Lee Matthew Goldberg is a must read author for me and this book reminded why. His storytelling crosses genres and never fails to capture my attention and hold me enthralled until the very last page. I adored this wild fast-paced adventure of a book filled with fun 80's references, a gas-guzzling RV, and hilariously snarky characters. They are so well-written and distinct that I feel like I know them, and reading the story through the teenage eyes of Aaron adds a another layer of quirky humor to the experience. It's a thrilling, family-oriented, coming of age journey and I'm so glad I went along for the ride.

Wow what a ride! A fun filled, adrenalin pumping, wild ride. I experienced a spectrum of emotions while reading this story and highly recommend it.
Many thanks to Level Best Books and to Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Nothing here I expected. Follow this very well crafted, fast-paced narrative through the POV of Aaron Gimmelman, aged twelve. Aaron has an older and younger sister. His younger sister Jenny is a bit (no—a lot) different than other folks. But then, so are his mother and father.

His father Barry lost his job as a stockbroker in the crash of 1987. Not prepared, no clue what to do, where to go, or how to proceed, Aaron takes it upon himself to steal a few things for the family.

But his father, seeing a success replace the failures, takes it further and Aaron discovers he cannot close that Pandora’s box. Caught between his father and the family, he goes along for the ride—literally—as the only remaining asset they have left is used to escape, first to Florida (and relatives) and then to California.

There is genuine humor, but the humor is pocked with pathos. My mind kept reeling as the plot continues to spiral down into ever-deepening crevices into which none would scale unscathed.

I read with horror wondering how the parents could have degenerated this far. The youngest child is scary—in fact, all the characters are very well developed. The writing style is poignant; the comedy/tragedy searing.

It’s a strongly mixed emotional message, using coming-of-age, humor, noir and thriller elements in themes of religion and family. No ending would satisfy everyone and my heart was crushed, the injustice of it all. Or was it? This book will hook from the beginning and grip through the last heavy sigh. Brilliant, captivating storytelling. I’ll look for this author again. 4.5 stars

This book has an incredibly original subject, theme, and concept - a Jewish family (think Jew"ish", but your grandmother speaks Yiddish) tries to win back their own after they lose everything in the Stock Market crash.

The characters in the Gimmelman family are nothing short of wild - you've got Barry, who is headstrong in his will to save the family (while dabbling in a little bit of coke and a rekindling his marriage with his wife), our protagonist, Aaron, Steph the moody 90's teen, and Jenny who is just an oddball to the nth degree. All of the Gimmelmans are mostly one-note for me - Jenny is obsessed with Seymour, a stuffed (literally!) animal that must be filthy and balding as he gets dragged around the country, Steph is sex-crazed, and Aaron is just trying to get through life. They each have their tropes and stick to them.

Unfortunately, I think this book suffers from a lack of streamlining of story - it starts as a retrospective, cautionary tale for Aaron's son, but quickly veers back to the past. We're awarded a scant few pages about the (again, drug-addled) FBI agent trailing them, and the conmen who are also in hot pursuit of repayment. I wish the author had streamlined this a bit more to focus on the finer detail.

All in all, this is a great attempt at describing a wacky family who turn to a life of crime, but it needed a bit of finessing for me. Would recommend to anyone who's grown up either in-or tangential to- Judaism and rogue family members.

This was the first book that I have read from Lee Matthew Goldberg. Generally, this isn’t my normal type of read; however, I was hooked from the very first page until the end. This coming of age story is dark yet hilarious at times.

I truly enjoyed this book and will be on the lookout for future books from the author.

Thank you to publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Level Best Books for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Release date: November 14, 2023

This was so outrageous.

The Gimmelmans are a Jewish family who lost all of their savings to the stock market crash in 1987. When all of their belongings are repossessed, instead of rebuilding their life, they embark on a family road trip in their RV and turn to robbing gas stations, convenience stores, and banks. Quite an eccentric way of bonding.

I’m really not a fan of books that intersperse the sex lives of the adults and their underaged kids within the same sphere, which happened a lot here. Not only that, but they weren’t always separate entities — the kids were full on subjected to the parents coitus. Erect dicks and bare tits (of minors) were being exposed frequently between family members which made me uncomfortable.

A bit of a multigenerational story at play where the main character’s past childhood of robbing and being wanted by the FBI is recounted through the audiobook of his best selling memoir as he’s currently on a road trip of his own with his estranged and rebellious son.
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree…

There’s also heavy mention of animal mutilation, questionable behaviours, heavy drug use with minors, and abuse.

I wish there had been a better outcome for Jenny.

This ride through the 80s is filled with memories of the music and the simplicity of life. Growing up in the 80s, I enjoyed the trip down memory lane with a family who is dysfunctional, from the parents down to the children. Even the extended family have their own issues. But despite this, the family comes together to commit the craziest crime, robbing a bank. 

This tale is told from Aaron's point of view. He is the middle child, 12, and trying to make his mark in the family. When the family loses everything during the stock market crash of 1987, he seeks out to prove himself on their journey to Florida. He isn't a perfect child, but he does care about his sisters. The youngest, Jenny, is a bit of a wild child. Even at that time, it was obvious her parents didn't know how to take care of her or seek help for her. Steph is also a bit of a wild child but in a different way. It is her hormones that drive her actions. There is a situation that happened that wasn't surprising to me. It would ruin a few things, so I won't tell you what. But if you read the book, you will figure it out right away, too.

The parents, Barry and Judith, are an example of what happens when you have too much money and not enough time for each other. The stock market crash changes that, but is it for the better? Maybe they reconnect on one level, but is it a lasting connection?

The story is filled with flawed characters, but ones that have heart and are seeking a better way, at least most of them. It may not always be the best or right way, but it is definitely a reflection of them and the times. I appreciated how the story started with Aaron as an adult and his troubled teen on a road trip. Aaron has his child listen to the book he wrote, which happens to be about his life. You don't realize that at first, but as the book is ending, it will all make sense. Some of the storylines are predictable, and if you grew up in the 80s, you will enjoy the music references and the simplicity of life without cell phones and the internet.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read, and we give it 4 paws up.

The cover of this book caught my eye and the plot sounded interesting; I'm not sure it's what I expected (what did I expect?) but it turned out to be a riveting read. Aaron Gimmelman is 12 years old when his family loses all their money and has virtually everything they own repossessed after the stock market Crash of 1987. Homeless, his family of 5 head off in the RV they got to keep, heading for Aaron's maternal grandmother's place in Florida. On the way, Aaron robs a convenience store to help the family finances, starting the family down a slippery slope that ends with the parents and children holding up banks, an 80's family version of Bonnie & Clyde. The characters are complex, interesting and flawed, the plot is action-packed, and the exploration of family, guilt and forgiveness is thought-provoking.

How do you decide on your next book to read? Being a book blogger and reviewer, I regularly receive offers from authors and publishers, presenting me with a never-ending stream of new titles. The reality is that there are far more books available than I could ever hope to read. In these situations, I often turn to the recommendations of fellow readers and reviewers to help me discover noteworthy titles. This was precisely how I stumbled upon Lee Matthew Goldberg's latest work, The Great Gimmelmans.

It all began when he shared information about his new book on the platform formerly known as Twitter. A mutual friend of ours, the talented novelist Russell Ricard (whose wonderful book The Truth About Goodbye you should definitely read if you haven't already), spoke highly of Goldberg's writing and encouraged me to explore it for myself. Generously, Goldberg provided me with a copy of the book, and I enthusiastically delved into its pages.

"There's no escaping us, Aaron. You'll always be a Gimmelman."

The book commences with Aaron Gimmelman embarking on a road trip alongside his son, Roark. It becomes evident that Aaron has been largely absent from his son's life, resulting in Roark's behavioral issues. With countless hours of travel before them, Aaron seizes the opportunity to bridge the gap between them by sharing his life story with his son. He chooses to play the audiobook of his memoir, a narrative recounting his turbulent and crime-ridden childhood. As he presses the play button, the reader is also drawn into this narrative.

In 1987, a stock market crash upends the life of young Aaron Gimmelman. His father, Barry, a stockbroker, loses everything in the crash, leaving the family with no savings and on the brink of homelessness. With only their clothes and an RV to their name, the Gimmelman family, consisting of parents Barry and Judith, along with their children Steph, Aaron, and Jenny, embarks on a cross-country journey to Florida in search of a fresh start. Along the way, Aaron begins to grasp the extent of his parents' financial struggles and the sacrifices they've made. Driven by the desire to alleviate their hardships, he resorts to petty theft from a convenience store, unknowingly setting into motion a chain of criminal activities that will forever change their lives.

"Someone is only truly dead where there is no one left to remember them."

In The Great Gimmelmans, Lee Matthew Goldberg has skillfully crafted a novel that seamlessly blends entertainment with emotional depth. This book is a captivating amalgamation of various genres, encompassing elements of a coming-of-age narrative, dark humor, and an enthralling heist story. While the fast-paced plot initially drew me in, it was the well-developed characters that held my attention throughout. Goldberg adeptly intertwines the excitement of a page-turning thriller with thought-provoking musings on parenthood, religion, and the weight of guilt. Each of these resonates powerfully within the narrative.

The characters in the story are multifaceted, each grappling with their own imperfections, grounding them in a relatable reality while participating in the larger-than-life events of the plot. Goldberg presents the story as a book within a book, a creative choice culminating in a poignant and multi-layered ending. The Great Gimmelmans is an exceptional novel that deserves a spot on every reader's must-read list. If, like me, you often choose your next read based on recommendations from fellow readers, consider this my enthusiastic endorsement for this remarkable book.

This is OK. I didn't connect with it, but I may not be the right audience for it. Nonetheless, there are some enjoyable sections, and I see the author's talent.

I really appreciate the free copy for review!!

I received this from Netgalley.com.

Good read, such a wild ride. First time I've read this author and he will now be on my 'to read' list.

4.25☆

Not really a book that I could get into. Parts were okay but just wasn't my cup of tea. I did like that they were trying to do good. Thanks #Netgalley and #LevelBestBooks for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

I was not fond of the characters in this book. They were much too winey for me. I gave up after about 100 pages.

This book was a crazy ride. From the very first pages, I was hooked into the story of the Gimmelman Family. Aaron is the perfect narrator - smart, mouthy, and surprisingly aware for a 12-year-old. What I loved most about this narrative was the lack of pages questioning the morality and ethics of what this family does. An engaging page-tuner. Thank you, Net Galley for the advance copy.

I got 1/4 of the book before giving up. I didn't care for the plot or the characters.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.

This was a good book not what I normally read good book about a Jewish family gone wrong Glad my family isn’t like this one

I liked this book. It's presented as an audiobook of the narrator's experience as a child. It shows some growth in the narrator as he goes through these experiences but he's 12 so it's okay that he doesn't grow up a lot. It's interesting reading his parents reaction. All in all, an interesting but slightly different book with sad things happening throughout.

I loved this book! It reminded me of the films Little Miss Sunshine and We're The Miller's. The 12 year old narrator is captured beautifully as a child who thinks they know it all (as every child does) but slowly learns that the don't (as every adult does). A fun and exciting story that touches on the meaning of family, parenthood, religion and forgiveness and leaves a lasting touch of warmth with the reader.

I got 25% into this when I dnfed.
The idea sounded good. The protagonist is a young teen boy, whose dad loses all their money in the crash of 1987 and decide to start robbing as a family.
The book flashes back to his childhood, and maybe because he is recounting it as an adult, the tone of voice for the kids is not at all like what a kid in the 80s would sound like.
The pacing was a little slow. Really wanted to like it.

Awesomeness. I picked up The Great Gimmelmans on NetGalley Out of the Blue with no idea what to expect, and it turned out to be a fantastic choice. Only in my Dreams could I have imagined that this book would be such a rip-rollicking yet heartfelt ride. The writing was top-notch and Red Hot, and I tremendously enjoyed following along with Aaron as he experienced the ups and downs of his Electric Youth with his insane family.

And, okay, yeah, I'm absolutely terrible at this so I'll stop with the Debbie Gibson references now. It was just a Foolish Beat of my heart that made me want to do such a thing to begin with. I knew it was corny from the start, but maybe someone will find it amusing because, hey, Anything is Possible.

Okay, okay, fine. I'm for real finished now, I swear.

Ahem.

So, yeah, I adored The Great Gimmelmans. It was a fun and wild ride that far exceeded my expectations. It's hilarious and poignant and sad and uplifting and frustrating and fabulous all at the same time. The writing is fantastic and the characters are over-the-top and yet somehow still realistic and relatable. As a child of the 80s, I loved the musical references, especially the Debbie Gibson songs (because – let's all just be honest with ourselves here – her music was far superior to Tiffany's). Also, as someone who grew up with narcissistic, dysfunctional parents (although admittedly not ones who robbed banks), I felt for the Gimmelman children and found myself rooting for them all (even the psychopath, surprisingly).

And I suppose that's all I really have to say for this review, because we all know that Silence Speaks louder than words. (Sorry, I just couldn't help myself.) Definitely read this book if you haven't already.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Level Best Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review!