The Jetsetters: A Novel
Written by Amanda Eyre Ward
Narrated by Therese Plummer
3.5/5
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About this audiobook
A Reese's Book Club x Hello Sunshine Book Pick
When 70-year-old Charlotte Perkins submits a sexy essay to the "Become a Jetsetter" contest, she dreams of reuniting her estranged children: Lee, an almost-famous actress; Cord, a handsome Manhattan venture capitalist who can't seem to find a bride; and Regan, a harried mother who took it all wrong when Charlotte bought her a Weight Watchers gift certificate for her birthday. Charlotte yearns for the years when her children were young and she was a single mother who meant everything to them.
When she wins the cruise, the family packs all their baggage—literal and figurative—and spends 10 days traveling from sun-drenched Athens through glorious Rome to tapas-laden Barcelona on an over-the-top cruise ship, the Splendido Marveloso. As lovers new and old join the adventure, long-buried secrets are revealed, and the Perkins family is forced to confront the defining choices in their lives.
Can four lost adults find the peace they've been seeking by reconciling their childhood aches and coming back to each other? In the vein of The Nest and The Vacationers, Ward has created a delicious and intelligent novel about the courage it takes to reveal our true selves, the pleasures and perils of family, and how we navigate the seas of adulthood to cruise—we can only hope—toward joy.
Editor's Note
Reese Witherspoon pick…
This big-hearted family tale is Reese Witherspoon’s book club pick for March 2020. “I love the sense of adventure in this story — it’s about a disconnected family that reunites on a cruise ship traveling through Europe. If you’re packing for Spring Break, be sure to include a copy of this fun read,” Witherspoon wrote in the announcement post.
Amanda Eyre Ward
Amanda Eyre Ward was born in New York City, and graduated from Williams College and the University of Montana. Her short stories have been published in various literary reviews and magazines. She is the author of the critically acclaimed and award-winning novel ‘Sleep Towards Heaven’ and ‘How to be Lost’, and was named by the New York Post as one of five Writers to Watch in 2003. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband, geologist Tip Meckel.
Reviews for The Jetsetters
542 ratings21 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Not what I needed at this moment, but good. Reality at its finest.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I read this because it was a Reese Book Club pick, but I don't understand the hype. I didn't care for any of the characters. Charlotte, the mother of the group, was a 70+ woman longing for some eroticism in her life. She dreams of sex. Lee, the eldest daughter, is an unsuccessful actress, longing for love and success. Cord, the brother, can't admit to his family that he is gay and an alcoholic. Regan, the youngest daughter, is a woman in a loveless marriage. All of these people are damaged. They take a cruise that their mother supposedly won in a contest. The funniest parts of this novel are when the author describes the things that happen on cruise ships and on the designated tours of the areas. As someone who has taken multiple cruises, I can relate! #TheJetsetters #AmandaEyreWard
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This wasn't the greatest read in my opinion but the story line moved quickly and the characters were interesting. I feel like the plot fell flat quickly at the end. I gave it 4 stars because it kept me interested enough to read it in a couple days and finished it.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Loved it but didn’t love the ending… Wish there would have been more of a “happier ending.”
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Light reading. Ideal for vacation. Maybe it will turn up as a nice tv series.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5The narration was good but the story was sadly disappointing. It felt like the characters didn't learn anything or develop and the ending was way too abrupt.