San Francisco Bay Area - Present Day

Anna McNichol, raised by a single mother, is determined that her marriage, as imperfect as it is, will survive, and that all of the advantages she's made sure her three children have had will help them in life. To Anna keeping her marriage together, despite her husband, Chad's, admitted affair, is all important. But, just in case, Anna is also determined not to be left a single mother, so after Chad's indiscretion, she goes to law school, and has become a well-respected attorney in San Francisco. And now after being appointed to the bench, and with her husband's growing frustration with their marriage, Anna isn't sure she and Chad should remain together. All of that is moot now, however, after Chad dies in a river rafting accident. And just who was the pregnant young woman who attended his funeral? Just what secrets was Chad hiding from her?

Anna and Chad's eldest daughter, Jessie, is a high-strung, no-nonsense internal medicine doctor who adored her father, respects her mother, although the mother/daughter relationship has been an issue all of their lives. Jessie is angry that her mother "allowed" her father to go on the rafting trip despite not being a swimmer. There is also the problem of Jessie's inability to maintain a relationship with a man. She and her latest have just broken up. And when a surgeon at her hospital shows interest, Jessie's possessiveness again rears its ugly head. Why can't she keep a man happy?

Michael, the only son, is a teacher, sports coach, and, generally, a nice guy. He and his father were close, but he and Anna have a special relationship. Devastated by Chad's death, Michael is finding it difficult to move on. Plus, his fear of commitment is threatening his feelings for Jenn, a fellow teacher he's been involved with for a few months.

Bess, the youngest, has Asperger's Syndrome, a mild form of autism. She is in law school, is an over-achiever, and mourns her father in her own way. Not one to show emotion, Bess returns to her studies. Anna knows that her daughter is hurting, but also knows that Bess is handling this situation her own way.

Finding her way as a widow, Anna struggles to come to terms with her feelings, or lack thereof, for Chad. He seemed to be pulling further away from her the last few years, and she blamed jealousy of her growing fame as a judge, and Chad's life-long narcissism. He had been a prominent clinical psychologist, adored by his children, and popular with their friends. But life was never perfect enough for him. What else could she have done?

Families are all different, and the McNichols are learning how to live their lives without Chad, each in their own way. But when his will is read, it becomes clear to all of them that they didn't know him as well as they thought they did. All Anna wants to do is hold her family together, but different personalities make for differing reactions.

Family dynamics, secrets, and love are what A FAMILY AFFAIR is all about. Readers will understand the emotions of losing a loved one, and what happens when someone hasn't been honest in a relationship. Robyn Carr is, once again, writing about real life.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Harlequin Trade Publishing and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.


A tale about family, secrets and nothing being what you expect.

Anna McNichol is an accomplished woman whose world is rocked when her husband dies suddenly in a rafting accident. Her adult children also seem to struggle with the loss, as well as several other problems in their own lives.

I really liked the idea of this book, but I feel the plot kept getting stacked with problem after problem and nothing is ever resolved. Each problem seems superficial, and the root of the problem is never addressed. The plot may have been more interesting if fewer problems were fully developed and resolved.

I thought Robyn Carr's newest book was okay, but I didn't love it. Thank you NetGalley for an arc of A Family Affair.

This book took us on one family’s journey following the aftermath of their father’s death and the exposing of his affair. This is a very honest and open portrayal of real life. I liked how it highlighted each individual family member and took us through the ups and downs of their life. This book also did a good job keeping some moments light-hearted and easy to digest. I liked the family dynamics and I think the author did a good job highlighting the vast differences between siblings, but showing that no matter what, family is family.

Thank you to Net Galley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA for the chance to read and review this book. The opinions expressed are my own.
This is the story of Anna McNichol, who thinks she has the perfect life. When her husband, Chad, unexpectedly dies, Anna finds out everything is not quite what it seems. Anna and her children, who have problems of their own, learn that family always wins. This is a good story about a family dealing with big changes in their lives.

The book centers around the McNichols family after the loss of Chad, husband and father. During the book, the family tackles emotional issues as well as secrets. Each member of the family has their own issue they work through throughout the book as they discover that their father and husband, Chad, was not who they thought he was.

Carr throws an entire series worth of stories into one A Family Affair. The book is centered around Anna McNichol, a successful judge, her children and her now-deceased husband. Like Carr always does, she begins to remove layer after layer of Anna's life and that of the other characters in the book. There is a lot to take in and absorb, but A Family Affair is a solid, satisfying read. I hope there is an opportunity for Carr to write a sequel.

I'm not sure when Robyn Carr's storytelling started to seem more like telling than showing, but all through the book, it felt that way. That is part of the reason, it was so hard to connect to the characters.

The story opens with Anna, the matriarch of the family dealing with her husband's death. Their marriage had always had it's up's and down's and they were on a down cycle. She suspected a new affair, and when she sees an unknown pregnant woman at the funeral her suspicions are heightened.

While it is an adjustment dealing with her husband's loss, it is not that she misses him as a person, but she misses having a second person in the household to share the chores. Her thoughts swirl, not with loving moments but all the times that her husband let her down. Like his jealousy over her position as a Judge, or how she always had to be the one making concessions, not him. And why did he state that when he got back from his trip, they needed to talk about their marriage? Anna even grills his best friend about what her husband shared with him, and what he knew. This part of the story felt very off-kilter. It seems more normal to remember a person's positive attributes rather than negative ones after his death. It made Anna seem even more unlikeable. Maybe if there had been more of a mix of the positive parts of the marriage with the bad. Anna did stay married to him for over 30 years.

Anna's mother is in a nursing home, soon to be going to memory care, as her condition worsens. During one of her visits to her mother, her mother doesn't know her and talks of giving up the boy but keeping the girl. Anna is now wondering if she has an unknown brother or half-brother. This part of the story drove me crazy. I was very surprised at the author's lack of research on DNA tests. When you do a test it is pretty apparent if someone is a half-sibling. by the amount of DNA they share with you and their age. It is something that can be figured out quickly. But in the book, a DNA test is done, and it shows she is related to an individual but not the relationship. The whole testing process seemed antiquated. - like how DNA testing was done 20 years ago.

Anna's and Chad's (her deceased husband) children all have their own brief storyline. Again, I felt no connection to the characters. Jessie, her oldest daughter is needy and angry. Michael (her favorite) feels that he will never measure up to his father's legacy. And Bess, her youngest, diagnosed with Asperger's is distant, as normal while going to law school.

In my opinion, the book lacked focus. It bounces from one situation to another.. Anna's resentments over past wrongs her husband committed, to the state of her mother's health; a new love affair, her children's problems, the possibility of an unknown sibling, and secret distribution of money in her husband's will.

Thank you to Mira for providing me with this galley. I do wish that I had enjoyed it more. I started reading Robyn Carr's books back in the 1990's and have always been a fan.

I completely devoured Robyn Carr’s latest novel A Family Affair! This novel centers around the McNichol family after the patriarch unexpectedly passes away. From dealing with grief to unexpected hidden secrets this family tries to regroup to find their new normal and find happiness again. I thought Robyn Carr did a wonderful job taking the reader on this journey with the McNichol’s. I found the the pacing perfect and the character development on point! I always have people asking me to recommend a great standalone—this is the book for you!!! I will absolutely be recommending this 5 star novel —put it on your summer reading list! As per usual, Robyn Carr has written a heartfelt novel that had me at hello!

Robyn Carr has written a story about family dynamics that can be difficult on a good day, but can also be upended by a sudden event. Anna is a successful judge, enjoying her career after her three children have grown up and moved on with their own lives. Her husband dies unexpectedly on a rafting trip. Questions begin to percolate - why did he need to go on this rafting trip when he had no experience? Who was the pregnant woman at his memorial service?

This story is a nice mix of unknown secrets, mysterious findings, finding closure, and moving forward in new paths.

This book was sent to me electronically for review by Netgalley. One of my favorite authors...love the series she wrote...this book is about family secrets...family dynamics...siblings...widow...friend...careers...all together for one journey together through the aftermath of the family father dying...suddenly...on a rafting trip...he couldn't even swim...but it was just part of the problem. I enjoy reading these books about families...how they solve their problems...maybe a few too many details in this one...but a good book.

I really enjoyed this book. It has everything you want to read in a book. Family loss, family reunion, finding love, and meeting new people. I love the books that Robyn Carr writes. You never know what to expect. I am grateful that netgalley and the publishers let me read this in exchange for an honest review.

A Family Affair by Robyn Carr Intense domestic drama. Not all the family members are likeable or relatable. The McNichols family tackles highly emotional issues after their husband/fathers accidental death, Complicated dynamics within the family make it a struggle to accept the secrets that come to light after the reading of the will.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

Loved this book. It’s about messy families. Families with problems, messes and vulnerability. I loved it. Robyn addresses mental health and other challenges. And of course…an epic happily ever after. Loved it.

Thank you to netgalley for a complimentary copy. I’d recommend.