This is a book about a wealthy man, a very wealthy man, Robbie, dying of pancreatic cancer. But, it is very uplifting! Four high school best friends reunite due to Robbie’s planning. Each of the friends, Blair, Cat, and Wade, have their own issues. Robbie’s money helps with their issues – to a degree. As the story unfolds, the reader learns why these four friends do not graduate from high school. The book develops each character in true Matthew Norman style and the reader becomes engaged quickly. It is a quick, easy, and enjoyable book even though the reader knows what will happen to Robbie.

I enjoyed the book and would recommend it. It is a great book that the reader flies through.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Ballantine Books of Random House, for an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I loved this book. Matthew Norman has an amazing ability to create characters that I wish I could hang out with. The friendship these characters have is 100% relatable. I laughed and cried while reading this book. I highly recommend. Thanks NetGalley and Penguin Books for the ARC.

The Baltimore Prep Rejects consist of Robbie, Cat, Wade and Blair. These four have been best friends since high school. Now that they are adults, their lives have changed drastically. Robbie is a billionaire, Blair is a mom and Cat and Wade are struggling with their lives. When one of them receives tragic news, a weekend away seems like the answer. During this weekend, their lives will be forever altered.
All Together Now by Matthew Norman was perfect. I absolutely loved this book. It has everything. Laughs, love, heartbreak. I felt every emotion these characters did and I loved them all. Even the secondary characters were completely fleshed out. By 50% through, I had bought all of Mathew Norman’s backlist. I can’t recommend this book enough for people who love strong plot, lovable characters and an unforgettable story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I must have started All Together Now at least 5 times and I just could not get into it at all. I kept putting it down and reading other books and restarting this one, only to realize all over again how much I disliked this one! The characters did not feel relatable or real to me and the premise is just not my cup of tea. It is a bit too corny for my taste. This would be the perfect beach/pool book; a read for when you do not feel you need/want to pay all your attention and need something light and breezy (and maybe even leave the book behind for the next traveler--or am I the only one who does that?!). Matthew Norman is a good writer, this just is not my kind of book at all.

There are acquaintances and there are friends, and then there are friends who bring out the deepest parts of a person and encourage them to be the truest version of themselves. Robbie, Blair, Cat, and Wade were a group that fell into that last category. So close were they that when one of their number was expelled just a week before graduation, the other three manufactured their own expulsion or voluntarily withdrew in solidarity.

The four are adults now, each with their own lives and scattered around the United States. They rarely see each other, and each of them is struggling in their own way. Chief among them is Robbie who, despite having amassed an extraordinary wealth, is powerless to overcome his diagnosis of pancreatic cancer which, he’s been told, is terminal.. What he can do is bring his friends together for one magical weekend in the hope and expectation of spurring them to reestablish their friendships and ultimately repair the cracks in their own lives.

Within the first few pages of this novel the reader is fully invested in the characters. They are written with clarity, honesty, and a deep caring that overrides whatever flaws they may have. It’s easy as a reader to hope that Robbie’s plan is successful. He has certainly set up the environment for them to succeed. Robbie has bought a mansion at the beach so they have a place to be for the weekend, he’s also bought a miniature golf course for one of their planned activities, and an old Pontiac Cutlass convertible he sees for sale on the side of the road for them to drive around.

It’s all in an effort to help them repair their lives and get back to living the lives Robbie knows are possible for each of them. Robbie has amassed information on each of them that details the true facts of the lives they are living...the facts they are working hard to keep out of sight of each other. At the same time Robbie is revealing their secrets Cat discovers and reveals a deeply buried secret of Robbie which threatens to cost him the friendship of the others. Anger and disappointment result in the friends bursting apart for a while, spreading out to various places at the beach.

The turning point comes when each of them decides friendship is more important than past behavior and, as their friend, Robbie needs them now more than ever. Their commitment to each other overcomes the other obstacles and they regroup with the knowledge that now it is Robbie who needs the most from his friends.From this point on, the reader may find it difficult if not impossible to put down the book. While the reader knows what to expect, that doesn’t keep them from hoping for a completely different outcome and yet, when the book is finished, the outcome is perfectly satisfying. This is one of those books I recommend for everyone’s “must read” shelf.

My thanks to Random House Publishing - Ballentine Books and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book for review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

LoveLoveLoved All Together Now!! This is a modern day (favorite movie!) "The Big Chill" - similar in so many ways! The book has a pretty common theme: old friends gather for a weekend reunion. The host of the event, a self-made billionaire has cancer and wants to see his friends one more time before the disease takes his life. As the story unfolds, the friends relive memories and ponder the future.

This book is well written with a limited number of believable characters. The chapters are short, so it's a great vacation read. I got so immersed in the story that it was really hard to put down, and I read it in record time! Highly recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read and review this wonderful book!

All Together Now was my first introduction to the author (Matthew Norman) and after reading this, would definitely like to look into his other novels! This book focuses on the billionaire Robbie Malcolm; on the surface it looks like he's accomplished and has it all, but he also discovers that he's terminally ill. He decides for one "last act" to help his closest friends, so gathers Cat, Blair, and Wade to a beach house to spend his final moments with them and do what he can. Despite his copious wealth, however, Robbie finds that there are problems that no amount of money can fix. I overall really enjoyed the message of this novel and while the characters were a little stereotypical and not as well developed as they could have been, appreciated what they contributed to the overall novel and theme of the story.

The background is set very early: billionaire Robbie Malcolm is dying. As a young man, he seeks a second opinion only to find out that his riches can’t save him, death is imminent. So what to do?

He decides to get his oldest friends together for a weekend party to disclose the news. It starts with a Big Chill vibe as the four friends gather, but quickly takes on a life of its own as Robbie has plans for the weekend and plans for each of his friends. But will he be able to exert the influence that made him wealthy to chart a course for the three people who know him best?

Here are the other members of the Baltimore Prep Rejects:

Blair - the beautiful mother of twins whose marriage is falling apart.
Cat - the spunky, gay, brash producer who can’t keep a relationship but seriously wants a baby. (By far my favorite character)
Wade - a failed writer who is still in love with Blair and all things Beetles.

Set in a beachfront mansion, this book covers all the emotions. It is witty in its dialogue and sad in theme - but it never dwells there or tries to pull emotion out inauthentically. The strength of the book resides in the depth of the characters and their relatability. Besides the money thing, I felt like I could be in the thick of the plot.

I’ve read his first two books which are more comedic in nature, and it seems that Matthew Norman is growing up. This offering is funny, but it is so much more than that and really gives some life lessons to chew on. All Together Now is very good and a quick read that I think will appeal to a wide audience.

Definitely worth the read!

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing an ARC.

I received an advance copy of, All Together Now, by Matthew Norman. I did not like this book, the swearing, the immaturity, the self absorbed. Im glad Im not friends with these people.

This is my first exposure to this author. I found it a bit disappointing compared to the pre-publication promotional material.

While the book moved along at a quick pace and had plenty of wit, the premise was strange. Robbie Malcolm, a dying billionaire without children, decides that his three best friends from high school (the Baltimore Prep Rejects) are going to be his legacy. He uses his wealth and influence to conduct extensive investigations into their lives – wrong on so many levels – and has come up with a plan to improve their individual lives. Now in their mid-thirties, each one is experiencing challenges that Robbie is convinced he can fix before he dies. Blair McKenzie Harden was a promising artist who traded her dreams for marriage, a set of twins and a minivan. She is current carrying on an emotional affair with her children’s art teacher. Wade Stephens is a failed author who has been evicted from his mediocre apartment and is about to move into his parents’ basement. Lastly, Cat Miller has just been dumped by the star of the morning show on which she serves as an associate producer and subsequently quit her job,

The book covers a reunion of the four friends over the Memorial Day weekend on Fenwick Island in Delaware. Robbie’s intention is to reveal his diagnosis/prognosis to his friends and unveil his plan for each of them. Little goes according to plan and Robbie discovers that his true wealth is the love and support of these three friends.

There were some poignant moments as each person came out of denial about the state of their lives and the looming loss of their friend. I particularly enjoyed the reference to the Beatles and the clever way Wade used song titles and lyrics to write short stories. The ending was fairly predictable and a bit too idealistic to be real. It was a pleasant read, but not one I can enthusiastically endorse.

My thanks to the author, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing a digital ARC in exchange for an independent, honest review.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

A wonderful story about long lasting friendships and how the passage of time changes each one of us for better or for worse. You won’t regret spending time reading it.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of All Together Now.

Robbie is sick and despite his wealth, no amount of money can save his life.

But, he can save the lives of his BFFs.

One weekend, he gathers the best friends he's ever had, Cat, Blair and Wade, at a spacious beach house to spend what little time he has left. To give his life purpose. To fix their lives before he's gone.

Yet, the four of them discover that though money can buy many perks, it doesn't solve problems. You have to figure out your life on your own.

I'm probably too cynical for a book like this, which is almost too sweet. Corny sweet.

There are plenty of cliches; Blair is gorgeous and so is her husband; Cat is tiny and adorable and finds a partner just her size; everyone's life wraps up in a neat package tied with a bow and their issues resolved at the end.

Don't get me wrong. I love happy endings but you know you're reading a book when it all ends well for the surviving characters. Even Robbie's reputation is somewhat salvaged at the end. That's not real life.

I still enjoyed reading this; the writing is good and the tone is mostly upbeat and positive. The characters are relatable and sympathetic and it was nice to read something uplifting about people who like each other.

I wish I had friends like Robbie, Blair and Cat.

Just like his novels before this, Matthew Norman created a cast of characters the reader was able to love, be annoyed by, and root for all at the same time. While the story was somewhat predictable, it was still heartwarming and sweet and a testament to what true friendship is.

This is a touching story of friends recapturing their friendship when one of them summons them all together for a summer beach reunion. Little do they know that he is dying and is trying to rectify past wrongs and rectify current situations.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Such a good book! The characters are so normal and relatable (minus the billionaire part) that you find yourself sitting next to them as they march/slip/slide through life. And I love a book with wit and humor mixed in there. This one is highly entertaining with a solid story you can immerse yourself in. I didn’t want to put it down.

I’m grateful to have read pre-pub copy of All Together Now. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I buy paper copies of all of Matthew Norman’s books so I can read and reread and add them to my bookshelf.

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine for an advanced copy of All Together Now by Matthew Norman. All opinions are my own.
Do you ever wish you were part of a group? A lifelong set of friends that would never let you down? Robbie, Wade, Cat and Blair named themselves the Baltimore Rejects in High School and have managed to stay connected all these years. Each has their own trials and tribulations but they come together when Robbie has life altering news. Robbie is dying of cancer. He has planned everything down to the minute but as life goes…not everything goes as planned…
Can I just say I love Matthew Norman? I have been crushing on his books for quite a while and was really excited to read this new one. In pure Norman form, it did not disappoint. He has a way of dropping you right into the story and you feel like you have always been there. His prose seems effortless with his sarcastic wit, modern twists and his stories have a currency to them that I am always drawn to. A light read on a not so light subject. Happy Reading.

Writing: 4/5 Plot: 3/5 Characters: 4.5/5

In a kind of modern-day Big Chill, four far-flung high school friends are brought together for one last blow out weekend. Billionaire Robbie Malcolm is dying of cancer and asks his oldest friends to come for one last get together. Cat Miller — Hollywood producer — has just quit her job and ended her lesbian relationship with the married star of her show; Wade Stephens — “inexplicably good at useless things” — is flat broke as he watches his second novel go through a long string of rejections; and Blaire McKenzie Harden — married with children — is wondering how on earth she ended up owning a minivan. For each, it becomes a time of reflection about friendships, parenthood, relationships, and the inevitable effects of time marching on without consent.

As an aside, l Iearned about an interesting financial scheme called viatical settlement — where someone buys the insurance policy from someone who is dying for less than its value. I honestly didn’t understand what was so despicable about it — it allows someone access to money before their death and they pay for the privilege. There was some discussion about rich people, how they got their wealth, whether or not they could be good people, etc. but not at the depth it deserved. That was one aspect of the book that fell into stereotyped treads and wasn’t really developed on either side.

I liked Norman’s last book — The Last Couple Standing. He is good at writing realistic relationships and presenting multiple character viewpoints well and that comes out here as well. For this book, I didn’t really love the “billionaire facilitation” aspect of this story, though it served its purpose and didn’t sink into too much Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. Overall an easy and enjoyable read.

About five years ago I accidentally stumbled upon author Matthew Norman. What a pleasant surprise - funny, touching books that have characters I felt emotionally involved with. His latest effort #AllTogetherNow does not disappoint. When Robbie ,a thirty five year old billionaire is given a terminal diagnosis, he decides to reconnect with his three best high school friends, Cat , Blair and Wade, AKA The Baltimore Prep Rejects', for a blowout beach weekend. It is here Robbie intends to break his bleak news to his friends. It is also here that he plans on exposing the baggage that has encumbered their adult lives and show them how he will fix their troubles. But ,as Robbie discovers, plans were made to be broken. A story of enduring friendship and growing up when you’re an adult, # All Together Now will tug at your heart while leaving a smile on your face.

The authors previous books, including Last Couple Standing, were enjoyable, and his latest did not disappoint. It tells the story of a group of friends from high school in Baltimore. Their lives have diverged significantly since they left high school, and one is now a high profile billionaire. Seemingly out of nowhere, he invites them for an all expenses paid beach vacation at a town near where they grow up. While there, secrets are revealed, longstanding issues are brought to the surface, and the characters grapple with whether they still are the best friends they had considered themselves. Recommended!

AllTogether Now
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Robbie is a multi millionaire who is dying, has a short time to live. He invites his three high school best friends for a “ living “ wake at his fancy beach house on the Delaware coast. They are the Baltimore rejects because three of them were expelled from their high school, the fourth one quit in solidarity. They have not seen much of each other through the years.

Cat is working as an associate producer for a TV show, which job is not much more than a glorified secretary. Wade is a writer who had one book published with not much success and his second book is rejected by every publisher. Blair is the only one of the four who is married. She is invited to the beach house along with her husband Martin and their twins. Robbie is intent to fix all his friends’ lives, because money can buy everything.
How these four friends relate to each other after many years, how they deal with their own lives, how they see their future is the subject of the book.
In spite of the fact that Robbie is dying, this is a fairly light hearted book, a pleasant change from some of the historical fiction I usually read. I give it 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Thanks NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the advanced copy.