Things We Didn't Say: A Novel

“Things We Didn’t Say is impossible to put down, and even harder to let go of.”
—Julie Buxbaum, author of The Opposite of Love

Kristina Riggle’s star continues to rise. Tiffany Baker, the New York Times bestselling author of The Little Giant of Aberdeen County, says that Riggle, “writes women’s fiction with soul.” In her novel Things We Didn’t Say, the acclaimed author of Real Life & Liars and The Life You’ve Imagined (an Indie Next Notable Book) explores the messiness of life’s love stories, especially those involving teenage almost-stepchildren, a unreliable ex-wife, and the words no parent ever wants to hear: “Your child is missing.” A poignant, honest, and unforgettable novel that fans of Katrina Kittle and Elin Hildenbrand will take into their hearts, Things We Didn’t Say is exactly the sort of well-written, complex relationships story that women love to read, discuss, and share with their friends.

What goes unsaid can sometimes speak the loudest . . .

What makes up a family? For Casey it's sharing a house with her fiancé, Michael, and his three children, whom she intends to nurture more than she ever took care of herself. But Casey's plans have come undone. Michael's silences have grown unfathomable and deep. His daughter Angel seethes as only a teenage girl can, while the wide-eyed youngest, Jewel, quietly takes it all in.

Then Michael's son, Dylan, runs off, and the kids' mother, a woman never afraid to say what she thinks, noisily barges into the home. That's when Casey decides that the silences can no longer continue. She must begin speaking the words no one else can say. She'll have to dig up secrets—including her own—uncovering the hurts, and begin the healing that is long overdue. And it all starts with just a few tentative words. . . .

“With ease and grace, Riggle walks the fine line between sentimentality and comedy, and she has a sure hand in creating fun, quirky characters. Humorous and humane storytelling makes this much better than the standard cancer tear-jerker.” - Publishers Weekly on Real Life & Liars

“Riggle crafts a moving and accomplished first novel about a family coming to terms with change. The characters are familiar but not stereotypical, and the quaint setting of Charlevoix, Michigan, a beachfront town, adds to the nostalgic feel.” - Booklist on Real Life & Liars

“Real Life and Liars, Kristina Riggle’s sumptuous and rich debut novel, examines the complications that arise in family and marriage, love and heartbreak. With lush writing and nuanced, relatable characters, this book is a must-read for anyone who has ever been both grateful and driven mad by the people they love most: their family.” - Allison Winn Scotch, author of the New York Times bestselling TIME OF MY LIFE

“In this engaging, companionable novel about family, expectations, and adversities overcome, Kristina Riggle performs the admirable feat of giving us characters who are somehow both familiar and wonderfully original. Unpredictable, touching, and true, The Life You’ve Imagined is a stand-out story; I devoured it and wanted more.” - Therese Fowler, author of Reunion

“Backed by Riggle’s trademark unflinching honesty and imbued with heart and hope, The Life You’ve Imagined is a terrific novel about love and loss, letting go and holding on. A book to share with family and friends—I loved it.” - Melissa Senate, author of The Secret of Joy

“It’s really unfortunate that Oprah’s Book Club is no longer around. This is the kind of book she would eat right up.” - Pittsburgh Tribune

“Riggle has a knack for dialogue and prose…the plot is quite compelling and the characters are nuanced and very human.” - Desert Morning News

“an involving portrayal of the obstacles confronting today’s families.” - Publishers Weekly

“Women’s literature has another promising writer in Kristina Riggle. Her latest work “Things We Didn’t Say”, is an imaginative drama about the consequences of hidden secrets and how they alter human relationship in a family that is struggling to blend and bond together.” - Iron Mountain Daily News

“In this moving and captivating novel, Kristina Riggle explores with depth and honesty the question of how we define a family, and the myriad ways we all seek to shed our difficult pasts. THINGS WE DIDN’T SAY is impossible to put down, and even harder to let go of.” - Julie Buxbaum, author of THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE, AFTER YOU