If We’re Being Honest by Cat Shook is a delightful, heartwarming debut. I really enjoyed reading this bright, insightful, at times hilarious book. A big Thank you to Celadon Books, the author and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy of the book.

This entirely original storyline follows the huge Williams family as they gather for the funeral of their beloved patriarch, Gerry. When Gerry’s best friend Fred drops a major revelation during his reading of the eulogy it leaves all of the cousins staggered, and feeling very confused. Nothing goes quite as planned from then on.
A family drama that is very character driven and told from multiple perspectives through alternating chapters.

Every family has some secrets that they don’t divulge, right? And in one short week the Williams family has to come to grips with a death, a wedding, infidelity, a breakup unplanned pregnancy, coming out and much more. If We’re Being Honest is such a whip-smart, highly engrossing, and richly detailed debut that proves in the end, no matter the dysfunction or drama what really matters is the love and togetherness of family.

I really wanted to like this book, however, I could never connect with any of the characters. It was a lot of characters to keep up with. Who were Gerry’s children and who were the grandchildren. The chapters were way too long. I do think it would make for a good movie!

When I first started reading this book, I wasn’t sure how to feel about it. There were so many characters introduced all at once, and I couldn’t keep any of them straight. So I was really distracted by that.

Fortunately, I really ended up enjoying this one! It is the perfect story to read if you like family drama, and it actually gave me similar vibes to The Connellys of County Down (which I just finished recently).

I found myself going through this one quickly, even with the long chapters and the POVs jumping from place to place (things that I don’t normally enjoy but in this case, I found they really worked with the story). I became so invested in all of the characters, and I loved being able to see into their different worlds for a little bit.

My only real complaint is that there were a few juicy moments that I was waiting for that never ended up coming. Oh and also, I was disgruntled about how the main cheating situation worked out (not a spoiler, it’s revealed right at the beginning).

Thank you to Celadon Books for my gifted copy.

This book was really sweet! If you love character-driven books like I do, I highly recommend it. If We're Being Honest is about the unexpected death of the patriarch of the Williams family, Gerry. His death brings his children and grandchildren home to Eulalia, Georgia for the services where they will all stay for another week to attend the wedding of a local friend. During his funeral services, a friend of Gerry's reveals a secret that Gerry had been keeping which causes much turmoil within the family. As the week after the service unfolds, we find that other family members have been keeping secrets as well and they slowly work up the courage to share them. The author does a great job bringing each of the members of the Williams family to life and I learned to love all of them. I could see this book being made into a very heartwarming movie. In the end, this is a feel-good family drama

I absolutely loved the first sentence and the funeral scene was fabulous. Unfortunately, for me, things got very muddled from there and I gradually lost both my sense of investment and of interest...

There are a LOT of characters here, with many similarities in backstory and character traits, and the interrelated drama attendant to a story about a dysfunctional family meant that keeping tabs on everyone and how they fitted together became a full-time job. That definitely took away from my engagement in the story, as well as the fun factor for me.

It would make for a very fun movie, but for me the read became exhausting and that made it tough to connect with any of the characters beyond superficiality, unfortunately... This one wasn't for me.

In many ways, this is the perfect story. Family drama, a mystery, so many personalities- symbolism. So many things made this the 2nd favorite book I’ve read this year. Where do I start…

A huge secret at a family funeral threatens to destroy the memory of what his family remembers… or does it? The children and the grandchildren and all their quirks feel too real- just like one of your own cousins somewhere on the family tree. The backdrop in a small southern town in the shadow of a big city just felt so real, at least as someone that grew up in a town that sounded similarly like Eufalia
(which as a Georgia resident sounds like perfect mix of the names of some wonderful small towns- I spend some time looking at map thinking of which mix this might be). Maybe that was why I felt so connected to the book. It really felt like home. At first, there were so many characters that I was having trouble keeping children and grandchildren straight, but then the characters became so clear that I knew who they were. I also became invested and would love to follow this family and get to know Wilma and Fred and just really get into the story more. This felt like a character study more so than a plot-driven novel ( but there was some of that, too but I felt like we missed out on some things in the focus on how the family dealt with their grief of who they thought they knew and who they didn't ( if that makes sense). For example, J.J’s sudden realization with what felt like no follow-up. I was like, “What? Huh?”. I think of everyone, Carol Ann was my clear favorite. I feel like everyone has their own Carol Ann in the family tree.
And speaking of trees, I cannot write this review without a beauty of the magnolia tree's intertwined throughout the book. The author clearly has a fondness and I found the many details and symbolism about these trees that dot the state the prefect touch.

Overall, loved this novel. I hope the author makes a stop at my small-town local Georgia bookstore. I'll be there for sure!

I'll be honest - I struggled with this one. There were way too many characters and their backstories kind of all blended together and I had a hard time keeping everyone straight. The story itself was pretty good - family patriarch's business is all over the place courtesy of his bff.I seriously struggled to keep the characters straight and because of that, I had a tough actually liking any of the characters except for the ones that I absolutely hated... I was given this digital advanced readers copy by Netgalley, Cat Shook and Caledon books in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVE family drama so this book did not disappoint! I was so invested in how things were going to turn out for all the characters from the first line: “Gerry Williams’s funeral was a shit show”. While the story is mostly character-driven, there are some plot points to help move things along in an interesting way.

There are definitely some characters in this book that are over the top but they eventually grew on me. There were also some plot points that I wanted more closure on and I wish we got more details on what was revealed at the funeral but overall I loved how things turned out for most of the family. Everything wrapped up in a realistically messy way.

I enjoyed reading about this dysfunctional family but would probably recommend skipping this one if you don’t have patience for long chapters and the memory for a large ensemble cast!

Read this if you:
- Your family doesn’t have enough drama to be entertaining
- You’re looking for some warm fuzzies
- You can keep track of a family tree with lots of branches

When their beloved grandfather, Gerry, dies, all the Williams grandchildren flock to their small hometown for his funeral. When Gerry’s best friend delivers his eulogy, the family is shocked by what is revealed and must deal with the loss of their patriarch as well as the knowledge that they may have not known him at all.

My Review:

If We're Being Honest is the story of a family who has gotten together to mourn the death of the patriarch. But he had a secret which his best friend reveals during an eulogy. What transpires after that makes this story interesting.

I really liked the diverse characters and the inclusiveness. The ending was very sweet, and I really loved it. Everything that takes place in this book happens within a week. Major revelations, family bonding, and pretty much everything under the sun happen during this week. All the reveals are nothing surprising, but with the huge list of characters, it becomes muddled and difficult to keep track of all the stories. My major peeve was the constant description of sweat and the hot summer problems.

Overall, it's a good book, but I would have loved more depth. Thank you, Celadon Books, for this book.

Dear If We're Being Honest,
At your heart, you were a story about a family in flux. Every single one of the characters were at a crossroads in their life. I found myself relating to different parts of each of the characters as they navigated new places for each of them. You were a bit predictable, but you also gave me a comfortable feeling. There were so many complicated twists and turns for the whole family, and their chaos made you so intriguing to me. Alice was probably my favorite character, and the way she navigated everything that was thrown at her was graceful. Delia felt a little bit desperate and sad, so unable to let go of her past. I have been there myself, and know how difficult it can be to dig out of that hole. I wanted Red to be so much more. He felt limited and a bit small for me. Grant was just wonderful to despise and roll my eyes at. I did wish there was some more depth to all of the characters; they were very defined by the situations that were dominating their life.

When Gerry Williams suddenly passes away, all of his grandchildren and children make their way to Eulalia, Georgia, for his funeral. However, when Gerry’s best friend, Fred delivered the eulogy of a lifetime, everything changes. As Ellen, Gerry’s widow, tries to come to terms with the unthinkable, every grandchild begin to deal with their own struggle. Life continues to unfold and this family learns how much they need each other to get through everything that is thrown at them.

While I typically am not into literary fiction books, this one absolutely did it for me. Much of that had to do with the characters. They were (for the most part) all so likable. It felt like you were apart of the big southern family. There certainly should have been a family tree as part of the book. I loved the grandchildren and how they each had their own plight, but in the end, always brought it back into the family. This was a debut novel and already have this author on the must grab list now.

Thank you Celadon Books and Cat Shook for the advanced copy for my honest review. This one is already out, so there is no waiting game for this one!

The Williams family comes together after the death of their patriarch, Gerry. But at his funeral a huge secret is revealed and everyone is shocked at his best friend's revelation.

The story is a combination of the family grieving Gerry and coming to terms with the truth about his life as well as each having their own drama inside and outside the family. Ellen, Gerry's widow, their three children and grandchildren are all part of this family drama. Each has their own secrets to sort out and they have to figure out how to move on.

I had a really hard time getting into the story and relating to the characters for the first 25% of the book. It was also a little hard to keep them all straight in the beginning. However, I eventually liked how most of the characters had deeper identities and how they were there for each other. They evolved and weren't as shallow as they originally seemed. It wasn't a book I couldn't put down but I did want to hear the ending! I also adore the cover.

There are a lot of characters in this story of three generations, but I didn’t have a problem with that. This is a festival of secrets and relationship issues, and I was engaged in how it all would sort out. I’ll be interested in what the author writes next.

Added this review to amazon.

The messy Williams family comes together for patriarch Gerald's funeral- which holds some surprises. As family members deal with the aftermath, widow Ellen must reexamine her sixty-year marriage, grandkids' secrets will be revealed, and adult children must get along with one another for a week of togetherness. Set-in small-town Georgia, this family saga takes you through a week of mourning and soul-searching.

I like family sagas a lot and this one was... okay. I liked most of the characters, but I found this predictable, and it thought it was funnier than it actually was. I had a little trouble keeping the many, many family members straight (especially when she threw in nicknames too) but overall, I liked this book. I'm not sure I'll remember much about this, but it was an enjoyable read. 3.5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

This was an interesting book, though I found the story difficult to follow at times due to the large number of characters introduced in the first chapter. Gerry Williams, the patriarch of a large family has died suddenly and the family gathers for the funeral. One of the decisions they are faced with is who should give the eulogy, they decide Gerry's best friend Fred should have the honor, and boy oh boy does he ever deliver a heck of one. The story then follows different members of the family as they grapple with their own issues, one fellow is a closet gay, one is convinced her husband is cheating, one is pregnant from a one night stand with her ex boyfriend who attends the funeral. Each character does a lot of soul searching which is described in some detail which I found slowed the narrative quite a bit. I still enjoyed the book overall and if you enjoy somewhat dysfunctional family dynamics with a happy ending, then this book is for you. Thanks to #Netgalley and #Celadon Books for the ARC, all opinions are my own.

If We’re Being Honest is the debut novel by Cat Shook. It was set to release on 4/18/2023 by Celadon Books. This is the story of the Williams family. Grandpa Gerald has just passed away and his wife Ellen and their 3 children, JJ, Wilma and Carol Anne along with the 4 grandchildren all come together and spend the week together. At the funeral, some shocking news about Gerald is revealed by his best and lifelong friend Fred that is unsettling and unnerving to the family. This story is about having the courage to open up about secrets and revealing to others who you are and how you feel about things. At first I found it hard to keep up with all the characters but after a while it became easier and then I really started to enjoy the story. There was only one character that I couldn’t stand and that was Carol Anne. She was a very self-centered person in my opinion. I did like that the family all seemed really close, tight-knit and loving of each other. The bond that the grandkids had for their grandmother Ellen and even their deceased grandfather was beautiful. I’d like to thank Celadon Books for sending me the widget and giving me the opportunity to read an early copy and NetGalley for the arc. I enjoyed this story, I would recommend it to others and I’m giving it a 4 star rating. I look forward to reading more by this author in the future.

If We’re Being Honest by Cat Shook
Publication Date: April 18, 2023

If We’re Being Honest… this book wasn’t for me. It’s a multi-generational saga dealing with the aftermath of the death of the family patriarch and a bombshell dropped at his funeral by his best friend. I thought said bombshell would have a bigger, more dramatic hold on the story but it wasn’t that straightforward. It for sure affected his wife but his kids and grandkids? Mildly. Maybe more if they weren’t experiencing their own melodramas which are gone over extensively.

My issue isn’t content, it's the structure, or what I view as lack thereof. The chapters are enormous so that’s annoying. There are SO many perspectives. In fact in the beginning its like an info dump of family history that I felt I almost required a chart to keep it all straight. It took several pages to get the hang of how they were all related or connected. The narrator takes on a third person objective style which frankly is the part that I just couldn’t vibe with. So I thought maybe this works better as an audiobook but I found myself just as disconnected by the narrator who read each gender’s narration exactly the same. It was constantly changing whose story was being told. We were always told, and in a large part using flashbacks, around characters and never shown.

I’m sure there are many people who will enjoy this one, particularly if you enjoy family melodramas. For me, it contained the complete opposite of what I enjoy in a novel.

Thank you to Celadon Books for providing an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

If We're Being Honest is an extended family drama debut novel set in the small town of Eulalia, Georgia. The story follows the Williams family as they gather for a funeral and then a wedding over the course of one week. Gerry, their 82-year-old beloved husband, father and grandfather has died suddenly from a heart attack. His best friend, while giving Gerry's eulogy, reveals a shocking secret.
We follow each family member as they deal with personal struggles, family dynamics, and their new understanding of Gerry and grief at his loss. Their stories range from funny to heartwarming to sad.
Initially, it was difficult to keep track of the large cast of characters, so a family tree or character list would have been helpful. The chapters were quite long. If We're Being Honest was well written and enjoyable. I became invested in the characters and couldn't put it down. I liked the ending and the LBGTQ+ representation.
Thank you to Celadon Books for a copy to review. @CeladonBooks #IfWereBeingHonest #CeladonReads #partner

This family drama starts out at Grandpa Gerry’s funeral where his children and grandchildren have gathered in their heartbreak. He was the beloved patriarch of his family. But, a bombshell is dropped at the funeral which throws his family into mental chaos as they try to make sense of it all. The novel takes place in the week following the funeral and leading up to the wedding of the family’s neighbors.

I was prepared for the large cast of characters in this one and definitely recommend reading this in print as opposed to audio if you have trouble keeping track of them. There is plenty of drama but also SO much love between the characters in the family. And there were plenty of lighthearted moments in this one without the heaviness of most family drama style stories.

Thank you to Celadon Books for an advanced readers copy of this novel. This review is also posted on IG @maria.needs.to.read

If you like family drama, this could be the book for you!
Many thanks to Celadon for the NetGalley ARC, as well as to Macmillan Audio for an ALC, in exchange for my honest opinion.
This book starts with a bang - at a funeral, where a surprise announcement by the dead's best friend throws everyone into a tizzy. And the book builds from there!
I'm beginning to realize I really enjoy reading family dramas. It could be, at least in part, because I'm an only child (ugh I hate admitting that because I feel like people have preconceived notions about me when I say it!) and my direct family is pretty much drama-free. Although don't get my mother started on her sisters… and now that she lives in the south, don't get her started on what makes a good pimento cheese (which is a southern staple served at the funeral in the book).
This book includes long chapters which usually intimidate me, but I felt like the author made them work. They allowed the reader to experience a solid chunk of life, mostly from one character's view, and weren't as overwhelming as I expected based on the length.
This book published last Tuesday (happy belated pub day!) and I think it's a really good debut in the contemporary fiction genre. I especially recommend it if you like family dramas. Celadon is really delivering with those lately!!!