No Happy Endings

Author and podcaster Nora McInerny narrates this story of finding something new and unexpected in the aftermath of great loss. Her second memoir focuses on the reverberations of three deaths over a short time period. First, she loses a baby to miscarriage, and then both her father and her young husband die of cancer. McInerny's narration captivates the listener with its depth of emotion. One cannot help but empathize with McInerny's story, which is full of wry humor, profound sadness, and hesitant hope. Hearing the author's own voice, one keenly feels the depth of McInerny's struggles with raising a toddler on her own, grief over what could have been, and guilt over finding new love. A beautifully written and performed tribute to life after loss. A.L.S.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award � AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine

A memoir of finding a new way forward following significant misfortune.In The Hot Young Widow's Club (2019), her recent TED book, McInerny (It's Okay to Laugh: (Crying Is Cool Too), 2017, etc.) told the story of her life after she suffered three tragedies in one year: a miscarriage and the deaths of her father and her husband, Aaron. Her latest book is a continuation of sorts, chronicling her relationship with Aaron and her new relationship with Matthew, a divorced man with two children. With both witty humor and profundity, the author addresses the harsh reality of death and the life-changing effects of her grief, especially that critical first year when every day was an anniversary of some sort that needed to be lived through as best she could. Her story is also a celebration of life, sexual desire, and learning to love what is right in front of you, regardless of how others feel or react to the situation. The author, who hosts the podcast Terrible, Thanks for Asking, openly shares her fears about potentially losing Aaron's extended family as members of her own, the difficulties and triumphs of blending Matthew's family with hers, and the gratefulness she has felt about having two different relationships with two extraordinary men. Additionally, within this tragic love story are minor themes of feminism, sexism, and religion. McInerny's best friends and their unwavering support through all the ups and downs are also significant factors in this perceptive tale. The author's love for both Aaron and Matthew is consistently apparent but, refreshingly, never maudlin. McInerny delivers a highly emotional--but not overly somber--story that will appeal to anyone who has suffered a significant loss and is seeking a path toward life's next chapter.Reflective and tender writing on finding new meanings and a different life after heartbreaking loss.

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