I Was Told it Would Get Easier
By: Abbi Waxman
Published Year: 2020
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 352
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion.
Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Jessica and Emily Burnstein have very different ideas of how this college tour should go.
For Emily, it’s a preview of freedom, exploring the possibility of her new and more exciting future. Not that she’s sure she even wants to go to college, but let’s ignore that for now. And maybe the other kids on the tour will like her more than the ones at school. . . . They have to, right?
For Jessica, it’s a chance to bond with the daughter she seems to have lost. They used to be so close, but then Goldfish crackers and Play-Doh were no longer enough of a draw. She isn’t even sure if Emily likes her anymore. To be honest, Jessica isn’t sure she likes herself.
Together with a dozen strangers–and two familiar enemies–Jessica and Emily travel the East Coast, meeting up with family and old friends along the way. Surprises and secrets threaten their relationship and, in the end, change it forever.
First Impressions
I have read two of Waxman’s prior novels and loved both of them. She writes families and friendships very well and I was excited to check this one out. I love the color of the cover and it would’ve caught my eye, but I’m not crazy about the cartoon drawings of the mother and daughter.
What I thought
This was such a delightful book!
Jessica is a single mother to daughter 16 year old Emily. This story follows the mother-daughter duo as they take a week long tour of colleges along the East Coast. This tour is through a company and occurs with a handful of other parents and their children. Right before leaving for the tour, Jessica threatens to quit her job because of sexism in the workplace and something happens to Emily at school. The tour is a chance to get away from their problems at home and reconnect while also looking forward to the future.
The first chapter of the book with Jessica’s boss made me so angry I thought I wouldn’t be able to continue with the book. Luckily, I figured he wouldn’t be a huge part of the book because it would focus on Jessica and Emily on their tour, so it didn’t really matter. But if you feel that same way, just ignore it and continue.
I loved how the book alternated between Jessica and Emily’s perspectives and often showed their views of the same moments. It was wonderful to see how a 16 year old interpreted a moment versus how a 45 year old would. I also really appreciated how Emily would sometimes say something snarky and in her head she would then ask herself why she was picking a fight with her mom. It rang so true to me and I haven’t read a book like that before.
This is such a great mother-daughter story and also a story of a teenager coming of age. I think this is one of those rare books that spans generations. Emily’s view point and chapters could easily appeal to the YA world and give younger readers insight into how their parents are viewing the moment. Jessica’s chapters could appeal to the moms who are frustrated with their teenage daughters and at a loss as to how to navigate the world of college.
The idea of this college tour also fascinated me. They tour 10 colleges, and very difficult to get into colleges, over the course of 7 days. This seemed so overwhelming to me. I also had no idea that there were companies who did things like this, as I have never met someone who has been on one.
Waxman has solidified herself as a must-read author for me. She continue to write books that are unique but easy to connect to. I love that all of her novels are different from one another and I can’t think of a book similar to this one. Her writing is fresh and easy and I am already looking forward to what she writes next.
I honestly want to recommend this book to everyone. I think that almost everybody will find something to connect with in it. It was a quick read too! I felt like I had just started it and all of a sudden it was over. I would love to reconnect with these characters and I love the light-hearted way that Waxman tackles serious issues. Love love love.