Jennifer E. Smith wrote from her heart while capturing the messy love that it means to be a sibling in Fun for the Whole Family. The story captures the lives of the Endicott siblings coming together after an incident kept them apart and during their tumultuous childhood. It explores what it means to survive a broken home, sacrifices we make for those we love, what it means to be extraordinary, and the power of coming back together with forgiveness.

Smith's writing reminds me of a more modern Nicholas Sparks- it evokes emotion while exploring the beauty of humanity. It's timeless and will touch everyone who reads it.

As a woman who grew up with 3 sisters and one bathroom, I can say that the relationships between the siblings are perfectly complex. They all have stories about squabbles they had in their childhood, memories of antics, the heartbreak of moving far away from each other as we age and go to college and work, and how complicated it feels to maintain those relationships at a distance.

The story was simply beautiful and well paced. Out of all of the extraordinary Enidcotts, I think Gemma is the most extraordinary of them all. I would recommend this to anyone who is missing a sibling, feels lost in life, or simply wants to feel that sense of family.

4.25 stars

I absolutely adore this book!

A heartwarming family drama filled with banter and emotions! Fun for the Whole Family was such an amazing read, the characters were great - real, raw, and relatable. You don't get to choose your family and sibling relationships can often times be hard yet love always wins. You will fall in love with this family through all their ups and downs, definitely worth a read!

To start, I’d like to extend my thanks to Jennifer E. Smith, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and NetGalley for the privilege of being able to read an advanced copy of Fun for the Whole Family. I’ll be sharing my review on Amazon, Goodreads, and Barnes & Noble upon the book’s release.

Fun for the Whole Family is an emotionally rich story about forgiveness, family, and the unbreakable—if sometimes frayed—bonds between siblings. Jennifer E. Smith has crafted a narrative that is both tender and honest, exploring the complexities of love, regret, and the messy beauty of family dynamics. At its heart are the Endicott siblings: Gemma, Roddy, Connor, and Jude. Each is vividly drawn, with their own struggles, flaws, and redeeming qualities, making it impossible not to feel deeply connected to their journeys.

The story begins when Jude, the youngest and most enigmatic sibling, summons her brothers and sister to a remote cabin in North Dakota. What follows is a heartfelt, often humorous, and occasionally painful reckoning with their shared past and individual present. The forced proximity of the cabin—amplified by a snowstorm that traps them together—creates the perfect setting for raw, unfiltered conversations and long-buried secrets to surface. Smith’s standout ability to balance humor with emotional depth is one of the book’s greatest strengths. The banter between the siblings feels really authentic and reminiscent of the way real families tease, argue, and ultimately love one another, even when it’s complicated.

The use of multiple perspectives is another standout feature, and it allowed me, as a reader, to see the story through each sibling’s eyes. This narrative choice not only kept the pacing fresh but also deepened my understanding of their individual struggles and growth. As someone with siblings myself, I found the portrayal of their relationships incredibly relatable. Smith captures that unique blend of love, frustration, and loyalty that defines sibling bonds, especially as adults navigating their own lives while tethered to a shared history. What resonated most with me was the novel’s exploration of forgiveness and healing. The Endicotts’ journey is a poignant reminder that family is never perfect, but it’s often worth fighting for. By the end, I was left reflecting on my own relationships and the things that truly matter in the long run.

If you’re a fan of character-driven family sagas with a perfect blend of humor and heart, Fun for the Whole Family is a must-read. Fans of authors like Ann Patchett, Ann Napolitano, or Coco Mellors—or anyone who enjoys Jennifer E. Smith’s previous works—will find this book deeply satisfying.

Major Tropes & Themes:

- siblings reuniting
- family secrets
- found family
- snowstorm/trapped together
- multiple perspectives
- flashbacks
- forgiveness, healing, and growth
- family bonds
- shared history vs. personal identity

Rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars!

“Fun for the Whole Family” by Jennifer E. Smith
Secrets, Memories, and Forgiveness
For myself this was a ‘keep the tissue box handy’ reading adventure. This is a very well told story that kept me turning the pages well after it was time to be getting a good night’s sleep. If the story’s description caught your attention; then you will most likely enjoy your time within this story, too. Happy Reading ! !

Wow, what a book. I’ll be thinking about this book for some time. This was such a good story, so original. Really enjoyed hearing from all the siblings and at different years. Really enjoyed it.

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

The Extraordinary Endicotts have all achieved greatness in their own right:

Gemma... the oldest sibling, she provided stability and love for her younger siblings while their parents struggled in their own ways. However, she and her husband have officially taken the leap into parenthood and Gemma isn't sure she's ready to be a mother again.

Connor... still chasing the high of his latest novel's success, he's starting to face the mess his success has left his life. Divorced, alone in a new city, and no new story to tell; he's still not quite ready to admit his actions may be what finally tore the family apart.

Roddy... a retired professional soccer player, he's given the chance to play again. However, the chance to extend his dream for one more season may mean the end of his relationship with his beloved fiancé.

Jude... in the height of the Oscar season, and as an Oscar nominee, she has (for some unknown reason) called the estranged siblings together in the backwoods of North Dakota. And while she keeps insisting she doesn't have ulterior motives, Jude does have a few secrets she's decided she's done keeping from the family.

Messy and emotional, FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY is an examination of the fractured family and what it means to decide to heal together. While predictable (and perhaps even anticlimactic) at times, this story was still beautifully written and executed. I loved each of these siblings (and each of the people in all their lives), and how messy they all were.

4.5 ⭐️

FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY by Jennifer E. Smith

As an only child, sibling stories can be hit or miss for me. I felt that Jennifer E. Smith crafted an excellent sibling story where these four siblings (Jude, Gemma, Connor and Roddy) had fallen out of touch but are suddenly reunited by Jude, the famous actress, in North Dakota of all places. It felt like an authentic adult sibling relationship.

The reader learns about each sibling and what each is grappling with personally and how each plays a part in the sibling dynamic. Their chaotic mother had tied them together, and will they be able to pick up the pieces in their lives?

➕ I thought each sibling was well-crafted. Each came through as a unique individual with strengths and weaknesses and their own journey.
➕ This novel is extremely well-paced.

➖ I don’t like the cover of this book…or the terrible title. The publisher did this author dirty.
➖ There is some inplausibility here that such a terrible mother would produce a bestselling novelist, a professional soccer player, and a famous actress. Right? Gemma is the only one who wasn’t #1 in her field, and that had to suck to describe her three siblings to someone else.
➖ It was a lot of perspective/time switching. Usually I don’t mind it, and I see the purpose in this novel to do it, it just brought down the novel a little bit for me because it was so often.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

It publishes April 8, 2025.

Meet the Endicott siblings. Gemma is the eldest and has the least extraordinary but the most stable life. Connor, the second oldest, is a divorced father of two who became a famous novelist after writing a thinly veiled story that upset his family. He now struggles with writing another book. Twins Roddy and Jude have excelled in their professions. Roddy is a professional soccer player approaching the end of his career, and Jude is an actress nominated for an Academy Award. With largely absent parents, Gemma took on a parental role for the once-close-knit foursome. After several years of not speaking with one another, Jude has arranged a getaway to a small North Dakota town to confront the issues that have kept them apart, including disclosing secrets she has kept from the ones she loves the most. 

Don't let the title of Fun for the Whole Family fool you. Jennifer E. Smith's latest book is an emotional story packed with lots of family drama, yet it also incorporates a lightheartedness, which explains the cute cover. You will find yourself caring for each member of the Endicott family, having experienced an unconventional upbringing. Not only have their relationships with one another been strained through the years, but each one is facing personal issues and struggles. A snowstorm in a secluded location provides the perfect setting to try and address their challenges. This book tugs at the heart as it explores themes of love of family, loss, regret, and forgiveness. 

4.25 stars.

Fun for the whole family? More like tears for the whole family. 😭

An absolute heartwarming and beautiful story of 4 siblings (Gemma, Connor, Roddy and Jude) and the many road trips that defined their life. They stop speaking after their dad’s funeral and 3 years later, Jude somehow manages to get everyone together for a trip to North Dakota. Out of all places. 😆 What ensues is a beautiful story of the journey of forgiveness and remembering the importance of their relationships.

This book has the perfect balance of staying in the present and going back in time as well as switching POVs. It added to the movement of the story and I didn’t feel like it took away from it at all. It felt like all 4 siblings really got an even amount of time.

Some of my favorite moments were: Roddy and Winston bantering, the break in that Gemma and Roddy do, the epilogue 😭

I went in thinking this was really going to be fun but here I am crying so take that as you will.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

What an emotional and hopeful read. Told in multiple points of view (4 siblings)and alternating timelines. I found this book enjoyable to read but would drag on a little bit too long at times.

4 stars.

FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY by Jennifer E. Smith (Out April 8th)

Fun for the Whole Family by Jennifer E. Smith is the kind of book that hits you right in the feelings—equal parts messy, heartfelt, and surprisingly funny for a story about estranged siblings with a ton of baggage.

The Endicott siblings—Gemma (the responsible one), Connor (the struggling writer), Roddy (the almost-retired soccer star), and Jude (the famous actress with way too many secrets)—haven’t spoken in years. But when Jude randomly summons them to North Dakota, they have no choice but to face their past, their grudges, and each other.

Told from multiple perspectives, this book is full of family drama, emotional gut punches, and just enough humor to keep you from crying the whole time. It’s a beautiful, complicated look at love, forgiveness, and how family can drive you absolutely nuts but still be worth fighting for.
If you love books about messy sibling relationships and second chances, you’ll eat this up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

Reviews to be posted on Goodreads, Instagram and BN.com.

In this family saga, we flash between current day and childhood for 4 siblings. After becoming estranged as adults, they meet up in North Dakota at the mysterious request of the youngest sister..

I was looking forward to this one, but it ended up being too many POVs and too predictable. By 25% I had guessed the sad ending and didn’t feel like putting myself through that after other reviews confirmed my suspicions, so I DNF’d.

Many thanks to NetGalley & the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was an entertaining, character driven story. It dragged a bit in the middle, but was really well written. I do wish it had a cover and title that would better suit the story.

I loved Jennifer Smith's first book, so I was beyond thrilled when I was approved for this title. I really enjoyed this book as well. It didn't pack as strong of an emotional punch ending, but I was invested in the characters and their stories. A solid 4-star read!

Four siblings haven’t seen each other in years. They had many reasons for the break, but when Jude summons them all to North Dakota for a weekend, the other three can’t help but say yes. As kids their mom would show up in the summer, whisk them away to visit different states, and then disappear until the next time. Now all four siblings are struggling in their own way, and the weekend away will help? Make it worse? Who knows with the Endicott Family.

Oh man…I true look at family, both siblings and parental relationships. I enjoyed each of the four siblings, and reading through each perspective, though I certainly wanted to shake some sense into each of them at times! I can only imagine one f my siblings bringing us to the middle of nowhere in North Dakota and getting us snowed in without power. I might lose my mind, but I truly loved how the siblings got to the point of being able to open up to each other and be honest about their past, present, and hopes for the future. This was such a heartfelt story and I really liked it!

Thank you to @randomhouse for my gifted copy of this book!

A captivating family saga that had me eagerly turning pages. Four siblings with mostly absent parents raise themselves and each other are reunited after a 3-year break. The dynamic between the siblings is interesting and feels real. They have a lot of the past to rehash and, more importantly, future plans to make. I loved how, despite the differences that had come between them, they found the real love that held them together.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC to read and review.

4 - I really enjoyed The Unsinkable Greta James, so I was super excited to get an early copy of this author's newest release!! For a contemporary fiction novel, this was a really beautiful story about forgiveness, siblings/family, and the power of love.

Fun for the Whole Family follows the Endicott siblings, who are brought back together for a family reunion. Each sibling over the years has gone on completely different life paths and they have been estranged since the death of their father a few years ago. Each sibling has a very different personality, career, and idea of success and family. When they are forced to be with each other again for a reunion at a cabin, they are forced to confront their secrets and deep rooted issues with each other.

This was such an emotional book to read and I found myself tearing up constantly throughout. Anyone who has a family with different dynamics knows how difficult it can be for every person to be happy and feel loved and appreciated by each other. This really was a book focused on the power of forgiveness and working through many realistic family dynamics and issues to come back together. It really was beautiful to see these siblings work through their emotions, issues, and grief and lean on each other again. Overall a very heartfelt book.

Thanks to Random House and Ballantine Books for the free book!!

I always enjoy Jennifer E Smith’s books! Fun for the Whole Family didn’t have many fun moments and jumped back and forth through time too much for my liking, but I was nonetheless caught up in all the feels by the end!

Thank you to @RandomHouse and #NetGalley for the DRC of #FunfortheWholeFamily. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

I love a book about siblings and sibling dynamics. Throw in annual family road trips and you've got near perfection in my opinion.

This is the story of the Endicott siblings - Gemma, Connor and twins Roddy & Jude. As children, their mother left them to follow her dream to become an actress. But she returned every summer for a family road trip with the goal of visiting all 50 states. Those trips stopped abruptly after an incident that scarred Jude. Now adults, the siblings are scattered around the country, but they haven't spoken in more than 3 years. When Jude asks everyone to gather in North Dakota, you know there's a lot to unpack (pun intended).

Told by all 4 siblings in alternating time periods, you learn about their childhood and their current lives. The characters feel authentic and relatable even though 3 are "extraordinary" - Jude is an Oscar nominated actress, Roddy is a professional soccer player and Connor is a national book award winning author. While it was pretty easy to guess the secrets that Jude gathered her siblings to confess, I really enjoyed this story and read most of it in one day. Definitely recommend.

A dysfunctional family that's full of love. Family road trips that build happy memories and also disasters. Siblings who love each other deeply but haven't spoken in three years. This book has it all for anyone who loves a family drama that is heartfelt and hopeful.