Christina Baker Kline
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© Copyright 2008 Christina Baker Kline. All Rights Reserved.
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The Way Life Should Be
Christina Baker Kline
Christina Baker Kline
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Angela Russo finds herself in Maine thanks to sailing
instructor, an impulse, and an idea that in Maine,
people live "the way life should be." But reality on
Mount Desert Island is not what she expected. Far
from everything familiar, Angela begins to rebuild her
life from the ground up. Relying on the flair for Italian
cooking she inherited from her grandmother, she
begins to discover the pleasures and secrets of her
new small community -- and to connect her heritage to
a future she is only beginning to envision.
Praise for Christina Baker Kline and
The Way Life Should Be
"Angela Russo is the classic New York refugee: a
perpetual "single girl" whose job in life has hit the
dead end without a cul-de-sac. Fleeing to Maine on
the strength of an ideal, Angela realizes that changing
her surroundings has brought her face-to-face with
her own worst enemy: herself. In THE WAY LIFE
SHOULD BE, Christina Baker Kline proves to us once
again that she is not only a deft and snappy writer,
but a true cartographer of the human heart."
-- JACQUELYN MITCHARD, author of The Deep End
of the Ocean and Still Summer
instructor, an impulse, and an idea that in Maine,
people live "the way life should be." But reality on
Mount Desert Island is not what she expected. Far
from everything familiar, Angela begins to rebuild her
life from the ground up. Relying on the flair for Italian
cooking she inherited from her grandmother, she
begins to discover the pleasures and secrets of her
new small community -- and to connect her heritage to
a future she is only beginning to envision.
Praise for Christina Baker Kline and
The Way Life Should Be
"Angela Russo is the classic New York refugee: a
perpetual "single girl" whose job in life has hit the
dead end without a cul-de-sac. Fleeing to Maine on
the strength of an ideal, Angela realizes that changing
her surroundings has brought her face-to-face with
her own worst enemy: herself. In THE WAY LIFE
SHOULD BE, Christina Baker Kline proves to us once
again that she is not only a deft and snappy writer,
but a true cartographer of the human heart."
-- JACQUELYN MITCHARD, author of The Deep End
of the Ocean and Still Summer
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"Christina Baker Kline has written a charming novel full
of great tips about cooking, loving, and taking risks in
the world. THE WAY LIFE SHOULD BE is a story about
the way life really can be, with a little bit of luck and just
the right seasoning."
-- DANI SHAPIRO, author of Black and White and
Family History
"Christina Baker Kline can sum up a setting, a person, a
room with a few, often funny, well-chosen details in a
way that make this book sing."
-- MARTHA TODD DUDMAN, author of Augusta, Gone
"Kline has a perfect sense of character and timing, and
her vivid digressions on food add sugar and spice."
-- Publishers Weekly
"Sardonic and self-deprecating humor ... Seen through [the narrator] Angela's eyes, what could have been stock
characters on the road to self-discovery...turn out to be real people with pasts of their own. Hurtling into a new life
after a career-ending event-planning disaster, Angela observes her own behavior critically, surprised at how she is able
to throw caution to the wind. As winter approaches on Mount Desert Island, Angela's passion for cooking is
reawakened, and she begins to believe in the gift (il regalo) her grandmother told her she had. Recommended."
-- Library Journal
“She nails it. From the Impressionist view of land and sea from atop Cadillac Mountain on a foggy day, to the librarian
who takes such an interest in one’s reading habits that it borders on invasion of privacy, Christina Baker Kline’s third
novel, THE WAY LIFE SHOULD BE, paints Mount Desert Island with such accurate detail that some of us might wonder if
we sat for the portrait.... This novel, replete with witty repartee, is about family, about food, about sense of place. on
Maine’s state slogan – “The Way Life Should Be.” She turns it upside down, reading it as an existential question: what
is the way life should be? The answer, of course, is one that each of us must puzzle out for ourselves. But in the telling
of her tale of one woman’s wrestling with this central concern, Christina Baker Kline provides a roadmap for us all.”
-- Mount Desert Islander
"Christina Baker Kline writes as if she’s sitting next to you telling you about the adventures of her friends. Empathy,
sympathy, romance and humor, mixed with Italian recipes, makes for a fast, fun read with something left over for later. A
torta al Limone sounds like the perfect recipe for dessert. The only thing that would have made this book any better
would have been to have the tart to eat while reading it. Now, that is THE WAY LIFE SHOULD BE. Armchair Interviews
says: Like the title, this is the way storytelling 'should be.'"
-- Armchair Interviews (www.armchairinterviews.com)
"THE WAY LIFE SHOULD BE is a beautiful story. Angela is a warm, vibrant character who faces some heartbreak,
happiness, and a chance for that sought-after 'happily ever after,' but not necessarily in the manner she has calculated.
THE WAY LIFE SHOULD BE is definitely a story for the 'keeper' shelf."
-- RoundtableReviews.com
“Christina Baker Kline has woven a charming, heart-warming story about life’s lessons, which we learn as we take risks
or take that leap of faith. The main character, Angela, is a delight. Yes, she makes mistakes -- sometimes big mistakes,
but her courage and determination will keep you turning the pages. The secondary characters have just enough spice
to grab your attention. (Have you ever wondered why so many interesting people end up in small towns?) Angela’s
cooking will make your mouth water, and thank heavens the last chapter is dedicated to those tantalizing recipes. I
highly recommend you find a cozy chair, turn the light on, and enjoy THE WAY LIFE SHOULD BE.”
-- RomRevToday.com