The Most Fun We Ever Had

A Novel

By: Claire Lombardo

Narrated by: Emily Rankin

NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK • “A gripping and poignant ode to a messy, loving family in all its glory.” —Madeline Miller, bestselling author of Circe

In this “rich, complex family saga” (USA Today) full of long-buried family secrets, Marilyn Connolly and David Sorenson fall in love in the 1970s, blithely ignorant of all that awaits them. By 2016, they have four radically different daughters, each in a state of unrest.

Wendy, widowed young, soothes herself with booze and younger men; Violet, a litigator turned stay-at-home-mom, battles anxiety and self-doubt; Liza, a neurotic and newly tenured professor, finds herself pregnant with a baby she's not sure she wants by a man she's not sure she loves; and Grace, the dawdling youngest daughter, begins living a lie that no one in her family even suspects.

With the unexpected arrival of young Jonah Bendt—a child placed for adoption by one of the daughters fifteen years before—the Sorensons will be forced to reckon with the rich and varied tapestry of their past. As they grapple with years marred by adolescent angst, infidelity, and resentment, they also find the transcendent moments of joy that make everything else worthwhile.

Don't miss Claire Lombardo's new book, Same As It Ever Was!

Excellent

Sad when it was over. If you like stories that span decades and follow the lives of family members, you will love this. Each character is perfectly developed.

Too much profanity throughout!

I’m okay with some profanity that aids the story however the language in this book ruined what would have been a great story for me. No more Lombardo books for me. Sorry.

Good but not great. Sort of like a decent sitcom.

Nothing profound but definitely engaging. Fun to listen to while doing other things. No need to hang on to every word.

Good... but annoyingly cloying

It's a well written book, and the jumps in timeline made it interesting. Otherwise it's just a long family saga of a regular family. I found the relationship between the Marylin & David so perfect, too perfect to be realistic. I don't know if that kind of a relationship ever exists IRL. But maybe I'm just too jaded. And it's almost as if the author was aware of how unrealistic this portrait of their relationship is, that she goes out of the way to put in little gripes and grievances, which also seem contrived.
The characters are very well developed. I absolutely hated Violet, but I know the type, and it's an accurate portrayal.
Overall, it is engaging, but not exciting. A little disappointed in Reese's pick.

Good story - profanity uncalled for

I enjoyed the story but the profanity was excessive and added nothing, in fact took away from my listening enjoyment.