The Optimist's Guide to Letting Go

The Optimist's Guide to Letting Go

by Amy E. Reichert

Narrated by Teri Barrington

Unabridged — 8 hours, 12 minutes

The Optimist's Guide to Letting Go

The Optimist's Guide to Letting Go

by Amy E. Reichert

Narrated by Teri Barrington

Unabridged — 8 hours, 12 minutes

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Overview

Gina Zoberski wants to make it through one day without her fastidious mother, Lorraine, cataloguing all her faults, and her sullen teenage daughter, May, snubbing her. Too bad there's no chance of that. Her relentlessly sunny disposition annoys them both, no matter how hard she tries. Instead, Gina finds order and comfort in obsessive list-making and her work at Grilled G's, the gourmet grilled cheese food truck built by her late husband.



But when Lorraine suffers a sudden stroke, Gina stumbles upon a family secret Lorraine's kept hidden for forty years. In the face of her mother's failing health and her daughter's rebellion, this optimist might find that piecing together the truth is the push she needs to let go . . .

Editorial Reviews

Elizabeth Eulberg

"Amy E. Reichert whips up the perfect recipe for a deliciously fun read. Combine humor and romance with a dash of drama, then let it simmer. The sprinkle of Wisconsin pride is icing on an already irresistable cake. Warning: do not read this book hungry!"

Christina Lauren

Written with a keen and tender awareness of the devotion between women across generations, The Optimist’s Guide to Letting Go is a beautiful read. The characters are wonderfully imperfect, and their relationships are recognizably flawed, making their journey around and around—and finally back to—each other immeasurably satisfying. Bravo!”

Booklist

With even pacing, the novel seamlessly moves between the present and the past as Lorraine, Gina, and May remember those they have lost, revealing secrets along the way. Readers will embrace the realistic characters, whose moments of anger, regret, guilt, and understanding delicately illustrate the process of letting go.

four-star review RT Book Reviews

"Laugh-out-loud, hold-on-to-your-panties women's fiction. The characters are game for anything when it comes to getting back what they think they have lost. Reichert is a talented author."

RT Book Reviews

"Bringing light to the subtle ways in which our lives intertwine, while giving hope for healing in the most unexpected places, The Optimist's Guide to Letting Go pushes us to see relationships on a deeper level. With charmingly developed characters who are thoughtfuly crafted, this story will cling to readers through the final pages."

Karen White

"The Simplicity of Cider is a novel as delicious as cider and as enchanting as magic—both of which are found in measured doses throughout the book. Amy Reichert has a way of writing about complicated relationships and seemingly impossible situations with a strong thread of hope that is both uplifting and substantive. This is a lovely book, meant to be savored."

Lisa Patton

"Amy Reichert brings sweetness and substance to her delicious debut. Sign me up for second helpings!"

Stacey Ballis

"The Simplicity of Cider will quench your thirst for a smart, poignant tale of people who find their true selves, and in the process each other, in the most unexpected places. A sparkling tale of creating family where you need it, and learning to let go of the things that hold you back from your best life."

Meg Donohue

Praise for THE COINCIDENCE OF COCONUT CAKE

"Deliciously entertaining! Amy E. Reichert's voice is warm and funny in this delightful ode to second chances and the healing power of a meal cooked with love."

Taylor Jenkins Reid

Praise for THE OPTIMIST'S GUIDE TO LETTING GO

"The Optimist’s Guide to Letting Go is poignant, tender, and simply wonderful. Amy Reichert has outdone herself. With characters that are as complicated as they are original and a voice that is warmhearted and wise, you will hug this book when you're done."

Colleen Oakley

"Amy E. Reichert serves up another delicious serving of fresh wit and lots of fun in this charming tale of a woman determined to fix her marriage gone stale. This heartfelt novel is as funny as it is tender—in other words, the perfect summer read."

J. Ryan Stradal

Praise for THE SIMPLICITY OF CIDER

"Reichert captures the food, relationships, and unique settings of the Midwest at their best. I was absolutely charmed by The Simplicity of Cider."

Pam Jenoff

"Written with Reichert's hallmark humor and heart, The Optimist’s Guide to Letting Go is a poignant, multi-generational tale of family ties and hidden pasts, of forgiveness, second chances, and the truths that set us free. Lose yourself in this rich and rewarding read!"

Karma Brown

"Delightful and heartfelt, The Optimist's Guide to Letting Go is Reichert’s best book yet!"

RT Book Reviews (4 star review)

A lot charming and a little bit magical, Reichert’s latest is warm and poignant and romantic... between the humor and the heart lies a subplot of family and setting yourself free — framed beautifully by a story that won’t let go.

Redbook

"Brimming with hilarity, magic, and heartwarming unexpected relationships, The Simplicity of Cider is the ultimate ode to celebrating the dazzling splendor in small things. This will give you more fuzzy feelings than you can count.

Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke

Praise for LUCK, LOVE & LEMON PIE

“As irresistible and delicious as an actual slice of lemon pie, Luck, Love & Lemon Pie has all of the sweet ingredients that make a book impossible to put down. From the fallible yet lovable characters to the smart writing and layered plot, we tore through the pages of this thought provoking story. Amy E. Reichert has a flair for writing heartwarming fiction that will give you sweet cravings!

Veronica Henry

A delightful treat—Amy's writing gets under the skin of family: how they drive you crazy, but you love them just the same. An absolute joy I am sure readers will take to their hearts.

From the Publisher

"I thought the narrator Teri Schnaubelt really brought the characters and the story to life." -Night Owl Book Café

Booklist

"Well-developed secondary characters and detailed descriptions of the Milwaukee food scene will leave readers hungry for more. Fans of Stacey Ballis and Erica Bauermeister will find lots to love."

From the Publisher - AUDIO COMMENTARY

"I thought the narrator Teri Schnaubelt really brought the characters and the story to life." -Night Owl Book Caf

Kirkus Reviews

2018-03-05
Three generations of women cope with a grandmother's stroke and a big family secret.Recent widow Gina Zoberski is just trying to get through each day, working at the grilled-cheese food truck built by her late husband and taking care of her brooding teenage daughter, May. When her always-disapproving mother, Lorraine, has a serious stroke, Gina's sister, Victoria, comes into town, and the two of them attempt to sort out their mother's affairs. That's when Gina finds a second copy of her birth certificate—one that has the name of a man she's never heard of instead of the man she thought was her father. With Lorraine unable to communicate, Gina and Victoria attempt to learn about the past their status-obsessed mother never shared with them. Through flashbacks, readers see Lorraine fall in love with Gina's father and Gina fall in love with her late husband. Reichert (The Simplicity of Cider, 2017, etc.) also explores May's point of view as she tries to cope with her grief and her first crush. Although the multiple points of view can sometimes slow the pace (and teenage May sometimes comes across as a little too naïve), each woman has a distinct voice that adds something to the story. Lorraine is more than just a critical mother—she's also a woman who was once truly in love and was never able to grieve properly. Although May appears surly, she really craves a connection with her mother. And Gina, despite her optimistic outlook, is still mourning and unsure how to start the next chapter of her life. Readers will relate to the family's struggles and develop an appetite for grilled cheese, as well.A delicious read full of family and food.

Product Details

BN ID: 2940171185459
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Publication date: 05/15/2018
Edition description: Unabridged
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