I really enjoyed the characters in this book. I was instantly engrossed in the plot and wanted to complete it in one sitting. The book explored the friendship between two women, one entitled and one scaping by to pay off the exorbitant debt associated with infertility clinics. The book was well researched and opened to my eyes to the blessings of being able to conceive naturally. It was captivating and the characters authentic. Highly recommend!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for Adele Griffin’s The Favor. Nora works at, and is half of the soul behind, a couture thrift shop in Manhattan. She and her husband have lots of debt to fund their failed IVF attempts. One day wealthy Evelyn Elliott comes into the shop, drops a ton of money, and bonds with Nora.

Nora and Evelyn forge a friendship— albeit with Evelyn paying Nora to source clothes for her and plan celebrations. Then, Evelyn offers to be a surrogate for Nora and her husband for their final egg. This tests their relationship in all sorts of ways.

I enjoyed the book and its story. It will be released June 13th. Thanks to the author, Sourcebooks Landmarks, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my review

Nora and her husband Jacob are living in a tiny Brooklyn apartment and in massive debt after years of unsuccessful fertility treatments. While working at a high-end vintage clothing store, Nora meets Evelyn, a wealthy socialite. They become instant friends and Evelyn offers to become a surrogate for Nora and Jacob.

Evelyn is determined to build a social following as an influencer using the surrogacy journey as her hook. The book just scratches the surface of a very interesting world of rich socialite influencers and the life they present on the internet.

The Favor reads like a thriller/suspense where you are waiting for the other shoe to drop. Why did Evelyn offer to become Nora's surrogate after knowing her so briefly? Was it for social media success? Is she wanting to keep the baby herself?

The surrogacy and fertility process is well researched and thoughtfully presented. Often this topic is in need of a TW, I would not say this is the case for The Favor. I also enjoyed the vintage fashion woven throughout the book.

This was not at all what I had expected of this novel. I kept trucking through 40% of it but did not finish. Life is too short. I have no interest in or respect for today's 'influencers'. That first 40% was exactly why.

Nora Hammond is the queen of vintage fashion and antique finds in the heart of Manhattan. She's got style, success, and a happy marriage, or so it seems. But really, Nora and her husband Jacob are swimming in a sea of debt thanks to pricey fertility treatments and failed IVF attempts. It’s hard for them because there’s just one embryo left.

One day Evelyn Elliot comes into Nora's shop loving and buying everything. Nora is excited about their newfound friendship but she has not idea that this friendship will lead her into the world of multimillionaires, where yachts, fancy homes, chauffeured cars, and an army of staff are the norm. It's a juggling act, but Nora's managing just fine—until Evelyn drops a bombshell: she wants to carry Nora and Jacob's baby.

The Favor" is a fabulous mash-up of friendship, family, fertility struggles, and surrogacy, all set against a backdrop of glitz and glamour. Plus, it’s fun to read about all the vintage clothes. I loved this book so much! 2

I read this book waiting for the shoe to drop. Waiting for Evelyn to leave and not buy anything, waiting for her take things that didn't belong to her, for her to be the deceptive one. I was wrong. I had my eye on the wrong person. I was a little disappointed by the ending. I love feel good happy endings. This was a happy ending, I just wish that Nora and Evelyn had really reconnected their "Sisterly" bond.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Two women, one a wealthy socialite and the other a down-to-earth employee at a vintage boutique, find their already-strange friendship tested when the former offers to be the surrogate for the latter in exchange for permission to document the process on social media.

Although one of the keywords that jump out is "surrogacy," and while THE FAVOR does indeed delve into the murky and difficult waters of it, this book is far more about how the terrain of friendship is strange and difficult to navigate when wild imbalances in socioeconomic status exist. Surrogacy works to only push the imbalances further. Adele Griffin does a fine job portraying the complicated emotions and thought processes that arise when the desire to be friends clashes with the psychological effects of such imbalance, but at the same time, the novel lost focus on what story it wants to tell in the journey.

I liked this book, but I didn’t love it. I was ok picking it up again a few days after putting it down. Never having read this author before I was impressed with how she strings her words together. I may give some of her older books a try.
By now you, potential reader, must know that it’s a story about two women who meet by happenstance and end up clicking as they both need something the other can provide. One is Uber wealthy, Evelyn, and the the main character, Nora, is struggling financially. I enjoyed being a a witness to their blossoming friendship but could definitely understand Nora’s husband Jacob’s reservations in his wife’s seemingly obsessive attraction to her new wealthy friend.

It got more intense in the 2nd half, and by then I was invested in what was going to happen. It is not as detailed in surrogacy as one might expect, but definitely gives us food for thought. My favorite part was the newest character brought in at the end which I won’t spoil for you, but I was delighted that she shared my name and nickname as well.

Most women’s fiction fans will enjoy getting acquainted with this eclectic group of characters. I rate it a high 3+ leaning close to 4 stars. I thank the publishers Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley for my review copy. Pick your copy up on June 13 at all retailers.

Friendship, loyalty and surrogacy were the main topics in this story. While it dealt with surrogacy, the two main characters felt unlikely to form this bond. One being rich and famous while the other was dealing with financial hardship due to her infertility. The two main characters never fully developed for me. Evelyn was rich and demanding while Nora was afraid of upsetting her and ending the agreement. This surrogacy was done without any legal papers drawn up. The vintage clothing shop and the fashion industry added an interesting aspect to the storyline. #TheFavor #AdeleGriffin #NetGalley

4.5/5 stars!

After finishing The Favor, I can definitely say that this book wasn’t quite what I expected. I thought it was going to be a breezy read and tell about love and friendship and relationships through a surrogacy. It felt more like a thriller and I honestly was on the edge of my seat at some points.

I felt like I immediately connected and resonated with the characters - which can be hard for me to do sometimes. I was immediately locked in to Nora, who has always longed to be a mother even when it puts her and her husband, Jacob, deep into debt. When Nora, who works at an upscale resale shop, meets rich socialite Evelyn, her life takes a big turn. After months of what some could call a friendship, Evelyn offers to be a surrogate for Nora’s baby.

As surprised as I was with where the book led me, I really enjoyed the ride. I loved the writing style of the author, I loved the plot, I loved many things about this book. It was one that I had a hard time putting down, and when I did, I couldn’t stop thinking of it.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark, NetGalley, and the author for the eARC!

A really interesting contemporary story about motherhood and family, the power of friendship and the difficulty that comes when you make a promise to someone. I really enjoyed this !

The beautiful springtime cover of this book immediately drew my interest, but it was how well the story surrounding the sensitive topics of infertility and surrogacy were handled that held my attention. I readily became captivated.

While working in a vintage dress store, Nora meets Evelyn, a very wealthy and gregarious customer. At the time, Nora and her husband have been struggling with financial and infertility issues with no end in sight. However, Evelyn quickly becomes friends with Nora and Jacob, bringing them into her sphere of money and influence. Wanting to help her new friends, Evelyn offers them the ultimate gift of being their surrogate. As soon as the tears of happiness dry, the friendship begins to dissolve into one of distrust, isolation and blame. Without a formal contract, where will their precarious friendship lead? Is there a limit to a favor or a gift that is given to a friend?

I alternately felt good and bad for each of these women and their families, while also being spellbound by the possibilities of where their decisions might take them. This is sure to be a popular book for fans of Women's Fiction.

My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with a digital ARC of this charming novel to read and review.

Oh my! This is such a good read. Adele Griffin hit it out of the park with this story. This book has it all. Friendships, trials, growth of personalities, triumphs. Very heartwarming tail of a couple longing for a child of their own. The swooping in of a philanthropist to save the day. The twist at the end that I did not see coming. I could not lay this book down. It had me from the first page to the last. A must read. I was given an advanced reader copy of this book by NetGalley and I am freely leaving my review.

I really liked this book a lot but it wasn’t what I was expecting based on the blurb. Initially, I thought it was going to be a book about being a surrogate, and it was that, but what it’s truly about is friendship, especially of the female kind. I loved how the friendship between Nora and Evelyn showed how there was an inequality of power in this relationship. It started off as rich man/poor man but became so much more than that after Evelyn begins to carry Nora’s baby.

I liked how the author handled the subject matter of infertility in a sensitive manner and how well researched her information was. This was a genuinely unique way of telling a surrogate story and I liked how the author mixed in the social media aspect into the plot as well. It just goes to show that we never really know how the other half lives.

This was SO FUN! I cannot not imagine Jennifer Coolidge as Evelyn. This has twists and turns galore. It’s the most silly, fascinating, heart tugging, cozy, high stakes, low stress thriller about fashion, parenthood, marriage, money, friendship, and authenticity I’ve ever read.

Adele Griffin’s The Favor follows Nora on her infertility journey - and how an unexpected friendship changes everything for her.

I wanted to love Nora and Evelyn’s story more, but I found it hard to connect with them. They both seemed a bit superficial to me, which took away from the deeper challenges and struggles these women faced.

Overall, I loved the writing and do think this book touches on a lot of compelling issues that women face in motherhood.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Nora and Jacob desperately want a baby. They have tried most fertility treatments and have given up on the thought. Nora works in a shop that carries upscale vintage clothing. One evening at closing time a stranger, Evelyn, begs to enter the shop and see some of the clothing. She is married to an extremely wealthy man and purchases the most expensive pieces spending thousands of dollars. Evelyn contacts Nora regarding alterations and a strong friendship is formed. Evelyn learns of Nora’s efforts to became pregnant and offers to be her surrogate.
This is a story of disappointment, friendship, hope and suspense. A quick read and very enjoyable.

“Babies can be a lot for the people who have them and sometimes even more for the people who don’t.”

This was an unexpectedly great and heartwarming story about two very different women who make a connection when one agrees to carry a baby for the other.

There are favours and then there are FAVOURS, right?!

What an ask!

For personal reasons, I tend to stay away from books touching on infertility but somehow this one grabbed me and I couldn’t ignore it. So, for those with aching hearts, this is a gentle read that will have the corners of your mouth turning upwards and the tears will be happy ones. Guaranteed, this book will have you agreeing that despite motherhood looking different for everyone, the love involved is the same. You’ll find that it’s more than just a book about surrogacy, it’s about how vintage connects us to past lives. It’s about friendship and the paths we forge to make a family. It’s set in a world of vintage thrifting and fashion - a unique and refreshing setting.

You will love Evelyn Elliot! What a hoot. She’s full of outrageous antics (nicknames) and had me gasping at her flamboyance and gregarious nature. Underneath her curated facade and expensive taste is a tender-hearted person who loves helping others. I enjoyed reading the interactions between these polar opposites and when they jumped into a hasty surrogacy agreement, I was hooked. I had to see if this unlikely friendship and big ask could stand the test of time or if this relationship cost too much for both partners.

The threads of friendship, honesty and forgiveness are tightly woven into this heartwarming novel that must grace your night table.

I was gifted this copy by Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Nora works at a secondhand clothing store and is struggling through infertility with her husband. She develops an unusual friendship with Evelyn, a wealthy socialite, and through this bond Evelyn becomes a surrogate for the couple. This book explores the toll a friendship can take, especially given the emotionally charged situation in which they find themselves. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this advanced copy.

Nora works in a high-end Manhattan vintage shop where she outfits women in beautiful garments she could barely afford. With looming debt and the dreams of children and a mortgage, she could only imagine what it would be like to afford the life she kept trying to pursue.

But a chance encounter with a customer at closing time sends Nora’s life into a tailspin. Wealthy socialite Evelyn Elliot sparks a quick friendship with Nora. Before she knew it, Nora was styling Evelyn for events and being handsomely rewarded for her services.
The final and most incredible gift that Evelyn could provide Nora, though, was to carry a child for her. Could their new friendship survive this life decision, or will it shine a light on their differences?

I enjoyed this story on friendship and love. It was refreshing to read and was reminiscent of the old 90’s rom-com themes. I believe each character was unique to the story, and I especially enjoyed the friendship between Nora and Evelyn. While it seemed wholesome and like there was a connection between the two, it also felt a bit used, like the vintage clothing featured so heavily in this book. There were times I didn’t believe Evelyn was genuinely seeking a friendship with Nora, almost like she was trying to fulfill something in her life by using Nora.
Overall a solid and fun novel.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.