oh my-

wow. one thing about me, i'm going to absolutely devour a family drama about estranged siblings and the chaos between them. this had mommy issues, daddy issues, sibling issues, relationship issues, just every type of family dynamic issue you can think of, this had. and the author gave the characters such unique voices. allowing them to have different career paths, different relationship status' brought opposing perspectives that were engaging to read from. i loved the glimpses of their past and how it affected each sibling in the present. how each of them had wildly different recollections of the same event from their past.

i related most to gemma as the eldest daughter. i think a lot of eldest siblings will empathize with her and see bits and pieces of themselves in her actions.

the ending B R O K E me. i sobbed through the last three chapters UGH. this was such a fantastic novel. i enjoyed the authors writing - this book was emotional, humorous, sentimental, and touched on very heavy topics but written with care. i definitely want to read more from this author!

Thank you so much to Random House for the gifted book!

After reading Jennifer E. Smith's previous release, The Unsinkable Greta James, I was so eager to read this! She has such a talent for writing extremely readable characters and capturing their emotions so well!

I was expecting this one to be fun and it definitely delivered in that department. I had also hoped for some deeper and heavier family moments and feel it delivered there as well!

The readers are given just enough information about an event that reshaped the 4 siblings lives many years ago to be interested without fully understanding what happened. I had very high expectations for how the past would be revealed and what the secrets would be. I do feel like it was a little less shocking than I had expected, but still found it to be explained well.

While I can't exactly put my finger on it, I feel like something was missing. Maybe it was more backstory or maybe it was a closer look into the characters now, but I just wanted a little bit more.

Overall, I think this will be a huge hit with many!

3.5 stars.

Thanks to Ballantine Books for the gifted ARC!

After adoring THE UNSINKABLE GRETA JAMES, I knew I'd be back for more from Jennifer E. Smith. FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY is (obviously) a family drama similar to Tracey Lange, Ethan Joella, and Allison Larkin-type books. The family dynamics are so realistic that I think this will be a relatable read for anyone, and who's not a sucker for some complicated family relationships in a book?! This is a heartfelt read that goes from the past to present within the family, bringing some events and secrets to light as the four Endicott siblings, after years of separation, come together for a "super fun family trip" to... a small town in North Dakota. I loved how the character of each siblings was so unique and well-developed - it really made me feel connected to each one of them.

I thought this would be a nice palate cleanser.. a light read with family road trips. And now I’m crying! 😭
But it’s a good cry. It was fun, but also emotional. I loved all the characters and uncovering the history of the siblings that led to them not speaking as much anymore.
I don’t want to give too much away because I didn’t know what to expect going in and I thought it was best that way, but I highly recommend it if you’re looking for a great story with characters you can’t help but care about.

An emotional family drama with complex characters. I liked that the reader gets perspectives of each of the four siblings. The fairly short chapters would make this a good read of vacation. Most of the book is set during a snow storm.

Review of Fun for the Whole Family by Jennifer E. Smith

Jennifer E. Smith expertly brings the Endicott family to life in this strong and well-done contemporary fiction novel. The four siblings, Gemma, Connor, and twins Roddy and Jude, share a childhood of dysfunction due to a troubled mother and an always working, too tired to be present father. The siblings learned to rely on each other (with the three younger ones largely turning to Gemma) to provide love and meet their emotional needs. Their background welded the four of them together yet also left each of them ill-prepared to handle conflict and relationships moving forward. In the present day, the siblings have been out of touch for three years, something they all once would have found unfathomable. Jude invites each of them to meet for a weekend in North Dakota.

Told from the viewpoints of each sibling, and alternating between the past and the present, the reader learns about each character, and the family as a whole, layer by layer. The pacing of the story, the complexity of the characters, and the deft way the author captures the myriad of emotions make this an engaging and satisfying read. I love this book!!

My thanks to Ballantine Books for allowing me to access a DRC of the novel via NetGalley. Publication is 4/15/25. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.

At first glance I thought this is going to be light hearted, fun and perfect read for my cruise. Four siblings raised in an unconventional home with a carefree Mom who came in and out of their lives to take them on summer trips have become estranged in adulthood. Gemma is married and they are considering kids although she feels she has already been a Mom to her siblings as she was the responsible one. Jude has become an Oscar nominated actress. Roddy is a professional soccer player and engaged to his partner Winston that none of them have met. Connor is a teacher and also penned a fictional book that was so close to being about their family that it contributed to the estrangement. All four of them have kept up with each other but haven't reached out until they all get a text from Jude asking to meet her in North Dakota. They all go for a weekend of companionship to recreate their good childhood times but first they must come to grips with secrets and resolve past hurts and also forgive each other, themselves and their parents. The characters are relatable and endearing and this book totally wrecked me in all the best ways and I'm still thinking about the "whole family" wishing I had more siblings. Highly recommend!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

I read The Unsinkable Greta James by Jennifer E. Smith and really enjoyed it so I was looking forward to diving into Fun for the Whole Family. It is even better. Gemma, Connor, Jude and Roddy are siblings who have been estranged for three years. Add in Connor’s kids, Rosie and Hugh as well as Roddy’s partner, Winston and Alice, the Uber driver and you have a group of really great characters. Jude sets up a weekend family trip to North Dakota. What ensues is riveting, heart wrenching and totally engrossing as they work through the issues that separated them. I’ve read some really good books in the last couple of months. This is one of the best.

Jennifer E. Smith knows how to write a family drama filled with hope! Fun for the Whole Family follows the four Endicott siblings, older sister Gemma, Connor, and twins Jude and Roddy who have not seen each other in a few years and their only contact has been a few text messages here and there. All of them are at a crossroad in their lives when they receive a text from Jude, a movie star who just received her first Oscar nomination, asking them to meet in North Dakota for a weekend.

Upon seeing each other when they arrive in North Dakota, each sibling has some resentment towards the others and is keeping secrets. Gemma is waiting to find out if she is pregnant and whether she truly wants the test to be positive or negative. Connor, recently divorced, is trying to write his next novel, but can't capture the magic he once had when his last book was based on his family. Roddy not ready to retire from his soccer career, is taking an offer to play for a new team, but that means leaving Winston his fiancée behind. And Jude at the height of her career, has a number of secrets to share with her family that she fears will tear them even more apart.

I highly recommend the audiobook version which is nominated by Lauren Graham. She did an amazing job bringing each of the siblings to life. I could not stop listening as each chapter follows another sibling and in between are flashbacks to a place they lived or traveled in when they were younger that helped to shape who they became. As the siblings spend time together and share things going on in their lives and what is to come, you could sense how much they truly loved each other and missed having them in their lives. It was an emotional and beautiful story about family and that no matter what happens in the past, there is always a chance to rebuild relationships.

As. the youngest of four, I love books about siblings, more so if its all girls, or sets of four siblings.

After a family argument, the Endicott siblings have gone years without speaking. After a lifetime of family adventures with their mom every summer, they didn't think that would happen. Then one sibling proposes a last minute weekend to reunite them.

I can't imagine going that long without talking to my siblings. I feel like I should have seen the ending coming, but I didn't, and it wrecked me. This book. I can't. I think it's my favorite from JES.

I loved this book! It was such a fun read about siblings, a dual timeline, famous people, etc. I was in a reading slump and this book took me right out of it. I adore books about siblings and exploring that relationship and this did not disappoint. It was gripping and captivating and frustrating at times and i enjoyed it quite a lot.

Wow don’t let this book’s cover or title fool you. This is not a fun silly book about a family. This is a raw, heartbreaking story about the connection between siblings through trauma, grief and shared experiences. It is funny, warm, tender and beautiful. It tells the story of four siblings with such vivid detail and emotion, you feel like you are right there with them. It’s a rollercoaster that made me laugh and cry at all the right moments. A beautiful journey!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

After three years of estrangement, the Endicott siblings answered the call from their sister, Jude, to spend a weekend together in North Dakota. They didn't know why they were summoned, but they all answered the call.

This was a wonderful and sometimes painful family drama about people with a complex family dynamic. Smith helped me understand the events that shaped them via flashbacks while also filling in some gaps as the siblings hashed things out with each other. I felt like I really understood each of them as these characters came across as fully realized and well drawn.

They grew up with an absent mother and emotionally distant father, but it was ok because they had each other. All successful to some degree, there was still something missing for each of them. It seemed they needed to come back together in order to find that missing part of themselves. The family did have a lot of fun during their weekend getaway, but the best parts were seeing them reconnect and heal.

Though the story highlighted each member of the family, Jude had a large role in it all. She called the family together because she had three secrets that she had been carrying, some longer than others, and it was time they knew the truth.

This book was way more emotional than I expected. At times, I was filled with glee for these people and celebrated with them, but I also shed some tears. I was thankful that they had this reunion and were able to make peace with their past because I was invested in these characters.

Overall: A bittersweet and heartwarming story of family, love, forgiveness that touched me in many ways.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books and PRH Audio for the arc/alc,

I thought this book was a very quick and fun read. I enjoyed the family drama in this story as well as the family dynamics. Jennifer E Smith knows how to keep a reader hooked on the story that is for sure. If I didn't have a busy life, I might've finished this book in one sitting!!

As for the audiobook, it is narrated by the fabulous and funny Lauren Graham (aka Lorelei Gilmore). While I enjoyed Lauren's narration, I would've kind of preferred this book to be a full-cast narration, on account of the fact there were so many characters. With only Lauren narrating all of the characters, it was slightly hard to keep them all straight, however, I am not saying that Lauren didn't do a fabulous job narrating this book, and if the narration was only meant to be single narration, she was the perfect narrator to pick for this book. Overall, I really enjoyed Lauren's narration and I thought it brought this story to life in a fun way!

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books and PRH Audio for the arc/alc,

In terms of plot, this was a relatively simple story. A set of four siblings, now estranged, have been drawn back together by a summons from one of their quartet. Jade has three secrets that she has realized have to be shared in order to draw them back together. Once together, more than just Jade's secrets are revealed, placing additional obstacles in their path to reconciliation.

Each character in this story was well written, distinct from the others and with individual motivations and desires. While I did have a solid sense of them as individuals, and as a group, I would have liked more exploration of the dynamics of their separate relationships within the group. The driving force in the novel is Jade and her secrets. I did figure out Jade's secrets very early in the novel, so there were no surprises for me, but the way the reveals and impacts played out was still touching.

Overall, I would recommend Fun for the Whole Family for readers who enjoy family dramas.

A beautiful and moving story about siblings and their dynamics. This tugged at my heartstrings and was a fulfilling read. The adventures of these siblings is not one I will soon forget

* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All thoughts are my own.

This is a very character-driven story; the plot doesn’t matter too much here. I really enjoyed this book. I liked how their past family road-trips were included as pretty small chapters mixed into current day. It gives just a little extra perspective on all of the family dynamics and sibling relationships.

I would recommend.

4.5 stars

The last book I read by this author was The Statistical Probability of Falling in Love. It's a cutesy YA type book and I read it years ago. I had no idea she had jumped into adult books so I was excited to check this one out!

The cover looks light hearted but its not, as family drama, secrets, and old wounds are the main topic when the Extraordinary Endicotts have a sibling reunion after not seeing each other for 3 years. Told with chapter flashbacks to the past, mixed in with the present, we get a feel for what life is like for each of the Endicott siblings and what lead to their separation and ultimate reunion. At the core of everything is their deceased parents and how their parenting, or lack thereof, influenced the outcome of their lives.

I found this book fascinating. The pacing was perfect with just enough past to keep me intrigued with how the present is evolving. The sibling dynamics were well done and I think the author did a great job of capturing the feelings that come with being a child, wanting to be protected but also wanting to be seen. I really enjoyed it! Great domestic drama and I look forward to hopefully reading more adult themed books by this author!

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this Arc! Unfortunately, I am not going to finish the book due to content that I personally do not feel comfortable / enjoy reading. However, I love the concept for the story and was intrigued to see where it went!

Publishing April 8th!

4.5 rounded up
This title is so lighthearted that I hadn't expected the depth I found in each of these characters.

With a free-spirited mother off chasing her dreams of stardom and their father mostly working out of town, the four Endicott siblings - Gemma, Connor, and twins Roddy and Jude - were left to raise themselves. In the carefree times their mother would return, they'd head out on grand adventures to explore new states together.

Now adults, each thoroughly remarkable in a different way, they're coming together in North Dakota at the request of Jude. Stories will be told and secrets revealed that will shift the way they've each remembered their childhood.

This was quite a bit like adults who, upon reflection with each other, come of age again, finding they can more deeply understand one another. This was a really beautiful sibling story.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.