Review by allingoodtime - One Big Happy Family

allingoodtime 's review for:

One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery

4.0

emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

This story ended up so much more than I thought it would. The main storytellers (POVs) are the women, mostly Julie. She’s the matriarch of the family and always keeps everything together and everyone on task. So much so that she doesn’t know how to ask for help or tell her loved ones she doesn’t have time for what they want. To be quite frank, they have come to take her independent and giving nature for granted, although she doesn’t see that.

There is so much going on in this story, but the author does a wonderful job of never letting it get confusing. There are so many elements to this Christmas getaway, from a new (younger) boyfriend, an unwelcome mom, an ex-wife, and so much more. Along the way Julie learns to let go and allow others to help her. She also learns what it means to have a true partner.

I enjoyed this story from start to finish. It made me miss the big family Christmas Eve celebrations my family used to have. I’m definitely in the holiday spirit (even though it’s October) after this book.

**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**

Content Warnings