This Was Not the Plan: A NovelFrom the acclaimed author of The Darlings comes an incisive, hilarious, and tender exploration of fatherhood, love, and family life through the story of a widower who attempts to become the father he didn’t know he could be. Charlie Goldwyn’s life hasn’t exactly gone according to plan. Widowerhood at thirty-three and twelve-hour workdays have left a gap in his relationship with his quirky five-year-old son, Caleb, whose obsession with natural disasters and penchant for girls’ clothing have made him something of a loner at his preschool. The only thing Charlie has going for him is his job at a prestigious law firm, where he is finally close to becoming a partner. But when a slight lapse in judgment at an office party leaves him humiliatingly unemployed, stuck at home with Caleb for the summer, and forced to face his own estranged father, Charlie starts to realize that there’s more to fatherhood than financially providing for his son, and more to being a son than overtaking his father’s successes. At turns heartbreaking and hilarious, This Was Not the Plan is a story about loss and love, parenthood, and friendship, and what true work-life balance means. |
Contents
Section 1 | 1 |
Section 2 | 18 |
Section 3 | 33 |
Section 4 | 40 |
Section 5 | 46 |
Section 6 | 52 |
Section 7 | 62 |
Section 8 | 73 |
Section 20 | 183 |
Section 21 | 186 |
Section 22 | 204 |
Section 23 | 223 |
Section 24 | 232 |
Section 25 | 240 |
Section 26 | 250 |
Section 27 | 259 |
Section 9 | 82 |
Section 10 | 87 |
Section 11 | 94 |
Section 12 | 101 |
Section 13 | 116 |
Section 14 | 121 |
Section 15 | 131 |
Section 16 | 148 |
Section 17 | 153 |
Section 18 | 161 |
Section 19 | 171 |
Section 28 | 277 |
Section 29 | 282 |
Section 30 | 290 |
Section 31 | 296 |
Section 32 | 299 |
Section 33 | 306 |
Section 34 | 317 |
Section 35 | 330 |
Section 36 | 339 |
Section 37 | 341 |
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Common terms and phrases
Alison Anyway arms asked Aunt Zadie Buck buddy Caleb says can’t Charlie Goldwyn chuckles chuppah couldn’t Daddy didn’t dinner doesn’t don’t want door Dora the Explorer East Hampton Elise says everything eyes Fabio face father feel firm Fred Fred’s friends fucking going hair Hamptons hand happy Hardwick He’s head hear heart I’m sorry I’ve Kellerman laugh Long Island Expressway look Lucas Madison married mean minutes Mira Mira’s Moose never nice night nods Norman okay partner pinnipeds pretty pull realize screams shakes she’s Shelley shoulder shrugs sigh Simms sleep smile someone sorry sound staring sure talk tell Thanks there’s They’re thing thought Todd tonight trying turn Uncle Buck voice wasn’t wedding weekend What’s whispers worry Yeah YouTube Zadie says Zadie’s