Thanks so much Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for an advance read in exchange for this review.

Nora is married to Jake and works at a designer vintage shop. Right before closing, Evelyn walks in. She is rich, and the two somehow become some sort of friends. Evelyn pays Nora for finding her fancy outfits to wear to various events. Nora and Jake have debt from unsuccessful IVF. Evelyn soon offers to be a surrogate for them. For free. Their friendship is tested, but just exactly what kind of friendship did they have before this test?

This was such a great read. Both characters are interesting, flawed, and different from each other. Nora is more careful, and Evelyn has a more free spirited attitude. I also loved Nora's eye for vintage fashion. I was so pleasantly surprised by this story and could not put it down. There are so many conversations that could be started from this book!

This was a different kind of book! I’m so used to thrillers and suspense that I was waiting for the other shoe to drop and something terrible to happen to the main character. However, this was not that kind of book. Instead, it followed the main character through highs and lows of life after she strikes up a friendship with a multimillionaire who lives an elite lifestyle she can only dream of. Their relationship takes different forms over the course of a few years. I really enjoyed the storyline, the characters were very well fleshed out and all very human, and the writing was great!

4/5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Nora works in a vintage clothing shop in NYC. She and her husband live in a tiny apartment. They are swamped with debt due to failed IVF attempts. One Friday ultra-rich influencer Evelyn breezes into the shop seeking a dress.Her purchase of many expensive items provides Nora with a huge commission.. Though they come from very different places, they develop a sort of friendship. Evelyn pays Nora for styling help and introduces Nora to her world of the rich and famous. When Evelyn learns of their fertility struggles, she offers to be a surrogate for Nora and her husband. This premise was an unusual offer for someone so rich who barely knows the natural mother but it did provide for a fresh twist to the story. It brings a new dynamic and strains their friendship. I loved it and couldn’t put it down. The story was fun and unique but had poignant moments. I had not read any of Adele Griffin’s previous offerings but I will start on her backlist ASAP. I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

My heart! This book was beautiful in so many ways. At its core, this is a book about love: love between friends, love between spouses, and love between family members. Love for a while and love for always. Evelyn and Nora had such a special friendship, and while Evelyn’s behaviors could be kind of irritating, it was clear that she and Nora meant so much to each other. The story takes a little while to pick up, but I found the slow buildup of their relationship necessary to really make the prospect of surrogacy seem believable. I loved the look into the world of vintage fashion and how easy it was to feel Nora’s passion for it. This is Adele Griffin’s adult debut, and she absolutely nailed it! Absolutely recommend this amazing book!

The Favor was like picking up a delicious copy of People Magazine. Right from page one you are thrown into the world of the "haves" as Evelyn pushes her way into the vintage clothing store that Nora is closing up. Evelyn is the heir to an enormous steel fortune, having grown up as the horse-loving member of the U.S. Equestrian Team.

Nora is the daughter of a single mother who taught her fine dressmaking skills that have stood Nora in good stead. Nora's husband Jacob is making very little money in a start-up and they are in a financial tight spot after paying for a number of IVF's.

The novel is smooth and professional as you would expect from Adele Griffin who has written over 30 books. It's an engrossing and fast read even though there are entirely too many peripheral characters whom you will forget. What you will remember is the oddball friendship that forms between Evelyn and Nora and how the two very different personalities find a common bond,: that of birth and surrogate motherhood.

Relish the descriptions of 1-per center spending, traveling, housing, vacationing and shopping. They are lots of fun. The final chapters move along at a breakneck pace, ending with a big surprise. Griffin does that exceptionally well.

Thnks to NetGelley and the publisher for offering me an ARC of this book. This is my honest review.

The Favor kind of fell flat for me. It was really hard to get into and I just couldn't make the connection as to why Evelyn and Nora struck up this supposed friendship at all. But even though the book wasn't for me, I appear to be in the minority, so I would definitely recommend it to others to give it a try. Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I haven't read anything by this author but the premise of this book intrigued me. For me, it just didn't deliver. The first third is a build up to the actual story and its very slow- going. I had zero interest in the fashion brand names and clothing descriptions, of which this book is laden. Evelyns character wasn't fully developed and I grew weary of spending time with Nora and her worries.

I thoroughly enjoyed this charming book. Although there were some heavy issues involved, such as infertility, the author did not make it heavy and dreary as can sometimes happen. The characters were interesting and some were quirky, making this comical at times. I also enjoyed the inside look at a New York socialite influencer living her best life and the world of vintage shopping. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

I absolutely loved this book. It felt like a breath of fresh air to read. I wound up feeling so invested with the two main characters and their husbands. It was cool to see what would happen next with the women's friendship. Great story and writing. Five stars to Griffin. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley.
This book had some lovely descriptions of clothing which I enjoyed and then it takes a turn with the surrogacy issues. It was a captivating story and hard to put down at times. The relationships between the romantic partners and also the friends was described lovely and I thought the characters were well-formed.

The Favor by Adele Griffin tackle some weight subjects: infertility, miscarriage, IVF, surrogacy, marriage, and the complex nature of female friendship. But the author has a deft hand, and the book is an enjoyable, fast-paced read had me turning the pages as fast as I could manage. Highly recommend!!

Nora and Evelyn meet by chance, and the encounter changes both of their lives forever. Nora and her husband Jacob are unable to have a baby, and Evelyn offers them just that - to be their surrogate. With interpersonal relationships constantly changing and worries about how Evelyn is caring for herself and the baby, will Nora make it through this friendship…and getting to meet her new baby?

Overall, I felt like this story had so much potential but dragged at points. The discussion of surrogacy didn’t enter until almost a third of the way through the book. And the encounter with Evelyn’s parents made me cringe as I was reading it, if only because their behavior was so awful and terribly accurate.

My favorite relationship in the book was not that between Nora and Evelyn or Nora and Jacob, but Nora and her best friend, Meg. I adored the parts of the book where Meg was featured and felt like she supported Nora more than anyone else.

This was an absolutely delightful read. It kept me engaged in the stories and lives of the characters. I thought about the stories and characters while away from the book. I am looking forward to reading more books by the author and would recommend The Favor to friends and family looking for a great summer beach read.
Thanks #Netgalley for the ARC

I requested to read and review this book for free from source books Landmark. This story line has many feels such as love. Romance, mystery, drama and possibly betrayal. You will meet Evelyn who is high on life and hasn't had to work hard for much in life. But there is more to her then what you think. Also Nora who has tried to work hard in life and desperately wants the one thing she can't have right at the moment. But a split making decision changes both of their life's in so many ways. Family can be related and non related. Love has many different forms. A beautiful decision has many different ways it can turn out. And if someone is doing you a favor how much can you say about their life choices? Follow these two and their families journey and be surprised for the twist at the very end!

The Favor by Adele Griffin features two women from very different backgrounds. Nora has a flair for vintage fashion and works at a second hand store specializing in high end vintage clothing. One day socialite Evelyn strolls in buying whatever she likes and some with the help of Nora. Evelyn really likes Nora's taste and choices and she calls upon Nora quite often to assist her with what to wear to her next function. Although Nora appreciates all the extra commissions, she also feels like she's becoming more to Evelyn than just a store clerk. Nora and her husband are in great debt, mostly due to their desire to have a baby and the medical procedures that have not helped. They live in a tiny apartment and is a great contrast to Evelyn with her large New York apartment and many houses she owns. When Evelyn offers to be a surrogate mother, Nora jumps at the chance. Evelyn gives Nora a fabulous vintage cloak that means a great deal to Evelyn's mother and its ties to a famous poet. Nora feels pressure to sell the cloak in order to come out from under the debt they have accrued. Evelyn seems to enjoy her higher profile on social media due to her surrogacy. Nora seemed like she thought she was better friends with Evelyn than Evelyn thought due to their very different backgrounds. The book was a very quick read, but I was always nervous about what Evelyn was going to do because her wealth created a very different lifestyle for her. I really enjoyed the twist at the end that I didn't see coming.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read the ARC of The Favor.

I would like to thank Net Galley and SourceBooks for the opportunity to read this book as an ARC.Nora works in a second hand clothing shop. She and her husband Jacob have been trying to have a baby , with no success. They have a frozen embryo left but little money, or hope. Evelyn , a wealthy socialite/influencer comes into the shop meets Nora and strikes up a friendship. Nora is level headed, hard working and serious. Evelyn is flighty, rich and pampered.Evelyn likes to give expensive gifts, offer trips and dinners to Nora and Jacob. If their friendship seems improbable, what happens next is down right impossible. Evelyn offers to be a surrogate for Nora and Jacob. It is a roller coaster of a book.Nora and Jacob try to understand Evelyn and Evelyn's life. Evelyn seems like she has their best interests at heart, or is she just trying to getting more likes for her social media?It is a well written book, with twists and turns where you least expect them. And the epilogue will blow you away. This was a book that I didn't want to end, but couldn't wait to see how it turned out!

Thank you so much for this ARC!

I enjoyed The Favor very much, a quick and light read. Ironically, this "light" read touched on some very heavy topics including fertility, surrogacy and class differences.

Nora was a likable character - not the thickest skin, however, a decent human being that did what she thought best for her family. Evelyn on the other hand was extremely shallow and superficial which was totally the point!

The social media aspect was interesting, I love books that incorporate influencers lately. Very modern and relevant and played perfectly into the self esteem issues and attention seeking Evelyn.

This is my first Adele Griffin book and I will be on the lookout for more!

Wow, this was a good one. It kept me wondering if this was a mystery, was it going to end with some sinister finish, or was it just a beautiful human interest novel, with a friend offering the ultimate gift, a long wanted baby?
This story focuses on Nora and Evelyn, their unlikely friendship with such startling differences in their situations and their lives. Until, the ultimate gift, a favor beyond measurement changes the focus of their friendship, the ultimate gift of surrogacy, the willingness to carry her friend’s child.
This novel is so entertaining, with the journey among the super wealthy and entitled, the interesting dabbling into vintage clothing, and the emotional journey of surrogacy. Adele Griffin really goes all out with this novel, interesting subject, complex characters and a look inside the “playgrounds” of the super wealthy.
A strong 5 stars from me and my thanks for the ARC, for my independent opinion.
An added bonus, an ending that I didn’t see coming!

First, thank you to the publisher and author for providing me with a digital ARC of this title via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I didn't know anything about this author or her newest title, The Favor, until being offered a digital copy through Netgalley. I thought it sounded interesting from the book summary. For most of the book I had a feeling that there had to be something else going on and kept wondering if there was going to be a twist. Unfortunately that kept me from being fully invested in the story, but it was still enjoyable.

Nora loves working at I’ll Have Seconds, a high-end vintage store, in Manhattan. She has everything she wants for her career and a wonderful husband in Jacob. But the one thing she dreams of - having a baby - is just not happening. As she begins to lose hope that she will ever have a child, socialite Evelyn whirls into her store looking for a dress. The two hit it off immediately, with Evelyn quickly relying on Nora for styling and friendship. Then Evelyn offers to be a surrogate for Nora and Jacob. It will be their dream come true, but the rules of engagement of their unlikely friendship are tested.

I just didn’t love this one. I thought Evelyn was never really developed as a character - she just sort of appeared and had lots of money, but her friendship with Nora didn’t seem genuine. Nora was almost afraid to set any boundaries, for fear of upsetting Evelyn (especially after Evelyn was carrying the baby for her). I appreciated the surrogate aspect, and thought the author did a great job showing all that is involved in that process, but the rest of the story just felt off to me. I kept waiting for something to happen. That being said, I did read through it in a day, as the short chapters and decent pace kept it moving quickly.

Thank you to Netgalley, Adele Griffin and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC. “The Favor” releases June 13, 2023.

This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly.