Out of the Clear Blue Sky by Kristan Higgins
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: June 7, 2022
Genres: Contemporary Fiction
Book Review
Lillie Silva always anticipated her that her life would change when her only son left for college. But she didn’t foresee her husband leaving her for a significantly younger and wealthier woman, on the eve of their son’s graduation. Heartbroken, Lille must figure out how to navigate this next stage of her life with grace, and maybe a little revenge.
Set on Cape Cod, Out of the Clear Blue Sky is a masterpiece about moving on and navigating the unexpected. I absolutely devoured this book. It opens with Lillie letting a skunk loose in her ex-husband’s new house, which sets the tone perfectly for the entire book. Lillie is an absolutely hilarious character. She’s so nurturing, both as a mother and in her work as a midwife. I went back and forth between feeling terrible for her and laughing hysterically at her creative forms of revenge against her ridiculous and out-of-touch husband.
One of the interesting things about Out of the Clear Blue Sky is that it does not just focus on Lillie’s perspective, but also shows the perspective of Melissa, the woman Lillie’s husband leaves her for. Melissa, while the villain of the story, also grows tremendously throughout. And while I wouldn’t say I liked her as a character, I did come to understand and respect some of her choices.
The setting is an area I’m very familiar with, The Outer Cape. I love how Higgins references real Cape places including restaurants and bakeries. It made it so much easier for me to visualize and added to the cozy feel of the story. It also made me incredibly nostalgic for trips with my family.
This was such a unique, hilarious, and heartwarming story, much like other books Kristan Higgins has written. I highly recommend it to fans of hers, as well as anyone looking for a book that will make you laugh and cry.
Thank you to Berkley Books and Netgalley for the review copy! All opinions are my own.
Synopsis from Goodreads
Lillie Silva knew life as an empty nester would be hard after her only child left for college, but when her husband abruptly dumps her for another woman just as her son leaves, her world comes crashing down. Besides the fact that this announcement is a complete surprise (to say the least), what shocks Lillie most is that she isn’t…heartbroken. She’s furious.
Lillie has loved her life on Cape Cod, but as a mother, wife and nurse-midwife, she’s used to caring for other people…not taking care of herself. Now, alone for the first time in her life, she finds herself going a little rogue. Is it over the top to crash her ex-husband’s wedding, dressed like the angel of death? Sure! Should she release a skunk into his perfect new home? Probably not! But it beats staying home and moping.
She finds an unexpected ally in her glamorous sister, with whom she’s had a tense relationship all these years. And an unexpected babysitter in of all people Ben Hallowell, the driver in a car accident that nearly killed Lillie 20 years ago. And then there’s Ophelia, her ex-husband’s oddly lost niece, who could really use a friend.
It’s the end of Lillie’s life as she knew it. But sometimes the perfect next chapter surprises you…out of the clear blue sky.
About the Author
Kristan Higgins is the New York Times, USA TODAY and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of more than twenty novels, which have been translated into more than two dozen languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide. Her books have received dozens of awards and accolades, including starred reviews from Entertainment Weekly, People, Kirkus, The New York Journal of Books, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and Booklist.
The happy mother of two snarky and entertaining grown children, Kristan enjoys gardening, mixology, the National Parks and complimenting strangers on their children. She lives in Connecticut with her heroic firefighter husband, cuddly dog and indifferent cat.
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Erin Evelyn Reads 