadie. Barb’s youngest and a tried and true daddy’s girl. From birth, Sadie and Barb have struggled to connect. She doesn’t quite fit her older sister’s perfect mold. More of a free spirit, Sadie chose to leave it all behind in pursuit of being an artist amongst the glitz and glitter of New York City. A reality that crushed her first love, Noah, and severed their relationship. Following her beloved father’s stroke, Sadie returns to her posh hometown and all those messy feelings she left behind.
The magic of Always the Last to Know lies not only in the three women finding their true selves and managing to quiet that destructive “not good enough” inner voice but also in the relationship dynamics Higgins puts on display. The mother-to-daughter, sister-to-sister and father-to-daughter dynamics are relatable on so many levels.
Of course, no shocker here, given I’m a fool for a chemistry-ridden love story, Sadie and Noah’s connection stole my heart instantly. A big part of me wanted Sadie to give in early on—for the sake of a happily ever after and a brood of curly-haired cuties—but I admired her dogged pursuit to find success with painting. Making their heartrending journey worthwhile is seeing the version of love and family they create together.
Both Sadie and Juliet’s storylines show that you don’t have to toss your dreams, thoughts, or goals to the wayside for a relationship. Having it all is possible with a supportive partner.
And who said women’s fiction was all fluff?
*THANK YOU to Berkley Publishing for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for sharing my honest thoughts. Which in no way, shape or form, altered my opinion or rating. And for those looking to pre-order a personalized, signed copy for your collection, you can do so here. ♥
May 5, 2020
A Bumpy Ride that Caught Me Off Guard!
3.5 stars
“The heart wants what the heart wants, and the heart can be a real idiot.”
Always the Last to Know is a family drama about a family struggling in the wake of a tragedy.
The Frost women, Barb (the mother), Juliet (perfect first daughter), and Sadie (youngest daughter and black sheep), are forced to come together when John Frost (husband to Barb and father to Juliet and Sadie) has a stroke.
Told through the alternating POV’s of Barb, Juliet, Sadie, and John, this book elicited a range of emotions from annoyance, to laughter, to tears, to finally happiness.
I had a bit of a hard time for about the first half of this book. I wasn’t connecting with the characters, Barb’s voice was annoying me, Juliet’s problems were making me roll my eyes, and Sadie, whose story I found to be the most interesting, was grating on my nerves. All three women, as much as I wanted to love them, felt like clichéd characters that I met in other books.
I don’t know if it is because of COVID that I responded to their characters this way, or if I would have responded this way had the world been normal. It wasn’t until I got to a part of the book involving Barb and her best friend Caro, that I found myself laughing out loud and starting to enjoy these characters. Then I reached another moment which caught me off guard and caused me to burst into tears, and then another scene that made me smile. In the end, I grew to love Sadie, Juliet, John, and Barb, but it took a lot for me to get there.
While the storylines are a bit predictable, the characters have much more depth to them than it initially seems. They develop, grow, and learn from their mistakes, and the reader must remain patient to see their journeys evolve.
While there are a host of themes explored in Always the Last to Know, including marriage, friendship, betrayal, and success, the overarching theme is love: the love between parents and children, love between siblings, romantic love, and the love that grows out of friendship. What this book has to say about love resonated with me.
While it took me a bit of time to connect with the characters, and it was a bit of a rocky ride, in the end, this book left me feeling warm and fuzzy.
“Love didn’t have to be romantic to encircle you in its arms. It didn’t have to make your heart race or your toes curl. Love could be just this, the sound of laughter on a warm night, the absolute comfort of being exactly who you were with the person who knew you inside
and out.
I received an ARC of this book from Edelweiss and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars
“The heart wants what the heart wants, and the heart can be a real idiot.”
Always the Last to Know is a family drama about a family struggling in the wake of a tragedy.
The Frost women, Barb (the mother), Juliet (perfect first daughter), and Sadie (youngest daughter and black sheep), are forced to come together when John Frost (husband to Barb and father to Juliet and Sadie) has a stroke.
Told through the alternating POV’s of Barb, Juliet, Sadie, and John, this book elicited a range of emotions from annoyance, to laughter, to tears, to finally happiness.
I had a bit of a hard time for about the first half of this book. I wasn’t connecting with the characters, Barb’s voice was annoying me, Juliet’s problems were making me roll my eyes, and Sadie, whose story I found to be the most interesting, was grating on my nerves. All three women, as much as I wanted to love them, felt like clichéd characters that I met in other books.
I don’t know if it is because of COVID that I responded to their characters this way, or if I would have responded this way had the world been normal. It wasn’t until I got to a part of the book involving Barb and her best friend Caro, that I found myself laughing out loud and starting to enjoy these characters. Then I reached another moment which caught me off guard and caused me to burst into tears, and then another scene that made me smile. In the end, I grew to love Sadie, Juliet, John, and Barb, but it took a lot for me to get there.
While the storylines are a bit predictable, the characters have much more depth to them than it initially seems. They develop, grow, and learn from their mistakes, and the reader must remain patient to see their journeys evolve.
While there are a host of themes explored in Always the Last to Know, including marriage, friendship, betrayal, and success, the overarching theme is love: the love between parents and children, love between siblings, romantic love, and the love that grows out of friendship. What this book has to say about love resonated with me.
While it took me a bit of time to connect with the characters, and it was a bit of a rocky ride, in the end, this book left me feeling warm and fuzzy.
“Love didn’t have to be romantic to encircle you in its arms. It didn’t have to make your heart race or your toes curl. Love could be just this, the sound of laughter on a warm night, the absolute comfort of being exactly who you were with the person who knew you inside
and out.
I received an ARC of this book from Edelweiss and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
March 25, 2021
Be sure to visit Bantering Books to read all my latest reviews.
Families are complicated. And messy. And secretive. And frustrating. Aren’t they?
Take, for example, the members of the Frost family, the protagonists of Always the Last to Know, Kristan Higgins’ latest novel.
John and Barb, married nearly 50 years, have grown apart over time and no longer seem to like each other very much. They are barely more than strangers, living in the same house, with the shared love they have for their two daughters, Juliette and Sadie, being the only remaining tether that binds them.
Juliette, the elder daughter and Barb’s favorite, appears to have it all – a wonderful husband, two healthy daughters, an outstanding career as an architect. She wants for nothing. But no one knows that she is experiencing a mid-life crisis, of sorts, and has taken to hiding in the closet, overcome by relentless panic attacks.
Sadie, the free spirit and John’s favorite, lives contentedly in New York, struggling to carve out a career as an artist while also teaching art at an elementary school. She is hoping to soon marry her wonderful boyfriend, even though she can’t quite shake the memory of her first love, Noah.
Life may not be perfect for the four Frosts, but they are plugging along, somewhat happily enough, with various levels of satisfaction. That is, until tragedy strikes by way of John having a stroke. Suddenly, their happy-enough lives are in a state of shocking upheaval, and they all must come to terms with their own personal inner truths that they have fought so hard to ignore.
Somehow or other, I have never before read a novel by Kristan Higgins. I’m not quite sure how this has happened, seeing as I have read my own fair share of Women’s Fiction over the years. But at any rate, Always the Last to Know will most certainly not be the last of her novels that I read, as I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The beginning of the novel, however, is a little rough. From the first few chapters, I initially believed it to be another averagely written, nothing-special story with flattish, not-very-developed characters. Barb is a bitter pill, selfish, and unlikable. Juliette is too perfect and unkind to her sister. Sadie is stubborn and somewhat annoying. And John – well, he is not the poster boy for perfect husbands.
But then somewhere before the halfway mark, I noticed a shift within myself. My ambivalence to the story disappeared. My annoyance with the characters dissipated. And I surprisingly discovered that I was wholly engrossed in the narrative and invested in the Frost family. I found that I genuinely cared for and empathized with John, Barb, Juliette, and Sadie.
I am uncertain as to what exactly it is about the novel that precipitates this change. I am struggling to identify it. All I know is that my irritation switched to delight, and I suppose, in the end, that is what truly matters.
What is especially appealing about Always the Last to Know is how Higgins shows us that families come in all shapes and sizes -- and the true definition of family is not necessarily limited by blood. She illustrates how a family, over time, can expand to include other surprising, non-traditional members and be so enriched by this growth. It’s quite heartwarming.
And how can one write about family without also writing about love? It’s virtually impossible. The two subjects are inexorably linked.
But what I admire about Higgins and the story is how she doesn’t only focus on familial and romantic love. Always the Last to Know is also about the love between two best friends. It’s about the love between two platonic co-parents of a child. It’s about the respectful love between two women who share a mutual, albeit slightly different, love for the same man.
Through her writing, Higgins skillfully captures love in all its many complex and diverse forms. It’s so very uplifting and hopeful.
And by doing this, she also deftly captured my love for this novel.
I received an Advanced Readers Copy from Edelweiss and Berkley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions included herein are my own.
Bantering Books
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Families are complicated. And messy. And secretive. And frustrating. Aren’t they?
Take, for example, the members of the Frost family, the protagonists of Always the Last to Know, Kristan Higgins’ latest novel.
John and Barb, married nearly 50 years, have grown apart over time and no longer seem to like each other very much. They are barely more than strangers, living in the same house, with the shared love they have for their two daughters, Juliette and Sadie, being the only remaining tether that binds them.
Juliette, the elder daughter and Barb’s favorite, appears to have it all – a wonderful husband, two healthy daughters, an outstanding career as an architect. She wants for nothing. But no one knows that she is experiencing a mid-life crisis, of sorts, and has taken to hiding in the closet, overcome by relentless panic attacks.
Sadie, the free spirit and John’s favorite, lives contentedly in New York, struggling to carve out a career as an artist while also teaching art at an elementary school. She is hoping to soon marry her wonderful boyfriend, even though she can’t quite shake the memory of her first love, Noah.
Life may not be perfect for the four Frosts, but they are plugging along, somewhat happily enough, with various levels of satisfaction. That is, until tragedy strikes by way of John having a stroke. Suddenly, their happy-enough lives are in a state of shocking upheaval, and they all must come to terms with their own personal inner truths that they have fought so hard to ignore.
Somehow or other, I have never before read a novel by Kristan Higgins. I’m not quite sure how this has happened, seeing as I have read my own fair share of Women’s Fiction over the years. But at any rate, Always the Last to Know will most certainly not be the last of her novels that I read, as I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The beginning of the novel, however, is a little rough. From the first few chapters, I initially believed it to be another averagely written, nothing-special story with flattish, not-very-developed characters. Barb is a bitter pill, selfish, and unlikable. Juliette is too perfect and unkind to her sister. Sadie is stubborn and somewhat annoying. And John – well, he is not the poster boy for perfect husbands.
But then somewhere before the halfway mark, I noticed a shift within myself. My ambivalence to the story disappeared. My annoyance with the characters dissipated. And I surprisingly discovered that I was wholly engrossed in the narrative and invested in the Frost family. I found that I genuinely cared for and empathized with John, Barb, Juliette, and Sadie.
I am uncertain as to what exactly it is about the novel that precipitates this change. I am struggling to identify it. All I know is that my irritation switched to delight, and I suppose, in the end, that is what truly matters.
What is especially appealing about Always the Last to Know is how Higgins shows us that families come in all shapes and sizes -- and the true definition of family is not necessarily limited by blood. She illustrates how a family, over time, can expand to include other surprising, non-traditional members and be so enriched by this growth. It’s quite heartwarming.
And how can one write about family without also writing about love? It’s virtually impossible. The two subjects are inexorably linked.
But what I admire about Higgins and the story is how she doesn’t only focus on familial and romantic love. Always the Last to Know is also about the love between two best friends. It’s about the love between two platonic co-parents of a child. It’s about the respectful love between two women who share a mutual, albeit slightly different, love for the same man.
Through her writing, Higgins skillfully captures love in all its many complex and diverse forms. It’s so very uplifting and hopeful.
And by doing this, she also deftly captured my love for this novel.
I received an Advanced Readers Copy from Edelweiss and Berkley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions included herein are my own.
Bantering Books
August 30, 2020
My favorite read of the year. I never wanted it to end, savoring each and every word.❤️
Sometimes a book has the ability to touch your heart in ways you never expected. And oh so rarely, provides a human, relatable connection with every character put in front of you. This was that book for me. I found a part of myself within Sadie, Juliet and even Barb. As each women shared their story.
Unforgettable. This book was both poignant and whimsical. I was moved to tears, yet smiling and laughing throughout. (Especially the texts with “Work”). Simply the perfect combination of both. By the end of the journey I was emotionally but pleasantly exhausted.
Just days prior to his 50th wedding anniversary, John suffers a sudden stroke. His wife Barb who had her own surprise for their anniversary, instead finds herself rushing to the hospital. Their two daughters, Juliet and Sadie are close behind.
Life has a way of throwing us all curve-balls now and again. It’s inevitable that you’ll get knocked down. It’s how you stand back up that defines who you are moving forward.
There are so many reflective, thoughtful points in this book that I highlighted because they spoke so deeply to me. My personal takeaways from this read are wonderfully just too many too mention.
This is my third read by this author, and while I enjoyed all, this was far and away my favorite to date. Now I’ll be going back to find more of her previous reads!
A superb buddy read with Susanne that inspired so much discussion from the beginning to end.
Thank you to Elisha at Berkley Publishing.
Sometimes a book has the ability to touch your heart in ways you never expected. And oh so rarely, provides a human, relatable connection with every character put in front of you. This was that book for me. I found a part of myself within Sadie, Juliet and even Barb. As each women shared their story.
Unforgettable. This book was both poignant and whimsical. I was moved to tears, yet smiling and laughing throughout. (Especially the texts with “Work”). Simply the perfect combination of both. By the end of the journey I was emotionally but pleasantly exhausted.
Just days prior to his 50th wedding anniversary, John suffers a sudden stroke. His wife Barb who had her own surprise for their anniversary, instead finds herself rushing to the hospital. Their two daughters, Juliet and Sadie are close behind.
Life has a way of throwing us all curve-balls now and again. It’s inevitable that you’ll get knocked down. It’s how you stand back up that defines who you are moving forward.
There are so many reflective, thoughtful points in this book that I highlighted because they spoke so deeply to me. My personal takeaways from this read are wonderfully just too many too mention.
This is my third read by this author, and while I enjoyed all, this was far and away my favorite to date. Now I’ll be going back to find more of her previous reads!
A superb buddy read with Susanne that inspired so much discussion from the beginning to end.
Thank you to Elisha at Berkley Publishing.
August 3, 2020
Complicated family dynamics are at the heart of this novel. Barb and John are one day shy of their 50th anniversary when John’s severe stroke throws the family out of kilter (not a spoiler, it happens in the first pages). Their marriage has long gone stale and after the stroke a devastating long-held secret is revealed.
Barb and John have two children and looking into the past brings understanding to the present. Juliet was the long-hoped for baby after years of infertility. Barb throws herself 100% into mothering Juliet, who, in her eyes, is (nauseatingly) “perfect”. John feels left out and so busies himself with work and his own pursuits. What marriage could thrive under such circumstances? When Juliet is 11, Barb surprisingly gets pregnant and they have their second daughter, Sadie. Alas, she’s not perfect and Barb has difficulty bonding with her, but John is smitten. There’s a line in the sand in this family with Barb and Juliet on one side and Sadie and John on the other. Favoritism is damaging and is the perfect recipe for sibling rivalry.
Told through alternating points of view, all bear the weight of expectations and unmet dreams. Barb’s vision of a dream marriage is shattered. Perfection is a hard standard for Juliet to uphold. Free-spirited Sadie, who gives it all up to pursue her artistic dreams in NYC, is struggling. When they are thrown back together in their small-town due to John’s stroke, tensions are high.
Not all the characters are likable. I struggled in the beginning, especially with prickly Barb, who does and says things I had trouble understanding. But have faith, as the story progresses she becomes more sympathetic. The real villain is not a person, but the way this family relates to one another. Caro, Barb’s best friend, is the true heroine of this story. I loved her - we all need a Caro in our lives!
This all sounds depressing but it is not. There is humor and also a sweet love story. A story that made me smile and brought a lump to my throat. (What does it say about me that it was a dolphin that caused the lump in my throat and the tear in my eye? 😉)
This is a genre I call women’s fiction with substance. Kristan Higgins never fails to write authentic characters who feel relatable. Maybe because of the messiness in my own family of origin I found I could relate to this family on several levels.
Life throws us curveballs. Family life is messy and complicated and often crumbles under the weight of disappointments, betrayals, lack of communication, and misunderstandings. But from the ashes a new and different version of family can be forged. Love in all its forms and how this family adapts to their new reality makes for a lovely story.
*I received a digital copy of this book via Edelweiss. All opinions are my own.
* This was a buddy read with my friend Marialyce, one we both enjoyed. Our duo reviews can be found at https://yayareadslotsofbooks.wordpres...
Barb and John have two children and looking into the past brings understanding to the present. Juliet was the long-hoped for baby after years of infertility. Barb throws herself 100% into mothering Juliet, who, in her eyes, is (nauseatingly) “perfect”. John feels left out and so busies himself with work and his own pursuits. What marriage could thrive under such circumstances? When Juliet is 11, Barb surprisingly gets pregnant and they have their second daughter, Sadie. Alas, she’s not perfect and Barb has difficulty bonding with her, but John is smitten. There’s a line in the sand in this family with Barb and Juliet on one side and Sadie and John on the other. Favoritism is damaging and is the perfect recipe for sibling rivalry.
Told through alternating points of view, all bear the weight of expectations and unmet dreams. Barb’s vision of a dream marriage is shattered. Perfection is a hard standard for Juliet to uphold. Free-spirited Sadie, who gives it all up to pursue her artistic dreams in NYC, is struggling. When they are thrown back together in their small-town due to John’s stroke, tensions are high.
Not all the characters are likable. I struggled in the beginning, especially with prickly Barb, who does and says things I had trouble understanding. But have faith, as the story progresses she becomes more sympathetic. The real villain is not a person, but the way this family relates to one another. Caro, Barb’s best friend, is the true heroine of this story. I loved her - we all need a Caro in our lives!
This all sounds depressing but it is not. There is humor and also a sweet love story. A story that made me smile and brought a lump to my throat. (What does it say about me that it was a dolphin that caused the lump in my throat and the tear in my eye? 😉)
This is a genre I call women’s fiction with substance. Kristan Higgins never fails to write authentic characters who feel relatable. Maybe because of the messiness in my own family of origin I found I could relate to this family on several levels.
Life throws us curveballs. Family life is messy and complicated and often crumbles under the weight of disappointments, betrayals, lack of communication, and misunderstandings. But from the ashes a new and different version of family can be forged. Love in all its forms and how this family adapts to their new reality makes for a lovely story.
*I received a digital copy of this book via Edelweiss. All opinions are my own.
* This was a buddy read with my friend Marialyce, one we both enjoyed. Our duo reviews can be found at https://yayareadslotsofbooks.wordpres...
August 31, 2020
A Complicated Family Drama that Hits Home!
Families dynamics sure can get a little messy sometimes, just ask Barb Frost! On the day of her 50th Wedding Anniversary, when Barb is contemplating making a change, her husband John has a stroke. To make matters worse, on that same day, Barb discovers that John is not who she thought he was. Barb however has to keep up appearances for their daughters: Juliet, one of best friends and her shining star, and Sadie, her difficult, free spirited youngest daughter.
Juliet is a successful business woman with the perfect family. It seems as if she has it all until Arwen, a young associate at her architectural firm steals her limelight.
Sadie is a teacher and an artist living in New York. When her father has a stroke, she leaves everything behind to go back to Connecticut to care for him.
As we all know, parents often treat each of their children differently and this is highlighted very well in “Always the Last to Know” by the brilliant Kristan Higgins. As Barb’s favorite, Juliet is showered with affection while Sadie is snubbed by both Barb and Juliet. Sadie however, was always her father’s favorite. With him she felt a different kind of bond, one she carries with her always.
I think many readers can understand the feelings explored by both Juliet and Sadie in this novel, especially if you have a sibling and were treated differently by your parents growing up. That being said, even though I enjoyed the story and especially the characters of Sadie and Noah (her first love), I had a hard time connecting with this novel. I read this with Kaceey, and I discussed this with her ad nauseam. Being from Connecticut myself, (where this book takes place) you would think I’d “get” Barb Frost and yet I had a hard time resonating with her character. While I understood why Barb Frost was cold and standoffish to all except for a select few, I couldn’t bring myself to like her. If I had to put my finger on it, I’d say that I simply despised how she treated Sadie and that made it hard for me to connect.
One of the things that Kristan Higgins excels at, is relationships and they are on full display here. What I loved most about this book however is Barb’s relationship with her best friend Caro. Everyone should have a best friend like her! Almost every scene between the two of them had me laughing out loud. Their relationship was truly beautiful and it made me verklempt!
“Always the Last to Know” is a character driven novel about family: their struggles, their trials and tribulations, infidelity, love and loss. Kristan Higgins has become one of my favorite authors and while this didn’t rank quite as high as “Good Luck with That” or “Life and Other Inconveniences,” I truly enjoyed it and look forward to seeing what Ms. Higgins comes out with next. 3.5 Stars.
A fabulous buddy read with Ms. Kaceey that garnered lots of discussion.
Thank you to Elisha at Berkley Publishing Group and Kristan Higgins for the arc.
Published on Goodreads on 8.30.20.
Families dynamics sure can get a little messy sometimes, just ask Barb Frost! On the day of her 50th Wedding Anniversary, when Barb is contemplating making a change, her husband John has a stroke. To make matters worse, on that same day, Barb discovers that John is not who she thought he was. Barb however has to keep up appearances for their daughters: Juliet, one of best friends and her shining star, and Sadie, her difficult, free spirited youngest daughter.
Juliet is a successful business woman with the perfect family. It seems as if she has it all until Arwen, a young associate at her architectural firm steals her limelight.
Sadie is a teacher and an artist living in New York. When her father has a stroke, she leaves everything behind to go back to Connecticut to care for him.
As we all know, parents often treat each of their children differently and this is highlighted very well in “Always the Last to Know” by the brilliant Kristan Higgins. As Barb’s favorite, Juliet is showered with affection while Sadie is snubbed by both Barb and Juliet. Sadie however, was always her father’s favorite. With him she felt a different kind of bond, one she carries with her always.
I think many readers can understand the feelings explored by both Juliet and Sadie in this novel, especially if you have a sibling and were treated differently by your parents growing up. That being said, even though I enjoyed the story and especially the characters of Sadie and Noah (her first love), I had a hard time connecting with this novel. I read this with Kaceey, and I discussed this with her ad nauseam. Being from Connecticut myself, (where this book takes place) you would think I’d “get” Barb Frost and yet I had a hard time resonating with her character. While I understood why Barb Frost was cold and standoffish to all except for a select few, I couldn’t bring myself to like her. If I had to put my finger on it, I’d say that I simply despised how she treated Sadie and that made it hard for me to connect.
One of the things that Kristan Higgins excels at, is relationships and they are on full display here. What I loved most about this book however is Barb’s relationship with her best friend Caro. Everyone should have a best friend like her! Almost every scene between the two of them had me laughing out loud. Their relationship was truly beautiful and it made me verklempt!
“Always the Last to Know” is a character driven novel about family: their struggles, their trials and tribulations, infidelity, love and loss. Kristan Higgins has become one of my favorite authors and while this didn’t rank quite as high as “Good Luck with That” or “Life and Other Inconveniences,” I truly enjoyed it and look forward to seeing what Ms. Higgins comes out with next. 3.5 Stars.
A fabulous buddy read with Ms. Kaceey that garnered lots of discussion.
Thank you to Elisha at Berkley Publishing Group and Kristan Higgins for the arc.
Published on Goodreads on 8.30.20.
July 6, 2020
Wow, another Women’s Fiction winner for Kristan Higgins!
I wait every year for Kristan Higgins's new book. I even delay reading them because I want to savor the moment and that way, it is less time for me to wait for her next release.
It’s always a real pleasure immersing in her stories. There is always something that clicks with me.
Always the Last to Know, wasn't an exception. It made me laugh and it made me cry.
Once I read the first few pages, I knew the next few hours would be centered around one family: The Frost Family.
There is John, the patriarch who has been a good provider but not a very good father to his first child or a good husband to Barb, his wife. The day he has a massive brain bleed, Barbara finds out something he has been hiding from her.
Barbara, the wife and mother, who has never been truly happy in her marriage despite trying to do things she assumed were expected of her as a "wife". She has a great relationship with her daughter Juliet but the same couldn't be said about her youngest daughter, Sadie. Sadie has always been John's favorite.
Juliet is a successful architect but lately, she has noticed she has competition at work from someone she brought in and tried to mentor. She also worries about her own marriage and her two girls especially the one who's becoming a typical teenager.
Lastly, we meet Sadie. A New Yorker by heart. Someone who didn’t want to stay and live in a small town. Her dream was to be discovered as an artist and become a famous painter. In the present, she's almost engaged to Alexander Mitchum, who’s a yacht salesman but her main love has been always been Jon snow, I mean scratch that, Noah Pelletier. Noah had a different dream than hers. He wanted to stay in town, marry Saddie and form a family together.
The trials and tribulations of these characters were perfectly described by Kristan Higgins. She humanized them and gave them meaning. I ended up liking all three women in a very different way. Of course, I love Noah and Sadie together and I laughed every single time Mickey spoked. She had me in stitches. Barbara and Caro's friendship was a refreshing change. I also love how awesome Juliet's husband, Oliver really was.
I'm sad to say goodbye to this family but I'm sure next year, I'll meet some awesome new ones.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Berkley via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
July 21, 2020
This book was EVERYTHING! Do you have a favorite author that you feel just gets you? That is Kristan Higgins for me. She writes engaging stories about families with messy lives packed with relatable authentic characters. This is the story of the Frost family: mother Barb, father John, daughters Juliet and Sadie. Barb and John have been married for years and Barb is just about done, that is until John has a stroke. Juliet is the perfect put together daughter with the doting husband and adorable children, but beneath it all she is not happy and stressed out. Sadie is a free spirit a struggling artist still trying to find her way in NYC, but a big piece of her heart is still back at home in Connecticut.
The story is told from the perspectives of all four family members so you really get the true picture of what’s going on in this family. I thought each family member brought a much needed piece to the narrative, however I have to admit Sadie story stole my heart. Sadie’s Second Chance Romance with Noah had me so invested. I really love both of these characters so much and wanted so badly for things to work out between them. This is just one of those books that hit me right in the feels, I was seriously bawling like a baby in the middle of the night towards the end of this book. In my humble opinion KH can do no wrong and this was one of her absolute best!
This book in emojis 👨👩👧👧 🎨 🏠 🤱🏻 🦋 🐶
*** Big thank you to Berkley for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
The story is told from the perspectives of all four family members so you really get the true picture of what’s going on in this family. I thought each family member brought a much needed piece to the narrative, however I have to admit Sadie story stole my heart. Sadie’s Second Chance Romance with Noah had me so invested. I really love both of these characters so much and wanted so badly for things to work out between them. This is just one of those books that hit me right in the feels, I was seriously bawling like a baby in the middle of the night towards the end of this book. In my humble opinion KH can do no wrong and this was one of her absolute best!
This book in emojis 👨👩👧👧 🎨 🏠 🤱🏻 🦋 🐶
*** Big thank you to Berkley for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
April 22, 2021
My reviews can also be seen at: https://deesradreadsandreviews.wordpr...
Another terrific novel from Kristan Higgins!
Seventy-year-old, Barb Frost is at work when she gets a call that her husband, John has been rushed to the hospital. Barb has always been good in emergencies, but she can't believe this is happening. Barb and John have been married for 50 years. Their relationship has had its up and downs. Recently it’s become even more challenging.
The doctors tell Barb that John will need surgery to remove the pressure on his brain. The outcome is uncertain. Barb calls her daughter Juliet but holds off on calling her other daughter, Sadie. Barb is waiting for more news when John’s phone rings. The display says work is calling. Barb opens his phone and sees the screen filled with texts. She starts to read them, but a minute later she turns off the phone, shocked by what she’s read.
Juliet has a beautiful home, a great career, and most importantly, a wonderful husband and two healthy daughters. Her life is perfect, yet she is currently sitting in a closet having a panic attack. Just as the attack subsides, Juliet's phone rings. It's her mother calling to tell her that her father is in the hospital.
Once Juliet gets to the hospital and talks with her mother and the doctors, she calls her sister, Sadie.
When thirty-two-year-old, Sadie’s phone rings, she’s surprised to see that it’s her sister, Juliet, who rarely calls. Juliet tells her to get to the hospital as soon as possible. As Sadie drives to the hospital she chants “please don’t die“ over and over. If something happens to her father she doesn’t know what she'll do. Who else would be there for her? Her Mom was always so critical. Her father was always encouraging. He was the one who made her feel loved.
This family will be forever changed. As new secrets and old are revealed, will they come together or be pushed further apart?
Dysfunctional domestic family drama!
I love the way Kristan Higgins tells a story. Her stories are filled with heart and compassion and she creates characters that I can easily connect with.
The story is told from multiple points of view and I found it easy to follow. It was slow-burning, but it wasn't long before I was completely invested in this dysfunctional family. I especially loved the friendship between Barb and her best friend, Caro. They had me laughing out loud many times. I also shed a few tears.
A heart-warming story about family, love, friendship, forgiveness, and more.
I'd like to thank the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.
Another terrific novel from Kristan Higgins!
Seventy-year-old, Barb Frost is at work when she gets a call that her husband, John has been rushed to the hospital. Barb has always been good in emergencies, but she can't believe this is happening. Barb and John have been married for 50 years. Their relationship has had its up and downs. Recently it’s become even more challenging.
The doctors tell Barb that John will need surgery to remove the pressure on his brain. The outcome is uncertain. Barb calls her daughter Juliet but holds off on calling her other daughter, Sadie. Barb is waiting for more news when John’s phone rings. The display says work is calling. Barb opens his phone and sees the screen filled with texts. She starts to read them, but a minute later she turns off the phone, shocked by what she’s read.
Juliet has a beautiful home, a great career, and most importantly, a wonderful husband and two healthy daughters. Her life is perfect, yet she is currently sitting in a closet having a panic attack. Just as the attack subsides, Juliet's phone rings. It's her mother calling to tell her that her father is in the hospital.
Once Juliet gets to the hospital and talks with her mother and the doctors, she calls her sister, Sadie.
When thirty-two-year-old, Sadie’s phone rings, she’s surprised to see that it’s her sister, Juliet, who rarely calls. Juliet tells her to get to the hospital as soon as possible. As Sadie drives to the hospital she chants “please don’t die“ over and over. If something happens to her father she doesn’t know what she'll do. Who else would be there for her? Her Mom was always so critical. Her father was always encouraging. He was the one who made her feel loved.
This family will be forever changed. As new secrets and old are revealed, will they come together or be pushed further apart?
Dysfunctional domestic family drama!
I love the way Kristan Higgins tells a story. Her stories are filled with heart and compassion and she creates characters that I can easily connect with.
The story is told from multiple points of view and I found it easy to follow. It was slow-burning, but it wasn't long before I was completely invested in this dysfunctional family. I especially loved the friendship between Barb and her best friend, Caro. They had me laughing out loud many times. I also shed a few tears.
A heart-warming story about family, love, friendship, forgiveness, and more.
I'd like to thank the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.
September 18, 2022
This is a chick lit. In this book a family is leave to take care of (the husband/father), and during this time secrets comes out. I found the first 100 pages slow moving and a lot boring, but after 100 pages it starts moving fast and so much drama. I ended up really liking this book. There is a ton of family drama in this book which makes you want to keep reading, but I would not call this a romance. I won a kindle edition of this book from goodreads, but this review is 100% my opinion.
July 22, 2020
I've only read one other book by this author (If You Only Knew), but I think I am now going to have to go through and check out all her other books. I mean, these kinds of books aren't normally my kind of thing - books that focus on modern day women, their families, and their (clean!) romantic relationships. But somehow this author makes me enjoy it. The characters are fully formed and realistically imperfect. The plots are simple, but entertaining. And with everything going on (damn pandemic), I need simple and entertaining!
I am also getting old because I find myself relating to these kinds of books (not in my personal life, but just in general). It's a little depressing. I want to go back to simpler times when I totally agreed with the thoughts/actions of YA book characters, and not the character's parents. *sigh*
I am also getting old because I find myself relating to these kinds of books (not in my personal life, but just in general). It's a little depressing. I want to go back to simpler times when I totally agreed with the thoughts/actions of YA book characters, and not the character's parents. *sigh*
August 24, 2020
This is the fourth book I have read and enjoyed by this author. To be honest, I don't think Kristan Higgins gets nearly the amount of attention she deserves among women's fiction writers. I like picking up her books when I am feeling stressed out as her characters and stories have a calming effect. With everything going on in the world, I have placed a high value on pleasant reading experiences, and I am thankful this book was able to deliver.
Barb and John Frost have been married for almost 50 years and raised two daughters, Juliet and Sadie. Juliet has a successful career as an architect and is a wife and mother to two girls. Sadie is more of a free spirit and makes a living in NYC as an art teacher and selling paintings. It's no big secret in this family that Juliet is Barb's favorite child while Sadie and John have a close relationship. After John suffers a stroke, there are big changes in store for the entire family. The story alternates between the perspectives of each family member.
I think what I liked most about this book was the characters were imperfect people. Unlikable at times but the brutal honesty of what they felt and thought was kinda refreshing. Like them or not, these characters felt authentic and for that reason I felt invested in their story lines.
If you are looking for a good book to snuggle up on the couch with on a lazy weekend, I suggest this one.
Barb and John Frost have been married for almost 50 years and raised two daughters, Juliet and Sadie. Juliet has a successful career as an architect and is a wife and mother to two girls. Sadie is more of a free spirit and makes a living in NYC as an art teacher and selling paintings. It's no big secret in this family that Juliet is Barb's favorite child while Sadie and John have a close relationship. After John suffers a stroke, there are big changes in store for the entire family. The story alternates between the perspectives of each family member.
I think what I liked most about this book was the characters were imperfect people. Unlikable at times but the brutal honesty of what they felt and thought was kinda refreshing. Like them or not, these characters felt authentic and for that reason I felt invested in their story lines.
If you are looking for a good book to snuggle up on the couch with on a lazy weekend, I suggest this one.
Read
June 13, 2020 Wow, this book. It really got under my skin! And it wasn’t just the preferred child theme you’ll read about. It’s the complexity in the characters’ emotions and truly getting inside their innermost feelings.
Always the Last to Know has to be one of the most poignant family dramas I’ve read. It starts with a bang. John and Barb have been married over fifty years when John has an accident requiring brain surgery and an uncertain outcome.
You should know that Barb and John’s marriage is in a precarious state when this happens. Add in their daughters, Juliet, who is closest with her mom, Barb, and Sadie, closest with John. All the push and pull of family dynamics commences and because we hear from all four narrators, we get the nitty gritty thoughts that aren’t always pretty.
The part of preferred children actually hurt me to the bone. Whether it’s due to my own family dynamics, or the history of dynamics in my own extended families, or both, it was just OUCH. And Kristan Higgins nailed it all and that’s what made the book feel completely human and authentic.
Will John recover? Will Barb and John stay together? Will Sadie find love? Oh, and let me mention this- I loved how Higgins didn’t place a higher price on love that any other “accomplishment” for her characters. They were searching for all life had to offer, success in more than just one way only, through love, especially the daughters. That made them stronger in my eyes, and I loved the message.
Overall, this book completely threw me in its depth and subtleties. This one made me feel and with some sharp edges, which I didn’t mind because of the overall outcome of the story.
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Always the Last to Know has to be one of the most poignant family dramas I’ve read. It starts with a bang. John and Barb have been married over fifty years when John has an accident requiring brain surgery and an uncertain outcome.
You should know that Barb and John’s marriage is in a precarious state when this happens. Add in their daughters, Juliet, who is closest with her mom, Barb, and Sadie, closest with John. All the push and pull of family dynamics commences and because we hear from all four narrators, we get the nitty gritty thoughts that aren’t always pretty.
The part of preferred children actually hurt me to the bone. Whether it’s due to my own family dynamics, or the history of dynamics in my own extended families, or both, it was just OUCH. And Kristan Higgins nailed it all and that’s what made the book feel completely human and authentic.
Will John recover? Will Barb and John stay together? Will Sadie find love? Oh, and let me mention this- I loved how Higgins didn’t place a higher price on love that any other “accomplishment” for her characters. They were searching for all life had to offer, success in more than just one way only, through love, especially the daughters. That made them stronger in my eyes, and I loved the message.
Overall, this book completely threw me in its depth and subtleties. This one made me feel and with some sharp edges, which I didn’t mind because of the overall outcome of the story.
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
August 3, 2020
Yikes, this book hit pretty close to home as my husband and I are close to celebrating our fiftieth wedding anniversary. Are we testy and bored with one another I wonder as the blurb suggests? While Barb and John have two daughters, we have four and wonder is our relationship with them and they with one another enough for us all? Well, this book indeed had me thinking and looking for our telling signs.
The Frosts, Barb and John, have an "I live with you, but really could do without you being around relationship". It's sad really, for fifty years together is a long time and to be unhappy for a large portion of it is even sadder. It seems that John has his job to retreat to while Barb seems to focus her love and energy on their oldest daughter, Juliet, the perfect child, the one we all sometimes think we have. Their other daughter, favored by her father, Sadie, is determined to be an accomplished artist, a definite free spirited young woman, who wants no part of the small town life she grew up in. Both girls are grown and because of the way their family dynamics evolved, there is antagonism, hard feelings, and such a total lack of understanding.
Did you ever want to tear into the pages of a book and slap a character or two? Certainly, there are some who deserve a good smack and for me Barb was one of them. She seemed to be constantly miserable, one could feel her unhappiness soaking through the pages and though John does have a secret surprise hidden away, life with Barb must have been a real trial. This couple never really talked. They just seem to exist side by side, day after day, year after year. When tragedy strikes, as it always does, both Barb and John reevaluate their lives and try to come to a point where understanding and love triumph over hate.
The daughters were dichotomies of each other. One girl is so serious, so straightforward, the one who seems to have conquered life and has all the jigsaw puzzle pieces together. The other sister, intent on finding herself an artist seems to be a bit of a train wreck, flitting about and not really seeing that proverbial forest for the trees. Both girls are troubled, impacted by the life they led at home perceiving the not so loving relationship their parents had, and thinking perhaps would this be them?
I very much enjoyed this sojourn into the characters of these four people. They were complex, unknowing, and fearful of the journey they had embarked on. All of them seemed to have delayed important decisions, had words unspoken, regrets aplenty, and yet they still had a chance to make it all better if they only grasped the ability to forgive and maybe eventually to forget. It's a cautionary tale for us all.
Bottom line is we all get testy, we all get bored. However, it is the relationships that last that allow the words to be spoken, the feelings to be expressed, the hurt to be acknowledged, and the love to be found that brings each and every one of us to happiness and fulfillment.
Thank you to Edelweiss for a copy of this interesting family drama.
Jan and I were very much looking forward to breaking out of our thriller mode, so we decided upon reading Kristan Higgins's new book, Always the Last to Know. It gave us a much to talk about and think over as Ms Higgins explored a troubled family dynamic.
To see our reviews:
http://yayareadslotsofbooks.wordpress...
The Frosts, Barb and John, have an "I live with you, but really could do without you being around relationship". It's sad really, for fifty years together is a long time and to be unhappy for a large portion of it is even sadder. It seems that John has his job to retreat to while Barb seems to focus her love and energy on their oldest daughter, Juliet, the perfect child, the one we all sometimes think we have. Their other daughter, favored by her father, Sadie, is determined to be an accomplished artist, a definite free spirited young woman, who wants no part of the small town life she grew up in. Both girls are grown and because of the way their family dynamics evolved, there is antagonism, hard feelings, and such a total lack of understanding.
Did you ever want to tear into the pages of a book and slap a character or two? Certainly, there are some who deserve a good smack and for me Barb was one of them. She seemed to be constantly miserable, one could feel her unhappiness soaking through the pages and though John does have a secret surprise hidden away, life with Barb must have been a real trial. This couple never really talked. They just seem to exist side by side, day after day, year after year. When tragedy strikes, as it always does, both Barb and John reevaluate their lives and try to come to a point where understanding and love triumph over hate.
The daughters were dichotomies of each other. One girl is so serious, so straightforward, the one who seems to have conquered life and has all the jigsaw puzzle pieces together. The other sister, intent on finding herself an artist seems to be a bit of a train wreck, flitting about and not really seeing that proverbial forest for the trees. Both girls are troubled, impacted by the life they led at home perceiving the not so loving relationship their parents had, and thinking perhaps would this be them?
I very much enjoyed this sojourn into the characters of these four people. They were complex, unknowing, and fearful of the journey they had embarked on. All of them seemed to have delayed important decisions, had words unspoken, regrets aplenty, and yet they still had a chance to make it all better if they only grasped the ability to forgive and maybe eventually to forget. It's a cautionary tale for us all.
Bottom line is we all get testy, we all get bored. However, it is the relationships that last that allow the words to be spoken, the feelings to be expressed, the hurt to be acknowledged, and the love to be found that brings each and every one of us to happiness and fulfillment.
Thank you to Edelweiss for a copy of this interesting family drama.
Jan and I were very much looking forward to breaking out of our thriller mode, so we decided upon reading Kristan Higgins's new book, Always the Last to Know. It gave us a much to talk about and think over as Ms Higgins explored a troubled family dynamic.
To see our reviews:
http://yayareadslotsofbooks.wordpress...
June 24, 2020
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
Oh Kristan Higgins . . . . .
I am super late to this party, but I’ve been making up for lost time and this is the fourth novel I’ve read by this author and every single one of them have been winners for me.
The story here is a “maybe you can go home again” sort where daughter Sadie returns to her hometown after her father suffers a severe stroke. The narration is presented by three different women – the aforementioned Sadie, her sister Juliet and their mother Barb (with the occasional bit offered by John, the father), and gives each of their personal histories as well as the familial one as a whole. Basically, I looked like this when reading . . . . .
I love family stories, I love humor, I love a bit of romance and I really really really loved Barb and her best pal Caro. If you don’t have a Caro in your life, you need to rectify that situation immediately.
Note that this is about as “Chick Litty” as it gets, so if you have an aversion, stay faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar away. Me, on the other hand???? Well . . . . .
I’m giving this one all the stars.
Oh Kristan Higgins . . . . .
I am super late to this party, but I’ve been making up for lost time and this is the fourth novel I’ve read by this author and every single one of them have been winners for me.
The story here is a “maybe you can go home again” sort where daughter Sadie returns to her hometown after her father suffers a severe stroke. The narration is presented by three different women – the aforementioned Sadie, her sister Juliet and their mother Barb (with the occasional bit offered by John, the father), and gives each of their personal histories as well as the familial one as a whole. Basically, I looked like this when reading . . . . .
I love family stories, I love humor, I love a bit of romance and I really really really loved Barb and her best pal Caro. If you don’t have a Caro in your life, you need to rectify that situation immediately.
Note that this is about as “Chick Litty” as it gets, so if you have an aversion, stay faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar away. Me, on the other hand???? Well . . . . .
I’m giving this one all the stars.
May 30, 2020
I'm a huge Kristan Higgins fan, and so I jumped at the chance to read Always the Last to Know. Though I've enjoyed other recent books from her more, I found Always the Last to Know extremely hard to put down.
What Kristan Higgins always does so well is make multi-faceted characters who are not simply likable/unlikable. I had mixed emotions about each character, and I found that the author treated each one with empathy and realism. I was riveted by the story, honestly, and found that it got better and better as it went along. It started off a bit slowly, but it picked up towards the end and became extremely engaging.
My one real sticking point is that I didn't like the switch from 1st to 3rd person between chapters. I found it to be pretty jarring, though I think the author did it to differentiate between the voices. Still, an odd choice. I also found the chapters from the father's perspective to be a bit too sentimental.
Overall, just as tight, well-edited, and interesting as I was expecting. Kristan Higgins is a pro and continues to show us why with each book.
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What Kristan Higgins always does so well is make multi-faceted characters who are not simply likable/unlikable. I had mixed emotions about each character, and I found that the author treated each one with empathy and realism. I was riveted by the story, honestly, and found that it got better and better as it went along. It started off a bit slowly, but it picked up towards the end and became extremely engaging.
My one real sticking point is that I didn't like the switch from 1st to 3rd person between chapters. I found it to be pretty jarring, though I think the author did it to differentiate between the voices. Still, an odd choice. I also found the chapters from the father's perspective to be a bit too sentimental.
Overall, just as tight, well-edited, and interesting as I was expecting. Kristan Higgins is a pro and continues to show us why with each book.
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August 3, 2024
Barb gets a call that her husband John has had an accident and a stroke. The only thing was... she was about to tell him she wanted a divorce. She calls their grown daughters, one of whom gets along with John, the other with her, and when she gets to the hospital and gets a ziploc bag with John’s belongings and cell phone, the shocks keep on coming. This was my first book by Kristin Higgins, and it had terribly interesting characters, lots of sympathetic family drama, and a story that kept me turning pages. I particularly liked Sadie and Noah’s piece of the story, and their second-chance romance. Parts of this are sad, as they deal with end of life, traumatic brain injury, and caregiving. I enjoyed the multiple perspectives and flashbacks, and I’m not usually a person who cares for flashbacks!
July 27, 2020
Barb and John Frost raised two daughters in Stonington, Connecticut. Juliet, the oldest, is a successful and well-regarded architect in a prestigious firm. Sadie is an art teacher at a Catholic school in New York City and a struggling artist trying to launch her career. Barb & John’s marriage isn’t on the strongest foundation, in fact she’s considering divorce. And, it’s not even a conversation she’s had with John. Before she can do so, she gets a call that he’s in the hospital undergoing brain surgery stemming from a stroke and bicycle fall. The lives of everyone in this family are literally permanently disrupted overnight.
The story is told from all four characters’ points of view, including John’s following his stroke. The most difficult of all of them is Barb’s story as it’s bitter and not always sympathetic. I must admit that I didn’t like much about her for a good portion of this story. But then I slowly realized that this was the result of years of pent up frustration from a woman who rarely received acknowledgement for exceptionally supporting her husband and family. Experiencing her evolution from an unfulfilled woman to a better place was often gut wrenching and hard to take in because hers is a common journey, hitting hidden nerves. On the surface, Juliet appears to have the perfect career, family and marriage and therein lies her issues. All that perfection takes a toll. Sadie wants to have a successful career as an artist and has an image of what that looks like but hasn’t yet embraced her talent or figured out what it really is. Juliet is Barb’s unabashed favorite; Sadie is John’s.
I inhaled this story, fascinated by these women and the trajectory of their lives. There is a shocking revelation early on where the details were later slowly delivered. It was easy to get caught up in some of the aspects as they could apply to my own life. Their paths weren’t predictable and the resolutions were still unclear until I reached the end. The characterizations are rich and while there’s not a lot of drama, there’s plenty of depth to their stories and relationships. I opted to listen to the book and Barb’s voice took some getting used to but I was happy with everyone else as they seem to fit the characters, especially Juliet’s. I like that multiple narrators were used as it was ideal for four main characters with equal weight. This author never disappoints and I loved everything about this one.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Recorded Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
The story is told from all four characters’ points of view, including John’s following his stroke. The most difficult of all of them is Barb’s story as it’s bitter and not always sympathetic. I must admit that I didn’t like much about her for a good portion of this story. But then I slowly realized that this was the result of years of pent up frustration from a woman who rarely received acknowledgement for exceptionally supporting her husband and family. Experiencing her evolution from an unfulfilled woman to a better place was often gut wrenching and hard to take in because hers is a common journey, hitting hidden nerves. On the surface, Juliet appears to have the perfect career, family and marriage and therein lies her issues. All that perfection takes a toll. Sadie wants to have a successful career as an artist and has an image of what that looks like but hasn’t yet embraced her talent or figured out what it really is. Juliet is Barb’s unabashed favorite; Sadie is John’s.
I inhaled this story, fascinated by these women and the trajectory of their lives. There is a shocking revelation early on where the details were later slowly delivered. It was easy to get caught up in some of the aspects as they could apply to my own life. Their paths weren’t predictable and the resolutions were still unclear until I reached the end. The characterizations are rich and while there’s not a lot of drama, there’s plenty of depth to their stories and relationships. I opted to listen to the book and Barb’s voice took some getting used to but I was happy with everyone else as they seem to fit the characters, especially Juliet’s. I like that multiple narrators were used as it was ideal for four main characters with equal weight. This author never disappoints and I loved everything about this one.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Recorded Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
June 5, 2020
I loved Good Luck With That. I have read several other of Higgins books and none have compared to Good Luck With That. Always the last to know seemed to drag on it was slow going. I had to push through to the end to find out about Noah and Sadie.
I gave this book 3 stars.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.
I gave this book 3 stars.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.
August 9, 2020
GLORIOUS WRITING OF CHARACTER DRIVEN STORY.
Kristan Higgins has delivered another noteworthy performance in this intricately woven tale of the hidden dynamics of an average American family of four. Two adult daughters and a somewhat disillusioned mother are suddenly faced with a life threatening event affecting their father/husband. Life as they know has now been turned upside down and sideways. Secrets are suddenly surfacing impacting each daughter, who is also facing her own career and personal relationship challenges as well. As they sort their emotions, they must make some serious decisions on what forward direction their lives will now take.
While we have seen this situation unravel before us in real life, we don't necessarily know the dynamics under the surface and that's the focus of this story. The engaging characters capture your attention not because they are extraordinary but because they are like people you know. They are solid and personable, your connection with them allows you readily identify with their struggles that they fear to speak aloud. There by the grace of God, you could go as well, (or your best friend or your mother).
Ms. Higgins adroitly explores the vital components of love from the beginning to its conclusion in a variety of perspectives. These powerful friendships and love stories make this a pleasurable and imaginative story. If you prefer dynamic character driven stories this is an excellent story to add to your reading list, and I suggest that you make sure to place it near the top!
I'd also recommend this one for book clubs, the situations that are presented would make for great discussion and the publisher even includes a discussion guide.
Kristan Higgins has delivered another noteworthy performance in this intricately woven tale of the hidden dynamics of an average American family of four. Two adult daughters and a somewhat disillusioned mother are suddenly faced with a life threatening event affecting their father/husband. Life as they know has now been turned upside down and sideways. Secrets are suddenly surfacing impacting each daughter, who is also facing her own career and personal relationship challenges as well. As they sort their emotions, they must make some serious decisions on what forward direction their lives will now take.
While we have seen this situation unravel before us in real life, we don't necessarily know the dynamics under the surface and that's the focus of this story. The engaging characters capture your attention not because they are extraordinary but because they are like people you know. They are solid and personable, your connection with them allows you readily identify with their struggles that they fear to speak aloud. There by the grace of God, you could go as well, (or your best friend or your mother).
Ms. Higgins adroitly explores the vital components of love from the beginning to its conclusion in a variety of perspectives. These powerful friendships and love stories make this a pleasurable and imaginative story. If you prefer dynamic character driven stories this is an excellent story to add to your reading list, and I suggest that you make sure to place it near the top!
I'd also recommend this one for book clubs, the situations that are presented would make for great discussion and the publisher even includes a discussion guide.
May 29, 2020
Barb and John Frost have been married for fifty years and live in a small Connecticut town. During their marriage, they raised two daughters, Juliet and Sadie, who are now adults. Barb has been contemplating divorce for some years now and is going to move forward with her plans. Their marriage has been stale for many years while she kept herself busy as the town selectman. Her plans are put on hold when John suffers a massive stroke.
Their youngest daughter, Sadie, is single and teaches art in New York City. She always had a close connection with her father and decides to help care for him when he returns home from the hospital. Juliet Frost remained near her childhood home after college and always seemed to gravitate to her mother for support. She is a successful architect with two children and a doting husband. These two sisters have never gotten along and diverged into different lifestyles. All three women are now forced into close proximity and each must work through their issues.
Always The Last To Know by Kristan Higgins is the second book that I have read by this author. This story depicts the complex relationships among family members during a crisis. It includes sibling rivalry, emotional outbursts, sadness, regret, and the powerful bonds of love. This book will touch your heart while validating the family dynamics that exist for us all.
Their youngest daughter, Sadie, is single and teaches art in New York City. She always had a close connection with her father and decides to help care for him when he returns home from the hospital. Juliet Frost remained near her childhood home after college and always seemed to gravitate to her mother for support. She is a successful architect with two children and a doting husband. These two sisters have never gotten along and diverged into different lifestyles. All three women are now forced into close proximity and each must work through their issues.
Always The Last To Know by Kristan Higgins is the second book that I have read by this author. This story depicts the complex relationships among family members during a crisis. It includes sibling rivalry, emotional outbursts, sadness, regret, and the powerful bonds of love. This book will touch your heart while validating the family dynamics that exist for us all.
March 9, 2020
I love Higgins books, they are always so relatable, fun, humorous and full of all the feels. It's with little trepidation that I pick one up, even ones that seem different from her happily ever after norms.
Which is why I didn't even hesitate to pick this up and give it a go and while I did like it, I sadly didn't connect with it in my usual way.
Was it the characters that were a little harder to love than usual? Was it the different POVs? I'm honestly not sure because why I could relate on some levels to what some of these women were going through, I found them very hard to love and sometimes even like and I'm not going to lie, that threw me. I always love her characters so I wasn't expecting to not fall immediately in love with all these characters but I guess, it happens right?
This isn't a bad book and it isn't even a bad story about three very different women and one very broken man but..it lacked something. Feeling. A connection that we all crave with stories like this one and so, it wasn't a favorite, it was still good though and one that I think others may connect more with and love than I did.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
Which is why I didn't even hesitate to pick this up and give it a go and while I did like it, I sadly didn't connect with it in my usual way.
Was it the characters that were a little harder to love than usual? Was it the different POVs? I'm honestly not sure because why I could relate on some levels to what some of these women were going through, I found them very hard to love and sometimes even like and I'm not going to lie, that threw me. I always love her characters so I wasn't expecting to not fall immediately in love with all these characters but I guess, it happens right?
This isn't a bad book and it isn't even a bad story about three very different women and one very broken man but..it lacked something. Feeling. A connection that we all crave with stories like this one and so, it wasn't a favorite, it was still good though and one that I think others may connect more with and love than I did.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
June 10, 2020
**This one is now available!
4 Messy Family Stars
Kristan Higgins is an author that I have long wanted to read. I finally had the chance with this one and I found it to be a compelling family drama with characters that were messy, complicated, and very realistic.
The Frost family, headed up by John and Barb, married 50 years, but they have grown very distant to each other. The two daughters are a tale of opposites – Juliet is a talented architect who has moved back to their hometown and is a rising star. Sadie, never happy in their small town, has made the move to New York to make her mark as an artist. Tragedy strikes when John suffers a serious stroke and the family tries to band together to help him recover.
I found this to be a realistic tale with parents favoring one child over the other, infidelity, quest for happiness, sibling rivalry, and workplace drama. There are quite a few relationships explored in this one – Barb and John; Juliet and her sweet British husband Oliver; and the tortured romance of Sadie and Noah. I must say I shed a few tears with this high school romance that matures but the two characters cannot seem to find a way together.
I liked that the author did not tie everything up with a neat bow at the end with a happy ever after ending for everyone. Life is not always a sweet and easy path, is it? I have found a new author to really like and so many older titles to read!
Thank you to Edelweiss, Kristan Higgins, and Berkley for the early copy of this one to read in exchange for an honest review.
4 Messy Family Stars
Kristan Higgins is an author that I have long wanted to read. I finally had the chance with this one and I found it to be a compelling family drama with characters that were messy, complicated, and very realistic.
The Frost family, headed up by John and Barb, married 50 years, but they have grown very distant to each other. The two daughters are a tale of opposites – Juliet is a talented architect who has moved back to their hometown and is a rising star. Sadie, never happy in their small town, has made the move to New York to make her mark as an artist. Tragedy strikes when John suffers a serious stroke and the family tries to band together to help him recover.
I found this to be a realistic tale with parents favoring one child over the other, infidelity, quest for happiness, sibling rivalry, and workplace drama. There are quite a few relationships explored in this one – Barb and John; Juliet and her sweet British husband Oliver; and the tortured romance of Sadie and Noah. I must say I shed a few tears with this high school romance that matures but the two characters cannot seem to find a way together.
I liked that the author did not tie everything up with a neat bow at the end with a happy ever after ending for everyone. Life is not always a sweet and easy path, is it? I have found a new author to really like and so many older titles to read!
Thank you to Edelweiss, Kristan Higgins, and Berkley for the early copy of this one to read in exchange for an honest review.
May 28, 2020
Always the Last to Know is another outstanding women's fiction title from Kristan Higgins. As usual, all the characters are richly drawn, especially the women, though I thought John's sections were amazing too, and you can't help but find someone to root for and someone's story that you identify with. (Yes, Noah is too perfect but--well, that's one of Higgins's many strengths, writing unbelievably great male leads and I fall for them every time, whereas with other authors it doesn't work for me.)
Anyway! One of the best things about Higgins's writing is how she makes you feel like you're part of the story and that warm and cozy feeling you get while reading the book and afterwards. Always the Last to Know is like a big hug and who doesn't want that these days? (At least theoretically)
Very highly recommended.
Anyway! One of the best things about Higgins's writing is how she makes you feel like you're part of the story and that warm and cozy feeling you get while reading the book and afterwards. Always the Last to Know is like a big hug and who doesn't want that these days? (At least theoretically)
Very highly recommended.
May 5, 2020
I really enjoy Kristan Higgins books.
I liked the 4 different POVs in this one, but Sadie was the shining star out of the group. I would happily have read a book just completely from her perspective. I know that Barb is the wronged woman here, but she was a very unsympathetic character. I didn't particularly care for her.
And while I didn't quite love this book as much as others, I still really enjoyed it. 4 solid stars.
I liked the 4 different POVs in this one, but Sadie was the shining star out of the group. I would happily have read a book just completely from her perspective. I know that Barb is the wronged woman here, but she was a very unsympathetic character. I didn't particularly care for her.
And while I didn't quite love this book as much as others, I still really enjoyed it. 4 solid stars.
November 2, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I really enjoyed reading this book…
I really enjoyed reading this book…
June 22, 2023
Filled with heart!
Kristan Higgins books are written with so much compassion for the characters she creates. Always the Last to Know is about family, forgiveness, love, and heart. Exploring the complexity that comes with families, the book centers around the Frosts.
Barb and John have been married nearly 50 years and their marriage has seen its fair share of ups and downs. Lately it has been more downs than ups, but Barb has been staying busy. When Barb gets a call that her husband John has been rushed to the hospital, she learns that he has had a stroke.
Their daughters Juliet and Sadie couldn’t be more different. Responsible, level-headed Juliet is her mother’s daughter, while free-spirited Sadie is her father’s girl. Still, both daughters want to be there for their parents during this trying time.
When Barb accidentally uncovers a secret on John’s phone, her whole life is called into question. This family has their fair share of secrets and dysfunction, but beneath it all they are still a family.
Filled with complex relationships, Always the Last to Know delivers on many levels. From the pain that comes with the secrets in Barb and John’s marriage to the romance between Sadie and the man she left behind when she left home after high school—there is a lot to discover about this family.
But truly, the most rewarding story for me was the one about Barb and her daughters. This family is imperfect (what family isn’t?) but the bonds of a family are also hard to break. Beautiful!
Kristan Higgins books are written with so much compassion for the characters she creates. Always the Last to Know is about family, forgiveness, love, and heart. Exploring the complexity that comes with families, the book centers around the Frosts.
Barb and John have been married nearly 50 years and their marriage has seen its fair share of ups and downs. Lately it has been more downs than ups, but Barb has been staying busy. When Barb gets a call that her husband John has been rushed to the hospital, she learns that he has had a stroke.
Their daughters Juliet and Sadie couldn’t be more different. Responsible, level-headed Juliet is her mother’s daughter, while free-spirited Sadie is her father’s girl. Still, both daughters want to be there for their parents during this trying time.
When Barb accidentally uncovers a secret on John’s phone, her whole life is called into question. This family has their fair share of secrets and dysfunction, but beneath it all they are still a family.
Filled with complex relationships, Always the Last to Know delivers on many levels. From the pain that comes with the secrets in Barb and John’s marriage to the romance between Sadie and the man she left behind when she left home after high school—there is a lot to discover about this family.
But truly, the most rewarding story for me was the one about Barb and her daughters. This family is imperfect (what family isn’t?) but the bonds of a family are also hard to break. Beautiful!
June 16, 2020
I ended up quite enjoying this one even though the subject matter was a bit depressing throughout... then again, that is her portrayal of real life and family dynamics, I guess. There is no such thing as the perfect family ... well, if there is, it sure ain't mine. We bicker, we gossip, some members leave the toilet seat up (it doesn't help that I am outnumbered - even the dog is male)!! But at the end of the day, we do get on well together and love each other.
John and Barb have been married for 50 years and it's not all been a bed of roses. In fact, Barb wants "out"... but life is funny (or not) and when John has a stroke, her plans are sort of put on hold.
We meet Juliet and Sadie, the two Frost daughters ... one happily married, living near home and one, living in NYC, the free spirit, so to speak. I wasn't a big fan of the emphasis of "favouritism" (one parent favouring one child over an other). I don't think you are allowed do that, if you are a parent. Granted, one or the other might drive you "dafter" on a given day but, surely, you love both equally?
It was kind of a bittersweet, depressing read at times. Will John ever recover? Will Barb be happy? Will Sadie ever move home and be with what was once the "love of her life"? Will Juliet stop trying so hard to be the perfect mother/wife?
Not as quirky or funny as some of her previous books ...
Indeed there is not. If it were not for the fact that you have to walk for miles and I get lost in there every time, I would be a more regular visitor to dear Ikea ...
I did shed a tear at the end ... even if the ending was sort of cheesy and hunky dory!!
John and Barb have been married for 50 years and it's not all been a bed of roses. In fact, Barb wants "out"... but life is funny (or not) and when John has a stroke, her plans are sort of put on hold.
"Oh, the fuckery ..."
We meet Juliet and Sadie, the two Frost daughters ... one happily married, living near home and one, living in NYC, the free spirit, so to speak. I wasn't a big fan of the emphasis of "favouritism" (one parent favouring one child over an other). I don't think you are allowed do that, if you are a parent. Granted, one or the other might drive you "dafter" on a given day but, surely, you love both equally?
The sides were pretty clear - Sadie and John, Juliet and me.
It was kind of a bittersweet, depressing read at times. Will John ever recover? Will Barb be happy? Will Sadie ever move home and be with what was once the "love of her life"? Will Juliet stop trying so hard to be the perfect mother/wife?
Our love, I was certain, would last forever.
Not as quirky or funny as some of her previous books ...
There was nothing wrong with Ikea chic ...
Indeed there is not. If it were not for the fact that you have to walk for miles and I get lost in there every time, I would be a more regular visitor to dear Ikea ...
I did shed a tear at the end ... even if the ending was sort of cheesy and hunky dory!!
Love isn't always the thing that fills up the room
June 9, 2020
4.5/5 stars
Always the Last to Know is a family drama that I would classify as Women's Fiction.
I love Kristan Higgins so much. This book was one of my most anticipated reads of 2020. I was so beyond excited to read this book that I decided to read it over my birthday weekend.
It is the story of a family's struggles when something happens to the patriarch of the family.
The main narrators are Barb, Sadie and Juliet (a mother and two daughters).
Sadie (30+) and Barb are 1st person POVs, while Juliet (42) is a 3rd person POV. Sadie is an art teacher at a Catholic school in New York City. Juliet is a successful architect with two young daughters. The mom (Barb) is first selectman of a small town in Connecticut.
The beginning of this book was really good. Something happens to the husband/father. And that becomes one of the focal points of the story. It was fascinating to see how differently the three women acted during this difficult time.
This book really focuses on the relationships in the family. And the struggles that each family member is facing. The mom has one favorite daughter. The dad has another favorite daughter. This is a key issue in the book. I've never read a book where it was that obvious that each parent preferred a different child. The impact that this had on the parents and on each daughter was very compelling.
Juliet is very accomplished. But she has panic attacks. And she is also dealing with the politics at work. I was very intrigued by the dynamics at Juliet's job. Especially how it ended up towards the end of the book. I'm not sure why, but I really did not see that coming.
Barb has been married for 50 years. But does she want to be? This was such an important part of this book. And it was definitely interesting to see what Barb was thinking and feeling and why.
Sadie has a high school sweetheart, Noah. But she also has a rich boyfriend in NYC. She hates her home town and never wanted to return. She has dreamed of becoming an accomplished painter. The two sisters could not be more opposite. I found Sadie to be a very complex character. She was not necessarily totally likable at times. But I really enjoyed reading about her. I was especially interested in the art that she sold.
I wasn't really sure where this story was going to go. It's about three women in a family. There is betrayal. There is family drama. There is some romance. There is friendship. And everything just works.
Kristan Higgins has written a moving, touching story of a family in crisis. It read like realistic fiction. The last half of the book was really strong. I could not put it down.
Thank you to edelweiss and Berkley for allowing to read this book. This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2020.
Always the Last to Know is a family drama that I would classify as Women's Fiction.
I love Kristan Higgins so much. This book was one of my most anticipated reads of 2020. I was so beyond excited to read this book that I decided to read it over my birthday weekend.
It is the story of a family's struggles when something happens to the patriarch of the family.
The main narrators are Barb, Sadie and Juliet (a mother and two daughters).
Sadie (30+) and Barb are 1st person POVs, while Juliet (42) is a 3rd person POV. Sadie is an art teacher at a Catholic school in New York City. Juliet is a successful architect with two young daughters. The mom (Barb) is first selectman of a small town in Connecticut.
The beginning of this book was really good. Something happens to the husband/father. And that becomes one of the focal points of the story. It was fascinating to see how differently the three women acted during this difficult time.
This book really focuses on the relationships in the family. And the struggles that each family member is facing. The mom has one favorite daughter. The dad has another favorite daughter. This is a key issue in the book. I've never read a book where it was that obvious that each parent preferred a different child. The impact that this had on the parents and on each daughter was very compelling.
Juliet is very accomplished. But she has panic attacks. And she is also dealing with the politics at work. I was very intrigued by the dynamics at Juliet's job. Especially how it ended up towards the end of the book. I'm not sure why, but I really did not see that coming.
Barb has been married for 50 years. But does she want to be? This was such an important part of this book. And it was definitely interesting to see what Barb was thinking and feeling and why.
Sadie has a high school sweetheart, Noah. But she also has a rich boyfriend in NYC. She hates her home town and never wanted to return. She has dreamed of becoming an accomplished painter. The two sisters could not be more opposite. I found Sadie to be a very complex character. She was not necessarily totally likable at times. But I really enjoyed reading about her. I was especially interested in the art that she sold.
I wasn't really sure where this story was going to go. It's about three women in a family. There is betrayal. There is family drama. There is some romance. There is friendship. And everything just works.
Kristan Higgins has written a moving, touching story of a family in crisis. It read like realistic fiction. The last half of the book was really strong. I could not put it down.
Thank you to edelweiss and Berkley for allowing to read this book. This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2020.
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