A generational family comedy for fans of Eligible, This Is Where I Leave You, Heartburn and television’s This Is Us
It isn’t easy being related to a feminist icon, especially when she’s celebrating the greatest moment of her storied career.
Just ask the daughters of Lydia Hennessey, who could have it all if only they’d stop self-destructing. Mariana, the eldest, is on the verge of throwing away a distinguished reputation in journalism, along with her marriage. Nina, the middle daughter, has returned from a medical mission overseas as a changed woman but won’t discuss it with anyone. And Beata, the youngest, has a hostile teenaged son who just discovered the existence of a father who didn’t know about him either. Meanwhile, their cousin Zoe is making divorce look like a death match, while her brother, Zack, is grappling with the fallout from his popular television dramedy, which is based far too closely on Lydia herself.
It might be easier to find their paths if they could step out of Lydia’s shadow—but the biggest women’s march in history is underway, and Lydia and her family are at the centre of it.
Over the course of an eventful year, the Hennessey children contend with the big struggles of midlife: aging parents, raging teens, crumbling marriages and bodies, new loves and the choice between playing it safe or taking life-altering risks. And as they inch toward a new definition of happiness, they might even persuade their parents—and themselves—that they’re all grown up.
Genre: General Fiction
It isn’t easy being related to a feminist icon, especially when she’s celebrating the greatest moment of her storied career.
Just ask the daughters of Lydia Hennessey, who could have it all if only they’d stop self-destructing. Mariana, the eldest, is on the verge of throwing away a distinguished reputation in journalism, along with her marriage. Nina, the middle daughter, has returned from a medical mission overseas as a changed woman but won’t discuss it with anyone. And Beata, the youngest, has a hostile teenaged son who just discovered the existence of a father who didn’t know about him either. Meanwhile, their cousin Zoe is making divorce look like a death match, while her brother, Zack, is grappling with the fallout from his popular television dramedy, which is based far too closely on Lydia herself.
It might be easier to find their paths if they could step out of Lydia’s shadow—but the biggest women’s march in history is underway, and Lydia and her family are at the centre of it.
Over the course of an eventful year, the Hennessey children contend with the big struggles of midlife: aging parents, raging teens, crumbling marriages and bodies, new loves and the choice between playing it safe or taking life-altering risks. And as they inch toward a new definition of happiness, they might even persuade their parents—and themselves—that they’re all grown up.
Genre: General Fiction
Praise for this book
"With Better Luck Next Time, Kate Hilton has crafted a novel that will make you belly laugh, tug at your heartstrings, and fall in love with the Hennessey-Goldstein families. Full of charm and depth, I loved this quirky family saga!" - Karma Brown
"Kate Hilton achieves the difficult feat of making us empathize with a flawed heroine whose willful reluctance to draw boundaries around a demanding job puts her most important relationships at risk. Keenly-observed, insightful, and punctuated with brilliant, revealing moments of dark humour, this novel is impossible to put down." - Janie Chang
"A witty, thoughtful and layered tale of families, friends, and lovers, and the emotional landscape they all share. Kate Hilton leads us through a masterclass on the dynamics of the relationships we choose, and those we're born into. It's messy and wise, heartbreaking and heartwarming, and above all, utterly captivating." - Terry Fallis
"Compulsively readable and very, very funny, Kate Hilton's Better Luck Next Time is that rare novel that manages to capture the extraordinary in everyday life. I cheered on the Goldstein-Hennessy clan, even as I laughed and cried at their mishaps. A heartfelt, delicious read, one not to be missed!" - Uzma Jalaluddin
"As with all intelligent comedy, Kate Hilton's Better Luck Next Time has a broken heart and a rising sense of panic just below the surface of what's funny. Hilarious and poignant, you'll want to be best friends with the entire Hennessy family." - Roz Nay
"I loved returning to the Goldstein-Hennesseys after a long day. The wry, funny, and relatable family drama is a delicious comfort not unlike binging on your favourite show. It is exactly what we need right now. Pour yourself a glass of wine, run the bath, and enjoy this terrific book!" - Laurie Petrou
"Better Luck Next Time is a hilarious, captivating novel for fans of Where'd You Go, Bernadette and The Nest. If you've ever been part of a family, or wished perhaps you weren't, you'll adore this tender, wise novel about the ways that love imprisons and liberates?" - Elizabeth Renzetti
"Kate Hilton's latest, Better Luck Next Time, is a hilarious, astute, and wonderfully heartwarming tale of a family juggling the complexities of divorce, independence, love, and loss. It's relatable, relevant, and emotionally resonant -- altogether a gem of a book. I loved it!" - Jennifer Robson
"Kate Hilton's writing reminds me of Nora Ephron's work: it's laugh-out-loud funny, with startling observations about life, love, family and reinvention at any age. Witty, poignant, and deeply observant, I loved every moment I spent with Hilton's latest novel!" - Marissa Stapley
"Hilton's voice shines in this highly relatable exploration of women's resilience in the face of betrayal and family strife." - K A Tucker
"Kate Hilton achieves the difficult feat of making us empathize with a flawed heroine whose willful reluctance to draw boundaries around a demanding job puts her most important relationships at risk. Keenly-observed, insightful, and punctuated with brilliant, revealing moments of dark humour, this novel is impossible to put down." - Janie Chang
"A witty, thoughtful and layered tale of families, friends, and lovers, and the emotional landscape they all share. Kate Hilton leads us through a masterclass on the dynamics of the relationships we choose, and those we're born into. It's messy and wise, heartbreaking and heartwarming, and above all, utterly captivating." - Terry Fallis
"Compulsively readable and very, very funny, Kate Hilton's Better Luck Next Time is that rare novel that manages to capture the extraordinary in everyday life. I cheered on the Goldstein-Hennessy clan, even as I laughed and cried at their mishaps. A heartfelt, delicious read, one not to be missed!" - Uzma Jalaluddin
"As with all intelligent comedy, Kate Hilton's Better Luck Next Time has a broken heart and a rising sense of panic just below the surface of what's funny. Hilarious and poignant, you'll want to be best friends with the entire Hennessy family." - Roz Nay
"I loved returning to the Goldstein-Hennesseys after a long day. The wry, funny, and relatable family drama is a delicious comfort not unlike binging on your favourite show. It is exactly what we need right now. Pour yourself a glass of wine, run the bath, and enjoy this terrific book!" - Laurie Petrou
"Better Luck Next Time is a hilarious, captivating novel for fans of Where'd You Go, Bernadette and The Nest. If you've ever been part of a family, or wished perhaps you weren't, you'll adore this tender, wise novel about the ways that love imprisons and liberates?" - Elizabeth Renzetti
"Kate Hilton's latest, Better Luck Next Time, is a hilarious, astute, and wonderfully heartwarming tale of a family juggling the complexities of divorce, independence, love, and loss. It's relatable, relevant, and emotionally resonant -- altogether a gem of a book. I loved it!" - Jennifer Robson
"Kate Hilton's writing reminds me of Nora Ephron's work: it's laugh-out-loud funny, with startling observations about life, love, family and reinvention at any age. Witty, poignant, and deeply observant, I loved every moment I spent with Hilton's latest novel!" - Marissa Stapley
"Hilton's voice shines in this highly relatable exploration of women's resilience in the face of betrayal and family strife." - K A Tucker
Used availability for Kate Hilton's Better Luck Next Time