BOOKISH FRIDAY: “ALWAYS THE LAST TO KNOW”

 

Welcome to another Bookish Friday, in which we  share excerpts from books…and connect with other bloggers who do the same.

Let’s begin the celebration by sharing Book Beginnings, hosted by Rose City Reader; and let’s showcase The Friday 56 with Freda’s Voice.

To join in, just grab a book and share the opening lines…along with any thoughts you wish to give us; then turn to page 56 and excerpt anything on the page.

Then give us the title of the book, so others can add it to their lists! What a great way to spend a Friday.

Today’s feature is a book that has been languishing on my Kindle for more than a year:  Always the Last to Know, by Kristan Higgins.

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Book Beginning:

(Sadie)

“You’re engaged?  Oh! Uh…huzzah!”

Yes.  I had just said huzzah.

You know what?  I couldn’t blame myself.  Another engagement among the teachers of St. Catherine’s Catholic Elementary School in the Bronx.  The fifth this year, and yes, I was counting.

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Friday 56:

(John)

The years have rushed by in a river.  There’s an old man living in his room.  John isn’t sure who he is.  His wife doesn’t notice.  It’s not his grandfather, but he looks familiar.  He’d ask his wife, but he can’t make words come out.

***

Synopsis:

The Frosts are a typical American family. Barb and John, married almost fifty years, are testy and bored with each other…who could blame them after all this time? At least they have their daughters– Barb’s favorite, the perfect, brilliant Juliet; and John’s darling, the free-spirited Sadie. The girls themselves couldn’t be more different, but at least they got along, more or less. It was fine. It was enough.

Until the day John had a stroke, and their house of cards came tumbling down.

Now Sadie has to put her career as a teacher and struggling artist in New York on hold to come back and care for her beloved dad–and face the love of her life, whose heart she broke, and who broke hers. Now Juliet has to wonder if people will notice that despite her perfect career as a successful architect, her perfect marriage to a charming Brit, and her two perfect daughters, she’s spending an increasing amount of time in the closet having panic attacks.

And now Barb and John will finally have to face what’s been going on in their marriage all along.

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Would you keep reading?  I waited a long time to begin, but now I’m immersed in this one.

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