This is the first book I've read by Laurie Frankel and I loved everything about it so much. I cannot wait to read her other books now!

This is a complex story with some very personal issues about family, adoption, parenting -- all topics that are very sensitive and in my opinion, handled so well.

India is an actress the heart of a media blunder while promoting a movie about adoption. This is a book that I feel like the less you know about it, the better. I loved how the story unfolded, was caught off guard by parts of it -- and so deeply loved each of the characters. I loved India so much - she always had the truest intentions and is someone I would definitely want in my corner.

I loved Fig and Jack as well, and Bex. All so well-written, all so unique and quirky.

The storytelling in this book is so perfect. Not only the characters, but the time shifts and how it all comes together. I loved the end as well.

Patti Murin narrates the audiobook and she was amazing. I want to listen to everything she's read -- she is such a natural!

Highly recommend this book, and if you do listen to the audio, listen to the discussion at the end between author and narrator -- it was fascinating to hear their process and insight. Loved everything about it!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

Family Family by Laurie Frankel is an incredible book about adoption. India Alwood has always wanted to be an actor. She has just starred in a movie about adoption that quite a few people online are not pleased about. Unfortunately, every time India opens her mouth to the press, things get worse. The story is told by alternating between India's current life and her life growing up.
I absolutely loved this book. It kept my interest from the very beginning. THe narrator did a fantastic job especially with the kids voices.

I know this might sound heavy but this book brought me so much joy! I loved every single one of the characters in this "family family" — but especially India. This book is also very of its time — pandemic, fake media, pro-choice, etc. I kind of loved it all, and even more so after reading the Author's Note at the end. Pick this one up for sure!

Patti Murin is fantastic as the narrator!!! Loved the author Q&A after.

This book represented a variety a families/family dynamics. This is so important to me as a former foster parent and an adoptive parent. I want my daughter to be exposed to books/movies/media that represent her type of family, and not just the “traditional”/biological nuclear family. I love that this book exists! This was truly a pleasure to read. I love how the author explained adoption and how it was specified that stories of adoption aren’t necessarily tragedies. This book was well written--organized beautifully with multiple POVs and timelines. The narrator was great!

Family Family is a beautiful story about what family is to each character in the book and an honest discussion regarding motherhood, adoption, and just life in general. I absolutely fell in love with each of the characters: Fig and Jack who keep it real with their innocent curiosity, India with her unstoppable personality, Robbie with his laid-back never wavering support, Bex with the same tenacity as her birth mom and adoptive mom. Along with wonderful character development, this story (with multiple timelines) jumps all over the place only to find that it tied itself into a beautiful bow at the end. I cannot wait to dive into Frankel's backlist!

I think I will need some time to fully process my feelings about this book, but for now, while it’s fresh… I was blown away. I don’t think that will change with time.

This book is FULL of love. I enjoyed every single character and what they all meant to one another, ultimately. Delving into a broad spectrum of family constructs, this book encompasses such a real and raw experience of life and what the meaning of family really means.

India has always wanted one thing… stardom. She has dreamed of becoming an actress since childhood and she set out to make her dream come true. She protects her two adoptive children fiercely from the song and dance of show biz and all it comes with, but when, upon promoting her newest movie about adoption, she announces something pretty shocking. She thinks that the movie is selling a bad idea on adoption. It’s bad… showing only one, tragic side of such an integral part of her life.

India then, has her past dragged through the mud, putting her daughter Fig in a position to feel like she needs to get involved. Her involvement leads to a cataclysm set of events that turn everything upside down, bringing a group of people together in the absolute most soul affirming way.

There is so much to be said about this book, but nothing that wouldn’t spoil it. This says such beautiful things about all types of family, from adoptive to biological and so much in between. The many characters that fill these pages are some really unique and wonderful people who became really important to me. We see hard times, mistakes, reconnections, and so much love! Tears were DEFINITELY shed while reading it and I would recommend this over and over again.

A crazy, messy, complicated FAMILY story about identity, belonging and love featuring India, a young, want to be actress who gets pregnant several times and gives the babies up for adoption and then later adopts twins.

This story was such a great love letter to the fact that there are all kinds of families and ways to be mothers/parents and none are better or worse than any other.

Another excellent book club option, sure to invoke tons of polarizing discussions from the abortion debate to teen pregnancy and slut shaming. India is one of the most complex characters I’ve read in a while and I feel like people might hate her or love her but I was definitely a fan!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review. Highly recommended if you enjoy dramatic family stories or books featuring adoption/adopted families.

First and foremost, thank you so much to Macmillan Audi for the ALC!

One Two Three was one of my top reads last year and ever since I've been eagerly anticipating what Laurie Frankel would put out next. She writes MEMORABLE characters truly better than anyone else I've read. She has such a wonderful way of making these characters seems so unique yet so common, ordinary, and relatable; I don't know how she blends to the two together so perfectly.

These characters were some of the best I've ever read. The banter and writing was also shockingly good. Some authors have an excellent way with words but aren't necessarily a master storyteller. Some authors create the most incredible stories but can't articulate them property. Laurie Frankel does both. It's beautiful and it's rare.

I don't think readers should read the synopsis and I don't think reviewers for this book should really say much about what happens within the pages of this book either. What made it so special was the way that the story unfolded naturally.

All that being said, I don't think this will be the book for every reader. I don' t agree with every choice the characters made. They made me smile, they made me cry, they made me want to take them by the shoulders and shake some sense into them. I think that's the point.

If you have concerns about the content since much of it could be very sensitive to certain audiences, I'd suggest looking up content warnings or DMing me if you have questions!

Family Family will be available for purchase on January 23rd.

I love Laurie Frankel's writing style and the way she addresses sensitive topics with knowledge and empathy. This novel delves into adoption and what makes a family. The characters are brilliant and I adored India and the children's personalities. So many well-written humorous moments in the midst of what could be heavy drama, yet always respecting the feelings that lie underneath the humor. It's a beautiful story and one I can't wait to reread already. I listened to the audiobook narrated by the fabulous Patti Murin and Laurie Frankel and it's amazing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook version of this book. I am in no way affiliated with or compensated in any way for my review. Everything I write is of my own personal thoughts- feelings- and opinions.
This was such an amazing book! I have to be honest the first several chapters had me questioning why I was continuing with it- but WOW it picks up and then its super hard to put down- just one more chapter next thing you know the book is finished!
This book touches on many issues and the author does an amazing job at moving along with such topics that are hard.
The main focus of the book is a teen get pregnant then puts the child up for adoption- then goes on to have an amazing acting career. then one script has her telling her secret- she has given up 3 babies for adoption. She then adopts 2 childeren once she is ready to be a parent.
This is just one of those books you'll need to read/listen to!

Heartwarming novel about the far reaching, valuable effects of adoption for one diverse and unconventional family. Oh my god these characters were insufferable. Lots of manic pixie dream girl energy and everyone was so *quirky*. One character carries torn up paper in her pockets at all time to use as confetti… I rest my case. But I liked the message here and completely understand the need for positive stories with adoption representation.

FAMILY FAMILY is a big-hearted (you guessed it…) family drama that explores the nuances of adoption and the family we choose.

Actress India Allwood finds herself in the midst of a media storm when she asserts her true feelings about her latest movie: its depiction of adoption as tragic is one-dimensional and flat out wrong. India knows firsthand the complexities of family as an adoptive mother to twins and her own layered past.

I just adored the way this story unfolded. Through this rich cast of characters, Laurie Frankel confronts readers with ideas about who and what constitutes a family. As an adoptive mother herself, Frankel has a clear message about the way “unconventional”/non-biological families are perceived by those with “traditional” family structures. Rather than viewing adoption as a last resort to build a family, Frankel explores the various reasons why people choose the path of adoption as their first option.

Patti Murin's narration was fantastic and I enjoyed the author's note narrated by Laurie Frankel. If you love complicated family stories be sure to pick up FAMILY FAMILY.

RATING: 4/5
PUB DATE: January 23, 2024

READ THIS IF:
-Reading about fictional celebrities and musical theater strike a chord
-You appreciate authors who write from personal experience
-You read and enjoyed ANY OTHER FAMILY by Eleanor Brown

This is a very sweet, refreshingly hopeful, take on adoption. The unplanned pregnancy debate is so often framed around abortion vs parenthood in political debate, and while those are probably the two most popular choices, adoption is valid too. I’m glad the author shared an uncommon perspective here and I think this perspective deserves more air (page?) time in general.

This was definitely told in a very cutesy, Hallmark-way, with no messy loose ends and a quite pat ending, but I enjoyed it all the same.

There were a few issues I had with the text:

1. Minor, but India’s reasoning for choosing adoption with her first pregnancy was that her getting into college was completely positive/didn’t hurt anyone, in contrast to win-lose achievements like when other kids were cast in the play and she wasn’t. What? For competitive colleges, among which Juilliard definitely numbers, it’s the same thing - they don’t have infinite seats. The only difference is she was on the win end of the win-lose deal this time. That example needed more thinking through.

2. Her second unwanted pregnancy really made her seem dumb (she secretly didn’t take her BC because her character wouldn’t… while remaining sexually active… without telling her sexual partner, who is biologically male… thus they were effectively ‘trying for a baby’ just years after she gave a child up for adoption, when she still very much doesn’t want a baby… *bangs head against wall*. She learned literally nothing from her first experience, which makes it seem like it was a light, insignificant experience. Adoption can be wonderful, but it cannot be insignificant.

3. Many (like half) of the characters are coded as neurodivergent, but it’s never addressed at all. It felt like the elephant in the room, since this is an issue book but then a major issue is presented and ignored.

Even so, I think this is an important story and I enjoyed it.

Thanks, NetGalley and Henry Holt Publishing, for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I read this book as an ARC, but wanted to listen to it as well as I really enjoyed it and find that listening to some books vs. reading them can be a totally different experience.

The narrator did a really good job with this one, especially portraying our main character India and the complexity of her character and the decisions she makes.

I first discovered this author from Reese’s book club which featured “This is How it Always Is” and then went “One Two Three” which I also very much enjoyed. This book has a similar sentiment to the ones mentioned above which features a strong portrayal of family dynamics. As someone who is adopted, this book was probably the one I connected to the most. There are laugh out loud moments, moments that made me cry, and moments that made me feel something. This book is still something I think about weeks after reading it and will be one I will be recommending when it is released in January 2024.

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