I loved this book so much! It was smart, intriguing, sent me through so many emotions, and left me with the best, happiest feeling when I had finished. It was funny and heartwarming, and I loved the dynamic between the cousins! This was a really good debut novel!!

If We're Being Honest is the story of a week in the life of the Williams family and begins at the funeral of their beloved patriarch, Gerry. From the opening line I knew this was going to be a smart, and intriguing story of more than just a funeral. There are a lot of characters in the extended Williams family, and while I can see where this may be challenging to keep track of in the early chapters, I found when I continued reading, each family member had their own personality big enough for me to recall easily who they were. I enjoyed the different perspectives Cat Shook provides in this story from 3 different generations, but I especially enjoyed the dynamics between the cousins. I found this book to be modern, funny, and heartwarming and it covers a lot of vastly different situations! I would highly recommend this book to others, especially if you were fortunate enough to grow up with a large extended family like I did. Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon books for this advanced copy, all opinions are my own.

When the book opens we are given a rundown of the very large Williams family, as they try to figure out who is best suited to give the eulogy for Gerry, the family Patriarch who has just passed away. This was yet another story with a large cast of characters and I wondered if I should start a flow chart to keep everyone straight.

It WASN’T the most exciting way to begin this “one week” family saga.

Gerry’s best friend, Fred is elected and the Eulogy he delivers is a DOOZY!

Over the course of the week, his bombshell revelation will be the catalyst for conversations and soul searching within the family, as each member examines their own choices in life.

We are TOLD (rather than shown) what each family does from the time of the funeral and wake until a happier gathering, a week later at a wedding.

The chapters are long, which I dislike, and although the story has some touching moments, it didn’t quite resonate with me.

But, I have a feeling that it will be winner for readers, perhaps from a large close knit family, who find that it DOES resonate with them.

Expected Publication Date: April 18, 2023.

Thank You to Celadon Books for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

This is a story of loss, love, and family dynamics that takes place over the course of about a week.

When the patriarch of the Williams family dies, there are secrets divulged at his funeral that throw the whole family into a tizzy. Not knowing the real truth, everyone deals with the secret and with their loss in their own way.

The characters, and there are many, are well-crafted and mostly likable, the premise of the story is unique and interesting, and the ending is perfect. A solid 3 star read.

Thank you, NetGalley and Celadon Books for the ARC.

If We're Being Honest was a great novel to add to the list of "dysfunctional family stories." It reminded me of Lynn Steger Strong's "Flight". I appreciated the humor brought to the writing.

The family drama is so insane my jaw was on the floor! I was very interested in reading this Women’s fiction book because of the eye catching cover and the book description. I was not expecting to get such a complicated web of family secrets and acceptance. The entire book takes place in just about a weeks length of time starting with a funeral and ending with a wedding. At Gerry’s funeral a huge secret is revealed that sends the whole family into a tailspin. But having the family together means more love and support and Gerry’s secret isn’t the only one this family has! I love how every character gets a moment to explore themselves and what they want their future to look like. I also am shocked and amazed by the amount of support the entire family has for each other. With the issues dealt with in the book it’s kind of amazing a family based in the south is so accepting. It’s heartwarming to read. Because the entire book was only one week in time I feel like there was a bit of a drag in the middle of the book. I also was so confused by the POV switch in the middle of chapters and sentences. Mid conversation would switch speakers and thoughts and it was just really confusing. The magnolia talk was odd and getting on my nerves but the twist ending made it worth it. So did Robert and his comic relief! A great read with lots of love and drama! I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.

An engaging family drama about grief, love and being who you are. The characters were all well written and I found all of their stories engaging. Definitely recommend.

The family has all come home to attend the patriarch’s funeral. In the first line of the book we know it’s a “shitshow.” And it is when a drunken eulogy reveals a family secret.

There are many humorous moments in this debut novel and I loved the family. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy.

Funny chronicle of a quirky family.
A bit difficult to juggle the number of characters and all their story lines.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

If We're Being Honest A Novel by Cat Shook. Domestic drama, told from multiple povs of dysfunctional family members. Difficult to keep up with the various family members who were mostly rather superficial and self centered. Unique storeline with some humourous moments.
Thank you to NetGalley, Caledon Books and the author for the opportunity to preview the book.

If We’re Being Honest, a debut novel by Cat Shook, is a family story that is both funny and poignant.
The Williams patriarch Gerry dies suddenly, and two generations descend upon Grandma’s house to provide comfort and support. A major secret is revealed, and the family must deal with their own personal struggles in addition to the aftermath of learning that their grandfather/father is not quite the man they thought he was.
The plot offers a strong premise and interesting (and mostly likeable) characters. In the beginning it is difficult to keep track of who is who, since upwards of ten characters are all introduced in the span of the first five pages. Eventually the characters become more familiar and the reader is offered a voyeuristic view into the private fears and secrets of each of the Williams’ brood. Shook offers hilarious commentary that is as caustic as Chelsea Handler but as loving as Erma Bombeck. Unfortunately, akin to a season of episodic television, some “episodes” feel like filler, while others feel almost too silly to take seriously (for those in the know: the two-men-sleeping-in-two-single-beds chapter had my eyes nearly roll out of my head). In the end, I felt like the book bloomed as a five-star read, but slowly wilted to four and then three stars.
Three and a half stars, rounded up because I read an uncorrected digital galley, and I can cross my fingers that the final copy will edit out some kinks. (Mostly, I hope the published copy offers a character list at the beginning of the book.)

I can definitely see this doing really well in our libraries. It has humor and vibrance and feels extremely relatable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon for the ARC.

I knew I was going to love this book as soon as I read the first line of chapter 1: "Gerry Williams's funeral was a shit show." This brilliant story of a southern family mourning the loss of their grandpa/dad/husband, while coming to terms with an uncomfortable truth revealed at his funeral, was hilariously funny and heartbreakingly sad and all of the feelings in between.

I did have a little trouble keeping the gazillion characters straight at first, but it sorted itself out as I got to know each of them and their various relationships within the family better. The story flew by, and I didn't want it to end - I loved this bananas family so much. And that ending -- I had gross emotions about it because it was so perfect.

This was an incredible debut, and I cannot wait to see what Cat Shook writes next -- she absolutely killed it.

* quote was taken from an uncorrected proof and may change prior to publication (but it had better not).