Apparently it takes a lot for a book to make me actually laugh out loud. I’ve met Lisa & Francesca half a dozen times (Lisa literally lives 20 minutes from the store) and in person, they’re quite funny. Their essays make me smile when I read them, but lately it seems, a book just can’t pull a laugh out of me.

I enjoyed reading Lisa & Francesca’s essays, I could relate to just about all of Francesca’s and Lisa’s reminded me a great deal of my mom. But something was nagging at me – maybe it’s the fact that I feel like it’s time to diversify our reading and, well, Lisa & Francesca are affluent white women. While I agree that women as a group tend to encounter sexism and other challenges, I felt like I kept wanting to scream “suburban white people problems!” while reading. Which doesn’t make for the greatest reading experience.

I wasn’t angry, per se, just disappointed. I feel like I’ve transitioned and grown as a reader in that, when I read nonfiction, I want to learn something. I don’t want to reinforce my own established beliefs. But I also live in the suburbs, grew up in a similar manner to Francesca, and find her writing so unbelievably relatable that it’s a bit absurd. So, long story short, if you live in an affluent area and your greatest concerns are about your dog’s bowel movements or being a writer in NYC, this is totally the book for you. If not, well, you probably want to look for something else. ( )

“Life gets in the way” is an understatement when it comes to why I haven’t read a book in so long. But you don’t want to hear about that…..you want to know what I thought about this book. Well, I loved it! As I do all the antidotal books this mother/daughter team puts out. I’m about a decade younger than Lisa, but relate and find plenty of humor in her stories. And although a different generation than Francesca, I enjoy her stories as well. I truly enjoy them all and feel like they are family while I read these books.

These stories are just the dose of humor needed. I’ve read a couple biographies of comedians this year and actually enjoy these books more. Neither make you laugh ‘til you cry, but I find these stories more relatable and thus more funny and endearing. They are an easy read to take you away from the chaos of everyday life. And with it being a book of short stories, you can easily put it down and pick it back up without worrying about where you left off (or you can just read it in two days like me).

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of the book in return for an honest review. ( )

Collection of stories by the Mother/Daughter team. Some are lol funny, but all are entertaining. Good book for beach, or to read between barker books as a getaway, or if you need a little light read!

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I have read a couple of these books by Lisa and Francesca and I enjoy them. They are a collection of short anecdotes (newspaper column-type) of their lives. This book highlights many humorous moments in their lives and allows you a peak at various areas such as their love life, pets, jobs, friends etc. I love their sense of humor in these stories, especially Lisa's (the majority of the chapters are written by her). A reader can often picture themselves in the same or similar situations and smile and nod as they read along. Even though I am of Lisa's age, I was able to relate to many of Francesca'a stories and picture my daughter in the same situation. I think the one I laughed at the most was the "Smart Bra" story. Being a recent widow with a big house, I also enjoyed reading about Lisa's renovations and home improvements. If anyone looked in my cupboards and closets, they would also see all the things I bought that I rarely use as well. Lisa, besides that fact that I am not an author, we share so many things. It is great to be able to laugh about things when you see them in a different perspective. These are great books that I would recommend to other mothers and daughters so they can see the other side of the coin. Because each story is a short chapter this is a great book for busy people because they can pick it up and read a story in between their busy tasks. Women will definitely enjoy this book and probably all the others this mother/daughter team has written. I am definitely going to continue reading these humorous books so I can laugh at both my and their lives. We need that. Thank-you Netgalley and St. Martins for the opportunity to read this e-arc.
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I'm not sure if I say this every time, but this year's collection of essays by mother daughter duo Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella is by far my favorite. Both of their voices reflect the humor found in everyday life, whether dealing with dogs, gardens, men, jobs or home renovation. Every summer, I feel like I know this pair a bit better and only wish they would take their beach book tour into the Midwest. There's over 10.000 lakes in MN, I'm sure we could find a bookstore with a view to host! ( )