Thirty-four year old Ruby Bridge is a not-too-successful comedienne who uses her mother, a nationally-syndicated "moral and spiritual counselor" as the main fodder for her cynical, rather bitter humor. Her mother Nora, long divorced from Ruby's father, is a woman whose past is just about to catch up with her—in the form of blackmail by a former lover.
After an accident (an attempted suicide?) Ruby returns to care for her stricken mother—bitterly resenting the fact that once again her mother's life has colonized hers. When she is approached by a publisher to write a biography of her mother, Ruby is desperate for the princely sum offered. Yet her research into her mother's past reveals a woman very different from the one Ruby expected. And what began as "mommy dearest" ends as a love story—not only between mother and daughter, but involving two very different men who play a key role in linking the past to the present.
Download and start listening now!
"I have to say I was surprised by how moved I was - a sorry about mothers and daughters and love and sorrow. I picked it up as light reading but couldn't put it down. It always has the message of how our actions can have roots in our past and certainly can impact the next generation as well. " — Jean (4 out of 5 stars)
"I have to say I was surprised by how moved I was - a sorry about mothers and daughters and love and sorrow. I picked it up as light reading but couldn't put it down. It always has the message of how our actions can have roots in our past and certainly can impact the next generation as well. "
" Another great one by Kristin Hannah! I really enjoyed this book - it would be a perfect candidate for a movie! "
" Great beach read. Interesting dynamic between mother and daughters. Lots of therapy wrapped up in a captivating story. "
" I like Kristin Hannah and this book did not disappoint. Story is about a mother daughter relationship, in part. Also about a daughter trying to find herself. I listened to this one, so it's in the lending library. "
" I am giving it 3 stars just because it was so predictable, but i really could not put it down. "
" Terrific family story. Lots of pain, lots of healing, good resolutions to conflicts. The story reads well and shows various perspectives on family pain and the ties that bind. "
" I really enjoyed this book despite thinking I wouldn't. It kept me interested and I found myself continuously wanting to read more. That is what makes a book good for me; as long as I keep wanting to go back. "
" Enjoyed this book very much. "
" This was a good book! I enjoyed reading it and will be adding some more of her books to my list. "
" She makes me cry every time I read one of her books. "
" If only everybodies abandonment and mommy issues worked out so well in the end. "
" I enjoyed this as an audio book. The narrator did a good job. It was a quick and easy listen. It was predictable but a pleasant distraction. "
" Wow! An emotional and powerful story about relationships (parent, child, friend, spouse), love, and forgiveness. "
" sweet story that made me cry......the characters are believable and the story is well put together. "
" This is definitely not her best work. Her writing is so elementary here and I didn't even finish the book. "
" Wow. This book made me laugh, think, cry. I loved how there was "more to the story" than what Ruby thought she had figured out. The characters were real, believable, as was the story. "
" This was a quick cute read. A tad sappy for my taste but I liked it okay. "
" Very sweet, light read. I am a fan of a lot of Kristin Hannah's novels. "
" a good book about mother and daughter relonships a enjoy her books "
" This book was the best I couldnt help but shed a tear, amazing what family can go through but still survive a really realistic read. "
" Not a light read, but I liked the psychological aspect. "
" I actually really liked this book and found myself crying at the end! Nora and Ruby, sometimes even Caroline, got on my nerves pretty frequently. I did enjoy reading about their turmoil and was glad that their relationships were eventually mended. "
" Another solid read by Kristin Hannah. She explores the complex relationships that exist between mother's and daughters. "
" Really enjoyed this one. Great heartfelt story. "
" A little too sappy for my taste with too neat of an ending. "
" This is the first book I've read by this author. I love her style, and the story is unforgettable!! What a beautiful lesson in "how to forgive!!" "
" Another good, easy read by this author. The story line was somewhat predictable, but I'd still recommend it. Definitely made me appreciate the relationship I have within my own family and reminded me how important it is to not take them for granted. "
" Beautifuly written, so many emotions and you feel each one as if you are all the different characters.Makes you laugh, cry, and grow. "
" Nice relaxing read, but predictible. I liked Winter Garden a little better. "
" story about a mother and daughter's strained relationship. their lives take unexpected turns that bring them back together. "
" Would rate this a good 3.5...but of course you can't give half stars! Definitely worth reading! "
" I love Kristin Hannah, but I was a little worried when I started this book. The beginning is slow, but about mid book I started to really enjoy it. It ended great. "
" a good read not as heart wrenching as most of her books but I had trouble putting it down so I definitely recommend it. "
" Another Hannah book that I liked. I think she does a good job of showing different perspectives on the same event and really helps you to feel the depth of her characters. "
" This was about how a mother and daughter can come together after years of mistakes. "
" I read this on vacation last week. Really good character arcs--and the story kept me turning the pages from start to finish. With the two main characters seeming so unredeemable at the outset, I just had to find out what happened with them! "
" Easy, light read. Not bad! "
Kristin Hannah, a former lawyer turned writer, is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty novels, including The Women, The Nightingale, The Great Alone, and The Four Winds.
Joyce Bean is an accomplished audiobook narrator and director. In addition to having won several AudioFile Earphones Awards, she has been nominated multiple times for the prestigious Audie Award. Equally adept at narrating fiction and nonfiction, and she also narrates audiobooks under the name Jane Brown.
Audiobooks Were Restored to Your Cart
[ShoppingCartItemsAddedOnMerge] audiobook(s) were left in your cart from a previous visit, and saved to your account for your convenience. You may view or remove these audiobooks on the shopping cart page.