I sobbed on a plane while reading this book. I also read it in one sitting. It was very unexpected but I loved every moment of being in this story and with this family. The complicated relationships felt real and the vulnerability was emotional.

Great beach read. A family reunited in North Dakota and finally got closure. The four siblings had a whirlwind childhood and now resolve issues as healthy adults.

Family drama, at its best.

4 estranged siblings going on an impromptu weekend trip to North Dakota after 3 years of little to no contacts and no meet ups.

they were inseparable when they're young, bonded over their parents’ absence. but as they grew older life took them into different paths, they’re not so close anymore. something happened after their father’s funeral that became their breaking point.

the plot was going back and forth between past (when they're road-tripping with their mom) and present. the flashback scenes were non-linear, it includes several scenes from different years so it was a bit disorienting to follow. IDK how the author managed to pack their childhood baggage, present individual problems, multiple romantic plotlines all in one go but somehow it all still work together. i was totally invested, couldn't make myself stop reading once I started and finished the whole thing in a day.

it was wholesome and reflective with a generous dose of family drama. every character was very compelling, but my favorite was Rosie. she’s soooo real🥹 the ending was bittersweet but i wouldn’t change anything. it’s not ideal, but totally realistic. i loved this book!

Fun for the Whole Family by Jennifer E. Smith is a tender, emotionally rich novel that beautifully explores the complexities of sibling bonds, fractured pasts, and the quiet strength of forgiveness.

The Endicott siblings—Gemma, Connor, Roddy, and Jude—once inseparable in the wake of a glamorous, unreliable mother and an often-absent father, have drifted apart. When Jude, now a famous actress, summons them to a wintery weekend reunion in North Dakota, old wounds resurface—alongside three secrets that could bring them closer or push them apart forever.

Jennifer E. Smith delivers characters you can’t help but root for, each carrying the weight of who they were and who they’ve become. I was fully invested in their journeys—poignant, raw, and real.

As the eldest of four myself (two sisters and a brother), and now the mom of four (two sons and two daughters), I felt a double resonance with this story. It reminded me how fragile, but deeply powerful, sibling connections can be—and how much they matter, especially when tested by time.

A heartfelt, hopeful story that lingers long after the last page.

Short synopsis: The Endicott siblings were always inseparable, due to the absence of their parents, now the haven’t spoken in years until Jude invites them to a small town in North Dakota.

My thoughts: After reading and loving the Unsinkable Greta James, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Jennifer’s newest book.

I adored each of the siblings, and liked how successful and different they all were. Each character was so well developed and cultivated that they felt so lifelike and real.

The flashback chapters really created some great depth to their relationship and helped the reader understand where the strain between them developed.

The ending had me all sorts of emotional, I loved watching the siblings as they let each other in and let go of past secrets and resentments.

Read if you love:
* Road trips
* Family drama
* Flashback chapters

Yes, yes, all the yes!!! This was a big five star for me! I listened to the audiobook and our girl did it SO.MUCH.JUSTICE! I actually listened to the entire thing in one sitting because I absolutely fell in love with this family.

The Endicott siblings grew up taking messy summer road trips with their chaotic, incredible mother, with the goal of seeing all fifty states. All this ended during their teenage years, after an incident that led to none of them seeing their mother again, an incident that also might've started the process of breaking the siblings. Years later, the four are all very successful. Gemma, the oldest, is happy in her career and trying her last try for a baby with her husband. Connor wrote a bestselling novel...that was thinly veiled the story of their childhood, which no one liked very much. Roddy is a soccer player riding a falling star, given the opportunity for one last season, which is causing immense stress in his relationship. And Jude, always their mother's favorite, is an actress taking Hollywood by storm. After the book incident, they don't see much of each other, until Jude makes a surprise invite to bring the whole family to a small town in North Dakota, of all places, in the winter, of all times. Jude has three confessions to make, and a cabin with the group snowed in, which includes the siblings, Connor's two kids, Roddy's fiancee, and local Uber-driver/barista/bookshop worker, secrets, shared history, and lots of drama is going to come out, leaving no one unscathed.
This book did make me ugly sob, so do take this into consideration. It is so full of heart and joy and also sorrow. I hardly have words to describe how much I loved this book. It was a wonder and a joy. It's a fascinating picture of a deeply dysfunctional, loving family. It's laugh out loud funny, and sobbing-levels of heartbreaking.

Fun for the Whole Family punched me in the gut in a totally unexpected way. I finished this book in tears, which tbh is how I also finished The Unsinkable Gretta James. Jennifer E. Smith is such a beautiful storyteller and managed to weave four different perspectives so seamlessly. I will read anything she writes.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Fun for the Whole Family by Jennifer E. Smith.

Man, I love a good family story, the interweaving of siblings, parents, traumas, stories, and dysfunction. It's so good.

When the Endicott (great name!) siblings gather in North Dakota, it's the first time in years, unusual given how close they once were. But the oldest sister, Jude, has summoned them all, and curiosity has gotten the best of them. Why now, out of the blue would their famous sister want to meet in such a strange spot?

Through multiple lenses we learn about the unstable childhood of the Endicott family, their tragedies and joys, and whether or not they can find forgiveness in their hearts for the pain they experienced.

I loved this book, the characters, the plot, and the hopping timeline. This is absolutely my kind of book!

4.5 stars

The title and cover picture make this book seem like a light-hearted read, but it is definitely much deeper than it appears.

Fun for the Whole Family by Jennifer E. Smith follows the Endicott family, a close-knit group of four siblings, from childhood when they would take cross-country road trips with their estranged mother, to adulthood when they are reunited on a spur-of-the-moment weekend trip after three years of not speaking to one another. Through the use of shifting POV and alternating timelines, set against the backdrop of various different states, we learn what kind of childhood trauma each sibling carries and how it relates to the secrets they hold in the present day.

This book is captivating. Each sibling's story is fully fleshed out, and they all seem like they could be an acquaintance you'd know in real life. It might seem like the alternating POVs, timelines, and states would be difficult to keep track of, but it actually adds to the pace of the story, especially when you get closer to the climax. Even though the main setting of the story feels a little larger than life (random small town in North Dakota in the middle of a snow storm), the topics that are covered across the wide array of life experiences are so well done and genuine. Grief is a theme that is explored thoroughly, and it is sure to ring true for anyone who has ever had to go through it, especially when it comes to the loss of a parent.

There are a couple things that I don't particularly get. For one thing, the portrayal of the mom feels stereotypically "manic pixie dream girl", and falls a bit flat, especially in comparison to how full each of the children's characters are. This almost makes it a little too easy to blame all of the problems on her. And secondly, I didn't feel as invested in one or two of the main characters' stories compared to the others'. They are all well told, but I personally would've been fine if there had been only three siblings instead of four, and still like the book just as much.

But regardless, don't let the cover fool you; if you want a well-written story that delves into the complexity of family dynamics, this pick is for you.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Fun for the Whole Family is available now wherever books are sold.

I really loved this book. A dysfunctional family is always great and makes me feel better about mine. If you like family drama at all, this is the book for you.

I've heard amazing things about this author's previous book so I thought I'd give her latest release a try! Sadly, this one fell flat for me. It was a "just okay" read for me, nothing bad, nothing great, and it didn't really make me feel much of anything either way. Unfortunately forgettable.

Very interesting story about this family. The author told the story in a very interesting way about this for Adults. They had a rough childhood because the mother used to Take them on car trips around the country. Oldest one was GEM M.A she raised her brothers and sisters. Connor most interesting because he was a writer. J u d e was an actress in hollywood. R o d d y was a athlete who was gay. The last trip they Took as a family. Or in the car caught on F I r e. The father would not let them see their mother anymore. Each chapter had a different theme for each child.. They all met up again later on in north dakota. Look back on their childhood.

I loved this book. Let's just start with that. I don't know what I expected when I picked this one up besides that the premise sounded interesting and felt like exactly what I was in the mood for. Almost instantly, I was sucked into these four siblings lives. Here's what we know basically from the beginning of the book: the four siblings used to be very close despite a more unique upbringing (not sure unique is the right word here but it does fit) and haven't really spoken in years although we as the reader don't know why. One of the siblings, Jude, has called them all together for a weekend away, but they don't know why. I'm going to leave it there - that tells you enough without spoiling anything. When I say that I was invested in these four characters - in their lives, their troubles, in what happened both in their childhood and in what had caused them to stop speaking...I mean that I was well and truly hooked. This author brought each of these siblings to life for me. I laughed, I cried...I literally sobbed by the end. This book was everything that I needed it to be without even knowing it. I just loved every minute with these characters and now need more books like this in my reading life. If you have recommendations, please share!

Readers who enjoy character-driven reads that will tug at your heartstrings need to pick this book up. I was trying to think of a book to compare this one to and just couldn't. It's an easy five stars for me and that should tell you everything that you need to know.

A character driven book strong on family dynamics.

I really enjoyed the development of the siblings' relationships--both with each other and in their personal lives. Each carried their own baggage and as the plot unfolded, you come to understand the complexities of their past (and present).

Recommend for any reader looking for a complex family narrative, with a little mystery and hidden backstory. (My only knock: the pacing is a little slow but not in a distracting way.)

Ended up doing this one on audiobook because Lauren Graham was the narrator. Loved the story and the characters so much. The way they tackled real life issues was great!

Disappointing. Based on the title font and colorful cheerful cover and the blurb that it was "joy-filled," I was expecting a happier story. Instead it was a tearjerker with uber drama and overall silly characters, except for Gemma. There was enough foreshadowing that I had a pretty good idea where the plot was going. I know a lot of readers really liked the book and the travel sections were good, but overall I found it depressing, especially the ending.

My heart. This book took a turn that I did NOT see coming. I knew it would be emotional with siblings reuniting, but there was even more to it. Phew. Amazing writing!

Another delightful, heartfelt novel by Smith. I think she has a particular talent for writing fully fleshed out characters who have flaws, but who are still very easy to root for and admire. While I didn't take to it as wholeheartedly as I did to "Unsinkable Greta James," I found so much to love about the Endicott siblings.

A tender sibling reunion that is a heartfelt exploration of sibling bonds, long held secrets, and the beauty of reconnecting. Filled with emotional depth, the story peels back childhood trauma and adult regret.
Many thanks to Random House and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.