This one explored themes such as friendship, infertility, family, wealth inequality, parenthood, and overall family. I liked the characters and found them realistic. This is sure to be a popular book for fans of Women's Fiction.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of The Favor by Adele Griffin. Nora and Jacob are trying to have a baby and their options are running out. Enter Evelyn who couldn't be more different from them, and yet a relationship blossoms and suddenly she's agreeing to be their surrogate. It's an interesting ride with these characters and I enjoyed this book.

I love this book. The cover is beautiful and the writing is as well. The characters are well developed and so is the plot. I can't wait to read what's next from this author.

I think this book had a unique premise and was carried out very well. The story embodied warmth and had themes that would make for great discussion. However, the friendship between the two characters somewhat rubbed me the wrong way and made it not the most enjoyable. In addition, some of the situations were a bit repetitive talked about.

Unfortunately, I didn't connect this one. The friendship with shop worker and rich socialite that starts with a huge purchase from the vintage store and ends with a surrogacy arrangement just didn't work for me.

The plot line is very interesting. What goes on for a surrogacy is a lot. I can’t imagine the emotions. Especially when you become friends with the person. The whole time I don’t trust Evelyn in this book. What you be friends with the person carrying your baby? Would you trust them? It’s nerve wracking to think about. And how much you will be included in the process of it. This book definitely made me thinks. Thanks netgalley and sourcebooks.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Favor..I was engaged with this book from the first few pages. The characters are beautifully drawn, and the plot moves along at a good pace. It was enchanting, humorous, suspenseful and heartbreaking in equal measures. The glimpses of New York life, the lifestyles of the wealthy, the highs and lows of trying to become parents, and the references to fashion were wonderful.

*3.5 stars*

This was such a heartfelt and unique book about a couple struggling to conceive, and the woman who comes into their lives and offers to be a surrogate. At parts heartbreaking and at other parts laugh out loud funny, this was a fascinating look into the lives of NYC elite millionaires juxtaposed against a "normal" Brooklyn couple struggling to make ends meet. I really enjoyed this book, although the characters fell a little flat for me. I'm not sure if I just couldn't relate or if the characters themselves weren't fully developed, but either way there was a bit of a disconnect for me. Overall, a great read that reminded me of all the different ways to create a family.

The Favor by Adele Griffin is not what I was expecting. For some reason I thought it would be light-heated and fun, but the book is actually pretty deep. There are definitely fun and even funny moments, but the story is of infertility, friendship ups and downs, and financial issues and the hardships that go along with those things. I have experienced all of those and feel the author did a good job of being sensitive, while still being real in her handling of them. The story grabbed me early on and I did not want to put it down, I was heavily invested in the lives of Nora and Evelyn. I have always thought of surrogacy as the ultimate gift, and in reading this book I think it even more now.

I am going to be really honest with all of you...

I almost didn't request this book.

I love thrillers, true crime, and the occasional RomCom when its "that time of month". Reading the synopsis, I wasn't sure I would be able to relate to the content. I kept going back to look at the cover and curiosity got the best of me. I hit request and the rest is history.

This is a 5 star book, hands down, without a doubt in my mind, I can tell you that this does not have to be your preferred genre in order to enjoy and appreciate all this book holds.

Adele Griffin, played with my emotions. She had me laughing, crying, and everything in between.

Don't let me keep blubbering, head on over to your favorite bookstore and pick this one up, you won't regret it.

Teaser:

From National Book Award finalist Adele Griffin, an insightful and warmhearted story of two very different women who make an unexpected connection when one decides to carry a baby for the other.

At I'll Have Seconds, a high-end fairytale vintage dress shop in Manhattan, Nora Hammond loves nothing better than pairing a rare find with the perfect client.

At home, Nora grapples with the bleaker reality of enormous debt, a tiny apartment, and ever-dwindling hope that she and her husband Jacob will have a family of their own.

When socialite Evelyn Elliot charges into Nora's life, the women spark an immediate connection, and Nora is jettisoned into the heady whirl of New York's moneyed elite. As Evelyn's stylist and confidante, Nora needs to learn all new rules of engagement for the uber-wealthy. But it isn't until Evelyn decides her next cause is to carry a baby for Nora, that these rules―and this unlikely friendship―are tested.

A contemporary story that celebrates alternative routes to family, The Favor is an incisive examination of what it means to long for a child and what relationships cost us―and what they're worth.

Dnf'd at 51%

I really really wanted to like this story and for the first 30%? I loved it! Loved Evelyn and the humor was good, even if the pacing was a little slow for me.

However, it became very rinse and repeat for me. Someone mentions babies, Nora gets upset, wants to do something with Evelyn, Jacob makes some comment about Evelyn, Nora goes out with her still, Evelyn acts ditzy, Nora makes some inner monologue that is a little rude about Evelyn, Nora goes home upset about something and Jacob basically says I told you so without saying it. Rinse and Repeat.

I forced myself to read to half-way, struggling through most of the chapters despite how short they are and just the thought of there being another 30 chapters of this, of where Nora is going to get upset with Evelyn for not following instructions that she did not give is not something I want to do.

It's not a reading slump because I have finished other books while reading this one, its just not for me and that's okay! Other people have liked it and if the description speaks to you? Great!

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC!

A heartfelt and, at times, humorous read. After being invited by the publisher and NetGalley to review (many thanks!!), I did not have any knowledge of the story content. I tend to prefer going into reads with no preconceived ideas.
That being said, I would say be cautious if infertility/loss is a trigger. This content did bring up some feelings for me, and I’d warn anyone to be cognizant of this.
What a great story, and well-developed characters. I found myself totally immersed in the world of Nora and her crew. I would highly recommend!

I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I went into it blind and had no idea what it was about. The beginning is very fashion/vintage focused so I assumed it was about clothes, but it turned into so much more than that.

For starters, I want to mention that there are a lot of trigger warnings for this one related to infertility and babies. I’m not going to state them all for the sake of spoilers, but if you’re nervous, be sure to check them out or ask me!

I thought this was a beautifully written story based on infertility, and there were so many other components woven into the story. The focus on friendship, the politics of money, and the fashion world were all written about in a way that had me captivated pretty much from the very beginning.

The MC bothered me quite a bit, but it was probably because I saw a lot of myself in her. Evelyn was my favourite character, and although she definitely had her negative moments, she was just so glamorous and spectacular that I couldn’t help falling in love with her!

I did feel that the book was a bit too long, and a lot of the vintage/clothing references felt a bit overwhelming since I don’t know anything about that topic. But otherwise, I really enjoyed this one.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for my gifted copy!

Oh my gosh, The Favor by Adele Griffin was amazing, intriguing, suspenseful and impossible to put down! Addressing topics of infertility and the desperation it may create, surrogates, vintage couture, wealth, marriage and friendship. Unexpected plot and fabulous characters. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

Nora, who is married and has suffered from years of infertility, works in a vintage dress shop with her best friend in Manhattan. One night a very rich woman named Evelyn walks into her life and changes it forever. This story has a lot of ups and downs and mixes everything from friendship to surrogacy to social media and how it has taken over our lives. Great read!

Nora is struggling with infertility, finances, and the stress of those on her marriage when Evelyn walks into the high-end vintage shop where Nora works. Evelyn quickly becomes a top client of the shop and a friend of Nora's. Nora is trying to find her way in this new friendship where Evelyn is from an entirely different world. Nora is trying to keep up and then the unexpected happens when Evelyn volunteers to be a surrogate for Nora and her husband. The friendship continues to get more and more complicated until it all comes to a head.

This book has a lot of triggers so I wouldn't say it's for everyone, but if the triggers don't bother you I recommend it. This is a good story with lots of interesting characters, many emotions, and a little suspense.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourebooks Landmark for the ARC of this book.

And now we wait. The hardest part is the hope.

Nora Roberts and her husband greatest desire is to have a child of their own. They have done their part to make that happen but we all have heard stories of the heartache of families not able to conceive on their own. Nora works at Vintage store called I'll Have Seconds. Ironic that she meets the woman Evelyn Elliot who will make her dreams come true. Their friendship is based on the love of all vintage. They are different from each other in personality and lifestyle. Nora and her husband struggle to make ends meet and have a large debt. Evelyn who comes from money. Evelyn is drawn to Nora and learns her struggle to have a baby of her own. She suggests that she carry for Nora and the friendship takes a different turn. First everyone is on board but things happen that causes stress on both sides and you begin to wonder if the friendship will make it.

It is a story about friendship, sacrifice, and motherhood. It really plays into the differences of each woman and how they each have to overcome their emotions for the greater cause. How trust is an issue for both women and how easily it can be broken. There is a surprising ending that I did not see coming in Nora's personality. A secret that she kept from everyone and what she did with it. Nora and Evelyn were not the characters I fall in love with and cheer on but more like a study of humanity. What makes people tick. A fun read.

A special thank you to SourceBooks and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review

The Favor was a fun and engaging read. I went into this one blind (well, technically I read the blurb a long time ago, but forgot the synopsis by the time I read it), and for some reason, I kept thinking it was a thriller and expected it to go that way. There were definitely certain things that had an eerie, thriller-esque vibe to them, but ultimately it was a story of friendship between two women from very different worlds.

I actually really loved both Evelyn and Nora. Both women were flawed, but also felt like very real, authentic people. I adored the way the women first met and connected. I did feel like there was a lot of buildup and a lot of internal tension with Nora surrounding a specific situation in the book, and I felt that tension right along with her - but then when it came to a culmination, it wasn't quite what I expected. Whether that's a good or bad thing, I'm not quite sure. It felt anticlimactic in some ways, yet I did enjoy the direction the story ultimately went.

And while there were things about both women that I didn't like at all, I felt that this only made them more realistic and relatable - and I love when authors write "real" characters. All in all, I really enjoyed this book and found myself looking forward to picking it up each time I had an opportunity to sit down and read.

It's an enjoyable, quick read that is at times lighthearted, while at other times tackling some deep and difficult issues. I would recommend this book to others and will check out future work from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for an e-arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was very interested in this as I’ve been a surrogate twice. I wish the author would have done more research on being a surrogate and what they process is really like. There were so many things that happened in this book that were so far fetched about the surrogacy process.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this Advanced Readers Copy of The Favor by Adele Griffin! While not an OMG amazing read, it was perfectly pleasant. A second round purchase for most mid to large libraries.