Dopo la morte dei genitori, gli assistenti sociali affidano Maddy a Patty, ma la convivenza non è facile perché hanno due caratteri molto diversi. Maddy è seria e curiosa, e Patty è più superficiale. Quando Patty parte per Amsterdam, scopre di essere incinta ma non vuole tenere il bambino. Anche convinta dalla sorella, però, alla fine decide di tenerlo. Ad agosto partono per le vacanze dove conoscono due ragazzi: Daan e Sander. Diventano amici e passano molto tempo insieme. Durante la vacanza nasce il bambino di Patty, che per i primi quattro giorni non ha un nome. Maddy si occupa molto del bambino perché Patty si dimostra svogliata nei suoi confronti. Il 16 agosto Patty scappa dalla casa delle loro vacanze e Maddy si ritrova sola con il bambino ed una lettera della sorella. Lo stesso giorno Luigi, il padre del bambino, scopre di essere diventato papà e, con Maddy e Robinson (il bambino), va a cercare Patty, ma ad un certo punto scoprono che lei è a casa e la raggiungono. Dopo diverse discussioni Luigi e Patty raggiungono un accordo per tenere il bambino a turno e le cose si rasserenano per tutti. ( )

I really liked this book because I haven’t read anything exactly life it before. It has a lot of drama in it. I enjoyed the was Mado and Patty were able to bond. And now Patty stared to act more mature and take care of Robinson. This book was good if you were looking for a sad yet romantic, but also dramatic book. I read this book because a friend recommended it to me.

It is about life and has very realistic thins in it. It is very inspiring too. I read this book because it’s about life and it seemed interesting.

This book was entertaining enough, but I found it to be an unrealistic work of realistic fiction. In theory, everything that happened in the book could happen all at the same time in real life, but it just wouldn't. Mado, the main character's parents die in a car accident. She and her sister, Patty, go to the cottage together where their family went every year, and they meet two boys around their ages. Then after only six days, they both fall in love and are brokenhearted when the boys have to leave. Then, Patty, who was pregnant, has her baby and takes off, leaving it with helpless Mado. Mado calls the baby's father up, he comes to get them, and they begin a search for irresponsible, immature Patty. They find her eventually and everything works itself out. Patty and the father of her child work out a custody arrangement, Patty continues supporting Mado, and Mado gets to visit the boys she fell for. The book pissed me off, firstly, because of Patty's selfishness and how no one was able to stay angry with her in spite of it, and secondly, because it was really wasn't "life as it comes." The book's unrealistic turn of events made it hard to relate to. ( )

Reviewed by Jocelyn Pearce for TeensReadToo.com

Mado and Patty are sisters. Now that their parents are gone, killed in a car crash on their way to the family's vacation home, they're the only family they've got. Still, though, they're very different people. LIFE AS IT COMES is about their life together after the accident.

Patty is her younger sister's legal guardian, and they're doing the best they can together. However, life is further complicated when Patty reveals that she is several months pregnant. If the social workers find out, they might put Mado into foster care, not expecting a twenty-year-old to be able to care for a baby and a teenager. But what can they do?

LIFE AS IT COMES is a lovely, sad, hopeful novel about life, loss, love, family, and growing up. The translation from the French is, as far as I can tell, done quite excellently; the writing style flows wonderfully and is completely absorbing. The very well-done relationships of the fully fleshed-out and interesting characters give the story remarkable depth.

This is one that will stay with readers long after the final page. ( )