Buy new:
-20% $11.99
FREE delivery Friday, May 31 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
$11.99 with 20 percent savings
List Price: $14.99

The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. List prices may not necessarily reflect the product's prevailing market price.
Learn more
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Friday, May 31 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Only 9 left in stock (more on the way).
$$11.99 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$11.99
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
30-day easy returns
30-day easy returns
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
30-day easy returns
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$6.35
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
All pages and cover are intact. The book may have some cosmetic wear. The book has very few or no highlight, notes, underlined pages. Safe and Secure Mailer. No Hassle Return. Used books may not include supplementary material. All pages and cover are intact. The book may have some cosmetic wear. The book has very few or no highlight, notes, underlined pages. Safe and Secure Mailer. No Hassle Return. Used books may not include supplementary material. See less
FREE delivery Friday, May 31 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$11.99 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$11.99
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Molly Ringwald
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

When It Happens to You: A Novel in Stories Paperback – May 7, 2013

by Molly Ringwald (Author)
Editors' pick Best Literature & Fiction
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$11.99","priceAmount":11.99,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"11","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"99","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"mIEsAo%2BOW19184Ll%2FQpTMGod2YUYppO1LcIJH5eSA8HU6bgnoNVN%2Bb3xIGjU0toi%2FZVh92t%2FvXPNkXAU00DM7ok7o0jPPCMQuhnW1FrMObl%2FgtPDtgGOm9KPIfI3ux7yFD5MZisydsn%2BDHKqzt6ISQ%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$6.35","priceAmount":6.35,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"6","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"35","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"mIEsAo%2BOW19184Ll%2FQpTMGod2YUYppO1Toaf63Ftlw5PtrvoKjyeRdQW2K3fHo7BOk3huP7TkkMVYjrpQojQNOA5gETuBvoWmtHd4rtzs9ChgNjYocMZJDRJB99whGbJo%2Bt9mRjcQQz8mCtYlcydROYd%2F48apcS8kLWFPOuV5MYrFDm8wTxy%2F%2BbRCipCvM1V","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

Tales of love, loss, and betrayal are at the heart of When It Happens to You, the debut story collection from actress and author Molly Ringwald.

A Hollywood icon, Ringwald defined the teenage experience in the eighties in such classic films as Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club, and Sixteen Candles. Now the star of ABC Family’s hit series, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, and author of the bestselling memoir Getting the Pretty Back, Ringwald brings that same compelling candor she displayed in her film roles to the unforgettable characters she has created in this series of linked stories about the particular challenges, joys, and disappointments of adult relationships.

Here are stories that grapple with infertility and infidelity, fame and familial discord, in a magnificent collection that will resonate broadly with readers—from fans of Melissa Banks to Meg Wolitzer to Lorrie Moore. 

Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Print length
    272 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    May 7, 2013
  4. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.68 x 8.25 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    9780061809477
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0061809477
  7. See all details
Next page
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now

Frequently bought together

When It Happens to You: A Novel in Stories
$11.99
Get it as soon as Friday, May 31
Only 9 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Getting the Pretty Back: Friendship, Family, and Finding the Perfect Lipstick
$16.59
Get it as soon as Monday, Jun 3
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Sold by EKINOX and ships from Amazon Fulfillment.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
spCSRF_Control
One of these items ships sooner than the other.
Show details Hide details
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“When It Happens to You is absolutely lovely, a smart, emotionally sophisticated, intricately dovetailed novel of stories. World, I’m telling you now: Molly Ringwald is the real deal.” — Lauren Groff, author of Arcadia

“Molly Ringwald understands how families work and uses her considerable talents to make them come alive on the page.” — Gary Shteyngart, author of Super Sad True Love Story

“These stories sizzle with rare insight about the reverberations of betrayal and of love. Ringwald wisely never judges her characters, but lets them live out their complexities on the page, flawed and endearing, recognizable and also new. When It Happens To You is an impressive fiction debut.” — Robin Black, author of If I Loved You, I Would Tell You This

“When It Happens to You is an inventive and compelling portrait of love in the modern age.” — J. Courtney Sullivan, author of Maine

“Molly Ringwald’s eight electric stories are alive with Joycean insight-piercing, epiphanic moments of terror, humor, and transcendence. Together they offer a deeply moving portrait of modern life.” — Eleanor Henderson, author of Ten Thousand Saints

“[A] graceful and deft debut.” — ―Booklist

“With her assured and deftly wrought novel-in-stories . . . Ringwald plays out the all-too-familiar tragedies of adult life[. Her] stories ring with authenticity, voices so true and honest that we imagine she’s been eavesdropping on our conversations. Once again she connects us.” — ―Vanity Fair

From the Back Cover

Molly Ringwald mines the complexities of modern relationships in this gripping and nuanced collection of interlinked stories. When It Happens to You follows a Los Angeles family and their friends and neighbors while they negotiate the hazardous terrain of everyday life.

In "The Harvest Moon," a stay-at-home mom grapples with age, infertility, and an increasingly distant husband. In "Ursa Minor," a former children's television star tries to rebuild his life after being hospitalized for "exhaustion." In "My Olivia," a single mother finds untapped reserves of strength to protect her flamboyant six-year-old son, who wishes only to wear dresses and be called Olivia. And in the devastating title story, a betrayed wife chronicles her pain and alienation, leading to an eviscerating denouement.

An unflinching yet poignant examination of the intricacies of the human heart, When It Happens to You is an auspicious literary debut.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0061809470
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ It Books; Reprint edition (May 7, 2013)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780061809477
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0061809477
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.3 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.68 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Molly Ringwald

Molly Ringwald

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Molly Ringwald began her film career at the age of thirteen with her Golden Globe-nominated performance in The Tempest. Her extensive film credits include The Pick-Up Artist, For Keeps, Fresh Horses, Betsy’s Wedding, Billy Bob Thornton’s short film Some People Call It a Sling Blade, and the now iconic coming-of-age movies Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles, and The Breakfast Club. On stage, Molly has starred in the Broadway production of Cabaret, the Tony-nominated Broadway production of Enchanted April, and the Bob Fosse musical Sweet Charity. Molly can currently be seen starring in the breakout hit The Secret Life of the American Teenager on ABC Family. She lives with her husband and three children in Los Angles, CA, and Getting the Pretty Back is her first book.

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5
638 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

KC
4.0 out of 5 stars Surprising page-turner
Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2012
Verified Purchase
I bought the Kindle version expecting it to be a quick, fluffy read on the plane. It turned out to be an engrossing, thoughtful, adeptly written set of stories with a few surprises. I'm glad I ignored the New York Times review of this book, as it critiqued Ringwald's first novel from a technical, academic point of view. I don't know whether this novel is technically cliche, but I know that she tells a great story without being heavy-handed, trite, or predictable. She created characters I wanted to engage. Perhaps this novel would not have sold as well had she not been the leader of the 80's Brat Pack, but who cares! I'm glad I read it and I look forward to her next one.
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Larry Hoffer
5.0 out of 5 stars Molly Ringwald delivers a must-read that is evocative, emotional, and beautifully written
Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2012
Verified Purchase
The literary world is literally jam-packed with books "authored" by celebrities--actors, directors, musicians, socialites, even those famous for essentially doing nothing. Clearly, many of these celebrity so-called authors are able to sell their books to publishers because of their name only, because most of their books are poorly written. But for me, there have been some celebrity surprises over the years, including Steve Martin and Steve Earle.

After reading When It Happens to You, I can unequivocally say that Molly Ringwald belongs on the short list of extremely talented celebrity authors. While I'll admit I chose to read this book partially because of the good reviews it has been receiving and partially because I'm obsessed with the 80s, especially all things Brat Pack, Ringwald's story-telling ability was apparent to me almost immediately, and I found myself quickly drawn into the book. (I'm not in the slightest bit embarrassed to admit one of the next books I plan to read is Andrew McCarthy's new book. Don't judge.)

When It Happens to You is called "a novel in stories," and each story in the book is linked, with one character, Greta, at the epicenter. When the book begins, Greta and her husband, Phillip, are struggling with fertility issues and the effects the desire to have another baby are having on their relationship. Subsequent stories, which focus on Greta and Phillip, as well as peripheral characters whose lives interact with them, touch on the drama--and trauma--of relationships. I really felt Ringwald had a deft touch in creating her characters, and their dialogue seemed authentic, not artificial.

Each of the stories is long enough to give you a sense of what is happening, but not all of them end neatly, much like life itself. In "My Olivia," the mother of one of Greta and Phillip's daughter's classmates struggles with how much she should enable the wishes of her flamboyant, six-year-old son to be treated and dressed as a girl. "The Little One" features Greta's elderly next door neighbor, as she deals with life without her husband and her estranged relationship with her daughter, as well as the fickle, quixotic visits from Greta and Phillip's young daughter, Charlotte. In "Ursa Minor," an actor who had gained fame from appearing on a children's television show (until being hospitalized for "exhaustion") ponders his waning career as well as his twin sister's relationship with her French boyfriend. But the title story packs the strongest punch, as it focuses on how a woman processes her husband's infidelity.

I've said before that the mark of a good story is one in which I wonder what happened to the characters after it ended. And there were a number of stories in this book that left me wanting more. I hope this is the start of a long writing career for Molly Ringwald, because she has the talent and the creativity to succeed. Her use of language and her ability to evoke emotions through her story-telling was masterful in a number of places.

This is definitely a must read.
11 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
girl who likes cats
3.0 out of 5 stars Pretty Good. Definitely Not Great.
Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2012
Verified Purchase
I have fond memories of Molly Ringwald from movies of my youth, and Amazon had a special price on the Kindle version, so I was curious. Downloading the sample first, I felt compelled enough by Greta and Phillip to purchase the entire Novel.

I enjoyed the connected yet separate aspect of the short stories -- except when I didn't. Some stand up well on their own while others read as chapters that simply stop.

I agree with another reviewer who commented that, as a writer, Molly spends too much time telling us what her characters are thinking & feeling rather than showing us. Sometimes it feels like she's grabbing at big vocabulary words for the wrong reasons. For example a bee on the sign of a children's clothing store has "anthropomorphic hands." I really don't need to be told that the illustrated bee's hands are anthropomorphic, thank you. (Can a bee have any other kind of hand?)

The plights of many of the characters are universally relatable, but it feels like the characters have all been wedged into some socially elite, upper-class world. Everybody seems to have gone to Stanford, Yale or Harvard and have post-graduate degrees. So tough luck to those who've gone to a state school. Pity.

The characters are generally not bad, though, and some of them I really like. There is some promise there. I kept reading the way I might keep reading a tabloid magazine in the checkout line of the grocery store ... until it's my turn to check out and put it back on the shelf, but this time I actually purchased it.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Patricia
4.0 out of 5 stars A collection of stories that make a novel
Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2012
Verified Purchase
This book is "a novel in stories" - a series of chapters that could stand as short stories but each chapter brings in a new character or characters that eventually interact with the ones you met in previous chapters. It is something like hair weaving - you weave several strands of hair and then you periodically pull in a new strand to weave with the others and the result is an interesting design. The characters in the first chapter keep bumping into characters in the others (and this gives you a lot of insight into what happened to the "old" characters that were left hanging) and, in the end, the first-chapter characters are the ones who sum things up in the last chapter which gives some resolution.

Some of the "stories" are stronger than others and I admit it is a bit disconcerting to drop characters you are so intensely interested in to pick up new ones you know nothing about, but it basically works (and there is hope that you will eventually return to the old characters to find out what happened to them) and the writing is good and very engrossing. It is a quick read. I think the final chapter tries to tie things together too much and thus make a fairy tale ending, but romantics will like it. I would have preferred something more realistic but I won't give away any plot lines and I can definitely recommend the book.
3 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

lector
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful!!!!!
Reviewed in Spain on April 14, 2016
Verified Purchase
This is a beautiful story, very well told. It's heartbreaking, heartwarming, full of love and reality. It's real life, it's real people, real feelings. I love the way she wrote it and I really really really want another book written by her.
It's true that I first bought it cause I love Molly, but this is good stuff, sometimes funny and sometimes hard. Love it and reccomend it!!!!!! Could not stop reading until the end.
Report
Mrs R A Bullen-Bell
4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 11, 2012
Verified Purchase
Excellent read, hard to imagine was written by Molly Ringwald just remember her as I grew up as the girl in Pretty in Pink!
Report
A. Mous
5.0 out of 5 stars Pretty In Ink
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 6, 2012
Verified Purchase
I read Molly Ringwald's non-fiction book, Getting The Pretty Back, last year, primarily because I was interested to find out what had happened to the star of my favourite teenagehood films; Pretty In Pink and The Breakfast Club. I'm not normally of a fan of celebrity guides to make up & clothes but was pleased to find that this was a beautiful and thoughtful reflection on her life and being an adult as well as a frivolous and fun celebration of feeling pretty as girlish youthfulness turns to womanly maturity with the passing years.

When I saw she had a fiction book out this year I wanted to read more of her writing & was not disappointed. Not usually a fan of short stories I was pleased that this is not simply a collection of unrelated stories but an engaging series of interlinked chapters each told from the perspective of a different person linked in some way to the central family; Greta, Phillip & daughter, Charlotte. With the same thought provoking & compassionate style she uses in Getting The Pretty Back, Molly Ringwald has managed to create a large cast of well rounded, three dimensional characters each with their own crosses to bare and each equally intriguing. I was engrossed from beginning to end and am left slightly bereft of these people whose lives I became so embroiled in but most of all reflective on my time with them & looking forward to reading more from the very talented woman that the girl who celebrated individuality in Pretty in Pink has turned in to.
2 people found this helpful
 Report
Brigitte Langworthy
3.0 out of 5 stars Because he us happens to me
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 3, 2013
Verified Purchase
Because he did happens to me. And I would love to recommend it to one of my friends. And I think some time you need to give people a second chance! That why I like this book..
Report
Mr. David J. Hirst
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 31, 2014
Verified Purchase
Good
Report