This was a captivating book about four siblings who haven’t spoken in three years. Jude, one of the siblings, decides it’s time to mend the rift and invites the others to meet in North Dakota—one of the few states they never visited with their mother during childhood. Every summer, their mother would appear and take them on road trips, each year exploring different states. That tradition—and their relationship with her—ended abruptly after a mysterious incident.

Now, Jude has been hiding a secret from her siblings, and she’s finally ready to reveal the truth.

Aside from their high-profile careers—a professional soccer player, an actress, and a bestselling author—this story could belong to any family. If you enjoy heartfelt stories about complex family dynamics, this book is definitely worth a read.

What a beautiful book about family and how our past experiences shape us. At the beginning of the book we meet 3 of the Endicott siblings who all randomly get a message from their 4th sibling asking them to all meet in North Dakota that weekend. The siblings haven’t really spoken or seen each other in 3 years since a family blow out blew their family apart. Yet, when the 4th sibling texts they all decide, how can they not go? As kids they had a workaholic father who barely paid attention to them, and a mother who left them only to show up once every summer to take them on a family road trip on a quest to explore all 50 states. Gemma ended up being the the de facto mother to them all, and is living in Chicago working a boring corporate job struggling with a big possible change in her life. Roddy is a retired, or maybe not, football star struggling with his career and his relationship. Connor is an author struggling with his divorce, and the fact he can’t seem to write another book as good as his last one. And Jude is a famous actress up for an Oscar, facing some huge life changes. As the siblings come together they struggle to reconnect with each other and reclaim the bond they once had, as new secrets are revealed, ones that could tear them apart forever. A fascinating family drama exploring how our upbringing shapes the decisions we make and the relationships we have as adults. A beautiful book. I received an ARC, and this is my honest review.

I really like reading books about complicated families and this certainly fit the bill. The Endicott siblings were fascinating. I like how three of the siblings were outstanding and Gemma seemed to not fit in. I like how the book went back and forth between the past & present. This was a great book but the ending was not what I thought it would be.

I'm a sucker for a family saga, so I naturally liked Fun for the Whole Family. The story is told in multiple timelines and perspectives. In the present day, the four Endicott siblings are reuniting after not talking for years. In the past, we get details explaining how they went from extremely close to estranged.

Not easily done, I genuinely enjoyed all four of the Endicott siblings' perspectives. I particularly enjoyed reading about Gemma, who is the most ordinary of the "extraordinary Endicotts." I also thought the side characters (significant others, children) were great - everyone felt real.

As much as I love the cover, it may lead readers to assume this is a quirky, lighthearted book, which I didn't find to be the case. In fact, I became worried at some point in the book about the heavy foreshadowing to a sad thing. It felt so obvious and maybe a bit trite. However, even though I predicted what happened, I liked the way Smith had that storyline play out.

Ms. Smith never disappoints me with her insights into family dynamics and Fun for the Whole Family is no different. After a massive fight the Endicott siblings haven't really talked or seen each other in 3 years. Sure, there's the text chat but that's been dead for a bit. Their lives individually have gone on, but they are all a but lost without each other. When they all do come together, it's only to reveal secrets that have been held on to for decades and to try to resolve old hurts.

Overall, it's a great novel about family relationships and how each sibling can have a different opinion on how they grew up.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this novel.

This is a family saga of a group of extraordinary but estranged siblings who meet up for a snowy weekend in North Dakota to reveal some family secrets. They had a largely absentee father and a flighty mother who compelled them to both greatness and self-involvement. I wanted to like this more. The characters just did not go deep enough for me and the chapters in the different states seemed to be a shortcut for that. Also, the secrets (and therefore the ending) were really easy to guess, so I started skimming towards the end. I just did not emotionally connect to the book.

After reading and enjoying Smith’s debut, I was excited to be granted the opportunity to receive an eARC from NetGalley.

I loved this messy family and their long weekend together. You know stuff is about to go down after you learn that they haven’t spoken for three years, they had a falling out with their mother, and their father passed away. All four of them live uniquely different lives but carry the same trauma and you can see how it affects their lives in very similar ways. They run from their problems, they avoid or are afraid of starting a family.

While I loved the flashbacks, some didn’t really add much. I would have loved to see more of their individual relationships with their mother and how it transformed each summer. I think we were lacking that emotional connection from each sibling.

I also did enjoy how the siblings felt that Gemma was the lost boring of the four of them just because she was living an ordinary life. She gave up the most to raise her siblings and even though her dreams might have appeared smaller, she was still successful and most importantly was happy.

I loved yet hated how this ended but felt it was an appropriate conclusion. Everything felt wrapped up and I loved the development of each of the siblings.

My favorite YA author ever is back with another book for adult audiences, and it’s a fun, emotional ride from beginning to end! Meet the Endicott family: Gemma in marketing, Connor the award winning author, and the twins Roddy, the soccer player, and Jude, the Hollywood actress. They had an unconventional childhood with an absentminded dad and a mom who only showed up in the summer to take them on crazy yet memorable road trips. Growing up, they always had each other’s backs, but now it’s been years since they’ve talked. When Jude sends a text demanding a trip to North Dakota, each sibling is intrigued just enough to drop everything and head out. What follows is a tale of family, love, secrets, and resilience.

I’ve been obsessed with Jennifer E. Smith’s books since This Is What Happy Looks Like, and I especially love her books about travel. She has a way of bringing people together and apart on vacations and road trips, and Fun For the Whole Family, told between past and present day timelines, with each character popping up front and center, has a way of slowly revealing the story and reminding you that families can be messy. But that’s okay. These characters, famous as they may be, are relatable, going through familiar problems and struggling with everyday questions and concerns. This book does a great job drawing you in with wonderfully written characters and a story that has you wanting more. I highly recommend Jennifer E. Smith’s books, both her YA and adult books, to everyone who wants simple yet down to earth characters and stories!

I loved this family drama book! The dynamic between all the siblings felt so real. This book had a great storyline that kept me hooked and is the perfect read for those who love slower family dramas. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

What a great story! This made me feel so nostalgic and so good. Sad at times, but happy at other times. Just such a feel good story. I really enjoyed reading this book. I would recommend this book for sure! The characters were so relatable and just loved meeting them.

I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this advanced reader copy and this is my honest review.

Four adult siblings who have fond memories of road trips with their mom when they were younger reconnect in North Dakota on a weekend in winter. Despite the cover, title, and premise, this was a fairly heavy book. Each sibling is dealing with issues. Although each storyline was engaging, it felt a bit too much when put together. Overall it was interesting, just not what I was expecting.

I received this book fee of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. There are four Endicott siblings—Gemma, Connor, and twins Roddy, and Jude. When growing up their mostly absent mother would take them on epic road trips. Until the last one where there was a fire. Their father was mostly checked out as well.

Out of the blue Jude, who is now a famous actress, texts them all to meet her in a small North Dakota town. There is an epic snowstorm and the cabin they are in loses power. This group also includes Conner's two kids and Roddy's future husband and the woman who drove them there. They make the best of it but secrets come out that have been hidden for many years. The dynamics in this family are so relatable. Can this family heals their past wounds and move forward?

A moving family drama involving estranged adult siblings who haven't talked since a tragedy involving their mother's death. This was great on audio narrated by Lauren Graham and perfect for fans of her show, Parenthood. The author explores sibling relationships, infertility, career and marital stresses and more in this layered, nuanced and highly readable story. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

I loved this book, each character so much. It's warm, funny, and bittersweet.
Thank you for the advanced reader copy Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books & Netgalley.

Fantastic sibling saga! I laughed, I cried, I was fully invested in everyone’s life. I could not put this book down! I highly recommend!

Siblings Gemma, Connor, Roddy, and Jude haven't spoken in years. When a text arrives from Jude asking each ​of her siblings to meet her in North Dakota, they all object to the idea, but curiosity gets the best of them. What a fun read! This is good old fashioned family drama at its best. The loveable but flawed characters will be relatable to most readers. Laughter and tears are by-products of this family’s reunion.

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I love family dramas and that I’m a character-driven reader. 𝐅𝐮𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 was all that and more; it is a complicated, emotional, and heartwarming journey of four estranged siblings trying to find their way back into each other's hearts and lives again.

I loved the way the story was formatted. When the four Endicott siblings reunite, the timeline reflects back on the summer road trips they took with their mother through various states. You hear each sibling’s POV, which allows you to better understand them, including their secrets and flaws. I felt like I was truly getting to know this family.

While the story doesn’t move hurriedly, it focuses on treasured memories and the processes of healing and forgiveness as the siblings relearn about each other in the present.

This story resonated with me because my siblings and I were much closer in our younger years than we are now as adults. Growing up and drifting apart can be very difficult.

Thank you @randomhouse for the gifted ebook via #NetGalley.

Fun for the Whole Family opens with this quote from Jerry Seinfeld: "There’s no such thing as fun for the whole family." I think this line from Anna Karenina: "Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." is more fitting for the story of the Extraordinary Endicotts.

Gemma, Conner, Roddy, and Jude were once those siblings that everyone wants to be: inseparable, full of inside jokes and shared memories. Every summer, their mother would pick them up in Michigan and embark on a road trip for a few weeks.

Decades later, the siblings are scattered throughout the US and no longer speak to each other after explosive events three years prior. Then, a text arrives from Jude, now an Oscar-nominated actress, asking if everyone will meet her in North Dakota. All the siblings happen to be at a crossroads in their life. Conner is struggling. post-divorce and stuck with writer's block after the success of his first novel. Roddy is at the end of his professional soccer career when he's offered one last season, hundreds of miles away from his future husband. Gemma, who had to step up and be the mom for the others, is struggling with fertility and the idea of even wanting to be a mother.

The siblings all reunite, and as they relax around each other, they finally discuss the fight from three years prior and find out why Jude was so insistent that they reunite in this podunk North Dakota town.
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Jennifer E. Smith has written a family story that captures the relationships of siblings who have to band together to raise each other. The interpersonal relationships, the fights, the laughter, the tears...everything is included, warts and all. The Endicotts were an interesting family; yes, they were all "extraordinary," but they were also human beings. Smith is able to capture the essence of each individual sibling, both in the present day and in flashbacks.

Fun for the Whole Family is a rich family drama that runs the gamut of emotions. Every family has its own dynamic, and the Endicotts are one steeped in laughter, tears, and each other.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is a lovely family saga with a cathartic ending. The characters are interesting and well developed, coming through with unique voices and complicated relationships between them.

I appreciated the short chapters, which drove the pacing well. The flashbacks were well placed to drive the story forward and keep up the pacing accordingly.

These characters and this family really jumped to life for me and by the middle of the story, I cared about them and wanted to see them repair the various rifts in their respective relationships.

I would recommend this title to fans of relationship stories, folks who like family dramas, and those who enjoy excellent writing and low stakes.

Thank you Ballantine for the review copy! I love Jennifer E. Smith's style, her way of capturing family and self growth themes and here a focus on siblings and all the ways siblings need each other, know each other and yet don't know each other. I loved how the plot explored family connection and themes on second chances within families but also perhaps second chances just for oneself.

Smith’s writing is introspective and tender, filled with quiet but powerful moments of reconciliation, self-discovery, and second chances. Each sibling’s perspective is distinct and engaging, making it easy to connect with their struggles and triumphs. The novel strikes a perfect balance between drama and heartfelt emotion, making it both a light yet deeply moving read.

At its core, Fun for the Whole Family is a story about growing up, growing apart, and ultimately finding your way back to the people who know you best. It’s a novel that will resonate with readers who appreciate character-driven stories about family, forgiveness, and the ties that withstand the test of time. Emotional, reflective, and brimming with nostalgia, this book is a must-read for fans of sibling dramas and slow-burn family sagas. Keep tissues nearby—you’ll need them.