Jess Riley

Navigating family can be tricky in the extreme. We share a history and they know us intimately, which means that they also know the most effective ways to get under our skin and pick at us. And sometimes, although we are stuck with them because they are family, they are people we would never choose to have in our lives, mean and hateful and nasty. How do you create a caring family to support you when your borth family has turned out so badly? Do we need a family around us, either one of show more blood or one of our own making? Jess Riley's new novel, All the Lonely People, tackles the thorny questions of what constitutes a family, what holds us together, what tears us apart, and what we owe each other.

Opening the first Thanksgiving following Jaime's mother's death from ovarian cancer six months prior, Jaime and husband Erik are gathered with her older brother Clint, his wife and daughter, and a few other relatives when Clint lets fly one of his usual mean-spirited and hurtful comments. It all degenerates from there with Jaime completely gobsmacked and devastated by the depth of intentional nastiness and Clint completely unaware and uncaring that he is truly a bully and a jerk. But this prize of a brother isn't Jaime's only remaining family. Lucky woman has a remote, disapproving, high-achieving sister named Gwen and an estranged father who communicates with her maybe twice a year if she's lucky. Jaime and Erik have been unable to have children themselves despite their longing for a baby and Erik's family consists only of his father, who is sinking into the fog of demetia. Jaime has some wonderful close friends but they are spread out geographically and busy in their own lives. So when one of her friends makes an off the cuff joking suggestion about advertising on Craigslist for a new family for Christmas, Jaime slowly comes to the conclusion that she is going to do just that. And she does, ultimately choosing four other lonely souls to become her new family.

The new family Jaime creates, each lonely and searching for connection for a variety of different reasons, is a motley assortment of completely unique, entertaining, and surprising individuals loaded down by their own emotional baggage. She gets absorbed by their lives and situations in order to try and block out the pain of estrangement from her own family, her own severe disappointment not only over her inability to conceive but also her perception of husband Erik's response to this, and her ongoing grief at the loss of her mother. But it is also through these perfect strangers that she learns to let go of her resentment and view her biological family through clearer eyes and come to terms with who they each are, who she is, and what they all, ultimately mean to each other.

The characters here are mostly wonderful (except Clint who is a total tosser) as they grapple with some quite serious issues. They are wistful and funny, charming and devoted, supportive and eccentric. Jaime herself is good-hearted and sympathetic, even when she has trouble recognizing that she's got the best family in the world right at her side in her husband Erik. Some of the characters are more interesting and fleshed out than others but don't you always like some relatives better than others? Jaime's old friends seem to be given somewhat short shift in the story though. And the plot moves along not entirely evenly. The ending is a bit too easy, especially for anyone who has faced contentious family situations or estrangements from close relatives. I did thoroughly enjoy the little snippets of Madison that were included in the book as they brought back memories of the year we lived there. Over all, this is a humorous novel and a quick read. Anyone who has that one (or more) relative who makes you want to change your name and avoid family reunions or even just skip the Christmas dinner drama will recognize a little bit of themselves here. show less

After a long awaited kidney transplant, Leigh Fielding cannot wait to take charge of her life. It has been six years since she was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease (PKD) and she has been living under the watchful eye of her overprotective brother and his wife for far too long. Since her illness, Leigh has let her insecurities and fears rule her life but she is hoping that her new kidney will inspire more excitement and spontaneity. Leigh finally summons up the courage to take a road show more trip from Wisconsin to California where she will confront her past, learn more about her present and unknowingly meet her future. The road ahead holds more surprises and passengers than Leigh had bargained for but as she soon learns, life’s most precious moments are often the unexpected ones.

What would you do if a hitchhiker stole your purse as collateral for a ride? How would you react to the discovery of a loaded gun in your car? Would you panic if you were stuck on an abandoned road with no gas or cell phone reception in the blazing heat? These are just some of the questions Leigh must answer along her adventure-filled journey. Riley does an excellent job of crafting the intricate plotline and leaves much room for secrets and deception to unfold. Not everything and everyone are as they seem as Leigh sets off to find her estranged mother, a former flame and the family of her kidney donor.

The story is told solely through Leigh’s perspective but it does not take long to feel connected to the other characters and their personal struggles. Even the most mundane of events will arouse laughter because of the characters’ detailed idiosyncrasies and amusing interaction. However, it is ultimately their flaws that make them real and even more endearing to the reader. The friendships and relationships that grow throughout the novel are complex and yet incredibly heartwarming. There are aspects of each character that are relatable and therefore it is easy to get caught up in the storyline and to feel like a part of all the drama and excitement.

While the serious subject matter of the book has the potential to be depressing, Riley has created an uplifting novel through the use of tasteful humor and respect for those with PKD and their loved ones. You can feel the pain but at the same time, the hope, that Leigh manages to inspire. There are many humorous and touching moments throughout the book, but it is the lovable and neurotic Leigh, that will keep readers wanting more. Her self-deprecating humor and hilarious pop culture references woven throughout the book add a nice touch to the story.

Driving Sideways is a promising debut from author Jess Riley about life, love and hope in the face of hardship. It has just the right blend of adventure, wit, and charm. This book is highly recommended because after all, who wouldn’t appreciate a well-crafted, poignant and humorous road trip tale? show less

Originally published at Curled Up With a Good Book and reprinted at http://www.skrishnasbooks.com

Twenty-eight-year-old Leigh Fielding has a new chance at life thanks to Larry Resnick, a man she’s never met - or more precisely, thanks to Larry’s kidney. After five years on dialysis, Leigh is given the gift of a new kidney and a renewed sense of optimism; after all, for a long time she thought she wouldn’t see her thirtieth birthday. Inspired by Larry and his gift, Leigh does what anyone show more who has been hooked up to a machine three days a week would want to do – she gets out of her hometown of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

A road trip seems like the perfect way to start her new life. Planning out stops along the way (visiting friends Meg and Jillian, dropping in unannounced on Larry’s grandmother to thank her for his gift and find out more about him), her ultimate destination is California. There her mother disappeared to when she left Leigh, her brother, James, and their father, who killed himself about a year later. However, along the way, something unexpected happens – Leigh picks up a hitchhiker. Seventeen-year-old Denise is a runaway from her foster home, hiding from a bad boyfriend. She asks Leigh to take her along to California and Leigh, feeling daring with her new lease on life, agrees to the companionship, though she doesn’t entirely trust Denise. Together they embark on a hilarious and unforgettable journey across the country and find parts of themselves scattered along the way.

Driving Sideways is charming, insightful, and wonderfully funny. It is a story of self-discovery and loss, of hope and despair. The characters are incredibly well-written, and it is easy to sympathize with their stories. Though Leigh has had renal failure, she doesn’t dwell in this place of darkness. Instead, she is irreverent and whimsical, only wanting the chance to live. After all, the doctors told her that the new kidney isn’t a cure – it is simply a treatment that may fail in time. Leigh is careful with her new kidney, not taking any chances that might put Larry in harm’s way. Sometimes that is the hardest part of reading a novel like this, watching the protagonist head down a spiral that is certain to lead to their own destruction (I can have just one drink, I’ll be okay). The reader sees it, the other characters in the book see it, yet it happens anyways – frustrating and unpleasant to read. The fact that Leigh actually takes her sickness seriously and, while tempted, does not stray from her strict diet and healthy lifestyle is refreshing and a welcome change in novels in general.

The most appealing aspect of Driving Sideways would have to be Jess Riley’s sense of humor. The novel is witty and fun with more than a few laugh-out-loud parts. Though it is about a very long roadtrip, the narrative itself doesn’t drag butt goes quickly; Riley keeps readers interested (and amused) through the twists and turns of the roads that Leigh finds herself upon. The novel has a lot of heart and emotion, but it is never cheesy or sappy, demonstrative of Riley’s talent as a writer. She manages to touch her readers and evoke the emotions she wants them to feel without telling them to do so. It is a mark of her ability to write sympathetic and believable characters that the reader really does care about.

Driving Sideways is a winning debut novel and is a wonderful showcase of Jess Riley’s talent as an author. Whether her next book is a sequel to her first or an entirely new story, I will be first in line to see what else she can do with her impressive capacity as a writer. show less

Jess Riley....hmmm, how can I start this....She is amazing, talented and authentic, yes that is a great start! She has the ability to write great dialogue from many voices. In Mandatory Release she writes from a male voice and Riley is able to capture the spirit of this character in all his flaws, issues, deceit and rawness/realness. She also writes from a female voice that is insecure, struggling and unsure, but determined to make the best of it. So besides the great dialogue that is harsh, show more honest and completely believable, she writes characters worth reading! Put these two elements together and you have a 5 star book! Mandatory Release is about so many things; friendship, past mistakes, love, moving on and finding oneself after being lost....It is totally compelling and completely engaging! I highly recommend this read! Plus Riley is a Wisconsin author, so what else can I say....all great things like cheese, the Green Bay Packers and Riley come from WI!!!! show less