"In McCauley's entertaining audiobook...[Narrator George Newbern's] tone is skillfully timed for subtle humor and thoughtful wisdom. He hits just the right notes as multiple characters face major decisions in their lives." — AudioFile Magazine From Stephen McCauley comes a long-anticipated audiobook about love, life, and friendship. David Hedges’s life is coming apart at the seams. His job helping San Francisco rich kids get into the colleges of their (parents’) choice is exasperating; his younger boyfriend has left him; and the beloved carriage house he rents is being sold. His solace is a Thai takeout joint that delivers 24/7. The last person he expects to hear from is Julie Fiske. It’s been decades since they’ve spoken, and he’s relieved to hear she’s recovered from her brief, misguided first marriage. To him. Julie definitely doesn’t have a problem with marijuana (she’s given it up completely, so it doesn’t matter if she gets stoned almost daily) and the Airbnb she’s running out of her seaside house north of Boston is neither shabby nor illegal. And she has two whole months to come up with the money to buy said house from her second husband before their divorce is finalized. She’d just like David’s help organizing college plans for her 17-year-old daughter. That would be Mandy. To quote Barry Manilow, Oh Mandy. While she knows she’s smarter than most of the kids in her school, she can’t figure out why she’s making so many incredibly dumb and increasingly dangerous choices? When David flies east, they find themselves living under the same roof (one David needs to repair). David and Julie pick up exactly where they left off thirty years ago—they’re still best friends who can finish each other’s sentences. But there’s one broken bit between them that no amount of home renovations will fix. In prose filled with hilarious and heartbreakingly accurate one-liners, Stephen McCauley has written an audiobook that examines how we define home, family, and love. Be prepared to laugh, shed a few tears, and have thoughts of your own ex-life triggered. (Throw pillows optional.) This program includes a bonus interview with the author. Praise for My Ex-Life: "With My Ex-Life, a heartwarming comedy of manners about second chances and starting afresh, [Stephen McCauley] has pretty much outdone himself...McCauley fires off witticisms like a tennis ace practicing serves...In the vein of inveterate beguilers like Laurie Colwin, Elinor Lipman, and Maria Semple, McCauley is warm but snappy, light but smart — and just plain enjoyable." — NPR “McCauley’s effervescent prose is full of wit and wisdom on every topic—college application essays, Airbnb operation, weed addiction, live porn websites, and, most of all, people.... A gin and tonic for the soul."—Kirkus "A clever novel about exes reconnecting...Do not underestimate McCauley's witty insights or his ability to make middle-aged, sexless companionship seem wildly appealing." — People
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"Main Characters David and Julie make quite the pair in this novel by McCauley. Its been decades since these two have spoken and he was quite relieved to find out she had recovered from her brief marriage all those years ago. To him. Readers of "My Ex-Life" can expect to laugh, cry and find something to relate to in one of these characters or Julie's daughter, Mandy who has a crazy life of her own. I enjoyed this novel, and it is definitely proof that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. "
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Julie (5 out of 5 stars)