3.75 ☆ I was so close to rating this a 4, but in the end, while I definitely enjoyed the read, I didn’t love it. I’m used to more of a whodunit aspect, and this was more of a how and why. How did these people get to this point? How did this happen? I didn't hate that, I'm just not used to it.

The family drama was thick, and honestly, this would make a perfect Lifetime movie (minus all the excessive inner monologue). So much backstory and introspection in the beginning that I struggled a bit, but I’ll admit, it actually was so good. It had me almost feeling sorry for characters I definitely shouldn’t have because you were that deep into their thoughts. The writing was solid, and I liked the way the story unfolded, but at times, the descriptions and repetition made it feel like it was dragging a bit. Overall, though, I really enjoyed it!

Interesting, complex family story that kept me on the edge of my seat. Read it in one day! Still thinking about what I would do in this scenario

How far would you go to protect one of your own? And how would you decide what that protection even was? Where do your and your loved ones’ needs and desires meet, and where do they part? We Would Never offers a gripping look at the way one family answered those questions.

Hailey is the youngest and only girl, a peacemaker who is easy to please and whose mother calls her Sunshine. She marries a man named Jonah, an author who is having trouble following up on a successful first novel. The duo have moved to a town in New York, far from her family, but the arrival of their beloved baby Maya eases things along, at first anyway. Jonah is manipulative and overbearing, while Hailey is just trying to get along. As we get to know her mother Sherry better, however, we begin to see just where Hailey picked up that coping mechanism. When Jonah demands a divorce, Hailey turns to her family for support–her father Sol, a well-respected dermatologist, oldest brother Nate, who’s joined her father’s firm after many years being the troublemaker, and mother Sherry, who only wants to have her family close–or so she believes about herself. There is another brother, Adam, who has cut himself off completely from the rest of them.

The divorce quickly spirals into acrimony. Sherry’s constant interference backfires. When Jonah is shot answering the door one day, Hailey is the natural first suspect, and her family rally round her. But as more and more secrets emerge, the reader isn’t sure who to believe, or how this is going to go.

One thing I loved about this book is how the author makes you doubt your own perception. We’re so deep in the character’s heads that we’re not sure we’re able to know the unbiased truth of any given situation. So, was Jonah really manipulative or was he right to try to wean Hailey off her overbearing mother? Was Sherry right to be suspicious of his motives? Frustratingly, we don’t know. I mean this as a compliment–the book feels all too true to life! I loved how completely absorbed we were in various people’s outlooks.

We Would Never offers a deep look at complex family dynamics, sibling rivalry, and the challenges of healthy leaving. But mostly it’s a really good story. I stayed up too late more than one night, unable to put it down. I didn’t completely love the ending, but I respected it. Highly recommended!

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book for review purposes. This book didn’t do a lot for me and felt slow going. Sherry and Solomon Marcus have three children: Nate a dermatologist, Hailey a writer, and Adam a man who rescues dogs. Hailey is married to Jason with a daughter named Maya. One day Jason decides that he doesn’t want to be married to Hailey any longer and starts divorce proceedings. They live in Binghamton< NY while Hailey’s parents live in West Palm, FL. Jason has always had a problem with Hailey being so close to her family. He mocks them and is supposedly writing a book about them. Sherry decides this can’t go on and offers Jason $250K to let Hailey and Maya move to Florida. Throw in some bad guys and soon Jason is dead. This causes a huge rift in the family. Did they pay someone to kill Jason? Was it really a home invasion? Why doesn’t Hailey have a backbone? These questions and more can be answered if you slog through this book. It might be good for book club. I didn’t find the characters well developed enough for my liking. Give this a pass. You know you have lots of other books on your TBR stack. Thank me later

With a bitter custody battle on the horizon, Hailey is the main suspect when her soon to be ex is murdered. But … Hailey isn’t the only suspect. Her whole family has come under scrutiny. Who murdered Jonah? A domestic drama that is inspired by true crime, this was a fun read. Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

A story of family love. trust, and betrayal, this novel shows how far a family will go to protect those they love and whether or not they can live with the consequences of their actions. Overall, I found the characters less likable as the story went on, which is not a negative to me! Untrustworthy and unlikeable characters make for an interesting and flowing story. Apparently, this novel is based on a true story, and in the functionalization we meet Hailey, who was recently left by her now-deceased husband Jonah; her young daughter Maya; and her close-knit brother and parents. We also learn that one of Hailey's brothers is estranged from the family, which adds to the mystery regarding Jonah's death and which family members are secretly in contact with one another. Overall, I enjoyed the story but found the ending to be extremely predictable. It didn't ruin the story for me, however, and I generally enjoyed reading about this extremely dysfunctional family!

Thank you to Netgalley and Avid Reader Press | Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed this book and I did read it in one day. I loved the story line and all the characters. I would definitely recommend this book.

New author for me. There are some interesting twists in the story. I will definitely read more by this author. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

This story of how far a family will go is quietly compelling and does an excellent job communicating all the moments between the first break and the point of no return. The connections between the characters are paramount, and its intriguing to read the history of their relationships and how each person interprets them differently.

Book Review: We Would Never by Tova Mirvis

“How far would you go to protect the ones you love?”

Tova Mirvis delivers a gripping family drama wrapped in a suspenseful mystery. When Hailey Gelman’s estranged husband, Jonah, is found dead, she becomes the prime suspect. But this isn’t just her story—it’s about the entire Marcus family and the secrets they keep. As the past unravels, we’re left questioning: What would we do in their place?

💖 What I Loved:

• Complex family dynamics that felt so real: Every relationship in this book—between parents, siblings, and spouses—was layered with love, tension, and unspoken truths. It felt like stepping into a real family, flaws and all.

• A morally gray story that makes you think: No one in this book is purely good or bad, which made it even more compelling. It really makes you question what you would do in their situation.

• The slow burn: I loved how the story slowly unraveled through different moments in time, adding depth and suspense. Each reveal made me rethink what I thought I knew about these characters.

💭 What Could Have Been Better:

• The jumps in time & the multiple POVs were confusing at times. The story constantly shifted between past and present, and with multiple perspectives in the mix, I sometimes had to stop and figure out where (and when) I was in the story. It took a while to adjust, and I found myself flipping back to earlier chapters to keep track.

💡 Inspired by a true story, this novel dives deep into loyalty, love, and the weight of choices. If you love character-driven thrillers with moral dilemmas, this one’s for you!

🏡 Would you risk everything for family? Let’s discuss in the comments! ⬇️

Thank you @simonandschuster , @avidreaderpress and @netgalley for this ARC

Inspired by an actual crime, We Would Never by Tova Mirvis explores a dysfunctional family as the only daughter goes through a contentious divorce. How far will they go to support her?

This is the first novel I’ve read by this author, and the writing style was ‘unique.’ At times it felt like a script for a true crime documentary which made it hard for me to connect with the story - yet I had to finish to get the full explanation of events. I appreciate the author’s ability to create nuance around events that are shockingly wrong.

I should’ve anticipated the ending but didn’t. I like some ambiguous threads at the conclusion of books, but this plot just stopped abruptly.

Thank you to Avid Reader Press for sharing review copies of this novel.

Thank you to Net Galley, the author and Simon and Schuster for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The description sounded right up my alley - a family drama, mystery, ripped from the headlines story. Ultimately I found that a lot of the story dragged and I found myself wanting to skim to reach the end. So much was left unexplored while so the same plot points were discussed ad nauseum.

Oh my goodness, so good! "We Would Never" by Tova Mirvis was an excellent, interesting novel about a family, its complex dynamics, dysfunction and the trickle affect. Relatable characters, with very big twists. I loved it! Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

I thought the characters were not realistic. The author seemed to feel it necessary to stereotype everyone especially the mother, Sherry. I think the anger one could feel toward an ex during an ugly divorce is interesting to consider, but the storyline was over the top. I was curious to get to the end to find out what happened but overall I did not find the book to my liking.

I just cannot get into this book. I am 25% of the way through and it is so boring to me. I was so excited to read it, knowing it was based on a true story, or loosely based. But this book started way too slow and I couldn't get into it. I didn't like the characters or really anything about them. This was my first book that I did not finish.

This was a decent literary mystery/family drama (of a very dysfunctional family). I enjoyed having it in both audio and kindle. I do think this would be a good beach read. I can't exactly put my finger on why, but it wasn't exactly what I needed it to be.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avid Reader Press and Simon & Schuster for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Good staring suspense start that keeps you hungry for more. The characters tended to be wordy and more dramatic than I care for. This felt more like a family drama beach read rather than a mystery suspense.

The hanks Net Galley for the advance copy!

Thank you to NetGalley, Avid Reader Press and Simon & Schuster for gifting me a review copy of We Would Never by Tova Mirvis. In exchange I offer my honest opinion.
I was excited to read an early review copy of Tova Mirvis’s latest family drama, We Would Never. The blurb seemed like the type of juicy story, I often enjoy reading, especially seeing it was based off a true story.
They are the perfect family. Successful and happy by all appearances, but the Gelman Family are keeping secrets. And they will go to any length to protect and defend Hailey, the middle child, beloved by her two brothers and over protected parents, when she comes under suspicion for the murder of her estranged husband. While the plot was intriguing, I found the writing lacked sophistication and substance. The book was heavy on dialogue with little creative showing. Fine and entertaining, a quick read but not a story that will stand out.

This is marketed as a thriller, and you'll be disappointed if that's what you're expecting. This book the story of a dysfunctional family. It's also the story of an acrimonious divorce and how far that anger can push people. There's also a murder. The tension runs throughout, but at times it seemed a little too long.

This is a genre-blending story full of deception, family drama, and murder. Once I learned it is based on a true story, I was even more intrigued! The narrator does a great job amplifying the cornucopia of emotions throughout the story which made this one so easy to binge!

Hailey’s ex-husband is murdered and she’s immediately under suspicion. Most of the story takes a deep dive into each member of Hailey’s family and their relationships with each other and her ex-husband. Everyone is sus and I was surprised with the ending. I’m never great at figuring out whodunnit but I was definitely surprised with this one!