Lucky Us by Amy Bloom, 256 pages

Lucky Us is a quick listen or read.  It begins in Ohio in 1939 with 12 year old Eva being left at her father's house after his wife dies.  Eva is used to seeing her dad, Edgar, once or twice a week, but Momma is ready to move on.

Eva meets her half-sister Iris, who is a 16 year old beauty and they have a rocky beginning but when Iris decides to try and make it in Hollywood after she graduates from high school she takes Eva with her.

Circumstances bring the girls back East with their friend Francisco and surprisingly, Edgar.

I really enjoyed this book and found it humorous and sad.  Family, and what makes a family, is a very strong theme throughout this book.  My favorite quote from the book (spoken by Eva) "The pain in my chest I'd had since I'd been left on the front porch eased up.  It wasn't grief, it was being broke and badly dressed and now I wasn't."  That pretty much sums up Eva.  She is one tough, but good hearted cookie.

This goes on my "you bet I'm recommending it" list.  Listen, if you can, the reader is fabulous.