The Things We Do for Love: A Novel

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars | 17,966 ratings

Price: 21.88

Last update: 12-20-2024


About this item

Years of trying unsuccessfully to conceive a child have broken more than Angie DeSaria’s heart. Following a painful divorce, she moves back to her small Pacific Northwest hometown and takes over management of her family’s restaurant. In West End, where life rises and falls like the tides, Angie’s fortunes will drastically change yet again when she meets and befriends a troubled young woman.

Angie hires Lauren Ribido because she sees something special in the seventeen-year-old. They quickly form a deep bond, and when Lauren is abandoned by her mother, Angie offers the girl a place to stay. But nothing could have prepared Angie for the far-reaching repercussions of this act of kindness. Together, these two women - one who longs for a child and the other who longs for a mother’s love - will be tested in ways that neither could have imagined.


Top reviews from the United States

  • NY Book Blog
    5.0 out of 5 stars A generous, heartwarming story about friendship, family, love, and trust.
    Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2018
    A stand alone novel written Kristin Hannah and published in 2004, and it's currently on Amazon Kindle Store bestseller list.

    “There is no us, Angie,” The gentle way he said it broke her heart. This vibrant poignancy washes through this book.

    So it's no wonder that it's heart wrenching when Angela ‘Angie’ Malone’s 14-year old marriage ends (on page 14) to Conlan, a Seattle Times journalist. Angie leaves her job and returns to her childhood home to West End (a small town 120 miles from Seattle).

    "As always, Mama smelled of thyme, Tabu perfume, and Aqua Net hair spray. The scents of Angie’s youth."

    Here is where her close-knit DeSaria family lives going on 40 years, owns an Italian trattoria, her sisters’ marriages flourish, and where she must come to terms with life without a baby and without a husband. Months before she lost her daughter on five days old. The grief and desire to be a mother, ripped a hole in Angie and engulfed her marriage.

    In a flash, the reader is transported to the Pacific West Coast, into a corner Victorian house that is well-cared for and where love (and food) abound. Hannah paints the fine details, from the crucifix on the wall, to the murmur of the dinner prayers, to the scents that pervade the air. Not to be outdone though are the family dynamics, the love, devotion, exasperation felt and the parsing of character idiosyncrasies are, for the most part, realistically woven. With the recent death of her father, there’s tincture of poignant sadness, if not longing for the past, peppered here and there. Throughout the book, it is evident that this is where the author shines (to an extreme).

    The old adage ‘You can’t go home’ is tested, torqued, and explored when Angie decides to help out in the family run restaurant that might have to close if they can’t get in step with the times. Instead of moving in with her mother, Angie opts to stay in the beachfront cottage built by her dad. “…it was wild here. Primitive. The ocean roared… The property was covered by fallen pine needles and oversized ferns.”

    With complex stories, come complex journeys so enter Lauren Ribido, the other heroine of TTWDFL. A senior who attends a private, exclusive catholic school on scholarship and has the brains and determination to make it into Stanford, in hopes of becoming a journalist. The only thing missing from Lauren’s life is a stable parent. The only child of a woman who became pregnant at 17, Lauren’s mom is a dysfunctional parent. An alcoholic, hair dresser, who’s been married a few times, and is emotionally unavailable for Lauren. It’s here where a few times, I felt pulled out of the story, questioning the plausibility of this ‘perfect’ teenager and some details (even if the story was published in 2004) as well as Lauren’s self-talk, which didn’t seem authentic. But not enough to put aside the book.

    Lauren and Angie meet by accident, then again and they connect. Angie feels drawn to the girl, obviously in need. She offers her a job at the restaurant, much to the chagrin of Mrs. DiSaria.

    The main story line is Lauren has a great boyfriend, David Haynes also a senior who attends Fircrest Academy : smart, sweet, caring, athletic, present, and all it takes is one oversight to change the course of a person’s life. Lauren becomes pregnant. A huge situation that impacts not only Lauren and David but of course, Angie is there to help. Except Angie’s been through assisting a teenager girl pregnant and in need. The last time, the young lady (who had been given a place in Angie’s heart and household) who was going to let Conlan and Angie adopt her baby, decided in the end, she couldn’t.

    This time, it’ll be different, Angie tells herself, her family, and eventually when she reconnects with her ex-husband. But can it?

    Sorry, no spoilers this time around except to say that based on Angie's and Lauren's arc the ending fits the story and it's emotionally gratifying. So for reveal, if you’d like to find out, grab this book and prepare to be delighted.

    4.5 Stars (Rounded Up)
    This reviewer enjoyed this story immensely. If you’re a reader who gets into layered family drama where there’s lots of love, a few laughs, and hard work, and in the end, it’s the deeply sewn ties that bind, then The Things We Do For Love will surely please.
  • S. Hankemeier
    4.0 out of 5 stars Heartwarming - Filled with love and struggle
    Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2024
    This book was certainly hard to read , at times. Its hard to see what some people have to live with, or without. To live without love, or security. But the strong find a way to survive. That's what this book is about , survival. And how when you least expect it, someone can come into your life and show you what love really looks like. This book kept me reading and interested. But like so many of Kristins' books, its hard to see these parts of life . you know you will have a good ending though.
  • Sondra Ford
    5.0 out of 5 stars Truly Beautiful
    Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2024
    Could not put this book down! A wonderful story about a mother's love and the courage to show that love will prevail. Thank you, Ms.Hannah for another amazing story.
  • Mommalin
    5.0 out of 5 stars loved it.
    Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2024
    I’m a big Kristin Hannah fan and this book did not disappoint. It held my attention and I couldn’t wait to read more. Highly recommend.
  • RK
    5.0 out of 5 stars Heartbreaking and heartwarming
    Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2024
    Great story with wonderful characters. Very relatable and real people. Loved it, couldn’t put it down. Finished in 2 days
  • Maryann Miller
    4.0 out of 5 stars An Enjoyable Read
    Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2023
    The two central characters in this easy to read story are 38 year old Angie, who never wanted to work at the family restaurant, but after a divorce has come home and ends up taking a role in the business. Then there's Lauren, a high-school senior, about to graduate and go on to college, except...

    The way their lives intertwine is predictable at time, and others refreshingly surprising. They both have to find their footing after devastating emotional blows, and the way they help each other is endearing.

    I liked Angie's large Italian family, especially Mama, who talks to her dead husband and nurtures her daughters.

    While so pleasant to read for the great descriptions and character development, some of the scenes were a bit too sweet and not realistic in terms of what characters would do.

    This is a good read for those who want a story with characters who face into their difficulties and come out stronger at the end.
  • DP
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing
    Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2024
    Angie DeSaria imagined a life for herself with a loving husband and children. She married her high school sweetheart Conlan. Things didn't work out as planned and they divorced. She returned to her hometown to help her family restaurant after her fathers death. She meets a young 17 year old girl down on her luck and reaches out to help. Their lives become intwined and they form a very strong bond. Conlan comes back into Angie's life as well. This is a great story that I could not put down. Kristin Hannah is a spectacular author and writes such heartwarming and/or heartbreaking stories. I am a historical romance reader but I do love a Kristin Hannah book every once in a while as they are always awesome. Just amazing!!
  • Jazzyj
    3.0 out of 5 stars least favorite KH book
    Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2024
    The book is sweet but I’m used to KH’s tear jerking books and this didn’t hit the same way. I always enjoy that her books are not as predictable and this book applies, but still not what I was anticipating.

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