Thanks to NetGalley, Henry Holt and Co, and Laurie Frankel for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I love a family drama with lovable, precocious kids. I also found the section about first love(s) to be particularly moving - Frankel is really wonderful at capturing complex interpersonal relationships. I will continue to read and recommend anything and everything she writes!

Laurie Frankel has a gift for creating non-conventional families that her readers will root for and fall in love with. This novel is a beautiful story about adoption but not in the way our society usually considers adoption... as a last resort. Rather, this book portrays adoption as a first choice. As always, Frankel does not shy away from important topics. She opens our eyes to new ways of looking at things we thought we understood, and she does that with wit and humor.

Thank you NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for allowing me early access to the ARC audiobook edition of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

What is a family? Is it only those people who are linked to you by genetic DNA? Is it the people you live with and raised you? Or is it your chosen family, who accept you when your first family did not? There’s no right answer and that is what this book tells beautifully. Adoption is at the core of this story. Adoption is often represented as a thing full of secrets or as some saving grace for some “unlucky” or abused child. As a sibling of an adopted child I can tell you it’s vastly more complex. I can never speak for my brother’s experiences but I can unequivocally say that he is my family. I won’t say more about this book because I think it needs to reveal itself but I think it’s a powerful, and at times absurdly silly way of shifting the dialogue on adoption and family.

I really enjoy Ms. Frankel's writing. She has an amazing way of bringing realism and every day into her stories. Her characters could be your neighbor down the street, or your best friend's family, but at the same time, they're special and unique individuals. She also does a fantastic job of taking a societal issue and stripping away the bias and politics, and just laying it out there for what it is.

The book did a great job of alternating between timelines, with smooth transitions that allowed the story to progress in a natural way. The writing was clear and unpretentious - I have issues with books that use big words and long, detailed sentences in order to make the story (and author) seem more inflated than it really is. This was much more like someone tell their story in a more familiar or conversational way.

The characters in Family Family were a bit hit and miss for me. I loved early India from the flashbacks when she was in high school and college. Present day India was a bit more difficult for me to connect with. Fig and Jack were simply amazing - their humor and perspective on life just lit the storyline up. I would have more depth to Robbie and Davis' stories, to understand their path through life like we learned about India's.

I read a few reviews that felt the book glossed over some of the more negative aspects of adoption. I don’t believe that the author meant to do this, but rather this was one perspective of adoption that turned out well for all parties involved. I highly recommend that you read the author's notes at the end of the book; it adds some closure to the story and really completes the circle of things. Highly recommend!

𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 4/5⭐️⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
𝗪𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝: One thing I can always count on when picking up a Laurie Frankel novel is the absolute care and consideration that she puts behind the social issues she addresses. Her talent lies in encouraging the reader to challenge the traditional perspective of these issues, and I always enjoy her deeply human point of view.

In Family Family, Frankel addresses adoption and challenges the media’s portrayal of so many stereotypes: that it’s all sunshine and rainbows; that it’s all trauma; that it’s a last resort. Tapping into her own experience as the foundation of her intrigue, this book addressed so many different layers of adoption and turns all those generalizations on their heads. The book does a wonderful job of not only showcasing how families are built, but how they shift over time.

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞: Frankel includes some surprising twists, and there are some plot points that will require you to suspend disbelief.

My main pause with the book is harder to define, as it’s just that there was that missing element of desire to pick it up. It felt a bit long at times, and I didn’t find myself reaching for it. But overall it was still a very necessary, very unique book that I’m glad I read.

Family Family by Laurie Frankel is another delightful look into family dynamics, our relationships with our blood and chosen family, and unconditional love. This book specifically explores adoption and the relationships that adoption creates within families. This book read as a puzzle that was slowly being put together piece by piece.

I enjoyed the story and the writing, the authors note is a nice layer of context for why this story was personal to the author, which clearly elevated this story. Overall, another fantastic read from Laurie Frankel.

Thank you to the NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co for the ARC - Family Family is out now!

Classic theatre actress India Allwood - instantly recognizable after adding the lead in a highly a successful tv series to her name records a pandemic project that she is not to thrilled about - an adoption story full of tragic loss and drugs. This portrayal of adoption does not reflect India‘s lived experience neither does it she supposes that of a big number of adoption cases. When she voices this opinion in a maybe less than ideal way while doing promotion for the movie her comments go viral and she finds herself in the center of a media shitstorm. Since adoption has played into quite a few key moments in India‘s life there are quite a few interested parties aside the usual paparazzi (or „smears“ as India‘s 10-year old twins call them). The twins Fig and Jack were my very favorites among so many lovely characters since they were precocious but so well captured for 10 year olds and their worldview.
If you enjoy quirky, unforgettable character driven stories with family and found family drama, this may be just the kind of story for you as well. It is a fabulous story about family, belonging, adoption, quite obviously, but also friendship and love. It is a beautiful multi-layered and multifaceted story that I devoured and highly recommend - Laurie Frankel is a brilliant writer and I loved this one just as I loved This Is How It Always Is and One Two Three.
This is a beautifully told story !

What more could you want? The character development was done so well, the story flows and I just devoured this book. Would totally recommend to everyone that I talk books with!

I really enjoyed this story of family in all of its forms. It was smart, funny, and got the kids exactly right. I found India to be both fascinating and irritating in turns, but she was so well written and true to her character. Nothing about her surprised me (the author trusted her reader), and I really appreciated that. Laurie Frankel writes complicated families so, so well and with so much care. Would SO love to host her at our store!

Family Family by Laurie Frankel had such an unusual feel to me. Themes include teen pregnancy, adoption, and childhood trauma, but it isn’t sad or even serious. Everything almost feels like a joke.
Her main character, India Allwood, is bright, determined, creative, and goes after what she wants. She makes mistakes but makes the best of tough situations too.
All the characters seemed weird, too quirky, and bit unreal. The lighthearted feel the characters and the writing had seemed too bright, too glossy, too fake like Hollywood where India lives with her adopted kids. I like that India won't paint herself as a victim, but she also doesn't seem to think her poor choices are worth learning from. And I gritted my teeth at her confetti throwing.
At the end some things come to the surface and are dealt with, but everything wraps up a bit too perfectly. It's almost as if the book was written from a kid's perspective, except it wasn't.

I really wanted to love this one. It was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. And there was a lot to like, but it didn’t quite capture me like her other books, This is How it Always Is and One Two Three. The middle dragged quite a bit, which kept me from picking it up (it could have been about 100 pages shorter). I still think it’s worth reading because Frankel shares a perspective on adoption that isn’t often portrayed. If you read this one, I’d love to know what you think.

“I think families are like flashlights,“ Fig said. “It’s good to have extra because sometimes they break and you don’t want to wait until you need a new one to find out.”

Unlike other kids, India Allwood always knew what she wanted to be when she grew up -an actress. Knowing she wasn’t the best looking, nor was she an undeniable triple threat, she still knew she had something most did not- the tenacity to make her dream come true, and so, make it true she did.

Then one day, years after becoming a household name, India’s secret inadvertently gets out. While in college, her life took an unexpected turn and India wound up pregnant. Seeing how an unplanned pregnancy could have derailed her plans, India took the same laser focus she used to make her acting career flourish when it was time to find her unborn baby its perfect parent.

When the news breaks that India has a child she gave up for adoption, all eyes are on India- but not in the way the successful actress has grown accustomed to. This is especially true given that she leads a pretty private life outside of her day job, emphatically protecting the privacy of India’s two adopted children, a decision she came to many years after being on the other side of adoption.

But just when everyone is getting used to India having another child out there somewhere, it surfaces that India actually gave up a second child for adoption a few years later. As the melodrama of India’s past connects with the messiness of her present one thing becomes abundantly clear- family is who, and what, you make it.

Family Family is a unique take on the found family trope, and one that unapologetically explores the world of adoption through a different perspective. India’s lack of lamenting over the decision to give her children away, only to turn around and ultimately adopt herself will be deemed controversial by some. But when this story isn’t being quirky in its approach, it’s sending a message that adoption can be a positive experience. Just like everything else though, it’s all in how you look at it to begin with.

I was initially drawn to this title because I love adoption novels. I really liked the setting and characters but I wasn’t a fan of the writing style. This is a very well-written book. But the prose comes across very cutesy at times and I have a hard time connecting with that style of writing. Without providing any spoilers, the twist felt cheap and added on, I think that this had potential for me, but ultimately lacked in execution. Thank you to Henry Holt for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Henry Holt for an arc of Family Family by Laurie Frankel. I love how Laurie takes a not talked about enough topic and makes a great story of it. In this book, the main character, India, is a movie star who starred in a movie about adoption and many critics came out saying what did she know about the hardships and such. However, she gave up two babies for adoption in her younger years and it was the best decision for the baby, her, and the new family. This book explores what family means and how it can be extended and beautiful, beyond the confines of 2 parents and a child. Laurie Frankel is one of my must buy authors. This is How It Always is my favorite of hers, but this is a very close second. - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book came out in January. Please run to the bookstore or library and get this book. Happy reading!

Laurie Frankel always gives us stories full of complex & complicated interpersonal & family dynamics. And that’s especially true with “Family Family”! India is a force of nature and so are her children. This is a great selection for your book club groups- lots to talk about.

This is a charming and clever book about family and adoption.

India is an actress and her new movie is about adoption. She finds herself in a media frenzy when she gives her own opinions on the subject, a topic that she has firsthand knowledge of. We then follow India and her own experiences through the years as a teenager, a college student and a rising actor.

I found the story very thought provoking and I feel like this would make the perfect book club book. I adored India’s children and how they all came to together to support India. I loved that it shed some light on (both sides) of adoption, and the theme that families aren't just biological. My only complaint was that I felt like it was a little too long.

This novel was so interesting and raw. I loved the concept and the bio-ethics / societal questions the subject matter raises and felt Laurie Frankel deftly dealt with them. A great discussion piece for book club for SURE, especially for folks who are considering or have children as well as those who don't.

Thank you to Net Galley, Henry Holt and Co., and Laurie Frankel for the opportunity to read and review Family Family.
This is a great story about the delicate topic of adoption told with humor and intense seriousness. The characters are well developed and the storyline was cleverly written and kept me coming back for more.
We all hear stories of adoption but I didn't think about how everyone involved in adoption has a unique story with layers of hidden thoughts and feelings. I didn't realize how many people are affected by the adoption process. The dynamics of the family are changed for generations.
I enjoyed the kids' perspectives of what adoption means to them. So many highs and lows and lots of in-betweens.
It is a difficult discussion to have because there are no right or wrong answers-its all in the moment.
My favorite parts were the humorous, light-hearted ones. I loved the children's misuse of vocabulary words-so close yet so far away! Also the use of index card was close to my heart-I still use these to help be organized and why not tear them up to use as confetti.
I did have trouble at the beginning of the story with the nonlinear timeline. It felt choppy at the beginning but I quickly adjusted my pace to understand each time frame.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it.

This book presents a refreshing outlook on adoption, challenging the stigma often associated with it. Laurie Frankel skillfully weaves a narrative centered around India Allwood, a character whose unplanned comments spark a media storm, putting her career in jeopardy. Through India's journey, Frankel sheds light on the misconceptions surrounding adoption, portraying it as a positive and uplifting experience. The characters are believable and likable, with unexpected twists that kept me engaged.

I found the length a bit excessive. I was ready for it to end about halfway through. The narration was excellent. There are vibrant voices with enough variation to differentiate the characters, and the narrator was easy to follow, even when sped up.

I give this 3.5 stars. It's not quite 4 stars for me.

Thank you to Henry Holt and Co., Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for advanced access to this audiobook.

This was a beautiful, if imperfect, story exploring adoption and, more broadly, the different ways families are forged. Compulsively readable, this book seamlessly floated between perspectives and managed an increasingly large and dynamic cast of characters very well. As a reader, I felt forced to engage with the ways I typically think about adoption and stories of adoption, which means that at least for me, this book accomplished exactly what it sought to accomplish.

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for the ARC!