Thank you NetGalley for this ARC! This is fun, slightly odd, read recommended for fans of Maria Semple's 'Where'd You Go Bernadette".

Daphne learns that there is more to her deceased mother's treasured yearbook after a neighbor fishes it out of the recycling. Her neighbor wants to make a documentary out of her mother's little notes and quips about her favorite students but Daphne will do anything to protect her family and their secrets.

My biggest problem with the novel - Daphne's age! If her mom was 23 in 1968, she would've been born in 1945. If Daphne was around 32, her mom would have been well into her 40's before starting a family with Daphne's dad. It would have felt more believable if her mom was a teacher for the class of 1978. Not sure if the author feels more comfortable writing for an older audience, but I can't imagine Daphne being a 32 year old Millennial.

Tip: Imagine The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel's Rachel Brosnahan as Daphne and the writing begins to read smoother!

I lovvvvved this book. So not what I expected. I laughed out loud, couldn’t keep turning pages, and found the whole thing an unexpected delight. It was a sweet, different, and a joy to read novel from one of my new favorite authors.

Daphne Maritch is going through a rough patch. She’s 31 and freshly divorced (after a whirlwind romance…and even shorter marriage). Her recently widowed father is also struggling, so, in an effort to support each other and make a fresh start, the two decide to move to New York to see what new adventures await them.

While unpacking boxes, Daphne uncovers a yearbook her late mother left to her in her will. It’s very worn, with all kinds of, hm, colorful notes written in the margins. It’s no secret that June Maritch was one of the most popular teachers at the high school where she taught many years back. In fact, this particular yearbook was even dedicated to her. But Daphne isn’t the sentimental type, so she throws it away. Unfortunately for her, it falls into the hands of her nosy neighbor (and aspiring documentary film maker) Geneva, who concludes that the yearbook is full of untapped drama and decides to further investigate June and her relationships with her former students. Drama, predictably, ensues.

This book has such an interesting premise, and I was so looking forward to reading it. Unfortunately, between the wholly unsympathetic characters and unbelievable plot twists, I had a hard time connecting with it. I wanted to be on Daphne’s side, but man-oh-man, the girl sure can whine. Even over the smallest grievances, she works herself up into an adolescent tizzy. She’s moody, quick-tempered, and lazy, and I just couldn’t get past her unfailing ability to demonstrate a complete lack of common sense in nearly every quasi-problematic situation. Her steamy, dreamy, younger neighbor, Jeremy, admittedly does provide a refreshing foil to her predictably dramatic outbursts. I enjoyed reading the back and forth between the two of them. I only wish Jeremy had a stronger presence in the story.

There are, however, two bright and shining characters who I absolutely loved: Daphne’s father and her (now deceased) mother. Her father is grounded, sweet, and relatable. And her mother. Wow, I wish the whole book had been about her. I wanted to know more of her story, even up until the end. She comes across as smart, mysterious, beguiling. I wish I could have peeled back the layers of her life more fully.

Despite my grievances with Good Riddance, I still zipped through it in no time. It’s a light and fluffy story, and even though it didn’t deliver as well as it could have, I never considered not finishing it. This is one of those books you pick up at the airport, read for a few hours on the plane, and never think about again. It’s not a life-changing book, but it’s enjoyable in its way.

3.5 stars. Good Riddance is zany, madcap chick-lit, and an enjoyable light read. The story begins when Daphne Maritch throws out her mother's yearbook from her first year of teaching, in which she has made notes about former students at every reunion for nearly 50 years. When Daphne's neighbor takes possession of the yearbook and decides she wants to make a documentary about it, all sorts of hijinks ensue.

This book was fun--I enjoyed the wry style and there were laugh-out-loud funny moments, but there were also directions the plot took that I didn't like, and things Daphne did that annoyed me. I would definitely recommend it to readers who like quirky romantic comedies, although I don't think it's the very best of the bunch.

What a fun book. I’m not sure I’ve ever read a comedic novel and I really enjoyed this. The dialogue was witty, there were heartwarming moments and while the story was a bit contrived it wasn’t ridiculous. The tone was just right, the characters were eclectic, and the book was peppered with relevant references to our current period of time. First but certainly not last time I will be reading Lipman’s work.

So glad I requested a copy of this ARC; I had totally forgotten about this author, after having read several of her books ages ago. What a welcome surprise, like reuniting with an old friend!
The storyline moved right along, the characters were engaging & I enjoyed this tale greatly. Thanks for this opportunity, Netgalley.

I had high hopes for this book, the description hooked me right away and the story took off like a shot. But about a third into it, I realized this book wasn’t for me. The protagonist is not someone I could ever root for, because her characteristics that caused her more problems (selfish entitlement, lying, etc) are never overcome or acknowledged. The plot we are presented is not the one that is in this book, it veers off into a million different things and I felt I was on a wild goose chase. The romance was forced, and there really isn’t one female relationship that is healthy. The only relationship I liked from this was the father/daughter one, their interaction is what kept me from putting this book down halfway. At the end of the day, I’m sure there is an audience for this book, but I cringed too many times to recommend it.

What initially got me interested in the book was the cover and then the description intrigued me even more. However,-- I know I'm in the minority here-- but I did not find this book all that interesting or funny and I really wanted too. I struggled to get into the writing and while I know Daphne is supposed to be kind of unlikable, I just didn't care too much about her or her life. I do think this was more of the case that the book was not for me rather than the fact that the book was bad.

Review based on ARC from Netgalley

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of this Elinor Lipman book. This is a quirky romantic comedy, or maybe journey of self discovery filled up with some ridiculously funny situations. I am not sure I liked the main character, Daphne, but I guess the point is that Daphne is not so sure she likes herself. In discarding an old yearbook that her late mother annotated Daphne opens a can of worms that leads to discoveries that change not only her view of her mother, but also herself.

I love Lipman's books and was looking forward to this as one of the publishing highlights of 2019. However, it fell completely flat for me. At her best, Lipman's writing has enough heart to balance out the less becoming quirks of her characters. Here, that heart was missing. Instead, the book centers around an unpleasant, more than little self-obsessed young, aimless divorcee who is trying to make sense of her dead mother's past while remaining oblivious to everyone around her.

The supporting characters were wonderful but the plot felt a little aimless so, without a compelling protagonist, it was a sad letdown.

This is simply not my type of book. I just couldn't get myself to care about the characters or what they were doing. I see that some people loved it and that's great. If every book appealed to everyone, life would be boring. Maybe I'll try reading it again later. They say tastes change.

This was the first book I've read by Lipman and it was pretty good. Good riddance is a zany, entertaining read about how much trouble a yearbook can cause. Daphne's mother left her a 1968 yearbook, in which she had made all sorts of notations about the people. Daphne throws it out, only to have an enterprising neighbor retrieve it and the trouble ensues. THe neighbor uses it for her own selfish devices and adds to the mayhem, but Daphne gets the book back, but that's not the end of her plight. Eventually the yearbook leads to a closer relationship,with her family, a different hallway neighbor, and a career opportunity. A fun way to fill an afternoon and perhaps readers will think twice about writing in a yearbook.

This book is exactly what I have come to expect from Elinor Lipman, a fun, fast-paced romantic comedy filled with quirky characters. I think it is the perfect sort of book to pick up on a vacation or break, when readers are looking for something good but not too intense.

Loved it! Huge fan of Elinor Lipman and I love her books. This was no exception. I loved the characters, story and writing style. The whole book revolves around an old yearbook that belonged to Daphne’s mom. This yearbook causes many problems and eventually long hidden secrets are revealed. The yearbook ends up in the wrong hands because Daphne decides to declutter her apartment and recycles her mom’s beloved book. It took me a while to like Daphne, but I found her very funny, especially when she would describe her ex-husband and when she ran into Holdy at the restaurant. I loved Daphne’s dad, Thomas. They talked about everything and nothing seemed off limits. I wouldn’t mind Jeremy living next to me. Then there was Geneva. Her whole project seemed more like something you would read in a tabloid than a documentary.

I definitely recommend the book. The characters are witty and made me laugh many times. I can’t believe a yearbook would cause so many issues.

Thanks to NetGalley, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and the author, Elinor Lipman for a free electronic ARC of this novel.

Elinor Lipman's character driven style is reminiscent of Jane Austen. In Good Riddance she shares the story of a daughter who learns more about her mother than she beginners for.

Good Riddance was a fun romp with entertaining characters and story line. Taking place in NYC and rural NH made for a humorous mix of characters.

An enjoyable, light hearted read. Full of interesting and funny characters and is a real page turner. The writing was strong and the story interesting. A nice read for a holiday!

Thank you NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review. I found this charming and funny. I'm not sure I like the aggressively honest neighbor who took the yearbook. I thought there was potential for entertaining stories coming from the yearbook. More to add as I continue to read!

This book was everything that I was looking for. A perfect palette cleanser, and a wonderful book for any sort of holiday - whether it be Christmas break, summer vacation, or a cozy weekend in the mountains, Lipman delivers a lighthearted and fun story with characters that you want to root for.

Thankful to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an e-arc of this book in advance in exchange for an honest review!

Daphne lives in NYC and is currently unemployed and divorced after a very short marriage. Her mother died a year ago and left her a yearbook which she threw in her building's recycling. A wanna-be documentary film maker on her floor found it and wants Daphne's help figuring out the importance of the yearbook. Daphne discovers some surprising info after attending a school reunion with her neighbor and tries desperately to keep it from seeing the light, enlisting the help of her across the hall neighbor.

It was an interesting and cute story. I was intrigued and kept reading to find out what would happen. Quite entertaining with a relatively happy ending.