I know this is going to be an unpopular opinion but I really did not love this book. I am a huge fan of the author so I thought I would love this book but it fell really flat to me. This book was definitely a struggle for me to get through. I never developed an interest with the characters and did not love their own development.

Mrs. Everything is the story of two sisters, Jo and Bethie, and their life stories beginning in the 50’s to present-ish (the book ends in the year 2022). Truth be told, that is literally what this book is about. Two sisters and their journey through life; sometimes together, sometimes apart. Mrs. Everything is so much more than just a book about two sisters though. It discusses current events from each decade they lived through. Current events, politics, fads, social norms, and fashion are discussed throughout each different time as the sisters move through life. There is heartbreak, happiness, death, life, and so many more important topics discussed within the pages of this book. Topics such as abortion, anorexia and body image disorders, rape, sexual abuse, and struggles with sexuality. Womanhood is also touched on. The daily struggles women go through and what it truly means to be a woman and all the roles a woman takes on. Because that is what Mrs. Everything is -who she is – she is a woman who is everything. A mom, a friend, a sister, a daughter, a lover, a dreamer, an adventurer, a fighter – she is a woman, she represents all women, and she is everything. Literally all the things.

A beautiful, effortless read. A book that makes you reflect on your own life. A book that makes you feel at home.

What an amazing tale of womanhood, sisterhood, and family! This book had all the feels. I laughed, cried, and was so disappointed when I reached the last page. If you love stories that cover characters entire lives this is the book for you!

Kudos to Jennifer Weiner on an amazing new novel. This is the story of two sisters Jo & Bethie and spans from 1951-2022. The novel covers a variety of significant topics from gay relationships, rape, abortion in a time prior to Roe v Wade, interracial relationships and overall how LOVE is the most important thing of all. Definitely go and buy or download this fantastic book when it comes out on June 11.

I loved parts 1-5 of this book and then was super disappointed in parts 6-8. I found myself pulled in from page one and loved reading the back and forth between these two sisters over the course of three decades. But then it should have ended and it didn’t and that may have ruined the whole book for me.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC. I wasn’t a big fan, so I’d prefer not to leave a negative review.

I love Jennifer Weiner. Can’t say I have read everything she has written, but this book was a gem. Best book I’ve read by her so far! Highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley, publisher and author for providing a free copy of this book in exchange of a review.

Mrs. Everything is a novel that every woman can appreciate. With the numerous characters discovering themselves and exploring what it means to be a female, from child hood until old age, there is something from each character that can be related a reader’s own life experiences. Jennifer Weiner scores with another irresistible story that readers will have a tough time setting down.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I love work like this that spans a large timeframe and follows the characters.

However, there were many times where I found myself skimming the pages. There were a lot of details throughout (Do we really need to know everything on the table at Thanksgiving?) that almost detracted from the story.

The story itself was great. I really enjoyed it and the characters.

4.5 stars

I received a complimentary e-book copy of this book from Atria Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Jennifer Weiner, Atria Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This book took me on a real roller-coaster of an emotional journey. From the very beginning of the book, I identified with the main characters (and sisters), Jo and Bethie, at different points in their lives. It made parts of the book VERY difficult to read, but it was also very cathartic. This novel captures the sisters' lives from the beginning of their lives through their later lives. This book was beautifully written, plotted, and fully researched with strong characters in a varied historical setting. It was all that I could ask for and more!!

Now I need to read more books by Jennifer Weiner!! She writes the type of books that I enjoy and love!

Highly recommend!!

I have been a big fan of Jennifer Weiner ever since I read her first book, "Good in Bed," all the way back in 2002, so I was very excited to get an advance copy of her latest book. It's a bit of a departure for her, in that instead of being a slice of life book about a contemporary woman, this one follows two sisters, Jo and Bethie, from their childhood in the 1950s through the present. While it may not be her typical chick lit/contemporary women's fiction, what it has in common with her other books is interesting vivid characters, and an interesting exploration of what it means to be a woman. Her first book is still my favorite, but this is one of her best. 4.25 stars.

I have always been a big fan of Jennifer Weiner and when I saw this book I instantly knew I would love it. What I didn’t know was how much I would love it. These characters made me feel #allthefeelings. At different parts of the story I loved them, pitied them, got angry with them and got angry at them! This book is a touching story about two sisters and the pressure to be #MrsEverything. Thank you Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the advanced copy!

It was an enjoyable book. Not my favorite of everythign shes written but still very fun to read and enjoyable. I highly suggest picking it up and giving it a read.

I’ve heard about Jennifer Weiner’s books since Good In Bed in 2001, but at the time I was too young to read her, and I strangely haven’t gotten around to reading anything of hers since. I was drawn to Mrs. Everything (in stores June 11) because of the beautiful cover—and because I saw who the author was. I’ve since come to realize through some research that Weiner’s latest is not in her typical style and that this story was going to be a little heavier than her usual novel, but I think anyone familiar with her work (or new to it, like me) should give this one a read.

Synopsis
Do we change or does the world change us?

Jo and Bethie Kaufman were born into a world full of promise.

Growing up in 1950s Detroit, they live in a perfect “Dick and Jane” house, where their roles in the family are clearly defined. Jo is the tomboy, the bookish rebel with a passion to make the world more fair; Bethie is the pretty, feminine good girl, a would-be star who enjoys the power her beauty confers and dreams of a traditional life.

But the truth ends up looking different from what the girls imagined. Jo and Bethie survive traumas and tragedies. As their lives unfold against the background of free love and Vietnam, Woodstock and women’s lib, Bethie becomes an adventure-loving wild child who dives headlong into the counterculture and is up for anything (except settling down). Meanwhile, Jo becomes a proper young mother in Connecticut, a witness to the changing world instead of a participant. Neither woman inhabits the world she dreams of, nor has a life that feels authentic or brings her joy. Is it too late for the women to finally stake a claim on happily ever after?

My musings
It took me a while to understand what the connection of the title was to the rest of the book, but once I got it, it hit me like a ton of bricks: Who is Mrs. Everything? Why are women still trying to have it all and do it all to please everyone else? And what are the stakes to be who you truly want to be?

I absolutely love that this story starts in the ’50s and make its way to the present day. We not only get a glimpse into these women’s lives, but in some cases, we get their whole story, from childhood to old age… and how much the world changes from decade to decade, even now.

These characters are rich, deeply developed women who feel real and relatable. From Jo, who could never quite fit in; her sister Bethie, who wants nothing more than to fit in, to her detriment; their mother, Sarah, who does whatever it takes to survive, while also trying to be the perfect housewife; and every other woman they encounter along the way. Their stories demonstrate the power (and the struggle) of women and how much we endure every day while trying to fit into the standards set upon us by society.

You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll feel like you’re part of the sisterhood… for better or for worse.

5 STARS

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the advanced copy, and to Art of Roch on Unsplash for the featured photo of women on the beach.

The review will be posted on my blog, The Modest Reader, on June 3 at 7:00 am (https://themodestreader.com/2019/05/16/mrs-everything)

Get a box of tissue's folks! This book had such a great, great message. I feel like this book is perfect for anyone wanting to find themselves. This book helps us really look into the roles we play throughout our entire life. How do we play our role in life from childhood to adulthood and each major milestone we pass in life? This book is beautifully written and i loved seeing a book that stayed with the same people from the ground up so to speak. Jennifer writes flawlessly and beautifully and writes a vivid tale full of emotion!

This book's title is aptly chosen. How many of my generation, and now having read this book obviously other generations, thinks they had to do it all? Be all? I don't now, but so many years of stressful living had me making poor decisions because of that belief.
This is a generational book of two sisters growing up in Detroit, their formative years, and their own adult years. Roads they took, and didn't. Their relationship with each other, their Mother, and their children.
Page-wise, the length of the book seemed like I might lose interest, but this is character driven, and I finished it quickly. The message transcends generations and speaks to being true to yourself. It's out June 2019.
Thanks to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for an advance readers copy without promise of a positive review.

Mrs. Everything, by Jennifer Weiner packs in so much of the popular culture and issues from the era it covers that if you lived them, you’ll be constantly thinking “oh yeah!” and if you didn’t, you might just shake your head at the adventures these sisters experience. And you may find yourself wondering: was that really a thing back then? Abortion rights, drugs, homosexuality, women’s right to work outside the home, participate in sports, etc. etc.…these are all the issues of the Millennials, right.

Wrong. In this vivid portrayal of growing up in suburban Detroit in the fifties, sixties, and seventies, Weiner opens up a book of snapshots that seem too wild to be real. But they were. And for two sisters, Bethie and Jo to experience them all…between them, truly, everything.

Their experiences take us through the trauma of a 50s style marriage, divorce, adultery, and recovery for awkward Jo, the athlete, and ultimately leads her to true love. Bethie falls off the good girl track she’s been raised to ride, and finds herself immersed in sex, drugs and rock and roll. The scenes at the commune where she lands are fascinating and colorful and make you want to live there, too.

Jennifer Weiner continues to grow as a writer and I look forward to each of her books. The setting and time periods are well researched and her characters are flawed and real.

I received this book from NetGalley and am happy to provide this review. Publication date is June 11, 2019

I wanted to love this. I could not wait to read it and absolutely adore this author. The book was incredibly well written with such in depth descriptive writing that I felt I knew the characters entirely. Possibly that was my downfall. It just felt so heavy and so dark. I needed some wins for these people. Death, rape, drugs, despair, divorce, depression, eating disorders, sex abuse.... and that’s just the beginning chapters. It was a lot! I felt it needed some balance because I was emotionally drained trying to read through this. #netgalley

I could not get into this book at all. I tried a few times but gave up. I liked her previous books but this plot wasn't one that kept my attention,

What a wonderful read. The story of two sisters' lives with strong themes of feminism and its evolution. I really enjoyed reading about how each character struggled throughout their lifetime with what it meant to be a woman and the complicated family relationships. A great read - 4.5 stars.