7/10

I decided to read this book on a whim. I stumbled upon a literary PR person on Twitter who had tweeted about her client, Grant’s, book. It was intriguing enough that I decided to try it.

Let’s Not Do That Again is a rollercoaster ride of drama, comedy and complicated family dynamics. Nancy is running for congress. Her son was working for her and is desperately trying to get out. Her daughter is angry at her and desperately trying to do whatever she can to rebel.

One thing leads to another and, well, sometimes the choices you make in life can lead to unexpected results.

I read this book very quickly - primarily because Grant told a constantly unraveling story that gripped me. Quite a few times I found myself saying out loud, to the characters, “don’t do that don’t do that”. Fortunately nobody was around to hear me talking to the book.

Grant writes dialogue very well. The conversations seem natural (for the most part).

His descriptors, though, can be a bit jilted. Let me explain by comparing fiction novel writing to painting.

For the most part, dialogue should be in the foreground. It drives the story. It should be painted with acrylics. It is with acrylics that you get the detail that most closely represents reality. You can see the nuance in acrylics.

The background scenery in the book, however should be done in a way that lets you fill in the blanks with your own mind. It should be painted with water color, creating broad strokes that let you know what’s going on while still ensuring that it’s blurry enough to be in the background.

Does that make sense? I hope so. It makes sense to me.

Grant does everything in acrylic - trying to create the details of reality whether we want it or not. Some of his background descriptions are so detailed, I kept thinking that maybe the passers by were secret characters who would play a significant role in the story. They aren’t and they don’t.

For instance, in one scene characters are sitting in Central Park when a rollerblader goes by. Instead of just saying a rollerblader zoomed by, Grant laid out a full description of what the rollerblader was wearing and what maneuvers they were doing. I don’t care.

He constantly would describe background scenes like that in such detail that I thought they were the main story.

That’s my biggest and only complaint. It doesn’t make the story bad, by any means, it is just a bit distracting.

Anybody who likes complicated, but fun family dynamics, and tongue-in-cheek suspense will like this book. It’s worth the read.

#netgallley #letsnotdothatagain

I would like to thank Henry Holt Publishing and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book as an ARC. I had read Grant Ginder's book- The People we hate at the Wedding, and enjoyed it, so I was looking forward to reading his new book. This is a book about Nancy Harrison, her son Nick and daughter Greta. Nancy is running for Senate in New York.She has been in Congress since her husband died, about 20 years ago,( she won his seat after his death). Her son Nick had been her campaign manager, until a year ago when he quit to teach at a college and write a musical about Joan Didion. Greta, is working at an Apple Store, and gaming, until she meets a man on a game. And then the drama begins. Nancy's mother in law blames her for her son's( nancy's husband) death . Greta pretty much blames her mother for everything. Nick wants to be the "good son", but has a lot of anger as well. Greta meets a Frenchman and runs off to Paris with him. The Frenchman turns out to be a Neo Nazi , who encourages Greta to rebel against her mother. On the home front, Nancy's Senate race is a lot closer than she would like, due to an ex actor turned politician , who uses Greta's rebellion for his own cause. Nick is struggling with his musical and his love life, as well as his family. What starts out as a fairly light hearted look at politics, life and families, does take a very dark turn about 2/3 of the way in. It is intriguing, funny, scary, and frightening all at once. No spoilers, but pick it up and read it. You will not be disappointed.

Grant Ginder's Let's Not Do That Again came highly recommended by Annie Jones at the Bookshelf, and after hearing her gush about it I requested it from NetGalley. At its heart, it's a family story - what lengths you would go to in order to help those you love, even if you don't like them very much at times?

Two siblings, Greta and Nick Harrison, grew up the children of a political powerhouse - first their father and then their mother, who stepped into her husband's shoes after his untimely death. Being in the political spotlight led these siblings down different paths - one revolts against the need to keep up appearances and one keeps in lockstep with the party line. Chaos erupts when Greta takes her revolutionary (if a bit whiny/melodramatic) pursuits a bit too far.

A well-paced read with plenty to keep a reader interested - vivid scenes of NYC and Paris, lots of political fodder, rich people behaving badly, and a French anarchist troll (just for good measure!). I really enjoyed this one!

Thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt for this advanced copy. Our in April 2022.

What an incredible tale! I loved this story and sincerely hope it gets made into a movie!

Encouraged by her new boyfriend, Greta has made national news by throwing a bottle of champagne into a window in France. Her mom, Nancy, is here in the US running for a Senate seat, and can't have this kind of publicity. Greta has no respect for her mom, and actually hopes this kind of news brings her mom down. Nick, Greta's brother, gets involved with finding out what's going on with Greta, and the story begins.

Let's Not Do That Again takes the readers through the lives of a dysfunctional family in our current culture. It's full of twists and turns and keeps us on our toes trying to figure out what will happen next. The book is written through the eyes of each character, of which there are a limited number, so it doesn't get confusing. I was quite surprised numerous times by the storyline, and though I didn't really love the ending, I understand why Grinder finished the book the way he did.

Highly recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Let's Not Do That Again.

In LET'S NOT DO THAT AGAIN, by Grant Ginder, Nancy Harrison is running for the Senate and she is determined to win. Her children, Nick and Greta, have distanced themselves from Nancy not because they hate Nancy, but because they want to separate themselves from the political circus that comes with running for the Senate. When Greta makes headlines throwing a champagne bottle through a restaurant window in Paris with some extreme protestors, Nancy recruits Nick, who wants nothing to do with any of it, to find Greta and bring her home. Nancy has to figure out how to smooth over the scandal quickly before her daughter and that champagne bottle completely ruins her chances to be a Senator.
Nancy Harrison, as most politicians do, has to balance her personal life and her political persona. As she struggles and fails at that, the reader is entertained and reminded of how private and public lifestyles have intertwined so much in politics in the last few years. Ginder creates wonderfully flawed characters, which the reader can't help but find them all endearing and relatable. The plot is somewhat predictable but still has some great twists along the way. How each character reacts to what is going on around them is where the real fun is. The dialogue between the family has that subtle sarcasm and biting wit that all readers have some of in their own family.
LET'S NOT DO THAT AGAIN had me smiling all the way through. One can't help but find the Harrison family likable with their own brand of narcissism, humor, and love/hate relationship with each other.

3.5 The last third of this book was awesome. The first third not bad and didn’t love the middle/Greta in Paris. I definitely recommend this one even though the characters at first weren’t that likable. I wish the author revealed a bit more about them earlier so that I was invested sooner. But ultimately it was worth it and I enjoyed this book and especially grew fond of Nancy and Nick.

“Let’s Not Do That Again” by Grant Ginder is a bit genre defying — sort of like TV’s VEEP — a political family tragicomedy told sometimes in first person (the daughter) within a third person narrative about the rest of the family and political assistants. There are no vague references to fictional political parties and policies, we know right away our protagonists are Democrats and where they stand on modern day issues. Among wondrous descriptions of cityscapes, there’s a serious plot involving love, betrayal, and family matters.

Nancy Harrison is a widow who successfully took over her late husband’s Congressional seat (defying the will of his mother) and is now running for the Senate against a Trump-like Reaganesque actor, who will do anything to demean her, including going after her children. And, unfortunately, her adult daughter, Greta, is giving the guy fodder for the tabloids by engaging in political tourism (throwing champagne bottles through windows of elite French restaurants instead of attending cooking school classes) and hooking up with fame-seeking shady acquaintances. Nancy’s son, Nick, has been his Mom’s henchman and speechwriter for years, but recently escaped to academia with a dream to write a musical about Joan Didion (that’s right). Nick is recruited into retrieving his errant younger sister from Paris so Mom’s campaign can be redirected to serious stuff instead of misogynistic attacks from her opponent about her parenting skills.

Grant Ginder paints a vivid picture of seriocomic political reality set against the backdrop of NYC and Paris. It’s intelligent and filled with second decade/twenty first century cultural touchpoints, including quick contemporary references to a pandemic and assault on the Capitol.

The plot was smart and suspenseful — the characters are well developed and Mr. Ginder makes you care about their future and current choices which also makes you cringe when they disappoint you. I was annoyed by Xavier (Greta’s friend) with his verbal endearments of Greta as “my duck,” “my flea,” “my little American cabbage.” I wanted to reach inside the book and swat him. In any case, I was engrossed mideay and then couldn’t put it down until I finished it. 4 solid stars.

One slight criticism: I truly dislike the cover art now after reading the book — the cover really looks like it belongs to a happy go lucky rom-com novel about love connections in New York and Paris and the title assists in that perception. The only political hint is the red and blue font that’s a tad too cutesy handmade brush font. The book is lighthearted, but it also has a lot of poignant, bittersweet moments, too. I’m not sure how to improve that art, but, alas, people do choose books based on their covers.

Thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES That would be Greta, a main character, her eyes “wide and green and full” being photographed by paparazzi to start off the events of the book.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): Hmm. Mostly fragrant flowers in vases like October freesias, but there are few American elm trees left in the residential streets of Upper Manhattan. Plus, in late October, you really shouldn’t discuss planting delicate Japanese maples in the cold NYC climate (even if it wasn’t exactly true).

This is a story about politics -- and the politics of families.  Nancy Harrison is a popular member of Congress in New York City, having been a champion of progressive causes since she assumed her seat following the death of its previous occupant, her husband.  Nancy is now in the race of her life for a Senate seat against a charming former television star.  One of her biggest obstacles is her family.  Her son, Nick, used to be one of Nancy's top aides, but has tried to step back.  He is now working as a writing instructor at NYU and developing a musical about Joan Didion.  Her daughter, Greta, seems stuck -- she has quit her job, broken up with longterm boyfriend, and is now working at the Apple store in Brooklyn to pass the time.  And her mother-in-law, a fixture of New York society, has long resented Nancy.

One morning, in the midst of Nancy's campaign, a video appears online that appears to show Greta in Paris, marching with extremist protestors and throwing a bottle of champagne through the window of a fancy restaurant.  Nancy, who had no idea that Greta was not in New York, and her campaign team are worried this video could undermine Nancy's Senate bid, especially if more videos if Greta emerge.  So Nancy seeks to bring Nick back into the fold and help save her campaign by finding Greta, before her hopes of higher office are dashed forever.

This book was terrific!  It succeeds both as a political novel and as a family story.  Through the alternating perspectives of Nancy, Nick, Greta, and other key characters, we gradually learn the truth behind several key events -- as well as each individual member of the family's own truth about the circumstances of Nick and Greta's childhood and their relationships with each other.  The author does a terrific job of showing what motivates each character and making them each fundamentally sympathetic -- even as they each engage in questionable behavior.  The book is also one of the more accurate depictions of the dynamics of political campaigns that I have seen in fiction.  Finally, it is also just a plain good story, full of several laugh-out-loud moments.  I was so invested in the characters and learning the true story behind the various family secrets that I tore through the novel over two days.

Very highly recommended!

Let’s Not Do That Again is well written and engaging, but it wasn’t at all what I was expecting. I went into this book expecting to see and experience the grit and sweat of a political campaign, and the ugliness of violent protests, as described in the blurb. And, while there is some of that, it's really more of a family drama than a political thriller, with a lot more emotion than grit. The story is driven more by characters than plot, propelled by the relationships, interactions, aspirations, and memories that the individual characters share with one another.

The novel is described as a mash up of Succession and Veep. I think that’s super accurate, but there’s a little bit of the absurdity of Arrested Development in there too. Nancy is a literary dupe for Lucille Bluth in my mind. (Not only is she snobby and fake; she’s a congressional candidate who has served as a guest judge on RuPaul‘s Drag Race, loudly roasting contestants’ eyebrows, and now expects to be taken seriously by the public.)

I enjoyed Grant Ginder's writing style and sense of humor, but didn't fall in love with any of the characters. I didn't find them particularly likeable or compelling, and that made it hard to connect with their storylines.

——

Thank you to Grant Ginder, Henry Holt and Co., and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is a terrific book. Nancy Harrison is a long-time member of Congress, now running for Senate. She unexpectedly finds herself in a tough race against an opponent who used to star in a popular television show. As if things were not already hard enough, one morning a video appears on the internet that seems to show Nancy's daughter in Paris, throwing a champagne bottle through the window of a fancy restaurant as part of a protest. Worried that the video will hurt her campaign, especially among the voters she most needs to win, Nancy dispatches her son to Paris to find Greta and bring her back home, before she can do any more damage. As we see Nick reluctantly embark on this mission and Nancy and her team doing her best to save her campaign, we learn that there is more than meets the eye when it comes to Nancy, Nick, and Greta -- and that family, like politics, can sometimes make people act in ways they would have never expected.

This book was a really enjoyed read -- fast-paced, insightful, poignant, and funny. I am a huge fan of the author's previous novels, and I liked this one just as much (if not more). Very highly recommended!

My favorite Grant Ginder book yet! I love stories about people who sometimes make bad decisions, and on the surface are irredeemable. This book made me laugh out loud multiple times. Sharp, realistic dialogue, biting satire, and a delightful plot make this one of my favorite reads of the year.

Good stuff. This is cleverly told, and includes some funny moments. I love VEEP, and while this is different it is a good match with my tastes. Recommended.

Thanks very much for the free ARC for review!!

This is such a fast-moving, surprising comic novel. You think you know what you're going to get - a dysfunctional family working through their problems, something slightly bitchy, perhaps. But this novel takes you in wholly unexpected directions.

The plot, ostensibly, is that a Pelosi-like Senate candidate's son is dispatched to Paris to retrieve her headline-making bad sheep daughter. And certainly that effort takes up a nice chunk of the novel. But then, the story careens in unpredictable ways. Yet the book never feels out of control for a minute. The wild plot turns, and the relationships among the main characters, are truly grounded in real-life emotions.

Along the way, family ties are examined, reinforced, abandoned. Supporting characters feel fully-developed.

All in all, a very entertaining, surprisingly touching novel.

There was a lot going on in this book that really pulled you in quickly. Several main characters were all intriguing. There were some plot twists I didn’t see coming.

There was a Dateline incident that was unexpected and hope wouldn’t really happen. But all in all a satisfying read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Company for the opportunity to read this book.

I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

I loved this one. Very fast paced, had me turning pages as I tore through it – I had to see how it would end. The characters were well rounded and the narrative felt believable. Wild ride.. Solid five

Pros: Annie Jones (of The Bookshelf and From the Front Porch) gave this book five stars. I trust her judgment, so I requested this book as soon as it was added on NetGalley. I was also encouraged by the comparisons to Veep and Nothing to See Here. I think the comparisons are accurate with all having storylines that are a bit ridiculous/absurd (in a good way)!

This book was very readable with short chapters and interesting characters. The timeline jumps around a bit, but it is not difficult to follow. The settings of New York City and Paris were very vivid. The plot took some turns I was not expecting, and I enjoyed the story about family and politics.

Cons: The book dragged a bit in the middle, but that is a very minor con.

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for the opportunity to read this book

I’ve shared this review on Goodreads and StoryGraph.

I admit I fell in love with this book and the characters within a few pages. This is a fabulous novel of politics, love, lies and families. There are 5 main characters, each beautifully developed, allowing the reader to picture them vividly.

Mom, Nancy, is the ultimate politician who is running for the senate, but is mysteriously hated by her daughter, Greta, who is working to sabotage her campaign. When her actions in Paris jeopardize the close campaign, brother Nick is dispatched to find her and bring her home. He finds her involved with an incredibly dangerous and unsuitable man.

Even the 2 secondary characters, Cate and Tom, are very engaging. Watching their subplot unfold added to my enjoyment.

It is Greta who slowly unwinds all the lies that those close to her have used to manipulate her and cultivate her anger towards her mother. The author constantly throws in intriguing and unexpected twists. Ginder is a brilliant and spellbinding writer. I literally couldn’t put this book down.

Readers, book clubs, put this one on your lists. There are many elements worth discussing and I can’t wait to share this book with others. Sorry if I’m gushing, but this book reminded me of how much magic I find between the (virtual) covers.

Thank you Netgalley for this opportunity to review and enjoy this novel.

This was my first book to read by this author and I can’t wait to read more!! The characters are so well written and really stick with you long after you finish this unique story. Do yourself a favor and read this now!!