This book was everything I didn't know I needed.

It perfectly blends heartfelt family drama with LOL moments and just the right amount of chaos. Liza's journey back to her quirky family's ranch is filled with surprises, and her growth throughout the story felt so relatable. The mix of humor, emotional depth, and a dash of romance kept me hooked.

The unique premise of a "living funeral" and Darla's eccentric personality is what really stole the show for me. But, what I loved most was the mother-daughter relationship between Liza and Avery - so beautifully written.

This one will make you laugh, cry, and reflect on what it means to embrace life (and family). Highly recommended for those that love messy, loveable families.

Synopsis: Three adult siblings get invited to their actress-mother’s funeral, only thing is-she’s still alive.
Thoughts: This was short and sweet. It was witty with seriously funny moments and was balanced with a lot of tenderness and heart. I really enjoyed it and recommend to read it when it’s released next month!
Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

Liza is called back to Day Ranch for the “funeral” of her mother, Hollywood darling, Darla. Her ex and father of her daughter (Avery), Scotty, is in attendance. Her siblings, Kay and Miles, were amazing supporting characters! A really cute story that stirred all the feels!

Liza Day’s mother isn’t dead, but leave it to Darla Day to throw herself a funeral anyway. It’s the kind of attention grab Liza left behind to build a quiet life for herself and her rebellious teenage daughter, Avery. But between her students discovering her old daytime TV show—putting her teaching job at risk—and her mother’s unexpected funeral invitation, Liza’s life feels truly like a soap opera.

When Liza returns to her family’s historic Day Ranch for her mother’s premature farewell, she’s not sure what to expect. Darla’s always been known for eccentricities, both on- and off-screen. Thankfully, Liza has her siblings to help navigate Mom’s antics, which include everyone dressing as one of Darla’s many iconic film characters, a harem of white rabbits, and one surprise guest: Liza’s former costar and Avery’s father, Scotty.

The more time Liza and Avery spend on the ranch, the more Liza realizes that it might be time to trade in the scripted life she thought she wanted, for a leading role in the family she’s always needed.

This was a beautiful story about an imperfect family trying their best to love and support each other. I appreciated that the characters made realistic mistakes.

Thanks @netgalley and @aka.brooke.abrams for the chance to read The Night of a Thousand Darlas. It releases from Lake Union on January 21, 2025.

When Old Hollywood starlet Darla Day announces her funeral, it's the last thing her daughter Lizzy wants to deal with. It's just like her melodramatic mother to throw herself a party when Lizzy is in the middle of a crisis--losing her teaching job and fighting with her teenage daughter, Avery. But when the Day family convenes at historic Day Ranch, the reasons for this event get more complicated as three generations of Days collide.

This book is full of Brooke's signature witty, insightful writing. She does such an amazing job of creating loving, memorable characters, and it's also incredibly fun! You don't want to miss it.

“Night of a Thousand Darlas” is a funny and heartfelt novel written by Brooke Abrams. The story centers around three siblings who receive a mysterious invitation to attend their very famous mothers funeral…….except she is still very much alive. As the main character, along with her teenage daughter and two siblings prepare for this unconventional red carpet spectacle, we are immersed into their complex relationships and the history that binds this family together. The writing is elegant and thoughtful even when dealing with the difficult subject of dementia. This emotional story will have you laughing out loud and tearing up. It is a poignant reminder of how our own personal struggles affect the people we love the most. I highly recommend this book to everyone!

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Sweet and funnier than I expected, Night of a Thousand Darlas gives us a multigenerational family story. A little Hollywood glam and a lot of family and romantic struggles, wrapped in likeable and loving characters.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
The telling of three generations of family which unfolds through the dramas of grandmother, mother and daughter with lovely messaging on what really matters most in life. An enjoyable, easy read with some romance thrown in for all the feels. A good read for the beach or a cold winter weekend.

Thank you Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC .

This was just ok to me . It was a multigenerational story with some romance thrown in which I think is the turn off for me . Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review book

3.5 stars rounded up to4! I really enjoyed Penelope in Retrograde, so was excited to see this sophomore debut! This was a multigenerational family drama, with a sprinkle of second chance romance. Although it explored some heavier themes, I still found it a really light and easy read and flew through it in two days. I do wish we could’ve explored more of the characters and their motivations, especially Darla.

Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC!

This was a precious story. From an aging starlet and grown-up child stars, to a funeral for someone who is still alive, this book is full of personality. While I would call this women’s fiction, i would also classify it as a family dramedy. There are so many quirky characters, a fun storyline, and a good amount of romance, it is a perfect palate-cleanser for a bad day.

I have to say that this book was better than expected.
My rating is 4,5⭐️ rounded up to 5 ⭐️.

We have the story of three generations of women with a side of second chance romance.
Darla is a former actress and she send invitations to her funeral, even if she is still alive.
The story is told from her youngest daughter Liza’s perspective. She is a single mother co-parenting her teenage daughter Avery. Liza and her ex met when they filmed a soap opera together. There are some chapters with flashbacks from that period.

I liked the writing a lot, the plot felt reali and the interactions between the siblings were funny.

The romance part was unexpected for me but I loved it, even if it was a bit in the background. I am a sucker for happy endings.

I received a complimentary advance copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Publishing date is 21th January 2025.

I'll apologise to the author and to the publisher, but I didn't feel like finishing this book. I was not feeling it. By reading the synopsis I wanted drama, comic scenes, fun! But what I got more was romance. I wasn't in it for romance, so I felt pulled out of the story multiple times.
Maybe I'm not the proper audience for it?
Anyway, I might give it another go when the book is officially published and if there is the audiobook format available. I believe this is the kind of book that works better with me via audio.

Single mom Liza must come together with her family in this funny and heartwarming novel.

Liza is a single mom of a teenage daughter. She is also the daughter of a once famous actress and was a teenage actress herself. When she and her siblings receive an invitation to their not dead yet mother's funeral, hilarity and love ensue. Liza left home after having her daughter, leaving her mother, sister and brother behind. The funeral invitation requires her and her daughter to attend, and they leave for the once family home. Along with her siblings, mother, long term caretaker and the father of her child, secrets will be shared, laughter ignited and love accepted.

A wonderful novel about love, mistakes, secrets and most of all what it takes to be a family. A must read!

What a creative and quirky read!! Darla Day had me the moment she sent out her funeral invitations and she was still alive! The characters definitely had an edge and depth to their makeup and it made the read more interesting as each chapter went on! Family drama and entertainment are woven into this book with a fashion that is a poetic round and round grace all of its own accord! 💗

Bravo! ☕

Great book! I love books that go back in time and you meet generations back and this was perfect. Family drama and dynamics. It was a lovely read for sure. I hadn't read any books by Brooke Abrams before but will surely look for more now.

This was a good book! I liked following the 3 generations of women through life, and seeing all the family drama that comes with it! It was funny and entertaining. I thought the characters were all written well, and the pacing of the book was good and enjoyable. I like this author! The concept of the oldest woman inviting everyone to her funeral while she is still alive is wild.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and especially the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review of the book!!

The story kicks off with grandmother and former soap star Darla Day sending out invitations to her own funeral, although she is still alive. The book has a likeable first-person narrator in her daughter Liza, a harassed teacher, for whom this comes out of the blue. The tone is smart and funny, and drew me in. I think the story would appeal to fans of Lindsey Kelk and Ashley Poston. It has a lot of charm and chutzpah.

There are many good lines, including: "I pick up a box of wine, a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos, and a lavender-scented face mask from Target. It's moments like this when I appreciate self-checkout."

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy.

This was a strong story and I enjoyed the use of three generations of women. It worked well with what I was looking for and thought the setting was really well done. Brooke Abrams has a great way of telling the story and making characters that I cared about their journey. It was really well written and glad I was able to read this.