Cute book that had a decent storyline. I liked the way the author wrote and some of the characters were amazing.

"Just Like Family" by Barbara Casey fails to deliver a compelling narrative despite its promising premise. The story revolves around Hallie Marsh, who, in a single day, loses her job, her place to live, and her relationship. The sudden turn of events triggers her interest in her peculiar new neighbors—an elderly group aiming to restore an old estate and live together "just like family." Unfortunately, the execution of this plot falls flat, resulting in a lackluster reading experience.

One major flaw in the book is the superficial treatment of the characters. Hallie Marsh, the protagonist, lacks depth and fails to evoke genuine sympathy or connection from the reader. The sudden upheaval in her life should be a catalyst for emotional exploration, but instead, the narrative rushes through her reactions, leaving her character feeling underdeveloped and unrelatable.

The elderly neighbors, positioned as a central element of the story, also suffer from insufficient characterization. Their eccentricities are touched upon but not explored in a way that brings them to life or makes them engaging. As a result, the promised fascination with these characters turns into a missed opportunity to create a vibrant and compelling ensemble.

The pacing of the story is uneven, and the plot lacks a sense of direction. The initial setup of Hallie's life unraveling offers potential for conflict and growth, but the narrative meanders without a clear focus. The shift from Hallie's personal challenges to the elderly neighbors' project feels abrupt and disjointed, contributing to a lack of cohesion in the storytelling.

Furthermore, the writing style lacks flair and fails to capture the reader's attention. Dialogue and narrative descriptions feel mundane, and the overall prose lacks the engaging quality needed to immerse readers in the world of the story. The lack of a strong narrative voice further diminishes the book's impact.

While the concept of an older group attempting to create a makeshift family has potential, "Just Like Family" fails to explore this theme in a meaningful or memorable way. The book's execution leaves much to be desired, resulting in a disappointing reading experience. In conclusion, despite an intriguing premise, the lack of character depth, uneven pacing, and uninspired writing contribute to a two-star rating for "Just Like Family" by Barbara Casey.

This is a multi generational friendship which I always like. Hallie is having a bad day, She loses her job because her boyfriend is having an affair with a woman who want's Hallie's job. She decides it's time to write her novel she's been putting off for years. She discovers the house near by is being renovated by 4 elderly friends and thinks they are the perfect characters for her book. Her neighbor Gordan has been in love with Hallie for years and is determined to get him to notice her. A good read.

EXCERPT: Cora could feel the excitement bubble inside her. Of course she wanted to see the property. Vince had explained that it was big enough for each of them to have all the privacy they needed, and that with a little paint and wallpaper and a few new downspouts, and maybe some shutters, he could make it into a showplace. But Cora believed that houses put out auras just like people. There were friendly houses and there were unfriendly houses. And she sure didn't want to spend the rest of her life in an unfriendly house. She would be able to tell once she walked through it as to which kind of house it was. And then, assuming the house had a friendly aura, and Suong was agreeable, and the four of them felt like they could get along with each other all living under the same roof, then it might work out.

ABOUT 'JUST LIKE FAMILY': All in one day, thirty-five-year-old Hallie Marsh learns that the man she loves, works for, and is living with has found someone else-and that she no longer has a job, a place to live, or a car since she crashed it into a hedge. Her feelings of rage and desire for revenge are soon replaced by a fascination with her new neighbors-four peculiar, elderly people who decide to buy an old run-down estate, fix it up, and live in it "just like family."

MY THOUGHTS: I love the cover, and I wish it reflected the tone of the book, but it doesn't.

I went into Just Like Family with high hopes and finished it feeling disappointed. The premise for the plot held plenty of potential, but its execution was borderline ridiculous.

The characters are cardboard cutouts with no depth and no relation to realility.

There is far too much lead in introducing the characters before the story gets underway, and by the time we got to that point I had lost interest.

Sorry to all concerned, but I won't be recommending this book.

⭐.7

#JustLikeFamily #NetGalley

T: @svpublishing

#contemporaryfiction #friendship #romance

THE AUTHOR: Barbara Casey lives on a mountain in northwest Georgia with her husband, her miniature dachshund named Fitz, and Benton, a hound-mix who adopted her.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Speaking Volumes via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Just Like Family by Barbara Casey for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

I enjoyed this lovely story and the characters. I thought the story was well written and I really enjoyed the story throughout the book. Hope to read more by this author.

This book put me to sleep. DNF

***************I received an ARC for my honest opinion from NetGalley.*********************************

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC for an exchange for an honest review.

It was interesting, I just didn't care for some of the characters.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from Speaking Volumes and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Disliked many of the characters. Unfortunately this one didn’t do it for me.

While I thought the premise of this book sounded interesting, the execution was a hot mess. None of the details rang true. The exposition about the characters was way too long and repetitive. In short, I do not recommend. No off-NetGalley review.

I did not like Hallie at all and I think she got what she deserved. I could see where the author was going with the storyline but it missed the mark for me. Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Not what I expected this to be like. It was mildly entertaining and the idea of the book was good, but it missed the mark for me.

Just Like Family
by Barbara Casey
Thanks to NetGalley and to Speaking Volumes for the advance copy to read and my opinion.
I really enjoyed the four older people forming an alliance after their rents kept going up. They buy an older house and each has a share in it, as well as helping one another. I did have to run thru the pages, the four sub-characters are what had me loving the book.

I really wanted to like this book after reading the publisher’s summary, but the main character seemed a little over the top with her ideas of revenge, and I had some trouble getting past her behavior and enjoying the other aspects of the book.

Some of the characters were hard to like the main heroine was whiny.. However the story and plot kept my interested.