Anna is a planner. So when she discovers she’s pregnant, she prepares for a perfect new life in Provençe, France, with her perfect new baby-to-be. Anna’s partner, the easy-going Tobias, shouldn’t have too much difficulty tagging along—after all, he’s a musician who rarely starts his day before noon. But all that changes when their baby is born severely disabled.
Anna, Tobias, and their daughter, Freya, end up in a rickety, rodent-infested farmhouse in a remote town in France—far from the mansion in Provençe they had imagined. Little do they know that this is the beginning of what will become an incredible journey of the heart—one during which they learn there really is no such thing as a mouse-proof kitchen. Life is messy, and it’s the messy bits that make it count.
If you’re a gardener, a cook or simply a mother, this book will resonate with you in numerous ways. I adored this book mostly because of the blunt and caustic honesty that made me flinch when I read certain passages; but at the same time I understood and identified with the emotions and feelings behind those words. This author is a documentary filmmaker and first time novelist, yet the general topic of the book is loosely based on her own life as a mother to a severely disabled child. I believe that because the author truly lives through the trials (and triumphs) of having a mentally disabled child, she can use her dark humor in a way that otherwise would’ve been misunderstood by the reader. I loved these characters and and how nature played such a huge role in their individual lives as well as those around them. There are metaphors at play throughout the book and descriptions that had me touching wisteria and smelling all the ingredients for a good compost. Excellent writing and very real story. Well done.
Quotes I liked:
It’s a perfect moment. One of those rare times when you wouldn’t prefer to be anywhere else, doing anything else. Where past and future melt away and there’s only now.”
– “We were running away, I think–but when you run away, of course, you arrive somewhere, and then you have to deal with that.”
– “Anna, the only thing we truly possess is time. We just have to learn what to do with it.”
– “You need to keep a step ahead of nature and you never can, not completely. You need nature and you fear it, you work with it and around it. Above all, you respect it. You pay attention. Making things grow requires structure and discipline.”
-”But of course you must nag Tobias,” she says. “How else is he supposed to know that you love him.”
– “Love is the earth that holds our roots in place. Without it, there’s nothing to keep us from falling over.”
Now even younger children can follow the little green caterpillar as he eats his way to becoming a beautiful butterfly in this sturdy board book Great for early development Children will enjoy this delightful tale Ages 2 to 5
,Heartbreaking story!! I couldn’t wrap my head around how Anna spoke or thought Freya sometimes. It was like she forgot that Freya was her child,let alone a human being!!
Arlyn, I agree. That’s probably what I liked so much. It was the raw honesty that you don’t often hear from mother and child. Glad you enjoyed even though at times, it was heartbreaking. best, L
Amoral, cunning, ruthless, and instructive, this multi-million-copy New York Times bestseller is the definitive manual for anyone interested in gaining, observing, or defending against ultimate control – from the author of The Laws of Human Nature. I... read more
Now even younger children can follow the little green caterpillar as he eats his way to becoming a beautiful butterfly in this sturdy board book Great for early development Children will enjoy this delightful tale Ages 2 to 5
Review:Drive Me Crazy by Carly Robyn blew me away with its humor, heart, and heat. I’m newer to rom-com (Romantic Comedy) and after reading quite a few of them, I totally think that this one shines above.Full disclosure, I know the author quite well. She’s my daughter; but it’s the honest truth when I say I loved the heck out of this book. I was literally laughing out loud at some points and fell hard in love with Blake, the broody Brit, and Ella, the relatable journalist who could be my BFF.The pacing of the story was spot on as I fell into the fast-paced life of an F1 driver, and the toll racing takes on both their minds and bodies. I appreciated the slow burn to the ultimately spicy and steamy romance. It made the wait and tension totally worth the wait! For me, smart conversation and good banter can make or break a book. This one had so much wit and humor that I’d be happy with that alone.The settings in this book take the reader all around Europe which makes for great escapes. Ella, who hails from Chicago before moving to New York, offers many local references which I loved.On top of the heart, humor and heat, there are also some serious issues woven through the book such a loss of a parent, mental illness, and sexual abuse. These issues are presented with sensitivity and care.Bottom line, if you’re looking for a book to make you laugh with a good dollop of spice, pick this one up. Readers are all saying they can’t wait for the second in the series.@carlyrobynauthor 📘Have you ever watched an Formula One race? OR Favorite trope in rom-coms? ... See MoreSee Less
Can’t wait to read it !
,Heartbreaking story!! I couldn’t wrap my head around how Anna spoke or thought Freya sometimes. It was like she forgot that Freya was her child,let alone a human being!!
Arlyn, I agree. That’s probably what I liked so much. It was the raw honesty that you don’t often hear from mother and child. Glad you enjoyed even though at times, it was heartbreaking.
best,
L