Laurie Frankel's latest book is a family drama centered around an adoption theme. The positive representation of adoption is nice to see. I loved the main character, India, who was an interesting person who loved deeply, had her own ambitions and was independent. Although This Is How It Always Is remains my favorite book of Frankel's, I completely enjoyed this one!

Frankel is an absolute master and writing precocious children (she’s also a fabulous author to have Zoom into your book club meeting!!). I adored This Is How It Always Is, and One Two Three even more, so I was thrilled to score the ARC of Family Family. Of the 3 books this was my least favorite as it was a bit twisted and far fetched in plot. but I understand the point Frankel was underscoring - there’s no one way to be a family, to make a family. We can come together as family in the most unorthodox and messy ways. Frankel is an excellent writer with snappy, funny dialogue and extremely thoughtful musings, so I truly enjoyed this read and marveled at her abilities to tell a story so beautifully. Thank you @NetGalley and @henryholt for this advanced readers copy! #bibliophile#stephsalwaysreading#bookstagram#bookstagrammer#tbrlist#whatshouldireadnext#bookreviews#bookreviewer#netgalley

An intimate look at what makes a family and how generic makeups aren’t necessarily how to define family. I found this novel’s premise interesting though the back and forth took me a few chapters to get the hang of.

“This is how it is” by Frankel was one of my all time favorite books and i enjoyed this family drama as well.

This book does not nail all of the complexities of adoption, but wow was it entertaining and thought provoking.

I'm such a fan of Laurie Frankel's writing - her style can be so direct and dry, but it works for me really well. I went into this book with some hesitation; would a book about adoption end up taking a pro-life route? Would this all end up being too trite? Sure, it did end up being a little trite, but I really appreciated the care Frankel put into this story and also how clear she made it that just because India chose adoption, this was very much not a story about pro-life characters.

The author's note at the end goes into how personal this story was for Frankel, but I think even if I hadn't known that, I would feel the amount of love she put into this. There was so much warmth and heart in this, and the characters were all so loveable.

Like so many books I fall in love with and give 5 stars to, I still wouldn't call this completely perfect. The ending got a little repetitive and wasn't as strong as I hoped. I also felt there was a disconnect between how people in their early 30's live today. That's of course not to say that there aren't many, many 32-year-olds with multiple children and who have lived exciting lives, but I felt like these 32 years olds acted much older. Robbie alone being 32 with 5 kids, a house, and divorced just feels very disconnected from everyone I know in their early 30s. Maybe I'm just projecting from my own lived experience, but the characters just felt much older to me in the present day storyline.

Those are really tiny gripes in the grand scheme of things. Overall, I loved this so much, and even though I wait until it was released to read it, I'm grateful for the ARC!

A contemporary drama about a special family. India Allwood always aspired to be an actress . when a surprise pregnancy throws a wrench into her plans how she deals with it is the story . This is a story about Family about what makes a Family. This is a very positive uplifting books with very likeable Characters

“This is what parenting is, India. Solving impossible-to-solve problems while also experiencing deep crises of faith while also being kind of annoyed while also never getting enough rest. These problems only ever go away by changing into different equally impossible problems. This is how it always is for all parents, no matter how you came by your children.”

I really loved this book! India Allwood is one of my favorite kinds of characters. She’s whip smart, a little quirky, ambitious, and introspective. She longs to perform on the stage and is determined to get there. Enter her first boyfriend and India finds herself pregnant at 16. She continues the pregnancy and gives her baby girl up for adoption to a single woman who desperately wants a child. Later, in college, India gets pregnant again and gives this baby up for adoption as well, this time to a gay couple who also long to be parents. India eventually makes her name on the stage and adopts two children of her own. When COVID closes the theater business, India agrees to star in a movie about adoption that she later criticizes (much to her agent’s chagrin) for repeating worn stereotypes about adoption trauma. In the meantime, her children (adopted and biological) go on a quest to find each other and their birth fathers and all the chaos ensues! `

As the title suggests, Family, family is about all the beautiful ways families are made and what it means to be a family. The book alternates among the various characters’ perspectives (a structure I love) and Frankl is a master of writing children and capturing everything from the way they think to the rhythms of their speech. Are some of the things that happen in the book unbelievable? Probably so. But the book is so good, I let those things go!

Have you read Family, family? What did you think?

The essence of this is that not everything that makes a family is related to blood. India Allwood faces a media storm when she makes negative comments about her recent movie and it's take on adoption. India had given up two children for adoption while a high school and college student then adopts later when she wishes to become a mother. She could be viewed as selfish for her choices but she sees them as selfless. This novel is full of wonderful characters, especially the children. I find all the children in her books to be wonderful in so many ways and always entertaining - all four in this book make me smile just thinking about them. The children and her writing style and wit will draw me back to her books again and again.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this wonderful novel! Laurie Frankel won me over with This is How it Always Is so I was very excited to read her latest. She has such a way with making you feel like you’re part of the families about which she writes. The character development is always there, there are always lines that just stick with you, and there is always laughter and tears.

An absolutely riveting story told at the height of the quarantine about a successful actress and single mother of two adored children who opens a can of worms when she gives her honest opinions on family planning, abotrion, and teen pregnancy. As the layers are unpeeled and her own stories are exposed we meet more and more characters, mainly loveable, and find how they are all connected to this powerful but fallible woman.

It took awhile for me to get into this story and I struggled some chugging along, but I enjoyed the ending. Several other reviews discussed how this white washed adoption or didn’t address the hardships/what the child goes through - but Frankel explains her why in the “author’s notes” section (better than I could, so go back and read that). 3.5 stars (honestly, the half star is from the authors notes. Go read them).

Family, Family by Laurie Frankel is a complicated, delightful and difficult family story. Told from the past and the present, India Allwood’s life as an exceptional and inspiring mother as her life enfolds in joyous and heartbreaking ways. Adoption is revealed from a wide variety of prospectives with honesty, respect and compassion. This was a 5 plus star book for me and not an easy read but one of the best so far this year. I was excited to read another of her books and was ecstatic over how great it was for me.
5 stars – Pub. Date: 3-23-24
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co. for the eARC and the opportunity to read and review Family, Family by Luarie Frankel.

3.5*
Frankel set out to tell the story of adoption from a positive viewpoint. She felt most stories centered on adopted children who are victims of emotional or even physical trauma. In this book her main character India Allwood is an aspiring actress. She finds herself pregnant as a teen and decides to carry the baby to full term and then give the infant up. In doing so, her dream of becoming an accomplished actress can remain on course.

Years later, India is a major celebrity. She takes an acting role in a movie that portrays adoption in a negative light. When interviewed about the film, she creates a firestorm when she admits she didn’t like the movie’s portrayal of adoption and this results in the media learning how she herself had willingly given up a child.

Adoption and also foster care are often fodder for fictional stories showing the horrors that sometimes occur. My parents were foster parents to many children and it was a loving environment. So I understand the desire to show a favorable portrayal of a situation that is often cast in a negative light. However, I’m not sure this story focused so much on the effect on the children as it did on how India dealt with unwanted pregnancies.

The media frenzy that ensued with India’s revelation brings the children and her role as birth mother into sharp focus. The children in the story bring their own stories to light. Two of them who are not her biological children, are especially endearing. They bring another aspect to this story of adoption. Frankel is skilled with creating strong, interesting characters and they are the strength of the book.

Frankel’s point about what constitutes a family is valid and is appreciated. Furthermore, her effort to shine a positive light on adoption is commendable. Readers are encouraged to read her note at the end where she addresses her own adoption connection and validates her motivation for the novel.

If you liked This is How It Always Is, this is a different but equally touching and thought-provoking meditation on what it means to be family and the many different ways to love people. Frankel's writing is beautiful and lyrical, but accessible and never distracts from the story. The characters are messy and frustrating but also lovable and feel real. A couple of plot elements felt slightly unrealistic, but this is fiction and the message felt true and important.

Laurie Frankel showcases her remarkable talent in crafting poignant narratives. "Family Family" follows the story of a woman on her journey through life as she struggles to become an actor. It's filled my heart with love and peace. The book is filled with complexities and new experiences. From the intricacies of human relationships to the nuances of pursuing one's passions, "Family Family" presents a plethora of themes to explore and observe. This novel is a masterclass in storytelling, as it filled me with emotions and gratitude. Laurie Frankel depicts strong and determined females in the novel.
I would recommend this novel to anyone looking for a rich, emotional narrative.

Family Family was a new perspective on the adoption story. I appreciated the various perspectives employed in telling the story, and I especially liked Fig's narrative style. The book deals with adoption not as a last resort or as something that is inherently traumatic, but rather a conscious and beneficial choice. I also liked the portrayal of the media to try to put someone in a distinct box about their values, and I liked India's strong desire to not be labeled. Overall, there were a few issues I had about believability of a few plot points, but overall it was an enjoyable read of a different type of "family family."

This is probably my new favorite Laurie Frankel book. Family is family, whether you chose it or are born into it. This was a wonderful book about all the different kinds of family and addressed adoption, abortion, freedom of choice, the different kinds of families, all without being judgy, and at one point, India just wallops the crazy people who want to make her a poster child, with the the facts about her family,

I don't think there was a single character I didn't like, child and adult alike. The book makes you feel the whole gamut of emotions. Frustration with India and her fertility, respect for her choices, plus there were certain parts that were downright funny., parts that were sad, parts where I found myself sniffling. I found the dialogue believable and loved how she wrote each character.

I can't wait to add more Laurie Frankel books to my TBR and read them. I will read anything else she writes going forward.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions are mine and freely expressed.

I have mixed feelings on Family Family by Laurie Frankel. Warning: this review is full of spoilers.

My main issue is that part of the time the character's motivations did not seem sincere or realistic. How is it possible that four kids - two of whom are widely known by the public - are not found when they escape a home at night and take four buses for two days straight? They're very young and traveling alone, and it seems as if someone would have stopped them.

Adoption is, for the majority of the novel, pictured as something almost idealistic. None of the children experience trauma related to their adoption, and in my opinion there's a negative light cast on those who do feel that way - the characters often state that this is the only portrayal of adoption we ever see. I don't think that's true. Picturesque adoptions are often portrayed in novels and on news feel good stories.

For the two children that weren't in traumatic situations when they were adopted, I do wish we had seen that they can experience trauma regardless - despite the fact that they love and adore their families. Both of these things can be absolutely true. I'm not an adoptee myself, but it's something I've gathered from adoptees I've listened to. Please don't take my word as law on that, however. I am not the person who should be listened to.

I also wished we'd kept in contact with her college friend instead of the friend coming back at the end - we got hints that they were still close but did not see it.

As for what I liked, the characters were compelling. They each felt different from each other, and I was equally invested in both the past and present point of view. The actual writing was easy to read and follow.

I also loved that we were told that she was going to follow her first love, and her first love was Broadway, instead of Davis as we were lead to believe. That was a character decision I really loved.

The portrayal of fandom was super realistic, especially how fandom can drive up a show to keep going. Hearing little bits of what the fandom was up to for Val Halla made the show feel realistic - I wanted to watch Val Halla the entire time I was reading the book.

As an adoptee, this book takes a really refreshing look at adoption - not only the decision to place your child, but also to adopt your own. Frankel’s author’s note at the end drove home my feelings about this; stories about adoption don’t always have to be stories of resilience drenched in emotion, and this book is a very happy one.

Again I related to aspects of the story a lot from personal experience, and I enjoyed it overall, but I am not quite sure that Frankel’s tone of writing always clicks with me - there’s a quirky/humorous style here that sometimes came across more cringy than funny, making some characters feel a bit cartoonish. nevertheless an important story to tell and I think a lot of readers will enjoy this.

India Allwood is an actress, a mother, an adoptive mother, a birth mother, a girlfriend, a lover, a daughter, a friend. Through the course of her teen to adult life, as we learn in Family, Family, India Allwood has at times everything and at times much less. The one thing India always has is family.

Family, Family, by Laurie Frankel, tells the story of family. Showing, through India and her relationships, all of the beautiful ways families can be created and sustained. I loved the frankness and honesty of this story. The focus on family through many stages of life. I loved that India made mistakes, made choices, and fully lived the highs and lows of each, often occurring simultaneously. This may sound like just a feel-good story, but it's so much more than that. It's a story of love, of acceptance, of seeing the hard choices through the eyes of the decider, but also through the eyes of those impacted by the decisions.

If you love family, adventure, and laughter, all with a little celebrity shine, check out this book!