Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! This book was OK, but it wasn't that thrilling. For me, it was a bit boring and drawn out. Yes, everything was interwoven nicely, but it took so long to fill out the events of the barbecue (barbeque) and that sort of drove me crazy.

It was a normal weekend and a wonderful time to enjoy a neighborly barbecue. What could go wrong? But an accident triggers massive turmoil in the lives of these six adults and three children that could have disastrous implications. Sam and Clementine have busy, eccentric lives full of two rambunctious little girls. Erika and Oliver are their staid and predictable friends who are rock solid, but a bit boring. Vlad and Tiffany are Erika and Oliver's personable and extroverted neighbors.

A last-minute backyard barbecue leads these three couples down a road to dealing with more than just the repercussion from that fateful day, but the turmoil of theirs pasts as well. Liane Moriarty jumps right into a story of the insidiousness of guilt and it's affect on marriage, sex, parenthood, and friendship.

I'll admit that it took me a long time to fully get into this novel. Finishing it with a combination of reading and listening to the audiobook, this slow starting novel ended with laugh out loud moments and a delivered a well-rounded story of life, love, and fortitude. I thoroughly enjoyed this one even after the slow start.

I quite enjoyed this book, although I thought the first half was far too slow. I'd like to have seen the 'reveal' of what happened sooner so I could get more into the meat of the book quicker.

This is not the type of book I normally enjoy, but it ended up being one of my favorites.

The author leaves you in suspense for much of the book as to what happened on that one fateful night. What could have possibly happened at a friendly barbecue that has caused such pain and strife for these families, these individuals?
By providing the reader a view into the minds of the various characters, the author has allowed them to see the unfolding story as it is seen through the filter of those character's lives. This also prompts the reader to reflect on their own life and the people they may not have taken the time to previously consider what baggage carry. The author is masterful in juggling multiple, intertwining story lines which includes many flashbacks.

What a deliciously written, skillfully paced novel! Readers are blessed with characters that are absolutely beyond compelling and the plot sticks with you even after you're finished. Will be reading again!

This is by far one of the most popular books in our library. Thanks to early access, I was able to buy plenty of copies to keep up with demand!

Another excellent story from Liane Moriarty. It started a little slow for me, because she kept referring to a barbecue where something happened, and you don't know what that was until halfway through the book. However, she does her usual good job of creating realistic, fully-dimensional characters that I cared about, as well as some interesting and entertaining children. I listened to most of this as I love hearing the Australian accents, and the reader did a particularly hilarious job when the children were speaking.