Fireworks Every Night

A Novel

By: Beth Raymer

Narrated by: Rachel Jacobs

A young woman trapped in a deeply dysfunctional family in the seedy wilds of 1990s South Florida has to make a choice—save her family, or save herself—in this “riveting” (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution) novel from the acclaimed author of Lay the Favorite.

“Marvelous . . . a hopelessly funny, rueful account of [a] hair-raising childhood . . . a true heroine for tough times.”—People (Book of the Week)

A Jennette McCurdy Book Club Pick

• An Oprah Daily Best Book of the Year

“Florida, we got it all. Motor sports, ribs, beer. You can drive on the sand right on up to the ocean. Fireworks every night.”

That's how twelve-year-old C.C.’s father, who named her after his beloved Canadian Club whiskey, describes the appeal of their new home. The man is a born grifter, a used-car salesman who burned down his dealership in southern Ohio for enough insurance money to set up a life for himself, his wife, and his two young daughters in a place he picked largely at random, because the living seemed easy.

C.C.’s mother is thirty-five going on seventeen, a housewife who just wants to drive a Mustang and hang out at the mall. C.C.’s sister goes from being a sweet, cheerful pre-teen to having a full-on drug addiction and listening only to heavy metal, after enduring forms of abuse within her family. In the midst of this chaos, C.C. is trying to stay afloat and make it out—to achieve some semblance of a stable life in America while coming up against the structural and cultural challenges of growing up in poverty.

This tumultuous coming-of-age novel features an unforgettable protagonist, a character who narrates her life story with dark comedy and compassion for her family, even as she is failed by them. Those failures—and her self-taught methods for succeeding anyway—are the backbone of this surprisingly poignant story about hard bargains, family loyalties, and the grit of a woman determined to create a better life for herself than the one she was born into.

©2023 Beth Raymer (P)2023 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"It’s a hopelessly funny, rueful account of C.C.’s hair-raising childhood . . . Surrounded by a family in free fall, C.C. becomes first a teen basketball star and ultimately a true heroine for tough times.” —People

“A riveting coming-of-age story about survival, poverty, and familial love. . . . it captures the vibe of ’90s-era Florida in all its sticky, kitschy glory.” —The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“Raymer balances the sadness of her story with terrific humor, deep compassion, and beautiful writing about the natural world—which makes it perfect for cracking open at the end of a long hike.” —Oprah Daily

Over articulated narration

The pauses in the narration were unnatural. The sentences were over articulated. I had to listen to it at one and a half times the speed Just to continue listening. The story was subpar. Rambling with almost no plot.

Great and Harrowing Story

Yes its a novel, but stories like the MC's are very real in our world, this book certainly gives the reader a sense of personal strength and endurance. Also I see alot comments complaining that the narration was too slow, personally I only felt that way at the beginning and even then I thought it was deliberately done to express what the MC was feeling at the time. It's a highly emotional story and the narrator did a great job of expressing those emotions throughout the book.

Did not like the narration, story was mediocre

I should have listened to the sample before purchasing this book, because I don't think I would have picked it up solely based on the narrator. I had to crank up the speed to 2.0 just to make it bearable. The narration is so slow, meandering, and filled with way too many unnecessary pauses. At times it feels like the narrator struggles to get the words out, almost like they're forced.

As for the story, I didn't really get it. I enjoyed listening to the stories and flashbacks of our main character, but I didn't really understand what they were all building up to. I was caught off guard when the book ended.

On the plus side, the characters are written really well. They all seemed complex and believable.

Gripping and real. Meticulously written. Harrowing story.

This is a page turner. From the moment you start this book, you’re hooked in. The writing is effortless yet exquisite. But be warned, the last half is a literary panic attack. An important read. An unearthing of both the beauty and darkness in the American Dream.

Anything under 5 stars is crazy

A beautiful, sad, darkly funny story that really does hit home for lower to middle American experiences in the 90s.

Interesting story, but

Ended abruptly. Felt unfinished. Wanted to learn more about how C.C. managed to reach the stability she describes at the end. And wanted a reason to care about her.
Narrator’s delivery took some getting used to. Over-emoting, as if on stage, making C.C.’s voice sometimes annoying. Also, a few mispronounced words, including Sooz for Suze (SOO-zee).

Terrible narration. Excellent story

Everyone is right. The narration is horrid. Also had to listen to it at 1.5 speed. The story itself is powerful and depressing but so so good. Definitely better to read rather than listen to because the narrator is god awful. Loved the story.

Another Great Club Selection

I'm just completely and truly in love with Jennette McCurdy. When she started her book club, I din't hesitate to tell her beautiful self, that I wanted to join her in that. I have been using my credits to get every book she picks. We have a lot in common. I have never listened to or read these authors or titles. I have truly enjoyed listening and I pray that she will contact me soon and we can start listening together.

SO GOOD.

This one is going to haunt me for a while. I really good characters, wonderful storytelling, and just an overall by opening tale.
I found my heart aching for Cici. And although I was horrified by her family’s behavior, it also paints a scarily realistic picture as to how a life can go down such a deep dark spiral.

Narration was rough

I listened at 1.75x speed because the narration was so slow. almost a DNF.