This is the first book I have read by this author and I will be looking for more. I absolutely loved this book and read it in one day. I would definitely recommend this book.

I really enjoyed reading this book and it is not in my usual genre! There were several layers to this and much deeper than the cover would lead you to think. There were themes of family, friendship, vintage fashion, wealth, and fertility as the center. It was a very insightful look at infertility and surrogacy, which I previously had little knowledge.

In The Favor, Adele Griffin delivers a nuanced exploration of friendship and the pursuit of family. Set against the glamorous backdrop of Manhattan’s elite fashion scene, the novel follows Nora Hammond, a talented vintage dress stylist struggling with personal and financial challenges. The story takes a dramatic turn when Evelyn Elliot, a wealthy socialite, enters Nora’s life, offering not just a friendship but the possibility of becoming a surrogate.

The plot masterfully intertwines the worlds of high fashion and deep personal stakes, highlighting the complex dynamics of Nora and Evelyn’s relationship. As Evelyn's grand gesture tests the boundaries of their connection, the novel delves into the emotional and ethical implications of surrogate motherhood, offering readers a thought-provoking look at what it means to build a family. Griffin’s vivid depiction of New York’s elite adds an engaging layer to the narrative, making this an evocative and compelling read.

i found the concept of this book to be really interesting and a great representation of the modern questions surrounding infertility and surrogacy. i also found the plot to be super intriguing as we learned about evelyn and nora and watched their relationship evolve (and sometimes stress me OUT). the first 2/3 of this book had me hooked, but unfortunately the story sort of falls off at the end. a big event happens really quickly and then time passes oddly and there’s not enough detail. minus the last page of the book, there’s a lot left to be desired with the ending. this was an unsatisfying close to a well-formed story and great reading experience, making for an overall less positive feeling now that i’ve finished.

This was a very sweet book - I loved the friendship between the characters. The surrogacy aspect was a bit emotional.

This was just an ok book. I could easily put it down and it was hard picking it back up. I really was hoping for better.

This beautiful cover drew me in. This was a sweet story. I enjoyed the friendship aspect of the plot.

The Favor was your typical romance novel. Enjoyable to read, and a nice little escape. I loved the added level of the vintage dress shop. There was also sensitive topics surrounding surrogacy, and I feel like she handled those scenes beautifully.

What a fun story of an unexpected friendship with continued bizarro interactions between the two. An easy listen and a fun light read.

Nora's job at I'll Have Seconds, a high-end store in Manhattan, is a dream. She spends her days pairing clients with the perfect dress and nights fretting about her finances and her future family. When Evelyn Elliot, an effervescent heiress, plucks Nora from obscurity and hires her as her stylist, Nora's world opens up. Soon enough, she and Evelyn are confidantes. When Evelyn gets the idea to offer the ultimate favor - serving as surrogate for Nora and her husband, Jacob - Nora can't help but accept. Will the favor change their relationship?

The Favor was fun to read. The development of the friendship, the glimpses into the world of old money, and a surprising mini-mystery kept the story interesting. It's a good read.

I had the pleasure of meeting this author and she was a delight!

I struggled with this book a bit and had to suspend belief regarding the ease with which the surrogacy was planned. Perhaps it's the cynic in me but I just couldn't fathom such a major life choice coming together so easily. I wish the plot and characters had been a bit more developed.

Nora is looking for direction in her life and Evelyn, a super socialite, offers Nora a job of a lifetime until things change and Evelyn decides her next cause is to carry a baby for Nora. Nora must accept what having a baby means to her and how she will cope. This is a story of what ifs and consequences and holds you captive. Allow yourself to be open to this unique story line and you’ll find yourself reading a wonderful story.
Thank you to NetGallery for the ARC!

I loved how the author tried to give attention to the details and depth to the characters. I throughly enjoyed the book and mystery.

I really appreciated and admired how the author was so delicate with the infertility pieces of the book. She did a really nice job with that. Otherwise. Didn’t really grab me. Not bad not great.

In my true style, I picked this book based on its beautiful cover so I went into it blind. While I enjoyed the story itself there were just parts of that I just had a hard time with. To be totally honest, there were times when I had thoughts of DNF’ing but I am glad that I didn’t.

Nora & Jacob struggle with infertility and are saving up for their last attempt for in vitro. While working at the vintage resale shop, Nora meets Evelyn, an eccentric socialite. They quickly become friends and Evelyn offers to be the surrogate for Nora.

As much as I enjoyed the social media aspect with Evelyn and how she graciously offered to be the surrogate, I just couldn’t get past what a truly entitled, awful person she really is. The way she just threw money at Nora commenting that it was for the baby fund and knowing how important it was to her. The way she put the baby at risk was truly selfish, especially when the baby is not hers!

While I did not like Nora as a character when she was around Evelyn, I truly felt terrible for all that she endured. The author did an amazing job conveying all of those emotions. I could feel the emotional roller coaster that Nora was on - the not knowing, the lack of communication/miscommunications. I could especially feel Jacob’s frustrations!

Even though this wasn't fully my cup of tea, I look forward to reading more books by Adele Griffin!

Ⓦⓗⓐⓣ Ⓘ Ⓛⓞⓥⓔⓓ:
✨️Beautiful cover
✨️I’ll Have Seconds, the Vintage Resale Shop
✨Even with the struggles, Nora was able to get her happy ending

Ⓦⓗⓐⓣ Ⓘ Ⓓⓘⓓⓝ’ⓣ
✨️How Nora seems to change how she acts around Evelyn
✨️How Evelyn “bribes” Nora to do stuff for her
✨️The pacing was a little off throughout the book

CW: Infertility, Surrogacy, Pregnancy Complications

Thank you to @netgalley, @sourcebook for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book and felt so many emotions for Nora in her quest to have a baby. I never fully trusted Evelyn and couldn’t decide if she was genuine or a game player.

This book took me way longer to get into then most books and I almost didn’t finish it it. It was like being on a rollercoaster. The first 150 pages were an extremely slow buildup to a fast drop into the real story which in my opinion ended fast and quick and left me with A LOT of questions.

All the feels after reading this one! I couldn’t help but fall in love with the main character Nora and empathize with her and her situation. I enjoyed her and Evelyn’s relationship dynamic as well, right up until the end when it took a turn. Some parts were a little cheesy and a little unrealistic but overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the storyline!

The best part about Adele Griffin's writing is how infectious it is. It's so easy to get lost in her books. I stayed up till midnight reading half of it, then woke up at 3 AM and kept going until I finished it. It was just stuck in my mind and I needed to finish it!

My favorite part about the book was Nora. I loved her marriage with Jacob.
Despite the stress of their situation, I loved the intimacy of their physical space, their shared history, and their commitment to have each other's back, no matter what.
I also really connected with Nora's fear of standing up to people and the implicit, tacit deals we make with bosses, family members, and friends, especially when there's money involved.

Nora stayed with me for a few days after finishing this book. She broke my heart, I rooted so hard for her to come through this journey, evolved.




POTENTIAL SPOLER ALERT:

Without giving too much of the plot away, Griffin also really nailed the details of IVF and the surrogacy journey-- from the intimate strangeness of the hospitals, the nurses, the invasiveness, the reactions from family. Even the details of the hotel Nora stayed at. Griffin honed in on the specificity of the experience, and I felt like I was there in the room. God, and the way Nora shows up for Gloria. So good! So moving! Okay, okay-- I'll stop. Just read it!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.