The Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano

A Novel

By: Donna Freitas

Narrated by: Kristen Sieh

“A powerful exploration of motherhood and feminism… this novel will have readers examining their own ‘what-ifs.’” — Jill Santopolo, New York Times bestselling author of Everything After

“[An] inventive novel about love, loss, identity, and compromise.”—Woman's Day

“Delves deep into love, motherhood, and the complicated dance that is navigating the world as a woman.” — Claire Lombardo, New York Times bestselling author of The Most Fun We Ever Had

A deeply moving novel about a woman who thought she never wanted to be a mother—and the many ways that life can surprise us


Rose Napolitano is fighting with her husband, Luke, about prenatal vitamins. She promised she’d take them, but didn’t. He promised before they got married that he’d never want children, but now he’s changed his mind. Their marriage has come to rest on this one question: Can Rose find it in herself to become a mother? Rose is a successful professor and academic. She's never wanted to have a child. The fight ends, and with it their marriage.

But then, Rose has a fight with Luke about the vitamins—again. This time the fight goes slightly differently, and so does Rose’s future as she grapples with whether she can indeed give up the one thing she thought she knew about herself. Can she reimagine her life in a completely new way? That reimagining plays out again and again in each of Rose’s nine lives, just as it does for each of us as we grow into adulthood. What are the consequences of our biggest choices? How would life change if we let go of our preconceived ideas of ourselves and became someone completely new? Rose Napolitano’s experience of choosing and then choosing again shows us in an utterly compelling way what it means, literally, to reinvent a life and, sometimes, become a different kind of woman than we ever imagined.

A stunning novel about love, loss, betrayal, divorce, death, a woman’s career and her identity, The Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano is about finding one’s way into a future that wasn't the future one planned, and the ways that fate intercedes when we least expect it.

Good idea but not my fave

I didn’t find the main character likable or all that interesting. I finished listening because it was a book club pick. By the end I had definitely become engaged in the story, but didn’t necessarily enjoy it. The performance was just fine, like the book.

Good read!

The author has done a good job at breaking down a complex emotion using a wide spectrum of perspectives. The point goes across beautifully.

this book broke and healed me at the same time

picked it up absolutely randomly, and then for three days could not stop but also needed breaks from it. very much about must for people in the same season of life as Rose Napolitano

Nine lives of R.N.

Even though I always wanted babies and children it was very interesting to learn the thoughts and feelings of women who never have wanted children. I enjoyed this book. The jumping around from year to year and life to life was quite confusing for me. I never did totally understand if Rose had a baby or not. I would love for someone to explain the concept of jumping back and forth to me. Then I would read this book again. Maybe then it would make more sense. I totally understood Rose’s feelings about not wanting children, no matter what life she was in. I also excepted her feelings. I would have booted Luke and his crazy family out long before Rose did.

excellent and thoughtful

excellent and thoughtful audiobook. the audio was well done as well. highly recommend. great listen!