If We’re Being Honest was a slow burn for me, but ultimately worth the read—especially for its heartfelt ending. The story centers around the aftermath of Grandpa Gerry’s passing, where a surprising revelation at his funeral sets off a chain of introspection and emotional shifts among his family members. Over the course of a week, we follow various relatives—his wife, children, and grandchildren—as they navigate personal crossroads and try to make sense of their lives in the wake of his death.

The cast is quite large, which made the beginning feel a bit overwhelming. It took me about 50 to 60 pages to really get a handle on who was who. A family tree or character list would have been very helpful. That said, once I found my rhythm, I enjoyed seeing how each person’s journey unfolded. While the story isn’t flashy or fast-paced, it does offer thoughtful character moments and quiet emotional resonance. The ending, in particular, felt special and satisfying.

Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

I might recommend this one to readers who enjoy character-driven, multi-POV family dramas that take their time to unfold.

When Gerry, the beloved Williams patriarch, dies suddenly, his grandchildren flock from across the country to the family home in Eulalia, Georgia. But when Gerry’s best friend steps up to the microphone to deliver his eulogy, the funeral turns out unlike anyone expected. The cousins, left reeling and confused, cope with their fresh grief and various private dramas. Delia, recently heartbroken, refuses to shut up about her ex. Her sister Alice, usually confident, flusters when she spots her high school sweetheart, hiding a secret that will change both of their lives. Outspoken, affable Grant is preening in the afterglow of his recent appearance on The Bachelorette and looking to reignite an old flame with the least available person in town. Meanwhile, his younger brother Red, unsure of himself and easily embarrassed, desperately searches for a place in the boisterous family.

The cousins’ eccentric parents are in tow, too, and equally lost—in love and in life. Watching over them all is Ellen, Gerry’s sweet and proper widow, who does her best to keep her composure in front of the leering small town.

Clever and completely original, If We’re Being Honest reminds you that while no one can break your heart like your family can, there’s really no one better to put you back together.

A debut novel that is a great read by Cat Shook. A family drama with an entertaining look at grief and family secrets. Everyone deals with grief differently and we can see that in this story.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for copy.

This book tries to tell a touching and funny story about a big family coming together after a funeral, but it doesn’t quite work. There are too many characters, which makes it hard to keep track of who’s who or really care about them. Some parts are meant to be emotional or funny, but they don’t always land. The writing is easy to read, but the story feels slow and doesn’t go anywhere exciting. In the end, the book has a nice idea, but it doesn’t come together in a strong or memorable way.

I guess I’m on a character driven book roll right now, because I just finished the 2nd novel of the We are The Brennans author (which this book is being compared to.)

This one definitely felt lighter/cuter than Lange’s character driven novels but was still a bit of a slow burn!

As a fan of messy families behaving badly, this book had it in spaces. A southern family is rocked at their grandfather's funeral when a friend reveals a lifelong secret. We get the perspectives of his wife, kids, and grandkids, all navigating things like divorce, coming out, premarital babies, singleness, and drama. Laugh out loud funny with a lot of poignant coming to terms with life as you know it moments, this was very enjoyable.

I truly wanted to love this one however I did not. There was so much going on here that I nearly needed to take detailed notes to keep it all straight. I like a good depth and intricate storyline but sometimes less is more.

There were so many characters, it was hard to keep track of everyone, how they were related and who they were sleeping with. There was a family tree at the beginning of book, but since it was an ebook, it wasn't easy to get back to.

The foul language was all over the place, not needed to add to the story and inappropriate. I lost track of the amount of times they used the "f" word - over the top.

None of the characters had anything good to say about another character. They were all judgmental. I am glad I am not in this family.

3.5 Stars

There sure was a lot to keep track of in this book! So many characters and storylines, I ended up having to write down notes with all of the names and connections to keep them straight.

The story starts with the funeral of the grandfather of the family, and a huge truth bomb dropped on everyone during his eulogy. The book ends with everyone coming back together for a family wedding. In between, you have everyone's individual reactions from the funeral, combined with each of their own personal issues they are dealing with. Pregnancy, divorce, coming out, pining after old loves, it's all in there. The story felt very much like watching the movie 'The Family Stone;' a little dysfunction, mixed with the love they have for each other.

I liked the little reveal at the end, it was sweet and wrapped the story up nicely, but I would have liked to see a little more built around this part of the story, it felt somewhat thrown in at the end.

The fact that I had to keep going back to reread and make sure I was following the right storylines for the right people, prevented me from rating it higher, but I still overall enjoyed the story.

I wanted to like this book, but I had a hard time getting into it from the start. None of the characters pulled me in or made me want to keep going.

I always forget how much I love a family drama! This one is for fans of The Connellys of County Down, Mercury, Little Monsters, Marry the Ketchups… This one focused a lot on the cousins of the family, which I thought was a unique take on the genre. The death of their beloved grandfather finds the cousins reunited in Eulalia, Georgia. But an unexpected eulogy leaves the family in shock and confusion. As the cousins rally to make sense of it all and deal with their own dramas, we learn how important family is to one’s own healing. Cat Shook is absolutely a new favorite author! Thanks Celadon and NetGalley for this gifted copy.

I love a messy family drama that involves a large cast of characters. It took me awhile to get into this one. It had all the elements to be one of my fave books but it somehow fell flat. I didn’t really care about any of the characters enough to cheer them on. The major family drama that happens at grandpas funeral got me interested and then it just kind of petered out. I liked the fact that it took place in the south and the commentary about what southern life is. I also loved the reveal of the secret magnolia planter. I wish there
Was a bit more revealed about grandpa but otherwise, I enjoyed it.

When Gerry the family patriarch dies suddenly the Williams family comes together for his funeral. At Gerry’s funeral, Gerry’s best friend delivers one hell of a eulogy turns everyone upside down. The cousins reeling from the secrets revealed at the funeral are left to pick up the pieces. Delia is suffering through a recent heartbreak, and continuously talks about her ex. Delias sister Alice has a big secret that will change her life forever, and seeing her high school sweetheart isn’t making things any easier. Grant (who is coming off a reality tv high) spends his days peacocking around looking to get back with his ex who is getting married and is the sister of Alex’s ex. Rounding out the cousins is Red woh is Grants younger brother and is unsure of himself and lacks the confidence the other family members seem to possess. Red is also struggling with his sexuality and doesn’t fully understand how to work through his feelings. As the family all work through their own issues, they must also face the reality that the secrets that were revealed will change their family forever, but that change can be a good thing.

While this book could have been really good the author really irritated me with this desire to seem like she’s diverse so a couple of Black character is added in Alice ex., and his sister. Based on the character and the way they were written it comes across as “token” Black characters who are Black in skin color description only. You can clearly tell the author doesn’t truly hang around Black people or have Black people in her circle just based on her use of slang and she’s using the terms completely wrong, or with wrong words in the phrase. It comes off disingenuous and as a Black person was off putting. We don’t want diverse characters just for the sake of having a POC character! If you really don’t have diverse friends then just write what you know, but it’s more offensive when the character feels like a token.

Thank you Celadon and NetGalley for this ARC.

Funny, smart, nostalgic. I hugged this book when I was finished. I actually had a copy of the audiobook and went back and forth between print and audio--enjoyed both formats and loved how all the storylines dovetailed!

I love me some family drama, but I needed the foot on the brake here. Not the foot on the gas. There was A LOT going on and for such a short enough book too. I don't come from a large family, so it was hard to get into it and all of the drama and people. I thought the plot was great and liked the ending, but it took too long to settle down.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

This was pretty good. The family drama was real and pretty typical when a loved one passed away. That was depicted nicely,

I enjoyed this debut however there are a plethora of characters featured here and it can be quite confusing. I did like the quirky and humorous family especially memorable characters such as Carol Anne & Grant.
I also loved Alice and Peter!
I recommend this for people who want a light hearted family saga.

I unfortunately could not get into this one. There was just too much going on. Too many characters and a very slow burn.

"If We're Being Honest" by Cat Shook offers a clever and original exploration of family dynamics in the aftermath of the sudden death of Gerry, the beloved Williams patriarch. The novel draws readers into the quirky and relatable world of the Williams family as they gather in Eulalia, Georgia, to cope with their grief and navigate their private dramas.

Shook's writing captures the essence of family relationships, showcasing the varied personalities of the cousins and their parents. The characters are well-developed, each dealing with their unique challenges and private struggles. The dynamics between Delia, Alice, Grant, and Red create a rich tapestry of emotions, and the author skillfully weaves their individual storylines together.

The funeral scene, where Gerry's best friend unexpectedly takes the stage to deliver the eulogy, sets the stage for a narrative that is both unexpected and engaging. The twists and turns in the plot keep readers guessing, and the exploration of secrets and hidden truths adds depth to the story.

The portrayal of small-town life and the watchful eyes of the community add an interesting backdrop to the family drama. Ellen, Gerry's widow, serves as a grounding force in the midst of chaos, and her character brings a touch of sweetness to the narrative.

While the novel successfully captures the complexity of family relationships and the impact of loss, it does have some shortcomings. The pacing, at times, feels uneven, with certain storylines receiving more attention than others. Some characters and subplots could have been further developed to enhance the overall depth of the narrative.

Despite its flaws, "If We're Being Honest" is an enjoyable read that reminds readers of the intricate and sometimes messy nature of family bonds. The clever and original approach to storytelling, coupled with well-crafted characters, makes this novel a solid three-star read. It may not break new ground in the genre, but it delivers an engaging and relatable exploration of love, grief, and the enduring ties that bind families together.

There is so much going on with this book and I felt it was hard to keep up with all the connections the characters had together.