The Things We Do for Love: A Novel

Kristin Hannah

Jan 2009 · Sold by Ballantine Books

About this ebook

“[Kristin] Hannah is superb at delving into her main characters’ psyches and delineating nuances of feeling.”—The Washington Post Book World

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.

“Enormously entertaining . . . Hannah has a nice ear for dialogue and a knack for getting the reader inside the characters’ heads.”—The Seattle Times

Ratings and reviews

I had enjoyed the first book that I read by this author (_Magic Hour_), but I thought that was mostly due to the subject matter (feral children). This book shared similarities in that it too was about families and children. And also that the family was so unrealistic. Still, it was an enjoyable and certainly escapist-fast read. I will most likely read more by her - though I doubt I will ever pay full price. In many ways, this author is reminiscent of Jodi Picoult - though on a more superficial, beach-read type of level. Still, I would recommend it to anyone looking for a sappy, sentimental-type book.

Another wonderful story of human emotions & family. I laughed and cried and thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Kristin Hannah develops great characters. Such a heart warming novel. Anything is possible.

About the author

Kristin Hannah is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many acclaimed novels, including The Women, The Four Winds, The Nightingale, and Magic Hour. She and her husband live in the Pacific Northwest.