This was such a unique yet beautiful story within a story! I laughed, cried, hated characters, and then loved watching them evolve. The character I immediately loved was Claire, the wife and mother who sacrificed it all for her family. She hid her talents until the day she died from her husband and daughter. And Glenda, omg I loved her too, that slap was epic. Ward and Isabelle were not my favorite people but as I read more and more I was so invested in them changing….which they did and all for the best. The ending was also great, Brian won me over instantly but definitely needed to build a backbone and stick to it…..he did and look what it got him in the end. I honestly didn’t think I’d love this book so much but I did since I’m usually a sucker for strong Dad & Daughter bonds. This one was different, a mom and daughter bond but one where mom allowed her child to put her father on a pedestal at her own expense. Claire was the unsung hero, and I’m so glad she was placed on a pedestal and recognized in the end. Sometimes we tend to grant so much credit to one parent and fail to see who the glue to the family really is. Egos and miscommunication are always a big problem but sometimes we have to look inward and put that pride aside. The writing style was superb with many hidden messages and life lessons for the reader.

Thank you NetGalley & Atria Publishing for this ARC
Publication date for this gem: March 14, 2023

A great debut book told in multiple timelines. It was difficult to follow at first, but once I dove in, it was quite enjoyable. It takes us on a journey into the Manning's complicated lives. Isabella Manning wants nothing more than to become a famous writer like her Dad, Ward Manning. Thank you Net Galley for the ARC.

The concept of this book was great but the execution didn’t quite work for me. The first 30% or so is strictly exposition and felt unnecessary. As a whole, this felt overwritten and superfluous. Which I guess makes sense given it’s about truly unlikable authors (Ward is even suggested to have written this way). I didn’t feel redemption in the end, and the main conflict feels like it could’ve been avoided if Claire, who seemed to be highly intelligent, had just been more clear in her directives. Not a winner for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a page turner that deals with living a famous person and all that goes with it. This was beautifully written and I will be reading more from this author in the future.
I just reviewed A Likely Story by Leigh McMullan Abramson. #ALikelyStory #NetGalley
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I truly loved this book!!! The writing was perfect, and the story was amazing. All the characters are believable. As a debut novel, the author knocked it out of the park! I will read everything she ever writes based on my love for this book.
Isabelle is the daughter of Ward and Claire Manning, and it appears from the outside looking in that they have a glamourous life full of wealth. Isabelle is determined to be a New York Times bestselling author just like her father no matter what it costs her. The raw reality of life is that we spend too much time trying to get the attention of the person who doesn't deserve it, that we simply ignore the people who want it more than anything. This is a story about how easy it is for parents to leave deep invisible marks on the emotional state of kids, that never go away, and dictate the outcome of their lives.
One can't help but root for Isabelle through the entire story. And to my complete delight, it comes to a very satisfying conclusion.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Leigh McMullan Abramson for a copy of this ARC. All views are my own.

This is a fascinating look at family dynamics in action! Famed writer Ward loses his wife, Claire and his daughter Isabelle decides to do something "not quite" legal in many ways. Alternating in time (and storylines) the novel shows us relationships that are often skewed as hopes, dreams, and jealousies rear their heads! I had no idea where this was going and loved the idea of "the book within the book" as a different trope than usual. Sit back and prepare to have your head spin!

I did not make it past 25% in this book. Unfortunately I did not connect with the story or any of the characters. Usually I love when there's a book-within-a-book element in a story but this did not work for me. I think having 4 different character point of views in addition to Isabelle's novel was way too much. I really disliked Isabelle and her father Ward so reading their point of views was not enjoyable. The only character I actually cared to hear from was Claire, but i didn't care enough to continue on with the story. This felt like another pretentious novel about wealthy people just complaining about their lives, instead of doing something different to change things. They were all so cold and so out of touch with everything. Ward was just an awful character, and the scene with him watching a certain video on his computer was incredibly problematic. Isabelle was very entitled, like she should have been given her father's wealth or a book deal just because of who she was.

This novel was really not for me. Maybe I missed the entire point to this story. Maybe I DNF'd too early and things get better. That being said, I don't think this book was worth the time I had invested in it already, and I don't see myself wondering what I missed out on.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the review copy.

A Likely Story was an interesting, easy to consume “book within a book” with just a hint of a mystery element. I was hooked from the first chapter.

I thoroughly enjoyed how multifaceted all of the characters were, and I found most of them both charming and obnoxious, to varying degrees (Claire was the exception - I loved her through and through). I’m also not often a fan of stories that flip between timelines, but it was handled well here, and because it was divided up by POV, it was easier to keep track of the “when”.

There were few elements that detracted from the story, but it was difficult being in the heads of some of the selfish, egotistical characters during their worst moments. There was also a sort of negative attitude toward porn that rubbed me the wrong way.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and felt it had a satisfying resolution.

All opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

I think this book will either be a huge success or a massive flop if the marketing isn't hype worthy enough. A demand driven purchase for most libraries

Great read about a woman who struggles to find her own voice outside the bubble of family ties. The drama of life imitating art (or was art imitating life?) made the book impossible to put down. An inside look at the writing and publishing process will keep readers and writers’ eyes on this author.

Isabelle is the daughter of a famous writer. She followed in his footsteps and became a writer too, but her first book was turned down by every publisher her agent sent it to. Now her beloved mother has died and Isabelle is at a crossroads. Until her mother tells her about the treasures she wants Isobel to have that are stashed in her dresser drawer...
This is the author's debut novel and it is very good. The writing is crisp and the characters three dimensional. She explores themes of love, envy, betrayal, loyalty and loss. Highly recommended.

This is quite an engaging story told in an immersive style. A Likely Story is 3 stories revolving around each other - a father and a daughter who are both recently bereaved, writing to write the next great American novel. The split narrative works well because each character has a secret that the reader starts to understand when the perspective switches to follow them, and see at work when it switches away.
While there are some sad aspects to this story, they are offset by some equally heartwarming moments as well as the comic relief the author brings with vivid descriptions and dialogue.
I will be recommending A Likely Story to readers who enjoy books about authors and about multigenerational family drama.

Thank you to Atria Books for letting me read this early in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the premise of this but found it difficult for me to follow as I read. I had to constantly go back and reread parts of the book so I could understand what was happening.

Aspiring author Isabelle Manning is turning 35 and isn’t quite where she thought she’d be at this point in her life. Ever since she was a little girl, all she’s ever wanted was to be a published novelist like her father, the New York Times bestselling literary icon Ward Manning. Already struggling professionally and financially, Isabelle is also reeling from the unexpected death of her beloved mother Claire, whose love and support provided a stable counterpoint to Ward’s fame and swagger. In the aftermath of Claire’s death, Isabelle discovers secrets that she never knew about her family and something that will change her life forever.

This remarkable debut novel is a richly crafted and complex family drama with beautiful prose. I especially enjoyed the book-within-a-book, which cleverly holds a mirror up to the characters as it slyly parallels their lives. The reader gains intimate insight into the emotions and motivations of these flawed characters through multiple perspectives in both the past and present. This means some characters aren’t always likeable or, in the case of the narcissistic and insufferable Ward, downright loathsome. That’s okay though, you’re meant to dislike Ward, he’s one of those characters you love to hate. His distasteful attitude and behavior and attitude are critical to Isabelle’s character arc. Isabelle, it must be said, is spoiled and entitled and frequently unlikeable herself, but I couldn’t help rooting for her to turn out to be a decent human.

With so many emotions and layers to peel back, A Likely Story would make a fantastic book club pick, sure to inspire lots of discussion. Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me an advance copy of this book.

Isabelle is a writer, a daughter of a writer from a rich family. But she isn't published so is she really a writer? This is a complex family drama told from many POV...it was confusing at first but eventually the dots connected. The characters are well developed and it had some good twists and surprises along the way.

I enjoyed the premise of this book a lot but found it difficult to follow at times. That could just be me though! The writing was good. The subject interesting and I always like reading about families and dads/daughters!

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy for the purpose of this review! 3 stars.

A stunning debut book told in multiple timelines and POV this is one you won’t want to miss. It takes us on a journey into the Manning's complicated lives. Isabella Manning wants nothing more then to become a famous writer like her award winning dad Ward Manning. Life gets in the way sometimes though.

Isabelle Manning is a writer. Except she hasn't managed to get a book published, so maybe she isn't a writer. But she's the daughter of a brilliant writer; her father has won many awards and all of his books have been at the top of the best sellers list. So it shouldn't be this hard for Isabelle. But now, her mother has died and and she's facing her 35th birthday without her mother, without so many things she thought she'd have by this time in her life.
This book pulled me in and I wanted to keep reading and reading. It's beautifully written and the pacing reveals more layers at just the right pace. I was curious and hooked. I think I might have to reread this one. I know I'll be thinking about it for a long time. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

This was a compelling story of a complex family and the ripple effect caused by the bad decisions, lies and secrets that had been kept over the years, shaping the main character and her goals, motivations, relationships, and decisions. The characters were brilliantly flawed - from narcissistic and egotistical award-winning author Ward Manning, his tolerant wife Claire, and their daughter Isabelle who inherited some of the best and worst (honestly, more of the worst) of her parents. Over the course of the book their lives fall apart as truths are revealed.

I think this would make a great book club pick — there's a lot to unpack. How much do our parents shape us and what are the things we do to win their affections? How easy or not is it to right the wrongs that have been done (and if you don't, what kind of person does that make you?). How do ones egotistical behaviors impact those around them and why do people stick around (or not)?

I think this was a strong debut by the author and also provided a "fun" look into the lives of authors and the pressures of publishing and success,

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read this novel as an eGalley before its publication date.

I haven't read anything quite like A Likely Story before. Leigh McMullan Abramson has crafted a very beautiful and intriguing novel that I read in only 36 hours' time. While it's not a thriller or hard-driving mystery that would normally keep me turning the pages, this was equally addicting and enticing for me.

Within the novel you'll meet several characters whose personality flaws and quirks are so plainly visible to everyone but themselves. It's frustrating to see them self-destruct at times, but you ultimately can't put the book down. It's like all of their worlds are crumbling together because of each other. I "loved to hate" Ward Manning, especially. It speaks volumes about the author that they were able to develop characters that I wanted to root against and root for at the same time.

I really enjoyed all of the different perspectives/narrators in this novel and the way the author weaved in the chapters of Underpaintings (not explaining this in too much detail so I don't spoil it), I thought each person's story was pretty easy to follow and the chapters looking back into the past were balanced with the drama of the present.

The ending put a nice cherry on top of the novel, but I felt it was a bit predictable. That being said, the ending matched exactly what I would expect for these characters to do based on how they were written up to that point. The ending made as much sense as it could have. I appreciated seeing all of the characters develop a bit of humanity before the story was over.

Thank you again to NetGalley and the publisher for giving access to this novel as an eGalley.