Category Archives: Abbi Waxman

July 10, 2019 · 11:57 pm

Review: The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman

Title: The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Contemporary, Satire, Fiction
Length: 351 pages
Book Rating: C+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

The author of Other People’s Houses and The Garden of Small Beginnings delivers a quirky and charming novel chronicling the life of confirmed introvert Nina Hill as she does her best to fly under everyone’s radar.
 
Meet Nina Hill: A young woman supremely confident in her own…shell.

The only child of a single mother, Nina has her life just as she wants it: a job in a bookstore, a kick-butt trivia team, a world-class planner and a cat named Phil. If she sometimes suspects there might be more to life than reading, she just shrugs and picks up a new book.
 
When the father Nina never knew existed suddenly dies, leaving behind innumerable sisters, brothers, nieces, and nephews, Nina is horrified. They all live close by! They’re all—or mostly all—excited to meet her! She’ll have to Speak. To. Strangers. It’s a disaster! And as if that wasn’t enough, Tom, her trivia nemesis, has turned out to be cute, funny, and deeply interested in getting to know her. Doesn’t he realize what a terrible idea that is?

Nina considers her options.
1. Completely change her name and appearance. (Too drastic, plus she likes her hair.)
2. Flee to a deserted island. (Hard pass, see: coffee).
3. Hide in a corner of her apartment and rock back and forth. (Already doing it.)

It’s time for Nina to come out of her comfortable shell, but she isn’t convinced real life could ever live up to fiction. It’s going to take a brand-new family, a persistent suitor, and the combined effects of ice cream and trivia to make her turn her own fresh page.

Review:

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman is a quirky novel that booklovers are certain to enjoy.

Nina Hill is an only child with an emotionally and psychically distant mother. She has no idea who her father is but with one phone call, she inherits a now deceased father and a slew of siblings and extended family members. At first, this chaotic information does not fit into Nina’s well-organized and tightly controlled life. But she is soon charmed by her delightful nephew and brother. Just as Nina has finally adjusted to the sudden appearance of family, she is thoroughly discombobulated when her trivia nemesis Tom asks her out. She is attracted to Tom, but with little in common, Nina is unsure whether she wants to risk her heart on an uncertain romance. But will Tom sneak past her very formidable defenses and convince her to give him a chance?

Nina is sarcastic, intelligent and would rather read than go out on a date. She is a bit of a mess but she has figured out how to manage her anxiety and stress. She has her life planned down to the tiniest detail and she does not deal well when unexpected events throw things into disarray. Although unwilling to disturb the status quo, her new relatives quickly draw her into their rather dysfunctional lives.

Tom is the most normal persona in Nina’s life. That’s not to say that he hasn’t experienced a few speed bumps in his personal life, but he is down to earth and rather laidback.  Tom is absolutely enamored with Nina and he enjoys her eccentricities. However, how will Tom react when Nina reverts to her normal way of coping when life overwhelms her?

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill is an engaging novel but the pacing is sometimes a little slow. The secondary cast of characters is entertaining and  easy to like.  Nina is a personable woman but her inner monologues are sometimes overly long and rambling.  Nina’s romance with Tom is understated which is a shame because their scenes together are very enjoyable. The family drama is fun to watch unfold and it also serves as a catalyst for Nina to grow and change.  Despite being a little over the top, this latest release by Abbi Waxman is an endearing novel of new beginnings, stepping out of one’s comfort zone and ultimately, love.

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Filed under Abbi Waxman, Berkley, Contemporary, Fiction, Review, Satire, The Bookish Life of Nina Hill

April 1, 2018 · 11:57 pm

Review: Other People’s Houses by Abbi Waxman

Title: Other People’s Houses by Abbi Waxman
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction
Length: 352 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

The author of The Garden of Small Beginnings returns with a hilarious and poignant new novel about four families, their neighborhood carpool, and the affair that changes everything.

At any given moment in other people’s houses, you can find…repressed hopes and dreams…moments of unexpected joy…someone making love on the floor to a man who is most definitely not her husband…

*record scratch*

As the longtime local carpool mom, Frances Bloom is sometimes an unwilling witness to her neighbors’ private lives. She knows her cousin is hiding her desire for another baby from her spouse, Bill Horton’s wife is mysteriously missing, and now this…

After the shock of seeing Anne Porter in all her extramarital glory, Frances vows to stay in her own lane. But that’s a notion easier said than done when Anne’s husband throws her out a couple of days later. The repercussions of the affair reverberate through the four carpool families–and Frances finds herself navigating a moral minefield that could make or break a marriage.

Review:

Abbi Waxman’s Other People’s Houses provides an entertaining and oftentimes thought-provoking peek into the intimate lives of neighbors.

Frances Bloom is the neighborhood carpool queen and ultimately, keeper of one of her neighbor’s secrets. She ferries her three children, 14 year old Ava, ten year old Milo and four year old Lally back and forth to school every day along with her neighbors’ children.  When the truth finally comes out about her neighbor’s indiscretion, the rest of the neighborhood feels the reverberation of the destruction on Anne and Charlie Porter’s marriage in the wake of infidelity.

Frances and her husband Michael have been married for over twenty years. Their marriage has fallen into a comfortable and deep friendship as they navigate through Frances’ now tenuous relationship with Ava. Frances enjoys feeling needed so she sometimes overextends herself through volunteering for her children’s various schools and activities.

After Frances’s discovery, Anne recommits her to her marriage but it is too little, too late once Charlie  becomes aware of what she has been up to. He is devastated, furious and the aftermath is not his finest hour as a husband, parent or neighbor. Although Anne and Charlie try to present a united front, ten year old Theo and six year old Kate are confused and upset about the changes to their lives.

Neighbors’ Iris Carter and Sara Gillespie are facing their own hurdles as Sara’s acting career means long hours away from home and their six year old son Wyatt. They are very happy and communication is one of their strong suits yet Iris is worried about broaching a subject because she is unsure of how Sara will react.

Another neighbor, Bill Horton, is dealing with the absence of his wife, Julie, and trying to ensure their son Lucas remains connected to her while she is gone. He keeps to himself so everyone is a little curious about where Julie has gone and why. They keep their questions to themselves and Frances is more than happy to assist whenever Bill needs a little extra help.

Other People’s Houses is a humorous novel that offers an engrossing and honest glimpse into parenting, friendships and marriage.  The characters are well-developed with true to life strengths and weaknesses. The storyline is engaging and Abbi Waxman brings the novel to a heartfelt and satisfying conclusion.

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Filed under Abbi Waxman, Berkley, Contemporary, Other People's Houses, Rated B, Review, Women's Fiction

May 10, 2017 · 11:58 pm

Review: The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman

Title: The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction
Length: 368 pages
Book Rating: A

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

In the spirit of A Man Called Ove and Good Grief—a poignant, funny, and utterly believable novel about life and loss.

Give grief a chance . . .

Lilian Girvan has been a single mother for three years—ever since her husband died in a car accident. One mental breakdown and some random suicidal thoughts later, she’s just starting to get the hang of this widow thing. She can now get her two girls to school, show up to work, and watch TV like a pro. The only problem is she’s becoming overwhelmed with being underwhelmed.

At least her textbook illustrating job has some perks—like actually being called upon to draw whale genitalia. Oh, and there’s that vegetable-gardening class her boss signed her up for. Apparently, being the chosen illustrator for a series of boutique vegetable guides means getting your hands dirty, literally. Wallowing around in compost on a Saturday morning can’t be much worse than wallowing around in pajamas and self-pity.

After recruiting her kids and insanely supportive sister to join her, Lilian shows up at the Los Angeles botanical garden feeling out of her element. But what she’ll soon discover—with the help of a patient instructor and a quirky group of gardeners—is that into every life a little sun must shine, whether you want it to or not…

READERS GUIDE INCLUDED

Review:

Brimming with humor and strong emotion, The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman is an incredibly heartwarming novel of healing.

In the four years since her husband Dan’s tragic death, Lilian Girvan has made a comfortable life for herself and her daughters, seven year old Annabel and five year old Clare. Her younger sister Rachel has been a life-saver and the two women are extremely close.  Lilian is a text-book illustrator whose latest assignment requires she take a six week gardening course. The class is made up of a very diverse group of people who unexpectedly become friends as they work together each week.  But most surprising is Lilian’s unanticipated (and unwelcome) attraction to their instructor Edward Bloem. Not at all sure she is ready to act on their mutual desire, Lilian undergoes a great deal of soul-searching as she tries to figure out if she will ever be ready (or willing) to risk her heart again.

Lilian literally fell apart in the months after Dan’s death and although she still misses him with every fiber of her being, she and her girls have settled into a routine that works well for them. The gardening class is just the first of many unexpected changes she will contend with over the next several weeks. However, the most life altering  transformation she is confronted with is her somewhat shocking attraction to Edward. Trying to sort through her confusing emotions is overwhelming but she has plenty of help from Rachel, her former in-laws and her therapist.  Most importantly, Edward is willing to give Lilian as much time and space she needs in order to decide whether or not she is ready to enter into a relationship.

Rachel is fully committed to helping Lilian and her nieces and they are firmly enmeshed in one another’s lives. However, when it comes to their love lives, the sisters could not be more different. Rachel flits from man to man and she has absolutely no interest in settling down.  With her casual attitude towards dating, how will Rachel react when she finally meets a man who could be “the one” for her?

The scenes with the various people from the gardening class are an absolute delight.  Each of the attendees are from different backgrounds and Lilian is quick to make assumptions about them. She is taken off guard when many of her assessments turn out to be inaccurate after she takes the time to get to know them. These friendships are absolutely priceless and they are incredibly supportive of each other.

The Garden of Small Beginnings is a positively captivating novel that is chock full of eclectic characters, wry humor and heartrending observations.  Abbi Waxman deftly balances the sadder elements of the storyline with hysterically funny dialogue and scenes. Lilian’s growth is tremendous as she is forced out the reliable rut she has created for herself and her girls. A charming, insightful and sometimes poignant novel that I absolutely LOVED and highly recommend to readers to contemporary fiction.

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Filed under Abbi Waxman, Berkley, Contemporary, Review, The Garden of Small Beginnings, Women's Fiction