All the Lonely People

by Jess Riley

Overview

Perfect for fans of Tina Fey, Jennifer Weiner, Nick Hornby, and Jen Lancaster, this wry, touching novel from the author of DRIVING SIDEWAYS follows a cast of five endearing misfits who form a family of choice to try and make sense of their families of origin.
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"WANTED: a whole new family to share holidays with. Please have a good heart and be a thoughtful, polite person. No sociopaths, no pedophiles, no fans of the Kardashians. We're not weirdos, I promise. I love old Steve Martin movies, new Steve Martin banjo tunes, Indian food, and reruns of Bob Ross painting happy little trees. So if you're looking for something other than the typical family dysfunction this Christmas, drop us a line."

After losing her beloved mother to cancer, 37-year-old Jaime Collins must confront the ugly fact that she and her siblings don't actually like one another. At all. Fueled by grief and an epic argument at Thanksgiving dinner, Jaime decides to divorce her siblings and posts an ad on Craigslist for a new family with whom to share Christmas dinner.

What happens next is a heartwarming, funny, and surprising journey to forgiveness and healing. Is blood really thicker than water? And how far do we have to go to find our way back home again?

Dedicated to anyone who has ever wanted to unfriend a relative on Facebook, ALL THE LONELY PEOPLE is about family: those you make ... and those you make peace with.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940015987768
Publisher:	Jessica Riley
Publication date:	01/30/2013
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	274
File size:	622 KB

About the Author

Wisconsin native Jess Riley spent much of her childhood being punished for lying and passing notes during class, both of which qualified her for a future as a novelist. She won her first short story contest in high school for a tale told through the point of view of a seven-year-old black boy living in Cabrini Green because as a middle-class white teenager, she knew a lot about that kind of life.

Jess has been a waitress, a blue cheese packager, and a grant writer. She worked at a toy store during the Tickle Me Elmo craze and lived to tell about it. She's also worked at a medium-security men's prison, which was much less stressful. She shares a drafty old house in Oshkosh, Wisconsin with her husband and a neurotic dog that despises public radio.

Her debut novel, DRIVING SIDEWAYS, was released by Random House in 2008. Selected as a Target Breakout Book, it returned to press four times within three months of release. Jess drank lots of wine to celebrate. ALL THE LONELY PEOPLE is her second novel. For more about Jess and her books, visit jessriley.com or find her on Facebook: facebook.com/jessrileywrites.

Editorial Reviews

"If your family is perfect and you've never felt lonely, or lost someone, or feared losing someone, or loved someone too much, or not enough ... if your heart is made of stone and you have no sense of humor ... well, even then you might love this book. All the Lonely People is a gorgeous, deep, layered, nuanced, hilarious and fabulously written novel that will suck you in and hold you hostage to the very last page ... and you'll be grateful it did."

(Author of Falling Under) - Danielle Younge-Ullman

"For every person who wishes they could choose their family, All the Lonely People is a perfect blend of heart and humor. Packed with quirky characters and honest emotions, you won't be able to put this book down until the last page."

(Author of Unraveling Isobel) - Eileen Cook

"Riley displays the same gift for creating realistic characters and laugh-out-loud moments as she did in Driving Sideways (2008). Women's-fiction fans and those who love to compare their own dysfunctional families will get a big kick out of this novel."

Booklist - Rebecca Vnuk