Loved this story of complicated friendship.
Themes of infertility, money and trust carry the plot. I became invested in this unconventional friendship and watching it evolve. Evelyn and Nora have a real connection, unexpected and deepened by Evelyn’s generous gift of surrogacy. I enjoyed the other relationships in the book…they all felt real.

This was an engrossing read and I highly recommend!

4.5- It’s been a hot minute since I’ve finished a book in less than 24 hours, but The Favor sucked me in immediately. If it wasn’t for the mini binge session we had catching up on a show, I would have finished this yesterday afternoon.
Nora works in a small vintage shop specializing in high end dresses along with rare books. The shop doesn’t bring in much money, but Nora and her coworker, Frankie, enjoy working with Barb, the owner who has questionable taste in what will sell. One evening a socialite breezes into the store giving Frankie and Nora their biggest commissions yet and turning Nora’s life upside down. Evelyn shows Nora a completely different side to life and when she realizes she can give Nora and her husband, Jacob, their hearts’ desire, she sets out to do exactly that, despite the rift it creates for everyone.
It has to be said from the get-go that this book delves into the throes of infertility. It’s pretty gritty and very real so if that’s something that is a raw topic for you, this might be a book to skip.
I loved every whirlwind minute of this book. Watching Nora’s and Evelyn’s friendship evolve over a year was enthralling. Adele Griffin puts us right at the center of the life of a socialite, but from the spectator’s viewpoint. I loved seeing Nora grow as a person, as well as watching her grow as a wife, daughter, daughter-in-law, and friend. Seeing her deal with infertility and the toll it takes on every aspect of her life was hard, and having never suffered from it myself I can only assume Ms. Griffin wrote about it with grace and compassion.
The Favor is Ms. Griffin’s first adult book and I will eagerly await more, but in the meantime I’ll be checking out her young adult novels. Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advanced copy of this book. This gem it shelves on June 13th.

I requested this book as I have academic interests in infertility and have read countless stories, both fiction and non-fiction, about assisted reproduction but never surrogacy. I found the thoughts and feelings Nora had about her friends having babies to be realistic and enjoyed Nora as a main character. Whilst I also enjoyed Evelyn as a character, I still don’t understand her motivations for doing what she did and kept waiting for the story to turn into a domestic thriller. I also thought the final chapter really detracted from the rest of the story and left me feeling really annoyed that Evelyn and Nora’s friendship was destroyed for basically no reason. Overall though I found the story to be enjoyable.

The Favor is a heartwarming (though questionable and tense at times) story of Nora who would do anything to be a mom but whose body has betrayed her and Evelyn a rich socialite who volunteers to be Nora's and Jacob's last chance surrogate. I thought the book tackled Nora's infertility journey with grace and honesty. Evelyn's character was cringy at times, as it was difficult to really figure out her motivations. In a way Nora and Evelyn were using each other to get the one thing they wanted most... a baby and success/acceptance in her own right. Friendships are complicated for sure. Slow moving at times, without giving anything away, the final 1/3 of the book paid out emotionally, and the epilogue was spectacular.

Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Lanmark and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

The Favor by Adele Griffin ran the gamut of emotions for me. I enjoyed the beginning chapters where we meet Nora who works in a shop, located in Manhattan, called I’ll Have Seconds where customers can buy high-end vintage clothing. One day Evelyn Elliot, a rich socialite and social influencer, walks in the door and spends quite a bit of money. Nora and Evelyn develop a friendship. Nora and her husband live in a very small apartment and are in deep debt due to infertility problems. I was interested at first but felt there was a lot of repetition and not much movement. Around the thirty percent mark, I put the book down for a while. A couple of weeks later I picked the book up again. The plot thickened between the two and I changed my mind about the story. I particularly enjoyed the section when Nora and her husband went to visit Evelyn and her family. I enjoyed the plot twists, but then, for me, the author seemed to have trouble getting to the end of the book. She had good ideas but I felt the book was still a rough draft. My thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. The opinions in this review are my own.

What an intriguing read! A beautiful story of friendship and it’s ups and downs, the differences in life for the wealthy and those struggling, beautiful descriptions of second hand designer clothes and the women who seek them out, the heartbreaking side of infertility, and the amazing gift of surrogacy.
Nora and Jacob have been struggling in their efforts to have a child. One night Nora meets Evelyn who sweeps into her place of work, a second hand store, I’ll Have Seconds, and buys thousands of dollars of clothing that Nora shows her. They have a favorite poet in common. They forge a different kind of friendship, due to their very different lifestyles. Nora does favors for Evelyn, finding special outfits for Evelyn to wear to society functions and paying her very well. At times Nora is even included in the events. Eventually Nora feels caught between her love of spending time with Evelyn and her husband’s negative feelings about Evelyn. Evelyn offers a favor to them and their friendship is tested and changed.
Adele Griffin deftly draws the reader into the midst of their friendship and causes them to question what they may do given the situations both Nora and Evelyn find themselves in. Both of them captured my heart and I found myself cheering for them both, as well as their friendship. The ending brought happy tears and peaceful feelings for both Nora and Evelyn.
Many many thanks to Adele Griffin, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley for affording me the pleasure of reading an arc of this just released beautiful story.

*Many thanks to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for my gifted ARC. Pub date 6/13/23*

Nora and Jacob have been trying for a baby for many years, they have gone through multiple rounds of IVF, and depleted their bank account. Nora works at a higher class vintage resale shop, and one day Evelyn walks in and spends a ton of money. A friendship begins when Evelyn asks Nora to help her find outfits for functions and even to help her plan a party. Evelyn offers to be the surrogate, and carry Nora and Jacob's baby. As time goes on nothing seems to go according to the plan.

This was a really good book about friendship and trials. It was a slow moving read, but held my interest, and I was excited to see where it was going. This book came out last Tuesday so you can get your copy at your local bookstore now.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Look for it now in your local and online bookstores and libraries.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Nora and Jacob are on the verge of giving up hope of having a baby. Doctors have told them that a surrogate is probably their last option. Surrogacy is very expensive, though, and they are already under a mountain of debt from fertility treatments. However, they are still paying the storage bill for their “last chancer” embryo, just in case.

Enter Evelyn Elliot. Uber-wealthy socialite Evelyn barges into Nora’s life just as Nora is closing the high end vintage clothing store where she works. The two women hit it off and begin a deep, if unbalanced, friendship. When Evelyn volunteers to be their surrogate, their friendship is tested in myriad ways.

I liked this book. It explores many relationships, but especially female friendships. It’s not going to knock your socks off with plot, but it is a really honest look at life when everything doesn’t go how you expect it to go.

Nora and Evelyn are two women who come from very different worlds. Their paths collide when Evelyn enters the vintage shop called I’ll Have Seconds (how cute is that?) where Nora works. A woman of considerable wealth, Nora can’t believe her good fortune when Evelyn spends a literal…fortune.

Hoping to hear from Evelyn again but never quite expecting it to happen, Nora is amazed when Evelyn makes good on keeping in touch. Before long, she finds herself wrapped up in Evelyn’s elite existence, much to the chagrin of her skeptical husband, Jacob.

As time moves on, Nora and Evelyn’s bond only intensifies, Evelyn often showering Nora with generosity and gifts as a thank you for filling in as her stylist. Then Evelyn decides to give Nora the ultimate present- the offer to carry a child for Nora who has had trouble conceiving, despite trying desperately to do so. While Jacob has his misgivings, Nora feels like this might be their best shot at getting the baby they both want so much. But as the plan unfolds, both women, and their relationship with one another, are tested in ways no one could have predicted.

I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook version of The Favor thanks to @orangeskyaudio and @netgalley. A slice of life story, you didn’t really know what was going to happen to these characters. Both Evelyn and Nora make some questionable decisions, proving, in the end, that they were actually more alike than they were different. A book about unexpected opportunity and newfound friendship, The Favor is a novel that asks readers to take the journey with these women without judgment, which when you think about it, isn’t a big ask.

This was an odd book. The blub read like the story of a struggling woman becoming a stylist to a wealthy client, who longs for a child. The friendship felt stilted to me, and I didn't completely buy into the relationship.

I had a hard time with this. I loved the idea behind it, but the power imbalance between the two women made me very uncomfortable throughout. I know this shows the strength of the writing, but I was uneasy throughout the story that should have been more heartwarming than nerve-wracking.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

The Favor by Adele Griffin, this was a new author for me so wasn't really sure what to expect. Overall I found this to be an enjoyable read, I enjoyed the friendship between Nora and Evelyn, and the added twist to the storyline was endearing to say the least. I would recommend this book to others.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark, and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

Nora and Evelyn cannot be any different, yet they became friends and share an experience like no other.

Evelyn stumbles into Nora’s life as she is closing up for the night at the vintage shop she works at. Evelyn is wealthy and ends up buying a lot that night, which means Nora is getting a nice commission. She recognizes Nora’s eye and hires her at random to be her personal stylist. The two become fast friends! Nora on the other hand is in debt, she longs to be a mother but it feels impossible. Her reality is getting the bills paid, from failed IVF attempts, so she accepts these jobs.

As their friendship grows Evelyn decides that she wants to be a surrogate for Nora.

While I enjoyed it, at one point I honestly thought this book could be a thriller. I was on the edge of my seat for a while and wasn’t sure what to expect in the end.

Thank you to Netgalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and Adele Griffin for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’m not sure why I thought this book was a thriller or creepy, but for some reason I did and it gave me a sense of foreboding throughout most of the middle of the book. I had so much anxiety for no reason. But once I got past that I really enjoyed the book. Evelyn was such an interesting character and I could never quite predict what she was going to do. I loved Jacob and Nora’s relationship and their families. I would recommend it to those who enjoy traditional “women’s fiction” (though I hate that category, LOL).

Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When I first started reading The Favor, I thought it was going to be an easy breezy fun book, but it actually incorporated some very difficult issues such as infertility.

Nora and her husband, Jacob, have been wanting to start a family and are finally considering a surrogate. Nora works in a vintage clothing store when influencer, Evvie walks in. She loves how Nora takes care of her and they also become very friendly. Once Evvie finds out about Nora and Jacob's issues, she offers to carry the baby for them. She also uses it to gain followers on social media.

Evvie was not a character that I cared for. In addition to using the pregnancy to gain followers, she would also go to doctor's appointments without including Nora or Jacob, travel all over the place and just didn't seem to really care about the baby.

However, Nora is very much invested in Evvie as a person and not just a surrogate. When the two of them have a few conflicts, Nora really misses Evvie and is upset at not having regular contact. There is not only friendship drama, but family drama as well and I did not see the ending coming.

4 big favor stars

Doesn’t it sound fun to work in New York at a vintage dress shop? How about when an uber-wealthy woman comes in and her purchases help to pay the bills?

Nora has always loved vintage clothing and her job at I’ll Have Seconds, but her meager salary isn’t helping to pay down the enormous debt that she and her husband Jacob have after pursuing alternate means to have a baby.

Nora sparks a friendship with socialite Evelyn and helps to style her for various events and even her Friendsgiving. As they pay down the debt, Nora and Jacob still yearn for the baby they haven’t been able to have yet.

Evelyn makes an extraordinary offer to be a surrogate for Nora and Jacob. Can they trust Evelyn? I was on pins and needles as this one played out. Can you be good friends with someone when there is a huge wealth disparity?

There are some social media elements thrown in here and it always makes me wonder how people would behave if we didn’t have that medium to show off our activities.

I enjoyed this well-written story and I’ve still been thinking about it a few days later.

“‘Our home,’ he says, and his voice cracks a little. ‘That’s not our home,’ I tell him. ‘Home’s only another word for us, right?’ He nods.”

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.

I was hooked from the first chapter with this one! Evelyn was like the fairy Godmother that Nora needed. As the story progressed I was waiting with bated breath for Evelyn to pull the rug out from under poor Nora in regards to her extreme and immediate generosity. I won’t spoil whether she did or didn’t, but that aspect definitely had me listening at 2x speed to find out. The narration was wonderful, especially the southern accents of Evelyn’s parents. The talk of infertility and surrogacy was emotional and done very tenderly. An enjoyable listen for sure!

Thank you to Netgalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, Orange Sky Audio, and the author for the ARC and ALC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Nora works at a vintage clothing store and one day Evelyn pops in and makes a huge purchase. Nora and Evelyn become fast friends after that day even though they are complete opposites. Nora and her husband struggle financially, mainly because of the costs of the IVF treatments. Evelyn was born into money and has never had to worry financially. As their friendship develops, even if it is a little one-sided, Evelyn offers to be a surrogate for Nora and her husband.

Infertility and surrogacy are discussed as are the differences between Nora and Evelyn's lives. Evelyn agrees to be the surrogate but doesn't want to involve lawyers until after they know the embryo has been successful. While I'm not sure the intention of the book was to keep you wondering, you can't keep reading just for this fact. Is everything going to be ok when the baby arrives?

I received an ARC of The Favor I. exchange for an honest review.

THE FAVOR by Adele Griffin is a thought-provoking and moving story of marriage, friendship and the lengths to which a woman will go to realize her dream of being a mother. Nora Hammond and her husband, Jacob, desperately want to become parents. After going into emotional and financial debt trying IVF, they are losing hope of it ever happening. Everything changes when wealthy socialite Evelyn Elliott comes into the high-end vintage store where Nora works. The two women form an unlikely relationship that throws Nora into the heart of Evelyn’s elite New York society world. Nothing could be more different from the modest lifestyle that Nora and Jacob enjoy. Evelyn occasionally gives a monetary gift to Nora, but nothing is more shocking than when Evelyn offers to carry a baby for Nora and Jacob. So begins a journey fraught with things that Nora can’t control. Evelyn is a force she is afraid to confront, fearful that she will do something to make Evelyn change her mind. This is a story of money and influence, but also love and friendship. The themes of infertility and surrogacy were handled with honesty and compassion. The backdrop of vintage fashions added to my enjoyment of this engaging story. Well done! Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

Nora and her husband live in a tiny apartment in Brooklyn and are saddled with debt from failed infertility treatments. She works at an upscale second hand clothing store and one day as they are closing for the day an obviously wealthy woman named Evelyn barges in and they bond over a famous poet. Evelyn ends up buying enough to cover a month’s worth of sales. Evelyn sends her an expensive gift tied to the poet and then she starts asking for help acquiring more outfits for events and other PA work since her PA moved on to other things. This all leads up to a shocking offer. I was on pins and needles for the rest of the book waiting to learn how it all turns out in the end.

I received a free copy of this book to review through NetGalley.