The House We Grew Up In, by Lisa Jewell.

Ooooo.  This is a quintessential beach read.  Or summer read.  Just a great read all around!

I do not have a single page in the book dog-eared.  Which means that I did not find any significant passages or insights.  I did not think that I should go back to a certain page and ponder its meaning or write down a quote.

But, I ate this book up.  I couldn’t wait to pick it up, didn’t want to put it down, was invested in all of the characters and was dying to know how it all broke down and what in the world was going on.  It was unpredictable, which is always fun, and clever.  I was so happy to learn that this author is prolific, because I cannot wait to get my hands on another of her books.

The book follows a family with 4 kids in England.  An eccentric mother, a milk-toast of a father, and the 4 kids in order of birth:  a realist, an eternal child, a popular boy who takes no responsibility, & his strange twin brother.  The book starts by portraying an idyllic childhood and family life.  Then a tragedy falls upon the family and nothing is ever the same.  And the family struggles to pick up the pieces, forgive betrayals and mend broken hearts.

If you’re looking for great depth and something that will make you question the meaning of life, this book is not going to deliver.

But…

if you are looking for a marvelous read, one that will make you want to ignore your husband & kids for a few days, here it is!