For me this was one of those middle ground books where I didn't love it but didn't not like it either.

On the plus side it was a nice enough story - two sisters who used to be close but as polar opposites don't really get along as adults but are forced together again after their mother's death. Through flashbacks to their childhood we came to understand how the sisters had drifted apart and the things that had shaped their adult characters. Despite being told from just one sister, Laura's, perspective both characters were developed really well, flaws and all. It showed how we're not all the same, not all perfect and how different personalities can actually work together rather than against each other. It was also easy reading with short snappy chapters, and I enjoyed the surprise ending which I really hadn't seen coming.

Unfortunately though I found main character Laura really quite annoying (obviously though I did love her hilarious five-year-old son Billy). The thing is that Laura's quite negative with a habit of over-reacting and misinterpreting literally every action or conversation she has with anyone. This is particularly the case with her mum or sister and the cause of all the conflict- although obviously she blames the other person wholeheartedly and never herself. It was also didn't quite ring true that Laura lets everyone walk all over her, taking on extra at work and babysitting so her friend can go shopping despite the fact her mum's just died, but then is selfish when it comes to her sister who's seemingly the only person in Laura's life that genuinely cares about her. 

I also soon became tired of the nice enough storyline as the sibling rivalry and mother's favouritism quickly became repetitive, especially as this was book was really quite long. It was really a succession of busy nothings, such as the hamster escaping, accidentally replying all, a disastrous job interview, etc set against this constant back drop of sisterly conflict. 

I would have preferred many of the minor side-plots, such as sister Jess' online troll or Billy's bully, to have been left out and more time given to the ending of the story which felt rushed. The ending jumped forward eight months meaning that many of the important things happened off-page such as the sisters reconcilling and Laura getting together with Marcus. After such a long build-up it was frustrating to then 'miss out' on all the pivotal moments.

So, all-in-all a nice read rather than a must-read and one I'd recommend for fans of light fiction that prefer an emphasis on character over plot.

We Are Family is the story of two sisters who are complete opposites. Laura is laid back and messy and Jess is supposedly perfect in every way. As they were growing up, Laura was constantly compared to her sister and found wanting. When their mum passes away they can’t agree on anything and they are forced to take a long look at the relationship they have with each other. Can these two very different sisters become friends?

A good entertaining story which was a quick and easy read.

Laura and her sister are still recovering from the death of their mother due to breast cancer. While Laura struggles with it, her sister is doing well - but isn't she always?

Using a dark sense of humor, this book says what many middle/youngest siblings feel. Learning to live with yourself in the shadow of the perfect older sibling can certainly be a struggle.

I found myself a bit bored though, feeling that the author was creating events to continue the book along rather than having a focused plot on one singular timeline. While the chapters are short, there are so many of them... it made it seem like it would be forever until I finished the book!

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this and give my honest opininon.

I really struggled to get into this book; I kept picking it up, reading a few pages and then giving up on it.
So, it took me ages to really feel invested in the story and the characters. It didn’t help that the story develops really slowly as well. If you preserve, though, and get past the first 40%, it is worth it.
It is a very heartwarming story about two sisters overcoming the loss of their mother. They both have such differing opinions; however, we only really get to know Jess through Laura’s mind and from her perspective. It would have been nice to have alternating chapters following each sister.
It was actually very close to the bone reading this as my grandmother recently passed away, and my mum and sister have had their ups and downs with each other regarding how everything should be dealt with. So I could really sympathise with both of the sisters and what they were going through.
The ending seemed really rushed, especially in comparison to the start of the book that plodded along at a leisurely pace. By the end, I felt invested and wanted to know how it was going to end, but all of a sudden we had the conclusion and the book was over. It felt quite unbalanced.
Overall, a likeable book but I don’t think it had the same magic that Nicola Gills’ debut book earlier on in the year had.

Laura and Jen have never really seen eye to eye. The death of their mother initially does nothing to bring them closer. They even argue about there to dispose of her ashes. Slowly, they begin to work together and build a rapport, especially when something new is revealed which may lead Laura to understand why she a,way felt such disapproval from their mother. The sisters lea r that through thick and thin family counts.

I enjoyed lots of elements of this book, which is a story of two sisters dealing with the aftermath of their mother’s death. They have never really gotten along and struggle to forge a relationship. The main character, Laura, was quite likeable, thought I became frustrated with how mean she was to her sister. I felt that she had quite a negative personality and I found that in parts I wanted to stop reading just because I found her quite annoying! I actually preferred her sister, though I’m not sure I was meant to. I would recommend this to others, it’s light and has a satisfying ending.
Thanks so much to netgalley, the author and the publishers for gifting me this arc in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Firstly thank you to Avon books for approving my request to read on netgalley.

I really enjoyed Nicolas debut so was looking forward to reading this.

Sibling rivalry and long time resentment have come to a head now the sisters mum has died. Will they be able to work together in these difficult times?

A story of loss,secrets, family and new beginnings.

Its packed with humour and warmth this is a great read. Its relatable as im sure each of us has family they havnt always seen eye to eye with.

Published 3rd September

A really enjoyable story about the challenges in family dynamics and the impact that can have on your day to day life.

Laura isn't with her mother in hospice when she dies. Her last words to Laura was that her hair looks bad. Laura is a journalist. Laura is married to jon and has kids. At first jon is too busy drinking when Laura needs comforting. I liked Laura's personality but not what was going on in her life.

We Are Family by Nicola Gill

Two sisters, Laura and Jess, lose their mother to cancer and in keeping with their difficult relationship they disagree on just about everything. A series of challenges in their careers, relationships and families shows them that they are much closer and more precious to each other than they had realised.

This book was a fabulous read. The characters were all so well-drawn - the sisters themselves, the work colleagues and school mums, the children and even the dead parents. I absolutely loved the story and it dealt with lots of serious issues in a very realistic but entertaining way. In particular I thought it was such a refreshing take on the complexity of grief.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for an ARC of this book.

We are Family is an interesting exploration of family, sisterhood and loss. It took a while to get into this book but there’s no denying Gill’s writing is engaging.

This was a lovely family dynamics drama that was an easy read. The main story being the relationship between Laura and her sister Jess who has a seemingly perfect life. Two sisters with different lives who haven’t always had the best relationship, but who come together after several tough events in both of their lives.

I really enjoyed this book and the every day family dynamics, but I did feel like the first half was slightly dragged out and could have been a lot shorter. Laura was a likeable main character who I found myself agreeing with throughout and really rooting for.

Overall a sweet easy read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance copy.

Thank you Net Galley for this ARC. We are Family is a novel about the complex relationships of two sisters. I found it fascinating and relatable. Nice character building!

What is the book about?

It’s a story of two sister,s Laura who always felt insignificant compared to her perfect sister , Jess who have to deal with grief after their mother passes away. AS they heal they realize that they need each other because family is important.

What I loved about the book?

The plot and the characters because it was so relatable I particularly liked Laura as she was more relatable to me

We are family follows the relationship of two sisters (Laura and Jess) after their mother's death.

Laura has always felt like she lives in her sister's shadow and that her mother favoured Jess over her. She isn't sure how she feels after her loss and life begins to get on top of her. Jess is there for Laura but everything she does irritates her.

I really enjoyed this book and how it showed the journey the two sisters went on to rebuild their friendship. I felt compassion for Laura but I also warmed to Jess' character.

So much happens in this story that it feels like quite a whirlwind at times. It was poignant to read about the difficulties that families face - especially after the loss of a family member. I felt that the ending was abrupt. I was almost at the end and there were so many loose ends to tie up. How was that going to be possible in the few remaining pages? The ends were all tied but I could have read a longer version and sat with the characters for longer.
Thanks to the publishers and Net Galley for the ARC for review.

We Are Family is the entertaining and thought-provoking story of two sisters, Jessica and Laura, who just lost their mum, many years after losing their dad.
Laura, the main character, is struggling to stay on top of her life. Jess seems to have everything under control. Laura feels intimidated by Jess's apparent perfection, but Jess has struggles of her own and she's keeping a secret.
A thoroughly entertaining read!

Thanks to Avon Books UK for the ARC.

The writing style was sort of similar to Sophie Kinsella, but I found it hard to care for the characters, Laura in particular. Although granted, her flaws maybe made her more realistic. The sisters' relationship was the most interesting part of the book, but unfortunately it dragged a lot in the beginning and then felt rushed at the end.

A great read! Really loved the characters ! Enjoyed reading the book! I couldn't put the book down. I read it at one go. I really love family drama and this was so good!

Great Easy Read... 🍷

Laura and Jess are siblings who are like chalk and cheese. Jess hates being late, seems to have the ideal 'perfect housewife's life', Laura not often on time, overall life quite different.

Mum Evie sadly passed away, with this and a whole lot of family dramas, both Laura and Jess going through emotional highs and lows... Although there are family issues, ultimately, they are family.

Great easy read, it takes you from present time to reminiscing back when they were children. Not too much humour as more serious subjects touched on, but overall great read.