I ended up DNF-ing this book after I spent a couple hours on it. It just wasn’t for me. I found the story kind of boring and Blair got on my nerves real quick.

All Together Now is about what happens when you're young and have everything going for you and you have to face your own mortality. Robbie Malcolm gathers his best friends together to share his news and plans for what time he has left. But these friends all have secrets of their own that come out. This book really makes you think about what is truly important.

Norman has such a way with his writing that captures the relationship and character driven points of his stories. I really enjoyed his previous book, Last Couple Standing, and was eager to revisit his writing style. This was both heartwarming and sad; it highlighted the beauty of friendship and the human traits that carry us through. If you love wit and an interesting friendship dynamic - I recommend this book!

I don't know why Matt Norman hasn't ascended to Nick Hornby or Jonathan Tropper levels of fame. He is such a witty, fantastic writer who explores the themes of love and heartbreak and screwing up and loss, and All Together Now is no exception.

I was looking forward to this book, and really enjoyed Norman's past novels, but I just couldn't get into this one. I'm still have high hopes for his future work, though.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House Ballentine for allowing me to read this book and post my honest opinion. This is another book that I forgot to post the review for. This is a book about friendship. Robbie, a billionaire, has hidden his illness and he is going to pass away soon. He brings his main friends together to a small island in Delaware. Robbie wants to fix all of his friends problems and wrongly thinks that money can fix everything. This is a great exploration of friendship.

I could not get into this book. Something about the writing did not jive with me, and I felt like the plot was too predictable. Maybe I will try and pick it up again in the future, but this book was unfortunately a DNF for me.

I mean. Just. Pitch perfect. I was worried this book would be depressing, but it’s not. Thank you, Matthew Norman, for creating witty characters who made me LAUGH.

Reading this book also reminded me how much I loved LAST COUPLE STANDING. Sigh, what a gem. I can’t wait for his next one.

At just 35 years old, reclusive billionaire Robbie Malcolm is supposed to have his whole life ahead of him. Unexpectedly, however, he learns that he is suffering from terminal cancer. Deciding to take stock of what really matters to him, Robbie rents a beach house on Fenwick Island for himself and three of his closest friends from high school. Despite drifting apart over the years, Wade, Blair, and Cat come at his call for what they think is a reunion. When they arrive, it’s clear that this is no ordinary reunion but rather, a living wake for Robbie. One that forces them to re-examine their own lives. Can the best of their lives still be ahead of them?
.
.
This book is the perfect light read tackling not so light topics. I even teared up at the end! It’s a great pick up if you’re nostalgic about friendships or if you’re headed to the beach. Filled with page-turning writing, the book does have its share of saccharine moments. Still, I enjoyed it and thought it was better than “Last Couple Standing.”

Childhood friends are going to spend Memorial Day weekend together on Delaware's Fenwick Island for old times sake. Billionaire Robbie is dying and he wants to spend some time with true friends. So Blair, Cat and Wade gather and share some good times while old secrets come out. As they re-discover each other's lives Robbie finds there are still some things better than money. This could be a maudlin story but Matthew Norman has the crowd upbeat and hopeful. This is the first novel by this author I've read and found it enjoyable. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

There are so many reasons why I enjoy reading Matthew Norman's work. His stories take place in my hometown, which is always fun to read a scene and know exactly where it is happening. I also really appreciate his writing style. It's smart and funny and makes it so easy to read a novel, especially one that is heavy on dialogue. But the best thing is how he writes relationships. It's almost as if Norman is a scientist who looks at marriages and friendships under a microscope and then translates what he sees into language we can all understand. The little nuances in communication between partners, the thoughts that too often go hidden in our own lives, are shared in his books and it makes them so wonderfully relatable. This story, in particular, is one that has a sad plot, but it leaves you feeling hopeful. *Advance copy provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

A fantastic look at the type of friendships that transcend time and space and bring out the best (and worst?) of everyone.

Robbie is dying. Robbie also has more money than he knows what to do with. Robbie thinks that his plan for his closest friends will change their lives forever (and, well, he's right. Just possibly not in the ways he thought.) I really enjoyed this quick read and loved that Robbie really was just trying his best to make things better for his friends.

Matthew Norman's new novel, All Together Now is a story of friendship. Four friends who were kicked out of their private Baltimore High School years ago reunite after the most successful of the group, hedge fund billionaire Robbie, invites them for a weekend at a Rehoboth Beach mansion. Wade is about to get evicted from his New York City apartment after his second novel fails to attract attention from publishers. The woman he loved in school, Blair, is a mom of two young children with a marriage on the rocks who gave up her artistic endeavors. Cat is a morning television show assistant producer in Los Angeles who doesn't know her clandestine relationship with the married female host of the show is about to blow up. The world knows Robbie as a math genius, philanthropist, and astute businessman but they don't know that he is dying, and neither do his friends. What else is Robbie hiding from them? I'm a big Matthew Norman fan, (Domestic Violets, We're All Damaged, Last Couple Standing) he puts his characters in interesting situations, and he writes some pointedly funny stuff, and although this one is more serious, it's still a great book. It's got a Big Chill vibe. (80's movie reference there).

This was a delight. I didn't have any expectations going in, but it was such a fun, touching read. I'm always impressed when an author can make you care (and follow!) more than one or two main characters. This one was expertly done.

Beautifully written story of friendship, loss, and celebrating life. Heartwarming and emotional. A wonderful story that is difficult to out down. Haunting and thought provoking. A great read

Matthew Norman’s latest novel, All Together Now, is about a billionaire named Robbie who is dying and wants to spend one last weekend with his lifelong best friends Wade, Blair, and Cat. Robbie studies up on each of his friends who don’t keep in touch with one another as much as they should, with hopes for presenting them with plans to improve their lives. Blair is married with two children and has long since given up her dream of being an artist and instead is flirting with the art teacher at her childrens’ school while her marriage is falling apart. Wade published a book six years ago that flopped, can’t get anyone to publish his second novel, and has just been evicted. Free-spirted Cat is a successful producer in L.A., has just broken up with her girlfriend, and wants to have a baby. Everyone but Robbie thinks they are just taking a weekend to reconnect until he tells them about his health and what he hopes for each of them.

I have to say, for those of you that remember 80’s movies, the plot of All Together Now is very reminiscent of the movie The Big Chill. Themes of death, the desire to have a child, marital woes, and a struggling career all align with the movie from many years ago. However, it’s still a fantastic read.

Despite this being a story about four best friends and one last weekend together, the author beautifully developed each character and their internal and external struggles. No one’s life was even close to perfect. however, as the weekend passed and more truths were shared, it was evident that their friendship was steadfast regardless of misconceptions, wants, needs, and failures. There was a moment that was especially well-developed when the friends learn about and confront Robbie about his own misgivings that came to light. Norman perfectly captures the vulnerability within this group, their love for one another, and their complete willingness to forgive, even if they didn’t understand.

I was worried about this becoming sad considering a main character was dying, but this novel was mostly filled with witty dialogue and several humorous moments, especially from Cat and Wade. I laughed out loud several times, but mostly it made me want to reach out to those that I consider my dear, lifelong friends and hug them tight. This is a must-read that I should have picked up long before today!

*Thanks to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

Do you have friends from your childhood that you know will come to your rescue at any point and time, even though you haven't seen each for years? This book made me reflect on who those people would be from my own childhood.

Robbie Malcom, a billionaire, just learned that he will die soon. He decides to pull together his three best friends on a last vacation in order to tell them about his illness and spend time with them. Although this sounds like a sad story, it was mostly heartwarming. The secrets that come out from the friends and their lives are interesting. The book helps you to remember that life is short, and you need to enjoy each moment that you can.

If you are looking for a simple summer read that is entertaining, you will enjoy this book.

I gave this book four out of five stars. I was given this book for my honest review.

I’ve been a fan of Matthew Norman since his debut of Domestic Violets. This is a heartfelt book about best friends and realizing what is important. Wade, Cat, Blair and Robbie have been thicker than thieves since they met Freshman year. Now in their 30s they are brought together for one last hurrah at Fenwick Island. They all learn that the person you are isn’t too far away from the person you used to be.

My Review: I first read a book by Matthew Norman last year and really enjoyed it and appreciated how relatable it was at this point in my life, so when I saw a new book coming out I was excited to try it. I have to say this one was a much more emotional journey but still had those great comic relief moments. Once again the characters were so relatable, real life issues and situations (well for the most part). I loved that this story brought it all back to friendships and those we have let slip a bit in the craziness of life. I laughed and cried throughout this book and I really enjoyed every minute of it, now I need to go call a few friends I haven't seen in the past year and a half.

My Rating: I am definitely going to be tracking down more of Norman's books, I so enjoyed this one. It is also a great summer read, setting on a small island town, on the beach at the end of summer. It definitely is a great book as people are reconnecting after the past year in lock down. I give this one a rating of Four Paws!

[4.25 stars]

This hopeful story about a billionaire businessman (Robbie) who brings his 3 best high school friends together for one final gathering at his beach house in Delaware when he finds out he's dying of cancer was a delightful surprise for me. I loved that it includes a coed group of friends, something that I don't often find in fiction. It's a story about helping your friends and I was invested in the fates of these characters from the start. Just like he did in his previous novel (Last Couple Standing), Matthew Norman writes women surprisingly well. Finally, I loved the subtle witty humor in this book, particularly from Wade (one of Robbie's high school friends).