Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy of FAMILY FAMILY.
FAMILY FAMILY by Laurie Frankel offers a compelling exploration of the complexities surrounding adoption within a family dynamic. As a huge fan of Frankel's previous novels, I was so excited for this latest book. While her adept storytelling skills are evident in the rich character building and their interconnected narratives, I found the overarching message about adoption to be somewhat heavy-handed at times. Frankel's insistence on challenging common misconceptions surrounding adoption is commendable, yet occasionally overt. While FAMILY FAMILY still upholds Frankel's reputation for crafting poignant narratives, I must confess a lingering affection for her previous title, ONE TWO THREE, which still holds the top spot in my heart.

I wanted to love this book so much. When I requested to read the book it was soley on the premise of the book. Personally I hadnt read a book on adoption and was excited to read it. Unfortunately I disliked this book. It was slow and boring. I felt like a chore to read this book and I hate that because I read for enjoyement.

Loved this novel! The author interweaves timelines, so we are piecing together the story as we go along. I found this very intriguing and interesting. Delightful characters and a very clear message about adoption.

4.5 stars
A story about non-traditional families and the big decisions in life that will make you feel all the emotions | Loved the depth of character building, especially the complexity of the main character | The duality of timelines works perfectly for the story-telling | Laurie Frankel’s writing style always hits the mark for me

Thank you to Laurie Frankel, Henry Holt & Company and Netgalley for providing this ARC.

This review is posted on Goodreads and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/C3ODz9Dv5H0/

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

All of the characters in this novel will stay on my mind. I did find the back and forth of time periods and points of view confusing at first, but it all made sense quickly. Also, make sure to read the Author’s Note at the end.

“Not all adoption stories are about pain and regret”. I didn’t need to read any further into the description of the book to know that this was a book that I wanted to read. I knew it was going to be good. This story and the characters took me through all of the emotions. I laughed, I cried and I even got angry. I really did not want to put this one down, page after page, chapter after chapter I was hooked and wanted to hear every bit of India and her family’s story. One of my favorite quotes from the book is “More is more. Family doesn’t take away from family. Family begets family. That’s how family works.”

This was my first time reading a Laurie Frankel book but it won’t be my last. I really enjoyed her writing. Family, Family is definitely worth reading.

Another Her families are always complicated and real and this one was no exception. Great author. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. great story!

"Family Family" by Laurie Frankel is a novel that addresses adoption with a fresh and optimistic lens, diverging from the commonly held views of adoption as a last resort filled with challenges. Through the character of India Allwood, an actress disillusioned with her latest film's portrayal of adoption as tragic, Frankel navigates the complexities of adoption, offering a narrative that’s both uplifting and compelling.

"Family Family" not only presents a nuanced take on adoption but also introduces characters that are endearing and relatable, complemented by a plot brimming with surprises and moments of genuine humor and empathy. Frankel's insightful author's notes at the book's conclusion further enrich the reading experience.

The book explores various significant themes such as making life choices, the nuances of adoption, the journey of single parenting, and the quest to balance a demanding career with familial responsibilities. Frankel's narrative also courageously tackles standing up for one's convictions and the pursuit of dreams, making "Family Family" a remarkable and thought-provoking read.

Gosh, I just really enjoy everything Laurie Frankel writes! She takes topics that are possibly controversial and makes beautiful stories with lovable characters out of them. This time she writes about adoption. This is written by an adoptive parent from the prospective of an adoptive mom, so I realize it may be more of a glorified take on adoption than had it been written by an adoptee. I still really enjoyed this take and it was a fun look at nontraditional families.

Family Family was an interesting read with its diverse depictions of different family dynamics. However, I found it a tad too PG and saccharine for my taste. While the themes were heartwarming, the execution felt a bit contrived at times. Nonetheless, if you're in the mood for a feel-good, family-friendly book, this might just hit the spot.

This book was amazing! I've loved all of Frankel's books, but this is my new favorite. It was like a love letter to families and all of the different beautiful ways in which they can be made. I loved how the story of India's life was told in present time and flashbacks and how the story was also told from the perspectives of many of the different characters. Frankel addresses the issues of adoption and abortion with such care. In addition to being beautiful, this book was also unputdownable for me. I couldn't wait to see what happened next (and also previously) with India's family.

“There was no workshopping with parenting. You said the wrong thing, and you couldn’t go back and give a different read, say it again smiling instead of glowering, gently instead of shouting, with a deep breath before delivery. You had to live with your first read even though it was appalling. There was no rehearsal, either. You were live onstage from the moment you got the part. “

This was just one of many passages I marked in Laurie Frankel’s beautiful novel FAMILY FAMILY. This will absolutely be one of my favorite books this year and beyond.

What it’s about…India Allwood has wanted to be an actress her entire life. From high school theater to Broadway and finally Hollywood, India achieves this dream. When her latest movie is criticized for its portrayal of adoption, India does the unexpected (and unacceptable) announcing it’s a bad movie. Her comments set off a media firestorm and series of events no one could have ever predicted.

I loved every single character in this book. It’s a story about families in all forms and the one thing they all have in common…families are complicated.

FAMILY FAMILY was the best kind of book to me. One that I could not stop reading but also was so good I wanted to slow down to make it last.

Please move this to the top of your TBR, I promise it will be worth it.

Thank you Netgalley, Henry Holt & Co and Laurie Frankel for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5- I absolutely adored Laurie Frankel's One Two Three, so I was very excited when I received a copy of Family Family from NetGalley. Family fictions are often my favorite genre. The story really captured me right away and I did love so many themes throughout the book - most impactful being adoption. Unfortunately as the book went on I felt too many different stories were going on and I wasn't as invested as I was in the beginning..That being said, I am glad I kept with it and look forward to future books from Laurie Frankel.

I was dedicated to diving into this book and it becoming one I could eagerly recommend but for me it just fell flat.

The premise of the book in which adoption is so lovingly referred to could’ve been a unique opportunity to really spin a love story of a bond of blood and a bond of heart but instead seemed to go in circles. At least that’s how I felt reading.

I didn’t fall in love with the characters as one does when a book captivates you. There were aspects of the book that seemed repetitive and for lack of a better word, unblended.

This is my first read from this author and I’m positive that there are other books by her that I will love. This just wasn’t one of them.

Laurie Frankel once again asks her reader to qualify what it means to be a family with her unique sense of style, with and intelligence. Enter India Allwood, an actress of uncommon talent and more common fame, who is a single mother to adopted twins Fig and Jack. India is best known for portraying Val Halla, a television super hero, but has recently ventured into. the film Flower Child turns out to be a tone-deaf look at adoption which quickly garners numerous criticisms on social media. The situation escalates when India decides to respond with her own opinion creating a viral response which threatens her "cancellation". It turns out that prior to adopting Fig and Jack, India has twice "placed" children for adoption; once in high school and again her senior year in college. Birth control is apparently not India's strong suit! This twice repeated error in judgement is at first a wrinkle that is hard to accept, but as the story unfolds, Frankel weaves the stories of the biological fathers, the adopted children and their families together to create a vivid portrayal of what it means to be family and who has the right to claim that role. A lovingly told tale of identity and belonging, of acceptance and forgiveness, and what it means when you are Family Family.

I adored Laurie Frankel’s last book so I was excited but also nervous to read her new book, sometimes repeat performances disappoint. But oh how I loved this book. I loved it so much.
The dialogue! The banter! The characters! It’s all so good, and such a relief to just let go and put yourself in this authors safe and capable hands and go along for ride. I haven’t read a book this joyful and loving and delightful and thoughtful and full of so many people I was so crazy about in a very long time. So fun and also sad and also wonderful.

I wanted to love this book as much as I loved This is How It Always Is. Sadly, I did not even like Family Family much. It felt disjointed and extremely implausible... in every aspect.

The premise of the story is that 16 year old India Allwood gets pregnant her senior year of high school and she ... of her own volition ... chooses to release that child for adoption. She picks "the perfect mom" for this baby and then heads off to college... where, in her senior year of college, she finds herself in the same predicament... pregnant. She again picks the "perfect parents" for this baby and begins her career in acting.

She is cast in the part of a person who has given a child up for adoption and has not had a successful life, but one that is filled with doubts, depression, and substance abuse... which India finds ludicrous (because, for her it was not that way ... ever.)

This begins the downward spiral of the book for me. India has adopted two children (fraternal twins) who, though young, are internet savvy. They find the first child India released for adoption and what follows is the most inconceivable portion of the story.

India finds herself reunited with Baby Daddy #1 and #2, and she never once asks them about how they dealt with the release of their children... if she had, she might have discovered that the part she was playing was closer to the truth.

This was a 2.5 star book for me, rounded up to three.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Henry Holt and Co. for the digital copy of this book. It was published January 23, 2024.

I am always going to be excited for a new Laurie Frankel book — she writes about tough topics with (what seems like) ease, and creates characters that stay with me for a long time. Family Family tackles adoption, something she has experience with as an adoptive mom, and what “family” really means. I loved the focus on India, and the peeks into what other characters were thinking (but I will say that Jack’s commentary about his birth mother and the model minority myth struck me as out of place and a little …off). The book was imbued with so much love and the story kept me wanting to keep reading until I closed it with a happy sigh.

Family Family by Laurie Frankel
🌟🌟🌟💫 (3.5 stars)
Favorite Quotes:
🎭 “They were entangled like fibers woven into threads spun into yarn knit into patches bound into quilts worn into heirlooms, something to pass down, to pass on, to inherit.”
🎭 “Families come in all kinds, varied as leaves.”
🎭 “There was sorrow and heartache and loss. But there was also joy and solace and wonder.”

SYNOPSIS: India Allwood is a TV and movie star that has just caused quite the media storm after sharing her own opinion on the film she is starring in. She believes that the film was just another portrayal of adoption as a negative trauma for all involved. Using dual timelines, it is slowly revealed to the reader that adoption has been a huge part of India’s life, a secret that has been kept from the public and her adoring fans. Everything becomes chaos in her life as she, her agent, her children, and the network she works for all try to clean up the mess she created.

MY THOUGHTS: Overall, I enjoyed this book, but I’m not sure that I would recommend it to just anyone.

Throughout the book there were opinions about adoption, abortion, and the choices a woman/couple makes when faced with an unplanned pregnancy. When speaking about family dynamics and adoption the author leans heavily on her own opinions and experiences with adoption. I do believe that adoption is a wonderful choice and I have personally seen in my own family how incredible (albeit sometimes challenging) it can be.

I did appreciate the fact that the main message of this book is that we should be hearing the positive aspects of adoption and normalizing it as a choice versus a last resort. I also know that family is complex no matter how your family was formed. Everybody has their own challenges whether you come from your parents biologically or not. In most of the book I was open to hearing the different sides and perspectives. After all, that’s part of why I read books! In the end, this book got extremely preachy and didactic, therefore decreasing its likability.

It was also about 100 pages too long, in my opinion. There were a cast of characters that were not all thought through and ended up being more like stereotypes than relatable people. I really wanted to like this book more than I did.

Having not read any of Laurie Frankel’s books, her style was a complete surprise to me. Thankfully, she’s a skilled writer, and the plot was quite engaging. I found it so interesting that the fictional character was held to impossible standards, like many women, for simply making choices that were the best for her at the time. The story is told through flashback and current day in 3rd person. I didn’t find either of those characteristics to be distracting. I enjoyed the book, but it took me a little longer than I’d like to wade through the middle section, and I will say that I didn’t see the resolution playing out the way that it did. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.