The Things We Do for Love: A Novel

Written by Kristin Hannah

Narrated by Susan Ericksen

Years of trying unsuccessfully to conceive a child have broken more than Angie DeSaria’s heart. Following a painful divorce, she moves back to her small Pacific Northwest hometown and takes over management of her family’s restaurant. In West End, where life rises and falls like the tides, Angie’s fortunes will drastically change yet again when she meets and befriends a troubled young woman.

Angie hires Lauren Ribido because she sees something special in the seventeen-year-old. They quickly form a deep bond, and when Lauren is abandoned by her mother, Angie offers the girl a place to stay. But nothing could have prepared Angie for the far-reaching repercussions of this act of kindness. Together, these two women—one who longs for a child and the other who longs for a mother’s love—will be tested in ways that neither could have imagined.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Jun 15, 2021
• ISBN: 9781713625452

Kristin Hannah

Kristin Hannah is an award-winning international number one bestselling author with over 25 million copies of her books sold worldwide. Her most recent titles, The Four Winds, The Nightingale and The Great Alone won numerous best fiction awards and her earlier novel, Firefly Lane, is currently a bestselling series on Netflix. Kristin is a lawyer-turned-writer and is the mother of one son. She and her husband live in the Pacific Northwest near Seattle.

Reviews for The Things We Do for Love

[Cari McAnulla · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was the best book!! Cried good tears the whole way through!

[Anna Siciliano · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

You are my favorite author!! Each book makes me cry and laugh. Lauren is so brave and Angie has so much love to give. Thank you for this beautiful story ???

[amandanan · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Ugh. Definitely not high on my list of favorite Kristin Hannah books. The characters are flat. People cry every other page. The story never goes anywhere. You could eliminate 200 pages and not lose a thing. I only give it 2 stars because I did laugh out loud a few times. Mostly, though, I just sighed and frustratingly powered through hoping for a Magic Hour or Firefly Lane moment. No such luck.

[ecataldi-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Saddened by their inability to have children, a couple gets divorced. Angie moves back to her family's hometown to help out with the family restaurant and get her mind off things. She discovers that the family business isn't doing too hot since her father died 6 months prior and she decides to put her marketing and advertising skills to use while her two older sisters work in the kitchen with their mother. One of the first changes she makes is hiring another waitress, much younger than the old and slow one they have now. She offers the job to Lauren. A high school senior from the bad part of town that has her eyes set on getting a full ride to college and making something of her life. Angie quickly becomes like a mother to Lauren taking her under her win. Then the unthinkable happens and Angie must decides if her heart can handle what's about to happen. Is she done running and is she ready to take a chance? Heartfelt and moving. Chick lit at it's finest.

[dawn772 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Even though romance was a secondary theme in this story I felt it was a powerful engrossing book about two strong females. I couldn't predict how things were going to develop. Angela unsuccessfully tried for many years to have a child. Lauren lives with an alcoholic mother. When both women hit bottom their paths intersect.

[diasukie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A very good read, I liked the family members, enjoyed Angela. Story moved and a nice pace, kept interest high. Finished in 1-day.

[karenvg3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I forget how much I enjoy Kristin Hannah's writing because I don't see a lot of press for her. I like to compare her to Nicholas Sparks but with happy endings. I loved all the characters in this story. She made me absolutely hate the ones that were bad and love the ones who deserved it. The story line was magnificent with just enough angst to keep you on your toes. I'm going to make sure I put her books in my regular rotation. I wholeheartedly recommend this book

[nancynova · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very good, but an expected ending. Angie is unable to carry a baby to term, so she heads back to her family hometown after the divorce to pick up the pieces. She starts trying to save her family's Italian restaurant, and along the way makes teen Lauren's acquaintance. Lauren's mother is stuggling with alcoholism and always picking poor relationships, making Lauren function more as the parent. When Lauren finds herself pregnant and abandoned by her mother, Angie takes her in, forming a new kind of family.

[suzyblack · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book was pretty good - kept me interested the entire time - a bit predictable, but with just a little different outcome than I expected I guess. There were several times I wanted to yell, "good grief, just spit out what you need to say, and move on," but I guess the book wouldn't be as long if people just spoke up - would rather ruin the angst (I think many books have that in common - and the author writes the "shyness or fear" into the character to explain why they cannot just say what's on their mind). Anyway, a quick, comfortable read - you won't be sorry, but you may not remember this one as your favorite book.

[monicalynn-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Angela DeSaria Malone and her husband Conlan Malone decide it is time to break off their marriage. Upon the finalization of the divorce Angela moves back home to her families Summer cottage. Where the rest of her family lives in the same town. Angela feels so alone and is trying to get her life back together after losing her father, her baby and her husband all in one year. Angela's life long dream to be a mother has been crushed after trying so many years and having so many disappointments. Angela works at getting the family restaurant into shape where it is making money all the while her loving, well meaning but over bearing mother fighting most of Angela's decisions for change.In the mean time 17 year old Lauren living on the wrong side of town is succeeding at keeping her grades in Fircrest academy at a 3.92 grade average and working so hard to get into college despite her deplorable living conditions with her alcoholic mother who loves Lauren yet despises her. Lauren works part time and attempts to keep their apartment by paying the rent and making up excuses for her mother. Then Lauren suddenly loses her job and now has to find another one to make ends meet. Lauren is dating David Haynes a very wealthy handsome teenager and they have dated for 4 years. When suddenly their is trouble in paradise.Angela and Lauren meet by accident and become involved in each other's lives for a life changing experience for both of them as well as the entire DeSaria family. This is a very convincing story that could actually happen, very touching and bittersweet as well.

[labelleaurore · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Things we do for love, yes, we all do things : take care of stranger just because they make us feel for them, fertility couple, italian family, etc...

[punxsygal · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

For years Angela DeSaria Malone has felt one things has been missing from her marriage, a child. The desire for the child grows so strong it destroys the marriage. Heartbroken, Angela moves back to her hometown to be enfolded in the arms of her loud, lively, Italian family. On the other side of town lives Lauren Ribido, a teenager, with a mother that cares more for her next drink than her daughter. In this book we find that life may bring our greatest wishes in a different package than we expect.

[helenvigg · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved everything about this book. The characters were so real that I found myself wondering what was happening in their lives after I finished reading the book.

[saucecav · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Angela was a daddy's little girl and always "the princess" of the family. Her marriage collapsed when she was unable to have a child, lost a child, lost a baby back to a teenage girl that changed her mind. When Lauren came into her life, she was very hesitant to reach out, but couldn't help herself. She ended up remarrying her husband, becoming the "grandmother" to Lauren's newborn. Lauren was very special and smart. Her mother took off with yet another strange man and left Lauren @ 17 years of age to fend for herself.

[dts1dbm · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

very good - made me cry, laugh and smile all in one day - you really get sucked into the characters and how they feel - all of them. Definitely would recommend