Who Loves You Best

A Novel

By: Marilyn Simon Rothstein

Narrated by: Sara Sheckells

A woman drops everything to spend more time with her grandchild, only to discover new truths about herself. A humorous, heartfelt, feel-good novel from the author of Crazy to Leave You.

For Jodi Wexler, a Florida doctor with a flourishing practice, only one thing’s missing: the chance to spend more time getting to know her eight-year-old granddaughter, Macallan.

When Jodi’s restauranteur daughter asks her to watch Macallan in the Berkshires while she takes care of some business out of town, Jodi can’t say yes fast enough. Neither Jodi’s podiatric patients nor her just-fired, suddenly retired husband can keep her away. But when Jodi arrives, she discovers she’s not the only grandma at Lisa’s house. Lisa’s mother-in-law, Di—a hard-nosed real estate agent—has moved into the house. What’s more, there’s Grannie Annie, the twenty-seven-year-old girlfriend of Lisa’s oddball father-in-law. They’re not the only surprises. Lisa’s marriage is faltering even as her new restaurant is taking off.

As the competition for Macallan’s attention among the three “grandmas” increases, Lisa drops a bomb about her life that changes everything. Under pressure, and determined to help her daughter, Jodi must choose her next step. Her decision surprises everyone—Jodi, most of all.

©2024 by Marilyn Simon Rothstein. (P)2024 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Marilyn Simon Rothstein writes a realistic story of a complicated family figuring itself out… [R]eaders who appreciate stories of women in their third act will enjoy this book.”—Booklist

“A relatable and funny novel.”—Jewish Book Council

“I adored this book! Funny tears. Happy tears. Family dynamics on steroids. Marilyn Simon Rothstein brings all the feels in this warm, wise, and at times, laugh-out-loud funny Gram-com, courtesy of a brilliant cast of women, all struggling to ‘come of age’ in their own unique ways. Rothstein’s ability to infuse messy real-world situations with humor is an absolute gift, and Who Loves You Best is her best work yet. Utterly delightful!”—Barbara Davis, bestselling author of The Keeper of Happy Endings and The Echo of Old Books

Storyline

Enjoyed the narration. Story was very relatable. I hope to read more by this author.

I was surprised that this was more than fluff

I liked how the story got more and more serious. I liked that the author didn’t feel the need to tie up every loose end. The struggles of the characters felt real and were thought provoking.

One mind

I feel as if I have the same brain as this author. Her final decision made me so happy. I do NOT want to give anything away but this was a really enjoyable book. Her story mirrors my life. As my mother-in-law used to always say before she passed, "ONE LIFE PER CUSTOMER. YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE AND LET YOUR CHILDREN LIVE THEIRS!"

Endearing and relatable story.

The characters came to life. The protagonist was very funny and relatable. Shared her sentiments about the relationships with her family members and the similarities of life in general for people in their late 60s and older. I like reading books where characters are older and share their thoughts because we really can't identify with the plethora of books out there for the much younger generations. The narration was spot on too.

Daughters and mothers tangled relationships

So true. So funny. We live her story maybe not with all the wonderful twists. Happty book