Thank you Netgalley & Ballantine Books for an eARC ❤️


"Fun for the Whole Family" is the kind of book that sneaks up on you.💔At first, it feels like a witty, breezy story about four estranged siblings reuniting—complete with banter, old grudges, and that special brand of family awkwardness we all know too well. But then, somewhere between Jude’s cryptic texts and Connor’s midlife crisis, it hits you right in the feels. 🥺By the end, you’re emotionally invested in these messed-up, loveable Endicotts like they’re your own dysfunctional relatives.
❤️
The best part? It’s *real*. Nobody’s perfect here. Gemma’s over being the responsible one, Roddy’s risking his relationship for one last shot at glory, and Jude—well, Jude’s got secrets that’ll make your jaw drop. And the flashbacks to their chaotic childhood, dragged around the country by their flaky but magnetic mom? Absolute gold. You totally get why they’re all a little broken and why they still can’t quit each other.
The writing’s sharp and funny, but it also knows exactly when to tug at your heartstrings. I laughed, I got way too emotionally involved, and I *definitely* side-eyed my own siblings afterward (love you guys… but we should talk). My only complaint? I needed *more*—especially about Roddy’s choices and what the heck was really going on with their mom. But maybe that’s the point—families don’t wrap up neatly, and neither do the best stories about them.
If you’ve ever fought with a sibling, questioned your life choices, or just love a book that feels like a long, cathartic conversation with a friend, this one’s for you. It’s got heart, humor, and just enough drama to keep you hooked. ♥️

Ballantine eARC
Oh my heart. I just adored this book of adult siblings reconnecting after being estranged for three years. Told from all four of their POVs and childhood memories, she created such complex and real characters here. I could relate to Gemma’s oldest daughter parentification so much. I had so much empathy for all of them because there was so much going on here. This book was tender and vulnerable. It was thought provoking and heart warming. I love this author’s writing and will continue to read her.

Fun for the Whole Family by Jennifer E Smith was a different book for me to choose. I have mixed feelings about books with too much family drama and secrets. I do want to read them, but sometimes the secrets get to me, especially when they prevent people from forming lasting relationships, yet I want to read them. This was my ambiguity with Fun for the Whole Family.

The novel focuses on the four Endicott siblings Gemma, Connor, Roddy, and Jude. Although in reality their mother is another main character although deceased. Their mother took off and left the four children to be raised by their father, who was also absent a lot of the time. Gemma pretty much raised the younger siblings. Connor, Roddy and Jude are all rather famous for various reasons (writer, soccer player, actress). Instead the mother shows up once a year and brings them all on a road trip.

At Jude’s request (pleading) all the siblings agree to meet in a small town in North Dakota for a reunion. A lot of information, old disagreements, and secrets are shared. The siblings in their own disjointed fashion share information which leads to other revelations.

Fun for the Whole Family by Jennifer E Smith with the various voices and viewpoints was a good read.

Oh my heart! I loved this book. I loved the story line, I loved the characters, the fall out and reconciliation. I am a sucker for a good family drama, and this is a GOOD family drama. It is the story of four siblings left to raise themselves. They all become successful following their dreams, but it all isn't as its cracked up to be since they can't share it with each other. It takes the effort of the youngest to bring them all back together after years of estrangement. The book shows admiration, resilience, respect, self-growth, and mostly love. Though I called this a family drama- it's a drama in the simplest sense of the word. There is nothing that gets your hackles up, all characters are likable. Even the sub-characters are strong and you want to know more. The story is told in such a way you know everyone, both past and future. Well done. Joy and tears with this one. Should be a hit of the summer!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the preview copy, and the pure joy of this journey. Can't wait to read more by this author. I also enjoyed The Unsinkable Greta James, so when I had the opportunity to review this one, I grabbed it!

I'm not sure that the cover fits the vibe for this book, but setting that aside I enjoyed it. It had a very different feel that the author's last book, in my opinion, so I went in with expectations. Since the story is about four siblings who are reuniting after a three year estrangement, it takes some time to get the lay out the land and understand who they each, what happened to their family as kids and what split them apart.

As you move through the story, layers are peeled back and you get to know and like them all more.

(Spoiler: But you're in for some sad moments too which were quite affecting.)

I liked the device of having interstitial chapters that trace one of their memories to a specific state since they'd had the goal of visiting all 50.

The Endicott's are four siblings who have been estranged for years. One of the sisters, Jude sets up a weekend family trip to North Dakota. We discover a lot about the past and the present through each of the siblings view points and through this lens the author does a good job flushing out each of the characters. As secrets and misunderstandings come to light, the family must deal with unexpected realities that make for an emotional read. The family dynamics propel this story for the reader and make this book relatable.
Thank you to the author, the publisher and to Netgalley for the ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you net galley for the advanced reading copy of this book.

This book is wonderful if you want to deep dive into sibling relationships and how we grow apart through our lives and reflecting back on the lives we lived with the people we loved. One of the things I liked was the different personalities of each of the siblings and how they showed through each of the individual chapters. Another thing that I loved was that the characters were developed through the entire book. This book was not a very funny book at all and it was very emotional dealing with the trauma that they had after their mother's death and the fallout of this siblings. Each of the siblings is dealing with their own issues and trials through their one vacation that they're taking after 3 years of being apart. The ending was absolutely heartbreaking but it made sense to the story. I would highly recommend.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Net Galley for the ARC! This was my first ARC ever :)

Fun for the Whole Family by Jennifer E. Smith is a multiple POV about four siblings who reunite abruptly in a small town in North Dakota. It is the first time in three years these siblings are seeing each other. Jude, the sibling who initiates the trip, has one or more secrets that needs to be told.

Throughout the book, there are flashbacks to when they were younger, that may or may not take place in different states. We see how each of them in their adulthood has been affected by their mother’s actions when they were younger. The book explores complex familial relationships, as well as grief.

I enjoyed this book through and through, the story itself, and Smith’s writing. As someone who has siblings, and has experienced complex parental relationships, I was able to relate to each of the siblings. There were times I laughed, and moments where my heart clenched at Smith’s writing. I could easily see myself re-reading this. It’s definitely become one of my favorites of the year!

This book has me sobbing like a baby on an airplane. I will say this book is very character focused and i found it to be a little bit to long, the beginning half really dragged but that second half was exceptional. I can’t wait to pick up a physical copy as i love the cover of this. Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

Fun for the Whole Family takes place over a long weekend, where four siblings are reunited after three years of estrangement. Flying into North Dakota by request of youngest sister Jude ( an Oscar nominated actress) each sibling brings their own emotional baggage. And while they’ve grown apart, it is obvious that they would do anything for each other.

This was an engrossing family drama, perfect for fans of dysfunctional relationship stories. There were also a lot of moments of humor and hope. I enjoyed the flashbacks to different years and states and that each sibling had their own perspective and character development. It was an emotional and engaging read.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

If you love a multi POV story around a large family that has drama then this is the perfect spring read for you! Fun for the Whole Family follows the four Endicott siblings as they reunite after being estranged for three years. The siblings had a tumultuous childhood that bonded them tightly, but as adults they find themselves drifting away from each other. Jude invites them all to gather in North Dakota for a chance to reconnect. The siblings along with a few others find themselves stranded in nowhere North Dakota when a blizzard comes through.

I enjoyed getting to know each of the siblings. And as a graduate of Central Michigan University, I was thrilled to read one of the siblings went there for college. The Endicotts grew up in Michigan, but as adults they live in different states. The oldest Gemma, lives in Chicago and is married to a middle school teacher. Her siblings have all struck some level of fame in their chosen paths - Conner is an author, who wrote an award winning novel based on his childhood; Roddy is a soccer player; and Jude is an Oscar nominated actress. The novel Conner penned is what drove them all apart three years ago. Jude wants them to gather so she can share some heavy secrets. Along for the ride are Conner's two children, Rosie and Hugh; and Roddy's fiance, Wilson. Once they arrive in North Dakota they meet Annie, who drives them around.

There are a lot of people to keep track of in this story and each short chapter is told from a different POV and sometimes from a different time. The time part can get a little tricky if you are not paying full attention when the chapter changes. This was a quick read for me, but very enjoyable. I liked getting to know the Endicott family and would love to see a story based solely on their childhood in Michigan. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

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)