Review: Everything is Just Fine by Brett Paesel

Everything is Just Fine

by Brett Paesel

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Pages: 432

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Coach Randy is working mightily to keep it together, and not simply with his vaguely unhappy wife, distant child, and a new boss who's eliminating half the sales force. This season's soccer parents are a demanding bunch. Diane's wine-fueled group e-mails are almost unintelligible; team mom Jacqui's enthusiasm for the league verges on manic; a divorced couple can barely conceal their murderous rage at each other; and another mom is laser-focused on schooling everyone on what constitutes a healthy snack option. 

All the secrets and lies bubbling below the surface of their membrane-thin civility threaten to combust when Alejandro, a young, foreign assistant coach refuses to play by the Beverly Hills code, which is to mind your own business and don't look too deeply into anyone's soul. Especially your own. 

Kritters Thoughts:  A satirical look at suburban life and although this book takes place in Beverly Hills, this book could take in any neighborhood with a kids athletic league!  This book focuses on a soccer league with 10 year olds and their parents.  Some parents are separated, some are together, some are doing great and some not so much, but they are all thrown together as a team in a league with a coach who maybe puts a little too much value into being a soccer coach!  

Told through emails and narrative, it was an interesting reflection on the craziness of parents, families and kids.  I loved the way this book was written, that is probably why I loved it so much.  I don't have kids, but I have a full time job with email and oh the things that go through email are just as entertaining as the emails these parents send and receive.  The ups and downs that can go through email is just so fun to watch from the sidelines.  

As a fair warning, there was some sexy times and cheating and such in this book.  I could have done without half of it and would have loved the book so much more, some of the plot could have stood on its own without and seemed distracting instead of adding to the story.  I probably would have passed the book onto more people if it didn't have as much of this as it did.    


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Grand Central Publishing.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.