The Life You've Imagined

by Kristina Riggle

Are you living the life you imagined? Is there anything you’d have done differently if you could? Those are the questions asked in Kristina Riggle’s unforgettable new novel.

In high school, Cami and Anna were as close as they could be…now, years later, both have returned to their hometown to face the people they had once left behind. Anna must confront her mother, still distraught over the abandonment of her husband, and come to terms with choices she had made years before. While Cami returns home to stay with her alcoholic father, she uncovers a secret he sought to keep which could change her life and salvage her future. They reconnect with their classmate, Amy, who can’t understand why achieving the thin body and handsome man of her dreams hasn’t given her the happily-ever-after she desired.

This is a novel that digs deep and touches the heart of the issues so many women face-the quest for perfection, the hope of love, the value of family and importance of always striving for your dream.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Friendship, Family, Relationships, Adult Fiction

334 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2010

About the author

Kristina Riggle lives in West Michigan, where she writes character-driven novels about complex personal dynamics. Her debut novel, Real Life & Liars, was a Target "Breakout" pick and a "Great Lakes, Great Reads" selection by the Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association. Her latest novel, Vivian in Red, is a story of 1930s Broadway and today about a lyricist, the clouded history of his most famous song, and the woman who inspired it.

Kristina has published short stories in the Cimarron Review, Literary Mama, Espresso Fiction, and elsewhere, and is a former co-editor for fiction at Literary Mama. As well as writing, she enjoys reading, yoga, dabbling in (very) amateur musical theatre, and spending lots of time with her husband, two kids and dog.

She appreciates readers who spread the word about her books, through reviews here and around the Web at the various book retail sites!

Reviews

[Sara Strand · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story follows the lives of four women, Amy (the previously fat high school girl engaged to one of the son's of a prominent family in town), Anna (the Chicago based high powered lawyer who's come home because she was put on a bereavement leave due to the loss of her mentor only to encounter her first love, who is not-so-happily married with a daughter), Maeve (Anna's mom who runs a run-down liquor store slated for demolition but who is also chasing the ghost of her husband and Anna's father who abandoned them 20 years earlier), and Cami (who's come back home after being dumped from her boyfriend because of her compulsive gambling habit- and she's forced to live with her alcoholic father). All four women are in the town of Haven and are Cami, Anna, and Amy were previously friends when they were younger.

What I love about this story is that it's real. All four characters have their own storyline and the author jumps from character to character perfectly. You can relate to all four characters without a problem and you are rooting for them. I read this book in two days because I really couldn't put it down.

All of the characters are driven by the sentiment that every decision that you make should push you towards the life that you have always imagined for yourself. It might require a tough decision, it might require that you give up temporary happiness but it ultimately should be worth it in the end.

Will Maeve really meet up with her estranged husband? Will Anna forgive her father for leaving and her mother for pining over him all of these years later? Does Anna rekindle her relationship with Will, her first love, despite him being married? Does Cami ever stand up to her father and learn to overcome her gambling addiction? Will Amy decide to marry her fiance.....or will she leave him and take up with a new found friend, Ed?

I obviously know all of the answers to these questions, but it keeps you intrigued and you are constantly racing to the next chapter to see what is going to happen. I highly recommend this book and I am pretty excited to delve into Ms. Riggles other books. And I'm going to say that I related to each of these characters in different ways and it made me think about those in my life that are very much like these characters a little differently. It's always nice when you can gain a perspective that you otherwise might not have had.

[Maureen · Rating 2 out of 5]

A quick and easy read, but not altogether entertaining as there really isn't much to the plot. It is astory told from the points of view of four different characters, yet none of them are fully developed. Their relationships/friendships with each other are not fully explained so it's a little hard to believe that some of the things would really happen (i.e. one of the characters, who isn't really friends with one of the others, ask her to be a bridesmaid, but if the story to that point is to be believed, they don't really have much of a friendship!). There are several other things that happen that don't seem to make sense simply because the author doesn't really give you the back story (like Anna suddenly getting involved with an old boyfriend though it's never mentioned that there was still any sort of spark between them). And the story line that involves Maeve, Anna's mom, just seemed really stupid and far fetched. The ending, I suppose, was mostly disappointing because well, it just seems to end. I gave it two stars because it was a quick and easy read, and could have been so much better if the author spent more time developing her characters and making their story lines a little more plausible.

[Joyanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 3rd title I have read by the author Kristina Riggle. This tale is multi-perspective where you hear from each of the main characters: Amy, Anna, Cami and Maeve. Each of the protaganists is at a cross-roads in their lives...Amy is getting married after finally shedding the extra weight she was plagued with during her formative years...Anna is home visiting her mom after a friend is killed in a car accident and her boyfriend has left her...Cami is back home as well after her gambling addiction led her to steal from her boyfriend and he kicked her out and Maeve the mom of Anna is in the middle of being evicted from her home & business and is receiving mail from her not-so ex-husband.

I was sucked into this novel from the first words of the acknowledgements :"The Life I Imagines as a starry-eyed kid hasn't come to pass, but what I've got is even better..."

Some of my favorite quotes:

p.194 Anna's voice "You just can't save people. You can spread out the safety net, but they have to jump into it."

p. 205 Maeve's voice "Maybe I'll tell him that. He was right after all. I know he was tired of being wrong all the time. Almost as tired as I was of being right. It's no fun being right about everything going to hell."

p. 249 Amy's voice "A whisper doesn't always cut it. Sometimes you need to shout."

p.265 Maeve's voice "I step forward to hug her, and I don't feel her stiffen under my arms like she has so often. She rests her chin briefly on my shoulder, curving down to do so. It's still time-warping, feeling my daughter loom over me, when I used to hold that chubby little hand, reaching up to grasp my pinky finger."

p.315 Anna's Aunt Sally "I don't know nothing about nothing. But I do know that waiting around on someone else is no way to live."

p.320 Cami's voice "We did both keep asking my father about mom's death. We couldn't believe it after so many relatives had assured us our mother was a "fighter" and we just had to keep hoping. We did hope, Trent and me; we even prayed the way my aunt told us. And she died anyway, and we'd been so believing of those grownups, but then they didn't have answers..."\

p.321 Cami's voice "I leave them to their own trials and walk out on the summerbaked sidewalk, trying to let the sun burn dry my freshly turned grief"

p. 323 Anna's voice "I've felt this way at work, when I've won a tough battle, but both sides--the people not the lawyers--look drained and white-faced in the aftermath. Victory is not always a pleasure." & "I embrace her and let a couple of unfamilar tears fall into her hair. I'm too tall with my shoes on. I step out of them so I can be smaller again, more like the child she raised by herself. "Maybe you were the braver one for daring to hope out loud," I tell her."

This is an excellent novel. I enjoyed how the main characters' lives were separate and yet woven together as part of the larger story. The cross roads each woman faced were familiar to me. The mother-daughter relationship between Maeve and Anna resonated with me as I navigate the murky waters of this relationship with my own teenage daughter. Cami's grief over losing her mother also spoke to me. I would recommend this title to anyone who enjoys a good story that isn't just fluff.

[Shonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you living the life you’ve imagined? In Kristina Riggle’s second novel, four women ask themselves this very question. Anna is a lawyer living in Chicago. She left her small hometown of Haven as quickly as she could without looking back. She’s made a new life for herself, a life she is proud of. She’s worked hard and is up for Partner at her law firm. All this changes when her mentor and close friend, August, dies. Much to her chagrin she’s asked to take bereavement leave to cope with her grief. For all intent and purposes, her time home was only supposed to be for a little while. Funny how life can detour your plans.

Cami has also returned home. She and Anna are high school friends. The two woman part ways shortly after graduation. Cami is a tutor and recently broke up with her boyfriend. She has no place to go after he learns of her gambling addiction. Her father is an abusive alcoholic and doesn’t care much for Cami’s return home. He allows it with a condition: she must never go into his bedroom. Naturally this causes Cami to wonder what is it he is hiding from her.

Maeve is Anna’s mother. She owns the Nee Nance store and resides in the apartment above the store. She was once married to Robert, Anna’s father, and he left them when Anna was a little girl. Now, Robert is back in her life and wants a second chance. Maeve is hesitant at first, but eventually her love for Robert gets the best of her and she begins answering his letters. Fate may be kind to her this time as his plans to start over come when Maeve’s lease for the store is up. Maybe she won’t have to spend the rest of her life alone.

Amy is marrying into one of Haven’s wealthiest families. Amy feels very lucky to have met Paul. In high school she was quite overweight and none of the boys paid her any attention. Now in her mid-30s, she’s lost a lot of weight (thanks to running every morning) and is determined to stay that way. Even if it costs her her happiness.

In her second novel, Riggle examines the dreams and hopes we had growing up and in early adulthood. Each woman is at a turning point in her life and comes to face the question: is this the life that I’ve imagined? As each woman struggles with this answer, Riggle takes us back to their past to help the reader fully understand the path taken that has brought each woman to the fork in the road. Told in alternating chapters, Riggle does a fantastic job of giving each woman her own voice.

I’d admit after reading Real Life & Liars last year, I had high expectations for her follow-up novel. I’m happy to say not only was I not disappointed, it was just as good or better than I thought it would be. I must warn you though, long after the book ends, you may find yourself thinking about where you are today and the choices you’ve made that led you to this point. Some of these choices may have been good ones, and some. . . well, may have you asking for a do-over. All in all, I highly recommend this novel.

[Nely · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anna is an attorney in Chicago, she's up for partner at her firm, everything is thriving and looking up for her. But when her mentor dies she is forced to take time off from work and heads back to her hometown. Cami has also returned back home. Her and Anna were close friends in high school. She's back to live with her father - who is none-too-thrilled to have her back. She has no other place to go since her boyfriend found out of her gambling addiction and broke off their relationship. Maeve is Anna's mother. She's resided in Haven her whole life running the Nee Nance Convenience Store. Her husband Robert disappeared 20 years ago leaving her to raise Anna on her own. But with her store about to close and Robert's out-of-the-blue correspondence - she'll have to choose between the life she's lived on her own or a possible happily ever after. Amy is about to marry into one of Haven's wealthiest families. She used to be overweight while in high school but (thanks to running every morning) she has lost all that excess weight and now has the perfect body. She has the everything she's ever dreamed of, but will it be enough to keep her happy?

Told in alternating chapters between the four women. Each woman finds herself at a point in their lives where they question themselves and wonder if this is the life they've imagined. They are all happy with the lives they've led and have struggled to reach their goals yet find that although they've reached those goals in life they still are not happy. This is the main thread in The Life You've Imagined. I found myself taken in by these four women. Not only does Ms. Riggle create characters that you can easily relate to but I found a little bit of myself in each of them. Their struggles are real - one is searching for perfection, one is dealing with addiction, one is overly conscious about her weight, while one continues to wait for someone else to bring her happiness instead of taking the reins and searching for her own joy.

This story deals with friendship and family and the decisions that we make in life that lead us to wonder about the life we imagined. A very touching and sweet story.

[Laura de Leon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure if this is 3.5 or 4 stars. There was so much about the book that I liked, but the overall book had some issues.

I liked hearing the stories of each of the 4 main characters. I think that four of them was too many, both because none of the stories got the full treatment it deserved, and because that seemed like a few too many crises at the same time.

I never felt I had a grip on the problems that sent Anna home, away from the life she'd always imagined, from the potential partnership she'd been working so hard for.

As she returns home, she meets up with her former best friend, who flees from a crisis in her new life, and falls into a crisis (that's been building for years) with her father.

Anna's mother has a handful of secrets-- She's losing her home and her business due to new development turning her area upscale; she's having health problems and can't afford her medication; her husband that abandoned the family and has been missing for over 20 years is suddenly back in touch.

And so on-- this web expands to include a network of crises for her aunt, another high school friend, her high school boyfriend, his brother, and more.

Each of these stories is interesting, and is well written as far as it goes. In some cases, the problems are inter-related, and the timing is not coincidence. Others seemed forced, and like the author was trying too hard.

This may be a pet peeve, but I wish that there had been one couple with a happy, stable relationship. Even if they'd been dealing with family issues, financial issues, child issues, friendship issues, body issues (all of these are in the book somewhere), it would have been nice to have one stable marriage.

[Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

Completion update: I really liked some of the characters in this book and hated others. There was no in-between for me with this one. I wish the storyline had taken a slightly different turn: Cami could have been more developed and her story not as rushed as it ended up being; it felt that there was a layer of depth to Anna that was never explored, hinted at but not explored; Amy was just around but I'm not sure that enough was done with her character; and I was sick of Maeve and simply wanted her out of the story. A few more chapters to delve a little deeper into the eventual resolution would have suited me better than what was given.


About halfway through this one....so far, I find Maeve annoying and I'm puzzled as to how she ended up with such a classic Irish name. And when (if ever) will Anna and Maeve share with each other as mother and daughter? Or is it too late? Cami and Anna seem to have so much in common and such a great friendship in so many ways but such a horrible friendship in other ways. It's a shame because when they could really help each other, they seem to withdraw and go it alone. And then there's Amy and Frodo. How appropriate is it that her dog bears the name of the soul searcher and good vs evil fighter on an almost impossible quest? Half a book to go...

[Staci · Rating 4 out of 5]

I jumped at the chance to read this book when Jen of Devourer of Books offered this one as a Book Club selection. I can't believe that I haven't read Riggle before! Especially because she a Michigan author! I was immediately drawn into the storyline because I'm at that age where you often times sit back in a contemplative mood and wonder "what if" and "is this the life I imagined I would have?" The characters were what I loved about this book. Riggle made them human...oh, so human. I saw a little bit of myself in each of the women we're introduced to and that was the connection I needed that allowed me to totally immerse myself in their stories. The other aspect of this book that I heartily enjoyed was that Kristina placed her story in her wonderful state of Michigan. I loved seeing the names of cities that I was familiar with and the way in which she described Haven and the family convenience store really hit home with me. Recommend? Hands down...YES! This is a realistic story about women and how we try so hard to make everything perfect in our lives until we realize that we're just not happy. This is a look at four women's struggles with food, perfection, gambling, and waiting for someone to make them happy.

[Dee]

***I Won this book as part of a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway. Review to follow when the book arrives***

[Nora Martinez · Rating 3 out of 5]

El libro trata de cuatro mujeres: Anna 🙎🏻‍♀️, Maeve 👩🏻(que es la mamá de Anna), Cami 👱🏻‍♀️, y Amy👩🏼. Las tres eran amigas en la prepa pero después se dejaron de ver y hablar por años. Anna vive en Chicago 🌃 y trabaja 👩🏻‍💻en un buffet muy importante de abogados y le va súper bien hasta que se muere su mentor y se deprime 😢muchísimo. Se toma unas vacaciones en casa de su mamá Maeve, quien sigue esperando a su marido 🧔🏻 que las dejó hace 20 años. Cami se separó de su marido por que tiene problemas de apuesta 🎲🎰 y se regresa a casa de su papá 👴🏻que es un alcohólico abusador. Amy está a punto de casarse, pero sigue sin superar sus traumas de cuando era gordita. Total todas con broncas y aparte regresan (Anna y Cami) al lugar donde más traumas y broncas 🤦‍♀️ tienen. Conforme pasa el libro te deprimes cada vez más de ver las situaciones que cada una está viviendo. Anna se empieza a enamorar de su ex-novio casado y se acuesta con el 😳, su mamá está a punto de que le quiten su casa y su negocio por que no tiene dinero para pagar renta💵💵. Aparteeee quiere volver con el que la dejó hace mil años. A Cami su papá la odia y la golpea como de niña, y Amy está traumada porque su prometido le dice que pospongan la 👰🤵boda. Es de esos libros que son como muy crudos y sientes que los personajes nada más no salen del hoyo. Me gustó por que al final todas terminan resolviendo sus issues, pero después de varios trancazos.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Told from four different women's POVs.
Anna - Lawyer who comes home from Chicago to grieve and heal and figure out whether she wants to go back to the highly competitive law practice

Maeve - Anna's mom. She's been in a holding pattern for twenty years after her husband ran off. Before the book ends, she starts to create a life for herself.

Cami - Anna's friend. She's back in town after she loses so much to online gambling. Copes with her drunk and abusive father and figures out her life by the end of the story.

Amy - Marrying into one of the wealthy town families. She's worked hard to no longer be the fat girl from high school and has become obsessed with thinness. Again, there's hope for her to resolve her issues at the end of the book.

Plot line is thin at times but reads quickly.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book. I almost put it down after about 25 pages but thought I would give it the "50 page" chance. I must say that the middle of the book is better than either the beginning or the end. Even so, there were too many things happening in the book that were never fully explained and the ending seemed too rushed (like the author was up against a hard deadline and just tried to wrap things up). A couple fewer characters and about 50 more pages might have made this a better book.

[Debbie Little · Rating 3 out of 5]

A wonderful story of Maeve, a mom who is still waiting for her husband to return after so many years and many promises, Anna her daughter who is mourning her dear friend and returns home. Cami is Anna's dearest friend from high school and she has returned to their small town forced by circumstances and has to endure living with her abusive, alcoholic father. These three ladies plus others are all dealing with their own demons and each must face some important decisions in order to move forward in their lives. A heartfelt story about love, hardship, abuse, humour, and life's realities.

[Diane Secchiaroli · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book follows the lives of 4 women and the choices they made (and make). The characters were well developed and very interesting. Read the book in one sitting as I was very interested in how the characters developed. Even though there were 4 characters the story flowed right along. Will look forward to reading more of her novels.

[Angela Watts · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVED the characters!!! The had lived their lives one for the better,to make
Dreams come TRUE. Having so much FAITH AND HOPE. AND ITS kinda like the saying "YOU MAKE PLANS, AND GOD LAUGHS.". In the end , it all changed for everyone . Interesting, my favorite character was CAMI. Tough, but full of pain, no knew about. She's the ONLY one who thought ABOUT others.

[Lucy McLaurin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely honest down to earth story about strong beautiful women and his their lives are turning out; and how they learn some truths about why their lives are as they are … and how they come to some momentous decisions and change.

Beautiful and real relationships showing complexities and acceptance between them all.

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ½ stars. I think having personal familiarity with the setting of this novel made me like this book more than I otherwise might’ve. Still, I found the story easy to read and compelling enough to look forward to reading it and finding out how it would end.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy read bout the trials, tribulations, hopes, dreams and consequences of life! The story intertwines mother/daughter, friendships and interpersonal relationships. I find Kristina Riggles writing to flow and to want to keep reading.

[Rosalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice light read. A little hard to understand in parts but I enjoyed it.

[Kym · Rating 1 out of 5]

Blech.

[Paschalis]

elibrary

[Mindy Scroggins · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quick easy read . The character of Amy didn’t seem to fit with the other 3 .

[Jael · Rating 4 out of 5]

" Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Life the life you've imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler." -- Henry David Thoreau

I've read that quote several times, and I don't know if I am truly living the life I've imagined. Part of that quote plays a big part in the latest book I finished. It's taken me a while to gather my thoughts on The Life You've Imagined by Kristina Riggle. Not because it is a bad book, it is quite wonderful, but rather Kristina Riggle had me thinking about my own life.

I thought back to my college days. If I hadn't applied for an editing internship after college, where would I be right now? At the time, I wavered on that decision, thinking I might not be good enough. The internship led to a job I've had for nearly six years. What if I had gone in another direction? Any book that causes me to examine myself is alright with me.

In The Life You've Imagined, four women -- Cami, Anna, Amy and Maeve -- get the opportunity to examine themselves. Big-shot lawyer Anna Geneva has returned to the small town of Haven, Michigan, after being forced to take a bereavement leave. Her beloved mentor has died, and now she must learn to coexist again with her mother Maeve.

Maeve is pining away for her wayward husband, Robert, a man who ran off decades ago. Their long, dormant love affair is rekindled through letters, which she keeps secret from Anna. Promises of happiness in a house built on their own land, offer Maeve the chance to dream of a better life. A life where she doesn't have to live in the small apartment above her convenience store -- the Nee Nee Nance. A life where she doesn't constantly have to worry about her erratic sister-in-law Sally. But is life with the dreamer Robert, the life she imagined?

Cami Drayton, Anna's high school friend, is also reluctantly returning to Haven. Having gambled away her boyfriend's money, Cami must return to her childhood home -- and her abusive, alcoholic father. Long-buried secrets surface, secrets that robbed her of a better life.

Amy Rickart, another childhood friend of Anna's, is about to marry into the most powerful family in town. She should be happy. Amy was once the fat kid in school, but now she has blossomed. That transformation has also led Amy to become a perfectionist. The flowers, dress, cake and dress for the wedding have to be just right. Her body also has to be just right -- a body she won't even let her fiance Paul Becker to see. But does perfection truly make Amy happy?

Anna must also confront her past. She must confront the one who got away -- her high school boyfriend, William "Beck" Becker Jr. Anna gets a glimpse at what a future with Beck, who is now married, could be. But is it the one she imagined?

Everyone can relate, including men who might think this is chick lit, to the issues raised by Riggle. Everyone at some point in their life has wondered "What if?" Each character has a say, as the chapters alternate between perspectives. Sometimes that can be a problem, but not here. Anna is hardened and practical, but learns to loosen up. Cami has learned to be guarded after years with her abusive father. Maeve is worn out from financial worry, but remains hopeful. Amy wants perfection, but learns to see through the denial. The conclusion isn't all wrapped up in a bow, which I thought it might. The ending is very true to real life because life is often unpredictable, and most of all not perfect.

Rating: Superb


Notes: I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. For more information on author Kristina Riggle, visit: http://www.kristinariggle.net/index.html

[Linda Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I wasn't too impressed by this book, but as the story progressed the quirky characters drew me in. There are several subplots going on, which come to a satisfactory conclusion for the main characters, though not necessarily for those on the margins. It's also a book that, after the fact, got me thinking about issues of life, love, and happiness. I recommend.

[Colleen Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was blessed enough to receive an ARC copy of The Life You've Imagined from the author. It was so heart-felt and character-driven that I had a hard time putting it down. There is so much love, hurt and hopefulness throughout the pages that you have to simply keep reading to see where the characters will take their stories.

The book is broken up into four narratives: that of Anna, outwardly strong, slightly abrasive lawyer coming home for a visit after a close friend of hers dies; Cami, also coming home to Haven, Michigan after stealing her boyfriend's money to fuel her gambling addiction; Maeve, Anna's mother who has stayed stagnant in Haven waiting for her husband to return after a twenty year absence; and Amy, a former fat girl now skinny bride-to-be. Each character brings you into their own worries and problems while helping keep the larger narrative of their collective worlds flowing.

With each of these characters, I really think you can find a part of yourself or someone you know reflected in them. Anna has turned her back on Haven long ago for a better life but finds she cannot let loose once she comes back. Not only does she feel a need to help her mother from impending job lose and health problems but she feels an old love rekindle for her high school boyfriend. How far will she go for happiness? And can she be happy in Haven?

Cami has come home to her abusive father who torments her with his violence and his lack of interest in anything to do with her. She soon finds out that he has betrayed her far worse than a few black eyes. But what can she do to change her circumstances?

Maeve has continued to run her Nee Nance convenience store long after her husband disappeared to leave her to raise Anna all by herself. She has kept her heart open to this love of her life ever since, and when he suddenly resurfaces she must decide what the right thing to do is. And with her convenience store being ripped out from under her, how will she survive? Will she let her wayward husband back into her life for their happily ever after or will she have to pick up the pieces herself?

Amy is reveling in her new smaller self while still not believing what she sees in the mirror. She has the body she always wanted, the fiance everyone wishes they had and "friends" that used to make fun of her in school. But will all her hopes for a perfect wedding come true? What will she have to do or give up in order to find her dreams?

The connective thread between these characters, to me, is the fact that each thought they were living the life they imagined, or at least working towards that. Come to find out none of them really had what they wanted in life. Now, how can they get that?

In no way is this a happy, feel good book to me. There is so much heartache, hurt and abuse of all kinds running through it that I found myself wondering at times how the characters could put up with the mistreatment. None of them are completely happy with their lives even when they first appear to be. What this story is to me is an evaluation of how to lead yourself towards happy and how to figure out exactly what that means. When you can finally figure out what is most important to you you can begin walking down that path towards it. Great read!

[CoffeeBook Chick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Four women in Haven, Michigan find that life in a small town, whether they've just returned or have never left, can be just as tumultuous and disappointing, as it's ever been. Are they living the life they've imagined?

Maeve is the proprietor of the local convenience store and the mother of her daughter, Anna, a Chicago city lawyer. Maeve never thought that the convenience store was going to be her career, but she's been waiting twenty years for her husband to return after he left her and Anna one day with no word. Recently, she's been receiving letters from him, promising her a better future.

Anna has lost a close friend and mentor at the Chicago law firm and has been granted bereavement leave. Returning to Haven isn't easy, but she's not sure where else to go. She's always been strong, almost cold, but coming back to Haven means she might have to deal with her ex-boyfriend, the man who might be the love of her life, who she broke up with before they left for different colleges.

Cami is an old high school friend of Anna, who has recently returned back to Haven with her tail tucked between her legs after submitting to her gambling addiction and stealing money from her boyfriend and losing it all. She returns to her father's home - to a man who doesn't hold back from expressing his emotions of anger and resentment drunkenly and violently. [One nagging little gripe: My only issue with her is that she ends every statement with "yeah." So, for example: "Everything is good, yeah?" I subconsciously began tallying up how many times she ended her sentences like that.]

Amy, once overweight in high school, has now become obsessed with maintaining her successful weight loss. She's engaged to the son of the town's richest developer who happens to be planning to renovate Haven to appeal to tourists and Maeve's convenience store is one that will soon be destroyed. Amy's dream to have her perfect wedding, though, is on track. So she thinks, until the stress of wedding planning and wondering if she's making the right decisions has her doubting. Recently, she's bumped into Ed, an overweight and friendly guy who has a dog that just happens to get along with her own dog. Will the life she's imagined be what she's needing?

Ultimately, I liked this story a lot, even though each character frustrated me with Amy disappointing me completely. I cheered her on and for just a moment, I thought she had grown a backbone, but then...she didn't. With each chapter alternating between the primary characters making it a quick read, and although I wanted just a touch more from specific secondary characters, Kristina Riggle successfully exposes the lives of four women who feel like they just may have missed out on life. After a while, each character finds that there is a beauty and sadness in realizing that it may be possible that the life being lived right now isn't any better or worse than what imagination can bring.

Moral of the story? Make good choices, people. But, no matter what, never look back.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

From my book review blog, Rundpinne:[return][return]What if? A key question of The Life You’ve Imagined by Kristina Riggle as each of her characters takes a long look at their lives and ponders the ramifications of the actions they have taken thus far and the choices they have ignored. Cami Drayton has returned home to her alcoholic and verbally abusive father, severely in debt due to her gambling addiction. Maeve is Anna’s mother and harbors several secrets: her store is about to go through foreclosure and she has been in communication with her estranged husband. Her daughter, Anna, is a successful lawyer who has returned home on forced bereavement leave after the death of her friend and mentor, August. Amy Rickart is engaged to Paul Becker who happens to be brilliant, gorgeous and wealthy yet Amy may not be truly happy. She is finally thin and appears to have it all, yet her self-confidence does not quite allow the happiness that one hears comes from being thin, lovely, and with a handsome man. The Life You’ve Imagined is about four women; Cami, Anna, and Amy all went to school together and are catching up with each other while struggling with their own personal demons and Maeve, who has enough issues of her own. The story is told in first person and the chapters alternate between the four women. Riggle writes an intriguing and fast-paced story of life and how the choices we make affect where we are today. Riggle details the lives of each of the women to the point where the reader can easily identify with one, if not all of the characters. My all time favourite character was Maeve, possibly because I am closer to her age than to Cami, Anna, and Amy and my least favourite character from beginning to end is Amy, to the point that I cringed when I had to read about her. The Life You’ve Imagined is beautifully written and the characters are strong and witty and at times annoying, each sharing their joys and sorrows. If anyone has read the book, please leave a comment; I would very much like to discuss this one with someone besides my cat. I highly recommend The Life You’ve Imagined to any reader and think this would be an excellent discussion group choice.

[Laurel-Rain · Rating 4 out of 5]

The small town of Haven, in Michigan, is the kind of place some want to leave and never revisit. For Anna Geneva, an attorney in Chicago, coming home after the loss of a dear friend and mentor feels like going backwards. Her mother, Maeve, is struggling with her store, and soon Anna realizes that her old boyfriend's company is planning an urban redevelopment project that will demolish the business. Her protests to the City Council fall on deaf ears.

Reconnecting with old friends is one good outcome of returning to Haven, like with Cami Drayton, who is staying with her alcoholic father and hiding a secret addiction of her own. Can Cami find out the dark secret her father is hiding?

Then there is Amy Rickart, former overweight girl who has lost enough weight to win a fiancé, Paul Becker, one of the sons of the builder who is rehabbing the Geneva's store. Her desire for perfection seems to be governing her life, however, and some strange obsessions do not bode well for her future. Plus, her fiancé is a bit of a jerk.

When Anna sees Will again, the elder Becker son and her old boyfriend, sparks seem to reignite, but how can they possibly make anything happen between them, since he is married with a daughter?

Then, out of the blue, Maeve begins receiving letters from her long missing husband, reminding her of the lost love and the feelings she had before the abandonment that has informed her life for years. Will she respond to his requests? Can she trust him again?

Narrated in alternate chapters by each of the primary characters, "The Life You've Imagined: A Novel" is the kind of story that reminds us of how old dreams and old friendships can help us reinvent ourselves, even when nothing seems possible. A recurring theme reminds us of the quote: "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined."

Themes of starting over, reconnecting with old friends and lovers, and redefining one's life in the face of loss and adversity kept me turning pages, enjoying the characters, and wanting to know more. 4.0 stars.

[Shana Adler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh. Good enough that I felt involved with the characters and wanted to see how things would end for them. But "eh" enough that when the book was over, I was okay with that and not dying for a sequel. Each of these characters would have made a great book of their own - but mixing 4 books into one is tricky because we still need depth to each character and I didn't feel like I got that here at all. I like all 4 main characters and would happily read abook about a woman abandoned by her husband, or the child of abandonment who strives for perfection, or the overweight insecure woman engaged to a rich perfect boy, or an addicted gambler who's broke and staying by her abusive dad's house. But altogether, this book fell flat because I feel like I just met them and then the book ended.

I am happy however that Will and Anna don't end up together. Because yes they seemed rly cute together but no cheating is NOT COOL and we are never told why its not working out with Samantha, who seems perfectly nice to me, and also it would have been totally clique for the high school sweethearts to cheat and end up together after a divorce and custory battle, that wouldve killed it for me, even though I'm sad they cant even be friends anymore but at least now Anna has Cami and vice versa...hope that roommate situation works out.

Still not really sure why Anna quit her job and then moved back to Chicago right after? What changed? Now shes just looking for another lawyer job so what was the point in giving up partnership in her firm?? Thats just dumb. Not every job is majorly fulfilling and life-changing but if youre good at it and you enjoy it, thats ur job.

OH and also glad Meuve didnt end up with that Joe Shmoe. I am sad for her she waited so long for him, though I do understand why she did that.

So, in conclusion, I liked the characters and plot but it just wasn't enough for me. Not one of the author's best.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book centers around three childhood friends, one who stayed in their hometown and the other two return. The story centers mostly around Anna, who has returned from Chicago on a leave of absence from her big law firm job due to the loss of a close friend. She discovers that her mother’s store is being threatened by an upscale development. Her friend, Cami, has also been forced to return and live with her abusive father due to her own gambling addiction. Finally, Amy worked for years to drop a significant amount of weight and begins the book obsessed with staying thin and striving for perfection.

Throughout the book each woman grows in her own way, as expected in such a book. I really enjoyed reading each woman’s story, although I have to say that I didn’t LOVE all the characters. I got annoyed with some of their personal choices and found myself thinking, “Nooooo!!! Don’t doooo it!” several times throughout the book. The ending wasn’t exactly what I expected, but it made sense for the characters. A few stories were tied up too perfectly, and others were somewhat disappointing, although perhaps realistic. I think this is a good book if you need a quick beach read, but not one of my favorite stories ever.