This was an enjoyable book about 4 siblings whose childhood included a very absent mother and a father who couldn’t take the role of both parents. It was up to Gemma, the oldest to keep the siblings together. They were a close knit sibling group until an event caused them to distance themselves. I predicted most of the ending through the first part of the book, that was definitely a turn off for me. The romance that developed over two days between Connor and Annie was also very contrite. Overall 3 stars.
I received a complimentary copy, opinions are my own.

The Endicott siblings feel so relatable and believable, that you often forget you aren't related to them yourself! The time jump/multi POV narrative worked really well here with the way it was laid out overall, making it seamless throughout. The book got a bit slow at times, but then picked right back up by again soon after making it a perfect quick read. This book deals with some heavier family & life themes and handles them gracefully each time. Jennifer E. Smith has blown me away with this one and I am excited to see what she does next!

Can definitely see this being picked up for a celebrity book club!

This was such a great read- Add it to your 2025 TBR immediately!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the Digital ARC!

4.5 stars but rounding up!

Thank you to NetGalley for my first-ever early copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows four estranged siblings as they reconnect in a small town during the North Dakota winter. Between real-time chapters they each have a chapter remembering different times traveling together with their neglectful and narcissistic mother, always searching for her acting dream.

I really enjoyed how REAL these characters felt. Yes, it's unlikely for one family to produce an Oscar-winning actress, professional soccer player, AND a National Book Award-winning author. And Gemma, the most normal of all. But the specialness of the Endicott siblings just made their foibles and pain stand more true.

Jude, as the driving force of the reconciliation, had some secrets to share. I guessed the big one but still felt the emotional payout, which is what matters.

I felt that every character had adequate page time from the 4 siblings (Gemma, Connor, Roddy, and Jude) to Connor's kids and the various significant others along the way.

This isn't a groundbreaking story like "Educated" (which yes, is a memoir) or powerfully feminist like "Little Women". But it's comfortable and engaging and I would love to watch the movie. There's already a wonderful set of montage-style vignette chapters past the halfway point, too!

Jennifer E. Smith continues to excel at tugging at my heartstrings and this story is no exception. I love the alternating timelines that give us glimpses to the past of the Endicott family. Their reunion, relationships, and struggle through the past are heartbreaking and real. This was excellent.

I absolutely LOVED this book. I’m not a huge reader of family drama books, but absolutely adored this. There is genuine heartbreak throughout the book and I loved seeing the four sibling’s POV’s and flashes between past and present. It really allowed you the ability to understand where each character was coming from and gave depth to each personality and the family dynamic.

This book beautifully handled what a family can look like and how a falling out can slowly snowball. How they deal with grief, guilt, divorce, longing, reconciliation and more is written in such a realistic and undervalued aspect. I think it was written well and highly recommend it even if this isn’t your typical genre.

The cover of this book suggests kind of a whacky story, but this wasn't whacky at all. It's the story of four siblings who--at the start of the book--are all fairly estranged. The narrative goes back and forth in time and also goes back and forth between the four siblings: Gemma, the oldest who took care of everyone when their mother was absent; Connor the famous novelist; Roddy the famous soccer player and Jude the famous actress. As the book progresses, we learn how they became estranged as Jude gathers them all to North Dakota to reveal three secrets.
On the whole, I liked but didn't love this book. I think it really dragged once they got snowbound in the cabin in North Dakota. I also think the ending was too nicely tied up with a bow. But it's an interesting concept to a book and worth reading. 3 1/2 rounded up to 4 stars.

That cover and title sure does make one think they are getting a story that is light hearted and fun...but that is not the case. This is family drama that really tugs on the old heart strings. I find that I really enjoy stories that are character driven and this one foots the bill. I loved the dynamics between these siblings as they are easy to relate to. It has some very tender and poignant moments while this family, who is flung far and wide, find their way back to each other.

I am NO stranger to family drama, Fun for the Whole Family by Jennifer E. Smith was a deeply engaging read that tugged at my heartstrings. This story revolves around the Endicott siblings—Gemma, Connor, Roddy, and Jude—who reunite after years of estrangement following the passing of their father. When Jude, now a famous actress, calls them together for a weekend in North Dakota, secrets and unresolved tensions begin to surface.

What really worked for me were the alternating perspectives. Smith seamlessly weaves together the siblings' present-day struggles with flashbacks to their childhood. This structure gave each character depth, making their conflicts and emotions so relatable. I couldn’t help but feel for each of them—Gemma’s oldest-sibling burden, Roddy’s career decisions, Jude’s hidden struggles, and Connor’s battles as a single dad. As someone with siblings, it hit home how shared memories can look so different depending on who’s telling the story.

Smith’s character development is a real strength here. While the pacing was a bit slow at times, particularly for a character-driven novel, I loved how the sibling dynamics played out. The flashbacks to their chaotic road trips with their absent mom brought back vivid memories of my own childhood. I saw parts of myself in each sibling, which made their journey toward reconciliation that much more impactful.

That said, I found some of the plot twists predictable—especially Jude's secret—but that didn’t take away from my emotional investment in their story. And the ending? Heartbreaking but beautifully executed. I won’t spoil anything, but I had tears in my eyes during the epilogue, especially when Gemma made a personal gesture that tied the whole book together.

Overall, Fun for the Whole Family is a poignant, bittersweet look at sibling bonds and the power of forgiveness. It’s one of those books that makes you want to text your siblings after reading it, just to say “I love you.” Smith’s writing, while straightforward, packs an emotional punch, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys heartfelt family dramas.

Fun for The Whole Family is a drama involving four siblings who come together after some life-changing events. Most have their literal claim to fame, while others do not, and ironically, fame and notoriety have driven a wedge between them in one way or another.

Overall, I enjoyed this book -it told the story from different points of view and during other times in their life

Admittedly, a lot about this book is mildly predictable, and sometimes I am confused about why certain characters are even introduced, like Conner’s kids—their presence during the big gathering did nothing for the story.

Some big revelations are uncovered, and they had the potential to drive them even more apart, but as anyone could guess, it didn’t, and things went on as expected. It was an excellent read, but nothing earth-shattering.

I’m a HUGE fan of THE UNSINKABLE GRETA JAMES, and so when I learned that Jennifer E. Smith had a new book out, I basically dropped everything as soon as I could and started reading. Wow, no one writes the pain and hopes of family dynamics like she does. In this new novel, we meet four siblings who have been estranged for the past three years, then finally come together to sort things out. I’ll avoid spoilers, but suffice to say this is a heart wrenching ride, one well worth taking. I really appreciate the small details she includes, and the way she uses supporting characters to fill things out in a very organic way. The scenes are so well written and kept me turning pages and cheering for these characters. A very satisfying read.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGally for for giving me the opportunity to review this book.

In "Fun for the Whole Family," Jennifer Smith takes us on a tour of the heart. Four siblings who were bonded in childhood by a mother they only saw once a year and a dad who was kind of checked out, but who have not spoken in three years, are brought together again for a weekend. Secrets are revealed, dysfunctions aired, and renewal found. This is a beautiful and very, very real story, told by each sibling in both present and past. Roddy, the has-been soccer star clinging to his glory, even at the risk of his present; Connor, the sensitive writer who found himself when he wrote a book to process his childhood, but then lost his family for writing it; Jude, the A-list movie star with secrets; and Gemma, the oldest child who was more mother than sibling to them as a child and has been trying to escape that role ever since. Along with their significant others, these four vivid characters carry the story for us.

There is trouble brewing for the Endicotts, the titular family at the center of Jennifer E. Smith’s Fun For the Whole Family.

Once remarkably, close Gemma, Connor, Roddy and Jude have been estranged for years. Through alternating timelines we learn why the siblings are now on shakier ground. The family (and their own families) decamp in North Dakota to catch up at the request of actress sister Jude.

Their brood is different than the standard nuclear family. Mom Frankie doesn’t live with the family, instead she saves up and takes the kids for a trip every year leading them to start keeping a map of the many states they have visited on the way. Their lives are forever changed by two devastating events. Can the rift ever be repaired?

Wow, what a beautiful book. The characters are so artfully written, both broken and real and oh so human. And the story, heartbreaking and hopeful, full of joy and sadness, kept me fully engaged. A rich meaningful book that is not to be missed. I give this five stars.

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and feedback.

3.5/5

A LOT of main characters. Less would’ve been more in this situation. I was interested in the family drama and dynamics and - spoiler alert - teared up at the end. It was a bit far fetched and simple tweaks like more relatable childhood trauma and not having 3/4 siblings be “famous” would’ve really improved this. Thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I am glad I was able to read this novel thru NetGalley and will probably re read it when it is published. A well written sorry of an another dysfunctional family but this one adds a little mystery to it. Sometimes when an author writes of different times in the characters’ lives it can be confusing but Jennifer Smith does it flawlessly. A wonderful novel will make you laugh, cry and call your siblings!

A huge thank you to NetGalley for providing the ARC of this incredible book! I absolutely loved it! It brought me to tears and made me laugh, capturing the essence of family in such a genuine way. Each sibling in this story felt authentically crafted, with their own unique traits and backgrounds.

I typically find stories that shift between past and present a bit overwhelming, but here it was executed beautifully. Discovering the distinct journeys of the Endicott siblings and how their experiences shaped them added so much depth to the narrative. It’s a heartfelt exploration of family dynamics, love, and the power of forgiveness. Highly recommend! 💖

Thanks for the review copy. I loved this family and look forward to reading more books by this author. The characters were amazing.

A heartwarming story about family, relationships, secrets, and second chances. Four siblings, close growing up, sharing everything. A workaholic father who paid them little attention and an absent mother, who showed up for one week each summer to take them on a car trip. Each year they would visit different states. Gemma, the oldest, basically took care of them the rest of the year. Each sibling went on to do something extraordinary: famous soccer player, actress, writer, except Gemma. She has a great job and a husband, but lives quietly. When a tragic event spirals, they each go the separate ways and end up not talking for almost three years. Out of treble, Jude contacts them and asks them to travel to ND to meet up for a long weekend. Here, many secrets come out and the grief and anger they have been feeling is vocalized, allowing everyone other than heal.

Put. This. On. Your. 2025 TBR. Now! I loved this-the story and every single character. I love family drama. This was wonderful. So much love. I will miss these characters. Publishes in April.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for my honest review. I am a fan of Jennifer E Smiths YA books and was really excited to read this one! It did not disappoint!!! This family drama about 4 estranged siblings coming back together felt like a warm hug. I loved the characters, loved the plot, and truly have no complaints.

What a great book! Having very much enjoyed The Unsinkable Greta James, I was delighted to get the opportunity to read an advance copy of Smith's latest, thanks to the publisher and Netgalley. I thought Fun for the Whole Family was even better- I loved it! It was easy to follow the story lines of the many characters and the different time periods, an amazing feat by the author. Each of them had challenges in their lives and their relationships. The characters were beautifully brought to life, and I was invested enough in the plot to stay up past 1:30 AM to finish the book. Although I guessed a couple of the big secrets of the story, I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. There were many ethical issues which would be good topics for discussion, so I think this book would make a great selection for book discussion groups. I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more from the author.