Overall funny - some parts not suitable for driving with children in the car (at least at the age my kids are) but still funny! The chapter about Wait Wait was wonderful to hear that they are all delightful people - no big reveal of terrible people thankfully!

I am not sure how to review this. I finished the audiobook version of this quickly - in about a week - so it definitely held my attention but thinking back over it, I didn’t really like many of the characters. I am torn between 3 and 4 stars because even though I was frustrated with many of the characters, I would definitely read another book by the author.

I thought the class and gender conflicts were interesting and frustrating (I guess it is good I am not living in 1950s India).

When Lakshmi and Samir slept together I was thinking to myself “why?”... I found that a strange reaction to the stress she was dealing with. I guess to signal that everything was going to now fall apart? I guess to be the turning point in their partnership?

Also when Radha is undermining Kanta I was annoyed - that said, perhaps that just speaks to how well written the book is! A 13-year old probably would *not* be thoughtful and mature in that situation... even if it made me dislike the character.

This was REALLY well done - so well done it was hard to read. I wish it wasn’t so timely, but I believe the week my son and I started reading this there was another tween/teen killed in Chicago in the news.
I did not know the details of Emmett Till’s story - just that he was murdered long ago. The way that part of the story was told will stick with me quite a while.
Definitely between 4 and 5 stars for this - but it is heavy

I haven’t read anything else by Jojo Moyes, but I would based on this book. I did not know about the WPA library ladies so I found that interesting. I thought it was a little unbelievable that Evil Mr Van Cleve would give up when things worked out as they did

I listened to the audio book version which does sound like an interview - it was perfect to keep me entertained while doing yardwork. I am not familiar with much of Dolly’s work beyond 9 to 5 and Steel Magnolias, but I respect her quite a bit and with the audio version it did feel like she was just sitting and talking to (at?) me :)

Listening to her podcast earlier this year I would imagine she was just talking to me (like close friends) - so I am a Michelle Obama fan already. I was overdue in reading this book and found it interesting to hear about the turns and twists her life has taken - and am impressed with her resiliency as a “planner” to withstand all the changes.

I learned (relearned?) a lot about the Dust Bowl in this book. The author did a very good job describing how terrifying and disheartening it was

As someone who remembers the Challenger, it is crazy to read historical fiction I am old enough to be :)

This family is painful - I felt really bad for the kids. I hope that they keep having family dinners together

I enjoyed what felt to me to be a different take on WWII historical drama… the jumping around in time took a little getting used to (I listened to an audiobook version), and I do agree with some other reviews that it was a lot of book *talking* about helping Beth and less actual helping :)

Some themes similar to Beach Read (long history with potential love interest) but an enjoyable way to pass the time. I listened to the audiobook version and the narrator did a nice job