Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Little Earthquakes: A Novel
    Little Earthquakes: A Novel
    Little Earthquakes: A Novel
    Audiobook (abridged)6 hours

    Little Earthquakes: A Novel

    Written by Jennifer Weiner

    Narrated by Jennifer Weiner

    3.5/5

    ()

    Switch to ebook

    About this audiobook

    Jennifer Weiner's richest, wittiest, most true-to-life novel yet tells the story of three very different women as they navigate one of life's most wonderful and perilous transitions: the journay of new motherhood.

    Becky is a plump, sexy chef who has a wonderfull husband and baby girl, a restaurant that received a citywide acclaim -- and the mother-in-law from hell. Kelly is an event planner who's struggling to balance her work and motherhood while dealing with unemployed husband who seems content to channel-surf for eight hours a day. Ayinde's basketball superstar husband breaks her trust at her most vulnerable moment, putting their new family even more in the public eye. Then, there's Lia, a Philadelphia native who has left her Hollywood career behind, along with her husband, and a tragic secret to start her life all over again.

    From prenatal yoga to postbirth sex, Little Earthquakes is a frank, funny, fiercely perceptive take on the comedies and tragedies of love and marriage.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSimon & Schuster Audio
    Release dateSep 14, 2004
    ISBN9780743543057
    Author

    Jennifer Weiner

    Jennifer Weiner is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty-one books, including The Summer Place, That Summer, Big Summer, Mrs. Everything, In Her Shoes, Good in Bed, and a memoir in essays, Hungry Heart. She has appeared on many national television programs, including Today and Good Morning America, and her work has been published in The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, among other newspapers and magazines. Jennifer lives with her family in Philadelphia. Visit her online at JenniferWeiner.com.

    More audiobooks from Jennifer Weiner

    Related to Little Earthquakes

    Related audiobooks

    Contemporary Women's For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Come with Me

      Dec 1, 2022

      Come with Me
      12 min read

    • Article

      Daughters’ Bodies

      Dec 1, 2019

      WHEN I’M about to go away to college, my grandmother dies and my mother silently puts herself up for adoption. LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO ADOPT ME: Kind, lonely, beautiful woman in her 50s. Dead husband. No children. Cooks and cleans. 4’11 and 90 lbs. Gu

      20 min read

    • Article

      Coming To Terms

      May 25, 2021

      Coming To Terms
      14 min read

    • Article

      The Leather Coat

      Apr 4, 2024

      The Leather Coat
      6 min read

    • Article

      The Red KIMONO

      Jul 5, 2023

      The Red KIMONO
      6 min read

    • Article

      The Space Between Us

      Oct 9, 2019

      The Space Between Us
      8 min read

    • Article

      The Man I Should Have Married

      Dec 29, 2019

      The Man I Should Have Married
      11 min read

    • Article

      Thirteen

      Jan 30, 2020

      Thirteen
      21 min read

    • Article

      Counting

      Feb 12, 2021

      Counting
      18 min read

    • Article

      Rising Sign

      Feb 4, 2021

      Rising Sign
      10 min read

    • Article

      A Good Samaritan

      Dec 6, 2022

      It was hot that day, hot for the morning and hot for April and with a stickiness in the air that suggested something had to break. I was headed up the street to ask my neighbor Meech to give me a jump when I heard a scream come from the fourplex next

      10 min read

    • Article

      Spilt Milk

      Nov 4, 2019

      Spilt Milk
      10 min read

    • Article

      Counter Waves

      Oct 23, 2020

      Counter Waves
      8 min read

    • Article

      A PRECIOUS Moment In Time

      Jun 17, 2019

      There’s something about Lambrook Hall that always draws me back and I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve been here. I don’t really care if it’s hundreds, to be honest. I can’t resist it. I’m in the dining room again now. Not the ballroom or the lib

      6 min read

    • Article

      Proverbs Of A Faceless Time

      Dec 1, 2023

      Proverbs Of A Faceless Time
      9 min read

    • Article

      Cricket League

      Sep 1, 2022

      First prize 10 and under Tang Li, age 9 Palmetto Bay, FL My name is Anisa. I was in Hawaii on vacation. I enjoyed sipping refreshing drinks, overlooking the turquoise ocean, and dancing with others, before I overheard that the priceless Fire Ring wa

      10 min read

    • Article

      Hard Metal

      Jun 10, 2023

      When Raúl gave me his security job for August, he told me not to see anything. You don’t see nothin’, he said, because we both know I get curious. Sometimes the other guys think I’m soft, the way I get lost in my head. My girlfriend says it’s trauma,

      6 min read

    • Article

      Festival

      Sep 15, 2018

      My husband, who loved festivals, who was a great fan of festivals, wanted to get to the square in time for the first band at eleven o’clock. From bed, the dog and I watched him dress. He tried on various T-shirts, declaring some of them too tight and

      13 min read

    • Article

      A Nose For Trouble

      Apr 12, 2022

      A Nose For Trouble
      6 min read

    • Article

      Longer on Moon

      Sep 22, 2022

      Longer on Moon
      19 min read

    • Article

      Summer Reads

      Dec 30, 2019

      Summer Reads
      7 min read

    • Article

      Musings On My Father

      Aug 8, 2022

      Musings On My Father
      5 min read

    • Article

      Lineal Gaps

      Apr 6, 2021

      Lineal Gaps
      15 min read

    • Article

      High Rise

      Aug 6, 2021

      High Rise
      24 min read

    • Article

      Now That I’ve Arrived

      Dec 30, 2020

      Now That I’ve Arrived
      5 min read

    • Article

      That Particular Sunday

      Jul 6, 2023

      That Particular Sunday
      26 min read

    • Article

      Year Of The Rat

      Nov 24, 2020

      Year Of The Rat
      11 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Little Earthquakes

    3.5/5

    934 ratings37 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      SPOILERS Parts were great. I even managed through all the birth scenes. Becky seemed the most like author and was strongest character, though Kelly's arc was also strong. Two main issues with it: ALL of the dads were clueless?? None of them truly contributed because the moms were breastfeeding and it all went from there?? I guess Becky's husband contributed some. If the characters had just communicated ... Second, Ayinde: not a good example of a black character written by a white writer. Did not ring true in many ways. And the clichés of the Black husband as from a sad background, an athlete, and a cheater? Nope.
    • 2/5
      Total beach read
    • 4/5
      Wow - could I relate to these women!
    • 3/5
      I really like the way the author writes such likeable characters, even though each one is so very different. This story appealed to me because it was about women who all come together to support one another as new mothers. I also enjoy books set in Philadelphia, as this one is. This was a nice, leisurely read, although it was a little emotional at times.
    • 2/5
      I read this for an online book group...who always seem to pick chick-lit. I stuffed down the last hundred or so pages, and I'll admit that a book like this is slightly easier to humour if you read it all in one go rather than stretching it out like I did the first part of it. It was a simple, predictable little story that didn't challenge any social norms or shock in any way. The characters were generic (business woman, TV presenter, mad mother-in-law, hunky husbands), as was the storyline (mad mother-in-law just needs to be loved, a guy who cheats didn't really mean to, happy endings all round), and there was nothing wonderful about the writing. The only other real chick-lit I've read in a good few years was 'Angels' by Marianne Keyes, and with her I felt her writing style could have gone further than candy floss fiction, but with Jennifer Weiner I think she's perfectly suited. That's not an insult as such, as I'm assuming that's something she's happy with. But her writing wasn't particularly insightful, poetic, emotionally touching or witty...it just told a story. Not a great read, but at the same time it wasn't excruciating...just not my thing.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this book and read all the way to the end to find out what happened to each of the four main characters on their journey through pregnancy and new motherhood. I usually don’t like “chick-lit” and can’t remember where this book came from (Oh dear, I hope no one is expecting it back). It will make a good Lifetime or Hallmark Channel movie. (Yes, I watch them when no one is looking. Especially the super-sappy Christmas movies.)
    • 4/5
      Little Earthquakes by Jennifer Weiner4 Philadelphia women bond with each other about marriage and becoming a mother.Becky's mother in law is not one of her liking. Kelly struggles with a spouse that is unemployed.Aindie copes with a superstar athletic and Lea hides a terrible secret.Together they can overcome all struggles as they lean on each other.I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
    • 4/5
      "Jennifer Weiner is always there for a good laugh with her sense of humor! "
    • 4/5
      I really loved this book-First Jennifer Weiner book I have read and I couldn't put it down! So true to real life. This is a book about love, friendship and forgiveness. Don't miss out on this great read!
    • 5/5
      I really, really liked this book. I love that Jennifer Weiner always has a chubby "heroine". It really helps me identify with the book a lot more than the typical, 22" waisted, busty maidens, lol. I identified a lot with the moms and all of their situations. This is a GREAT read for anyone who has just had/has a baby. The characters are all so lovable and fun. This was really a great read, I couldn't put it down.
    • 5/5
      Jennifer Weiner takes us though love friendship and motherhood in her fabulous book Little Earthquakes. 4 women come together through odd circumstances and form a bond of friendship that gets them through that first amazing yet completely overwhelming year of being a parent. We are allowed to journey with these women through the ups and downs of becoming a parent as they learn how to re-navigate the world with a baby.Absolutely a fabulous read for a mother. Little Earthquakes will make you laugh and cry though the tale of motherhood that is not always told.
    • 4/5
      If you have ever known anyone who was pregnant or been pregnant yourself, this book will have you laughing in no time. A slice-of-life with a gaggle of mothers-to-be, Weiner takes aim at all of the predictable opportunities for humour in one of humankind's most awkward and beautiful condition, and finds some new crannies to examine under the light of honesty and compassion. Note: if you are pregnant this book might make you pee a little (laughing so hard, you see).
    • 2/5
      Wasn't a big fan of this book. A quick read, but found myself bored.
    • 4/5
      (unabridged audiobook read by Johanna Parker): Though stories of multiple people all experiencing different variations on the same theme are far from uncommon, this one is reasonably fresh and enjoyable. Here we have four mothers (current, former, and soon-to-be) from four different backgrounds, each dealing with issues with her marriage and with her mother (or mother-in-law). The target audience is definitely mothers and mothers-to-be (and I think fathers could benefit from such an honest account of what their wives and girlfriends are going through), but I found myself sympathizing with the characters and wanting to know how things turned out. I especially empathized with Kelly. No, this book has not made me want children of my own, but it was a good story nonetheless. And it certainly didn't hurt that it was read by a actress with amazing subtleties in her voice. Most of the men sounded alike, but she had an amazing range in her female voices.
    • 4/5
      Little Earthquakes is another great Jennifer Weiner read!True to Jennifer Weiner's writing style this is another book that you will enjoy from start to finish! A must read for Mommies but it can be enjoyed by anyone! I read bits and pieces to my husband when he would find me laughing out loud. A quick and easy read for a rainy day, even with kids at home.
    • 2/5
      I feel as though it's safe to assume that motherhood is a challenging endeavor. Having said that, I felt that this book focused on the negative aspects of becoming a new mother. The characters were one-dimensional, clichéd stereotypes and weren't particularly likable.
    • 2/5
      Why did I buy this book at a thrift store? I don't even like chick lit! And this book reminded me why.It's well-written, covering the travails of a cluster of impending mothers and how they cope during their babies' first year. The author is indeed witty and makes some good observations. It's just... they annoyed me (Kelly especially). Their experience was nothing like my experience in becoming a mother and I had difficulty relating to some of their problems. There were so many brand names dropped in this book I wondered if the publisher was getting kickbacks. I can see why this was a bestseller and why many enjoyed it, but it's just not for me.
    • 5/5
      This book was really enjoyable. The author has characters I related too and it was well written and just kept me hooked.
    • 4/5
      My favorite Jennifer Weiner book. It features the most diverse cast of characters and most realistic situations.
    • 4/5
      Story of a group of women that meet in a prenatal yoga class, and their lives, husbands, and babies, and how a womanthat lost her baby comes to join tehm. Loved all their personalities and those of the husbands,mothers, and MILs. 8/19/05
    • 4/5
      I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book. Weiner does a good job of weaving the stories of 4 friends all whose lives have changed by motherhood. I thought the characters were well drawn and the story was really engaging. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will definitely look out for another Jennifer Weiner book to read.
    • 4/5
      I'm always pleasantly surprised by Jennifer Weiner's books. I go into them expecting a light read, but I get real food for thought. Wonderful characters and a realistic reflection of life.
    • 3/5
      Easy story to get into but at times too "fiction". Touching message on the importance of girlfriends and the challenges of life.
    • 4/5
      Man could I relate to a lot of this story!
    • 4/5
      Good break from the more serious books I read. Laugh out loud funny, enjoyable read.
    • 4/5
      One of those books where the story unwraps from the perspective of different characters, who are connected, but each have their own story. This book was about pregnancy, childbirth, raising an infant and losing an infant to SIDS. As a breeding woman in my 20s, I was entralled.
    • 4/5
      One of the most important strengths of this book is that Weiner has created four distinct primary characters and has had the wisdom and foresight to introduce them individually rather than opening with a group scene in which they are all together and, within three pages or so, the reader is expected to take in the names, appearances and major character traits of each one. The way Weiner does it, it's easy to keep track of whose who throughout and care about each of the four main characters. She doesn't stop there, either. She manages to introduce the right number of secondary characters at the right time, as well. I don't think I was confused even once about who was who and what their relationships to each other were. That's saying a lot. (I'm easily confused.)Weiner writes from the third person perspective for three of these women, but from the first person for one. In this sense, Lia (Lisa) is the heroine. But I question whether that is really the case. I actually wonder about the author's choice in this respect. Not that I don't think it worked but I don't quite understand why she did it. It's also interesting that Weiner chooses the first person "I" for Lia rather than Becky. Becky, the big,tongue-in-cheek Jewish woman, is likely the character most like Weiner and most like Weiner's previous heroine's, yet in this novel, Becky, like Ayinde and Kelly, is a "she" rather than an "I". Lia, on the other hand, has had success as a Hollywood actress and her baby boy has died (traits which as far as I know, Jennifer Weiner does not share [N.B. I am far from an expert on Weiner and know nothing about her beyond her Wikipedia bio]. Though I am curious about this choice of perspective, I am not claiming that it doesn't work.If I had to identify a one-word theme for this book, I would say "understanding". We see this particularly in the closing chapters where Becky comes to greater understanding of her mother-in-law, Kelly and her husband gain greater mutual understanding of each other and Ayinde gains greater understanding of the woman with whom her husband cheated. Lia, perhaps standing a little apart (and maybe this is why she is different and written from the first person perspective) in turn seems to gain greater understanding not of someone else but simply of events, of life. And perhaps in her case the better word would be "acceptance" than understanding. In any case, we see definite growth and some sort of resolution on the case of each of the four women. Which is one of the major strengths of the novel.Is this book chick lit? Weiner is linked to the genre and I definitely felt as though "Good in Bed" qualified as chick lit, though I might not feel the same way about now that there has been such an explosion of the genre and the category seems to be epitomized by lighter reads that are primarily intended to be enjoyed during the act of reading but have little staying power.This book reminds me more of reads like Divine Secrets of Ya-Ya Sisterhood and Olivia Goldsmith's Young Wives, which I suppose are more "contemporary women's fiction" than chick lit, per se.I think some of the elements I discussed above are those that take a book beyond chick lit and into something with a little more staying power: multiple main characters who are well-defined; a third person perspective; an overriding theme; a demonstrating of true growth in the characters; a cast of secondary characters who are also rich and multi-layered. A well-done novel.
    • 3/5
      This is one of those "heart-warming" novels. You know, the ones that make good movies? It's about four women and the troubles they go through during their pregnancies. Not my type of genre, but the book was still good.
    • 4/5
      I really loved this book. So much so, that i immediatly went out and bought a 2nd copy of it and handed it over to my then-pregnant friend.I think it's a very good and accurate, without being frightening, view of in-laws, pregnancy, and life after childbirth.
    • 4/5
      Another Jennifer Weiner title, although I didn't like it as much as "Good In Bed" or "In Her Shoes." Still a good read, I wanted more about the single life and was not ready to move into motherhood just yet (both in books and real life). Enjoyable just the same though.