-
Your next favorite book
is waiting.
From New York Times bestselling author Kristan Higgins comes a funny and surprising new novel about losing it all - and getting back more than you ever expected.
Lillie Silva knew life as an empty nester would be hard after her only child left for college, but when her husband abruptly dumps her for another woman just as her son leaves, her world comes crashing down. Besides the fact that this announcement is a complete surprise (to say the least), what shocks Lillie most is that she isn't heartbroken. She's furious.
Lillie has loved her life on Cape Cod, but as a mother, wife, and nurse-midwife, she's used to caring for other people...not taking care of herself. Now, alone for the first time in her life, she finds herself going a little rogue. Is it over the top to crash her ex-husband's wedding dressed like the angel of death? Sure! Should she release a skunk into his perfect new home? Probably not! But it beats staying home and moping.
She finds an unexpected ally in her glamorous sister, with whom she's had a tense relationship all these years. And an unexpected babysitter in, of all people, Ben Hallowell, the driver in a car accident that nearly killed Lillie twenty years ago. And then there's Ophelia, her ex-husband's oddly lost niece, who could really use a friend.
It's the end of Lillie's life as she knew it. But sometimes the perfect next chapter surprises you...out of the clear blue sky.
"Higgins manages to address a plethora of tough topics, including infertility and sexual assault, and give them the respect they deserve while also crafting a story that's full of hope. With a blend of humor and poignancy reminiscent of Nora Ephron's Heartburn, Lillie's witty narration never obscures the very real devastation that she feels as the family she loved breaks apart. A beautifully told blend of grief, hope, and humor that showcases Higgins at her best." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Higgins has created an accomplished protagonist with strong values, a good heart, and an enviable network of friends. Everyone in the community is on her side; take that, ex-husband! This will be satisfying for readers who like to see a strong woman thrive during times of trial." - Library Journal
"Higgins is known for her emotionally potent novels about characters whose lives are in transition...A big-hearted treat for relationship-fiction readers." - Booklist
"Reading a Kristan Higgins novel is like spending time with a dear friend, one who understands your soul, captivates your senses...and every now and then makes you snort with laughter. Higgins never disappoints! If you're looking for a novel brimming with heart and humor, look no further than Out of the Clear Blue Sky. Each time I opened this book, it felt like reuniting with a dear friend. With her trademark wit, Higgins' tackles tough issues, and does so with sensitivity and heart. Out of the Clear Blue Sky is everything I love in women's fiction—smart, hilarious, and brimming with heart and hope." - Lori Nelson Spielman, New York Times bestselling author of The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany
"Your big summer read has arrived! Book after book, Kristan Higgins is a can't-miss author who always serves up stories that are fresh, relevant, and deeply involving." - Susan Wiggs, #1 New York Times bestselling author
"From the first page, I was deeply invested in Lillie's plight and desperate to keep turning pages. Kristin Higgins nails it with this laugh-oud-loud, pitch-perfect, heartfelt novel about a woman's life upended and the unexpected ways she finds her way forward. Full of hope, positive messages and humor, Out of the Clear Blue Sky is the perfect book for summer, or anytime!" - Elyssa Friedland, author of Last Summer at the Golden Hotel
This information about Out of the Clear Blue Sky was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Kristan Higgins is the New York Times, USA TODAY and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of more than twenty novels, which have been translated into more than two dozen languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide. Her books have received dozens of awards and accolades, including starred reviews from Entertainment Weekly, People, Kirkus, the New York Journal of Books, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and Booklist. The happy mother of two snarky and well-adjusted adults, Kristan enjoys gardening, mixology, the National Parks and complimenting strangers on their children. She lives in Connecticut with her heroic firefighter husband, cuddly dog and indifferent cat.
If you liked Out of the Clear Blue Sky, try these:
by Jade Chang
Published 2026
A deeply moving and often hilarious novel following a woman who becomes an internet folk hero in the most unexpected way, catapulting her into fame and influence just as she's finally beginning to reckon with her complicated past.
by Miranda July
Published 2025
The New York Times bestselling author returns with an irreverently sexy, tender, hilarious and surprising novel about a woman upending her life
by Meg Mason
Published 2022
A compulsively readable debut novel - spiky, sharp, intriguingly dark, and tender - about a woman on the edge that combines the psychological insight of Sally Rooney with the sharp humor of Nina Stibbe and the emotional resonance of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine.
Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
One spring morning, a stranger arrives in the small southern city of Golden. No one knows where he has come from…or why…
Your guide toexceptional books
BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
