I Was Told It Would Get Easier

by Abbi Waxman

“Abbi Waxman is both irreverent and thoughtful.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Giffin

Squashed among a bus full of strangers, mother-daughter duo Jessica and Emily Burnstein watch their carefully mapped-out college tour devolve into a series of off-roading misadventures, from the USA Today bestselling author of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill.

Jessica and Emily Burnstein have very different ideas of how this college tour should go.

For Emily, it's a preview of freedom, exploring the possibility of her new and more exciting future. Not that she's sure she even wants to go to college, but let's ignore that for now. And maybe the other kids on the tour will like her more than the ones at school. . . . They have to, right?

For Jessica, it's a chance to bond with the daughter she seems to have lost. They used to be so close, but then Goldfish crackers and Play-Doh were no longer enough of a draw. She isn't even sure if Emily likes her anymore. To be honest, Jessica isn't sure she likes herself.

Together with a dozen strangers--and two familiar enemies--Jessica and Emily travel the East Coast, meeting up with family and old friends along the way. Surprises and secrets threaten their relationship and, in the end, change it forever.

• ISBN10: 0451491890
• ISBN13: 9780451491893
• Publish Date: 16 June 2020
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc
• Imprint: Berkley Publishing Corporation,U.S.
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 352
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780451491893

Reviews

[Sam@WLABB]

Single mom (by choice), Jessica, saw this college tour as a way to reconnect with her teen daughter, Emily. Juggling her successful career as a lawyer with parenting had always been a challenge, but now Jessica was ready to give Emily her full attention, and hoped it wasn't too late to salvage their relationship.

The number one reason why I come back for Waxman's books is her humor. She never fails to make me laugh, and I really enjoyed this amusing and heartwarming story. For me, it was a tale of a mother and daughter trying to figure out where they fit into each other's lives. Needless to say, I related to this story. I remember how my relationship with my daughter morphed and changed as she grew older. It challenging trying to allow your child to exercise their autonomy, while still having some say-so in their life. I thought that idea was beautifully and realistically explored in this book. I legit felt Jessica's pain and frustration, when she had to hold her tongue or resist giving her daughter a push in the right direction. But, she couldn't argue with the end results.

I obviously connected with the mother part of this mother-daughter story, but I also enjoyed getting to know Emily better. She felt like a typical teen to me, and her interactions with her mother were signature teen girl. However, she had a lot of hidden depth. I especially like how she was grappling with what to do after high school. She was expected to go from her tony private school to college, but Emily wasn't sure that was the right path for her. I always like seeing this in books, because I agree, that college isn't for everyone. I, therefore, definitely welcomed this to the story, and when she finally shared her passion and how it was acquired, it sort of pulled at my heartstrings.

The book was filled with fun antics, and a lot of meaningful discussions and self reflections. As much as Jessica wanted this trip to help her get to know her daughter better, it also allowed her, and Emily, to learn a lot about themselves. Both women figured out a lot of important things about the impact their mothers had on their lives, and the influence they had on each other.

Overall, I had an incredible time on this road trip. Not only were Jessica and Emily fantastic, but they were accompanied by a full cast of fabulous characters, who all added to the fun. As always, Waxman managed to both fill my heart with warmth and laughter, but she also me wistful and wanting to relive those days with my own daughter.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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