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This Has Been Absolutely Lovely cover art

This Has Been Absolutely Lovely

By: Jessica Dettmann
Narrated by: Michala Banas
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Publisher's Summary

Family is forever, and there's nothing you can do about it.

The charming, hilarious and all-too-relatable new novel from the author of How to be Second Best

'Dettmann nails the funny, sad and bizarre nuances of family life in this gripping novel that will appeal to fans of Liane Moriarty, Jojo Moyes and Marian Keyes' Sally Hepworth

Molly's a millennial home organiser about to have her first baby. Obviously her mum, Annie, will help with the childcare. Everyone else's parents are doing it.

But Annie's dreams of music stardom have been on hold for thirty-five years, paused by childbirth then buried under her responsibilities as a mother, wage earner, wife, and only child of ailing parents. Finally, she can taste freedom.

As Molly and her siblings gather in the close quarters of the family home over one fraught summer, shocking revelations come to light. Everyone is forced to confront the question of what it means to be a family.

This Has Been Absolutely Lovely is a story about growing up and giving in, of parents and children, of hope and failure, of bravery and defied expectation, and whether it is ever too late to try again.

'A pure joy to read from the first page to the last - lots of heart and emotion, but with a perfect amount of humour. My only complaint is that I didn't write it myself!' Rachael Johns

'Hilarious, poignant, and a genuine page-turner. Dettmann's tone is addictively dry and often laugh-out-loud funny, but the family drama that unfolds is a proper yarn, with lovely dramatic twists and gorgeous revelations and resolutions.' Tim Minchin

'Witty, warm, sharp and sincere. An absolutely lovely read.' Book'd Out

'Compelling and utterly charming ... A joyful, laugh-drenched, tear-soaked page-turner' Ben Elton

'Brilliantly observed, Jessica Dettmann's portrayal of messy, modern family life is packed with delicious humour and balanced with moments of real poignancy. Her knack for writing sharp, witty dialogue makes for a hugely entertaining read. I adored it.' Joanna Nell

©2021 Jessica Dettmann (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers LLC

What listeners say about This Has Been Absolutely Lovely

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Fantastic narration, lovely characters

I really enjoyed this gentle book about a complex extended family. The narration by Michala Banas was fantastic, especially her take on the male characters

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Absolutely wonderful

Loved every minute of this clever, funny, thought provoking book. The narration was outstandingly good too.

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Lovely read

Loved this story. Very Australian but also relatable to anyone. Characters very well rounded and real. Beautifully read, nice pace and emotion. Loved it.

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    4 out of 5 stars

Loved it!!!

This was a great listen. A lot of it resonated with my experience as a mother. A very well written book that has made quite an impact.

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Hard to put down

Another brilliant book by Jess. I honestly listened to it in 2 days. In the car, at work and in bed whilst I should have been parenting. A wise and engaging tale of so many true aspects of life. A story that makes us and our families all relatively normal. Loved every word of it.

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Funny, vibrant and relatable. This is a real favourite of mine!

I really enjoyed this book. I could see myself and my family in so many of the family quirks and how they related to each other. This is an absolute laugh out loud book. Well done!

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Lots to offer

Loved this
The story
The characters
And the narration
All great.
Needed something like this to take my mind off things

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.