I am in love with this book! I gave up all respect for sleep and responsibilities while reading it. It was also my first 5-star book of the year! I will be recommending this book to everyone for a long time!

The Characters in this book could not have been a better representation of siblings. They are supportive yet petty, loving yet calling it like it is. Each one felt like a real person, not someone made up on a page.

I really liked this overall, but the point of conflict wasn't enough of a big deal to me to warrant the extreme reactions everyone had that tore apart an already close family. I kept waiting for more to unfold to justify it.

Overall a great easy read. Thank you to Random House Publishing Group for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love Jennifer's books, so I was super excited to get this arc. However, this wasn't my cup of tea. Maybe I just miss her sweet rom coms? This one didn't hook my interest like her other fun romance books. Unfortunately dnf'd before I could finish.

"Fun for the Whole Family", is essentially a love story. As we all know, there are different kinds of love: that of a parent for a child and vice versa, sibling love, and of course romantic love. This novel addresses all of them. And it does so, beautifully.

Four estranged siblings meet in North Dakota for a weekend. Despite having had parents who weren't there for them, the eldest sister took it upon herself to raise them, and they have all managed to do very well for themselves. They had always been extremely close, but something happened three years ago. And now their bond needs to be repaired. Secrets must be shared and forgiveness needs to happen. This story is heartwarming and lovely. It makes you laugh and cry and sometimes both at the same time. I loved it. And highly recommend it.

Great family story - four siblings now in their mid thirties and early forties get together for a weekend after not speaking for three years. All four siblings have a voice in story that takes us from present day and back over the years of their childhood. Funny, the book started on Feb 4, 2025 which happened to be the day I started reading it. So many tears at the end of this book. If you haven't read The Unsinkable Greta James, also by this author, it's also a great read. I'm glad this story gave a definitive ending because her last book, the ending was left to speculation.

4.5/5

I’ve loved Jennifer E. Smith’s books since she released her very first YA, but upon seeing Fun for the Whole Family’s cover and blurb, I wasn’t immediately eager for its release.

I was wrong.

Fun for the Whole Family is a heartfelt family drama that beautifully explores the complexities of sibling relationships, emotional scars, and the journey toward healing. Smith masterfully alternates between present-day and flashbacks to the siblings’ childhood road trips with their emotionally distant parents. These trips, intended as bonding experiences, serve as a backdrop to their fractured relationships. The alternating timelines add depth and nuance, showing how their pasts shape their present struggles.

Each sibling is well-developed and distinct. However, while the family dynamics are rich and emotionally compelling, the plot twists, particularly Jude’s secrets, felt somewhat predictable. Despite this, the book’s true strength lies in its exploration of family love and forgiveness, which made the emotional payoff all the more powerful. The ending is bittersweet but hopeful, offering a satisfying conclusion to the siblings’—and the story’s—journey.

I would like to thank Random House and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book as an ARC. I had previously read the Unsinkable Greta James, and was interested to read the next book by the author. This is the story of the Endicott Family. Gemma, Connor, Jude and Roddy. Their mother left when they were young, but returned every summer to take them on vacation on road trips, then disappear again. Until one summer,, when a near tragedy occurred and she was gone from their lives. Now, years later, both their mother and father have passed away. The 4 siblings have been out of touch from each other, until Jude contacts them to take a rode trip to North Dakota. Jude is a actress who as been nominated for an Academy Award.She contacts the other 3, Gemma, who is trying to become a mother, Roddy, who is a soccer star and Connor, who has written a novel that daws heavily on their family history. Jude has 3 secrets she needs to share, if she can. This is a sprawling book, with various points of view and time lines. There are several other characters , and many intersecting storylines. It is interesting and complex. It is worth the time to sit down, sort out out and get to know the family. I must admit , I was not crazy about the ending, but it worked for the story line. The whole book is messy, sad, funny and outrageous, just like a family.

Fun for the Whole Family is a family drama about the four Endicott siblings. Gemma, Connor, Roddy and Jude were inseparable until their father’s funeral when they had a falling out. Now, all four siblings are on completely different paths in their lives and careers and haven’t spoken or seen each other in 3 years. Out of the blue, they each get a mysterious message from Jude asking them to meet her in North Dakota. Of course they all agree but after arriving they all get snowed in together at a remote cabin and are forced to face family secrets that have been covered up for years.

This emotional story is so realistic and heartfelt. It is all about family, secrets, forgiveness and unconditional love. It will make you laugh and cry. This book is written in multiple POV and timelines and absolutely exceeded my expectations. It sucked me in within the first few chapters and I was completely invested in all of the characters. If you enjoyed books like, Blue Sisters, Hello Beautiful and Like Mother, Like Mother, definitely pick this one up!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the opportunity to read an ARC of Fun for the Whole Family in exchange for my honest review.

(3.5 Stars)

For fans of Blue Sisters or Evelyn Hugo, this is a character driven, bingeable read focusing on family, forgiveness, and what it means to be extraordinary.

And please check ❗️TWs❗️prior to reading this book. It is not as light hearted as you expect.

I found this to be good.

For the first 25%, I was obsessed. Although I didn’t really connect with the main characters (however top tier side characters: Annie and Winston I’m looking at you), I really appreciated reading about them. They’re flawed but earnest.

I think the middle lost me a bit. It felt like some of these people were a bit too old to be carrying on this way and/or keeping long lost secrets. But also ✨trauma✨ so I get it. Some scenes felt a bit dragged out while others were a bit rushed. However, I can appreciate the nuance of the parents (human but also problematic) as well as the forgiveness the siblings were able to give to them and each other.

The ending…whew. Truly bittersweet and emotional. Even though I was so frustrated with these characters for a good portion of the book (Roddy’s miscommunication, Gemma’s older sibling complex, Jude’s vagueness, Connor’s inflated sense of self), I really and truly felt for them in those last few scenes.

This review is kind of a mixed bag and so is the book. If you like character driven, slow burns, I’d recommend it! But can understand some of the triggers and pacing won’t be for everyone so take care ❤️

Thank you to the publisher for my advanced reader’s exchange of my honest review.

Thank you, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the copy of Fun For The Whole Family by Jennifer E. Smith. I liked how the book started and getting to know each of the siblings’ stories. I loved the insight into Gemma, and Connor and Roddy both had great stories. Jude’s story wasn't very compelling, especially since she was probably supposed to be the main character. The stories were fine individually, but for some reason they didn’t blend as cohesively as I hoped. The chapters in the past leading up to the reasons the family was estranged were okay but not as good as the chapters in the present. Maybe because after the cause is revealed, the reasons don’t seem like enough to cause a three-year rift. The past chapters after that reveal were superfluous and didn’t add anything to the story. Still, I enjoyed this book! 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

The Endicott family consists of a dad and mom who are divorced, and four kids; two boys and two girls. When the Endicott kids were growing up, their footloose and fancy-free mother, would pick them up each summer and take them on a road trip. They loved it and they hated it. It was usually the only time they saw her. The oldest, Gemma, did her best to be their pseudo mom the rest of the year.

Once they were grown, they started their lives the best they could. Feelings of confusion and resentment built up here and there, and they stopped seeing each other or talking as often as they would have all truly liked.

The younger sister, Jude, brought them all together after a three year hiatus. She asked them to meet her in North Dakota for a family get together. It may have seemed random to them but once they got there, they began to see how badly they needed to be together.

I loved the dynamic between the siblings. Although they had things to work through, the love was there. It always was. For those who have less siblings or none at all, this story will make you wish you had more! The secrets, the banter, the love, and need we see for their understanding of each other, will have you wanting more of the story well after it ends.

Great story by Jennifer E. Smith. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing- Ballantine Books for the ARC of this book.

Family secrets make good stories.

There were four siblings: Jude was a talented actress, Connor wrote a best-selling novel, Robby was an all-star soccer player and Gemme called herself “ordinary” with a marketing job. It seemed like an impossible task but when Jude sent out a text, they all managed to clear their schedules to meet for a weekend gathering.

When they were younger, they had a US map at home with pins for all the places that they had visited annually with their mother. I had to pause thinking of all the states I’ve been to as well.

After both their parents died, there was a rift amongst the siblings causing a complete separation with one another. Yet, when Jude asked if they could meet a few years later, there was no resistance with this quick trip to a small town in North Dakota in the middle of winter. They were curious – and I was too -- to figure out what was going on. And like many family members, they arrived with luggage and emotional baggage.

The story moved quickly. It was easy to catch on to each person’s way of living. However, you couldn’t take it too seriously with complex drama packed into the story with all the characters. It was like watching a movie with a plot that would excite the reader with made-up scenes that were fairly easy to predict. At the end, everything came together. It would be a fun beach read.

My thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of April 15, 2025.

Honestly this title is a gigantic breath of fresh air. For someone who comes from a small family, it is truly so comforting to read books like this, where the pages are filled with characters who show their love for each other in all types of ways. There are so many different types of love out there aside from romantic love, and this one really does display that notion- and does it beautifully. The relationships are multifaceted and sweeping, engaging and absolutely "fun" as the title suggests. What a delightful take on life in itself- wholeheartedly recommend this one. Thanks so much to the publisher and author for the chance to read this eARC.

I went into this unsure if it was story I would connect with, and ended with teary eyes. I love messy family dynamics and sibling relationships, and this book delivers on both. It's super easy to read and is wholesome without being cheesy. However, it still has lots of depth and I enjoyed how each of the characters interacted. The complicated dynamics of family were captured extremely well and I really enjoyed it.

Thank you to Ballentine Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a beautiful novel about family, loss, and finding happiness. A book about siblings will never fail to make me feel emotional and moved, and this was no different. I loved the way that Jennifer E. Smith characterized each of the siblings. Everything felt so realistic. and it was truly one of my favorite fiction reads of last year. I look forward to reading more from Jennifer E. Smith.

A heartwarming and heartbreaking book all in one. A story of siblings that twists and turns and tells a story that will keep you reading.

The four Endicott siblings were once inseparable. Their mother was a free spirit who deserted her family for most of the year, and then returned for a few summer weeks when she would take the kids on incredible road trips. The goal was to eventually visit every state.

After an unfortunate incident, their father puts a halt to these adventures. Decades later the siblings have drifted apart. Connor’s latest novel won a national award. Roddy is at the end of his very successful career in soccer. Jude has just been nominated for an Oscar. And Gemma, who basically raised the others, is a businesswoman in Chicago.

Some three years after they were last together, and with any number of simmering conflicts, Jude gets them to agree to come to a small town in North Dakota. This time together becomes a journey of revelation and forgiveness. As one might expect, the title is a bit tongue-in-cheek.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be published April 15, 2025.

This is my second book by this author. The Unsinkable Greta James was also about family.

This was an easy book to get into. We meet the Endicott family and the four siblings when they are asked to meet one weekend in North Dakota after not speaking for years. Jude, the actress, has 3 secrets to share. I found the characters interesting and how they slowly worked through their family dysfunction believable.

Based on the title, cover and first line of the description, "a joy-filled novel", I happily began reading this book. That feeling of happiness didn't last long. This is one of the most depressing books I think I've ever read.

Not only was the story sad and not the fun filled family vacation I thought it would be but I really didn't care for any of the characters. Well, except for maybe Winston and Annie. But maybe it was just that they didn't irritate me as much as the others did?

A sad story (don't even get me started on the ending) plus characters I don't like equals a book I won't be recommending.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book.

I loved the first book that Jennifer E. Smith wrote for adults so I was very much looking forward to her sophomore effort, and Fun for the Whole Family definitely did not disappoint. Smith does a great job exploring family dynamics in her books for adults, and here it is four siblings that have grown apart as adults after their idyllic family road trips with their absentee mother come to an end. Three of the four siblings have gone to lead exceptional lives, while the oldest sister Gemma, has preferred a much more ordinary path after doing much of the raising of her three younger siblings. When Jude, the younger sister and A-list actress, asks them to join her in North Dakota in the middle of winter, it's not really a convenient time for Gemma, Connor or Roddy, but all three feel compelled to go after the siblings had stop speaking three years prior after their dad's death and an only slightly fictionalized recounting of their childhood by Connor. To have an Oscar nominated actress, a successful MLS player and a National Book Award winning author all be siblings is definitely more on the fantastical side, but it doesn't really feel like an overly important part of the story. Gemma is in her last round of IVF with her husband Mateo. After raising her siblings, she still doesn't know if she wants a child even though she knows Mateo would be an amazing father. Connor's marriage has dissolved and he's living away from his two kids trying to overcome a massive case of writer's block. Roddy deeply loves his fiancé Winston, but is creating problems in his relationship because he's making career decisions without speaking to him. And Jude has the two biggest secrets of all - one from the past and one in the present that could change everything for the siblings. There are definitely some heavy moments in the book, but Smith keeps them from overwhelming the book, having lighthearted moments between the siblings, Connor's kids along for the ride, and a burgeoning romance between Connor and practical and wise local Annie. I loved this book, and definitely got caught up in the siblings and their relationships. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.