This book was the perfect blend of family saga and light-hearted coming of age, focusing on the four children of the Endicott family. Their unconventional childhood has forced them to grow up more or less on their own, forming close-knit bonds and their own family community.

The adult sibling dynamic was so interesting to witness, as each member followed their own disparate path and their close relationships began to dwindle. Deep themes are explored and emotions are uncovered in a vulnerable way. Jude unexpectedly calls them all together for a trip to North Dakota, for the purpose of revealing three secrets that has the potential to change everything.

The chapters that were named after states were a bit of a misnomer because they were typically very short and seldom had much to do about the state itself but rather what was going on in that particular family member's life at that time.

The writing in this book is far superior to her previous work, The Unsinkable Greta James, and I'm hoping her work continues on this positive trajectory.

Wow - this was one of the best family drama books I’ve read - and that’s saying a lot since it’s one of my favorite genres. I really enjoyed learning the layers of each character, and the author really cleverly wove in their storylines. This was much more of a page-turner than I imagined - and that ending - WOW! 5 stars!

Fun For the Whole Family was fun and easy and yet heavy and emotional at the same time. I tore through this story and love that it was written from multiple perspectives and that it bounced around chronologically.

This was my first book about siblings and their relationships. The author does a fantastic job with giving them real life characteristics. I felt like I knew of them.

The absent mother Frankie was a sort of back story I would have liked to read more how she came to a decision to be less involved with her family and leave. The father I don’t remember being a part of the story but the four siblings were so well written that this was their story.

Oldest Gemma ,who is flying to North Dakota at the request of her younger sister, Jude . The twins, Jude and Roddy, are the two who are famous celebrities in acting and sports, and the best selling author, Connor, who has written a story how the grew up and which was one the Endicotts wanted written.

Jude had lived with a lie for years and this is a chance to reunite the family after three years and all meet in North Dakota for a vacation and to catch up on the current and confess things from the past.

Heartwarming and bittersweet. 4.5 stars. I really enjoyed reading what it must be like to have siblings. The closeness shows in the story that even with separation they are still close and forever connected
Thank you for the arc.

I really enjoyed the multiple POVs in this story. I read this so fast, unable to put it down. My only criticism is the title - I am not sure why it's "Fun for the Whole Family'

A story of four siblings whose mother leaves them when they are young, only returning once a year to take them on vacations to different states until something happens to separate everyone. Told in the present from all four siblings' perspectives as they try to reunite as a family and flipping to various points in the past, offering insights into childhood issues and what really happened with their mom. This was good, kind of a melancholy book overall though. The blurb says it's "joy-filled," which I disagree with. 3 stars.

I enjoyed this book and think a wide variety of people would enjoy it. This book has a little bit of everything. I always enjoy stories that involve complicated family dynamics, and this was no different. The book was so immersive that it made me want to read Conners book. I instantly became invested in "The Extraordinary Endicotts".

“Fun For the Whole Family,” by Jennifer E. Smith, is a book about four siblings over the years. The siblings had a absent mother, except when she took them on road trips over each summer. Their father worked a lot - leaving the raising of the kids mainly to the eldest child. This book explores the complicated relationship between siblings, but also threw in grief, guilt, parenting, and love. As odd as this sounds, I’m not a fan of the title of this book - it doesn’t quite fit the book - at least for me. I felt sympathy for the eldest daughter - she was a mini-adult, which probably wasn’t easy. I cannot say that I’ll remember this book - some of it was predictable, but that didn’t mean that I didn’t enjoy the ride and watching the puzzle pieces slide into place along the way. I think many people will enjoy this book - especially for book club discussions.

Four siblings with a dysfunctional upbringing. Their mom wanted to be an actress and left ... except to show up once a year to take the children on a road trip.

Read this book if you like to read about family dynamics; don't read the book because you like road trips. (Although every state is mentioned, Vermont, for example, is mentioned twice ... once because a sibling couldn't remember if the milkshake was in New Hampshire or Vermont and another as the location of a B&B. I love road trips and notice how much each state has its own personality and beauty; I didn't feel that come across well in the book.)

That said ... I did really enjoy the family dynamics. Gemma stepped up to be the "mom" and is now contemplating motherhood. Jude is a huge movie star with some secrets, Roddy is a soccer star with an opportunity to play again if he moves to Florida (although it is causing ruffled feathers with his partner), and Connor (with two great kids) is an author who wrote a book ("fictionally" based on said family dynamics).

Between 4 and 5 stars. 5 stars for the family dynamics, 4 stars for the states.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for approving my request to read the advance read copy of Fun for the Whole Family in exchange for an honest review. Publication date is April 15, 2025. Approx 368 pages.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballentine Books for the ARC of Fun for the Whole Family!

This book ended up being so good! There was a chunk in the beginning that seemed to take forever to get through, but I flew through the second half. As a ND native, I felt I could totally picture the exact scenes Smith was writing, which was so fun! And by the end I was even shedding some tears.

Sibling drama, messy relationships, finding joy within yourself, this book had it all! I’d add this to your TBR!

This was a solid read and mostly kept my attention but some of the characters were so unlikeable and did so many dumb things that I kept having to put it down.

When I saw this title in my inbox, I thought "wow what a cute fun story!"

I couldn't have been more wrong.

The four Endicott siblings haven't spoken in 3 years; that is, until the eldest three receive a mysterious request from their youngest sister to meet in a random North Dakota town. Despite each of their (valid) reservations, they're all curious enough to make the trip. As they reunite in a cold North Dakota winter, years of secrets become unravelled.

There was so much I loved about this story- the complex family dynamics, the unravelling of long kept secrets, and getting a deeper look into each of the characters through the multiple POV storytelling style. The writing was easy to read, but evoked complex feelings of grief and longing. The characters were well developed, and interestingly, defined more through their flaws than their successes.

For readers who were fans of Blue Sisters and Hello Beautiful, this is a must read!!

I can’t stop smiling! This book is an absolute delight, capturing the essence of family, adventure, and the little moments that make life special. 💖

From the very first page, I was drawn into the charming world Smith has created. The characters are relatable and endearing, each with their own quirks and dreams. I loved how their journey unfolded, filled with laughter, heartfelt moments, and a few surprises along the way!

What really stood out to me was the way the story beautifully explores the dynamics of family relationships. It’s a perfect reminder of how important it is to cherish those we love and to find joy in the everyday chaos of life.

If you’re looking for a heartwarming read that will leave you feeling uplifted, Fun for the Whole Family is a must!

I tried several times to get into this story but for some reason, didn't connect. The one-star rating is not a reflection on the author's writing as I DNF.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read the ARC.

I loved everything about this book! Flawed, bent-not-broken characters tell the story of estranged siblings finding their way home; the home they only feel with each other. Raw emotions, heart wrenching memories and underneath it all, deep love. It grabbed me from page one and held me, laughing, crying and finally finishing it with a sigh. Just read it! It’s that good!

This was such a good book. It was heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time. Four siblings grew up with a mother that left but came back each summer to take them on an adventure. The two oldest Gemma and Connor looked out for the twins Roddy and Jude. Gemma went along to keep her siblings safe and she did until one fateful night in Texas. After the accident in Texas the kids no longer were in contact with their mother and she died a few years after the accident. Now for different reason and an argument amongst the siblings they haven't spoken to each other in three years. Jude the youngest twin sends a text to meet in North Dakota. Will her siblings show up? Will they work through their differences, will they forgive the secrets Jude has been keeping?

This book was such a ride. Gemma is struggling with becoming a mother, Connor is suffering from writer's block, and Roddy is ending his professional soccer career all while Jude is nominated for an Oscar. How can these four repair their relationship? This book was a emotional rollercoaster but so worth the ride. We learn about the kids' mother leaving when Gemma was 14. How this effected all of the kids. Seeing each flashback and current events through on of the kids' point of views. My heart ached and broke a little bit making it through this book, but it was so worth it. This book about all about acceptance and forgiveness. The Extraordinary Endicott's were so much fun to get to know.

I highly recommend this book.


Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for the ARC of this ebook. All opinions expressed are my own

Thank you to the publisher for my arc.

This sadly just wasn't for me. couldn't of cared less about anything going on. Stories like this typically aren't up my alley but i wanted to give this one a chance.

Fun for the Whole Family is an adorable exploration of sibling dynamics, family bonds, and the long-lasting effects of an unconventional upbringing. In this novel, we meet the Endicott siblings—Gemma, Connor, Roddy, and Jude—whose inseparable childhood was defined by road trips and the sporadic presence of their magnetic but unreliable mother. Now adults, they’re each facing personal challenges and a surprising estrangement from one another. When Jude, a now-famous actress, calls them back together, each sibling arrives at a crossroads in their life.

What stands out most in this story is how vividly it captures the complexity of family bonds, particularly between siblings who once shared everything but now struggle to connect. The contrast between their childhood closeness and their adult estrangement is both poignant and believable, adding layers of tension as they each reckon with Jude’s mysterious secrets and the issues they’ve been avoiding.

Gemma’s journey of self-reflection as a caretaker, Connor’s battle with writer’s block and post-divorce stagnation, and Roddy’s tenuous relationship with his future husband each add depth to the story, allowing readers to understand how these siblings have been shaped by their shared past and now-diverging lives. Jude, with her outward poise and hidden vulnerabilities, serves as both a catalyst for the reunion and the keeper of secrets that may either reunite or further divide them.

The author’s use of a small-town setting in North Dakota as the backdrop for this emotional weekend grounds the story in a sense of place and nostalgia. Described as “brimming with heart,” the novel succeeds in delivering an honest and, at times, bittersweet look at what it means to forgive family. For readers who enjoy stories centered on forgiveness, resilience, and the ties that shape us, Fun for the Whole Family promises a heartfelt journey that will resonate long after the last page.

“Time, after all, is not an infinite resource. And they’ve lost too much of it already.”

I was beyond excited to get my hands on a new novel by the author of one of my favorite books The Unsinkable Greta James, Jennifer E. Smith.

“Sometimes it’s nice to have a place to put your hopes.”

This book is about four siblings, the Endicott’s. Who’s childhood summers were spent road-tripping with their mom who was absent throughout the rest of the year. Decades later… they find themselves estranged from one another until a text appears from one of the sisters (Jude) asking for all the siblings to meet her in North Dakota. Where family secrets, & old resentments are discussed as they find themselves stranded in a snow storm at a remote cabin.

This book is one that you say… “ok, just one more chapter.” You get perspective from each of the siblings as well as flashbacks to those summer on the road with their mother. This family stole my heart and the ending destroyed me. A realistic family saga that I can already say will be a top book on my 2025 list.

“The world had mourned her loudly.”

Thank you Beach Books for putting this new title by my fav author on my radar!

https://beachbooks37.com/book/9798217070367

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Absolutely loved this book! It took a few chapters to become engaged with the story and characters but once I did I couldn’t put it down. Families are messy and the family in this book is messier than most. Their love for each other is powerful and helps them surmount the intentional and unintentional hurts to each other but can it ease them past years of secrets and lies?

I received an arc of this book and voluntarily provided a review.