My initials perception of this book was that it was going to be a book about being a surrogate, and it was that; however, this was an unexpectedly great and heartwarming story about two very different women who make a connection.. 

Nora lives as a polar opposite in her simplistic lifestyle with her husband Jacob. They have suffered ups and downs with infertility leaving a mountain of debt. When Evelyn throws money right and left to Nora for nonsensical items and jobs, she realizes their friendship is more about Evelyn taking her under her wing out of love.

The story has a whimsical Cinderella story, but Evelyn takes it to another level when she offers to carry a baby for Nora and Jacob. A beautiful women’s fiction delivering so many laughs and tears. I was intrigued by Evelyn’s personality and her compassion, yet she keeps the story on edge with what she is going to do next. Kudos to this gifted author who has two books as National Book finalists.

Thank you to Adele Griffin, NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC and the opportunity to provide an honest and unbiased review.

This is the first book I have read by Adele Griffin.  I was excited to start it and it dove right in.  The book follows Nora, who works at a vintage boutique in New York City. She wants to start a family with her husband, but there are complications. She soon develops a friendship that will forever change her life.   A very rich Eleanor, is an extroverted socialite who buys out the inventory of a vintage boutique for her closet. She forms a new friendship and offers to help this friend.  This book is a story about unlikely friendships, unconditional love, found family, fertility struggles, and surrogacy.   Fertility issues are real and are a real struggle, this helps a little to explain some of the pain and struggles surrounding with emotions as well as financial strain.  The book definitely looks at the risks and worries involved with infertility and surrogacy in a more realistic way.  Some parts of this book simply fell flat for me unfortunately. Some of the characters were very frustrating at times, particularly at the beginning. Although I liked that the chapters were nice and short, I felt like some scenes dragged on a bit while others, especially the end, could have been elaborated a bit upon.  I do appreciate the opportunity to review and provide feedback.  Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity.

Who doesn’t need a wealthy, eccentric friend like Evelyn! Her wealth is old money living a lavish lifestyle among the influential and infamous! When she walks into “I’ll Have Seconds” high end vintage shop, she meets Nora. Nora is blown away by everything about Evelyn and their friendship blossoms as she becomes her stylist and confidante. The shop has history with the vintage items costing thousands of dollars. 
Nora lives as a polar opposite in her simplistic lifestyle with her husband Jacob. They have suffered ups and downs with infertility leaving a mountain of debt. When Evelyn throws money right and left to Nora for nonsensical items and jobs, she realizes their friendship is more about Evelyn taking her under her wing out of love. 
The story has a whimsical Cinderella story, but Evelyn takes it to another level when she offers to carry a baby for Nora and Jacob. A beautiful women’s fiction delivering so many laughs and tears. I was intrigued by Evelyn’s personality and her compassion, yet she keeps the story on edge with what she is going to do next. 
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this ARC sin exchange for my honest review.

Having had 3 children myself, I understand how strong the desire for a baby can be for a woman.  And the lengths you would go to to make that happen.  The basic story is about a woman who isn't able to have a child who is befriended by a very wealthy woman who volunteers to be a surrogate for free.  Free is good, right?  Well free is never really free.  And so goes the story of the relationship between Nora who wants a baby and Evelyn who is willing to carry one for her but expects a lot of the friendship in return.  As you can imagine there are a lot of ups and downs in the relationship and a couple of really interesting plot twists.  Very enjoyable book.

If you enjoy reading about (female) friendship and vintage clothing, set in New York City, you'll definitely enjoy this book! The characters are very well written and I loved the ending. Go check this book out! 💕

Whoa. Can we say suspenseful? The pretty cover belies what’s really happening in this story. I never thought this would have me on the edge of my seat wondering is this going to work out in the end. And the writing is so delicious I just gobbled it up. At about the 50% mark I was getting tired of the antics but I decided to stick with it and boom the storyline picked up again. Nothing like I imagined it would be.

Nora works in a vintage clothing shop. One evening, Evelyn waltzes in and purchases multiple items from the shop. Nora immediately feels a kinship with Evelyn. As they become closer, Evelyn pays Nora to source clothing for her, stage dinners/parties, etc. Evelyn also gifts Nora a priceless cloak made by Dior and worn by a poet that Nora admires. Nora tells Evelyn that she and Nora's husband, Jacob, have been trying unsuccessfully for a child. Nora offers to carry their child, but Jacob and Nora wonder if they should accept. 
This is a novel that examines the complexities of friendship, and what it means to be a friend. It highlights trust, love, concern for others. While I thought the connection between Evelyn and Nora seemed to be a bit unbelievable, I did enjoy the story and hoped for a true friendship and connection between the two. Nora's reveal at the end was interesting and surprising.

GENERAL INFO

Year Pub: 6/13/23

Date read: 5/14/23

Format: Kindle

Source: e-ARC. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Page Count:316

Setting: Manhattan

Genre:  Women's Fiction

Tropes: female friendship, opposites attract, rich vs poor

Standalone/Cliffhanger/Part of a Series: standalone

HEA/HFN ending: HEA

Epilogue Included: yes, Gloria turns 1

Character(s)POV Spoken: h Nora

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Synopsis/Plot Summary: Nora is happily married with a job she loves. If only she could have a baby. Enter Evelyn, a wealthy gregarious woman with a good heart. She hires Nora to work as her stylist and even agrees to be her surrogate.

Contains Children:  yes, their daughter Gloria

Jealy/Possy/OTT H/h: Nora is more in awe of Evelyn's lifestyle-designer gowns, trips, and expensive cars

CHARACTER DESCRIPTION

Heroine: Evelyn Elliot

Heroine Description: Wealthy socialite from "old money'. She befriends and hires Nora to be her stylist. She has a larger-than-life personality with a brand on social media. She had a fragrance business.

Heroine Likability Rating: 4

Heroine: Nora Hammond

Heroine Description: Married, works @ I'll Have Seconds-a high end vintage dress shop and finds rare antiques. She and her husband want a baby. They are in debt due to several failed IVF treatments. She starts to work for Evelyn, at times feeling powerless to say anything to upset her. 

Heroine Likability Rating: 4

Secondary characters:
Barb-Nora's boss
Frankie-works w/ Nora
Jacob-Nora's husband

CONTENT WARNINGS/TRIGGERS
infertility, surrogacy

AUTHOR OVERVIEW
Adele Griffin
New or read before & any favorites: new author

PERSONAL OVERVIEW

Overall Rating: 4*

Do You Recommend This Book: yes

Will You Re-read This Book: maybe

Would You Read More Books by this Author: yes

COMMENTS/NOTES: A serious subject told with care and a bit of humor. An example of the bounds of friendship-what you take and what you give.

This book hits a little too close to home for me with the topics of IVF and infertility. It is emotionally heart wrenching and financially devastating, which this book gets correct. Unfortunately, having been through the experience of unsuccessful fertility treatments, I just could not finish this one. I would recommend to others who have not struggled with infertility or who were able to find success through fertility treatments, it may not cause the raw emotions that I experienced.

My IRL book club met the other night to discuss The Favor by Adele Griffin. This novel is women’s fiction at it’s finest, friends. It explores female friendship, marriage, motherhood, and the complexities of all three. It really dives deep into the dynamics of power, class, and social status between two new friends, Nora and Evelyn. These women are by no means perfect, and have their own individual quirks and flaws. I especially loved that for the mere fact of how realistic they both seemed. I’m not a fan of squeaky clean characters. I prefer them on the grittier side, thank you very much. Their personalities provided tons of tension, drama, and entertainment from start to finish. 

Infertility, IVF, and surrogacy all play a major role in this story. Please use caution before picking this novel up if those subjects are triggering for you. One woman in my book club has been a surrogate twice! Her first time was for a set of twins! We were all very curious about her journey, so we asked question after question after question! Ha! It was quite fascinating to learn about her experience—especially after reading a novel on surrogacy. Thanks for sharing so much with us, friend. 

As for star ratings, the majority of us gave this novel a four, a few gave it a three. I personally thought it was a solid piece of women’s fiction, and cannot wait to read more from the author. The story was insightful, heartfelt, and complex. The Favor releases on June 13th! I give it 4/5 stars! Highly recommend!

I loved this story about two women from different worlds connecting with friendship. 

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Nora Hammond works at a high-end vintage shop in Manhattan. She and her husband, Jacob, have been struggling to conceive for years. Socialite Evelyn Elliot comes into Nora’s life through the shop and it changes her life forever. At first, Evelyn is paying her to do PA work when her assistant quits. Then, she decides to do a favor for Nora—act as her surrogate.

This ended up being a very interesting read. It talked about the real issue of infertility struggles. Delved into friendships and the class/power divide between Nora and Evelyn. At first, I wasn’t sure if I liked Evelyn. I couldn’t tell what her intentions were. But I really ended up enjoying her character! The entire book had very ominous vibes. Nora was so paranoid about upsetting Evelyn that I was constantly wondering if something was going to happen—was Evelyn going to run away? Was she going to keep the baby for herself? I didn’t expect the book to have that vibe at all but I found that I really enjoyed it. I also did not see the plot twist at the end coming! Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book! 

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Adele Griffin's adult fiction debut showcases her seasoned expertise as a two-time National Book Award finalist, compellingly exploring the intricate dynamics of surrogacy within the contrasting lives of two women on very different wealth spectrums. 

Nora is one of the best in the business for curating vintage fashion finds for her clients.  Despite her personally rewarding job, she is battling a hidden struggle of overwhelming debt and infertility. 

However, her life takes an unexpected turn when a Manhattan socialite, Evelyn Elliot, enters the picture. When Evelyn enters her shop, she quickly escalates her as her personal assistant for curating the perfect tablescapes and party looks for the mysterious world of Manhattan's elite. 

Guided through the journey by Evelyn’s charismatic yet unpredictable ways, she is shocked when the woman offers her the ultimate favor- be her surrogate. 

It’s an unusual transaction, especially given Evelyn’s socialite status. As Evelyn's pregnancy progresses, she offers her own hashtag ( #compassionatesurrogate),  giving her followers every detail of her pregnancy. With no actual contract between the two women, Nora makes a decision that could ultimately threaten their shaky relationship as she navigates a world she doesn’t understand.

 With its fashion-forward backdrop and nuanced exploration of the path to modern motherhood, this novel held me captive from beginning to end.

Griffin's care for this mother’s story was beautifully crafted, solidifying this as a potential contender for next year's book club. Readers, please exercise caution if you have struggled with infertility, but know that you may also find a kindred spirit in Nora’s journey.

A light yet emotional read, this wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, but was still enjoyable. It was hard to get a read on Evelyn’s character and her motivations were confusing at times, but I enjoyed the surrounding cast (Frankie being my favorite). I don’t think the last 4th of the book was necessary since there was enough conflict with the surrogacy/it felt a bit stale, but given this was a quick read, it wasn’t too difficult to get through. I’d check out this author again. 

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book. I really wanted to love this book! It sounded so great but once I got a third of the way in I lost interest.

I really enjoyed this story: I love a good female friendship driven plot line, especially one that is accompanied by an almost "Devil Wears Prada" focus into wealth and fashion. The two main female leads, Nora and Evelyn, were very well developed and had intricate view points into the values, drivers, and emotions of life planning, motherhood, fate, and exposure. What makes two people friends? Can two people be friends if they are so different? What drives people to their choices in life? What is worth giving up, or taking on, to get what you want? It was very well written!

 I thought the 'twist' at the end was also super intriguing, and definitely didn't see coming.

One other highlight: it is great to see a male partner just depicted as supportive. Jacob might not always agree with Nora, and they fight and argue, but at the end of the day his commitment to the two of them always shines through, and that was incredibly refreshing.

Following the lives of two women, this story follows Nora Hammond, a woman working at a small boutique struggling with debt and infertility issues, and Evelyn Elliot, a wealthy NYC socialite who wanders into her shop one day. The two strike up a connection and Nora begins to immerse herself in the world of the New York elite. But their relationship changes one day when Evelyn offers to be a surrogate for Nora, testing the unlikely friendship between the two and pushing boundaries along the way.

Although I struggled a bit with the beginning of the book, it ended up growing on me as time went on. I found the topics it covered really interesting, especially the conversation around infertility as well as the different class dynamics. Seeing the struggles Nora faced in starting her own family and how that emotionally weighed on her and her family was super interesting, though I think that someone who related to the issue more would connect more with the story. Additionally, seeing the strain between the rich and less well off was intriguing, particularly the way that Evelyn was able to use her fame and fortune to get her way and get people to do what she wanted.

However, some parts of this book simply fell flat for me unfortunately. Some of the characters were very frustrating at times, particularly at the beginning. And though I liked that the chapters were nice and short, I felt like some scenes dragged on a bit while others, especially the end, could have been elaborated a bit upon.

I received a digital ARC from Sourcebooks Landmark via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This novel is very much a summer read. The banter and friendship between Nora, her husband Jacob, and all of their friends was enjoyable and relatable. I appreciated their struggles. 
I found  Evelyn became annoying the further I got into the story. I did not relate to her because it seemed like she just wanted something in return for everything she did. The ending of the novel seemed rushed. I felt as through the author tried to cover deep topics, but the story as a whole was too much of a light read for them. By the time they became the center of the story, it did not seem important.

When Nora meets Evelyn, her entire world is turned on its flip side as she gets enveloped into a new world of socialites. When Evelyn offers to be Nora’s surrogate, tensions rise to new heights. 

A fast and enjoyable read, The Favor repeatedly asks us what makes a good relationship and what is it worth? While I loved the story, it’s necessary to note that the main characters are all insufferable in their own ways, so proceed with caution if that’s something that would bother you. 

There’s a twist at the end that was utterly surprising yet not that satisfying. I kept waiting for the shoe to drop and I suppose it didn’t drop the way I wanted it to! Regardless, the book will keep you entertained and hooked throughout. But don’t count on it to raise any fuzzy feelings.

Do you sometimes feel like starting a book is a chore?  Sometimes the amount of reviews I need to do is overwhelming.  And then I start a book like The Favor by Adele Griffen. I couldn't put it down?

 THis is the story of a young shop girl who sells vintage couture and the woman that appears one day to spend a lot of money in her shop.  It is a book about friendship, the haves and have-nots, fashion, marriage, and trust.  Throw in a few twists and you have a fabulos book!

I wasn't sure how ths book was going to turn out.  The trust part was fickle at times and I wasn't sure who to trust.  As I said- this was a fabulous read and Id like to see a movie or series about it!!