WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.620 Hey everyone, welcome to the show. Have you ever 00:00:01.620 --> 00:00:03.759 felt like your life was pretty much like, you 00:00:03.759 --> 00:00:05.860 know, picture perfect and suddenly everything 00:00:05.860 --> 00:00:08.560 just kind of falls apart? Oh yeah, totally. I 00:00:08.560 --> 00:00:11.140 think we've all had those moments where we think 00:00:11.140 --> 00:00:13.699 we have it all figured out, you know, the job, 00:00:13.759 --> 00:00:16.219 the family, the house, and then boom, something 00:00:16.219 --> 00:00:18.140 totally unexpected happens and shakes everything 00:00:18.140 --> 00:00:20.300 up. Yeah, exactly. And that's exactly what we're 00:00:20.300 --> 00:00:23.280 going to be diving deep into today. A contemporary 00:00:23.280 --> 00:00:26.679 fiction novel that really explores that whole 00:00:26.679 --> 00:00:30.429 idea of like... You know, what happens when life 00:00:30.429 --> 00:00:32.869 throws you a massive curveball and you have to 00:00:32.869 --> 00:00:34.770 kind of piece everything back together? It's 00:00:34.770 --> 00:00:36.630 really interesting to think about, you know, 00:00:36.649 --> 00:00:39.630 like what happens to our support systems when 00:00:39.630 --> 00:00:41.530 things like that happen? You know, like who do 00:00:41.530 --> 00:00:44.729 we turn to when our traditional ideas of family 00:00:44.729 --> 00:00:47.090 and support maybe don't fit anymore? Right. And 00:00:47.090 --> 00:00:49.329 that's what's so cool about this book. It centers 00:00:49.329 --> 00:00:51.829 around this woman named Lila, and she's going 00:00:51.829 --> 00:00:53.929 through like a seriously tough time. Her husband, 00:00:53.990 --> 00:00:56.670 Dan, just up and left. And then not long after 00:00:56.670 --> 00:00:59.079 that, her mom passes away. Wow. So she's dealing 00:00:59.079 --> 00:01:01.740 with like a double whammy of loss and upheaval. 00:01:01.880 --> 00:01:03.859 Exactly. She's got two daughters to raise on 00:01:03.859 --> 00:01:06.159 her own. She's trying to keep her writing career 00:01:06.159 --> 00:01:09.340 afloat. And then to top it all off, she suddenly 00:01:09.340 --> 00:01:12.620 got these two unexpected houseguests, her mom's 00:01:12.620 --> 00:01:15.459 elderly partner, Bill, and her estranged father, 00:01:15.680 --> 00:01:17.859 Gene, who's this like kind of over the top aging 00:01:17.859 --> 00:01:20.280 actor. Oh, wow. That sounds like a recipe for 00:01:20.280 --> 00:01:22.959 some serious chaos and some potentially interesting 00:01:22.959 --> 00:01:25.540 dynamics. Oh, absolutely it is. And one of the 00:01:25.540 --> 00:01:29.069 things I loved most about this book. was Layla's 00:01:29.069 --> 00:01:32.090 voice. Yeah. She's so witty and relatable, like 00:01:32.090 --> 00:01:34.049 you could totally feel her trying to navigate 00:01:34.049 --> 00:01:37.069 this crazy new normal. And her internal monologue 00:01:37.069 --> 00:01:40.269 about it all is just hilarious and so honest. 00:01:40.780 --> 00:01:42.519 I think that's so important in stories like this, 00:01:42.540 --> 00:01:44.519 Ray, to have that balance of humor and realness. 00:01:44.599 --> 00:01:46.799 Because let's face it, life can be pretty absurd 00:01:46.799 --> 00:01:48.480 sometimes, especially when you're dealing with 00:01:48.480 --> 00:01:52.319 grief and big changes and a house full of eccentric 00:01:52.319 --> 00:01:54.579 characters. For sure. And that's one of the things 00:01:54.579 --> 00:01:56.319 that really shines through in this book is the 00:01:56.319 --> 00:01:58.640 humor. It's not like slapstick or anything, but 00:01:58.640 --> 00:02:00.780 it's this kind of warm and understated humor 00:02:00.780 --> 00:02:02.659 that comes from the relationships between these 00:02:02.659 --> 00:02:04.480 very different characters. Yeah, like you've 00:02:04.480 --> 00:02:06.799 got Bill, who seems like this kind of quiet, 00:02:06.840 --> 00:02:09.520 grounding presence. And then Jean, who's the... 00:02:09.819 --> 00:02:12.759 total opposite, all theatrical and unpredictable. 00:02:13.539 --> 00:02:16.199 I'm curious to see how those personalities clash 00:02:16.199 --> 00:02:18.759 and also how they maybe connect with Leela and 00:02:18.759 --> 00:02:20.599 her daughters. Oh, yeah, that's a great point. 00:02:20.680 --> 00:02:22.580 And it's really cool to see how these like unexpected 00:02:22.580 --> 00:02:25.759 relationships start to form. Like you have this 00:02:25.759 --> 00:02:27.580 family that's been broken apart in different 00:02:27.580 --> 00:02:29.879 ways and then suddenly they're all thrown together 00:02:29.879 --> 00:02:31.319 and they have to figure out how to make it work. 00:02:31.680 --> 00:02:33.419 It's almost like the universe is forcing them 00:02:33.419 --> 00:02:36.099 to redefine what family means. You know, like 00:02:36.099 --> 00:02:38.319 it's not just about blood ties, but about the 00:02:38.319 --> 00:02:40.599 people who show up for you and support you when 00:02:40.599 --> 00:02:43.699 you need it most. I love that. And that's such 00:02:43.699 --> 00:02:45.400 a powerful message, right? That family can be 00:02:45.400 --> 00:02:47.699 found in the most unexpected places. And sometimes 00:02:47.699 --> 00:02:50.240 it's the people who we least expect who end up 00:02:50.240 --> 00:02:52.460 being our biggest source of strength. Right. 00:02:52.969 --> 00:02:55.330 And it's also a reminder that even in the midst 00:02:55.330 --> 00:02:57.430 of loss and upheaval, there can be moments of 00:02:57.430 --> 00:03:00.169 real beauty and connection and even laughter. 00:03:00.310 --> 00:03:02.189 You know, it's like that saying, life is what 00:03:02.189 --> 00:03:03.870 happens when you're busy making other plans. 00:03:03.969 --> 00:03:06.349 And sometimes those unplanned moments turn out 00:03:06.349 --> 00:03:09.009 to be the most meaningful. Absolutely. And I 00:03:09.009 --> 00:03:11.310 have to say that while I really enjoyed this 00:03:11.310 --> 00:03:13.729 book, there were definitely moments where it 00:03:13.729 --> 00:03:16.610 felt a little overwhelming, like Leela is dealing 00:03:16.610 --> 00:03:20.009 with so much at once. You know, the heartbreak, 00:03:20.030 --> 00:03:23.659 the grief. the pressure of raising teenagers 00:03:23.659 --> 00:03:25.520 on her own and then on top of it all she's got 00:03:25.520 --> 00:03:28.099 these two older men with their own needs and 00:03:28.099 --> 00:03:30.280 quirks living under her roof. Yeah, I can see 00:03:30.280 --> 00:03:32.400 how that could feel a bit much at times. Like 00:03:32.400 --> 00:03:34.020 it's almost mirroring the chaos that a lot of 00:03:34.020 --> 00:03:36.080 us experience in real life, you know, where it 00:03:36.080 --> 00:03:37.740 feels like everything is happening all at once 00:03:37.740 --> 00:03:39.039 and you're just trying to keep your head above 00:03:39.039 --> 00:03:41.080 water. Exactly. And I think that's what the author 00:03:41.080 --> 00:03:42.979 was going for, you know, to create this really 00:03:42.979 --> 00:03:45.960 authentic portrayal of what it's like to navigate 00:03:45.960 --> 00:03:48.719 a major life transition when everything feels 00:03:48.719 --> 00:03:50.340 uncertain and you're constantly being pulled 00:03:50.340 --> 00:03:52.460 in different directions. And I think that's also 00:03:52.460 --> 00:03:54.180 what makes Leela such a relatable character. 00:03:54.340 --> 00:03:57.210 You know, she's not perfect she makes mistakes 00:03:57.210 --> 00:04:00.110 she gets overwhelmed but she keeps going and 00:04:00.110 --> 00:04:02.889 she finds humor and moments of grace even in 00:04:02.889 --> 00:04:05.509 the toughest of times right and she also learns 00:04:05.509 --> 00:04:07.849 to rely on others which is something I think 00:04:07.849 --> 00:04:10.009 a lot of us struggle with you know we want to 00:04:10.009 --> 00:04:12.509 be independent and strong but sometimes we need 00:04:12.509 --> 00:04:14.590 to let people in and allow them to help us and 00:04:14.590 --> 00:04:17.250 that's a really valuable lesson right especially 00:04:17.250 --> 00:04:19.930 in a society that often glorifies self -reliance 00:04:19.930 --> 00:04:22.490 and independence. Sometimes the bravest thing 00:04:22.490 --> 00:04:24.629 you can do is admit that we need help and reach 00:04:24.629 --> 00:04:26.889 out to others for support. So, yeah, I think 00:04:26.889 --> 00:04:28.990 overall this is a really compelling read. It's 00:04:28.990 --> 00:04:31.550 funny. It's heartwarming. It's messy. And it's 00:04:31.550 --> 00:04:33.730 ultimately a story about resilience and the power 00:04:33.730 --> 00:04:35.470 of human connection. And it definitely leaves 00:04:35.470 --> 00:04:38.069 you thinking about your own definitions of family 00:04:38.069 --> 00:04:40.370 and support and how those things can evolve and 00:04:40.370 --> 00:04:43.629 change over time. Totally. So to sum it all up, 00:04:43.689 --> 00:04:45.670 I'd give this book a solid four out of five stars. 00:04:46.170 --> 00:04:48.310 It's a great read for anyone who's ever felt 00:04:48.310 --> 00:04:50.589 like their life has been turned upside down and 00:04:50.589 --> 00:04:52.009 is trying to figure out how to put the pieces 00:04:52.009 --> 00:04:55.329 back together. It's a reminder that even when 00:04:55.329 --> 00:04:57.670 things feel like they're falling apart, there's 00:04:57.670 --> 00:04:59.610 always hope and there's always the possibility 00:04:59.610 --> 00:05:02.790 of finding new and unexpected sources of love 00:05:02.790 --> 00:05:06.029 and support. OK, so that's our deep dive for 00:05:06.029 --> 00:05:08.750 today, folks. We hope you enjoyed this conversation 00:05:08.750 --> 00:05:11.509 about the book. And if you did, please hit that 00:05:11.509 --> 00:05:13.769 like button and subscribe to our channel for 00:05:13.769 --> 00:05:16.430 more deep dives into amazing books. And if you've 00:05:16.430 --> 00:05:18.069 read this book, we'd love to hear your thoughts 00:05:18.069 --> 00:05:20.009 in the comments below. What resonated with you? 00:05:20.069 --> 00:05:22.089 What was your favorite moment or relationship 00:05:22.089 --> 00:05:24.509 in the story? And if you're thinking of giving 00:05:24.509 --> 00:05:27.389 this book a read, we highly recommend it. You 00:05:27.389 --> 00:05:29.449 can find a link to purchase it on Amazon in the 00:05:29.449 --> 00:05:31.829 description below. Thanks for joining us on this 00:05:31.829 --> 00:05:33.810 deep dive, everyone, and we'll see you next time 00:05:33.810 --> 00:05:36.329 for another literary adventure. Happy reading, 00:05:36.370 --> 00:05:36.569 folks.