I really like Jennifer Smith Books, but this one was clearly an adult novel. It had one too many tragedies for my liking, but a hopeful ending comforted me as a reader.

Fun for the Whole Family is a tale of four siblings through their trials and tribulations. When we meet them, they have been estranged following an incident that is disclosed late in the novel. Gemma, the eldest is in a happy marriage, but is ambivalent as she goes through IVF with her husband after spending much of her childhood playing mother to her younger siblings in light of their absent father and mother who disappears for months at a time. Connor's marriage has fallen apart, leaving a complicated relationship with his two children. He is a famous writer, having won the national book award for a semi-fictional tale about his family. Roddy is an aging soccer player with knee injuries weighing one last go with a new club or settling into retirement with his soon to be husband. Jude, Roddy's twin is a famous actress who texts her three siblings saying she needs them... in North Dakota. What transpires are secrets revealed (ones that really aren't all that shocking) and sibling drama. I appreciated the complex relationships between the siblings, though I found the ending to be a bit emotionally manipulative. If you enjoy thorny familial relationships in your books, you'll like this one!

Thank you to Ballantine Books via NetGalley for the advance reader copy in exchange for honest review.

After reading and loving The Unsinkable Greta James, I was so excited to see a new novel by Jennifer E. Smith, and Fun for the Whole Family was everything I expected and more! The premise also seemed like it was right up my alley, with a family of siblings that have lost touch and are reunited for a weekend together. I was also intrigued by the fact that the siblings took a road trip every summer with their mother, and that the siblings are each now struggling with life choices. The whole novel revolves around love in all its forms and forgiveness as well. In Ms. Smith's able hands this story moved me to tears and it is one that I will think of often and recommend to everyone I see.

The four siblings were well-defined characters, each very successful in life following very different paths. The mystery of what caused the rift between them was compounded by their obvious bond and devotion, enough that they each drop everything when Jude texts a request for a weekend in North Dakota. I felt each person's struggle with their current circumstances and also how deeply their sibling bond was. The book would be a great choice for a book club, as the characters are grappling with a lot of deeper issues as well as choices that were made in the past.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House-Ballantine for the digital ARC of Fun for the Whole Family by Jennifer E. Smith. The opinions in this review are my own.

Fun for the Whole Family follows four siblings in past and present POVs as they navigate complicated family dynamics after a fallout. I loved having POVs from each sibling and seeing their individual and mutual dramas. The alternating chapter style and hinted "secrets" kept me entertained throughout the entire book, and I found the ending to be the cherry on top to a complex family drama.

I received an ARC from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an e-ARC copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED this story that follows the siblings of the Endicott family. Told over the years in a diary type format, it follows them along with their on again/off again mother, who shows up at the same time every year to take them on a road trip across the US.

As they each face the past - and also some of the present tragedies in their lives - they each realize that they don't know each other as well as they seem...some are harboring secrets, some are not being their true selves, and others who just don't know how to be happy.

This was a lovely story and heartbreaking at times, but I highly recommend to anyone that loves a good family story!

I normally love reading about family conflicts/dynamics but I think there were too many points of views and different timelines which made for a disjointed read. The four siblings had distinct personalities and I liked the banter between them. The writing was solid and poignant but I think there’s stronger novels in this genre that I had more fun reading in the past. Good book but very memorable.

I adored this story of the four Endicott siblings, who were once exceptionally close but have been estranged for several years at the start of the novel. Smith weaves the story back and forward in time, alternating POVS among the siblings, and constructs an engaging novel about the bonds of family. This book does contain one of my big triggers, a narcissistic and immature parent, but I'm glad I pushed past that and was rewarded with a wonderful family story about four remarkable siblings. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for a digital review copy.

The morning I started this, I wanted to take the day off of work and read it through but alas life happens and that's not always possible. I loved The Unsinkable Greta James by this author and this one was a love too. Free advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review a solid 4.75

This book felt like the warmest hug. A beautiful family story with laughs and lessons throughout. I enjoyed the writing and characters, the kind of book that makes you feel good and hopeful about life (which we all need right now)

What a delightful ride! Fun For The Whole Family is a well-written, character-driven novel focusing on four estranged siblings. I enjoyed every one of the multifaceted characters and their backstories. The Academy Award nominee summons her siblings with a cryptic message to a small town in North Dakota. And that's when the real fun begins. I found this book to be enjoyable and thoughtful.

Wow. These are such well-developed, lovely characters. The writing and formatting of the book was exceptionally well done. And wow did I feel that ending.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC.

A wonderful story of the four Endicott siblings and their reunion one snowy weekend after being estranged for 3 years. I loved the character relationships, the flashbacks to their childhood, and the multiple perspectives this book takes. A must read for anyone who enjoys family stories!

4.5 stars! This book isn’t the book I thought I was getting when I saw the cover—it’s better.

I loved reading about the flawed but lovable siblings, the impact their upbringing had on them, and the power of forgiveness.

I so identified with Gemma, who found contentment with the “smaller” life she had compared to her “extraordinary” siblings—and how she showed that a life you love, no matter how ordinary it feels, is pretty extraordinary.

I loved reading about the past events that shaped each sibling and how their perspectives were similar and different. All were flawed, and yet all very lovable as well.

Notable quote:
- “Did it ever occur to you guys that maybe the reason it all seemed fun is because I was there, making sure nothing bad happened? That the reason you all got to grow up to be so fucking extraordinary was because I was the one worrying about all the ordinary things for you?”

This book made me laugh and cry, and I will definitely be reading more from this author!

A character-driven drama that is complex, meaty and sprawling. I loved how the story here hopped back and forth between the various trips that the Endicott siblings took with their mother as well as other notable events from the past to everything unfolding in present day after they have all gathered together in North Dakota. Each of these four characters are well-rounded with interesting perspectives, and Smith does a wonderful job of conveying how strong the bonds between the four of them are, even while they are estranged over a period of time. Although the secrets add a little intrigue to the tale when they are first teased, they are somewhat predictable when eventually revealed and I didn't get emotionally invested in what happened until the very end. However, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed reading this with it successfully communicating the power of both family and forgiveness.

This family has had its share of family conflict and drama. When they are all summoned to meet again, the siblings reluctantly all agree. What follows is a trip of reuniting and reconnecting. This was a good, emotional story that fans will enjoy!

I really really enjoyed this story! The characters all had great depth, honest qualities, issues, and eventually growth. The siblings felt like family and some I could relate to. This was a great heartwarming read!

The four Endicott siblings- Jude, Gemma, Connor and Roddy- used to be close; their connection rooted in their eclectic family upbringing and frequent road trips. But then one trip it all fell apart, bringing a long term estrangement none of them could have anticipated.

Then one day, Jude, now a famous actress, breaks the silence and reaches out, requesting all of them meet up in North Dakota. While they all have their reasons not to go, they each can’t help but to be curious about what a reunion might mean. Putting their judgments aside, they each take the trip.

But time has changed not only the sibling dynamic, but the siblings themselves. There’s Gemma, on the possible precipice of motherhood, Connor, a once acclaimed novelist whose book hit a little too close to home, and Roddy, a washed up soccer player who might lose the love of his life while trying to recapture the glory days. Finally, there’s the enigmatic Jude, whose life, though rather public, is harboring a secret of her own.

As the weekend plays out, the siblings rehash, renounce, and hopefully repair their once strong bond. But the past isn’t the only thing at play as each has their present day demons to tend to as well. Once a family who went wherever the roads would take them, can they finally find the way back to one another?

Fun For The Whole Family is a good read for those who enjoy complicated family dynamics. Ample time is given to each of the four siblings so that the reader understands each one’s past perspective and current predicament. It’s a good mix of humor and heart that really speaks to the sibling bond and the resiliency of familial ties.

✪✪✪✪: the vibes are a little soapy

3.75, rounded up

A fun, almost wholesome read. Smith creates characters that are full portraits of themselves and well-rounded. The way in which she weaves the story of the siblings lives as children, and as adults, is a great way to dole out the story. I think this book does fall victim to the obvious and while the ending is poignant and did bring tears to my eyes, you can see it coming a mile away and it dulls the shine on this story for me a little bit.

Frankie Endicott always knew that her family was extraordinary, she just didn’t stay around long enough to find out just how extraordinary. Following her own dreams, Frankie left her husband and four children, showing up once a year to take them on an incredible adventure road-tripping throughout the states. That is until an accident occurred and she was banned from their lives. With an absentee father as well, Gemma (the oldest) took on the responsibility of raising her younger siblings. Each of the three younger children did end up with extraordinary careers, Connor, a national book award novelist, Roddy, a pro soccer player and Jude (his twin) an actor, but Gemma being the ordinary sibling was the most extraordinary of them all. When the siblings have a falling out, each of them has a tough time without their close knit bond, but none know how to reconnect. Three years later Jude invites each of her siblings to North Dakota for a weekend trip. A trip that she told them was important. Each sibling battles their feelings and each is at a turning point in their lives, but there was no way they weren’t showing up. Jude has some secrets that she needs to get off her chest, but are her siblings ready to hear them or will it sever their relationship permanently? Smith portrays family dynamics perfectly. As the scenes unfold each of the siblings became my favorite at one time or another, but little Rosie (Connor’s daughter) always won! An beautifully written, emotion packed family drama, this story will stay with you long after the last page is turned. Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Quite an emotional sibling drama about 4 adults still affected by their negligent, late mother with her overwhelming influence. Frankie Endicott was a wild child, mother to Gemma, Connor and twins Jude and Roddy. Dad was a workaholic and one day mercurial mom just abandons the family to seek fame and fortune, returning every summer to take the kids on cross-country field trips, trying to “collect” all 50 states. It’s been 20 years since she died and a few years since their remarried dad passed away. It’s also been 3 years since the siblings have been together in person. Remarkably, three of them did reach mom’s elusive dream of being famous and successful — girl twin Jude has just been nominated for an Oscar; boy twin Roddy is a famous, but aging soccer player; and Connor is a best-selling author who wrote an unwelcome roman à clef about mom and their road trips. Gemma, who was her sibs mother figure once mom went “poof,” is a normal marketing executive going through fertility treatments.

Connor’s book shattered their post-childhood bond and only occasional texts now tie them together. But the most extremely famous and wealthy of the group, Jude, has summoned them all to attend a weekend in North Dakota (a state not on their road trip paths), along with Connor’s young kids and Roddy’s fiancé, to reveal some secrets.

This is a brilliant, heartbreaking story about love and family and loss. It’s also engaging and eventually heartwarming (thank goodness for the wisdom of the children). Author Smith has given us an even better book than “The Unsinkable Greta James.” Prepare to shed some tears! 5 stars!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Annie has green eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO February in North Dakota doesn’t see many outdoor plants. At least Mateo was able to get some droopy yellow tulips to Gemma.

Thank you to Random House/Ballantine and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!