when henry asher, a retired gay lawyer, is looking for more fulfillment in his life, his estranged daughter walks back into his life. with her dreams of becoming a star, henry allows her to live in the unit under his home and he navigates the addition of his new daughter as well as new love into his life.

this book was charming and funny and quite progressive for the time it was published. i'm excited i got to listen to an audiobook. i was clever and very entertaining! i'd read more by elinor lipman!

a charming book with a very likeable cast of characters! it‘s full of witty dialogue and i found it very entertaining to listen to (would highly recommend the audiobook, it‘s very well narrated!). my main point of criticism is that the pacing of the plot didn’t always make sense to me and some developments happened way too quickly to be entirely believable. nonetheless, ‘the family man’ is a really enjoyable, light-hearted but also heartwarming novel.

This was a cute book and I liked it more than I thought I would. This was my 1st book by Elinor Lipman but I will definitely be adding her books to my TBR. His ex-wife was a total piece of work!

#TheFamilyMan
#NetGalley

Elinor Lipman's "The Family Man" is a delightful rom-com of a book, in which the newly-retired lawyer Henry Archer's quiet, conservative life is turned upside down when he sends his ex-wife Denise a sympathy card upon the death of the husband she left him for. Denise insists on bursting back into Henry's ordered world, bringing with her a host of financial problems and grievances as well as her bohemian 29-year-old daughter Thalia, who Henry had lost contact with after their divorce, and Todd, who Denise thinks may just be the perfect romantic match for Henry. Mayhem ensues, frothily played out with witty banter against a charming Manhattan backdrop, as Henry, Todd, Thalia, Leif (the actor Thalia is pretending to date in a PR stunt) Denise, Todd's widowed mom and a rescue greyhound named Albert Einstein flout convention to create their own quirky kind of family. I listened to the audiobook of this title and thought George Newburn's narration was pitch perfect for the story--I thoroughly enjoyed every moment I spent with him in Henry's world.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Dreamscape Media for providing me with an audio ARC of this title in return for my honest review.

I reluctantly finished this book hoping it would get better it did not. It was a lot of dialogue that really didnt going anywhere. The characters were nothing to write home about. I did love the cover. & the Narrator did a great job.

This was a delight! Though explaining the concept is a bit convoluted, it was really sweet and I smiled multiple times while listening - and also laughed out loud a few times during Todd's coming out scene. I really enjoyed seeing a fake dating story from the perspective of the father of the character doing the fake dating.

The narrator's voice also brought a lot of charm to this, and suited Henry perfectly.

My only problems with the book were the use of some slurs that were more in use back when this book was first published - G**** Cab and "I can sell ice to an E*****" being two lines that gave me jump scares.

I read this one several years ago and it was the novel that made me an Elinor Lipman fan. It's a fun, happy and light read that I often recommend in my Facebook book groups when others are looking for something that will make them smile!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐½ (3.5 stars)

As a devoted romance book enthusiast, I stumbled upon Elinor Lipman's "The Family Man" during its audiobook release. Originally published in 2009, the narrative style may carry a vintage charm, but its relevance is intact for those who appreciate a good family-centric story.

This novel presents itself as a sitcom-like tale, brimming with humor and quirky characters. However, a word of caution: despite its misleading categorization as a romance, "The Family Man" is more about the intricacies of a father-daughter relationship than romantic entanglements. So, if you're seeking spicy romantic escapades, this might not be the right pick.

The protagonist, Henry Asher, a retired lawyer navigating life post-divorce and post-coming out, takes center stage. The plot takes an unexpected turn when his long-lost stepdaughter, Thalia, enters the scene. As she immerses herself in a faux romance with a struggling actor, Henry finds his own love interest, setting the stage for a delightful cast of characters and plenty of laughs.

While the story is certainly amusing, it lacks the depth that one might crave in a romance novel. The characters and their situations, though interesting, didn't evoke strong emotions. Despite this, the narrative's charm compelled me to see it through to the end, eager to discover where Lipman would lead her audience.

"The Family Man" is a recommendation for readers who enjoy tales of awkward family dynamics laced with genuine care. The characters, despite their quirks, form a bond that is endearing. The book delivers some laugh-out-loud moments and prompts a few headshakes at the characters' antics.

Opting for the audiobook version, I found George Newbern's narration to be solid, though not groundbreaking. The predominantly male point of view is well-captured, with distinct character voices during dialogues. However, the narrator falls short of fully embodying the emotional nuances of the characters.

In conclusion, "The Family Man" is a pleasant diversion for those in the mood for light-hearted family drama with a generous dose of humor. While it may not be a genre-defining romance, it offers an entertaining exploration of relationships and the laughter that accompanies life's twists and turns.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ALC copy of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Elinor Liipman and Dreamscape Media for gifting me an ALC of The Family Man. In exchange for this early review copy I am offering my honest opinion.

This audiobook is a re- release of a previously published 2009 novel, yet it ‘s still fresh, current and utterly charming. Initially I wasn’t connecting to Henry Archer, the once family man but when he reconnects with Thalia, his step-daughter from a previous marriage the story really comes together. This book has a quirky cast of characters, is set in my favorite city ( NYC) and has a perfect blend of humor and heart. It’s lighthearted and sweet and a really delightful (audio)book to curl up with.

Oh my gosh, what a treat! Elinor Lipman's The Family Man is so great, it makes me want to go back to all my five star reviews and lower them by a half star to really do this one justice!

Clever, funny, witty, and wholly unique - I can't even begin to express how much I enjoyed The Family Man. What interesting characters, and unusual relationships. Plus (as a New Yorker) I'm always entertained by books set in my City. And Elinor Lipman completely captures the vibe of this time period.

George Newbern delivers a flawless performance in the audio version of The Family Man. I really like his narratorial style, and it lends itself so well to the tone of this story.

I'm rounding this up from 3.5. I enjoyed the narration for this audiobook but I really struggled with the story. I had to come back to it a few times in order to finish it.

4.5 stars rounded up.
A delightful, cozy, funny story about finding a family in the second half of life through unconventional circumstances.

I'm not sure how to categorize this book, but I found it interesting and amusing. As I listened to it, I kept thinking that it was sort of a sitcom story. Interesting, made me chuckle or laugh, but I didn't feel deeply about the characters or the situations that they found themselves in. Still, I very much wanted to read to the end to see where the author would take me.

I recommend this book for someone who wants to enjoy a book about awkward family situations, but where the characters do care about each other. There are a few laugh out loud situations in the book and a few head shakes at other situations.

I listened to the audio version of the book and found the narrator to be excellent.

An engaging and entertaining slice of life. A recommended audio purchase for collections where the Lipman is popular.

Okay this was a really weird experience for me because I really love Eleanor Lipman. I just finished listening to the audiobook of My Latest Grievance on here, after having read the book a couple years ago.

I was once again captivated by her writing and characterizations and her magical ability to craft witty and clever dialogue that still somehow feels completely natural and organic. She always has funny and snarky and well-thought out plots that sneak in clever life lessons and philosophical tidbits where you least expect them. So when I saw that there was an audiobook version of The Family Man available for review, I jumped on it. I've been in a little bit of a reading rut and was really looking forward to falling into something that I knew I would enjoy. Unfortunately, this appears to be the one of her books that I don't like...

To begin with, I must confess that I did not enjoy the narrator. I felt like he made each character into a caricature of their primary characteristic, overselling the voices just a little in a way that made them feel overdone. The protagonist was so affable as to be completely generic. Thalia had a bizarre overly dramatic tinge to her accent that did not at all mesh with the generally bland words coming out of her mouth. The ex-wife was over-the-top vain and money-obsessed and ridiculous. And the whole plot just felt forced. John Henry was married to the woman for 10 minutes. He was The Stepfather for 10 minutes. 25 years later, I do not understand why he would feel this tremendous guilt and obligation to a girl he barely knew and a marriage that barely lasted, particularly given that he doesn't really like his ex-wife.

I didn't find myself connecting to any of the characters this time around, which is highly unusual with Lipman's writing. And I just felt like the plot was plodding along and not taking me anywhere. I wasn't even able to finish,
which has never happened with one of her books before This one was a miss for me...

Lipman has an incredible talent for crafting realistic characters and authentic dialogue.

Set in NYC, the story revolves around an older gay man who reconnects with his ex-wife and stepdaughter. That’s all I can say of the plot, as that’s about all there is - this one is very light on plot, even by Lipman standards.

What I liked: the characters are so real and I love that it’s set in NYC. The dialogue is among the most delightfully believable dialogue I’ve read recently.

What didn’t work for me: this really is a book about nothing. I don’t mind a light plot, but this was *really* pushing it. If there’s going to be minimal plot, then I need to really care about the characters. While these characters were fully rendered, not a single one was likable to me:

There’s the gold digging ex-wife, who’s too vain and self obsessed.

There’s the protagonist, who’s made so likable he’s not. He feels guilty over abandoning his stepdaughter when he was only ever her stepdad for like two minutes and then she immediately got a new, rich stepdad who adopted her. What is there to feel guilty about? The story would have been much more interesting if she had been his actual daughter and he’d abandoned her, but I suppose that would have been too controversial…?

There’s the adult stepdaughter, a whimsical, failed actress in her late-twenties. She has a trust fund to fall back on, but never fear - thanks to all her rich girl connections she also manages to fail her way to the top of an adjacent career. Phew, I’m glad a white woman got a turn, usually it’s just white men who get to fail their way into enviable positions.🤦🏽‍♀️

Fans of sitcoms will likely enjoy this one. If it was a near-miss for you, I recommend ‘My Latest Grievance’ (the same lovely character work with a touch more plot).

Thanks, NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.