I was intrigued by the concept of this book and the prologue captured me. But the rest of the book was kind of a let down. I didn’t enjoy a lot of the side themes throughout the story and they kind of ruined it for me.

This was a really good page turner. I did like how a perfect family portrait was transformed into a family of imperfections and self-destruction. I did like how the characters interacted and how they ended up in the end of the book.

Unfortunately, I could not get the motivation to finish this book. I kept forcing myself to read until I got about halfway and decided it wasn't worth it. From the start, I was bored, and I thought it was over-doing everything. It was good writing, but over the top.

I didn't like any of the characters, and I honestly didn't care what happened to them. I understand that it can be an important story to address during these times - I just wish it was more interesting.

*Thank you to Netgalley, Random House, and Ballantine Books for the ARC, for which I have given an honest and unbiased review*

I am sorry for not reviewing fully but I don’t have the time to read this anymore. I believe that it wouldn't benefit you as a publisher or your book if I only skimmed it and wrote a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for not fully reviewing!

Very topical book about an esteemed member of the community and headmaster at a school accused of misconduct. His teenage daughter, who attends, the school is devastated as is his wife, but no one is sure whether the girl who accuses him is telling the truth given how revered he is.

The subject matter in "The Best Kind of People" is extremely heavy, yet well-handled. If you have triggers involving rape, please be very careful about whether or not this is a good read choice for you. While the story and characters were engrossing, I had to give it three stars because it felt unfinished somehow.

The Best Kind of People by Zoe Whittall

Brief Summary: George Woodbury, a well liked teacher, is accused of inappropriate sexual behavior towards students on a school ski trip. This is the story of how this accusation affects his daughter, wife, and son.

Highlights: This sounded like a “ripped from the headlines” SVU tale and I was excited. I also knew it was a Target Book Club pick and my expectations were elevated. The starting premise is intriguing but it goes downhill from there. Unfortunately, this novel meandered and didn’t grab my attention like I expected. I thought the Sadie and Kevin storyline was just weird. I thought the characters were cliché.

Explanation of Rating: 3/5: it had potential but just didn’t leave a lasting impression on me.

Favorite Quotes: Compassion has its limits.

There was a lot of hype surrounding this book and I will give props to any book that tackles accusations of sexual misconduct against unlikely perpetrators. But this book didn’t do it for me.

Thank you to Net Galley and Random House Publishing for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review

I really enjoyed this book! It was very surprising - I didn’t look at what it was about before reading it, and I was not expecting it to be about sexual assault. The book is very well written, and I love most of the characters - Sadie and Andrew were my favorite.

Interesting premise as experienced through the wife and children of an accused sex offender. A little trite and cliche at times, but a compelling read nonetheless.

Oh man this book droned on and on. The premise was intriguing – an upstanding teacher in the community accused of sexual misconduct by students in his school and how it affects his family. It was just so rambly! There were a bunch of different perspectives and they were all interesting but I felt that the author spent too much time in the beginning focusing on them and not enough on the actual story. It was told in four parts and part one went on for the majority of the book and then parts two through four flew by. It left me feeling unsatisfied both with how the story unfolded as well as the ending.

It was a cute read despite me not completely vibing with the book. I think this is a case of what works for one will not work for others. I am sure others would like this book.

This is a powerful perspective on a timely topic - rape culture from the POV of the daughter of the perp. My mind was racing for this whole book. I was completely sucked into the narrative, and afterwards, I had a hard time letting go of the story. It definitely stuck with me, and will for a long time. I find myself reflecting on the characters and plot from different angles when I think about this book. there is a lot to unpack, and Whittail weaves it all together masterfully. A lot of people will relate to this book, and see something they can recognize in these pages!

"Best Kind Of People" is a very timely book given that the story is about a teacher charged with social misconduct. I was initially hooked , however, as the story unfolded I felt the story dragged and I was disappointed with the ending. There is much to like about the book and I feel that it is worth reading..

Ok, but a tad overwritten and a struggle to get through at times. More a focus on the family and how they deal with the repercussions but it missed out for me by now placing a bigger focus on the alleged crime and the father.

The Woodburys seem to have a great life in their small Connecticut town. George teaches science at the local prep school. Joan is an ER nurse. Their son Andrew is a lawyer in New York. Daughter Sadie is about to start her senior year.
Then a shocking event occurs: the police come and arrest George for sexual misconduct with students. His family rallies around him, sure that he couldn't possibly be guilty. He remains in jail as the family is shunned by many, especially Sadie, and supported by few.
Joan is torn, one minute sure the man she married could not be guilty of such a thing, and in another questioning everything she has ever known about George. Andrew, who comes home as often as possible, recalls his unhappy memories of school. Sadie gets the worst of it when she goes to school. She's just trying to make it through so she can get to college.
This book delves into the mysteries to be found in families. A great read.

This left me with the thought of ho-hum. The beginning was enticing, and I was curious as to the outcome; however, it wasn't just about George. The greatest focus was on his daughter and all her escapades. After rereading the title, I realized that it states "people." With many people in the mix, I didn't find much satisfaction in (what I thought was) the main storyline. Although, it was my bad.

The Best Kind of People delves into the topics of secrets, sexual abuse, and betrayal involving relationships, A well respected male teacher is accused of sexual abuse regarding students from the private school where works. The teacher's world falls apart and he is put in jail with no chance of bail. George, the accused teacher, was to stay in jail until his trial. The rest of his family reacts in many different ways to the arrest of their spouse and father. Many family secrets are revealed as the novel progresses. The author, Zoe Whittall, does a nice job of character development as she writes about how each character lives the unexpected journey of having someone in their family living in jail. Many members of the community are outraged by the arrest. There are also many members of the community that are supportive of this teacher. I felt as if I knew each character when reading The Best Kind of People. The social topics explored were also extremely relevant. I am hopeful that this novel will be a best seller. I certainly enjoyed reading it.

IT ALL BEGINS with an enticing prologue! Science teacher George Woodbury saves the day when he tackles a gunman at the academy averting what could have been a major disaster....with many lives lost.

Very culturally relevant right now but it was very slow and the ending left a lot of lose threads which left me feel very unsatisfied.

I enjoyed the premise of this book and thought it had a lot of potential, but a lot of things fell short for me. The characters in the beginning were well thought out and I truly felt I got to know most of the characters early on, but as the book progressed, many things became repetitive and boring. The plot started to stall and then the ending was rushed and for me, wasn't satisfactory. I'm disappointed that a story with such strong beginnings lost its wheels and ran off track.