Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    The Optimist's Guide to Letting Go
    The Optimist's Guide to Letting Go
    The Optimist's Guide to Letting Go
    Audiobook8 hours

    The Optimist's Guide to Letting Go

    Written by Amy E. Reichert

    Narrated by Teri Schnaubelt

    4/5

    ()

    Switch to ebook

    About this audiobook

    Gina Zoberski wants to make it through one day without her fastidious mother, Lorraine, cataloguing all her faults, and her sullen teenage daughter, May, snubbing her. Too bad there's no chance of that. Her relentlessly sunny disposition annoys them both, no matter how hard she tries. Instead, Gina finds order and comfort in obsessive list-making and her work at Grilled G's, the gourmet grilled cheese food truck built by her late husband.

    But when Lorraine suffers a sudden stroke, Gina stumbles upon a family secret Lorraine's kept hidden for forty years. In the face of her mother's failing health and her daughter's rebellion, this optimist might find that piecing together the truth is the push she needs to let go . . .
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateMay 15, 2018
    ISBN9781977379191
    Author

    Amy E. Reichert

    Amy E. Reichert, author of The Coincidence of Coconut Cake, Luck, Love & Lemon Pie, The Simplicity of Cider, and The Optimist's Guide to Letting Go, loves to write stories that end well with characters you’d invite to dinner. A wife, mom, amateur chef, Fix-It Mistress, and cider enthusiast, she earned her MA in English Literature and serves on her local library’s board of directors.

    More audiobooks from Amy E. Reichert

    Related to The Optimist's Guide to Letting Go

    Related audiobooks

    Family Life For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Romantic Entanglements Bring Humor And Heartache To Small Town

      Jun 21, 2021

      Katherine Heiny’s novel transplants readers to Boyne City, Michigan, through the keen eyes of the town’s new schoolteacher.

      3 min read

    • Article

      ‘The Guncle’ Proves That Families Come In All Different Shapes

      May 24, 2021

      Following their mother’s death, two children spend the summer with “Gay Uncle Patrick” in this heartfelt and entertaining novel by Steven Rowley.

      3 min read

    • Article

      EMMA & ELLIOT: IT’S OVER

      Feb 12, 2021

      EMMA & ELLIOT: IT’S OVER
      4 min read

    • Article

      'The Heart's Invisible Furies' Is the Funny, Touching Story of an Irish Everyman

      Sep 1, 2017

      Boyne's new novel follows its protagonist throughout the decades, from birth in 1945 to age 70, and the story encompasses a great deal of history.

      3 min read

    • Article

      Home Before Dark

      Apr 2, 2020

      Home Before Dark
      1 min read

    • Article

      Jennifer Weiner

      Sep 24, 2016

      The best-selling novelist talks about her family, her difficult childhood and her recent Oprah’s Book Club controversy

      2 min read

    • Article

      Queen Of Booktok

      Feb 17, 2023

      Queen Of Booktok
      4 min read

    • Article

      Top 10 Books

      Jun 16, 2023

      Top 10 Books
      1 min read

    • Article

      Summer Thrills

      Aug 5, 2019

      Summer Thrills
      3 min read

    • Article

      The Traveler Part 1

      Sep 1, 2020

      Jamie wandered aimlessly, kicking a broken chunk of sidewalk, following the chip of cement as it skittered and bounced through leaves and off curbs. In a trance, she walked down unknown blocks and around unfamiliar corners, her mind so far away that

      9 min read

    • Article

      Proof Is In The Pudding

      May 20, 2020

      Proof Is In The Pudding
      2 min read

    • Article

      Waiting for Aunt Gee-Gee

      Feb 1, 2022

      Nothing brightened my spirits more than hearing Mama say, “Aunt Gee-Gee is coming for a visit!” This was especially good news the spring of 1958. Fourth grade was rough for me, with frequent bouts of tonsilitis. My teacher expected assignments in my

      3 min read

    • Article

      Proof Is In The Pudding

      May 20, 2020

      Proof Is In The Pudding
      2 min read

    • Article

      The Graveyard Game

      Jul 30, 2018

      The Graveyard Game
      15 min read

    • Article

      Going Green

      Oct 1, 2020

      Going Green
      6 min read

    • Article

      Let’s Get Social

      Oct 13, 2020

      Every year at the holidays, despite all the planning, something regarding the food is bound to go wrong ... it can't be just us, right? We know we have a few stories to tell, but we want to know what your most memorable holiday food mishap is. Share

      2 min read

    • Article

      Girls Like You

      Sep 5, 2023

      Girls Like You
      17 min read

    • Article

      Cupboard LOVE

      Jul 26, 2023

      Cupboard LOVE
      6 min read

    • Article

      Best Of The Best

      Oct 29, 2022

      Best Of The Best
      8 min read

    • Article

      Waiting For The Dream

      Oct 4, 2022

      Days could be somber in our small Indiana town in 1952, the summer I was 7. Wives and children struggled while they faced uncertain futures. News was sparse and nerves frayed without husbands and fathers who were away from home, serving our country i

      3 min read

    • Article

      Frost FAIR

      Jan 18, 2023

      Frost FAIR
      11 min read

    • Article

      Women Sweeping

      Mar 15, 2022

      The woman in Édouard Vuillard’s Woman Sweeping, painted between 1899 and 1900, is Marie Michaud Vuillard, the painter’s mother. She is tall and stocky, her posture—that slight give of the back to the broom, without bending—marking a nonchalant style

      25 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for The Optimist's Guide to Letting Go

    4/5

    60 ratings7 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      This is my first book by Amy Reichert but it won't be my last.. I loved all three characters that narrated and the food descriptions were perfect. There weren't too many and it helped the book flow well. All three characters grew and changed throughout the book, I loved the relationship of May and her mother Regina (Gina) as well as how Gina and her mother's relationship evolved. Family dynamics were unique but very relatable at times. This was a fun and enjoyable read although the topics were tough (grief), it was written in a positive way. I can't wait to read past and future books by this author! Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the opportunity to read this great book!
    • 4/5
      This is an intergenerational story following Lorraine, her two daughters, Vicky and Gina, and Gina’s teen daughter May. Their relationships are fraught and characterized by discord and silence. But when Lorraine suffers a stroke, things begin to change.I really liked this book and the way Reichtert wrote these women. Gina is a young widow who uses her chef talents to run a gourmet grilled-cheese food truck. She’s hard working and afraid she’s repeating her mother’s mistakes with her own daughter, May. Gina’s always felt that her mother disapproved of her. She never wanted to spend time with the children of other members of the country club, to hair, makeup, clothes and manners. Vicky’s always been the “favorite.” She has the perfect husband, three great kids, a beautiful house in a Chicago suburb, and Lorraine’s sense of style and attention to appearance. Despite the troubles in her life, Gina maintains a sunny outlook, which just seems to further annoy both her mother and her daughter. Vicky and Gina, despite their differences, are close sisters. They clearly love and support one another. They share the memories of their late father’s aloof manner, they way he ran the household with an iron fist, and the way their mother acquiesced without complaint. And they share a love of Roza, their childhood nanny, who has helped Lorraine keep her own secret for over forty years. She becomes the pivotal character in revealing those skeletons in the closet, and helping them all forge ahead. It’s a delightful and heartfelt story. I find it interesting that once Lorraine loses her speech the communication between her and her daughters becomes clearer. She is forced to acknowledge the love her daughters have for her, the care they’ve provided and continue to provide, and the mistakes she’s made by keeping her secret and blindly following her husband’s wishes even after he died. The book is divided into ten sections, each with three chapters, one each from Lorraine, Gina and May’s point of view. The ten section titles came from a list the author found in an article on “What to Ask Your Mother Before She Dies.” At a book club discussion meeting where Reichert was present, she encouraged us to ask our own parents and grandparents these questions. One attendee remarked that she is already writing her new grandchild a letter answering the questions. Great idea.I also have to give a “warning” about the food descriptions here. Reichert’s books always have this element in them, and readers should be aware that they will find themselves craving all sorts of delicacies. Alas, this book did not contain any recipes.
    • 3/5
      I liked the story and the characters. However, historical facts were incorrect and this is so annoying. Considering the decade Lorraine would never have had to make the choices she did. Loved the food.
    • 4/5
      I love books about the relationship between mothers and daughters so this book has the extra treat of a grandmother - mother - daughter. There are misunderstandings between the mothers and daughters in both generations and the question is whether love will solve all of their misunderstandings with each otherRegina's husband Drew has been dead for two years. Instead of grieving with her daughter, May, it has added to the normal problems mom's have with their teenage daughters. Regina's mom, Lorraine, never approved of Drew and was always quick to criticize her daughter, so there are problems there too. Gina who runs a food truck that specializes in grilled cheese sandwiches uses her work and the lists that she obsessively makes to help her deal with the problems in her life. When Lorainne has a stroke and secrets come to light, it will either strengthen the bonds between mothers and daughters or make them impossible to repair.This is a lovely book full of love and problems within a family and how love is really an unbreakable bond between mothers and daughters. To make it even better, there are food descriptions that will make you want to go make a grilled cheese sandwich to eat while you are reading it.
    • 4/5
      The Optimist’s Guide To Letting GoByAmy E. ReichartWhat it's all about...This book is about a disjointed dysfunctional family. Lorraine...the grand-dam...the mother of two grown daughters...Gina and Vicky...has kept this secret a secret for all of her daughters lives. Gina...a recent widow...has issues with her teen age daughter. Vicky...mother of four young children...has issues with her husband. When Lorraine has a stroke...the secret finally comes out into the open. Why I wanted to read it...I truly enjoy this author’s books and this one was no exception. What made me truly enjoy this book...Lorraine was a critical mother...she fought so hard to keep her secret that she was distant and difficult...especially to Gina. These dysfunctional relationships were key to this book. It seemed as though everyone was having some sort of problem...Why you should read it, too...Readers who love this kind of family dysfunctional book should really enjoy this one...if anything readers will be craving grilled cheese sandwiches before this book is finished. I received an advance reader’s copy of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss and Amazon. It was my choice to read it and review it.
    • 5/5
      Zowza!!! (I saw this word in a book I read this week, sorry I can't remember which to give credit to, but I love it!!I loved this book!!!It was filled with so many great characters. There were so many times that I just wanted to haul off and slap a couple of them. They grated my nerves so much, especially Lorraine. That was, of course, before I started shedding tears for those very same people. The story was amazing, the writing was amazing and I'm still crying over it. Even after I took a break before writing this review. A story that was fraught with emotions and surprises that I never saw coming.An excellent read that I thought was this author's best one yet! I will always say "yes, please" to Amy Reichert's books.Thanks to Gallery, Threshold and Pocket Books and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
    • 5/5
      Gina finds her mother in the floor after a stroke. After the frantic rush to the hospital, Gina is going through her mother’s papers. She finds a picture of her mother with a strange man. “What a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.”Gina is a hard-working mom. She is trying to overcome her husband’s recent death and to basically survive in her life. She finds her mother incapacitated, then her daughter in a compromising position with a boy, she is about done! Then, on top of all this, she realizes her mother is harboring a secret. But like most strong women, she does not give up.I fluctuated between 4 and 5 stars. I settled on 5 because this book dang near made me cry…TWICE. Plus, Gina is one of my favorite type characters….strong woman! This is a powerful novel about surviving death, overcoming hardships and accepting family for who they are.This is the best Amy Reichert has ever written and I have read them all.I received this novel from Netgalley for a honest review.