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4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
I loved it. My only frustration was the back and forth timeline. Sometimes, it pulled me out of the story. As an adoptee, I enjoyed the portrayal of families created through adoption.
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
There were so many aspects I loved about this book: her character development is an art. The topic of families being created in different ways hit home since our family was built in a unique way. The author so beautifully captured the point of family, that no matter how yours is built, it’s messy and complicated and representation matters. Laurie, thanks for telling a story about adoption that shows those complex layers, that gives voice to the families looking all sorts of different ways, and those like ours who were built in a way we’d never envisioned but wouldn’t do differently for anything.
hopeful
medium-paced
Loved this book - author’s style fits me to a tee…snarky, funny, outrageously convoluted stories filled with truth and love just like life.
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
3.5- there were elements of this book I really liked, but I also found the plotting to be overly contrived. So we land at a 3.5. Worth reading, but not in my top.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Laurie Frankel does it again. With Family Family, she delivers a sharp, hilarious, and heartfelt novel about the many ways we define, shape, and hold onto family.
India Allwood, a former Broadway-bound teen turned Hollywood star, is at the center of this story—witty, complicated, and unforgettable. What sets this novel apart is how intentionally it reframes adoption. India doesn’t place her child for adoption because she’s out of options—she does it because she wants to give someone else the joy of motherhood. That nuance is rarely explored in fiction, and Frankel handles it with insight, care, and humor.
Told through alternating timelines and perspectives, Family Family offers a layered and twisty narrative, rich with revelations, past secrets, and moments of laugh-out-loud banter. Frankel’s signature wit shines brightest in the dialogue, particularly early scenes between India and her mother, Sarah. Their exchanges are both hilarious and profound—true highlights of the book.
This novel is about big love, family, and what happens when the truth behind our decisions finally comes to light. It has scandal, it has depth, it has heart—and it keeps you guessing until the final act.
Highly recommended for fans of character-driven stories, smart humor, and modern family narratives.