Objects of My Affection

By: Jill Smolinski

Narrated by: Xe Sands

Length: 10 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

In the humorous, heartfelt new novel by the author of The Next Thing on My List, a personal organizer must somehow convince a reclusive artist to give up her hoarding ways and let go of the stuff she’s hung onto for decades.

Lucy Bloom is broke, has been dumped by her boyfriend, and had to sell her house to send her 19-year-old son to drug rehab. Although she’s lost it all, she’s determined to start over. So when she’s offered a high-paying gig helping clear the clutter from the home of reclusive and eccentric painter Marva Meier Rios, Lucy grabs it. Armed with the organizing expertise she gained while writing her book, Things Are Not People, and fueled by a burning desire to get her life back on track, Lucy rolls up her sleeves to take on the mess that fills every room of Marva’s huge home. Lucy soon learns that the real challenge may be taking on Marva, who seems to love the objects in her home too much to let go of any of them.

While trying to stay on course toward a strict deadline—and with an ex-boyfriend back in the picture, a new romance on the scene, and her son’s rehab not going as planned—Lucy discovers that Marva isn’t just hoarding: she is also hiding a big secret. The two form an unlikely bond, as each learns from the other that there are those things in life we keep and those we need to let go—but it’s not always easy to know the difference.

Laugh-out-loud humor, heartfelt writing, relatable characters, and a charming premise all come together to make Objects of My Affection the next read for the fans of Jennifer Weiner, Emily Giffin, and Allison Winn Scotch.

©2012 Jill Smolinski (P)2012 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“A wonderfully written, heartfelt novel about what to keep and what to let go of as you move forward in your life.” (Claire Cook, best-selling author of Must Love Dogs)

“A hoarder and organizational expert clash in this light, amusing novel from Smolinski…A charmingly breezy tone marks this warm appraisal of our addiction to stuff.” ( Kirkus Reviews)

“I loved this deeply felt, bravely honest tale of a professional organizer who discovers just how messy life and love can be, but that everything truly does have a place. A treasure of a novel.” (Melissa Senate, author of The Love Goddess’ Cooking School)

Enjoyed!

Easy to listen to. Good storyline
Easy to follow- wanted to know how it ended. Great ends!

Something Different

It was a good change from the ubiquitous crime stories. Light, pleasant listen, easy on the nerves. The narration could have used a couple of other readers as it was a stretch for this one voice.

Should have skipped this one, like suggested

The story is good. BUT the narrator, oh. my. God! Who talks like this?! I think she confused this feel-good, woman's fiction book with some soft porn narrating job....the gravely moaning and whispering....I. can. not! It ruins the characters, makes them unrelatable. I am no quitter so I stuck it out to finish the story but I will avoid this narrator like the plague in my future book purchases. The author should spend the money and have this one re-recorded. Just painful to listen to.

Fun book. Makes me want to clean out my closets

I enjoyed the humor in the story. Just a nice little book. Narrator was good.

Wanted to like it more

Felt kinda dizzy with the intertwine of plot circumstances and characters. I wanted to enjoy it but I couldn’t become connected to any of the characters. For me I enjoyed the surface level of the story but was not invested.

OK story with irritating narration

I just can't understand why people with such affected, irritating voices are hired to narrate books. I mean, who really talks like this? And not only the ridiculous voice of the narrator, but the sometimes completely unrealistic dialogue. People don't really talk like this and that is why this was not an enjoyable listen.

I enjoyed listening, very interesting story

From the start, it caught my interest. I liked the story very much, and I enjoyed how the relationship grew between the main character and the eccentric old lady she was helping. i don't want to spoil anything, but I think it was worth the read. Also, I did not mind the narrator 1 bit. I actually like her voice. I don't know what other people's problem with her was, but I wouldn't have any issue listening to her again.

An important lesson…

While the book was a bit long, it was still good.. the message of our individual right to create the life and death of our choice is, in my opinion, one of the most important lessons we must learn.

Enjoyable but ...narrator whiney!

Enjoyable story.Would have enjoyed more without narrator's whiney- trying to be sultry? - voice. Wasn't needed.

Cute story. Note all mother’s are perfect.

Easy listening. I do appreciate books that are not too busy to listen to while at work. Really enjoyed this book. Hopefully there’s a book 2 soon.