That's Not How It Happened

By: Craig Thomas

Narrated by: Marli Watson, Cobie Smulders, Josh Radnor, Kevin Iannucci

“Funny and poignant... Craig Thomas is a big-hearted, empathetic writer who knows his characters inside and out." —Tom Perrotta, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Mrs. Fletcher and The Leftovers

“Funny, real and moving all at once...[A] wonderful, heartfelt debut.” –Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tony-Award Winning creator of Broadway’s Hamilton

From the Emmy-nominated co-creator and Executive Producer of How I Met Your Mother, this smart, funny, bighearted novel for fans of Kevin Wilson and Monica Heisey, follows a family turned upside down after Hollywood decides to make a movie version of their lives.

With Audiobook narration by Cobie Smulders and Josh Radnor

Paige didn’t set out to be a stay-at-home mom, but when her husband’s screenwriting career took off right before they had a son with Down syndrome, the decision was made for her. Now, with their children nearly grown and unsure what's next, Paige writes a memoir about the challenges of raising a child with a disability. When a major actress-turned-producer shows up at her door eager to make her “inspiring” story into a movie, she’s shocked, excited, and a little terrified.

This movie just might be the comeback opportunity her husband, Rob, desperately needs. His career has fizzled in recent years. But the movie is going to need a screenwriter, and who better to adapt his wife's memoir than him?... Meanwhile, their son, Emmett, doesn’t understand why people think his Down syndrome is the most important thing in his life (that's definitely his girlfriend, Amy)—but he hopes his newfound fame might somehow get him closer to meeting his idol, Eddie Vedder. Their daughter, Darcy, couldn't care less about the whole thing because she’s hardly even in their mom's book. The “normal” child who nobody ever worries about is feeling more forgotten than ever as her love life implodes and college decisions loom.

As their lives are chewed up and spit out by the Hollywood machine, triggering old resentments and launching new betrayals, will any of them even recognize the "inspiring" family in this film? Or will this "feel-good" movie be the end of them?

Incredible

Amazing storyline with relatable humor only the co creator of How I Met Your Mother can pull off. My viewpoint of individuals with Down Syndrome has shifted in the most remarkable way and I loved every second of taking in these perspectives around disability. The audio cast was amazing. Highly recommend!!

How real the “life” of the story felt.

As a younger sibling of someone with Down syndrome and a fan of How I Met Your Mother, I was excited to hear that Craig Thomas wrote this novel and of the broad subject matter. I was prepared for a good story that I might be able to relate to. Listening to Josh, Cobie, Marli, and Kevin read this was such a delightful experience. They brought to life a beautiful story about how the same shared life of a family can be so very different, depending on who you are and your roles/perspectives in that family. I laughed out loud at the parenting pieces, I nodded at the recognition of parts I know being a part of a family with someone with a disability (and working in special education). I felt anger, frustration, joy, sympathy, and delight, amongst other emotions while listening. It’s an easy to listen to story that keeps you captivated throughout. It has heart, heartbreak, repair, growth, and mundane life moments. Overall, it’s a well written, complete story about a family just trying to do their best and learn and grow in this wild ride called life.

This is how hard i cried

This novel touched me in a way that i haven't felt in a while. I used work with people with Down syndrome long before i realized i wanted to write.

Heartfelt and Funny

This novel managed to walk a tightrope between being deep and heartfelt and funny and light.

The story itself often felt topical and not particularly intense, but it revealed so many very human moments that explored what it means to be happy, what it means to love, and what it means to care for those you love as an imperfect human who can get a lot of things wrong even when you’re trying your best.

The story managed to keep me engaged from beginning to end with a good pace that didn’t seem to stagnate at any point.

Like any novel I love, I was sad for it to be over and kept hearing the characters voices in my head, wanting to still be submerged in their world.

Could not stop listening

As a divorced father with primary custody of two children with special needs, I literally could not stop listening to this book. I binged it in one day.

I connected with this book on so many levels, and broke down crying in public at least twice while running around on my very busy daily routine.

the idea of perspective, of seeing things and experiencing things in different ways and coming away with different ideas and interpretations has been a primary theme of my divorce and my life healing from it.

there's no doubt that this book was written by the parent of a child with special needs, who understands, who's been through the ringer. and who understands the different roles that we as parents fall into. the things that we stress about and worry about and think about. at one point in the book, the father was wondering what his child inherited from him, and what came from his disability, and I started to sob. I couldn't stop. I had wondered this so many times. To hear it said out loud truly hit me where I lived.

the book is Well written, the story is well told, and the voice actors are well chosen.

thank you for this book.