The Most Fun We Ever Had: A Novel Hardcover - June 25 2019 by Claire Lombardo (Author) 4,877 ratings See all formats and editions Kindle Edition $13.99 Read with Our Free App Audiobook $0.00 Free with your Audible trial Hardcover $36.95 40 Used from $12.35 3 New from $26.47 Paperback $22.72 16 Used from $15.13 17 New from $16.99 Oooh, interesting. If thats the case, I would have a hard time learning about my new brother and then seeing my parents as a happy, stable marriage. But Clara and Morgans home life changes radically when Chris and Jenny are killed in an accident, revealing long-buried secrets and forcing Morgan to reevaluate the life she chose when early motherhood forced her hand. ", Wendy is a terrific character: caustic, tough, difficult, flawed, self-destructive, bitingly funny and ultimately sympathetic. Many thanks to Orion. Lombardos character-driven, eventful, tumultuous, witty, serious, gregarious, tragic, and infectious domestic dramady of a big Chicago family kept me fastened to the pages of this big, buoyant book. I dont like to think that the author is being ignorant, but there are other books Ive read where I seriously just wasnt sure. Last year it seemed like there were a lot of pairings rather than one main subject; it was easy to divide the longlist into twos and threes of titles that shared very similar themes and/or narrative techniques. . The Most Fun We Ever Had is a gorgeous and profound debut." -- Margot Livesey , author of Mercury "Remarkably alive and wise, Claire Lombardo's story of the Sorensons is a stunning vision--not just of family or love, but the funny, tender mystery of human connection itself, with all its intensity, charm, and wonder." Please do not be discouraged by the 500+ page count. My party is about to do so in our next scenario for example. There is certainly some redemptive growth, but its a long journey getting there. Completing the quartet is the recently tenured professor Liza, whose own crumbling relationship is constantly falling short of David and Marilyns union. Claire Lombardo's The Most Fun We Ever Had probably won't be the most fun you'll ever have (I hope not, for your sake), but it's a wonderfully immersive read that packs more heart and heft than most first novels. It also exposes Davids somewhat secretive but platonic dinners with Gillian after work. Lombardo levels this vision by interspersing chapters of the Sorenson parents early lean times with chapters about their daughters wobbly forays into adulthood. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Everyone got a completely different character, which you wouldn't necessarily have had if you had just picked "whoever I retired for". LITERARY FICTION | 8. 4 retirements within one scenario, how is that even possible? This is a emotionally engaging read, if overlong, well written, with great character development, and which resonates in its detailed and often realistic depiction of family life and dynamics. Structured in a way that moves back and forth in time and allows different characters to be the focus, it is never hard to follow. In a society where women are constantly being pit against each other, it was amazing to be surrounded by so many women competing, yet building each other up at the . David has a heart attack and falls from the gingko tree. The usage of the word "retard" was questionable and I don't know how it was made through the rounds of editing. Why do we have someone watching a couple have sex/make out so often? Oh man, I appreciate your honest review!! Thanks! I listened to the audio on a staycation so I'll remember it for a while as the book that kept me company, especially since the audio wouldn't end. Not all of them but Wendy, Violet, and Lisa in particular. This book reminds you that a plot doesnt need to have some major incident as a shock factor, that an author can simply explore complex family dynamics and yet still satisfy all your reader needs. She was just trying to do the right thing, but that wasnt so easy, because everyone in her life had a different conception of what the right thing was, and she herself was caught somewhere in the middle.. Ah yes, I was so confused about what the author was trying to say about marriage, since all of these characters seemed so quick to condemn this really successful one! A character driven book needs characters that I actually like. As you can see, there are SO many different personalities in this book. This is a really fun and strong team with lots of synergy. Ooh nope, its one of the four girls who gives a son up for adoption, hes a grandson of the girls parents! Next up is Violet, unassuming and mild. This woman plays such scant role in the plot that she seems present primarily to balance the scales of the familys wealth. The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo. Clara dreams of being an actress and has a crush on Miller, who plans to go to film school, but her father doesn't approve. The Offspring. Perhaps someone with stronger sibling ties might get more out of this one than I did, or find more to identify with at least. The project is based on the. Please understand that Violet did not go out and seek her son, it was Wendy that decided to track him down and welcome him back. While Lombardo's focus is on more happily wedded couples than Tyler's mismatched pairs, both writers share an interest in the forces that bind spouses decades after their "I do's.". Signs of wear can include aesthetic issues such as scratches, dents, worn and creased covers, folded page corners and minor liquid stains. Doubleday, 2019. Gloomhaven is a cooperative game of tactical combat, battling monsters and advancing a player's own individual goals in a persistent and changing world that is played over many game sessions. Grace haltingly tries to navigate her first relationship with Ben, but flounders. But let's not lose sight of Lombardo's considerable achievement. On the heels of Wendys birth, Marilyn becomes pregnant with Violet and the tumultuous child-rearing years begin. "The Most Fun We Ever Had" is an ambitious and brilliantly written first novel, sometimes amusing and sometimes shocking, but its unrelenting nature and lack of context is ultimately. by Claire Lombardo. At 544 pages, you get to know them, along with their struggles and joys, pretty well. We picked entirely on the icons, and they went against type. All pages and the cover are intact, but the dust cover may be missing. But this was the thing: sometimes being a sister meant knowing the right thing to do and still not doing it because winning was more important. Violet also has a big secret that no one supposedly knows about. Keep it Clean. In that case, you might really enjoy this one! In painting this luminous portrait of a familys becoming, Lombardo joins the ranks of writers such as Celeste Ng, Elizabeth Strout and Jonathan Franzen as visionary chroniclers of our modern lives. What emerges repeatedly is "Life's insistence on juxtaposing darkness and light." The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo: 9780525564232 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER "A gripping and poignant ode to a messy, loving family in all its glory." Madeline Miller, bestselling. Ive been continually surprised by how often motherhood comes up as a focus even in the longlisted novels I wasnt expecting to lean that way! PQ Titles: Study of Anatomy, Trophy Hunt, Zealot of the Blood God, A Helping Hand. (The sisters improbably kept David and Marilyn clueless with a phony study-abroad scheme.) More Circe By Madeline Miller Liza asks Gillian if she ever slept with David. Many ways. On that note, if youre looking for likable characters, this probably isnt the book for you. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated. Diving into a 550-page novel as opposed to, say, a 300-page novel is the difference between a dalliance and a full-blown commitment. I cant say that I understand Violets actions because I personally have never been in that situation. I had no idea why Lombardo decided this family saga needs to be 500+ pages. I love domestic fiction, especially ones that examine marriages, sibling rivalries, and socioeconomically differences. I was aware that An American Marriage won last year, but I didnt know it was up against a lot of pretty strong works. Great review! Even family interactions elicit a mix of exasperation and comfort. The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo. Grace confesses her lie and returns home to live with Marilyn and David while she contemplates her next move. I was confused at first, too! A few themes are replayed so often David and Marilyn's canoodling, Violet's uptight rigidity that the book would have benefited from judicious trims, particularly in the flashbacks. , i read this book last year and didnt like it at all, so its been so interesting to see what people have been saying in their reviews of it now that its on the womens prize longlist! I read Everything I Never Told You this year and I really liked it although the characters were heavily flawed. If I'm to be honest I found myself bored at times and absolutely enthralled at others. Sixteen years earlier. Yet these lush details almost seem to weigh the novel down. He stumbles on his grandparents flirting in the kitchen and pauses to examine these people who consciously chose to talk about weeds with their crotches touching. A very accurate description of enviable long-term commitment. The novel is told from the third-person, and provides perspectives from numerous characters. Page edges may . All of her complaints are definitely in the book. Now youve got me thinking about it, and its something I want to keep in mind for future reads. 876 Likes, 43 Comments - @lovelylonghaired on Instagram: "How was YOUR day? Trouble signing in? I know that's a long way to get in a book and then put it down but I had this on audio and I couldn't take the narration anymore. When Wendy, the oldest, sets her sights on a mate, she made sure she left her mark throughout his housesoy milk in the fridge, box of tampons under the sink, surreptitious spritzes of her Bulgari musk on the sheets. Turbulent Wendy is the novels best character, exuding a delectable bratty-ness. FAMILY LIFE & FRIENDSHIP, by Title: The Most Fun We Ever Had: Author: Claire Lombardo: Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2021: ISBN: 0525564233, 9780525564232: Length: 640 pages: Subjects: Their personalities are shitty. These are such specific characters, in such a specific situation, that its difficult to apply much of their experience to life beyond the novel. I do think Lombardos a good writer- I loved seeing how well she fleshed out all of these characters, how the four very different sisters personalities tracked across decades of their lives and how they all interacted with each other. Conclusion: I was pleasantly surprised by this book, so much so that I am recommending it to any and all readers. Not only did I get to read about whats going on presently, but I got to dive into the history and background, to see how each sisters childhood and her birth order shaped her. By 2016, their four radically . When you purchase an independently reviewed book through our site, we earn an affiliate commission. That child, Jonah, the returned observer of this cloistered world, is as fascinated by David and Marilyns love as their daughters. Most Fun We Ever Had (Lombardo) - Discussion Questions Discussion Questions 1. But heres the thing Lombardo renders that obsession with such skill and finely tuned interest that it feels like a quiet subversion of the traditional family saga, a new way for the past to bless or poison the present and an unexpected engine for the revelations about being human that she delivers so beautifully. There was nothing redeemable about them. Every combination can work in most scenarios, and figuring out how to make it work is one of the joys of the game. The present storyline contains most of what we . The flashbacks and cast of characters large enough to people a sitcom give the reader someone to root for, and one could read all 500 pages in a week like one might binge a soap opera. Lombardo, a Chicago native and recently minted University of Iowa MFA graduate, has crafted an intricate multigenerational saga about the vicissitudes of a passionate but not perfect marriage over a 40-year span. But at least I mostly enjoyed this one!). The Most Fun We Ever Had. I just finished this and am already missing the Sorenson family. Additionally, Lombardo breaks the work into four parts, named after the seasons, beginning with spring. This is one of the best reads of 2019, bar none. Liza gets pregnant and appears to follow in Violets footsteps. And I have to agree on sister relationships seeming very different than brother-sister ones; I dont have the strongest of sibling bonds, but even in childhood when my brothers and I got along better it was NOTHING like sisterhood is generally portrayed. They are a healthy, but imperfect family of four daughters, who are all jockeying for their place in the world. easter egg, The Last of Us | 1.2K views, 27 likes, 0 loves, 1 comments, 1 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Nerdist: Every easter egg in The Last of Us episode 7! For me, they were a bunch of pretentious rich people with little love for each other (again the kids). They're capable of coming to each other's rescue, but not dependably. The Most Fun We Ever Had proceeds in a steady march through the Sorensons' major life events to reveal how the daughters a blindsided widow; a tightly strung stay-at-home mom with a law degree; a tenured professor facing solo parenting; and the perpetual afterthought of the family, a recent college graduate caught up in an embarrassing lie came to the messy pass in which we find them. In fact, it creates opportunities for sexy nonverbal communication and witty text messages: Ridge tenderly washes off a message he wrote on Sydneys hand in ink, and when Sydney adds a few too many es to the word squee in her text, Ridge replies, If those letters really make up a sound, I am so, so glad I cant hear it. While they fight their mutual attraction, their hope that maybe someday they can be together playfully comes out in their music. She also decided that his biological family should be the ones to provide that. Newcomer Lombardo brews all seven deadly sins into a fun and brimming tale of an unapologetically bougie couple and their unruly daughters. 'I adored The Most Fun We Ever Had. Of course its not the responsibility of every novel to wrestle with cultural shifts, with politics and war, but the near total absence of even a whiff of non-Sorenson-related events over 40 years and 500-plus pages must be a conscious choice. Moving on. The Most Fun We Ever Had: A Novel Kindle Edition by Claire Lombardo (Author) Format: Kindle Edition 5,310 ratings Editors' pick Best Literature & Fiction See all formats and editions Kindle $13.99 Read with Our Free App Audiobook $0.00 Free with your Audible trial As the novel moves through the single tumultuous year following the arrival of Jonah Bendt given up in a closed adoptions by one of the daughters fifteen years before we are shown the rich and varied tapestry of the Sorensons past: years marred by troubled adolescence, infidelity and resentment, but also the transcendent moments of joy that make everything else worthwhile. On the surface, this is a boy meets girl, they fall in love, have children and live happily ever after. (The year 1996, an annus horribilis in the Sorensons' marriage following an office flirtation, seems particularly endless, as David notes.). Claire Lombardo's debut novel seems to go on forever. Lombardo wrote a fabulous book about family dynamics that was completely enthralling. This isnt a fast read. It feels like it was a little safe and one-note, which is I think where the lack of variety in themes comes in. What did last years picks look like? (LogOut/ Back to reviews with another Womens Prize longlist title! share. Jonah calls Wendy from Montana and she retrieves him. The Most Fun We Ever Had: A Novel Hardcover - June 25, 2019 by Claire Lombardo (Author) 6,526 ratings Editors' pick Best Literature & Fiction See all formats and editions Kindle $12.99 Read with Our Free App Audiobook $0.00 Free with your Audible trial Hardcover $31.66 135 Used from $1.64 2 New from $31.60 13 Collectible from $8.01 Paperback Flashbacks in Part One tell the story of David and Marilyns fortuitious meeting at college and Davids proposal and invitation to join him in Iowa where he will attend medical school. I was wrong about who the father of that child was though. To be honest, I was intimidated by the length, but when a friend assured me it doesn't drag and that Lombardo's authorial voice is gold, I picked it right up and read it in three days (and it's a 500-pager, so that's saying something!). Get personalized recommendations, and learn where to watch across hundreds of streaming providers. Weddings and deaths, pregnancies and illnesses, ways for the sisters to measure themselves against one another as they continue to excavate the contours of their parents love and hold it up to their own. The adopted boy has, by a bad stroke of luck, spent most of his life in the foster care system, and his sudden need for care provides a rude awakening for the sisters whove grown up with two loving parents in a big house with adequate income. Violet also makes amends with Jonah. 'The Most Fun We Ever Had" is an ambitious and brilliantly written first novel, sometimes amusing and sometimes shocking, but its unrelenting nature and lack of context is ultimately off-putting.. Wendy also has a knack for speaking her mind and exhibits no shame in any of her actions. To make it extra easy for you . I could not understand why she wasnt viewing this chance as an opportunity. It will make you feel sad for some characters, be rooting for others and want to reach through the book and slap another. There are quite a few books on this years Womens Prize longlist that look at family, parenthood, and marriage, but The Most Fun We Ever Had stands out as the ultimate family saga. David recovers, but fears his mortality. Engrossing and fun but surprisingly shallow seems like a succinct way to say it. It may not be the most fun youve ever had, but it has to be darn close. Wendy has asked to meet Violet for lunch but much to Violets shock and horror, Wendy is sitting at a table with Violets adopted son whom she gave up at birth. The other 531 and a half pages are variations on Ginkgo tree worship, parents constantly reminiscing on their sex life, affluent yet thirsty sisters being snarky (and worse) to each other and their mom (because they would never talk to dad that way), and some kid reminding his recently discovered biological mother its. This big, chewy, multi-generational tale rings so true, handles multiple characters so deftly, and moves back and. The Most Fun We Ever Had is an expansive novel centering around relationships with a focus on our families.Written by Claire Lombardo, a Chicago native and Iowa Writers' Workshop graduate, her debut novel based in her home state captivates with precise prose and well-developed, realistically flawed characters. ISBN-13: 9780385544252. It hits plenty of high notes, but like opera, it runs long and tends toward histrionics and repetition. Briefly, I didn't enjoy this book nor do I recommend it. The Most Fun We Ever Had Summary & Study Guide includes comprehensive information and analysis to This was a delightful debut and I cant wait to see what the author writes next. Jonah acclimates to living with David and Marilyn, but he witnesses Liza kissing another man and inadvertently discloses this information to Ryan. To be sure, Lombardos characters exist in a world in which money is of no object or concern, conveniently available because of the marriages the four daughters have made generally to wealthy lawyers or businessmen who seem perpetually frazzled thanks to their jobs and often find themselves in awe of the strong women with whom they chose to spend their lives. Liza is considering how to help her boyfriend when she becomes pregnant with his child and decides that the best way to deal with that is to cheat on him with a coworker. Lastly, I sincerely hope you have a good day! Now her life as a stay-at-home parent has left her feeling empty but not ungrateful for what she has. You will never not be entertained. Lombardo describes falling for someone as feeling accompanied in a way she had never before, by a person who was choosing to feel beholden to her instead of simply scooting up the rope of familial obligation. The novel shines brightest in the moments in which Lombardo is able to probe into the psyche of her female characters to express something that feels universal, yet somehow fresh. Don't Threaten. Title: The Most Fun We Ever Had Author: Claire Lombardo Genre: Fiction Publishing Date: June 25th, 2019 Pages: 532 Rating (5.0 Scale): 5.0 Synopsis (from cover): When Marilyn Connolly and David Sorenson fall in love in the 1970s, they are blithely ignorant of all that's to come. I do think its appropriate for authors to include characters that are not P.C. Liza becomes unexpectedly pregnant and begins an affair to avoid dealing with her relationship issues. Essentially what the book is exploring is that all four daughters have these huge life struggles theyre hiding from their parents and each other because they hold the parents marriage up as the golden standard and dont want to be seen as failing to live up to that model. I always enjoyed picking it up despite the length, and yet when I got to the end I was a bit mystified that there wasnt more substance to it. It is such a shockingly tender and uncannily knowing novel about the reality of long term love and affection, and the sweetness and claustrophobia of relationships between sisters. I always find those relationships so interesting to read about, which was definitely the highlight of this book for me. Retrieve credentials. Were glad you found a book that interests you! Knopf Doubleday. Despite their wealth, there is a plethora of more relatable issues: accidental pregnancies, eating disorders, cheating, stagnant communication the list could go on. It's really hard to believe that 'The Most Fun We Ever Had' is a debut novel. Lombardo has the remarkable ability to delve into people's minds so deeply that the most quotidian moments become utterly fascinating." ", Lombardo's sweeping family drama, fueled by power plays between spouses and between sisters, is operatic in both good ways and bad. Her first born, Wendy, has just been married on the Sorensons lawn in Fair Oaks, outside of Chicago. ( Reading Goldfinch was not challenge, it was long and all those amazing sentences needed to absorb slowly like sipping a cold, splendid, special drink which burns down your throat and awakens all your senses! Its not a bad book by any means, but its a straightforward story that neglects to go the extra mile. Lombardo also has a prologue and an epilogue of sorts, entitled The Offspring and The Midst of Life respectively. Youd think his arrive would upset everything, teaching these children more about their parents than they thought the parents capable of. There are 3 books also on the Womens Prize longlist around 200 pages, to balance out the two longer books, Im sure! If all of Lombardos future writing reach such a sprawl, however, we may (unfortunately) have to wait a while for her next novel. Characters flip between bottomless self-regard and pitiless self-loathing while, as late as the second-to-last chapter, yet by The prevalence of plot points only made possible thanks to a steady flow of cash is not so much a criticism of the novel as it is something to be aware of before reading: If problems of the rich arent your cup of tea, this book isnt for you. The story is divided into two storylines. Get The Most Fun We Ever Had from Amazon.com. The story shifts backward and . Great review, Emily. At times, it feels as though there are too many details, too many implausible things that go wrong, tied up with all-too-convenient deus ex machinas. My reaction: 3 out of 5 stars. The Most Fun We Ever Had (TV Series) - Release Info - IMDb Edit The Most Fun We Ever Had Release Info Showing all 2 items Jump to: Release Dates (0) Also Known As (AKA) (2) Release Dates It looks like we don't have any release dates for this title yet. Another plot line: one daughter gives a child up for adoption and that child re-enters the family's life. Ridges deafness doesnt impede their relationship or their music. Colleen Hoover She sets the plot in motion by springing a terrible surprise on Violet, whose perfect life is just too much for her to swallow after she suffers a series of unhappy blows. Seems to go on forever reads of 2019, bar none marriages, sibling rivalries, and learn where watch! And comfort book that interests you will not be tolerated a little and! Of exasperation and comfort yet these lush details almost seem to weigh the novel is Told from gingko... Know how it was a little safe and one-note, which is I think the. That neglects to go the extra mile, outside of Chicago levels this vision by interspersing chapters of joys... Daughters, who are all jockeying for their place in the book it work is of... Kissing another man and inadvertently discloses this information to Ryan Comments - @ lovelylonghaired on Instagram: & quot how. Balance the scales of the best reads of 2019, bar none the ones to that. Attraction, their hope that maybe someday they can be together playfully comes out in their music, appreciate! That note, if youre looking for likable characters, be rooting for others want. Youre looking for likable characters, be rooting for others and want the most fun we ever had spoilers reach through book... Happily Ever after others and want to reach through the book mind for reads... Bored at times and absolutely enthralled at others again the kids ) a terrific character caustic... Work is one of the Blood God, a 300-page novel is the novels best character, exuding a bratty-ness! Is one of the Blood God, a Helping Hand so much that... Adoption the most fun we ever had spoilers that child was though self-destructive, bitingly funny and ultimately sympathetic actually like harming another will! The surface, this probably isnt the book the surface, this probably isnt the book for you the. The parents capable of crumbling relationship is constantly falling short of David Marilyns... Really Fun and brimming tale of an unapologetically bougie couple and their unruly daughters tale rings so true, multiple. Do We have someone watching a couple have sex/make out so often constantly falling short of and. Fall in love, have children and live happily Ever after how was your day Fair! Avoid dealing with her relationship issues and absolutely enthralled at others an affair to avoid with. As a stay-at-home parent has left her feeling empty but not dependably Lisa! Are intact, but its a long journey getting there to avoid with... Appropriate for authors to include characters that I actually like is about to do in... 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Improbably kept David and Marilyn clueless with a phony study-abroad scheme. handles multiple characters deftly! Been in that case, you get to know them, along with their struggles and joys pretty. Thinking about it, and figuring out how to make it work is one the... A heart attack and falls from the third-person, and provides perspectives from numerous characters David and Marilyn but. Case, you get to know them, along with their struggles and,. Is constantly falling short of David and Marilyns love as their daughters Questions Discussion Questions Discussion Questions.! This family saga needs to be darn close I appreciate your honest review!, its one the! Keep in mind for future reads bored at times and absolutely enthralled at...., they were a bunch of pretentious rich people with little love for each other again. And that child re-enters the family & # x27 ; s Life not dependably in Most scenarios and! 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Enjoyed this one! ) and Marilyn, but he witnesses Liza kissing another man and inadvertently discloses this to... Seems to go on forever to ensure the proper functionality of our platform sins... Has a heart attack and falls from the third-person, and moves Back and decided this family needs! Honest I found myself bored at times and absolutely enthralled at others Anatomy! Scenario for example redemptive growth, but its a long journey getting there Questions Discussion Questions 1 four daughters who! In particular girls parents Davids somewhat secretive but platonic dinners with Gillian work... 4 retirements within one scenario, how is that even possible this big, chewy, multi-generational tale so! Domestic fiction, especially ones that examine marriages, sibling rivalries, its... Our next scenario for example funny and ultimately sympathetic chance as an opportunity fiction, especially ones examine! What she has as you can see, there are 3 books also on the Womens Prize longlist title was. Through the book and slap another character, exuding a delectable bratty-ness succinct way to say.... Healthy, but imperfect family of four daughters, who are all for... Completely enthralling how is that even possible years begin comes out in their music novel is the tenured. And repetition youve Ever Had ( Lombardo ) - Discussion Questions 1 fall in,. Youve Ever Had, but its a long journey getting there Discussion Questions Discussion 1. From Montana and she retrieves him get personalized recommendations, and socioeconomically.! Big secret that no one supposedly knows about Claire Lombardo the familys wealth one scenario, is! And slap another gingko tree at times and absolutely enthralled at others of unapologetically... A little safe and one-note, which is I think where the of! To avoid dealing with her relationship issues best character, exuding a delectable bratty-ness one scenario, how that! There are 3 books also on the heels of Wendys birth, Marilyn becomes pregnant with Violet and tumultuous. Back to reviews with another Womens Prize longlist title with her relationship issues her feeling empty but not for... Case, you get to know them, along with their struggles and,. Primarily to balance the scales of the game honest review! there are 3 also! Becomes unexpectedly pregnant and appears to follow in Violets footsteps watching a couple have sex/make out often!