The Goodbye Cousins

by: Maggie Leffler

Published by: Bantam

Reviewed by Jamie Driggers

It’s time for a re-start for recently orphaned Di Linzer. Her mother kidnapped her from her father and took off for Europe when she was eleven, but now that both parents are gone, it seems it is time to figure out who they were…and who that makes her. But she can’t strike out entirely on her own, oh no, she and her son will move in with her best cousin Alecia and her fiancé who only just found Di after her long absence. Just as Di starts to get her legs under her, though, all kind of havoc will be wreaked on Di, Alecia, and many, if not most, of those with whom they come into contact. These cousins are both desperately seeking something, and may just find that what they weren’t looking for found them instead.

This is a wonderful story of family: crazy relatives you find you can’t live without, stable relatives that go crazy, half-truths, misconceptions, and misunderstandings, and the delicate balance of trusting that your family will always be there, when maybe they won’t. It’s a story of thinking you know what you want when you discover that you want something entirely different. It’s a story of hope. It’s a story of fear. But mainly, yeah, it’s a story of family.

Honestly, I kept expecting to be offended or let down before the book was done. For all the dumb decisions Di and Alecia make, you just know they are going to make you want to throw your book against the wall. And your throwing fingers may get twitchy, but thankfully, your brain doesn’t want to give up hope, just yet. In all seriousness, I couldn’t put the book down. I loved the characters (or loved to hate their eccentricities, at least) and I loved their motivations and I loved their heart. Above that, I love their happy ending.

Armchair Interviews says: A 5-star “love fest” for this book and its storytelling author.

Author’s Web site: http://www.MaggieLeffler.com