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    The Way Life Should Be: A Novel
    The Way Life Should Be: A Novel
    The Way Life Should Be: A Novel
    Audiobook7 hours

    The Way Life Should Be: A Novel

    Written by Christina Baker Kline

    Narrated by Caitlin Davies

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train, and the critically acclaimed author of Bird in Hand, comes a novel of love, risk, and self-discovery—includes a special PS section featuring insights, interviews, and more.

    Angela can feel the clock ticking. She is single in New York City, stuck in a job she doesn’t want and a life that seems to have, somehow, just happened.  She inherited a flair for Italian cooking from her grandmother, but she never seems to have the time for it—these days, her oven holds only sweaters. Tacked to her office bulletin board is a photo from a magazine of a tidy cottage on the coast of Maine—a charming reminder of a life that could be hers, if she could only muster the courage to go after it.

    On a hope and a chance, Angela decides to pack it all up and move to Maine, finding the nudge she needs in the dating profile of a handsome sailor who loves dogs and Italian food.  But her new home isn’t quite matching up with the fantasy. Far from everything familiar, Angela begins to rebuild her life from the ground up. Working at a local coffeehouse, she begins to discover the pleasures and secrets of her new small-town community and, in the process, realizes there’s really no such thing as the way life should be.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateMar 31, 2015
    ISBN9780062393975
    Author

    Christina Baker Kline

    Christina Baker Kline is the author of six novels, including the #1 New York Times bestseller Orphan Train as well as A Piece of the World. She lives outside New York City and spends as much time as possible on the coast of Maine. Learn more about Christina at www.christinabakerkline.com.

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    Reviews for The Way Life Should Be

    4/5

    56 ratings19 reviews

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    • 5/5
      The first Christina Baker Kline novel I read, like most people, was Orphan Train. I found the story so engrossing, and I was surprised that I had never heard of the orphan trains before.After that, I read Sweet Water by Ms. Kline and was happy to report that I enjoyed that one as well. I just finished another book from Kline's backlist, The Way Life Should Be, and I found this book the best of the three.Angela is a 33 year-old single woman living in Manhattan, with a burgeoning career as an event planner for an art museum. She has a big event coming up that could bring her into the big time if it all comes together.She has a loving father, a grumpy stepmother, and an Italian grandmother who loves Angela dearly. Nonna taught Angela all about Italian cooking, and Angela always enjoyed spending time in the kitchen with her.The only thing missing in her life is true love. When her friend Lindsay meets a wonderful guy through online dating, Angela decides to give it a try. She finds a man who runs a sailing school in Maine, and they begin an online romance.Angela has a picture in her mind of a quaint Maine cottage by the sea, her and her man living together in blissful love. When things go badly at work, she decides to pick up and move herself to Maine to give love a try with her online beau.There are bumps along the way, but Angela sticks to her guns and is determined to stay in Maine. She starts hanging out a local coffeehouse, and the owner Flynn, an Aussie transplant who followed his heart (and a man too, like Angela), becomes her best friend and offers her a job.She finds a tiny, dilapidated cottage (nothing like her dream) and convinces Flynn to redecorate the coffeehouse and offer homemade pastries and soups for lunch. Flynn persuades Angela to offer cooking classes, and she makes some new friends.This book has so much that ticked all my boxes- Angela is a strong woman, Flynn is adorable, there are lots of delicious descriptions of food (recipes included), a group of interesting new friends (with secrets) and a setting that is new to me (I must visit Acadia National Park).As someone who has planned events, I found that part of the story fascinating. And any book that has food at its core, if it is well done like this is, will always appeal to me. I also liked that the characters are not one-dimensional (except the wicked stepmother). Angela's boyfriend Richard could have been the stock guy-who-is-really-a-jerk, but Kline gives him shades of color that made him more interesting.The relationships- Angela and Nonna, Angela and Flynn, Angela and Lindsay- are so believable, you wish you were Angela. I will warn you that The Way Life Should Be will inspire you to dig out all of your food utensils and give Angela's recipes, like Pasta e Fagioli, Chicken Marsala and Basil Marinara, a try.When Tom asks Angela who she really is, she thinks "the stories we tell about ourselves are filled with half-truths, distorted recollections, and blind spots as well as occasional moments of insight. It's all in the spin, isn't it?" And, I for one, liked the spin of Angela's story.
    • 5/5
      I read The Orphan Train right before I read this book and the stories were very different but both were so well written. This story takes place in contemporary times, and is about a woman who moves to Maine to find herself after losing her job. The story was interesting and flowed nicely. It was a quick read. My only criticism is that so much apparently happened in such a short amount of time. The main character developed friendships in a matter of weeks that takes most people months or years to develop. Overall, though, this was a great read.
    • 4/5
      Loved this author's book Orphan Train so was excited to get this as an Early Reviewer. The book is a fun read - with enjoyable characters. It has a wonderful nana-granddaughter relationship and as a surprise many of the recipes that they shared together.
    • 5/5
      Three things drew me to this novel. First, it takes place in Maine. I’ve always wanted to live on the coast of Maine; it’s just so darn beautiful. Second, sometimes when I reflect upon my life, I think, “This isn’t what I signed up for; this isn’t the way life was supposed to be.” The third reason is the author, Christina Baker Kline. After reading, and loving, Orphan Train and A Piece of the World, Kline is one of my favorite authors and I want to read all the books she has published. And just icing on the cake, the front cover blurb is from Caroline Leavitt, an author I’m just discovering. So I ask you, “How could I resist this novel?” Angela Russo lives in New York City and is thirty-three years old. She is an event planner for one of the lesser-known museums. On her office bulletin board is a cutout magazine photo showing a cottage on the coast of Maine. It portrays such a simple life; the life Angela has always wanted. With her love life is nonexistent, she decides to look into some internet dating sites. A profile name MaineCatch. He’s thirty-five, has ice-blue eyes and lives in Cushing, Maine. Angela spends more time mooning over MaineCatch than she does thinking about the big fundraising event she is planning for the museum. She has to go to Boston on business, and luckily, MaineCatch sails down to meet her. The sparks fly.When the event goes horribly, horribly, horribly wrong, Angela is fired from her job. She decided to move north to be with her catch. Things go horribly, horribly wrong; seems she has misunderstood MaineCatch’s intentions.Without a job to return to, Angela decides to stay in Cushing. She finds a little shack to rent that she can renovate, gets a job in a local coffee house, and begins to rebuild her life. The knack for the Italian cooking she learned from her grandmother rises to the surface.The novel is written in first person, which I think helps add immediacy to the story while Kline’s scenic description have me longing to pack me bags and head Northeast. I was able to live vicariously through Angela. I could barely put this story down and I didn’t want it to end. I hope in the future Kline writes a follow-up novel. The Way Life Should Be 6 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.
    • 2/5
      My mom passed this book on to me and I read it in one night. Some parts were a little long-winded and then others were totally glossed over, so the writing style was kind of jarring. But I love the concept, even though I’ve read a lot of books with this plotline lately. It’s a nice escape, so I like the idea. Angela lives in New York City but has always wanted to live in Maine, so when she meets a guy online, she moves to Maine to be with him. The stuff that happens to her is interesting and compelling, and the recipes sound good (though those sections went a bit long also).
    • 2/5
      Angela has always admired the hallmark picture of a quaint Maine cottage . On Impulse Angie joins an online dating service by recommendation of a friend and finds a sailboat instructor from Maine that seems to be the perfect catch. After a fumbled career she goes to Maine for a brief trip that will end up changing her life forever..I did agree with her family and friend's that she was jumping the gun by moving so fast and staying in Maine with this man she met on the internet and barely knew. It was nice to see Angie get a grip and reevaluate her life and what she wanted her goals to be after everything seemed to be falling apart at her feet. This was slow paced and although a quick read I wasn't engrossed in the book and feeling like I can't wait to see what would happen next in Angie's life.
    • 5/5
      I found this book in a "take one, leave one" bookshelf at the cottage we stayed at in Maine. Mostly taking place on the same small island where we were vacationing (Mount Desert Island, home of Acadia National Park), this was a perfect vacation read. I also loved the recipes dotted throughout the book.
    • 5/5
      Very enjoyable,light read. The title is perfect for the story.I agree with others,this is a good summer or beach read!
    • 3/5
      I received this book from the publisher via Librarything.com as an Early Reviewer. I was very interested to read this as I loved Orphan Train also by Christina Baker Kline. Angela Russo was raised by her dad and Italian nonna in New Jersey and remain close to them. Now single gal in her early thirties living in New York and an event planner for a museum. She seems to have it all but love and a soul mate. Taking a chance she gives online dating a try, she sets her sights on a man from Maine and immediately convinces herself this is "the guy". They meet halfway for a first date which sets Angela off on an all consuming pursuit of love. Losing focus on the job, her current responsibilities literally end in flames. Out of work she sets off on a new path - to Maine and the man of her dreams. While she knows she is taking a huge risk leaving everything behind, she ignores the sensible advice of her best friend and family and goes anyway. When things don't go as expected with her chosen "soul mate" she must re-evaluate why she is there and what she wants to do with her life. This was a quick light read and while somewhat predictable I did enjoy it. Kline's description of life in Maine is heavenly and indeed "the way life should be". Highly recommended for a vacation/beach read. How I acquired this book: HarperCollins via LibraryThing.com Early ReviewersShelf life: Two weeks
    • 4/5
      This was a really nice, breezy read while I've recuperated from being under the weather! I wish the book had been a little longer, actually, as I'd like to know more about the characters! I can see where Maine, like NYC, would be a fantasy place to move to start over, so it was fun to live vicariously through Angie. I enjoyed the relationship between Angie and her grandmother, especially since I'd like to become a better cook. I may try a couple of recipes from the book.

      The book also made me want to visit Maine again. The last time I was there was for the author's wedding! :-D

    • 3/5
      Angelo Russo is an event planner in New York City. She is finds her job boring and isn't meeting any good men. Her best friend suggests trying an online dating service. She responds to and ad written by Richard Saunders, a sailing instructor from Maine. After losing her job, she decides to drive to Maine to start a new life...hopefully with Rich. When she arrives in Maine, things are not as she thought they would be.I found this an enjoyable read, but not a memorable one.
    • 5/5
      This is not typical of the kinds of books that I read. It is a romance (sort of) but there is more than that going on. Angela Russo sets her sights on a man that she meets on the internet. Things do not work out between them, BUT....that is a good thing for Angela. It gives her the chance to do what heart tells her to do.Angela's love for cooking she inherits from her Italian grandmother (Nonna). Nonna lives with Angela's father and stepmother, and teaches Angela many lessons. Nonna confides in Angela a deep dark secret that no one else knows about. This secret gives her pause to think about her own life and how she wants to live it.My Thoughts: This is a "feel good" story about a woman who changes her path in life, and finds happiness along the way. I admire this character in what she accomplishes on her own. This novel warmed my heart while reading it, and left me content as a cat in a sunny window upon finishing it!
    • 3/5
      Angela is running on auto-pilot as an event planner in New York City when she makes a mistake that causes her to lose her job. She turns to the guy she met through an online match service and leaves for Maine to "find herself." I do not approve of pre-marital or extra-marital sex, and this book had too much of the former for my tastes. I did enjoy the descriptions of cooking and food throughout this book. I enjoyed the part of the plot that related to cooking, food, and to the friends she made on the island. I enjoyed her interaction with her Italian grandmother who taught her to cook.
    • 4/5
      When Angela packs it all up and moves to Maine for lust, it isn't all bad. After all, she got the energy to move, didn't she? Lust does always make love follow and, in this case it didn't but Angela is determined to stick it out until she has an epiphany. Her new group of friends, verrrrry interesting folks! - help her along and her beloved Nonnie back in New Jersey has taught her all she really needs to know about life. Food will basically fix anything.Out a few years ago, I loved this book and did, in fact, want all the characters to come over for supper!
    • 5/5
      A great story about a single who is looking for more from life than the usual 7am - 9pm grind in Manhatten. With a grass is greener view, she decides to date a guy from Maine, who she believes is her soul mate. With a whim and pray she packs up her belongings, after a disasterous mistake at her job, and moves to Maine to start a new life...but not the life she originally expected.It was such a great quick summer read, it took me only 1 1/2 days to finish it cover to cover. Complete chick lit, I would highly recommend it.
    • 5/5
      I have read two previous books by Christina Baker Kline, historical fiction, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Was surprised to see this one as it looked too "chic lit" for her. But I was wrong and now I am going to read any other book she may have written. A novel about a 30-something female New Yorker (by way of NJ) who lost her job through her own carelessness as she became enamored with a guy she met on a dating site, all told in a light, humorous vein. She retreated back to her old bedroom in NJ where her Nonna, father and stepmother still reside. But, always having a dream to go to Maine, she ends up doing that to live with the guy from the dating site. That quickly fizzles but she stays in Maine and finds a job and a dog and friends, but most importantly, herself. It takes a trip back home to NJ after 3 months and a heart to heart with Nonna, for her to realize all that; and, that she is happy and fulfilled.
    • 4/5
      although this story has been told by many different writers, Christina has managed to bring new life to it. Her characters are likeable and the story moved along quickly which held my interest. I enjoyed it so much that I will now be getting her older books to read and will highly recommend this one..
    • 5/5
      I loved it---but----I certainly wouldn't mind a sequel---I want to watch this collection of characters do more things!!!!
    • 4/5
      This book falls into the category of cooking-school-find-yourself-romance books, with a Maine setting and a lot of recipes for Italian dishes.Angela Russo, 33, is fired from her job as an events planner in New York City, and on a whim, packs up her things and drives to Maine. She had always been intrigued by the idea of a romantic cottage on the Maine coast, and had even initiated a real-life relationship with a guy she discovered through an online dating service calling himself “MaineCatch.” She initially goes to stay with “MaineCatch” (who is actually Richard Saunders), on a small Maine island called Mount Desert. But Rich is a “player” who is not really interested in anything serious with Angela. Now homeless, jobless, and without romantic prospects, she gets assistance from a local barista, Flynn, who gives her a job and helps her find a place to live. Angela hadn’t been all that attached to her dad and stepmom, but had a close relationship with her Italian grandmother, Nonna, who taught her to prepare food with love and skill. This knowledge serves her well in Maine, after she starts preparing treats for Flynn to sell in the shop. The customers pour in, and Flynn helps Angela set up cooking classes. Thus, Angela gradually finds new friends, a new purpose to life, and maybe even love.Discussion: If you like cooking and/or Italian food, you are bound to enjoy this book, which includes a number of recipes. I also appreciated the fact that Flynn, who is gay, is not a caricature, but just a regular very nice guy.