There is a lot to unpack in this novel. It is both heartwarming and darkly funny. Definitely would recommend for something different!

I really liked this book and have become a big fan of Candice Carty-Williams. She writes with emotion, love, and a need for connection!

Cyril Pennington shows up in his new Gold Jeep and decides to celebrate by getting all 5 of his children together. So he is at the door stop of Nakisha, 19 and Prynce, 9. They are the only ones with the same mother, so live together. Next is Danny, then Dimple, 14 and Elizabeth, 14. They aren’t twins, but born 3 weeks apart by different mothers. Cyril thinks he is a real People Person that day, and takes a drive in style to get his kids Ice Cream. He thinks this is a great way for them all to finally meet and tells them to stay in touch. He will not be in touch of course. The kids think this is not too likely since each doesn’t know the other. However, Nakisha does say that if ever any is in trouble to give her a call.

Dimple is now 30, and definitely has found herself in serious trouble. She can’t think what to do, so calls Nikisha. Nikisha then calls the other siblings to help. So, this crazy situation begins their meeting. It is both tragic and funny. Each sibling has a different personality and there is bickering, planning, and bonding that occurs that night. So, they are getting to know each other and acting well, like siblings.

The very best of this book is the five siblings and how each fumbles to get to know the others. Each in their own way really yearns to be a family. They want to be real siblings who know each other beyond just Dimple’s crisis. This is a very character driven story about family, which I love. Each decides that even if it’s difficult, they will be there to help Dimple and not let her or the others down. In the process, they also learn to be there for each other. Prynce is celebrating his 25th birthday and the other four come to celebrate with him. So, more events like this occur. There are resentments, disagreements, annoyances, and hurt, but that is ok and they come to be able to speak about all they have been forced to live with because they all share a father who wasn’t really a dad at all. Yet, should his lack of involvement, and inability to have real relationships, mean they must do the same? The beauty is each starts to show that the answer may be no.

I loved the ending. Nikisha is one strong woman when you mess with a member of her family. The sibling are all together here. They had something unexpected happen. Perhaps, complicated, emotional, and messy is really ok. Maybe, five people together is really being a People Person, instead of one man alone.

Thank you NetGalley, Candice Carty-Williams, Gallery Books and Gallery/Scout Press for granting me a copy of this review. I am always happy to leave a review.

In a word -FABULOUS!! Five children share a father and four different mothers in Candice Carty-Williams’ latest novel. You will reconsider your definition of family once you read this book"

Cyril has 5 children, with 4 different mothers. He's not very involved with any of them, but does have them all meet up at one point. When Dimple has a crazy crisis, the only ones she can think to help are her siblings-even though she doesn't really know them. This starts a crazy turn of events; but helps the siblings get to know and rely on each other. This is a fun story to read. #peopleperson #candicecartywilliams #bookstagram #bookblog #booklover #lovetoread #bookloversofinstagram #lovetoreadbooks #booksbooksbooks #bookrecommendations #bookreview #readersofinstagram

I absolutely LOVED Candice Carty-Williams' debut novel, "Queenie". I can't really say the same for her upcoming novel, "People Person". Something just seemed off here. I think my expectations were too high. I think I'm not really a fan of multiple points-of-view even though Dimple is telling the overall story. I had a hard time keeping track of all the half-siblings. Also, this novel felt too similar to "My Sister, the Serial Killer". I just didn't care for any of the characters, and for some reason, the writing and dialogue felt very flat and choppy for me. It's not as well written as "Queenie". The tone was all over the place as well. It was trying too hard to be slapstick, when it should've been more satire-driven.

Another wonderful book by the author of Queenie.A book of family of 5 siblings it’s emotional touching funny a story I really enjoyed.#netgalley #gallerybooks

I really enjoyed Candic Carty-Williams’ first book so I went in not knowing what this book was about. I think it is best to go in not knowing too much about this book. It was an emotional read with lots of character growth. I was concerned in the first few pages that I would have a hard time remembering who was who but that didn’t happen.

People Person, by Candice Carty-Williams, was a fun, enjoyable story involving a big family of 5 siblings. Oh, what a family! I am not sure what I expected of this novel, but it surpassed my expectations. Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with an ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.

People Person by Candice Carty-Williams was a wonderful, beautiful family drama.
I thought that the writing was very engaging.
Dimple Pennington was an amazing, flawed, interesting and realistic character. I know readers will feel so connected to her.
I just love all of the characters in this story and the writing style, which was very easy to get inside of.
I read this book fairly quickly because it sucked me in.
These are real issues that many women face. I couldn't get enough of this book because it was about the struggles of feeling alone in this big world, being young, crazy family drama, not having your shit together but still making it work. Real, ugly life lessons!
A charming piece of work here.
And I ate it all up!

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

Gallery Books,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review to my blog, platforms, BookBub, B&N, Kobo and Waterstone closer to pub date.

Five adult half-siblings with a very unreliable father connect in a way that brings lots of laughs with some introspection woven in. I wasn't expecting the turn this book takes early in the plot but it made for a fun, wild ride. The ending slowed the book down a bit for me but otherwise this was a great read.

I was sucked into the story by the first page. The story begins with happy-go-lucky Cyril and an impromptu visit to his five kids from four different mothers in a gold reggae blasting Jeep. He brings them to a park, makes one kid spot him for money to buy ice creams, and then tells them all to memorize each other’s faces so they don’t grow up and accidentally have sex with a half sibling. Hilarity ensures, but the underlining story is really about the five very different children he’s created and left to fend for themselves.

Carty-Williams’ writing is full of humor and heart, and is great at creating a vivid cast of very different and complex characters. Although parts were extremely cringeworthy and uncomfortable, I was invested and couldn’t wait to see how situations would play out.

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

4.5 stars

This book is an unexpected gem, and I'm already surprised by how much it's resonating with me even more as I process it.

Many readers will come to this book because they were bananas for Queenie and her adventures (I can RELATE - this was easily my top read of 2019), but Dimple is no Queenie. Dimple is a remarkable main character because she's at all times isolated in a crowd, and I could not get enough of this aspect of her character.

When the novel begins, readers discover that Dimple's father is a high-level deadbeat with some next level narcissism happening (that I have no qualifications to diagnose except perhaps a matching parent in some ways). His idea of a fun afternoon is surprising all of his children with...each other. They do not know of each other's existence until he tricks them into an uncharacteristic outing, all packed into his jeep. Only two of the five kids share a mother, so it's fascinating from the jump to see how each child is both apart and a part. This is a motif that each one carries forward in their own special ways, but it's really Dimple's story that is at the center.

After the wild introductory episode, readers jump to the future with the characters. They reconnect as a result of a pretty surprising incident, and this leads to individual and group explorations throughout the duration of the novel (and, in my wildest dreams, far beyond that).

There's an exceptional balance here of individual character study (particularly but not exclusively with Dimple) and relationship building. As one of several (kind of a lot of) siblings, I'm always a sucker for those connections, but there are also some riveting investigations into mothers and children, mothers and Cyril (their dad), the siblings with their children and partners, and more. The backdrop is so dark in some ways: a father who has left each of these children with understandable (and I assume for many readers relatable) attachment issues, some level of instability and yearning, and an uncertainty about who can be trusted and counted on in both easy and difficult circumstances. The culminating messages, though, are incredibly charming without being in any way saccharine.

I was already devoted to this author, but I love that the second effort is both entirely distinct from the first and still exceptional in its own way. This is a subtle, humorous, and poignant book, and I'll be recommending it for a long time.

The best part of this book is the relationships formed between 5 siblings, people who have absolutely nothing in common except for an absent dad.

When Dimple has an emergency, she calls her oldest sister, who in turn calls the remaining siblings. It shows that, in a tough situation, it’s family that we turn to. Remarkably, each of them show up and they all do their best to help Dimple, despite barely knowing her and the risk to themselves. The subsequent events navigate feelings, relationships, families, friends, and so much more.

I’ll admit I struggled a bit with this book. Although it had many heartwarming moments, the plot itself was (in my opinion) unrealistic and silly. I wasn’t as captivated as I like to be when getting sucked into a novel, but I was invested in the characters and wanted to see how they ended up. I will say that the epilogue was spot on- the author did an excellent job ending the story and leaving the reader with a smile.

3.5 rounded up. Thanks to net gallery for the advanced copy, in exchange for my honest review.

Another excellent book from the author of Queenie, People Person is about five half-siblings who share an absent father. Having only been brought together once as children, they reunite again when Dimple, the third-eldest, finds herself in a terrifying situation. What may have been a one-night reunion becomes the start of a relationship between the five siblings: Nikisha, Danny, Dimple, Lizzie, and Prynce.

At first, I wasn’t sure I would enjoy this. The problem that brings the siblings together seemed like it would spin out of control in a predictable way with lies on lies that could have been avoided. However, it took a different turn that definitely enhanced my enjoyment. All five siblings, along with their father and three mothers, were all realistic, fleshed out characters with their own personalities. The dialogue was perfect, I felt like I was standing in a room watching these characters or watching a TV show as the scenes played out.

There was a lot of wonderful humor in this book, and many touching moments as well. Although it’s about a family coming together, it never felt sticky sweet and each character had to come to embrace this new closeness in their own time and their own way. No one is perfect but everyone is lovable.

I sped through this book in one weekend. I look forward to anything Carty-Williams writes in future.

‘Why are you sorry ?’ Tracy asked her. ‘Nothing to be sorry about. I’m not sorry. My son is who he is. The way you all are the way you are, the way your dad is who he is. And I don’t know you all, but I’ll still care about you and look after you all if it comes to it. Whatever type of person you are, whatever you do, good or bad.’ ‘But why ?’ Dimple asked. ‘You don’t need to do that.’ ‘I’m a mum, darlin’.’ Tracy smiled. ‘That doesn’t stop at having one kid. '

I read and enjoyed Carty-Williams' previous novel. When I first started reading "People Person", I was worried that I wouldn't like it. The characters seemed to not be very likeable. The main character, Dimple, kept making poor choices in a way that left me exasperated with her and at some point I felt it was unbelievable that she would keep making such poor choices.

‘That’s not how things in this life work, Dimple.’ Danny shrugged. ‘Bad things happen to good people, and the other way around. And the thing is, I didn’t have to help Jerome. I coulda said no. Coulda let that guy go free. But I didn’t. I did somersaults off the cliff instead.’

But then I slowly fell in love with each character. I loved how textured and three-dimensional they each were and how flawed and yet beautiful they each were too. As the siblings grew to care for each other, I grew to care for each of them. This book is full of color, texture and deep love.

‘You don’t have to like someone to love them,’ Cyril said.

By the end of the story, I was so attached to each of the characters that I wanted the story to keep going. Every character felt real and beautiful to me. I couldn't get enough. I wanted to know all of their stories. And their mother's stories. And even the dad who really just couldn't become the man they all needed. Even he had a good story.

‘I think,’ Prynce continued, ‘that you’re a people person in the way that you get people. You see people. And, like, properly see people. You see us, you see who we all are, in our own way. And you don’t judge us for it. You don’t ask people to be who they aren’t. And I don’t think many people are like that, so, yeah. I rate it.’

I absolutely loved "People Person" and cannot wait to read more of this author's books. Highly, highly recommended.

with gratitude to netgalley, edelweiss and Gallery books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

Slight spoiler alert, but the blurb for this book gives absolutely nothing away so when I got to the part of the book that really fuels the rest, I was in shock! Like what am I reading??? Let's just say if you liked My sister is a serial killer or even the TV show how to get away with murder, you'll love this book.

Ok, let's not get ahead of ourselves. Our story starts when absentee Jamaican father Cyril Pennington wakes up one day and decides it's time for all five of his children to meet. Mainly because, as he tells them, they are at the age where they may all become sexually active and he didn't want them to commit incest.

Yeah...

He takes them for ice cream, drops them back home and they don't hear from him again. Before he drops them off, the oldest Nikeisha tells them that if they need anything, call her.

This leads us to a decade later when Dimple takes her up on her offer and asks for help. The entire group comes back together and they come to find out what family really is and how to navigate those relationships. I loved seeing how an absentee father impacted each of them.

I was not expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did. The characters were all likable, even the one that got on my nerves the most. I almost wish we had gotten more backstory on Cyril. To learn why he was the way he was. or maybe that was the point?

This book was entertaining and when I fuss at the characters while I'm reading, I consider it a good read.
So add this one to your to-be-read list
41/2 out of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was a really touching book. The story centers on Dimple Pennington and her four siblings, who she knows of, but doesn't really know. Her father, Cyril, is quite the womanizer, and has five children (that they know of) with four different women. The children are brought together once in their youth by their father, and then again when Dimple runs into a crisis with her on again off again terrible boyfriend.

Things I liked: The developing relationship between the siblings; the nuanced, different personalities of the siblings and their mothers; how flawed and real each person was; how you were able to have empathy for Cyril even as you recognized how terrible of a father he is. I LOVED the ending of the book. It was emotional and very moving.

Things I didn't like: I sometimes wanted to shake Dimple, but as I mentioned, that was part of the positive of the book; each character is so real and so flawed and so believable.

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“Stand in your choices..,” is the recurring theme in ‘People Person’ Through life events that bring people together and tear them apart. Ah, the hurt, guilt, and all around issues that come from having a father like Cyril, Carty-Williams hits the nail on the head. Thank-you for validating these real feelings and situations that are not necessarily as unique as they feel and are a result of having a dad that’s never actually been a parent.
The family dynamics of sibling solidarity through difficult times when parents aren’t a choice are woven throughout the plot and the characters are as real as they come.

In Carty-William's classic humor comes a more character driven novel. The focus is on DImple and her four half-siblings. It starts with her accidentally killing her boyfriend. Even their distant Dad Cyril comes around. The many characters have distinct voice, and social media jokes and observations were amusing.

Wonderful second novel from the author of Queenie! Carty-Williams returns with her signature humor and charm in this story about 5 siblings learning about themselves as individuals and as members of their family.