A review by lit_vibrations
The Townsend Family Recipe for Disaster by Shauna Robinson

adventurous funny lighthearted 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? N/A

3.75

Special thanks to the author & @bookmarked for my advanced e-ARC‼️

This one had a lot of potential but fell a little short on what I expected. I was waiting for a disaster to happen like something major and while we do get some family drama and some secrets I still felt like something was missing. 

Mae was getting married soon and after all these years of not connecting with her father’s side of the family she decides now is the time. Longing for a connection from those who look like her and she could relate to reconnecting with the Townsend’s would give Mae just that. But what Mae doesn’t realize is you can’t just walk back into someone’s life expecting open arms when you don’t know them and they really don’t know you. 

When Mae showed up to her grandmothers funeral whom she barely knew I figured some of the family wouldn’t take it well. Mainly Sierra she didn’t let up off Mae nearly the entire book. Read it and you’ll eventually understand why. But I kept thinking wtf is this girl issue with Mae y’all family but don’t know each other enough to have all this animosity. Barbara was passive asf just inviting Mae to things without informing the rest of the family. They were acting funny and looking upside her head when all she wanted to do was get to know them. I don’t know what side of the family was worse her dad’s or her mother’s. 

I kind of wished the author dove deeper into the whole spill of being biracial and how it is  growing up having a white mom who can’t really relate to you. I liked how she touched on some of the microaggressions Mae dealt with from her mom’s family though.

Overall,the book was okay but it had a slow start. There were a few characters we could’ve done without like Madison. I thought the big reveal wasn’t as big of a surprise but it explained why the Townsend’s were acting funny with Mae. I also blame her father and mother for the division she had with her estranged family. But if you’re looking for a fun read with lots of family drama you might like this book.

Rating: 3.75/5⭐️