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    Everyone is Beautiful: A Novel
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    Everyone is Beautiful: A Novel
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    Everyone is Beautiful: A Novel
    Audiobook7 hours

    Everyone is Beautiful: A Novel

    Written by Katherine Center

    Narrated by Kirsten Potter

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Lanie Coates's life is spinning out of control. She's piled everything she owns into a U-Haul and driven with her husband, Peter, and their three little boys from their cozy Texas home to a multiflight walkup in the Northeast. She's left behind family, friends, and a comfortable life-all so her husband can realize his dream of becoming a professional musician. But somewhere in the eye of her personal hurricane, it hits Lanie that she once had dreams too.

    These days, Lanie always seems to rank herself dead last-and when another mom accidentally criticizes her appearance, it's the final straw. Fifteen years, three babies, and more pounds than she's willing to count since the day she said "I do," Lanie longs desperately to feel like her old self again. Lanie sets change in motion-joining a gym, signing up for photography classes, and finding a new best friend. But she also creates waves that come to threaten her whole life. In the end, Lanie must figure out once and for all how to find herself without losing everything else in the process.


    From the Compact Disc edition.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateMar 3, 2009
    ISBN9781415959978
    Unavailable
    Everyone is Beautiful: A Novel
    Author

    Katherine Center

    BookPage calls Katherine Center “the reigning queen of comfort reads.” She’s the New York Times bestselling author of over half a dozen books, including How to Walk Away, Things You Save in a Fire, and What You Wish For. Katherine writes laugh-and-cry books about how life knocks us down—and how we get back up. She’s been compared to both Jane Austen and Nora Ephron, and the Dallas Morning News calls her stories, “satisfying in the most soul-nourishing way.” Her books have made countless Best-Of lists, including RealSimple’s Best Books of 2020, Amazon's Top 100 Books of 2019, Goodreads' Best Books of the Year, and many more. Bestselling author Emily Henry calls her summer 2022 book, The Bodyguard, “a shot of pure joy.” The movie adaptation of Katherine’s novel The Lost Husband (starring Josh Duhamel) hit #1 on Netflix, and her novel Happiness for Beginners is now a Netflix original starring Ellie Kemper. Katherine lives in her hometown of Houston, Texas, with her husband, two kids, and their fluffy-but-fierce dog.

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    Reviews for Everyone is Beautiful

    4/5

    223 ratings61 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Katherine Center has written a book that is warm, wonderful and very, very funny. She tackles topics and situations faced by many women today- relationship stressors, self image concerns , familial relationships and the stess of raising children. I absolutely loved this book and after reading it I purchased her other novel The Bright Side of Disaster which I am eagerly looking forward to getting to
    • 2/5
      I had higher expectations for this book. I thought I would be able to relate, and it would send a positive message about beauty... instead, the main character was pretty unlikable. It reinforced gender roles (her friend's daughter only owned dresses and sat primly, rather than play in the sandbox? Seriously?) and the main character was so self-absorbed, it was frustrating.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this novel because I could relate to the main character Lanie and her struggles with coming to terms with her post-mommy self. Center's writing is witty and charming and honest and makes me feel like I am privy to a secret. I laughed out loud often while reading about Lanie on her journey of self discovery and caught a glimpse of myself in her along the way. A fun read.
    • 4/5
      Enjoyed the book. The author realistically depcits the struggle women face in meeting their family's needs while not losing themselves in the process.
    • 3/5
      Summary: A mom of 3 kids under 5 has an identity crisis and tries to figure out who she is and what she wants to do with her life.Review: A quick, fun read. I haven't read many adult novels about mamahood since having a baby, but I think I need to read more. A few times, Abby fell asleep in my arms for a nap while I was reading this book. And each time, I would read something that would make me want to laugh.I don't know about you, but when I try to hold in a laugh, it doesn't quite work. That laugh has to go somewhere. One time, my whole body shook with the non-laughter, and I woke her up. Another time, the laugh got as far as my mouth, and came out as a loud sputtering, zerbert-sounding mess. A mess that, you guessed it, woke her up.Writing-wise, I could have done without some of the flashbacks that interrupted the flow. Also, there were a few times where the narrator was reporting details about something that happened to another character when she wasn't there, details she couldn't have known. I couldn't tell if she was summarizing a story told by the other character, but whatever was going on, it was disorienting enough to throw me out of the story a couple times.But as bad as this sounds, it was fun to read about a mama who has it much, much worse than me. Gives a girl perspective.
    • 5/5
      The characters are so real! I laughed out loud! Thanks for the enjoyment of a well written book!
    • 5/5
      Just delightfully descriptive and page turning....sweetly funny. How did Center possibly come up with so many examples of three little boys doing so many kinds of things??? I'm sure there are mothers who can relate.
    • 4/5
      A great book about a stay-at-home mother transforming her life after having three boys.

      The only problem I had with the novel is toward the ending when the author tried to force a "take away" message about beauty and love. I think those intellectual, self-realization passages tainted the overall story which was told with grace, humor, and insight.
    • 3/5
      Summary: A mom of 3 kids under 5 has an identity crisis and tries to figure out who she is and what she wants to do with her life.Review: A quick, fun read. I haven't read many adult novels about mamahood since having a baby, but I think I need to read more. A few times, Abby fell asleep in my arms for a nap while I was reading this book. And each time, I would read something that would make me want to laugh.I don't know about you, but when I try to hold in a laugh, it doesn't quite work. That laugh has to go somewhere. One time, my whole body shook with the non-laughter, and I woke her up. Another time, the laugh got as far as my mouth, and came out as a loud sputtering, zerbert-sounding mess. A mess that, you guessed it, woke her up.Writing-wise, I could have done without some of the flashbacks that interrupted the flow. Also, there were a few times where the narrator was reporting details about something that happened to another character when she wasn't there, details she couldn't have known. I couldn't tell if she was summarizing a story told by the other character, but whatever was going on, it was disorienting enough to throw me out of the story a couple times.But as bad as this sounds, it was fun to read about a mama who has it much, much worse than me. Gives a girl perspective.
    • 4/5
      In my opinion, Katherine Center shows she has mastered the Chick Lit genre with this book. Of course, there is no universal definition of 'Chick Lit' but Wikipedia says: "...It generally deals with issues of modern women humorously and lightheartedly. Although sometimes it includes romantic elements, women's fiction (including chick lit) is generally not considered a direct subcategory of the romance novel genre, because in Chick lit the heroine's relationship with her family or friends may be just as important as her romantic relationships."Well, that's is exactly. This book is indeed light and humorous and was just what I needed after trying to wade through one of Edna O'Brien's sad and poorly written statements of what life is like for Irish women. OK, perhaps life does indeed offer more for the 21st century American woman than her 20th century Irish sister, but I'm sure Ms Center could make the Iraq war into something light and humorous! It sounds like I'm saying this book is entirely trivial - but that's not correct and that wouldn't be a fair criticism at all. Sure, there's an overwhelmingly optimistic tone throughout, but there is an underlying attempt to address a serious issue: what is beauty? As smallwonder56 points out in her review (much more worth reading than mine), the key element in this book is the heroine taking up photography and seeing the world differently as a result. Sure, it finishes happily (which doesn't fit with my experience) but there's enough verisimilitude in this book to allow readers to recognize some underlying truth, and hence suggest the possible validity of the book's central thesis: that everyone is indeed beautiful.
    • 2/5
      This was my book club book for the month. I probably would of picked it up and read it anyway as it had a cupcake on the cover.

      I liked the fact that the cast was characters were small and so I could keep track of who everyone was.

      Peter and Elena move from Houston and start life over without knowing anyone. They have 3 boys and Peter works from home composing music.
      We learn about the people in their highrise and an old friend of Elana's.
      Elena learns to carve time out for herself and there are a few funny moments in this book but Katherine just really didn't make the characters come alive to me and therefore I didn't care how it ended.
      I was hoping for a better read.
    • 3/5
      The Epilogue pretty much describes the entire book. It was good just not my favorite.
    • 4/5
      Maybe it’s because I only had one child instead of three, but I found it difficult to relate Lanie Coaste and her out of control offspring. Therefore, I found the continuous stream of details of the children’s bad behavior tedious. I understood her desire to find her old self again, but was impatient with her slowness in doing something about it. And yet, the book did draw me in and made me keep reading. And at the very end I loved the final page, not because the book was ending, but what Lanie had to say about rediscovering passion in her life.
    • 4/5
      Lanie Coates, a young mom of three children is moving from Houston, Texas to Cambridge Boston so that her musician husband Peter can go to graduate school. The novel starts off with the family arriving at their new apartment, where Peter is immediately engrossed in his new life while Lanie flounders around sans a support system and friends, in keeping her kids occupied and fed, and herself sane and showered. At the park one day, she meets a young woman her own age, who unwittingly insults Lanie’s appearance by asking her when she is due (Lanie is not pregnant). That incident serves as a catalyst in Lanie’s life as she realizes how much she has neglected herself, and decides to do something about it . . .I loved this book, just as I loved “I don’t know how she does it” by Allison Pearson. It describes very well the life of a young, stay-at-home Mom, and the pressure and the consuming demands of parenting. I also really liked Center’s sense of humor and her very amusing, and easy-to-identify-with parenting tales as Lanie deals with the questions of her three boisterous kids. This novel also has a positive spin on it, so it has a nice, feel-good ending.
    • 4/5
      Lanie has had three children in three years and has just moved across the country for her husband's job. She has lost herself and her connection with her husband in the process. This book takes the reader through her discovery of herself and her interests outside of her family (working out, photography,etc). Lanie also rediscovers her bond with her husband, Peter. It is a touching read that also has some rather humorous situations along the way. I would recommend this book.
    • 4/5
      Not every book we read has to be a big literary novel, clever, thoughtful, dense. At times, we just want to read a book that reassures us about the troubles that hit us as humans and about the hidden strengths we have to overcome. And we might just want a laugh or two at the foibles of little boys. Everyone is Beautiful is such a book, a book when we are seeking a gentle, funny read.I like this book. It’s not Tolstoy, but it’s a perfect read for spring break. It reminded me of the tiring days of young motherhood and the sweetness and pain of raising children. It’s funny here and there and always true.
    • 4/5
      My days has a young mother were about 30 years ago. I could relate to many of the incidents in the book. Funny and a quick read.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed this book-- the main character was very real, honest and funny. Any mom who is not perfect (just about all of us) will be able to relate to the ups and downs of communication in a marriage after kids. Any mom will also laugh at some of the situations Lanie's kids get her into, as well as the ones she creates herself. The author's style and the engaging characters she creates draw you in, making it hard to put the book down. The only things that felt slightly false were Lanie's friend Amanda (I always cringe when a character is incredibly and unrealistically beautiful, even when it's only on the exterior), and the ease at which Lanie seemed to lose weight, but I could overlook both because the book was so enjoyable and rewarding.
    • 5/5
      Funny little book about Lanie, a young mother of three boys who has to move cross country so her husband can attend graduate school. Along the way she finds out who she really is. I have to say as a mother I found myself laughing at some of the antics of her boys. It was a nice quick read.
    • 4/5
      An enjoyable read about being a new family and mothering. My kids are much older now but I remember those sleep deprived days and the breast feeding. Some days I thought it would never end. Katherine Center shares the mothering journey with wit and reminds every mother that yes our children are importatant but we are too. Not only that we are beautiful.
    • 5/5
      Perfect for : Personal reading, book club read, sharing with a good friendIn a nutshell: Its not often that I find myself enthusiastically nodding my head in agreement to something I'm reading in a fiction book, but there was just something about this book that made me do a double-take! Either the author has experienced life in a similar way that I have, or she has done her homework! Katherine Center has written a beautiful book that is full of life, and not just some fantasy life, but a real life, and one that I can relate to, with the perfect amount of reality and humor! Any mom out there will appreciate this book, both for the challenges that children and family life provides, and for the way we see ourselves. This is a truly wonderful story of a woman who is first and foremost a wife and mom, and now she is trying to re-discover herself as well. Let this beautifully written story help you to re-evaluate life by taking a look into the life of Lanie, and learning to look at life from a beautiful perspective, and the fact that sometimes you have to take a step back and look at the special things in your life from another angle. Everyone is Beautiful should be read by. . . EVERYONE!Extended Review:Characters: With a friend like Amanda to periodically surprise her and challenge her thinking, Nora, the "mean witch" from the apartment below theirs, and a husband to love who just might be a little too focused at times, you will absolutely love Lanie Coates and the characters she interacts with. Lanie, Peter, the boys, Nora, Josh, Amanda . . . each person is beautiful in their own way.Story-Line: Lanie seems to be a smart woman who has become derailed from herself. She lives for her husband and kids, and hasn't really taken the time to focus on herself. The family moves to support her husband's job, and she starts to find ways to re-focus on herself a little (going to the gym, enrolling in a photography class).Readability: This book has the perfect mix of life (both the ups and the downs) and humor. Easy to read, and hard to put down!Overall: The story is a life-affirming one, that will help you to re-focus on the things that are really important in life. I highly encourage you to get a copy of this book, and share it with the women in your life! Show them how beautiful they really are.
    • 4/5
      I found this book to be not only funny, which I expected, but also very touching. I found myself identifying with, and really caring about the characters in the story. At times I thought the pace was a little slow, but overall I have to say that I really liked it. I would highly recommend this one.
    • 5/5
      I love those books that make you see new perspectives and understand what is going on behind closed doors. I love the feeling that other people are struggling with similar concerns and problems and that some people have issues that you never dreamed. Not having children, I couldn’t totally understand Elena’s plight, but I could understand her struggles with finding her place in the world and her exploration of herself. I truly “got it”. It isn’t always that I totally sympathize with a character, but as another review mentions Elena’s story is “raw”. It is so real, that it can be heartbreaking. This was such a powerful book to me, that I had a hard time saying goodbye to the characters. I am so thankful that I read this when I did, since a lot of the message really hit home.
    • 3/5
      Another mid-life, harried mother, ignored wife story. But this one is good. I often try to link one adjective to a book when I finish it, this one was “raw”. The story of Elena, her pianist husband, and their 3 boys is exhausting to read (this is a good thing-- you get sucked-in). She is uprooted from her family, her hometown, her support system—to support her husband’s goals as a composer and pianist. Once this move happens everything falls to pieces. Elena moved so why should her parents stay…upon her parents move out of the country her mother sends her a box of photography equipment.We see get every gritty, raw, exposed moment of trying-to-hold-it-together-while-you’re-losing-it. I think that any demographic will get something from it: from the genuine exposure to real parenting (begging and bartering time with your spouse so you can get out for an hour or two a couple nights a week?); to a marriage drifting away (and truly loving the stranger who they are drifting from); to having lost oneself (and having no idea when the heck that happened, and who are these people, did I just say that, and where the hell am I?).A quick, enjoyable read that exposes the emotional rollercoaster of one woman’s life, with snippets (or frames :) of every woman’s life.
    • 4/5
      It isn't easy to tell the story of a stay-at-home mom of three without leaving people with the feeling that someone should tell the main character that she should've made different choices.But people grow, and the young mother in question was no exception. She decided to have some life of her own and found ways to do it. In doing so, she also enhanced the lives of the people around her. Not only did she learn to value her own "beauty", but showed the beauty of average people around her.Photography, in this story, is an excellent metaphor for "seeing". When her powers of observation increase, the main character is able to see herself and the people around her in a clearer light. It is a delightful, well-written read.
    • 5/5
      In Katherine Center's second novel she tackles the concepts of beauty and identity after marriage and motherhood. Elena is the mother of three rambunctious boys and married to Peter, the classical composer and pianist. "Lanie", as she is called, is uprooted and trying to survive after a move from Houston to Cambridge, Mass. She's starting to realize that she isn't sure who she is anymore and when a fellow mother asks the non-pregnant Lanie when she is due, something flips inside her. Through very realistic and graphic (poop, vomit, and other bodily fluids abound) language, Center and Lanie convey the upside-down feeling of being a young mother and wife and trying to remember who "you" really is. Lanie is portrayed with enough of an combination of innocence, sarcasm and desperation that even those who've never experienced child-rearing will be able to connect with her. Along the way we find that marriage after children is constant work, general hygiene may not always be a priority in life, and that it is the mistakes, the "should-haves" that make each person unique and beautiful and that love finds a way, regardless of outward-seeming circumstances. I would definitely recommend this and Center's first book "The Bright Side of Disaster", as must-reads for all my female friends and maybe even some male friends for insight into the human and female condition of life and love.
    • 1/5
      I devoured Katherine Center's first book, The Bright Side of Disaster, but for some reason I just couldn't get into this book at all. I actually never finished it. Maybe its because I don't have kids and found it hard to relate to the main character. Her children's behavior was outrageous. I don't know that I would recommend this book to anyone which is sad because I recommended Center's first book to several friends. Save yourself the money and frustration. Skip this book.
    • 3/5
      Everyone is Beautiful was a satisfying book to read. The main character knew her life was falling apart & she took great steps to stop the bleeding. I always enjoy a strong character, one who doesn't just sit back & wait for life to happen to her. She makes it happen for her. We all, single & married women alike, could learn a little something from Lanie.
    • 3/5
      I received this book throught the LT's ER program. While this is not a book I would have chosen for myself I did enjoy it. I think that it was a very realistic portrayal of day to day life for a mom with three kids, but on the other hand if I was a mother myself i wouldn't necessarily like to read about what my days are like, I would much rather read to escape from the day to day drudgery. All in all I liked the book but it wouldn't be the first book on my shelf that I would recommend to a friend.
    • 5/5
      i love this book. It is so real and so easy to read...nothing to be wary of and nothing offensive. My daughter got this book from the Early Reviewers Club on Librarything. She loved it and so do I.It is simply a modern story of a married woman with three little boys who moves to Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is not complicated. It isn't full of lust and debauchery. It's just about Lanie. She is so real and honest, I want to just hug her. The children are perfectly normal, the people she meets are just regular people. The book is charming without being overdone in any way. Everything was believable for me, the children's antics, the lonely feelings, being overwhelmed with domestic duties, loss of identity and spouse adoration, all at the same time. They all echoed my own life years ago. I recommend it for anyone who isn't chronically pessimistic and judgemental, it might spoil their moods. For the rest of us it is a delightful and refreshing read about Lanie finding herself and growing up a bit. Five stars, Easily.