My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Life and Other Inconveniences by Kristan Higgins is a heartfelt story about family and new beginnings.

My Overview

When Emma London was a young girl, she was surprised when her mother died unexpectedly. Her next surprise came when her father dropped her off at his mother’s mansion, and walked away from her life. Emma lived with her grandmother, Genevieve, until her senior year in high school. It was then that Emma became pregnant and was kicked out of the home by Genevieve.

Now in her thirties, Emma and her teenage daughter Riley live with her grandfather. She’s made a cozy life for her and Riley, and has no plans to move. On a random summer day, an unexpected phone call changed that. After nearly twenty years of not having contact with Emma, Genevieve called her with some news and asked for help. As a result, Emma and Riley move in with Genevieve for the summer. What follows is a touching story about family, forgiveness, and new beginnings.

The story is told in alternating perspectives, which I thought was effective in conveying each of the characters’ flaws and situations. By the end of the story, I truly felt like I got to know the characters. I didn’t always agree with their choices (especially Genevieve’s), but appreciated being able to see everyone’s point of view in the story.

My Recommendation

I’ve enjoyed other books by this author, and Life and Other Inconveniences no exception. The character development, humor, and family-focused storyline are what I enjoyed most. I highly recommend this book. I’m glad I opted for the audiobook, and recommend it too. It has multiple narrators, including Xe Sands, who does a fantastic job as the voice of Emma.

Have you read this book yet?