One thing I love about Laurie Frankel’s books is how they make me really think about what family means. Her family stories are complex yet beautiful. This book was no different and gave a different perspective of adoption than we often see in popular media. After reading the author’s note and why this story is so personal to Laurie, I am even more appreciative for her perspective and this story.

India always dreamed of becoming an actress and was able to achieve that dream. When her most recent movie comes under scrutiny for its portrayal of adoption, her own history and thoughts on the topic comes out. As a young woman, India got pregnant and made the decision to make a family’s dreams come true by providing them with a child.

There were many twists and surprises along the way, but at its heart, this is a beautiful story about family in all forms. Not only was it heart-warming and thought-provoking, but it also had me laughing out loud at times with the dialogue. This was truly an incredible story.

Thank you to Henry Holt and NetGalley for the advance copy.

REVIEW👩‍👧‍👦

FAMILY FAMILY ~ Laurie Frankel
Pages: 400
Genre: Contemporary Literature/Fiction

Gist: India Allwood’s latest film with an adoption plot line is getting rave reviews from everyone except India. As an adoptive mother herself, India is open to changing the perception to be a more positive one and she lets the critics know. Well, this opens the floodgates for criticism and soon India’s own past comes to find her in the form of the families she created along the way.

Thoughts: No one writes families like Laurie Frankel. After reading (and loving) This is How it Always Is, she gained a fan in me and when I heard about her new release, I jumped at the chance. This is a story full of candor, realism, and humor - the characters jump off the page and I was fully invested in all of their stories and how the tiny threads pull them all together in the most amazing way.

Written in alternating past/present storylines, we are introduced to India in the here and now but are then taken back to learn how her perspectives and gumption bloomed. But what really got me where India’s musings on family - and how all of them, no matter who they are comprised of or how them came to be, are beautiful and a true gift. As stated early on, “Regardless of how they get made, family is a force to be reckoned with.”

Truly loved this story - out next week, January 23rd. A must read if you ask me!

From the authors note - “My job is to make things up in order to tell the truth.”
I am so glad Ms. Frankel wrote this book with all of its wonderful characters, but also the different perspectives of the main character India. To be able to explore that a decision made by two people is not alway for the same reason, nor do you alway understand why a decision was made. I think this book will find a wide audience. Thank you Net Galley for the early release.

“Regardless of how family gets made, family is a force to be reckoned with.”

This book came at just the right time for me. After bingeing as many SJM books as possible the past couple of weeks, a family story was what exactly what I needed and this did not disappoint.

This book is about love. This book is about family. Family that you are born with, family that you create, and family that you find. The humor is so good. The writing makes you want to just read one more chapter..until the book is over. There are multiple timelines and POVS but is done so well.

The banter, wit, and humor were all so good 🤌 if you were to combine The Family Stone with Gilmore Girls, you would have Family Family.

Fig and Jack have my heart 🫶 BUT with this cast of characters, it’s hard to find one you don’t love. I loved India Allwood and how much of her own person she is. From a high school dreamer to an adult with her dream career, India is India. The relationship between India and her mom throughout the timelines and POV was also a highlight.

“First, love.”


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

TW: PTSD, anxiety attacks, child abuse


Released 1/23! Thank you @netgalley for my e-arc!

Wow, I have never read Laurie Frankel before, but the writing in this novel is absolutely exquisite and the story was so engrossing that I never wanted to put it down. I always needed to read just one more chapter, even as my eyelids were struggling to stay open after midnight! The way Frankel developed our main character India through flashbacks was incredible, and we got to watch her growth live and in person. I loved all of the characters and how Frankel introduced them one at a time as a piece of India's story.

I know adoption is a topic that touches people in different ways-- having had adoption touch my family I know that not every reader will directly relate to how adoption worked within this fictional family, but that is the point of this novel. No one adoption story is exactly the same as any other, and there are complicated feelings and a lot of nuance. But Frankel writes an affirming and heartwarming story that I absolutely loved from start to finish.

I'm so grateful for receiving this advance copy so that I can explore Frankel's backlist. Wonderful book!

I love how the author is able to explore and enlighten the reader on family topics. This book inspired me to think about adoption and families in new ways. I actually didn’t realize how many preconceived notions I had on the topic of adoption prior to reading this engaging story. There are so many perspectives that I’d never considered before now. And that in itself makes it a worthy read. I recommend it!

It’s always the best feeling ever to read a book of this caliber so early in the year. Books like this are truly why I love reading. I was so invested in every single character, both the past and present timelines, the surprise elements that continued to unfold in the most seamless and intriguing ways, and the WRITING. Truly some of the best writing I have encountered, and feel genuinely lucky to have read. Also the most beautiful dedication to adoptive families ❤️

It is so incredibly rare to find a book this beautifully written and well crafted; I enjoyed it so much!

Thank you, Henry Holt and NetGalley for the chance to read Family Family by Laurie Frankel.
What a fun read this was! This book digs deep into some big topics surrounding family - including pregnancy, abortion, adoption, child abuse, drug use - in a sensitive, loving manner. It was funny and warm-hearted, and each character was so unique and loveable.
India Allwood is an actress whose every move is documented and used for the world's entertainment. When she aims to tell an uplifting, positive portrayal of adoption on the big screen, her personal connection to the film is brought to the forefront of everyone's criticism and gossip. India's adopted 10-year-old twins take it upon themselves to contact others who are connected to their mom, and what ensues is a humorous, addictive love story of chosen family, lost family, and family family.
I loved it.

So many ARC readers raved about this book and I can understand why. It highlights the complexities of families, dynamics, relationships etc with a focus on adoption, which isn’t something covered often. While so many of us cannot relate entirely, we can understand that some people in our lives most certainly are our family. The siblings are lovable characters that draw you into their unique stories and personalities. I’ll be recommending this one many fellow readers.

Family Family follows Fig and Jack and their mom, India. Frankel’s writing brings them all to life with wit and warmth. I especially love the dialogue. Each character has their own voice that makes the reader feel connected and invested in them.

Like Frankel’s other books, Family Family takes a complex topic and breaks it down, capturing the subtleties and nuances. I don’t have any personal connection or insight into adoption or adoptive families, but I’m here for a book that treats a complex issue with respect for its complexities.

This book began “ Ho Hum” for me, as I am not in to teen romances, either high school or college, and reading about both was almost too much. However, knowing it was a Laurie Frankel novel, I hung on and was so glad I did, as it quickly became smart, funny and page turning. While the actions sometimes seemed over the top, I realize sometimes it takes exaggeration to drive a point home. I appreciate the opportunity of an advance read. #NetGalley. # FamilyFamily

Thank you Henry Holt & Co. and NetGalley for the ARC!

Another gem by Laurie Frankel! As a big fan of her previous works, I was so excited to be offered this ARC. This book had me in both happy tears and sad tears, as Frankel is apt to do. This story breaks down what it means to be a family, blood-relative or otherwise. I loved this book so much and am truly sad it’s over.

Thank you again for the ARC!

Thank you NetGalley for the kindle download and audiobook version of “Family, Family” by Laurie Frankel. This story is centered around the concepts of adoption and family. India is the main character of to story. She gave a daughter up for adoption after becoming pregnant in high school and then a son after becoming pregnant in college. Once her adult life began, she adopted twins.

India was staring in a movie that portrayed that children of adoption ended up with a sad life and often turned to drug use. She was not in agreement with the film and the way adoption was portrayed. The twins reached out to the India’s first child Rebecca. Once the three kids were together, they devised a plan and got India’s son and his fathers together. All of the kids and adoptive parents came together to show that adoptions can be positive and a supportive environment for children. India gave an interview disputing the movie. She wanted to show that adoptions can have a happy ending for all involved. Also, that family can be a force to be reckoned with.

Much like Laurie Frankel’s other books, Family Family is very thought-provoking. I love how her books address modern family issues and struggles. This book examines adoption and what it means to be a true family. I really enjoyed it.

Thanks for the ARC NetGalley and publisher.

I loved this book! I was very impressed with how the author seamlessly transitioned between plot lines, settings, and decades while making every chapter feel necessary and enjoyable. The writing was witty and authentic, and the overall message was beautiful.
Thank You to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for providing an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I give this book 5/5 Waffles 🧇🧇🧇🧇🧇 🎉

I think it would be a cliche if I said this book should become a movie, but considering the main character goes on to become a famous actress, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch. This story started off slow but eventually I figured out the rhythm between present day and past. I love that the author incorporated modern issues such as covid, social media trends, but also keeping the classics, kids banding together for their families, teenage love, college dreams. Seeing how all these people share a connection with India was so unique and also shows just how easily folks can get pulled in by her.

India is a strong, determined female lead in more ways than one. She goes for what she wants and does not let anyone or anything get in her way. The title "Family family" is perfect because nowadays, a typical nuclear family isnt that, its just a type of family amongst so many other ones. Like the single parent and kid(s), still a family, the kids raised by their grandparents, still a family, the kids with 1/2 sibling, still a family. It helps break away from the norm and show that family love is immense and you can see just how far someone close to you, not just by blood, will go to support and take care of you. I like that the kids shared a phone, that is something that would be great for future generations, and I love that they were not afraid to express their feelings, even if it included a few curse words.

Give yourself the time to read this book and get to know all the characters at your own pace, and see just how much people are willing to do for themselves and for those in their lives.

Also, big thank you to @netgalley for this ARC, I really enjoyed it.

Laurie Frankel writes the best family-affirming stories, hands down. Her 2017 book, This Is How It Always Is, is in my top 10 books of all time, so I am a super fan - but that also gave me some pause as I started Family Family. That's a hard act to follow, and I had some trepidation that she wouldn't deliver a believable story. I am a single mom to a large family created through birth and adoption, so Family Family needed to hit the right cords to speak to me. And Frankel delivers.
Adoption is complicated. There is always some loss, some trauma, and some grief - but as this book portrays so eloquently- adoption brings people together and creates crazy, diverse, complicated, and connected families.
Frankel places word and phrase echos throughout the book, like the title Family Family. I enjoyed this literary device and smiled every time I encountered a new echo. Readers can interpret these echoes in many ways, but they all make one pause for a second and think about words and language - how a small thing like a comma or changed emphasis on a word can alter the meaning.

Book clubs will find a lot to discuss about this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an electronic ARC in exchange for a review.

Family Family is a thought provoking look at families in all the ways they are formed. I loved seeing the perspective of adoption from all sides and how it can be a happy and life changing situation for not only the adoptive parents.

I enjoyed the way the story was slowly revealed and seeing the layers of India’s life take place. With that being said, I did feel that it was perhaps a little too slow for me and could have been told in far less pages to hold my attention better.

I have posted this review on goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6139085519

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/p/C2iEmN-LreS/?igsh=MW9uOHd6MGxjaW1sMQ==

And Amazon.

Thank you to @henryholtbooks for the gifted copy!!!

My first 5 star read of the year!

This is a book that focuses on family’s and the different ways they are formed! It’s a story about adoption!

This Is How It Always Is was one of my top reads last year so I was ecstatic to get this arc! Frankel has such a gift for writing character driven family sagas! This story is full of quirky and lovable characters! I felt so many emotions reading this!

This book had so many twists and turns! I never could predict what would happen next! This one was hard to set down!!

This book is going to stick with me for a long time and will be one of my favorite reads of the year! I will be recommending it to everyone!!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

I love a good family drama. I wanted to love this book. The story starts good. Not all adoption stories I filled with trauma or regret. That seems to be the just of the story. India gets pregnant as a teen and chooses to not get an abortion but adopt the baby to a single mom instead. It seems the outcome is fantastic for everyone. India goes to a prestigious college and becomes a a famous actor and the child grows up into a well adjusted adult. For me the book glossed over the complexity of human emotions and life. I just couldn’t get into it. The story dragged in the middle. This book is for people looking for a happy story about family that like a slow burn.