Therese Anne Fowler never disappoints. Although supposedly lighter fare than her usual work, It All Comes Down to This displays her skill with in-depth characterization, compelling plots, and wonderful turns of phrase.

Families are messy and the Gellers are no exception. Beck, Sophie, and Claire lead very different lives and it takes their mother's death to bring them together and set them on new paths, both personally and professionally. In fact, Marti Geller made sure her Last Will and Testament would force them to make some changes. Each sister is at a crossroads in her life and second-guessing her decisions.

To complicate matters, C.J. Reynolds wants to buy the Gellers' summer cottage. He's a charming artist with a troubled past, and he's either a big problem or the perfect solution.

This is a story with everything--family secrets, scandal, humor, and the hope of true love.

We can never escape our past. And sometimes that's a good thing.

Having LOVED A Good Neighborhood, I was ecstatic to get It All Comes Down to This from the publisher as an early read. I honestly think Fowler is one of the most talented contemporary writers I’ve read. I love the way her words flow on the page and create complicated emotions in her characters and her readers.

In this book, the characters discuss Jung’s “meaningful connections” throughout and I feel like I have to note that the book, in and of itself, has a very meaningful connection to me. I am about to travel to Bar Harbor, Maine - a place I had never heard of before… nor has it ever been a setting in a book I’ve read. But guess what place I learned all about while reading this book? Yep. Bar Harbor. So cool!!!

I didn’t particularly LIKE any of the characters on their own much, but I loved their interactions and the way the coped with their situations. I didn’t want certain things to happen, but for some inexplicable reason, they needed to happen. The story goes exactly as it should - even if the reader wishes for another outcome. I am not usually a fan of a happy ending where everything is all tied up, but in this story, it just makes sense!

I do have a big BIG thing to note about this book. IT HAS CHAPTER TITLES! I didn’t know how much I missed them until I saw them again. It made my heart so happy! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Three adult sisters grapple with family secrets after their mother dies in IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS by Therese Anne Fowler. I have a special interest in books about sisters, so this plot held great appeal to me. The beginning and ending are just great while the middle is a struggle at times. Author Fowler has, perhaps, created too many very distinct characters and given them each such defined attributes and personalities, that I felt overwhelmed by details and tidbits. I wished to know less about some of these characters and more about others. I really wanted more about the mother’s backstory and hoped for a larger meaning for her story. There is a gentleness to this tale and a softness to the pace that often works well; although in the middle I became impatient, hoping for more. On the whole, this book is well worth reading and enjoying. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

I just realized that I never sent a review for this even though I read it a while back and loved it! Blame it on the pandemic! This was super fun - the sisters who are so different yet who love each other deep down. Made me miss my own sisters. Well done.

It All Comes Down to This
by: Therese Anne Fowler
St. Martin's Press
Pub Date: June 07, 2022
Literary Fiction, Women's Fiction

This is a complex family drama about three sisters whose mother is near the end of her life. It is a character driven story of grief and settling the family estate. Those who enjoy slower paced books with a multigenerational centered plot might want to check this out.

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for the advance reader's copy and opportunity to provide my unbiased review.

Marti knows she is dying of cancer so she sets out to make her estate easy to handle. She makes all of her own arrangements and leaves specific instructions for her 3 daughters - Beck, Claire and Sophie. One of the provisions of Marti's will is that the family "camp" in Mount Desert Island, Maine be sold and the proceeds divided among the girls.

Beck, the oldest daughter, now a grandmother is living in marriage that she is not happy in. Paul her husband is a good provider and they are friendly, but the love is not there. Claire, a pediatric cardiologist, is newly divorced and learning to navigate life as a single mom. Sophie, the youngest, is an influencer who seems to have it all, but in reality is falling apart.

This is an epic family saga about life and loss. We are able to explore what makes each of these three sisters tick, the intricacies of their relationships, the things they have kept secret, etc. Family dynamics are always interesting and I really enjoyed this character-driven family drama.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy. I wanted to like this book as I loved Fowler’s last novel, but this one just didn’t do it for me. The main problem for me was that none of the three daughters were all that likable, which made it hard to root for them as they got their lives figured out. Also, everything was wrapped up way too quickly and neatly in just a few pages at the end. I like Fowler’s writing style, so I will probably pick up whatever books she writes next, but this one was mostly a miss.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC!
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I really, really loved Fowler's previous novel, A Good Neighborhood, so of course I wanted to read her new book, It All Comes Down to This. I must say, the two are drastically different. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, but in this case - it was for me. It All Comes Down to This just felt like a whole lotta nothing? This is a character-driven story which I really, really like - but I also like when at least something happens. And honestly I didn't feel like anything really happened. The character build-up leads the reader to thinking that something monumental is going to occur for these characters, but in my opinion, it did not feel like anything out of the ordinary. Reading about ordinary life is fine, the story was just very anticlimatic. I enjoyed the character development and found certain parts interesting, but not enough to truly hold my attention.

Beck, Claire, and Sophie are living three very different lives. The death of their mother and a stipulation in her will not only bring them closer together but also expose the unhappiness hidden behind their lies.
Beck tries to envision how her life would be with a passionate partner, something that she and her husband Paul have never had. She dreams of writing a novel and her decision to clear out her mother's cottage and get it ready to be sold, changes her perceptions of everything.
Claire is a successful doctor. She divorced and tried to navigate her busy life and the custody challenges that come with it. She discovers that a long-held secret crush will never be anything more than that and has to face that reality( or does she).
Sophie lives an instafamous life, barely keeping her head above water. Credit card debt is killing her, and her perfect life is not so picture-perfect. She suffers three losses almost simultaneously and has to decide what is truly important, coming on the heels of her mother's passing.
Then there is CJ, a man with a murky past who connects with a young orphan boy. Staying at a friend's home and trying to make a new life,he is surprised to find a woman from his past.
A slow-burn character-driven tale and if it wasn't for one(to me)unrealistic connection between characters( and something one of those people did), it would have been a solid 4 stars. I just couldn't get past my issue though. In this case, it may well be me, not the book.3.5 stars.

After matriarch, Marti, has passed, her three daughters must come together to sell the beach house and come to terms with family secrets Marti has surprised them with. At the same time, an old friend of the eldest sister comes back into her life and to the beach. For all three sisters decisions must be made involving their romantic lives and work lives.
Ok, this is my third Therese Anne Fowler book. And I was wanting more. There was so much going on in this book it could have been two books. Too many chapters from different POVs. Too many loose ends not tied up. Too many obstacles that seemed either too trivial or too difficult to get through in the limited time with each sister. The sisters were the worst and didn't have one redeeming quality among them. The youngest sister who was completely out of control ended up being the most successful after one good idea? Even better than the dr sister? I don't think so. Beck, the oldest is entitled and acts like a teenager even though she's rounding forty and doesn't have much to show for why she thinks her book could sell even though she's never written a book before, just keeps playing around with the idea without actually working on it.
Marti narrates a couple of the chapters at the beginning alluding to a family secret. Once the girls find out the secret, it's talked about one other time and there isn't a resolution. Maybe it's more real that way, but I want messy family drama to be about family drama, not these petty arguments between sisters. Like I said, too many loose ends and not enough resolution for my taste.

A sweet, homespun story about family, love, and loss.

I confess that I did not read the summary or description of this book at all; I just really wanted to read Fowler's newest book because I thoroughly enjoyed her most recent preceding novel, A Good Neighborhood. For me, A Good Neighborhood was pretty fast-paced, so I was expecting the same from It All Comes Down to This. Instead, it was slow to start but picked up in the second-half. Still, Fowler weaves the characters' stories together really well. I remember wondering what C. J. had to do with anything (the book even starts by contemplating his impact on the Geller sisters' lives) and being more than satisfied by his role in the story.

I ended up really enjoying this book, but I agree with other reviewers that Marti's "big secret" was underwhelming. Her secrets that revealed earlier in the story were more shocking to me. I do wish we had gotten more about the sisters growing up; we just learn that they're are spread apart in age so they don't really relate to one another, but not enough of their interaction or relationship with their parents. (I also thought C. J.'s storyline felt a tiny bit forced, but I let it slide.)

Overall, I would recommend this book. All of the characters seemed real and (mostly) relatable, and there were some quotable nuggets of wisdom throughout. But despite the summer release, this felt like more of a fall read. It's a "cozy up on the couch under a blanket with a fire going" kind of read, one that you take your time with. If you're looking for the type of intense feelings and explosive conclusion A Good Neighborhood delivered, you'll want to manage your expectations. It All Comes Down to This is completely different, but still very good. I'll definitely be checking out Fowler's backlist and looking forward to her next works.

There is a lot going on in this sister saga. Their mother passes away and the sisters have to decide what to do with the vacation home in Maine. Beck, Claire, and Sophie aren’t the closest sisters but are drawn together over the loss of their mother. Secrets and realizations are unearthed and their lives will change.
I thought it was a decent read. None of the characters particularly resonated with me. It was all about sorting out their lives and finally living to be happy instead of just existing, as many people are inclined to do.

It All Comes Down To This is is Therese Anne Fowler’s most recent novel, to be released on June 7, 2022.

This novel is primarily about sisterhood. The Geller sisters are soon to lose their mother at the beginning of this story. Their mother, Marti, has cancer in it’s final stages.

The sisters all have their own personal issues going on in their lives, all of which contribute to the storyline as they manage their mom’s death along with selling the family cottage on Mount Desert Island.

I haven’t read A Good Neighborhood, but it’s on my list and I’ve seen a wide variety of reviews. I think we’re going to see a wide variety of reviews on this one as well. It was just OK for me; some items tidied up a bit to quickly and easily at the end, but I liked it. I could definitely see some readers absolutely loving this one. I plan to read A Good Neighborhood soon to be able to compare.

Beck, Claire and Sophie Gellar come together to grieve when their mother, Marti, passes away. Marti had everything prepared ahead of time, including that she wanted the sisters to sell their family’s cabin in Maine. All three ladies are each at a crossroads in their own lives, but coming back together forces them all to re-examine where they are headed.

I went into this book blind, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I love a good family drama, and I thought this came together well. Each sister had her own unique story, and their alternating viewpoints allowed them to give their perspectives in their own voices. I loved how the ladies, quite frankly, all faced the decision of whether they wanted to start over in their lives. That kind of change can be scary, but it’s something a lot of us face. I found myself relating to Beck in the sense of how her whole life has been devoted to raising her children. The question of what to do now that they were grown was something I’m sure a lot parents have.

Thank you to Netgalley, St Martin’s Press and Therese Anne Fowler for the ARC! This review will be posted to my Instagram blog (books_by_the_bottle) shortly 🙂

It All Comes Down to This releases June 7th!

Another great read from Therese Anne Fowler! I was so engrossed in this story of grief, family drama, and secrets. The Maine setting was perfect for a summer read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for early access in exchange for my honest review!

It All Comes Down to This is a slowly-paced family drama.

Marti Geller knows she will be dying soon. It’s only a matter of days. She has organized everything herself, including the directive to sell her summer cottage to lessen the burden on her daughters after she’s gone. There’s just one final secret that she’s ready to tell them.

After Marti’s death, the story follows Marti’s three daughters: Beck, Claire, and Sophia, as they process their grief and the messiness of their own lives. Then there’s C. J., recently released from prison and looking to buy a house in the same area as the Geller’s cottage.

There’s not really much going on in the terms of plot. It’s more of a domestic slice-of-life story.

It was somewhat difficult to keep track of all the characters at first but less so over time. And there was a bit of the male gaze, which was odd since the author is female.

The beginning wasn’t all that interesting, but the longer I read, the more I became invested in these characters’ lives. It didn’t blow me away, but it was a nice, slow weekend read.

I recommend it if you enjoy messy family dramas.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

https://booksandwheels.com

4.75 stars / This review will be posted on goodreads.com today.


Marti Geller has lived a long life. She had a wonderful marriage and three daughters. Now it’s time to go, and she has every intention of going on her own terms. Alone with her hospice nurse. No family members present.

Beck is the oldest daughter. Happily married and living in a New York City suburb. Claire is the middle child. A pediatric cardiologist in Duluth, recently divorced. Then there’s Sophie. The baby and the wild child. She runs with an elite crowd in New York and other locales.

Marti’s death is going to bring these sisters together in ways they never could have imagined. It’s going to be a life changing event, as it should, but each of them is going to have to face realities that they’ve buried for far too long. What an amazing story about family. The expected, yet unexpected, loss of their mother sends these three women in directions they wouldn’t have anticipated.

Fowler’s has an ability to convey each woman’s reaction and change related to their mother’s death in such distinct ways. As the story is told from the viewpoints of the individual characters, we get to really feel what each person is going through. We also learn about how they got to where they are today and why they are the people that they’ve become. We also get to see them change and grow.

Loved this book. I could read Fowler’s writing all day long.

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

Thanks to Netgalley for an arc: I thoroughly enjoyed this well written fiction, exploring three middle aged sisters as they navigate life after the death of their mother. The sisters, Becky, Claire and Sophie are all high functioning adult women, but have evolved into dysfunctional patterns: passionless marriage, work/life imbalance, depth accrued by work and lifestyle. Their mother, Marti, had secrets. Marti's will specifies that the family cottage in Maine must be sold and all three sisters need to gather there. As they learn the truth about their mother and themselves, the sisters all change their lives and create adult, honest bonds. The ending is "joyous" per the author, and it may ring a bit too pat, but as I read in May 2022, joy was much appreciated. The sisters are fully realized, well characterized complex adults and the writing is excellent. A thoughtful and well written book with adult characters who navigate orphanhood, family and mid-life.

This was another great novel by Therese Anne Fowler. The book is about three sisters and their relationships with each other and others. The sisters are all very different and all at different stages of their life. Their mother, Marti, dies without letting them know how much time she had left and she also reveals secrets through a video she has made for them to view together after her death. Much of the story revolves around a family cottage which Marti wants them to sell and split the profit evenly. The sisters all have different memories of summers at the cottage and different feelings about selling it. I loved the book and the feelings it generated. Fowler is an author that I will continue to read. The release date is June 7th.
Thanks to #NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this ARC.