This was a fun little story of a middle-age marriage, the silliness of suburbia, and the overbearing parents and coaches in Little League baseball. It was entertaining and worth listening to the end, though a touch forgettable. ( )

Here's the main reason I didn't like this book: I find the topic of Little League Baseball to be quite boring. So the vast majority of the novel did not hold my interest one bit. I kept hoping maybe things would turn around and get interesting. What's more, Parents Behaving Badly read, well, badly. At the beginning of the book I had a hard time keeping straight which character was which. Part of the problem is the author never really spent any time telling me who was who and the other part of the problem was they all had boring and generic names. Anyway, I kept reading without trying to figure it out because I didn't really care.The title suggests the parents in this book are going to be behaving badly. But there wasn't much of that going on. They thought a bit about cheating, but they thought about it passively and never actually considered going out and cheating. That's not actually behaving badly so much as it is contemplating behaving badly. Snore. Then there was a little incident at the end of the book, but other than that, there wasn't much behaving badly going on that I noticed.On the plus side, though it was a very, very minor part of the plot, I did have to admire the family for moving across the country when Grandma starting getting really forgetful. Not too many families would do that that these days. This book might be excellent for some people, and I'm sure there are people who would find this book hilarious (I giggled once or twice) and relatable, but overall, it just wasn't for me.*Disclaimer: I won an advanced copy of this novel through a Goodreads giveaway. Trust me, that fact did not influence my review in any way. ( )

Parents Behaving Badly, by Scott Gummer, is a fun read. Several scenes are hilarious, but the sweet, tender side to this story makes it most memorable.

Ben and Jili move back to their hometown, where many broken and unfulfilled dreams are buried. As they adjust to their once familiar surroundings, they learn to deal with the ghosts of their pasts. Old flames flicker, secrets are revealed, and unspoken questions receive answers.

To be honest, I feel the beginning of the story is a little slow and confusing—too many characters to follow and not enough background to feel grounded in the story. That quickly changes when the characters burst to life and the storyline becomes infused with humor. That’s not to say the entire story is fun and games. It also touches on the frustrations, insecurities, temptations and questions that Ben and Jili’s marriage faces.

The author does a great job of projecting imagery through his words. Although the physical descriptions of the characters (with an exception here and there) are not as crisp as I would have liked, the scenes are vivid, lively and full of color.

I’m not a baseball fan, so many of the coaching references, plays, and strategies go over my head; but my lack of knowledge does little to thwart my enjoyment of the story and its satirical undertone. There are two basic storylines: Ben’s relationships with his family and friends, and the mad goings-on of little league baseball. The tales meld together nicely; glued together by pain, frustration, fear and laughter.

As a parent, even though my children did not participate in team sports in school, I can relate to a large part of this story. The small town of Palace Valley contains residents with big problems. There are several characters I swear live down the street from me ... the middle-aged Barbie wannabe, the obsessed and obnoxious little league coach, the gorgeous temptress who wants nothing more than to steal someone else’s man, and the insufferable know-it-all. Let’s not forget the children caught in the middle of the madness, forced to live the dreams of their parents.

*I received this book as an early release. It did not influence my review or rating. ( )

This book should be required reading for any parent signing up their precious little one for sports as well as anyone contemplating coaching! An enjoyable and quick read, it has a nice "people-watching" feel to it as it explores just how messed-up suburban families can be. I wanted the plot to dig a little deeper...the conflicts were almost watered down, but sometimes it's nice to have a light read. I also liked hearing the story from the male perspective. Parents Behaving Badly will appeal just as much to men as it does women, especially the detailed accounts of dramatic Little League games. There is a good balance between humor and sentiment -- would make a great foundation for a television sit-com.

Please note that I was provided an advance reading copy of this book by the publisher which has not affected my review. ( )