This wasn't what I was expecting from Carr, but it was even better! I loved the depth of the characters and the simple fact they suffered. That sounds horrible, but too many HEA get too sweet. I enjoy seeing real characters with real issues and learning how to work through them. A deeply satisfying read!

Fifty-seven-year-old Anna has just lost her husband, Chad, in a rafting accident, and it sends her family into a swirl of chaos and change. Her husband was far from a saint, unfulfilled and unhappy, playing the blame game with Anna. She’s angry with him for his recklessness, but she doesn’t share their troubles with their kids until they get a shock with the terms of Chad’s will. 

I just loved this story so much! As usual Robyn Carr grabbed my attention from the first page! There are several story lines, with Anna the main focus and her children having to deal with the loss of their father and the issues they had never examined before. Jess and Michael had the most personal growth, both were self-centered in their own way even though Jess seemed like more of a mess at first. Angry and demanding as she went about her life, she managed to self-sabotage any romantic relationship in short order. It was interesting getting to the bottom of that and I ended up really liking her! 

Michael, while likable was pretty juvenile and careless with his girlfriend. Grief made him act like a jerk, but I was happy to see him turn around. 

My heart went out to Anna as the details of her marriage were recounted. I was impressed by how she dealt with everything, and she was such a great example! I was thrilled she had a second chance at happiness with a love interest of her own, and I thought it was refreshing to show a mature romance fulfilling and passionate! 

I alternately read and listened to A Family Affair, not wanting to put it down while I had to get things done! It was a treat to listen as Therese Plummer is one of my all-time favorite narrators. Perfection! I was filled with happiness for all the characters on finishing. Five star read all the way! A definite recommend!

A copy was kindly provided by MIRA in exchange for an honest review.

Fresh-ish take on the family secrets plot …. This time the family secret has to be accepted by a widow and her very different children with very different relationships with their deceased dad. Carr does a good job showing the traits we all have - the ones we’re proud of and the ones that we wish wouldn’t surface when a family secret is exposed. Lucky for this family, love holds them together.

Family really does change with unexpected results.  A lot changes when a family member dies.  I liked the interaction between the characters in the book. Great tension and a realistic  set of problems.  Another heartwarming story from robin carr

Robyn Carr’s novel are always an enjoyable and easy read. ‘A Family Affair’, is no exception.  A family’s story about moving on and embracing new and unexpected family members.  I will always be a Robyn Carr fan.

A Family Affair is a great depiction of the complexities of life that unfold through the eyes of the heroine. Grief in the form of death and through dementia is explored as many secrets become exposed, and truths are accepted. A wonderful story with many plot twists and great character development!

Family dynamics in another Carr winner

I have been a huge Robyn Carr fan for many years. I believe I've read most of her books, not just the wildly popular VIRGIN RIVER series but my personal favorite THE HOUSE ON OLIVE STREET years ago. This has become a new favorite of mine.

Anna McNichol is a successful attorney, a judge in Superior Court and the mother of three grown children. Her mother is in an assisted living facility, daily getting worse with dementia. 

Her marriage to Chad, a therapist, has had its ups and downs over the years but his death in a whitewater rafting accident is unexpected and the aftermath and repercussions to the whole family are unforeseen.

This tale of Anna, of each of her three children, of Chad's best friend, and more was one of Carr's best, full of family drama, feelings, ups, downs, romance, and happiness was just what I was looking for.

I highly recommend this (and all of Robyn Carr's books) to readers everywhere.

I received this book from MIRA through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.

A Family Affair is the latest novel to come from Robyn Carr, and it is the perfect read for those looking for a bit of an escape. It's a bit of romance and women's fiction all rolled into one delightful package.

Anna has spent most of her adult life ensuring that her children have the things she never did. Stability, a whole family, and advantages she had only ever dreamed of for herself. Now that they're grown up and moved out, Anna has some time to finally think about what she wants in life.

That is, right up until another surprise hits Anna. With no warning, Anna becomes a widow. Now she must navigate the trials of grief while once again providing support to her hurting children. Yet there is always support out there for those who need it most.

A Family Affair is one of those books you read to be moved. Not physically but emotionally. There's so much happening within these pages that the odds are more than good that every reader will find something to connect with – I know I did.

Anna's story is, well...a lot. But it is also very human and, as I said above, very relatable. Perhaps too relatable at times, as it does tug at the heartstrings on more than one occasion. I'm honestly struggling to find words here, as I feel like anything I have to say will pale in comparison.

So I'm just going to leave it at this: go and read A Family Affair; it will be worth your time. I promise.

Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC. I have read most of this authors books, and I always enjoy them. This one fell a little flat for me. I did not love the entire storyline and it did take a few chapters for everything to start taking place. Overall it was still a good read it just wasn’t my favorite of hers. All opinions are my own.

This is a must read.  This book is entertaining and once you pick it up you won't be able to put it down until you finish it.  It covers a large range of family Issues with respect and incits.

I recommend this title.  Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin for allowing me to read this title for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book. In traditional Robyn Carr style it was a fast paced easy read that easily made me feel as if I was part of this family.

When the patriarch of this perfect family in a seemingly perfect marriage unexpectedly dies, a secret that he kept for many years is revealed. How his widow and his three adult children deal with that and with the secrets and struggles in their own lives makes for an interesting and thought-provoking read. 
The portrayal of the widow, in her late 50's and successful in her own field, as vulnerable is touching and realistic. The stories of each of the three adult children, who each are facing challenges in their own lives around insecurity, anger, fear of commitment and mental health are well done and engaging. 
Worthwhile read with substance.

When I first started this book I wasn't feeling it I was all over the place not really understanding the story or where it was headed, as there are many characters and I was trying to figure out who was who and what happened. Around 35% of the book everything started to take shape I found myself laughing and pretty immerse in the book.

A Family Affair is the story of a family, who are morning the unexpected loss of a father and husband. Anna is trying to move forward in her life, but in the meantime, she has to deal with so many things her late husband left unsolved, which are causing many family problems.

in A Family Affair, we get to meet each character and their story, Jessi, Bess, and Michael all of them suffering in a different way after the passing of their dad. Michael is feeling very lost, he is taking so many wrong decisions he needs someone to open up his eyes, Bess is having a hard time verbalizing her feelings and needs also help, Jessi is losing everything she ever love, her insecurity is pushing people away. Anna is the glue of her family, she is the only one that can help them come together and finally have some peace in their heart.

This is a book that feels like your everyday family story with their problems, bad decisions, bad communication, assumptions, and all, this is exactly what makes A Family Affair a great book because you feel like you're reading your own family drama. 

Many more things to say about this book, I really enjoyed it so much, especially as you get to see how the characters grow with each page and each moment of this wonderful story.

Overall it was good. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing MIRA for the advanced copy of A Family Affair in exchange for my honest review.

Robyn Carr's newest book concerns a family on the verge of falling apart, and their struggle to put themselves back together.  Anna McNichol was raised by a single-mother and learned to make do.  When she married successfully she and her husband Chad agreed to give their own three children every advantage, resulting in three entitled, spoiled adults.  Anna doesn't give up on her children, or her husband as he goes through a mid-life crisis and several affairs.  When Chad dies suddenly in a white-water rafting incident, Anna throws herself into planning his celebration of life  with the help of family friend Joe.  All are surprised when Chad's mistress shows up pregnant, causing Anna to reevaluate everything.  She deals with getting her own life on track and helping her adult children all while figuring out how to deal with this new version of family.  Fans of Robyn Carr will enjoy A Family Affair  as will anyone who enjoys a good read.  Get it now and save it for the beach, or enjoy the comfort of an excellent novel.  Thanks to Net Galley for the chance to read an ARC.

A Family Affair is a stand-alone book dealing with the numerous emotions a family must endure after the sudden death of Anna's husband. Years of secrets are revealed and each family member must handle this new knowledge that is discovered however they can and in their own way.

Perhaps if I read this ten or fifteen years from now, I would have enjoyed it more. The numerous mentions of COVID somehow bothered me and did nothing for the plot or storyline. I'm not sure why it was mentioned at all. For me, it was a little slap in the face of reality instead of a book that allowed me to escape reality. Again, I must say that is a peronal thing with me and really should not take away from this heartfelt story.

There was drama, heartache, acceptance and love. And yes, I shed a tear or two. I loved some characters and got totally annoyed with others.

A Family Affair is not the typical Robin Carr story. That said,it was a good story with lots of family secrets and drama. It's the story of Chad McNicol and the free fall it causes thru out his family. Well written!
Thank you to Net Galley,  the Publishers and Author  for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Robyn Carr is the author of several series of novels including The Grace Valley Trilogy, the Virgin River books and the Thunder Point stories. She has also written a number of standalone titles of which this is one.

This is a story about family and the ways in which people react, cope and look for happiness in their relationships. Some of the characters whom readers get to know include:

Anna-She has been recently widowed after her husband went on a dangerous white water rafting trip. What was he tring to prove? Anna, herself, was raised by a single mother and has worked hard since going back to law school. She wants and needs financial security and the knowledge that she can care for herself.. Annar is a judge who, as a lawyer, specialized in cases involving women and domestic violence.

Chad-Anna met him when she literally rescued him. He worked as a counselor but had his own issues (as counselors often do.)

Together, Anne and Chad had three children. Each of them is coping with their father’s death. Jessie is a doctor who pushes too much in her relationships; Mike is a teacher who has trouble committing and Bess, who has Asperger’s, sees life in her own unique way.

Add to this core family, Chad’s best friend Joe. He is a support to Anna but hopes for more. There is also a mysterious young, pregnant woman who appears at Chad’s funeral.

This novel tells the story of each of these people as they cope with loss and growth. Those who enjoy stories with characters about whom they will care and those who enjoy women’s fiction may want to pick up this title. 

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title.  All opinions are my own.

A Family Affair by Robyn Carr examines family relationships and the changes they undergo based on a death and based on the discoveries after. Each main character - Anna and each of her three children - have their own story line that centers on the dysfunctional past of the family. Unfortunately, the books takes on too much and yet does not develop beyond the dysfunction. Unfortunately, by the end, I am not the reader for this book. 

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2022/04/a-family-affair.html 

Reviewed for NetGalley and the HTP Winter 2022 Women’s Fiction blog tour.

Anna has 3 grown children and a husband, until suddenly, she doesn’t. Her husband unexpectedly dies, and Anna’s world is crumbling.  She learns that her husband has not been the man she thought he was. At the reading of the will, the entire family is shocked when there is another individual who also gets part of the inheritance. This story tells the viewpoint not only of Anna, but also her children whose worlds are rocked by the death of their father and the realization that he was not honest throughout his entire time. The story follows each child and Anna, as they come to grips with their father’s actions. Similar to other novels by Robyn Carr, the characters were well developed and you fall in love with the story and with the characters. You want to keep reading to see what happens. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.

I am a big fan of Robyn Carr's writing, but I didn't love this one as much as I had hoped I would. The book begins with a celebration of the life of Chad McNichol, a man who recently died on a rafting trip. The story is not so much about Chad, but his family; wife, Anna and children, Jessie, Mike and Bess. Chad was not a perfect man, in fact he had been unfaithful to Anna and there were issues to deal with when he left on his trip, but died before he and Anna talked about them. With Chad gone, the problems in their children's lives become apparent and must be dealt with. Anna realizes that for once, she doesn’t have the answers. Her kids are struggling with grief, her mother’s health is in decline, and Anna needs closure. Leaning on Joe, Chad's best friend, she finds support, and as she puts her life back together, she realizes her family may not be perfect, but they’ll always be family.

This is a story of secrets, mental and physical health, aging, betrayal, family and healing. All the members of the McNichol family are dealing with something that is affecting their lives. Much of it related to trying to be perfect and worrying about making mistakes. This is a quick read/listen and I thought Robyn Carr did a good job handling the difficult issues. This family goes through so much, not only the sudden death of their husband/father, but the secrets they discover after his death. There were times that I liked, and times that I disliked Jessie and Mike. They acted like spoiled children, but I was glad to see that counselling was utilized and promoted when dealing with emotions and behaviour. I was interested to see how they grew and healed as individuals and as a family. Saying all that, there was just too much dysfunction for me to love this one, but that is a personal opinion.