I received an ARC from the publisher and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
The Family You Make is the first in a new romantic women’s fiction series from Jill Shalvis. I felt the romance in this one was a bit more pronounced in this one than in her previous series, although it is very much sharing page time with Jane’s personal journey.
I really liked becoming invested in a new small town, especially during the winter. This provides good grounds for stakes and tension among the characters. I also liked the emphasis on found family being as important as , if not more so than, blood relatives, with Jane finding herself being enveloped in a new loving family, after dealing with childhood trauma.
Jane was pretty easy to root for, even as she did push everyone away, as I could understand her reasoning for doing that. And Levi is a great partner for her, because of how he supports her, and he has a family who loves him and is prepared to embrace her as one of their own as well.
And while balancing two romances, along with character development can be a bit hard, I did feel like Shalvis managed to make the friends/enemies-to-lovers dynamic between Charlotte and Mateo. It provides a nice balance of fun to the more emotional relationship between Jane and Levi.
This is incredibly cozy and heartwarming, and will delight both longtime fans of Jill Shalvis’ work and new readers looking for a romantic women’s fiction/contemporary read.

I really enjoyed this book. Everyone was so charming and likable. It was nice that while, Levi and Jane may have been the main characters of the story, everyone was a pure delight to get to know. No one felt like a second or third string in the story. Thus the reason that I really enjoyed reading this book.

Jane and Levi's first meet may not have been the ideal "meetcute" but it sure is not boring. I enjoyed getting to know Jane and Levi on personal levels. Therefore, when these two did finally start a relationship with each other it felt very genuine. I look forward to the next book in this series and maybe seeing everyone again in the future. The Family You Make is a heartwarming, delightful read!

Heartwarming, emotional and oh so good! Jill Shalvis writes emotion with a realistic tone that always hooks me quickly to her characters and the setting of a new series. In the first book at Sunrise Cove, we are quickly thrust into an emotional moment and the angst, sass and goodness does not stop from start to finish. I loved every minute of THE FAMILY YOU MAKE and can't wait for more to come in this cozy town.

Levi and Jane are thrust together unexpectedly and the tense times they share bond them quickly. He's a nerdy brainiac who is utterly adorable and she's a loner, never believing she fits in. Watching her heal and learn to accept love is heartwarming and he's just an all around sweetheart.

Charlotte and Mateo are co-workers and neighbors who throw off sparks towards each other the second they hit the page. She's scarred from past trauma and he's healing from a heartbreak of his own. Together they are oil and water but once she lets the guard around her heart crumble a little, they are on their way towards forever!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a romance that has laughter, emotion, and real life issues all wrapped up into one heartwarming read.

The Family You Make is about four people. Jane, Levi, Charlotte, and Mateo. Four people who find they have a connection, and all struggle with things that has happened in their lives. This is their journey, of facing the things that has happened, starting to talk about them, and finding the courage to move forward in life. It is their life, their story, the ups and downs, the good intentions of others, and learning to have patience. They learn that family isn't blood, it is who you love, and care about, but will it be enough to create the life they each want. They may stumble, and wonder, but there is always that glimmer of hope, so they don't give up, but are willing to try to open themselves up to the possibilities.
I received an ARC from William Morrow and Custom House through NetGalley.

I love the author and always look forward to reading her newest. This is the start of a series and I’m excited to see where it goes. This one was rife with strife and by the end of it, I was ready for it to be over. The “will they, won’t they” dragged on for far too long. However, I enjoyed the characters and the setting was fun!

Thank you Avon and Get Red PR for an arc of The Family You Make. I absolutely adored this book. From the moment Jane and Levi are thrown together in the gondola, I was sucked in and I couldn't stop reading. I loved how they were linked after this and how Levi worked to draw Jane out. I also loved how we saw Jane's friendship with Charlotte and Levi's moments with Mateo. I also loved the glimpses of Mateo and Charlotte. The characters were so worthy of love and sometimes needed a little push from a friend or romantic partner to see this about themselves. I loved Jane being able to rekindle her relationship with her grandfather after so much time. This was such a great read and will be a great way to start 2022. I cannot wait for the second book in the series.

I will update with the link when I share on my bookstagram account.

Jane and Levi, both afraid to make commitments, meet and bond over a shared near death experience. They try to deny the attraction to each other. They come to accept that the family they make are the people who are around them that love and care for them. I received an ARC from NetGalley and William Morrow and Custom House for my honest review.

This is my first by this author and it definitely won't be my last. The Family You Make is really all about families, both born and blood. Both Jane and Levi have events from their past that have caused them to move away and have deeply impacted their relationships in the present. Jane never lets herself get attached to anyone and tends to move around a lot as a traveling nurse, never staying for long in one place. Levi has things from his past that caused him move far from his family. Both find themselves back in Levi's hometown and stranded together in a situation from which they are afraid they won't survive. Impulsively Levi tells his mom that Jane is his girlfriend, so when they do survive, he convinces her to continue to pretend.

This story was so fantastic - there are so many layers and depths to Jane and Levi and all of the interconnected people within their lives. I loved getting to know all of them and am almost sad to reach the end. The Family You Make was a sweet, heartfelt and heartwarming romance and was the perfect book to read on a snowy day. It was deep and emotional but leaves you feeling really good at the end. LOVED this and can't wait to read more by this author.

What an adorable read about four people who end up becoming two couples while navigating a near-death experience, physical trauma, childhood abandonment, and death of a loved one. While these couples live happily ever after the HCP in me quite perturbed with the egregious HIPPA violation without consequences. Look forward to the continuation of this series. Since a feline was more of a character than a dog, she should be in the cover!

Funny and heartwarming

I loved the start of this new series by author Jill Shalvis. In fact, I don't think Shalvis has ever written a book I didn't enjoy. Her stories are her own unique blend of roll on the floor humor and then a touching, heartwarming story that touches the heartstrings. And this one is definitely no exception.

Though the story focuses on traveling nurse Jane Parks and data scientist Levi Cutler, who start out trapped in a ski gondola, there's a hefty side story about Mateo and Charlotte that I loved too.

Both couples have pasts they have to conquer before they can move forward and I loved the story location of Lake Tahoe. I will definitely be looking for more stories in this series.

Who am I kidding? I look for anything written by this author. I highly recommend this book.

I received this book from Custom House Books and William Morrow Books through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

This one wasn't for me.

What I liked: I appreciate the issues addressed... abandonment and date rape and think they were handled well. These aren't the main topics of this book but a back story that is alluded to. I like how the healing begins with trusting and discussing your issues. I like how the male characters let the girls go at their own pace that they were comfortable with.

What I did not love: I thought the writing and the characters were repetitive. The two male characters could have been interchanged at any time and same with the two main female characters-the only thing different was their names but other than that they were the same. Although the author wrote the character's skillsets to be multidimensional, their personalities fell flat. I didn't really like the whole tough-girl characters and found it immature, especially given their occupations. I also felt some things were left undone at the end.

I did like the setting and I liked the cover of the book as well.

I love Jill Shalvis and this story didn't disappoint. The characters were well-rounded and the story compelling. I felt like it wrapped up a bit too quickly and neatly, but overall, a very enjoyable read.

The Family You Make is about exactly that. Jill Shalvis reminds us that blood does not make a family. Love makes a family, and love can come in many forms.

Jane has never really had a cohesive family unit. Her parents were absent from her life. When her grandmother died, Jane was still very young. Her aunt took her so that she would not be any trouble for her grandfather. Her grandfather’s grief kept him from fighting for her. As a result, Jane never felt truly loved or wanted. She spent her entire life building and securing walls around her heart, careful to never get too close to anyone.

Levi grew up surrounded by a loving family and life-long friends. His family owns a sporting goods store near Lake Tahoe, and Levi grew up exploring the great outdoors with his family. However, he never really felt as though he fit into the life the rest of his family wanted. Rather than skiing, Levi enjoys data. He loves using data to solve problems. His parents and sister cannot understand how Levi is so different from them. They have no idea just how much Levi’s problem-solving skills will be needed to save the family from an unforeseen betrayal.

The mountain is being cleared just as Levi reaches the top. A nurse leaving the clinic on the mountain walks onto his gondola. Suddenly, their gondola has stopped. Leaving them to the mercy of the blizzard. Trapped at 750 feet and thrown around by the storm, Levi tries his best to bring calm to the girl who shares his gondola.

When this stranger throws himself in front of a piece of the gondola that breaks off, Jane immediately goes into medical mode. Her nurse training turns her focus from surviving the storm to keeping this stranger alive – a stranger who put himself in harm’s way to protect her, a girl he does not even know.

Neither wants to admit what they both know. There is no way for them to survive the storm. Levi’s injuries will not matter. The gondola in front of them has already fallen, and they know it is only a matter of time before they plunge to their deaths in this fierce storm. Levi’s last thoughts are of his family, and he asks this stranger to please help him call his family to say goodbye.

The Family You Make is about coming together in the aftermath of tragedy. It is about accepting help when it is offered and creating your family despite what DNA says. Blood does not make people family. Bands can be created in between people who come from completely different backgrounds and walks of life. The trick is to all the walls to be broken down and trust what you have never really experienced or believed you would know.

Levi and Jane meet on a gondola, trying to make it down the hill during a big snow storm. After strong winds send the gondola ahead of them plummeting to the ground, Levi calls his mom to tell her goodbye. Unable to bring himself to say the words, he tells her he is dating someone named Jane, thinking he is fulfilling his moms lifelong dream of Levi finding love. But the plan backfires when Levi and Jane don’t die. Now Jane agrees to pretend to be his girlfriend to meet his family, making Levi promise to not fall in love with her.

Thank you to netgalley, getredprbooks and Jill Shavis for this digital ARC! I was looking for something seasonal to read and this one was perfect! While not set at Christmas, it is set in February in Lake Tahoe! Yes, please!! 😍 This book had all the makings of a winter romcom! There is love (of course), family drama, loss, friendships, trust issues, found family.. it has it all! This is such a heartwarming story and the best part is it’s the first in a series! Grab a copy when it comes out January 11th!

This was a slow start to a new series set in Sunrise Cove, a ski resort town. We meet Levi, Jane, Mateo, and Charlotte. The chapters alternate between the four. Each relationship – Levi & Jane, Mateo & Charlotte – is almost parallel. The women have damaged pasts and trouble trusting men. The men have strong family values and are patient.

This was an enjoyable read, but not one of Shalvis’ best. The characters were lackluster and so was the heat. The adventures and setting were a plus. I would recommend it to readers that enjoyed Shalvis’ past series but aren’t looking for something that will drain them emotionally. It’s an easy, quick read that would be good for a weekend when you want to stay inside cuddled up in a blanket.

ARC received via Net Galley.

A very endearing story about the family we are given and the family that we choose!

The Family You Make had two couples but focuses mainly on Jane and Levi. The two meet unexpectedly during a freak snow storm that almost leads to their untimely death! After their saving and with the realization of a few unspoken truth Levi and Jane start spending time together! What was supposed to be fake turned into something very real and Jane had to decide is for once she will stay and not run!

I loved the the many characters that we meet in the story! The main characters are amazing but omg Levi’s family and Janes grandpa had me rolling! I also adored Charlotte and Mateo and wish we would’ve gotten a little more of them!

A beautiful novel with such a beautiful message!

Author Jill Shalvis tells a tale of two couples who struggle for a Happily Ever After in The Family You Make,the first book in her Sunrise Cover series. I enjoyed reading about these two couples. Jane and Levi face death during a blizzard while stuck on a ski lift. Jane's childhood has affected her relationships. Levi has the patience to help Jane believe in love and family. The other couple, Charlotte and Matteo struggle to acknowledge their love. Charlotte is still suffering from a very bad experience earlier in her life. Matteo is patient, persistent and understanding. Both couples are wonderful together. I really like this story and look forward to the next book in the series.

The only thing better than a new @jillshalvis book is when the new book is the start of a new series! When I saw it would be set in Lake Tahoe I swooned a little, it is such a gorgeous place and we’ve been on three family vacations there, it’s such a special place for my family. Anyway, is anyone surprised to hear me say that I adored this one? The author can do no wrong for me her books have it all but I’ll leave you with a little list of what to expect from this one and my ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating.

❄️ Fake dating between Jane and Levi who have 🔥 chemistry
❄️ A secondary storyline featuring a romance between Charlotte and Mateo with a friends to lovers/enemies to lovers vibe so you get a taste of allll of the tropes
❄️ So much humor in the form of witty banter, nosy family members and adorable kids
❄️ Emotional depth and lots of family, both the one you’re born with and found family leaving me feeling all warm and cozy

Thank you @jillshalvis and @getredprbooks for my copy and the cutest cup! 💙

Loved it. Wish I had saved it for the middle of summer as there is much talk of snow. Need snow in summer, not so much when I am already cold. Ha. Thrilled to see it is the beginning of a series. I am eager to read more about the people of Sunrise Cove.

I received an ARC of this book for an honest review. I am a huge Shalvis fan, and this book really enforced my fear of falling-oh boy! It starts off with a bang and then settles comfortably into familiar Shalvis territory. Her love for her hometown shines in this book. Lately I've felt that her heroines all have major abandonment issues, I would love to see her characters have strong family ties and still be able to fall in love.