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Where We Belong (Abridged): A Novel Audiobook
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Publisher Description
The author of several blockbuster novels, Emily Giffin's Where We Belong delivers an unforgettable story of two women, the families that make them who they are, and the longing, loyalty and love that binds them together
Marian Caldwell is a thirty-six year old television producer, living her dream in New York City. With a fulfilling career and satisfying relationship, she has convinced everyone, including herself, that her life is just as she wants it to be. But one night, Marian answers a knock on the door . . . only to find Kirby Rose, an eighteen-year-old girl with a key to a past that Marian thought she had sealed off forever. From the moment Kirby appears on her doorstep, Marian's perfectly constructed world—and her very identity—will be shaken to its core, resurrecting ghosts and memories of a passionate young love affair that threaten everything that has come to define her.
For the precocious and determined Kirby, the encounter will spur a process of discovery that ushers her across the threshold of adulthood, forcing her to re-evaluate her family and future in a wise and bittersweet light. As the two women embark on a journey to find the one thing missing in their lives, each will come to recognize that where we belong is often where we least expect to find ourselves—a place that we may have willed ourselves to forget, but that the heart remembers forever.
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"Normally I don't cry while reading books ... but I cried during this one. I think the main reason is that I just had a baby at Thanksgiving and the thought of giving him up for adoption and not hearing from him for 18 years was so painful to think about. This is a great story of self-discovery for both the birth mother and child. I liked that each chapter flipped back and forth between the two women so that we had the opportunity to see both of their perspectives."
— Monica (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“In another surefire hit, [Giffin] serves up pathos, humor, and one doozy of a twist.
— Entertainment Weekly -
Sharply drawn characters and finely honed sensibility add up to a story that's as bittersweet as an August evening.
— Family Circle -
Book clubs will have a field day with this one. Thorny mother-daughter relationships and secrets we keep from loved ones burn up the pages.
— USA Today -
After five charming relationship-themed hits, Emily Giffin had a lot to live up to with WHERE WE BELONG. Luckily, the author executes with a thoughtful finesse that makes this easily her best work yet. [WHERE WE BELONG] is that special type of story that takes priority over getting to bed on time. And the payoff is well worth it.
— Boston Globe -
Emily Giffin ranks as a grand master. Over the course of five best-selling novels, she has traversed the slippery slopes of true love, lost love, marriage, motherhood, betrayal, forgiveness and redemption that have led her to be called ‘a modern-day Jane Austen.' With Giffin's use of humor, honesty, originality and, like Austen, a biting social commentary, this modern-day ‘woman's novel' sits easily on nightstands and in beach bags. Even Austen would find it hard to put down.
— Chicago Sun-Times -
Emily Giffin's new novel about the legacy of adoption, WHERE WE BELONG, imagines what happens when an 18-year-old girl tracks down her birth mother…the latest in a string of provocative, imaginative novels that began in 2004 with SOMETHING BORROWED. All the characters [here] are on a journey to find ‘where we belong,' and Giffin knits together their journeys with a masterly hand.
— Seattle Times -
Emily Giffin's WHERE WE BELONG is a literary Rorschach test. The book, while thoroughly entertaining, will also prod readers to examine choices they've made in their lives. It will compel them to muse about things they'd like to do over, to do differently, to do better…[and] gracefully examines themes of identity, family and forgiveness.
— Miami Herald -
Emily Giffin has a wonderful way with words. [WHERE WE BELONG] is an emotionally powerful story that will ring true with women who have given a child away and with those who grew up wondering where they came from. Giffin may be working with a premise and plot that is fairly simple, but there's nothing lightweight about the emotional turbulence she creates.
— Ft. Worth Star-Telegram -
[Giffin] shows that real love is messy but meaningful in this delicious, easygoing read.
— American Way -
[Giffin's] novels present tough moral dilemmas all related to love. And her latest, WHERE WE BELONG, is no exception and perhaps her best yet…It's a classic Giffin tale, nuanced and messy and utterly addictive, with fully fleshed-out characters who face morally ambiguous choices that aren't resolved in neat bows.
— Austin American-Statesman -
A breezy, yet compelling read.
— Atlanta Journal-Constitution -
Emily Giffin is back with another must-read summer novel!
— Harper's Bazaar -
The next must-read book of the summer!
— Star -
WHERE WE BELONG is too suspenseful to be called chick lit and too relationship-centered to be labeled a thriller. But most readers will have little time to think of a genre for Emily Giffin's latest novel as they race through this gripping story about the reunion of a high school senior and the woman who put her up for adoption 18 years earlier.
— Connecticut Post -
Giffin has a way of tugging on our heartstrings while still making us laugh out loud...[a] perfect recipe.
— Woman's World -
Graceful and inviting prose, careful plotting and vivid characterizations…The coming together of two people who share a genetic heritage and little else is dramatically and emotionally risky. But Giffin makes the most of the opportunity, and WHERE WE BELONG had me riveted.
— Winston-Salem Journal -
The issue about secrets isn't about keeping them. It's the reveal and its consequences. That's the challenge faced by the characters in Emily Giffin's new, briskly paced…WHERE WE BELONG. Taking a somewhat more somber tone than she did in her [previous] bestselling novels, Giffin's approach and style mature in this latest effort.
— Philadelphia Inquirer -
Breezy and fun, this is definitely one for the beach bag!
— All You magazine -
Giffin's latest will make you shed a few tears – and call your mom.
— Ladies Home Journal -
You're sure to spy lots of pale-orange book covers at the beach this summer, as Emily Giffin releases her latest in a series of successful reads. The book has heart, meat and realistic characters.
— am New York -
[WHERE WE BELONG] delivers the readable, addicting prose we have all come to love [but] delves deeper than ever before, showing that the author is capable of making her signature style work with topics beyond typical relationships. Through Marian, her daughter and the rest of those affected by Marian's decisions, the author beautifully tackles the complex issues of sex, abortion, adoption and the difficult decisions that go along with each.
— Woodbury magazine -
A satisfying and entertaining read. Giffin is a gifted storyteller [and] writes smart, snappy prose that elevates this novel.
— Vancouver Sun -
Believable characters, [a] page-turning plot and [an] unblinking look at the choices we make as women.
— WeightWatchers magazine
Where We Belong Listener Reviews
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" Amazing!!! Loved the story so much! Couldn't put it down! "
— Hazel, 2/16/2014 -
" Partly set in St. Louis, which was kinda fun. Some moments felt real, others felt predictable or typical. "
— Hannah, 2/11/2014 -
" Emily Giffin's best, in my estimation. Adopted 18-year-old Kirby searches out her biological mother, then her father while still remaining faithful to her adopted family. Told from Kirby's viewpoint, in counterpoint with her biological mother, Marian's, viewpoint. Kirby's outcome is good: she is able to begin building relationship with both biological parents without estranging her "real parents." "
— Doris, 2/7/2014 -
" Very true to her other books I've read...it's a feel good ending with everything wrapped up nicely. Quick easy read. "
— Peggy, 2/1/2014 -
" A decent read, but probably my least favorite by Giffin. I loved Something Borrowed, Something Blue, and Baby Proof. This one did not live up to those. I enjoyed the characters, and her writing was still solid and enjoyable, but it was a little more predictable than her previous reads. Still a nice weekend or beach read. "
— Bribre01, 1/16/2014 -
" Love her so I had to read it. One of the better ones but nothing will ever top something borrowed/blue. "
— Pam, 1/11/2014 -
" The description here pretty much sums up the book. I had to stop reading about half way through and just jump to the end. Perhaps I wasn't in the mood to read this kind of book. "
— Elizabeth, 12/28/2013 -
" Pretty much what you expect from Emily Giffin - in a good way. "
— Lauren, 12/24/2013 -
" I'm a sucker for Emily Giffin. Classic chick lit, but she often tackles real life subjects. This one was about a woman who suddenly finds herself faced with the child she gave up for adoption 18 years prior. Read over 2 days in Jamaica. Good. "
— Melissa, 12/24/2013 -
" Much better than her last book! I really enjoyed this one. "
— Kelly, 12/18/2013 -
" Cute little book about adoption and finding yourself. Fun, quick read. "
— Tiffany, 12/17/2013 -
" Loved the book! A book where the main character is adopted and her journey to not only find her birth parents but to make them part of her family was a nice change from what I am used to reading! Great book! "
— Kelly, 12/6/2013 -
" A very interesting story, but it fell into a predictable pattern. The ending did not feel complete and I won't be surprised if there is a sequel. Loved how characters from another book popped up in this one. "
— Summer, 12/4/2013 -
" Eh. My least favorite of Giffin's "
— katherine, 12/3/2013 -
" I liked the alternating chapters from the two main characters' points of view. It kept things interesting, and it was very thought-provoking to read an adoption story from the two perspectives, those of both the birth mother and her daughter. "
— Alyson, 11/30/2013 -
" Any book that does not want me to put it down is fine with me! Another fast easy read that does not stretch the mind. I loved looking at the story from different perspectives. Marian refinds the love of her life and the lost daughter and all neatly comes together. "
— Kathy, 11/26/2013 -
" Great story. Easy read. Happy ending without being "too happy". Could easily relate to Marian even though I've never had to make those types of life decisions. "
— Amy, 11/11/2013 -
" A fast read ... about a girl whom is adopted and what happens when she meets her birth parents. "
— Diane, 7/30/2013 -
" Nothing new or fresh to add to the adoption discussion as far as I was concerned. "
— Doneen, 7/29/2013 -
" I really enjoyed this book. "
— Wendy, 6/10/2013 -
" Another enjoyable read by griffin. "
— Megan, 6/4/2013 -
" A fun read that will make a sweet movie, which I'm sure I'll see. It isn't moving any literary mountains, but nor is it trying to. Just a well-told story about mostly realistic, mostly likeable characters. "
— Ariana, 6/2/2013 -
" Seriously can't help but LOVE all her books. Such easy reads and dreamy stories! "
— Elyse, 4/9/2013 -
" Very cute story. I love Emily Giffin and her writing style. Highly recommend but it wasn't nearly as good as "Something Borrowed" which will always be hard to beat! "
— Shawn, 10/3/2012 -
" Too predictable and unrealistic in my opinion. "
— Paula, 8/31/2012
About Emily Giffin
Emily Giffin is the author of eleven internationally bestselling novels, including the Adventures of Darcy series and nine stand-alone novels, including eight New York Times bestsellers.
About Orlagh Cassidy
Orlagh Cassidy, an American actress of stage, television, and film, is an audiobook narrator who has twice won the prestigious Audie Award for best narration, as well as many AudioFile Earphones Awards. She is a graduate of SUNY at Purchase and a recipient of the Princess Grace Foundation Scholarship. She has been seen on and off Broadway and in films, including Definitely Maybe and Calling It Quits. Her television credits include roles in Law & Order and Sex and the City and as Doris Wolfe on Guiding Light.