“Franny, half asleep on top of the bedspread beside her husband, was unable to map out all the ways the future would unravel without the moorings of the past”.

An uninvited guest shows up a christening party bearing a bottle of gin as an eccentric gift for the new parents.  The alcohol gets the party started and it ends with illicit kisses between the mother and the uninvited guest.  These electric kisses start a spiral that leads to divorce and blends two families for years to come.

When one of the daughters ends up in a relationship with a successful author, their story is told in a book exposing secrets, drama and past mistakes.  As they come to terms with loss, guilt and their own situations, they also reflect on the bonds and goodness that has come from their lives – and which might not have happened if that kiss been the spark that impacted their lives.

This is an easy read (although for me, it was an easy listen during my commutes).  It is entertaining and thought provoking.  The reader quickly becomes enmeshed in the drama and experiences of the families.  I found this book to be a bit of a palate cleanser.

The Commonwealth  was the second book by Ann Patchett that i have enjoyed.  The first book was State of Wonder which I read before I started blogging and I am looking forward to reading Bel Canto which has been on my TBR list for a long time.