Oh I love a good family drama, but I wish I’d read this one in print rather than audio. The multitude of characters got pretty confusing at times. I think opening the book with such an extensive cast of characters just didn’t really do it for me.

I do recommend giving this one a try in print.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Give me family drama any day! Oh boy, this book had it! There were a ton of characters and at the beginning it was a bit hard to keep track of all of them. With that said, all the characters felt real and made realistic decisions. Gerry Williams, the patriarch of the Williams family, has a major secret that a drunk friend reveals at his funeral during the eulogy. The fallout from this secret is different for every member of his family. Even with all the characters, the story line was easy to follow. I loved the situations that each of the family members found themselves in. It just all seemed very honest. The chapters were long, but in an audiobook, it was noticed less than if I were reading a physical book. I thought this was a great debut and I can’t wait to see what Shook comes up with next!

A family drama that tackles family dynamics in the contemporary south, this debut novel makes you wonder how much you really know the ones you love.

For fans of “This is Where I Leave You” and “All Adults Here,” I’d say this is a welcome addition to the bookshelf. Unlike many family dramas I’ve read (they’re normally not my favorite), this one didn’t struggle to maintain interest, as there were several storylines. But the strength can also be a little bit of a weakness, because there are SO MANY characters and relationships to track. While they’re all dynamic and interesting, I’d say some aren’t entirely necessary for the plot.

All in all, it was a heartwarming and easy read. The audiobook was nicely done, but I don’t think it would be any less enjoyable as a physical book.

Thank you netgally, Celadon, Hachette audio and the author for the free ALC in exchange for my honest review. I should have spaced out the books more and not listened to 2 family drama books back to back and felt so similar I loved the narration hachette is a favorite producer of audiobooks. I will give this one another try closer to Pub day. Plus the cover is just so eye catching.

I should have known when it said "for fans of We Are the Brennans" that this probably wouldn't work for me. Unfortunately these big family sagas usually fall flat for me and this was no exception. The characters had really well developed story lines and depth, but, and this is definitely a ME problem, there were too many I couldn't keep track.

I just am not one for these big family drama books, unfortunately.

When the Williams' family returns to their small hometown in Georgia for their Grandfather Gerry's funeral, they are surprised when a major secret comes out in front of the whole town. Following the funeral the family stays as a whole in town awaiting a family friend's wedding in the same town the following weekend. What follows is a mess of other secrets, awkward moments, family disagreements, and sometime pure hilarity as the Williams' struggle to find their way (individually) through love and life.

The book was well-written, and the audiobook translated well into the format. Additionally, I really enjoyed the narrator of the book. It was an easy read, and despite its potentially grim basis, was light-hearted and overall supportive of family and the love they have for one another. I would certainly recommend this book as a great vacation or beach read.

If We're Being Honest starts off with a bang at Gerry's funeral. Gerry is the grandfather/father/husband of the Williams family and this book dives into the different family members. The reader should understand what they are getting into when the beginning of the book quickly describes a reason why each family member should NOT give the eulogy for Gerry!
While there are many members of the family I loved reading about how they fell apart, or supported each other and a bit of the background. Of course with any big family everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses and that is put on display throughout.
Ultimately I loved how the family dynamics played out, of course I am glad that this isn't my family, but I think every reader can connect to a member of the family and can see a member of their own family in this book! I kept wanting to pick this book up and listen more! The narrator is fantastic for the audiobook!

I really enjoyed this family drama. It is a slow burn and there is a lot of characters, but you quickly become invested in them. I wanted to find out what was going to happen to them and if they would turn out okay. I’m not sure if this book will be for everyone, but if you like family dramas, then give it a try!!

Family drama? Yes please. And a story that takes place over a span of a week? Sounds like a page turner to me. Well, not so fast. While this book included all the drama, there were a lot of characters and a little too much telling rather than action in my opinion to make me really love this one.

Don’t get me wrong, I did like this book, but it took a while for me to get there. When the grandfather of the family dies and his best friend delivers his eulogy, a massive bombshell is dropped leaving the family with so many questions. But because of said bombshell and those questions, it makes each character reflect on their life and what’s currently happening to determine if they’re happy. You know, that evil thing death can do to those still alive. As someone who has experienced her fair share of untimely deaths, this really resonated with me.

Even though this was slower than I would have wanted, I think my biggest annoyance was how the characters read younger than they are meant to be. The dialogue made it seem as if the characters were teenagers, but they were in fact in their 20s or 30s. It was also a bit clunky with paragraphs jumping from character to character and the chapters were LONG.

Overall, I’m middle of the road because it was a lot of what I like in stories, but the execution overpowered the story itself.

Big thank you to Celadon books for the gifted copy.

Content warnings: infidelity, grief, death, homophobia

This novel about grief reminded me of This is Where I Leave You. It’s about a family that learns a shocking secret at their grandfather’s funeral and must spend the next week coming to terms with what they learned.

Like all good family sagas, each member of the family also has their own life struggles. From pregnancies to struggling marriages, the drama unfolds as the children and grandchildren try to help their matriarch grieve and come to terms with the long-held secret.

Loved this quirky family saga. When this family is gathered for their grandfather’s unexpected passing, we experience all that is a family drama. Secrets, judgement, quarreling, and also, admiration, protection, and fun. It was a refreshingly heartwarming read that was beautifully done. A great debut!

4 1/2 stars

I absolutely adored this book! I was fortunate enough to receive an early listening copy of the audiobook and it was the perfect medium to absorb this story. There are multiple characters involved in this book and it's a lot to keep up with but I think listening to it made things easier for me. I was completely absorbed by this story from start to finish. But I am a person who loves a solid story about families and how they struggle and grow together and this one was beautiful.

This book centers around a family who recently lost their patriarch and learned some surprising news about him at the funeral. Gerry's death brings all of his children and grandchildren home. They each have their own personal struggles and challenges even before the loss of Gerry. But after he dies, it throws each of them into a tailspin for various reasons. They are all trying to process his loss and it impacts each of them differently. At the center of the storm is Gerry's widow, Ellen. They are all concerned about her and how she is coping with everything yet no-one can truly understand exactly how Gerry's loss truly impacts her.

If you are someone who enjoys reading about families and how they work through all their ugly and broken moments while still finding joy along the way, this book is one you should check out. The author manages to handle sensitive issues well while still trying to blend in some moments of levity. There is a traumatic revelation that the family is left processing that changes their perspective of everything they always believed they knew about Gerry. It impacts each of them as individuals and their family as a whole. It's the way they all work through it and come together that really made my heart sing. The story of the Williams family is one that will stay with me for a while.

Thank you to NetGalley for the early copy of this audiobook. I voluntarily chose to listen and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

This is one of those magical family stories that is filled with humor, life challenges, and so much love. I adored this book and fell in love with these characters. Their relationships with each other and their partners are secretive at times, and also brutally honest at other times, but always accompanied by a dry wit that I find so fun. Laughter is the best medicine especially in times of crisis, or in my case a nasty cold, and the audiobook kept me highly entertained as I recuperated.

No family is perfect and this book totally nails that point home. SO much dysfunction, miscommunication and at the end of the day - love. This is a feel-good listen/read that hits on issues of homosexuality, pregnancy, death, marriage and the overall meaning of life. It's a great ride.

There were a lot of tough topics and the author handled them nicely. Swiftly moving from issue to issue prevented things from dragging out - which is always good when there is so much to cover.

I enjoy books that uncover all the little imperfections about families and marriages - and this family had plenty of them. The descriptions of the magnolias and summer heat helped to set scene of the sweltering Georgia summer.

For me, this book had too many characters for a successful single narrator audio book. I had a hard time keeping the characters straight and picturing them. Perhaps an ensemble read would have been a smoother audio. Maybe the physical books will have a family tree, to match the cover. Families and children in the houses on the street where they live.

Any of the challenges would have been a good premise for an entire story. With this much content, I’m sure this author has many more books in them.

If you love a good family drama, look no further than #ifwerebeinghonest . It has all of the angst, dysfunction, and turmoil one could imagine, without becoming annoying or irritating. The characters prove just how imperfect families can be, yet are bound together by love and understanding. From the very first chapter, Shook draws you in. A moving debut by this talented author.

Hint: Because there are so many characters, it was great to have the physical copy in hand in order to remember who belonged to whom.

I don't like rating books this low, especially when they haven't released yet! I'm all for new authors and people sharing their writing. This book however was not for me. It was very slow and boring. The characters were unlikeable. There was nothing that was exciting. I listened to it and while the narration was great, it too was slow. I listened to it at 1.6 speed and it sounded like normal talking. Overall, it was just a slow boring book.

So many characters! I think I will need to get the physical book to read and listen in order to keep up, but the writing is solid and the people are interesting.

March 31, 2023
Thank you to Celadon books for my complimentary arc. Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for my complimentary audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I enjoyed the narrator and all the different accents used for the various characters.

I love how Celadon encourages me to read books outside of my comfort zone. I usually read romcoms, fantasy or cozy mysteries. This contemporary fiction novel pulled in from the first page. “Gerry Williams funeral was a shit show” Ha. I was invested in the Williams family and needed to know how each person was going to react.

This character driven story unfolds at the funeral of beloved family patriarch Gerry. All it takes is one drunken eulogy from his best friend Larry to throw the entire family into crisis mode.

The chapters are long, but necessary. It was nice to follow along in my book as I listened. It took me a few
chapters to get everyone straightened out. Alice’s story was my favorite. I could have done without Carole Ann. I was hoping for a different ending, but I am happy with how everything wrapped up.

This is a heartwarming family drama set around the Williams family and the summer that changed everyone. The book starts out with the Williams family gathering for the funeral of their father/grandfather, Gerry. During the funeral, Gerry's best friend, drops a bombshell that stuns everyone. Each family member must deal with not only the passing of beloved Gerry but also their own personal drama too. There was a large cast of characters but each one was relatable in their own way.

I really enjoyed the author's writing style. It really drew me into the story and I felt connected with each character. I couldn't put the book down because I was fully invested in each characters story. I couldn't wait to find out how each of their stories ended. I highly recommend this book especially if you enjoy family dramas with lots of interesting characters. I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to read this book.

I loved the audio book narration! She did a really nice job with all of the different characters.