Publisher Description
Best Books of Fall 2018 Selection by PopSugar
“Stunning... An intricately satisfying story about love and understanding that is full of both nostalgia and surprising optimism.” —Kirkus Reviews
“A propulsive and endearing debut.” —J. Ryan Stradal, New York Times bestselling author of Kitchens of the Great Midwest
A formidable matriarch learns the hard way that no family is perfect in this witty, sparkling debut novel
Dearest loved ones, far and near—evergreen tidings from the Baumgartners!
Violet Baumgartner has opened her annual holiday letter the same way for the past three decades. And this year she’s going to throw her husband, Ed, a truly perfect retirement party, one worthy of memorializing in her upcoming letter. But the event becomes a disaster when, in front of two hundred guests, Violet learns her daughter Cerise has been keeping a shocking secret from her, shattering Violet’s carefully constructed world.
In an epic battle of wills, Violet goes to increasing lengths to wrest back control of her family, infuriating Cerise and snaring their family and friends in a very un-Midwestern, un-Baumgartner gyre of dramatics. And there will be no explaining away the consequences in this year’s Baumgartner holiday letter…
Full of humor, emotion and surprises at every turn, Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners brings to life a remarkable cast of quirky, deeply human characters who must learn to adapt to the unconventional, or else risk losing one another. This is the story of a family falling to pieces—and the unexpected way they put it all back together.
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“This delightfully clever debut is a masterfully written, Wes Anderson-esque roller coaster ride through a series of self-made disasters in a hilariously dysfunctional family…Hits all the right notes; you’ll double over with laughter, but you’ll also find yourself at times misty-eyed and introspective. I have the feeling this is just the first of many skilled and heartfelt dramedies from the pen of talented newcomer Gretchen Anthony.”
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Kristin Harmel, author of The Life Intended
About Gretchen Anthony
Gretchen Anthony is a Minnesota-based writer and humorist. She’s spent decades as a ghostwriter and has written for some of the best personal brands in the United States, from CEOs to doctors and start-up superstars to BBQ pros.
About the Narrators
Donna Postel, an Earphones Award–winning narrator, is absolutely passionate about audiobooks and has narrated close to fifty titles across multiple genres, from memoir and biography to literary fiction, romance, mystery, and suspense. She uses her innate curiosity, talent, and decades of experience on stage and in the recording studio to bring books to life. When she’s not in the studio, she can be found down at the barn cleaning up after and occasionally riding horses.
Andi Arndt is a professional voice actor, the winner of a 2017 Audie Award for Best Romance, and winner of two Earphones Awards.
Eric G. Dove is a multiple Earphones Award–winning narrator, and his credits include more than one hundred audiobooks. He is also an accomplished musician and a budding author, who published Ghosts of Royston in 2013. He is a graduate of Ohio State University.