By 
Lindas Book Obsession Reviews “Life and Other Inconveniences” by Kristan Higgins, Berkley, August 2019
WOW! Kristan Higgins, Author of “Life and Other Inconveniences” has written an intriguing, riveting, emotional, dramatic, entertaining and thought-provoking novel. The Genres for this novel are Fiction, and Women’s Fiction. The timeline for this story is set in the present and goes to the past when it pertains to the characters or events in this story. The author describes her colorful and dramatic cast of characters as quirky, dysfunctional, complex, and complicated. I love that there are some dogs in this story as well.
Emma London is a single Mom and has done a great job raising her 16-year-old daughter Riley while working jobs and going to school. Emma has had a hard life with abandonment issues from several family members. Emma’s grandmother did take her in for years, when she was a child but when Emma got pregnant, threw her out to fend for herself. It certainly is quite surprising that Emma gets a call now from her Grandmother, Genevieve London, requesting that Emma return to her home, Sheerwater. This is the uber-wealthy Genevieve London, responsible for the top designer handbag line.
Emma is ambivalent of what she should do, but Riley would really like to meet her Grandmother. Emma’s Pop who has always been in her life is ready to go with them. It would bring them closer to Riley’s father, who leaves nearby.
I appreciate that the author discusses the importance of family, decent moral values, understanding, compassion, communication, forgiveness, love and hope. Sometimes situations are not what they seem to be, and sometimes even mean spirited people can surprise you. What is the motivation for making people do the things that they do? This is also a coming of age novel. I would highly recommend this thought-provoking novel and emotional novel.
Linda's Book Obsession: 