Fun for the Whole Family is a heartfelt, layered exploration of sibling bonds, long-buried wounds, and the ripple effects of an unconventional childhood. Jennifer E. Smith brings warmth and nuance to the story of the Endicott siblings, whose shared history of parental absence and spontaneous road trips left both fond memories and emotional fractures.

The novel shines in its character work—each sibling is at a personal and emotional crossroads, and their reunion is as messy, funny, and poignant as you'd expect. The central mystery surrounding Jude’s secrets adds momentum, but the heart of the novel lies in its themes of forgiveness, self-discovery, and the strange, enduring power of family.

It’s a nostalgic, emotionally generous book—bittersweet in all the right ways. Perfect for readers who love character-driven stories with both charm and depth.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review!

I am really sorry to say that I DNF'ed this book at around 78%. I thought the story held promise, and I kept reading to learn more about the characters and their resolutions, but the cancer storyline really threw me. I understand that this is on me, but I just was not in the right headspace to read that kind of emotional storyline right now. Reading about the dynamic between the characters was interesting too, but I felt like all four of them were at a stasis point until I stopped reading. Each character had so many chances to grow, but I felt like they were all incredibly stuck in their ways, and it became a bit tedious after a while.

I really enjoyed the evolution of this story and the characters within it! I love a book that evokes feelings and makes me feel for the characters and their turmoil. Definitely a book I will be recommending!

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

This book was one of those rare stories that sticks with you for a long time! It takes you through a variety of emotions and brought me to tears at points. It shows the real connection between family, even when life gets difficult, and while it had heartbreak and tragedy, was a beautiful story that I’m glad I read. If you like family fiction and drama, be sure to check this book out!

This book was soooo fun! I definitely recommend it for a light hearted good time! Lots of laughs and great storyline!

Dear Fun for the Whole Family,
You are a story with so much depth and heart. Gemma, Connor, Jude, and Roddy were such deep and complex characters. I loved the way they each are at such a pivot point in their lives that were so relatable. Using the family's journey through the states was such a unique concept. It made the pacing and flashbacks in your story feel perfectly timed. Your ending broke my heart. I loved you and immediately started suggesting you to other people.

This wasn’t a new favorite, but it was still a good story about a family being broken apart and brought back together. There were really good moments where the siblings were confronting each other that the reader got to see the messy dynamics and characteristics, which I wish we got more of. I don’t think I was really in the mood for a story like this, but in the end it was a good reminder that life is short.

I love contemporary stories about adult siblings. This was really interesting and I loved all of the different characters and points of view. These siblings had a rougher childhood in regards to their parents, but the bond of the 4 of them was strong. I had a hunch of why one sibling wanted them all to meet in a small town after a few years of not seeing each other, but there were some other secrets along the way that I did not expect. The ending was bittersweet.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Oh boy! Sometimes I feel so bad that I’m an only child, but sometimes I thank my parents for saving me from the drama. Endicotts were all successful slinking who got to have a roadtrip per year to check the box for “almost” every state in the US before family experienced a tragedy tearing them apart and fight incessantly in the years after

Despite all the fights and hard feelings, when Jude, the Hollywood star, called all her siblings to North Dakota for a weekend getaway, all three dropped everything and answered the summon. The weekend that was expected to be pretty boring in North Dakota got even less climactic when all of them were snowed in at a cabin in the middle of nowhere. Cabin fever lead to many confessions from siblings turning this story into chaos and wholesome get together at the same time

Spoiler here! Tell me how many of you guessed what would the baby’s name! After Endicotts taking over the US, I expected them to take over the world now that they can get along well and I’m glad to see plans were made in that direction. I think this book will be fun for all the readers

Fun for the Whole Family is a family drama about the four estranged siblings. We follow multiple POV about four siblings who reunite abruptly. I was pleasantly surprised by this book. This book is just really heartwarming and more emotional than I thought it would be.
I loved everything about this book! highly recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My favorite books are about complicated family relationships, and this certainly fits that description. Gemma is the oldest sibling, caring for the younger ones as their mother was often absent. Connor was next, while twins Roddy and June were the youngest. Their mother left when they were young, supposedly pursuing an acting career, and reappeared every summer to take them on a road trip. Gemma became the de facto mother, living a more ordinary life than her accomplished siblings, author brother, Connor, professional soccer player Roddy and actress Jude. Chapters alternate between reminiscences of the trips, with their current get together after an estrangement. The story and the characters are absorbing, making it hard to put down this well written novel, as some secrets are exposed. Highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This is your family. The people who have known you.....and sometimes hated you......your whole life. The Endicott siblings have all managed to survive and thrive their unconventional childhood. When younger, the four of them took an annual adventure with their mother that created so many memories that they are all emotionally scarred from the experiences. Now as a dults, they will answer an invitation from the youngest sister that may let some light into the complicated family dynamics that have kept them apart for three years.
This is an emotional read. Smiles, laughter and tears can all be found on the same page as these four compare their memories. They've found out that their lack of communication has left a hole in their lives where their siblings have always lived. If you have brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins and the extended family ties, you'll recognize the feelings, good and bad and in between that Jennifer E Smith paints on the page. This is an excellent book with a story that many of us lived through in one form or another. Read, review, share, repeat.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance reader's copy of this book. Unfortunately at this time I will be unable to give it my full attention, so I will provide a starred rating and return when I can give it a proper review.

After a falling out three years ago, four siblings finally reunite. Three of them are famous: Jude, the Oscar-nominated actress; Roddy, the famous soccer star; and Connor, the award-winning author. Gemma, the oldest, lives a normal life with her husband, Mateo. This hilarious family drama had me laughing out loud at the siblings’ witty banter. It also made me feel emotional about family secrets that were revealed after years. Jonathan Tropper’s “This is Where I Leave You” is a comparable novel with a similar family dynamic storyline, dialogue, and humor. If you enjoyed that book, you’ll definitely enjoy “Fun for the Whole Family.” I listened to the audiobook, and I loved the narrator, Lauren Graham. I think she’s the actress from “Gilmore Girls,” and she does an amazing male English accent. The book was easy to follow, even with chapters alternating characters and multiple timelines. Some of the flashbacks were during the summers when the siblings and their free-spirited mother would travel all over the United States experiencing life adventures. It was a great read with quick short chapters. I couldn’t put it down, I was eager to finish it to find out all the secrets and what happens to the four siblings. I can’t believe this book didn’t get more press. It’s so good! Be sure to check for trigger warnings.

A beautifully written, character-driven family drama that explores the complexities of sibling relationships, memory, and forgiveness. Smith masterfully weaves past and present as the estranged Endicott siblings reunite and confront the emotional weight of their shared history. Heartfelt, nostalgic, and quietly powerful—this book is perfect for anyone who loves a story about finding your way back to the people who knew you first.

A well written family drama! I loved the dynamics between the siblings and the others in their lives. The format of alternating past and present made for interesting reading. Thanks #NetGalley#BallentineBooks

This book is a tender, layered look at the complicated ties that bind and sometimes pull families apart. Smith’s storytelling is warm, emotionally honest, and full of small moments that quietly break your heart. It’s the kind of novel that lingers long after the last page, in the best way.

When this novel starts, the four adult Endicott siblings haven’t spoken in three year when one of them asks the others to all join her for a trip to North Dakota. The book is told from all four siblings’ perspectives in both the present and the past. In the past, we learn about their chaotic childhood with an erratic mother that left them but returned each summer to take them on crazy road trips. And in the present, we see that each of them have their own problems/secrets/struggles and we slowly see them try to reconnect and eventually learn why they stopped speaking.

Given the title, I feel obliged to say this one puts the “fun” in dysfunctional family, though I’d say that the book is somewhat heavier than the cover or title suggest - but still written with a light touch. With four perspectives and jumping around in time, it does take a minute to get oriented to who everyone is and what’s going on, but once I did I really got invested and cared for all the characters - culminating in an emotional ending that left me crying.

The four Endicott children had an usual childhood that brought the four of them together as they had to take care of themselves. Their father worked long hours and their mother was gone most of the year, but would return every summer to go on road trips to visit all 50 states. After a tragic event on one of their trips, they do not go on another trip with their mom. Although the siblings, Gemma, Connor and the twins Roddy and Jude, have a special bond, life gets in the way as they go into their own orbit and having successful lives. Gemma hopes to have a baby, Connor is a writer, Roddy is a professional soccer player, and Jude is a famous actress. As each one is facing a decision in their lives, Jude invites everyone to a small town in North Dakota. The four of them had not been in close contact but they drop everything to make the trip. While there, they reconnect but also learn of each other's secrets. Fun for the Whole Family was a bit darker than the title might imply, but the story was engaging and the characters were believable. Fun for the Whole Family, which is told from each character's point of view, is an excellent story of the love and bonds that are within a family where they all support each other no matter what happens.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Fun for the Whole Family.