Objects of My Affection: A Novel [Hardcover]

Jill Smolinski (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 1, 2012

In the humorous, heartfelt new novel by the author of The Next Thing on My List, a personal organizer must somehow convince a reclusive artist to give up her hoarding ways and let go of the stuff she’s hung on to for decades.

Lucy Bloom is broke, freshly dumped by her boyfriend, and forced to sell her house to send her nineteen-year-old son to drug rehab. Although she’s lost it all, she’s determined to start over. So when she’s offered a high-paying gig helping clear the clutter from the home of reclusive and eccentric painter Marva Meier Rios, Lucy grabs it. Armed with the organizing expertise she gained while writing her book, Things Are Not People, and fueled by a burning desire to get her life back on track, Lucy rolls up her sleeves to take on the mess that fills every room of Marva’s huge home. Lucy soon learns that the real challenge may be taking on Marva, who seems to love the objects in her home too much to let go of any of them.

While trying to stay on course toward a strict deadline—and with an ex-boyfriend back in the picture, a new romance on the scene, and her son’s rehab not going as planned—Lucy discovers that Marva isn’t just hoarding, she is also hiding a big secret. The two form an unlikely bond, as each learns from the other that there are those things in life we keep, those we need to let go—but it’s not always easy to know the difference.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Smolinski gracefully balances lighthearted humor with insightful musings on addiction, mortality, nostalgia, and affection, making this an entertaining and touching read.” (Publishers Weekly)

“A moving look at the dangers of holding on to both objects and one’s misconceptions, Smolinski’s third novel will draw readers in through her flawed but sympathetic characters." (Booklist )

“A charmingly breezy tone marks this warm appraisal of our addiction to stuff." (Kirkus Reviews)

“A humorous story of self-discovery.” (Woman's World)

“Simultaneously breezy yet thought provoking, this is a fun read that stays with you." (Sarah Pekkanen, author of These Girls)

“Reading Jill Smolinski feels like hanging out with a charming, savvy, fun-filled new friend." (Claire Cook, author of Must Love Dogs)

“I loved this deeply felt, bravely honest tale of a professional organizer who discovers just how messy life and love can be, but that everything truly does have a place. A treasure of a novel." (Melissa Senate, author of The Love Goddess' Cooking School)

“Funny, poignant, and achingly smart, Objects of My Affection will win the hearts of loyal fans and new readers everywhere. Jill Smolinski's writing is smart, funny, and true with fully realized characters that readers will come to love." (Mia King, author of Good Things and Sweet Life)

“Smolinski does an incredible job of weaving together the stories of two willful women. . . and gives the often emotional storyline a genuine feeling of reality.” (Times Record News (Wichita Falls, TX))

About the Author

Jill Smolinski is the author of the novels The Next Thing on My List and Flip-Flopped. Her work has appeared in major women’s magazines, as well as in an anthology of short stories, American Girls About Town. She lives in Los Angeles with her son.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Touchstone (May 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1451660758
• ISBN-13: 978-1451660753
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #294,511 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jill Smolinski is author of the novels Objects of My Affection, The Next Thing on My List and Flip-Flopped. She lives in Los Angeles, and loves calling or Skyping into book clubs to discuss her books. Visit her at JillSmolinski.com for more information or to request a book club call-in.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars When Hoarder meet Organizer Stuff Flies! May 1, 2012

By NLE

Format:Hardcover

Take two women. Each has a son, each has issues - different yet similar. One has spent her life doing things "her way" alienating many, becoming famous, losing a lover and finding out that things are more important to her than people. The other has given up everything, her home, her things her self-esteem to put her addict son into rehab. She, too, has lost a lover and feels that people are more worth holding on to than items.
What happens when these two meet and try to work together is a wonderful, funny, sad and meaningful story called Objects of My Affection. Marva has a house full of "things. Mostly worth tons of cash and she does NOT want to part with them. Movie trivia, statues, her own paintings worth millions, etc., etc., etc. Her son hires Lucy, author of a book on organization titled Things are Not People, to get around Marva and have the house clean and empty by May 15th. The date is decided by Marva as it is her 65th birthday.
She has acquired a lot in 65 years, neighbors have no idea because it's all inside - there are paths to rooms. Hoarder? Possibly but there seems to be a reasons in there someplace and it's up to Lucy to find it. Marva is a bitch. No holds barred, says what she thinks, calls in the middle of the night......Lucy is trying to find common ground where there is only trash. Marva's son may hate her and we know from his phone calls that Lucy's son feels the same about her.
How the trash becomes treasure and two women from opposite sides of the universe bond together is the stuff of a great novel. And it's right here between the covers of Objects of My Affection by Jill Smolinksi.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Beach bag worthy May 16, 2012

By Luanne Ollivier TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover

Objects of My Affections is author Jill Smolinski's third novel.

I always enjoy looking at covers first, imagining what the story inside will be. Moving on and lots of baggage? And I wasn't far off.......

Lucy Bloom (loved the name) has seriously downsized - in fact she's sold just about everything she owned, including her house. Why? Well, her son Ash is an addict and she finally got him to go to a rehab, but needed the money to finance it.

Lucy had mild success with her initial book Things Are Not People - an organizational and de-cluttering guide. That book has gotten her an interview with Will Meier. He's the son of reclusive (and difficult) artist Marva Meier Rios and there is a deadline for clearing out the clutter in the house. Lucy lands the job, but what she finds is more than simple clutter - Marva's home could be featured on one of those television shows about hoarding. There's a deadline to meet and Marva isn't going to make it easy - she needs to look at each and every item before a decision is made.

The cover of Objects of My Affection immediately brings chick lit to mind. And yes it is, but the story is much more than that. There needs to a be another genre heading - Chick Lit with Heart, Chick Lit with More? Something along those lines. For while Smolinski's book is light and breezy and does include the requisite hunky guy and missed meanings and connections, there's more to the story.

Jill handles some serious situations and topics with thoughtfulness and candor. Hoarding of course, which usually involves an underlying catalyst not dealt with. And the opposite - Lucy herself is able to let things go with no problem. I thought that Ash's drug use and Lucy's struggle to deal with it was done very well - it read as quite real.... Relationships of all sorts are explored with an emphasis on mothers and sons.

I really enjoyed Lucy's ex boyfriend Daniel. His sense of humour, his caring, giving nature and his honesty made him one of my favourite characters. Nelson, the care nurse was also quite funny. And for reasons I'm not quite sure of, I actually found myself enjoying Marva over Lucy. Marva's crotchety ways actually endeared her to me! But, that's not to say I wasn't cheering for Lucy to succeed.

As one of her characters says " it's clear that everything here at one time was worth something to you but that doesn't mean it has to be forever. They're holding you back from the life you could have. Let it go."

Smolinski has crafted a warm, funny, sweet read that touches on the question what do we keep in our lives and what do we need to let go? Food for thought....

Recommended summer reading - tuck this one in your beach bag for 2012. Read more ›

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A Book You'll Want to Hang On To May 27, 2012

By Caitlin

Format:Hardcover

I was first introduced to Jill Smolinski through my Book Clubs. That's right-two separate book clubs picked her book "The Next Thing On My List," to read at the same time, so I figured it was probably going to be a good read. It didn't disappoint. I really enjoyed that book, which drove great discussion and Jill was even kind enough to call in to one of the meetings. Since then, I've also enjoyed her Facebook and Twitter posts. Thus, I HAD To read her newest book, "Objects of My Affection" which was released earlier this month.

If you know me or you've read any of my other reviews, you will know I like "chick-lit"-well, this book satisfied that requirement for me, but was so much more. One part love story, one part mystery, one part self-help (and humor to boot!),this was a story that tackled a few serious problems--hoarding & substance abuse--and gave the reader pause to consider the items--physical or mental--that might be holding her back in her own life, but also left her with a sense of inspiration.

Highly recommend!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars So-so book with some good parts April 3, 2013

By booklover343

Format:Paperback

I had the feeling that the novelist writing this book couldn't decide whether it make it light chick lit book, or something with more substance.

It's the story of a woman who, since she has sold her home to pay for her son's drug rehab, takes a job to clear out the home of a famous artist. The artist (a woman) has been accumulating things for years and the house is a hoarder's paradise...at least inside. Not surprisingly, it looks normal on the outside. She has a deadline of completing the job in two months in order to earn a large bonus.

Most of the characters were pretty predictable and one-dimensional.

I did learn a lot about hoarding (and was inspired to clean out some closets!), but I felt the story could have been more substantial. The only part of the story that seemed real was the side story about Ash, the main character's son, who is 19 and has struggled with drugs for years.

Ash is sent to Florida for rehab, but before long Lucy finds out he has left the rehab center. Her struggle to get him back into treatment (and learning how not to respond to his requests for money) seemed deeply real.

The author's previous book - I believe it is called The Things on My List or something similar, was much better.