This was a solid read and mostly kept my attention but some of the characters were so unlikeable and did so many dumb things that I kept having to put it down.

When I saw this title in my inbox, I thought "wow what a cute fun story!"

I couldn't have been more wrong.

The four Endicott siblings haven't spoken in 3 years; that is, until the eldest three receive a mysterious request from their youngest sister to meet in a random North Dakota town. Despite each of their (valid) reservations, they're all curious enough to make the trip. As they reunite in a cold North Dakota winter, years of secrets become unravelled.

There was so much I loved about this story- the complex family dynamics, the unravelling of long kept secrets, and getting a deeper look into each of the characters through the multiple POV storytelling style. The writing was easy to read, but evoked complex feelings of grief and longing. The characters were well developed, and interestingly, defined more through their flaws than their successes.

For readers who were fans of Blue Sisters and Hello Beautiful, this is a must read!!

I can’t stop smiling! This book is an absolute delight, capturing the essence of family, adventure, and the little moments that make life special. 💖

From the very first page, I was drawn into the charming world Smith has created. The characters are relatable and endearing, each with their own quirks and dreams. I loved how their journey unfolded, filled with laughter, heartfelt moments, and a few surprises along the way!

What really stood out to me was the way the story beautifully explores the dynamics of family relationships. It’s a perfect reminder of how important it is to cherish those we love and to find joy in the everyday chaos of life.

If you’re looking for a heartwarming read that will leave you feeling uplifted, Fun for the Whole Family is a must!

I tried several times to get into this story but for some reason, didn't connect. The one-star rating is not a reflection on the author's writing as I DNF.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read the ARC.

I loved everything about this book! Flawed, bent-not-broken characters tell the story of estranged siblings finding their way home; the home they only feel with each other. Raw emotions, heart wrenching memories and underneath it all, deep love. It grabbed me from page one and held me, laughing, crying and finally finishing it with a sigh. Just read it! It’s that good!

This was such a good book. It was heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time. Four siblings grew up with a mother that left but came back each summer to take them on an adventure. The two oldest Gemma and Connor looked out for the twins Roddy and Jude. Gemma went along to keep her siblings safe and she did until one fateful night in Texas. After the accident in Texas the kids no longer were in contact with their mother and she died a few years after the accident. Now for different reason and an argument amongst the siblings they haven't spoken to each other in three years. Jude the youngest twin sends a text to meet in North Dakota. Will her siblings show up? Will they work through their differences, will they forgive the secrets Jude has been keeping?

This book was such a ride. Gemma is struggling with becoming a mother, Connor is suffering from writer's block, and Roddy is ending his professional soccer career all while Jude is nominated for an Oscar. How can these four repair their relationship? This book was a emotional rollercoaster but so worth the ride. We learn about the kids' mother leaving when Gemma was 14. How this effected all of the kids. Seeing each flashback and current events through on of the kids' point of views. My heart ached and broke a little bit making it through this book, but it was so worth it. This book about all about acceptance and forgiveness. The Extraordinary Endicott's were so much fun to get to know.

I highly recommend this book.


Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for the ARC of this ebook. All opinions expressed are my own

Thank you to the publisher for my arc.

This sadly just wasn't for me. couldn't of cared less about anything going on. Stories like this typically aren't up my alley but i wanted to give this one a chance.

Fun for the Whole Family is an adorable exploration of sibling dynamics, family bonds, and the long-lasting effects of an unconventional upbringing. In this novel, we meet the Endicott siblings—Gemma, Connor, Roddy, and Jude—whose inseparable childhood was defined by road trips and the sporadic presence of their magnetic but unreliable mother. Now adults, they’re each facing personal challenges and a surprising estrangement from one another. When Jude, a now-famous actress, calls them back together, each sibling arrives at a crossroads in their life.

What stands out most in this story is how vividly it captures the complexity of family bonds, particularly between siblings who once shared everything but now struggle to connect. The contrast between their childhood closeness and their adult estrangement is both poignant and believable, adding layers of tension as they each reckon with Jude’s mysterious secrets and the issues they’ve been avoiding.

Gemma’s journey of self-reflection as a caretaker, Connor’s battle with writer’s block and post-divorce stagnation, and Roddy’s tenuous relationship with his future husband each add depth to the story, allowing readers to understand how these siblings have been shaped by their shared past and now-diverging lives. Jude, with her outward poise and hidden vulnerabilities, serves as both a catalyst for the reunion and the keeper of secrets that may either reunite or further divide them.

The author’s use of a small-town setting in North Dakota as the backdrop for this emotional weekend grounds the story in a sense of place and nostalgia. Described as “brimming with heart,” the novel succeeds in delivering an honest and, at times, bittersweet look at what it means to forgive family. For readers who enjoy stories centered on forgiveness, resilience, and the ties that shape us, Fun for the Whole Family promises a heartfelt journey that will resonate long after the last page.

“Time, after all, is not an infinite resource. And they’ve lost too much of it already.”

I was beyond excited to get my hands on a new novel by the author of one of my favorite books The Unsinkable Greta James, Jennifer E. Smith.

“Sometimes it’s nice to have a place to put your hopes.”

This book is about four siblings, the Endicott’s. Who’s childhood summers were spent road-tripping with their mom who was absent throughout the rest of the year. Decades later… they find themselves estranged from one another until a text appears from one of the sisters (Jude) asking for all the siblings to meet her in North Dakota. Where family secrets, & old resentments are discussed as they find themselves stranded in a snow storm at a remote cabin.

This book is one that you say… “ok, just one more chapter.” You get perspective from each of the siblings as well as flashbacks to those summer on the road with their mother. This family stole my heart and the ending destroyed me. A realistic family saga that I can already say will be a top book on my 2025 list.

“The world had mourned her loudly.”

Thank you Beach Books for putting this new title by my fav author on my radar!

https://beachbooks37.com/book/9798217070367

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Absolutely loved this book! It took a few chapters to become engaged with the story and characters but once I did I couldn’t put it down. Families are messy and the family in this book is messier than most. Their love for each other is powerful and helps them surmount the intentional and unintentional hurts to each other but can it ease them past years of secrets and lies?

I received an arc of this book and voluntarily provided a review.

An enjoyable read that grabs you from the beginning but unfortunately doesn’t keep you completely engaged until the end.

What a wonderful warm family story about forgiveness, reconciliation and love. Even when everyone was very busy with their own life, they all dropped what they were doing when one of their siblings called to get together. The one thing that I came away with is that Gemma, Connor, Roddy and Jude regretted the long separation that they had between each other and once the secrets of the excursion was revealed they were even sadder that they wasted all that time being angry, but in the end they did start the healing process and were able to spend time together again.
I found the secondary stories about the sisters and brothers as important as the main story because the storylines reveal where their heads are at before the trip and how much they miss each other. I loved Connors children Hugh and Rosie and how they brought a different point of view to the story and of course you can't leave out Annie or Winston who not only bring a little romance to the story, plus a reality check.

I want to thank Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the advance copy of a story about forgiveness.

Family dysfunction fascinates me. This story follows the Endicott siblings who are estranged and, as adults, dealing with their own real life challenges and opportunities. As children, they had to deal with a mother who in pursuing her own ambitions, wasn’t there for them at times. However, she tried to make it up to them or show her love through annual fun trips that they would go on in the summers. In the present, Jude, a famous actress and twin of Roddy, has rebooted the family vacation and summoned her siblings to North Dakota for vacation fun. Gemma, Roddy and Connor aren’t convinced this will end their years long estrangement, but are willing to give a shot. Memories are revisited and truths of the past revealed. Great family story. Loved it and looked forward to what happened next.

Fun for the Whole Family
By @jenniferesmith
Pub date: April 15, 2025
Page count: 368

The four Endicott siblings were once a tight bunch. As children, they spent their summers traveling the country with their erratic, mostly absent mother who left the family to pursue stardom. After a traumatic incident that marked their last summer with their mother, the siblings mostly went their separate ways. Gemma, who had primarily raised her siblings, goes off to college then marries. Conner, a writer, pens a novel that resembles their family so closely that it puts further distance between everyone. Then there are the twins: Roddy, the aging soccer star, and Jude, the famous actress.

It has been years since the group has been close, and years since they lost both their parents. Suddenly, everyone receives an invitation from Jude. She wants everyone to pause their lives to make a last minute trip to North Dakota. A nod to their once beloved trips with their mother, but also an opportunity for the group to come clean. It turns out there are secrets long held that must be shared, and the time is now.

Loved this book. The family dynamic of an imperfect group of siblings that would still go to battle for each other is so realistic. Every character is vibrant and different in the best ways. I highly recommend!

Thank you to @netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this amazing book. Hilarious and heartwarming. Perfection

I loved this authors other book, 'The Unsinkable Greta James', and in this one, she also deals with family drama, in this case 4 siblings who become estranged after the death of their father. The Endicotts are an extremely talented family. There's Jude, a famous movie star up for an oscar; Connor, an award winning novelist struggling with his 2nd novel; Roddy, a professional soccer player; and Gemma, who keeps the whole family together. They are all summoned by Jude to a remote cabin in North Dakota to have a reunion of sorts as she decides which of her three secrets to tell them first. Jude was mom's favorite and every summer their mom would take them on road trips across the US, visiting all 50 states. Their parents were separated, and their dad travelled a lot so they had a untraditional upbringing. As they all come together one last time, old grudges resurface, and new challenges and relationships occur. The character development is very well done here as the author goes back and forth between the present and their past and explores the relationships between siblings and their parents. Once we learn the final true secret of Jude's, it brings everyone closer together and you will have the urge to call your sibling and try to repair any damaged relationship. It's a touching story about love, loss, and regrets and will have you busting out the Kleenex at times. I imagine this as a rom-com movie in the making.

I loved this book, it was so realistic regarding family dynamics and even though the siblings are extraordinary I think everyone will see a bit of their family in this one. There's lots of strife and we get to see every side of every family member. I loved the format of the book each character has a chapter in the past while travelling the different states they went to with their mother on their summer trips and then we get that character’s chapter in the present.

After not seeing each other for three years the four Endicott siblings—Gemma, Connor, Roddy, and Jude, plus Conner’s two kids and Roddy’s future spouse all go to Colorado for a weekend reunion. While they’re at a cabin they get stuck inside because of a snowstorm and they have no power. There are a couple of surprises sprung on the siblings while they are there and as much as I loved this book I figured out the surprises rather quickly and I found it rather anticlimatic and predictable. This was a five-star read for me until that happened. In my head, I kept thinking I bet Jude did this or Jude says that.

I love a good family drama and this was a wonderfully written story of family dynamics, following your dreams and forgiving the past. The way the characters related to each other and their issues really got to my emotions. Who can't relate to being the eldest, the middle child or the baby of the family? Throughout the entire book, I kept changing who was my favourite and who I didn't like. What didn’t change for me while reading was the fact that I thought both parents (for lack of a better word) were assholes. The parents were both absent. The mother was so stuck on following her dream of being an actress that she left her children and the father was a workaholic who left the rearing of the other three to the oldest daughter and I know what that's like. Overall this was an enjoyable, entertaining read about a bunch of siblings who really love each other, flaws and all.

A book about 4 siblings who as a result of a few events in the past, have found themselves estranged from each other for years until one of the siblings requests them all to meet up in North Dakota. They all meet over 1 weekend while getting stranded in a cabin thanks to a snowstorm, and long held secrets come out. Will these secrets bring them back together or lead to renewed estrangement? I give this book 3 stars because the ending felt complete, and the use of flashbacks were helpful most of the time, but I did find moments where I wished the book stayed in the present more. Overall, if you're into a character driven story, this book is one you should pick up.

Thank you to Net Galley for my 2nd ARC! I enjoyed this book considerably. It was a solid novel. There were a lot of characters to keep track of, but I think they were all so distinct that it worked out. I think this would make a great book club book, and I look forward to recommending it to friends once it comes out!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6908640625

If you like character driven books, then this one’s for you! We follow 4 estranged siblings who are come together for a weekend where secrets are revealed. I did find the secrets a tad bit underwhelming. I did love each sibling, they were all related and lovable. Enjoyed this one but didn’t love it!

The four Endicott siblings haven’t spoken in 3 years since their fathers funeral, but are together once again at the request of Jude (a famous actress) — she summons eldest sister Gemma, who patented the clan amidst their mothers disappearances through childhood; older brother Connor, an author currently in a slump after his last novel delved into personal details; and Jude’s twin Roddy, a famous soccer player grappling with aging out of the sport he loves and balancing his relationship with his fiance. The reason behind the sibling reunion isn’t clear to any, but they all heed the call, and a dramatic weekend unfolds.

If you love complicated family dramas, you’ll enjoy this - the relationships between the different siblings and their mother is layered and rich. Plus the book flashes from the present day to various years through their childhood, and we get glimpses into their relationships before it was strained. Without giving anything away, I found the ending generally satisfying though I won’t reveal why…

My only two critiques are that at times it got a bit dense with description - how much do we need to know about the cold or the snow - and the fact that whenever the siblings were bonding, they reverted to recounting memories of their childhood. As a non-only-child myself, it’s rare when I bond with my sibling by having a conversation exclusively recalling memories that are decades in the past.

Otherwise, this is 3.5 stars for me rounded up to 4. Certainly recommend! Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.