Book Review: Family Family
by Laurie Frankel

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

​​"Regardless of how it gets made, family is a force to be reckoned with."

India Allwood has known she wanted to be an actor since she was 10 when her mother Sarah first took her to see Guys and Dolls. The novel occurs in two timelines, flashing between that period of India’s life and the present allowing us to see how she becomes who she is today. Present day, India is a rising TV star in Hollywood. When India is courted to star in her first movie, a film about adoption, she would like to be excited. The problem is, she thinks it’s a bad movie. The mother of adopted twins, she thinks she can tell a better story. When she accidentally shares her thoughts with the a journalist, you know what hits the fan! In step her kids to try to save the day. If you guessed that things only get more complicated, then you would be correct!

Laurie Frankel has become an automatic read author for me. Family Family is as compelling as her last two novels, This It How It Always Is and One Two Three. You can expect Frankel to smartly present important social issues with a lot of heart and humor. In Family Family, she tackles the very personal subject of adoption with all its joys and complications. In typical fashion, Frankel challenges the reader to reconsider what they think they know or to turn prevailing social views on their head. Here she succeeds in interrogating prevailing notions about adoption and commonly held misconceptions. If you’re looking for a story about what it means to be family, whether by blood or choice, then Family Family is for you. I suggest you go in blind to fully enjoy the twists and turns. The Author’s Note is a must read as it is sure to capture your ♥️

Many thanks to the author @Laurie.Frankel, @HenryHoltBooks, and @NetGalley for the pleasure of reading this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

“Family ties are more complicated than mere genes.”

How do you define a family? That is the overall theme of this wonderful book by Laurie Frankel. Family Family is the story of India Allwood, an actress who finds herself at the center of a media storm after she says some not-complimentary things about a movie she’s starring in, a movie which focuses on adoption. India is an adoptive mother herself and feels the message of the movie isn’t the best one. The publisher includes the following quote in the book’s blurb: “Not all stories of adoption are stories of pain and regret. Not even most of them. Why don’t we ever get that movie?”

Frankel is a master at writing nuanced stories. (I’ve loved the other two books of hers that I’ve read: This Is How It Always Is, and One, Two, Three.) Life is not black and white; it’s shades of gray. And families are complicated.

This character-driven story bounces between present-day (2021, I believe, based on various references to COVID, etc.) and the past, letting us get to know India and how she got to where she is now: an actress who has adopted a brother and sister and is a single parent.

Without revealing any spoilers, I can only say that India’s life is nothing but unusual, and there are quite a few quirky characters and funny moments along the way. The theme of “found family” is one of my favorites, and this certainly has a lot of found family in its pages. You also get a behind-the-scenes look at how being a celebrity/public figure affects the lives of the family members of the celebrity, not just the celebrity, as well as some great behind-the-scenes information on how plays are put together (rehearsals, tech week, and so forth). For someone who loves live theater, this was a bonus.

Don’t miss the Author’s Note at the end of the story!

I bounced between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient, although I mostly listened to the audiobook. Patti Murin did a fabulous job with all the voices. There’s a bonus track, which is a conversation between the narrator and the author, which I also really enjoyed.

Thank you to Henry Holt and Co. and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

India Allwood knew from a young age that her life’s ambition was to act. Along the way, she was faced with difficult life choices in order to follow her dreams. When her latest movie’s depiction of adoption draws a media storm of criticism, art and life intersect to tell the story of her beautiful, complicated family.

I was captivated by this heartfelt story of what makes a family. It’s told on two timelines, one in the present and one that takes us from India’s teen years along her journey to the Broadway stage and the silver screen and brings us up to present day. Frankel’s tender and quirky examination of what family means had my emotions running the gamut from laughing out loud to being moved to tears. The depiction of adoption in such a lovely, positive light was refreshing, and themes of parenthood, choice, and balance are thoughtfully explored with warmth and witty banter. Highly recommended!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for providing me an advance copy of this book.

This was a beautiful introspective novel centered around family and what makes a family. Laurie Frankel has a way with exploring the complexities of family dynamics. I am typically not a fan of novels that go back and forth between timelines, but it worked very well throughout this novel and helped move the novel along with a purposeful manner. We initially meet India through the lens of the world of celebrity. As she battles a media storm associated with her portrayal within a movie centered around adoption, we learn more about India and the characteries that live within this family. The characters were fully thought out and the voices were unique to each person. This novel was both comforting and introspective at the same time. I could see myself rereading this novel again taking in new things with each reading.

The short summary of this book is that it is a story that is pro-adoption. Of course with 400 pages there is a lot more to the story. It begins with India Allwood at 16 wanting to be an actor. The young India is driven and focused. The past story alternates with her present life where she is a star of a popular TV series. She has completed a new movie and isn’t thrilled with how it stereotypes adoption. Her comments turn into a social media frenzy because the press are demanding her stance adoption and other options. India’s main concern is protecting her twin adopted ten year olds. But as the press exposes her past, her career and livelihood are being threatened. Her kids try coming to her rescue which only causes more mayhem.

This is a very likable story. India is very funny, smart, gifted and a unique character. She is probably on the spectrum (as is another character) but it isn’t addressed. I love her quirkiness of having confetti in her pocket always in case there is a need to celebrate. And she is very articulate in her viewpoint that adoption is a choice and creating families can come in many, many forms. My spouse has three adoptive siblings so this was a book I took to heart. Each sibling came from differing situations and how they individually react to being adopted is unique to them. I’ve had cousins who are adopted too and have recently reunited with their different birth parents. There is no, one story fits all in adoption just like there is no one way to be a family.

This book has funny moments and the author has a subtle way of throwing in very funny lines. And while serious topics are covered she isn’t demanding that everyone think like her. Religion and morality don’t come into the discussion. I very recently read and really enjoyed a previous book from Frankel, This Is How It Always Is (Jan 2017). Her main characters in both books are almost too positive and accepting. That isn’t a bad thing. India has trials, her adoptive kids have issues, but she deals with things in the most positive ways imaginable. And of course her character has resources and security that may not apply in the real world.

I enjoyed the book. I didn’t think that everything could realistically happen, but it wasn’t totally implausible. I love that so many viewpoints are presented. The kids' differing feelings are represented as well. I will add that covid is brought into the storyline in a realistic way.
It isn’t a big factor but it interrupts her work and of course kids schooling. Most books I read ignore the pandemic.

I received both a copy of the audiobook and an ARC via NetGalley. I alternated listening and reading the story. I enjoyed the narration by Patti Murin and the author’s notes from Laurie Frankel. Thank you to Henry Holt & Company and Macmillan Audio for the copies I enjoyed. I’d recommend either depending on your preference. (4.5 Stars)

Many thanks to NetGalley, Henry Holt & Company, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest novel by Laurie Frankel, the audio perfectly narrated by a favorite, Patti Murin - 5 stars!

India Allwood is now a famous actress, having achieved her dream from childhood. Her latest movie involves adoption, and having personal experience, she makes the mistake of telling a journalist her true feelings - that the way the movie portrays adoption isn't really accurate in so many cases. That ignites a media frenzy, with both sides weighing in, and India's job may be in jeopardy, which is something her twins won't stand for.

Laurie Frankel has done it again - through a funny, engaging, heartwarming story, she's shown that family can look and feel very different than our traditional thoughts. I have loved all of her books and each one makes you really think once you close the pages. This book was told in such a unique way - we are introduced to all the characters at many different points in the past, to learn the backstories as well as the connections. I also liked the distinction between "family" and "family family." This book shows that adoption shouldn't always be portrayed as a poor me situation for the children, that love isn't always enough to make relationships work, and that there can never be too many people that love us. I was so fortunate to listen to this on audiobook as well, and the conversation between the author and narrator was fabulous and enlightening. Highly recommended!

📕What defines a family as the “family”? Should it be mom, dad, and their biological kids? Or could it be moms, dads, buncha kids who are not of same mom and dad but accepted each other as siblings? Is biological more valuable than chosen?
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📗India had to make few difficult choices on her way to stardom. Situations that wouldn’t harm a man could easily be end of her career before it started. Situation being becoming a mom… Like many women before and after her, she had to choose her battles: baby now, career never or career now, baby later(?). She chose the latter, several times. But now she was a superhero and a mom of twins. She was in good place but had a bad movie
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📘India’s comments on her latest movie was the reason Pandora’s box was opened. People called her pro-life, anti-abortion, pro-adoption, etc like she had to be one or none. She was pro-choice but eh.. media and her stardom wouldn’t allow her to be whatever she wanted. Her adoptive twins thought they could “rescue” mom. Maybe they did or maybe they made it harder for her. But eventually, India found her family and did it her way

Family Family is getting a lot of buzz and it’s quite a heartwarming novel with a really beautiful ending. I didn’t care for the current day storyline as much as diving into India’s past.
I know a lot of readers will love this novel, it just isn’t my favorite Frankel.

Family Family by Laurie Frankel was a delight! I enjoyed this story about adoption and different kinds of families immensely. The characters were all well-developed and quirky. I had previously read and loved This Is How It Always Is by Frankel.

Thanks to Henry Holt and Co and NetGalley for the digital copy of the book for my honest opinion.

Laurie Frankle delivers a deeply moving slice of life novel about the importance of family. Themes of adoption; the author captures the heart of the "family" beautifully. Well written, engaging and thought provoking

This was a great family story, with a lot of different heartwarming dynamics and lessons about family life. I lived the witty characters and the many story lines. Bravo!

This book took me a little bit to get started, but then it really kept my interest! I really liked all the characters and I felt attached to all of them. My only complaint which is a small one is that the language of the children did seem awfully mature for their age, but it did make sense in the context of the story.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. I really enjoyed it, and will recommend it to everyone!

👩‍👦Sometimes you read a book and then you put it down and you think, ‘how will I ever be able to put into words, how I feel about this book?’ Thank you so much to @henryholtbooks and @netgalley for the early look at this character-driven, family drama like I’ve never read before. It’s out Tuesday!

👩‍👧‍👦 ‘Family Family’ is a brilliant look at what makes a family. The writing is beautiful. The story is compelling. And the message is impactful. Rather than try to struggle through writing a perfect review… here are some notes:

👨‍👨‍👦 First, this is not a book to be binged. I was loving it so much I got a little caught up in devouring it, but I was also getting overwhelmed. I switched to something else, then came back and savored this— and I was wrapped right up in it once again. So my advice: savor it! Slow and steady with this one.

👩‍👧Gosh, I’m in awe of the characters Laurie Frankel dreamt up here! There are a lot of them. And each one is so great, and her writing of them is SO consistent. Everything they do and say is true to what we have learned of them as a person.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 There are dual timelines at play here and it works so well to leave bread crumbs, then fill in the holes, and I just loved how it worked to bring the whole story together in the end!

👩‍👧‍👦 This one just made me think about how life is such a journey. How the decisions we make are building blocks of the person we become. How other people can impact us for a lifetime, even if they’re not actively in our lives forever.

👨‍👨‍👦‍👦 And none of these thoughts even begin to touch upon the main theme of the book— which is not only about adoption, but about the positive outcomes of adoption. And how most adoption stories in media are sad, tragic and troubled. You definitely want to check out the author’s note about positive representation at the end of this!

👩‍👧‍👦 Clearly, I highly recommend. 5⭐️. Add it to your TBR’s.

Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy. This is another amazing book from Frankel that made me think a lot. I learned a lot about adoption.

India is a well-known television actress who has the nerve to comment that the movie about adoption that she just did wasn't true to life. In the media storm that follows, India seeks to talk about her personal connections to adoption.

This family dramedy is wonderful. It is the best book I've read in a very long time. I loved one previous book of Frankel's (This Is How It Always Is) but couldn't get thru her humorless One, Two, Three. I love that she takes on a hotter button topic (although is adoption hot button? There is some abortion talk in this but not enough to make it a real plot point) and makes it completely relatable and all centered around family members that you grow to love. I loved this extended family so much that I didn't want the book to end. Topics include adoption, other birth options, what makes a family, how someone makes decisions, media scrutiny, studio influence, acting, raising children, and acceptance.

Please save some time to read this lovely, funny, interesting book. Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

As a long time Laurie Frankel fan, I was thrilled to receive a copy of "Family Family". Fans and new readers alike will love this book.

India Allwood is an up-and-coming star who is promoting her latest movie. India makes a rookie mistake when she tells a journalist that the movie isn’t very good. The movie focuses on an adoption story that is all about trauma. As an adoptive mother herself, India knows that it’s much more complicated. When India’s comments go viral, her own family makes their own thoughts known, including India’s long-lost child that she gave up for adoption as a teenager. Frankel affirms that families are funny, complex and a driving force in all our lives.

Spectacular journey into what makes a family and how they become "family family". It's a story about the weight of decisions, their surprising outcomes, and the way we continue to question ourselves after those decisions are made--but it in the most light-hearted, tender, and absurdly funny way. The cast of characters are believable and relatable, complex and comedic. Bacon, lettuce, and tomato! this is the best book I read in ages!

Que the torn up index card confetti!!! "This Is How It Always Is" is one of my favorite books of all time so I knew when I saw that Laurie Frankel was coming out with a new book that I had to get my greedy hands on it. Thank you, Henry Holt and Co. and NetGalley for making that wish come true!

India Allwood is a star and a mother. Not just any kind of mother, but an adoptive mother. When the release of her new movie sparks controversy on adoption she decides to speak her truth which then snowballs into even further controversy. Thus begins an "I Know A Lady Who Swallowed A Fly" kind of story. We go back and forth from present day to India's trajectory from her 16 year old self to now. All the while, falling in love with every character we come across and understanding that not every adoption story is a sad one. Sometimes it can be really, really happy and wonderful and right.

Frankel's style of writing is unique, a special treat, a warm hug from a quirky character. I constantly found myself smiling and laughing and seeing the world in a different way. This story was nearly 5 stars, however, I gave it 4. It's so very wonderful and every character is lovable and I couldn't put it down and I'll be thinking about these people for quite a while, possibly forever, but (two buts) it was long. Although I adore the writing style, I found myself mentally exhausted at times given every situation is described in long winded, talking in circles kind of ways so one instance leads to you thinking and analyzing many situations at once. I think some of that could have been toned down a bit. But I'm not a huge fan of theater. This was an issue I found myself struggling with in Ann Patchett's "Tom Lake" as well. I just cannot seem to get into the storyline when it comes to the details and passion that acting and performing entails. That being said, I really appreciate shedding a positive light on adoption and seeing it from a different perspective without discrediting the situations that aren't as rosy. The author note at the end was the added cherry on top.

Overall I adored this book, I highly recommend it and I hope it gets the recognition it deserves!

This is a novel about family. India Allwood , a successful actress who is an adoptive mother to ten-year-old twins. Her forthcoming movie is a film about adoption and in a moment of misguided connection, she reveals her own history and personal connection to the film’s theme to a journalist, leading to a media frenzy that threatens the very career she’s worked so hard to build. Plus, there are family secrets she doesn’t want revealed. This is a story filled with quirky characters about what makes a family. At times, the message of the novel resonated more than the prose. Thank you to Henry Holt and Co. and to NetGalley for the advanced review copy.