The Favor was both what I thought it would be and not what I thought it would be. From reading the synopsis, I thought I would be getting a more warm and fuzzy story than I did. The story centers around Nora, who works in a boutique resale store. One day, larger than life Evelyn waltzes into the store and buys up the most expensive designer pieces and lodges herself deep into Nora's life. Living on a tight budget with her husband, Jacob, Nora craves the excitement and exclusivity that Evelyn brings to her life. Evelyn offers her first money, then the role of surrogate for the child Nora and Jacob desperately want, as a means of keeping the two women connected. It's not really a warm and fuzzy book. Evelyn may like the novelty of Nora, and carrying Nora's baby (especially as a way to become a social media influencer), but it never feels like a true friendship between the pair. Nora is terrified of doing something to scare Evelyn off, and is willing to do just about anything to maintain her connection. Evelyn is going to do whatever Evelyn wants, because she's so rich that's she not concerned about having deep relationships. Everything comes to a head when Nora sells something Evelyn gave her to help pay off debt and it puts Nora in a precarious position as the baby's due date approaches. Evelyn also makes a decision late in the pregnancy that has reverberating effects for Nora and Jacob and exposes how tenuous the relationship really is. The book definitely looks at the risks and worries involved with infertility and surrogacy in a more realistic way, but I can't say that I really enjoyed the evolution of Nora and Evelyn's friendship throughout the book. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I did finish this book but only to see what, if any, surprises were in store. The relationship between the infertile mom and her surrogate was strange, to say the least, and left me tense just reading about it. I had trouble relating. It had a semi-satisfactory ending.

I received this book from the publisher via net galley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a quick read.


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have very mixed feelings about this book: on one hand the topics explored were so well done. the story deals with family, and especially found family, friendship, infertility and surrogacy. It was funny, heartwarming and quick to read. On the other hand, some relationships weren't developed as fully as they could've been. Evelyn especially, her only characteristics was "being rich" and I found her quite manipulative with Nora. A good book but not a very memorable one. 3 stars.

This book read as two stories: fashion and fertility. The designers mentioned are fabulous. I could have read a book about the dynamic between Nora and one of her main clients. The understanding of infertility, whether its plight or empathy, did not resonate enough.

There are solid pop culture references. The writing is simple and grounded.

Wow was this book a surprise! The story, the way it unfolded, definitely kept me on my toes. I could never guess what was going to happen next and for a little while I was nervous that Jacob & Nora would suffer more heartbreak on their journey to become parents. Evelyn, their surrogate, a socialite and relatively unknown to them, was a real wild card. Even the twist at the end was a surprise. I would definitely put this in your TBR pile.

Thank you #netgalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read an early copy of this book!

This book pulled at my heartstrings and I was rooting for Nora and Jacob the entire time. Although this book is not in the thriller genre, it did read this way to me. I loved it!

I enjoyed this book. It was a quick read for me because I enjoyed the characters and was anxious to see how it would all end. I found the parts about vintage clothing and the lives of the super rich very interesting

The Favor is a story about unlikely friendships, unconditional love, found family, fertility struggles, and surrogacy.

I appreciate the uniqueness of this book and how it was a fast read full of warmth, love and humor. I think many of the themes above can make for great conversations and book club discussions. There was a social media aspect integrated into the plot that felt very realistic in today’s age and fun to follow, and I enjoyed learning about the world of vintage shopping.

However, I did struggle with Nora and Evelyn’s friendship, especially towards the end of the book. Evelyn seemed to be phony and manipulative while Nora seemed too nonchalant about the entire surrogacy process. There was also such a big emphasis on Nora and her husband’s lack of finances, which felt repetitive and part of every conversation. Further, a lot of story centered around a famous dead poet/ perfume line I just didn’t care much about. While I know this was meant to keep the tone lighter, it made me feel more detached from the characters.

The story is very slow to start - I had to put it down and pick it up several times however once I got about a third of the way through I was hooked. The friendship between more and Evelyn evolves throughout the story. I loved the references to the vintage fashion.
At the core though, I think a number of women can relate to the fertility struggles, wanting to be happy for friends having kids but still feeling out of place when it doesn’t work for you.
Overall great story.

The Favor by Adele Griffin is an incredible slow-building story that will grab your heart after it hits the floor a few times.

Favor-noun- an act of kindness beyond what is due or usual. Warm regard is shown toward another, especially by a superior.

Nora and Frankie work in a vintage clothing store; I'll Have Seconds, where Haute couture has a second or third chance at life.

Evelyn Elliot is a millionaire who loves fabulous couture and antiques; when she enters I'll Have Seconds and wipes out their inventory, she and Nora become fast friends over their shared love of Poet Frieda Bergessen. Nora has a way with discount dowagers and can find anything for the right price.

I think my favorite line is the unique way to describe someone. "He lived by the beach so long he feels like a human version of driftwood, lean and knotty, a little washed up."

The story starts slowly; there are so many players that Ms. Griffin takes her time introducing while setting up the plot and throwing some other side stories into the mix.

The story about an unlikely relationship/friendship that is formed between two women in a vintage clothing store. The story is told by Nora who is very relatable, unlike Evelyn's story line. This was a bizarre read for me, I did enjoy the general story line that included fertility struggles, surrogacy, and unlikely friendships, however what through me off is not really understanding clearly why Evelyn would volunteer the grand favor to Nora. I struggled with Evelyn and Nora's friendship toward the middle to end of the book. With this being said, I did enjoy reading the book and it kept me hooked because I just needed to know what happened at the end.

Thank you Netgalley for the E-arc of this book.

I finished this book recently and I got to say that this has so much potential but I just don't feel connected with the plot and character itself. But, one of my friends try to read several chapter and she like the first 5 chapter of this book. So, maybe it's not a book for me but it might be the one for you.

We begin with the story of Nora and Jacob and their struggle with infertility. This is a main topic throughout this novel, and if you have a personal connection with this struggle you will have a personal connection to these lovable characters, more so Jacob than Nora. Nora is like the friend who you want to grab the shoulders of and and shake. This reads like a thriller at times because the awkward friend who offers her “favor” MUST be rooted in evil. Waiting, waiting, waiting for the clutches pearls moment on this one. Don’t forget to read the epilogue for Nora to be slightly redeemed.

The Favor is an eminently readable exploration of friendship, family, infertility and surrogacy from Adele Griffin.

Set in NYC with the backdrop of vintage fashion, haute couture, high society and financial disparity we see the lives of Nora and her husband Jacob struggle with fertility, the unexpected meeting of Nora and Evelyn and the way their lives intertwine.

A very enjoyable uplifting read. Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC.

Read this in basically one sitting, and it was quite a ride! The story starts with a classic plot of "poor girl" meets "rich girl" and enjoys society life, then morphs into a surrogacy journey and beyond (no spoilers). There were loads of supporting characters and most were relatively well-developed. I enjoyed the subplots, including a haute couture piece made famous by a poetess, a farm for retired racehorses, the inner workings of a vintage shop, and of course, a loyal rescue dog. This is one of the few times I will say, the book actually could have been longer.

Thank you to NetGallery and Sourcebooks Landmark for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

The Favor by Adele Griffin is an enjoyable and unique piece of women’s lit that blends a few genres and is all the better for it. It’s quick-paced, with plenty of titillating drama to keep fans of rom-coms, beach reads, and even domestic thrillers entertained, but it remains grounded enough— with realistic characters and complex themes— so as to satisfy to readers looking for something a little deeper. I really appreciated that the book focused so much on the interpersonal relationship between two women from vastly different backgrounds, who have different aspirations and motivations, and who must constantly navigate the imbalance in power that exists between them. Griffin accurately captures the ever-changing landscape of female friendship, which is at times one of admiration, lust/jealousy, frustration, and competition. This sort of relationship is so much more compelling than that of your average hetero couple hoping for a baby. I could see this appealing to fans of Sophie Kinsella, Lauren Weisberger, and Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris.

I have mixed feelings about this book. The characters were mostly well-developed, but some parts of the story didn’t feel that way. Some things the characters did made no sense to me, and I really didn’t like the power dynamic between Evelyn and Nora.

Overall, i liked this book, but the ending felt abrupt to me and I didn’t love it.

Fascinating story and beautifully told. Nora and her husband Jacob long for a babybut have not been able to conceive. One day Evelyn breezes into her shop, a high end vintage dress shop, and practically buys out the place. Evelyn is happily married with a son and is also a wealthy socialite. The two women are very different and become close friends. In fact, Evelyn offers to carry a baby for Nora. The story is one about what friends can do for one another and managing expectations.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I get that they are supposed to be friends. But it felt lopsided to me. Rich girl pays for her to source vintage clothes. Doesn't that make her an employee? To be a surrogate does change my view but spent the book expecting her to change her mind. Turned out to be a pretty good chicks book.