Book Review: "Make Nice" by Ryan Effgen

I love dysfunctional families. (Fictional dysfunctional families.) There’s just so much fodder for drama and confrontation. Ryan Effgen’s debut novel takes one such family on vacation—what could go wrong? Thanks to Knopf and NetGalley for the advance copy!

The Pickford family is gathering at The Grand Hotel, a ritzy resort on an island in Lake Michigan. It’s been three months since their mother died, and their father has decided that they all should vacation together. No one is exactly sure why.

Viv is fairly sure her marriage is over, what with the recent discovery that her husband is gay. But she’s determined to pretend everything is fine, especially to her teenage daughter, Ash (don’t call her Ashley). Pete is a scientist, recently referred to as the nation’s foremost expert on gastropods.

And then there’s Corey, the black sheep of the family. Corey didn’t attend their mother’s funeral, and in fact, Pete and Viv didn’t even know their father invited him. But Corey isn’t the type of person to shrink under scrutiny—he almost seems to relish his role as family outcast. However, he’s ready to take control of his life—and he has five pounds of cocaine he plans to sell to the rich tourists, which should give him a good start.

Of course, you bring a family together, and there are always secrets to be revealed, old wounds to be reopened, and lots of emotions. Why did their father summon them to the island? Can peace and love be found amidst the fudge and ice cream shops and the horse-drawn carriages?

The book is billed as a cross between Sandwich and The Wedding People. There are certainly similarities but I didn’t feel as connected to the characters in this book as I did in those others. This was enjoyable but not necessarily unique in any way.

The book publishes 7/14.

Book Review: "We Are Gathered Here Today" by Bobby Finger

Families have their dysfunction, but nothing brings them out quite as much as a wedding. And the literary world is so much richer for that fact. Thanks to Putnam and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book!

Fin’s beloved cousin Elaine is getting married and she has asked him to officiate. The wedding is in June in the sweltering heat and humidity of Texas—and it’s being held at a kitschy Wild West-themed resort, which is something he’d never imagine Elaine choosing.

He and his best friend Jacque are reunited when he arrives in Texas from his home in Brooklyn. Both of them have been to their share of disastrous weddings and neither has come close to taking the plunge themselves. Although Fin has a secret: he and his boyfriend Mark recently got engaged, but Fin is so sure the relationship will fall apart before a wedding ever happens.

Fin and Jacque connect with friends of Elaine’s husband-to-be: Todd and his overbearing alcoholic husband, David, and their best friend, Marina. The five of them comprise the wedding’s “queer table,” and do all they can to enjoy the activity-filled days leading up to the wedding. But the fun comes with some awkward moments for each of them, with secrets being revealed and arguments catching fire, as everyone tries to keep the peace for Elaine and Rupert’s sake.

Often the best part of a wedding is getting the opportunity to criticize it afterwards. When their college friends started getting married, Fin, Jacque, and Elaine instituted The Hour of Disrespect, a period of 60 minutes after the wedding where criticisms can be discussed, and then never be spoken of again. Will there be a wedding to disrespect? And will they all be there to see it happen?

I had really high hopes for this book, as I absolutely loved Bobby Finger’s two previous books. I enjoyed this but it all seemed to drag on for too long, and the miscommunication among some of the characters frustrated me. But in the end, this was a sharply insightful and emotional read.

The book will publish 6/16.

Book Review: "Lake Effect" by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney

It’s 1977 in suburban Rochester, NY. A woman who has scandalized her neighborhood by getting divorced decides to buy her friends a copy of The Joy of Sex. What she views as a bit of a prank sets off some serious ripples.

Nina is married to Sam and they have two teenage daughters, Clara and Bridie. When Nina gets a copy of the book and hears her friends sharing details about their sex lives, she realizes how empty her own is. At that moment she decides she wants to have an affair, and when she lands on her neighbor, Finn, he’s all too willing to partake.

But the ramifications of an affair in their claustrophobic neighborhood quickly cause Nina to put the brakes on. Yet Finn, who is deeply dissatisfied in his own marriage, can’t imagine a life without Nina. To the surprise of everyone, Nina and Finn leave their families, get quickie divorces and marry each other, and head back to town.

The family members left behind each feel a different sense of betrayal. But her mother’s actions hit Clara in a different way: she was just falling in love with Finn’s son Dune, who now wants nothing to do with her.

The book spans from the 1970s to the 1990s, and traces the many ways the actions of Finn and Nina continue to cause issues for their families years later. There is a lot that occurs in this book and there’s definitely some weighty content, but it never felt forced or false.

Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney has a real knack for capturing the dynamics and dysfunctions of families. I was swept into the story of the Larkins and the Finnegans, and was amused, moved, and affected by them.

Book Review: "These Summer Storms" by Sarah MacLean

If all families got along perfectly and there was no drama, the fictional world would be a really dull place. Family dysfunction is one of my favorite fiction subgenres, and Sarah MacLean’s newest book delivered that—and then some.

Franklin Storm was a self-made billionaire and a technology mogul. He was also manipulative, power-hungry, and vindictive, and loved pitting his children against one another. Alice Storm, one of his daughters, learned this the hard way: she’s been estranged from her family for five years, ever since her father disowned her.

Franklin’s death comes as a shock to Alice, almost as much as her mother’s summoning her to Storm Island, the family’s New England compound off the coast of Rhode Island. She dreads confrontation with her mother and three siblings, and plans to stay until the funeral is over.

But Alice and her family discover Franklin has the last laugh once again. He’s created a challenge for his wife and children, each with tasks they must complete. Some are painful and some are physically demanding. If they all don’t complete their tasks, no one will get their inheritance. Alice’s task? She must stay on the island with her family for a week.

Being with her family again opens up old wounds and resentments, and she’d really like to just pack up and leave. But could she forgive herself if that negated everyone’s inheritance? Of course, there are secrets to be revealed, which clarify just how manipulative Franklin was. Alice doesn’t know whom to trust, not even Jack, her father’s handsome fixer.

These characters are pretty awful to one another, and at times I wasn’t sure if I wanted to keep immersing myself in their world. But MacLean’s storytelling is so compelling, so melodramatic and twisty, that I couldn’t put it down.

Book Review: "The Float Test" by Lynn Steger Strong

“What is the feeling that tells any of us, even after we’re grown-up and know better—know it’s likely that they’ll hurt us, maim us, leave us flayed open—to check in with the people with whom we share DNA?”

I’ve said this before, but I cannot get enough books about family dynamics and dysfunction. Relationships that fray and knit themselves together—often multiple times—are fascinating to read about. (Much less fascinating to live through, of course.)

When the Kenner family matriarch dies unexpectedly, all four of their adult children convene at their parents’ home in Florida. Jenn, the oldest, is a wife and mother who is always there to take care of everyone—even if she resents it. Fred is adrift; she’s a writer who has lost the ability to write and is at odds with many of the people in her life.

The youngest, George, is sad about the end of his marriage but has other issues to deal with. And Jude, the narrator, has flown in from NYC, and must deal with the fact that she hasn’t spoken to Fred—once her favorite sister—in several years.

As with any family gathering, there are plenty of secrets everyone has kept hidden, hurts and resentments they’ve tried to forget, and at least a handful of fond memories to lean on. But there are also big questions to be answered, particularly what went wrong between Fred and Jude, and why did their mother keep a gun in her underwear drawer?

This book was really well-written; there were many quotes I noted. My issue was that I didn’t find the characters particularly sympathetic, particularly Fred, and she’s the character most of the book focuses on.

Book Review: "Every Sweet Thing is Bitter" by Samantha Crewson

Add this to the rapidly growing list of fantastic debuts in 2025! While bleak at times, this book was tremendously thought-provoking and powerful.

“No matter how many years separate me from that day, there is no new beginning. Nothing changes. Absolution is a myth. Some sins you must pay for again and again and again, as long as you live.”

Providence hasn’t been back to her hometown in 13 years, when she put her car in reverse and inadvertently ran over her mother. Her mother survived, but Providence was sent to jail, guilty of a felony. She was told never to come back to town, but now her mother has disappeared mysteriously, ostensibly on the way home from a Bible study class.

While the last thing Providence wants is to constantly be reminded of her transgressions, she hopes that her return might help bridge the gap between her and her sisters. But of course, it also means confronting Tom, her abusive father, who bullied everyone into turning a blind eye to his faults.

As the search for her mother continues, Providence discovers that in many ways, things have gotten worse since she left town. Her sisters resent her for what she did to their mother, but at the same time, they want her to make their father pay for his abuse. Should she sacrifice herself for the chance to save her sisters?

I love books when there are secrets and resentments uncovered at every turn. This was an emotional exploration of guilt, forgiveness, love, loyalty, and the cycle of violence that preys on us. I couldn’t put this down!

Book Review: "A Reason to See You Again" by Jami Attenberg

Post-Thanksgiving and pre-holidays, here’s a healthy dollop of family dysfunction in book form!

Rudy was a Holocaust survivor who traveled the country speaking to groups about what life was like in the camps. His traveling secretary, Frieda, becomes his wife, and together they raise two daughters, Nancy and Shelly. Rudy is the peacemaker, the one who smooths Frieda’s rough edges, as she becomes increasingly critical of her daughters. (It intensifies more when she drinks, which is becoming a nightly activity.)

When Rudy dies, the three women are adrift without a buffer. Frieda’s drinking becomes more of a problem, Nancy leaves for college, and Shelly throws herself into her schoolwork in the hopes she can get as far away as possible. But Frieda’s abuse takes its toll on the self-esteem of both her daughters.

As the years pass, Nancy marries young and has a daughter, but isn’t really sure that this is the life she wants. Shelly moves to the West Coast and becomes a driving force in the rapidly growing field of mobile phone technology. The sisters don’t see other much, and when they do, their interactions are affected by uncertainty, envy, and resentment.

Meanwhile, Frieda has moved to Miami, and continues her self-destructive ways. She also has some guilt about how she treated her daughters when they were growing up, and she mourns the life she had before her husband died. But at some point, all three women realize that you can only blame others for your misery for so long before you need to take responsibility for your own life.

The story spans four decades, beginning in the early 1970s, and is narrated by all three women and Rudy. I felt the story had promise early but lost its way; there’s only so long you can read about people unhappy and not interested in changing things.

Book Review: "The Great Dating Fake Off" by Livy Hart

Nora is willing to do almost anything for her best friend and boss, Benji, even take care of his bearded dragon. And when she witnesses Benji being hassled by his mother and sister about not having a date to his sister’s wedding, she steps in and tells them that they’re dating. Now she’s his date for nearly a week of wedding festivities at a posh resort in the Adirondacks.

Much to Nora’s surprise, when they arrive at the resort she spots Sebastian, the handsome guy she was flirting with just before pretending to be dating Benji. It turns out Sebastian is also a fake date, for his best friend, who happens to be the groom’s twin sister. So both Nora and Sebastian have to keep their own feelings in check to keep up the façade for their friends.

But this isn’t just any wedding. The two families have been feuding for decades; the bride and groom dated secretly for a year before telling their families about their engagement. Tempers are flaring, nerves are fraying, and despite the blatantly obvious chemistry between Sebastian and Nora, they have to behave themselves. Because if they get caught…it could mean disaster.

The more time they spend together, both during pre-wedding activities and stolen time away from the others, the harder it becomes to deny what they’re feeling. But Sebastian is going to be moving for his job in a few weeks, and Nora grew up being dragged places by her mom, so she wants to stay put.

“I want to be claimed. To be someone’s person. I crave the safety that comes when two people fully belong to each other. Not that I’ve experienced it.”

I’ve said many times how much I love fake dating as a trope, so this was right up my alley. It’s a steamy story with emotion, family dysfunction, banter, and crazy wedding chaos. That’s a recipe for a fun read, in my book.

Book Review: "Summers at the Saint" by Mary Kay Andrews

Pack your bags and join Mary Kay Andrews at the St. Cecelia (better known as “The Saint”), a famous resort on the Georgia coast. The Saint has been a haven and a playground for wealthy travelers for decades, and its exclusivity rankles those who can’t afford to stay there.

When Traci first saw the pink building that looked like a fairytale castle, she wanted to go there, but as a local “ain’t,” her kind wasn’t welcome. She was able to land a summer job there for several years, which led to her meeting and marrying one of the heirs to the resort. Now, a widow in her 40s, she’s determined to return The Saint to its glory days, before the pandemic took its toll.

Faced with unprecedented staff shortages, she increases salaries, provides housing for employees, and recruits new staff, including the daughter of her former best friend, who worked with Traci years ago before ending their friendship. Traci even convinces her niece to abandon her study-abroad plans and work at The Saint for the summer.

What Traci doesn’t fully grasp is how the deck is stacked against her. She has to deal with the machinations of her brother-in-law, who wants nothing more than to wrest The Saint from her hands. And it turns out there’s a lot of nefarious goings-on behind the scenes, which threaten to take the resort down for good. When a member of the staff is killed, and someone comes looking for answers about an incident at the hotel years ago, Traci realizes she can only depend on herself—and maybe one or two others.

There’s no shortage of family dysfunction, drama, people behaving badly, even murder and violence. Who’s responsible for the chaos that has broken out, and why? Can Traci turn things around at The Saint before she winds up in danger—and/or loses a place that reminds her of her late husband?

Andrews knows how to tell a story and paint an evocative scene, and this hooked me from start to finish. It's definitely a little darker than many of her books. There’s suspense, romance, intrigue, grief, even rehashing old memories. I definitely enjoyed my time at The Saint!

Book Review: "Olympus, Texas" by Stacey Swann

In Olympus, Texas, the problems for a dysfunctional Texas family seem to multiply when one member returns home.

It’s been two years since March Briscoe has seen his family, as he left after his affair with his brother’s wife was discovered. His mother June is less than pleased to see him—she’s always found March hard to love. And as a woman whose husband has had multiple affairs through the years, she’s tired of standing by her man.

March’s arrival stirs up old wounds with his brother, Hap, and Hap’s wife, Vera, who is perhaps even more dissatisfied with her marriage since her affair. At the same time, March and Hap’s twin half-siblings, Artie and Arlo, face their own challenges, when Artie’s desire for a life of her own is tested by Arlo’s neediness.

In the span of a week, someone has been killed, relationships are in tatters, multiple punches have been thrown, and the Briscoes face scrutiny from all over the town of Olympus. Can they change the course of events around them? Can they change themselves? Do they want to?

This is a dark, brooding, dramatic book and I was completely hooked from start to finish. I love books about family dysfunction, and this family was seriously screwed up!! But for the most part, the characters were sympathetic, and I needed to know how Stacey Swann would resolve everything.

The description of the book talks about how elements of classic mythology are woven into the plot. I don’t know much about mythology so that passed me by, but it didn’t lessen my enjoyment of the story. So glad I finally read this!!

Book Review: "Tomorrow There Will Be Sun" by Dana Reinhardt

As Dana Reinhardt shows us in Tomorrow There Will Be Sun, sometimes the vacation you need isn’t quite the one you get.

⁣ ⁣ Jenna has organized the perfect trip to Puerto Vallarta to celebrate her husband Peter’s 50th birthday. They’ll be traveling with their teenage daughter, Clementine, as well as the family of Peter’s best friend and business partner, Solly.

⁣ ⁣ The villa is as beautiful as promised and the staff are tremendously attentive. So why isn’t Jenna enjoying herself? Why is Solly’s braggadocio annoying her more than normal? Why is Clementine suddenly cozying up to Solly’s teenage son Malcolm when she has a boyfriend she won’t stop texting? Why can’t she get her fourth book done while Solly’s much-younger new wife has written a manuscript while raising a young child? (And of course, it’s good.)⁣

⁣ Things come to a head when Peter keeps getting mysterious phone calls from his beautiful assistant, and then unrest in Puerto Vallarta threatens their whole vacation. This isn’t quite the celebration Jenna imagined—and she’s not even sure this is the life she wants any longer.⁣

⁣ I tend to enjoy stories about dysfunctional family vacations but I just never warmed to Tomorrow There Will Be Sun. The characters aren’t particularly appealing but I feel like the author also threw in far too much—like there had to be violence and chaos in Puerto Vallarta with drug cartels, etc., on top of everything else? It seemed a wee bit stereotypical to me.⁣

⁣ Still, the villa sounded amazing. And I wouldn’t mind someone to hand me a margarita every now and again! ⁣ ⁣