Introduction

“An emotional journey of love, loss, healing, and redemption. I rooted for every character.” ?Lisa See, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Snow Flower and The Secret Fan

“I Liked My Life is a treasure of a novel. Warm-hearted and clever, the story will keep you reading until the final delicious revelation.” ?Diane Chamberlain, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author

“Warm and hopeful, this marvelous debut stands next to novels from Catherine McKenzie and Carolyn Parkhurst.” ?Booklist (starred)

"A heartbreaking and ultimately heartwarming read about life, death, and family." ?PopSugar, A Best Winter 2017 Book

“An absolutely stunning book...remarkable.” ?RT Book Reviews, 4 1/2 stars, Top Pick

A story from debut author Abby Fabiaschi that is "as absorbing as it is illuminating, and as witty as it is heartbreaking."

Maddy is a devoted stay-at-home wife and mother, host of excellent parties, giver of thoughtful gifts, and bestower of a searingly perceptive piece of advice or two. She is the cornerstone of her family, a true matriarch...until she commits suicide, leaving her husband Brady and teenage daughter Eve heartbroken and reeling, wondering what happened. How could the exuberant, exacting woman they loved disappear so abruptly, seemingly without reason, from their lives? How they can possibly continue without her? As they sift through details of her last days, trying to understand the woman they thought they knew, Brady and Eve are forced to come to terms with unsettling truths.

Maddy, however, isn’t ready to leave her family forever. Watching from beyond, she tries to find the perfect replacement for herself. Along comes Rory: pretty, caring, and spontaneous, with just the right bit of edge...but who also harbors a tragedy of her own. Will the mystery of Maddy ever come to rest? And can her family make peace with their history and begin to heal?

Editorial Review

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Excerpt

Chapter One
Madeline
I found the perfect wife for my husband. She won’t be as traditional as I was, which is good. She won’t be as intelligent either, but Brady endured twenty years of my unending intelligence. Under my tutelage he learned that kale lowers cholesterol, a little girl wanting to marry her daddy is normal, and no matter how many times you look up at the road, emailing while driving is no safer than drinking and driving. These insights were valuable at the time, but useless given our present circumstance. ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

1. Through Madeline’s past, I LIKED MY LIFE explores the day to day of stay-at-home moms. Do you feel Maddy’s experience generally represents the realities of that lifestyle? What, if anything, would have changed if they weren’t as wealthy?

2. Motherhood is a reoccurring theme throughout the book. Was there a relationship you particularly related to—Maddy/her mother; Eve/Maddy; Rory/Linda; Meg/Lucy?

3. Brady had grown up in a religious household but, over time, lost touch with those roots. Have you carried forward childhood religious traditions? Why or why not?

4. Paige and Maddy have been friends for a decade. Did you find their backstory relatable to friendships in your life?

5. Eve finds herself mourning at a tender, uncertain time of life. As part of that process, she no longer feels connected to her group of friends, or even her age group more broadly. How does her inner dialogue compare to where you were at emotionally at 16/17?

6. Eve and Brady have a contentious relationship at the beginning of the novel. What is the turning point where they soften toward each other? Does it happen at the same time for both of them?

7. Brady asserts that Maddy was the “liaison” between he and Eve. Do you feel that’s a common role mothers play between daughters and fathers? How does that compare to your childhood?

8. Do you feel the book would have worked if Madeline had died at the hands of a more common tragedy, like cancer or a car accident? Why or why not?

9. Many themes are touched on in this novel: motherhood, family roles, marriage, mourning. Which most resonated with you?

10. In the end, Brady does not end up with Rory. How did you feel about that?

11. Brady and Eve both grieved very differently. How much do you think one’s age impacts how they mourn? Gender?

12. The story ends with a snippet into Eve’s life at 27. Was she where you would have imagined her?

13. Both Eve and Brady go to a therapist. Do you think that helped? How and when do you see therapy as a positive tool?

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