I liked the idea of this book and I think it is probably great in print, however listening to recipes was a little difficult for me. I really like the idea of communal living and it was interesting to hear Lola Milholland's experiences.

In our transactional world it is normal to work a 9–5, and then come home to cook, clean, take care of children and so forth. All day is spent working, but it’s okay because you’re living the dream: you have the partner, you have the kids, you have the house.

Lola Milholland tells us about treading a different path in “Group Living and Other Recipes”–one of community. A shared home means that you give what you can, and that others give what you can’t.

But community doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Our dynamic world requires that we adjust, and adjusting is especially complicated when your space isn’t yours alone. Millholland doesn’t turn a blind eye to this, nor the fact that some long for their own place. At the root of it, this memoir is a critique of the world we have created.

Getting to look through this window into shared living was reassuring. I’ve never felt that The Ideal Life was achievable or probable, so seeing people getting by in this non-traditional way left me hopeful. At the same time it’s an unpleasant reminder that going a different route means not knowing what the future holds, which is terrifying, but you also realize that you’re not alone there either. Maybe the unknown can be scary and okay at the same time.

Thank you to Spiegel & Grau, Spotify Audiobooks and NetGalley for the ARC!

This is a non fiction memoir covering a daughter's experience in a group living situation. This is more of a character plot rather than theme plot. Topics cover current events, cooking, motivation and overall feel good. She cooks her way through the story reciting passed down recipes. And oh the character development. Born to hippie parents she is a free thinker. The book is good in that it appeals to a variety of interests.

This book is very refreshing and interesting take on group living. I really enjoyed listening to the story and I felt much better about always living in communities and group settings. (I still live on a college campus)