"Fun For The Whole Family" by Jennifer E. Smith is a masterfully crafted novel that earns every bit of its five-star rating. This poignant family drama intricately weaves together multiple timelines and narrators to explore themes of love, loss, and the enduring bonds that unite us.

Smith's narrative technique keeps readers engaged as each timeline reveals a new layer of the family's history, gradually building a tapestry of emotions and experiences that resonate deeply. The shifting perspectives provide unique insights into the characters' inner worlds, enriching the story and creating a profound connection with the reader.

The novel balances its poignant themes with a touch of wit, adding lightness and humor to even the most somber moments. Smith's dialogue is sharp and reflective of real-life interactions, infusing the narrative with authenticity and relatability.

This book is not just a story; it's an experience that lingers long after the last page is turned. Jennifer E. Smith has outdone herself, delivering a novel that is both entertaining and deeply moving, making "Fun For The Whole Family" truly fun for every reader. Highly recommended for anyone looking to immerse themselves in a touching and insightful exploration of family dynamics.

I love a good character driven book! This book follows a family of 4 that haven’t talked in several years. Jude, now a famous actress, summons the whole family to a weekend in North Dakota.

The family was once very close, but drifted apart as adults. Each summer their mom would take them on a new adventure. Now all together, they have to face each other and secrets.

I love how the story takes place in the present with many flashbacks from each of the children. They all had so many memories of all their adventures. It was so heartwarming and real, and I loved the complexities of their relationships. I loved that they each had a POV.

I do wish we learned more about their mom. She seems like such a driving force in their family, and I wanted more. Aside from that, it was wonderfully done. I really enjoyed it! If you are looking for a character driven novel about the complexities of families- definitely buy this!

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books

Rating: 4.5 Stars

After three years of estrangement, the Endicott siblings answered the call from their sister, Jude, to spend a weekend together in North Dakota. They didn't know why they were summoned, but they did not hesitate to reunite for the weekend.

This was a wonderful and sometimes painful family drama about people with a complex family dynamic. Smith helped me understand the events that shaped them via flashbacks while also filling in some gaps as the siblings hashed things out with each other. I felt like I really understood each of them as these characters came across as fully realized and well drawn with peeks inside their head to give me even more clarity.

They grew up with an absent mother and emotionally distant father, but it was ok because they had each other. All successful to some degree, there was still something missing for each of them. It seemed they needed to come back together in order to find that missing part of themselves. The family did have a lot of fun during their weekend getaway, but the best parts were seeing them reconnect and heal.

Though the story highlighted each member of the family, Jude had a large role in it all. She called the family together because she had three secrets that she had been carrying, some longer than others, and it was time they all knew the truth.

This book was way more emotional than I expected. At times, I was filled with glee for these people and celebrated with them, but I also shed some tears. I was thankful that they had this reunion and were able to make peace with their past because I was invested in these characters and only wanted the best for them.

Overall: A bittersweet and heartwarming story of family, love, forgiveness that touched me in many ways.

Families are complicated. In this contemporary adult fiction novel, the Endicotts are more complicated than most. This story overflows with family drama, but it is told with warmth and sensitivity. I enjoyed this author's book, "The Unsinkable Greta James", but I liked this book even more. This story is very well done. It is so well done that I quickly became invested in each of the character's individual lives, as well as their combined history. It gave me a warm fuzzy feeling as it highlighted the past and present lives of the four extraordinary Endicott siblings. I was sorry to have to say goodbye to these characters at the end of the book.

I would recommend this book to fans of Jojo Moyes, Colleen Hoover, or Taylor Jenkins Reid, as well as readers who love contemporary fiction novels with an emphasis on family relationships.

My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for a digital ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Fun for the Whole Family is a drama sweeping across many states and many years, focusing on four siblings reconnecting after a falling out that occurred three years ago. Jude, Roddy, Connor, and Gemma were very close to each other when they were young, especially when they would go on a road trip with their mother once a year, the only time they ever saw her. But something happened when they were adults that drove them apart, but a text from Jude brings them all back together, and they have to face each other, their secrets, and why they are the way they are.
I love a character driven story, especially one with so many characters who get to interact with each other in different forms and their dynamics get to be explored, and this book certainly delivered on that. It also delivered on a lot of tender, small moments that really made me feel for the characters. I loved the flashbacks to their different memories and the road trips they would go on with their mother, and I wish there had been more of them. Frankie was such a driving force of the book, and I feel like we barely got to see her or connect to her - I'm sure that this was intentional, but it made me feel like I was held a little at arms length from the kids and all of their complex feelings for their mother. However, I love a good family drama, and this one was good and well-written and compelling.
My complaints of this book are outweighed by the things I liked, but I still felt like a lot of this book was heavy handed and a bit predictable (although I personally don't take huge issue or offense with predictability in books, because that means the seeds were laid to be sown later). I also found that a lot of the things these siblings said to each other were pretty unforgivable, and that took me out of the story. They were all good people, and I liked them all, but sometimes I felt like they needed to take a break from each other or slap each other or something.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it! I haven't read any books by this author before, but I'm glad she's on my radar now so I can pick up any future work by her.

Lovely and heartwarming and so beautiful. I have two younger siblings that I love more than anything, and this book so perfectly captured what it's like to love and be loved by your brothers and sisters. The shared trauma, the good and bad memories, the inside jokes. Watching each other grow up but also always remembering the child that they were, even when (especially when?) they are out there making you proud or driving you insane - maybe both, simultaneously.

This was such an enjoyable read and really tugged at my heartstrings. One of my favorites I've picked up this year.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this this ARC!

Fun for the Whole Family was a heartfelt, nostalgia-laced journey through sibling bonds, old wounds, and the messy, complicated love that holds a family together—even when they’ve fallen apart. Jennifer E. Smith crafted a story that was equal parts poignant and hopeful, weaving together the lives of the four Endicott siblings with warmth and honesty.
The fractured dynamics between Gemma, Connor, Roddy, and Jude felt raw and real, shaped by their unconventional upbringing and the absence of a mother who was more myth than parent. Their reunion was tense, layered, and deeply emotional, each of them grappling with past resentments and present uncertainties.
The writing was tender and introspective, filled with quiet but powerful moments of reconciliation, self-discovery, and second chances. This was a story about growing up, growing apart, and ultimately finding your way back to the people who know you best. It was full of love at its core.
A touching, reflective read—perfect for fans of sibling dramas, road trip nostalgia, and stories that remind you that family, no matter how broken, is worth fighting for. (Lauren Graham reads the audio version!)

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this digital e-arc.*

This book stays with you after you finish it. It is such a moving story. It is about the bond between siblings and once you have that bond, you always have it. Meet the Endicott's. There is Gemma, Connor, Roddy and Jude. Jude is a famous actress, Roddy is a star soccer player, Connor is a struggling author and Gemma put everything on hold to help raise her siblings. Their parents had divorced and they only saw there mother in the summer time when she took them on wild road trips visiting many different states in the US. Something shattered the siblings bond and they did not speak or see each other for three years. Jude decided that she wanted to get them all together and sent them invites to meet her in a small town in North Dakota. From there you get an insight into what each sibling had been up too and how there bond was broken. It is a very well written story about life, family, siblings and the love and secrets you keep. I highly recommend.
Thanks to #netgalley, #ballantinebooks and @jenniferesmith for an ARC of this great read.. All opinions are my own.

The cartoon cover and title are rather deceptive. This is a moving story about a family with deep problems, going back to the childhood years of the four siblings, when their father was consumed by work and their mother was absent except for the summer weeks when she showed up to take them on a driving trip around the country. In adulthood, the siblings have drifted apart and now come together at the request of one sister to relive and resolve their past. It's a lovely story of family love.

Fun for the whole family focuses on the Endicott siblings Gemma, Connor, Roddy, and Jude who grew up with parents who were in different ways absent from their lives. Their father worked all the time, and their mother only came during the summer to take them on road trips to different states. This novel flashes from present to past and provides each siblings’ point of view.

At this time the siblings are estranged and Jude, an actress, texts them all to meet her at in in North Dakota for the weekend even though it's been three years since they've spoken substantively. This novel is well developed and provides an in-depth view of four people who are incredibly different but broken in their own way. I highly recommend this beautiful view of what siblings can be to each other.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballentine for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY by Jennifer E. Smith is moving story of family, secrets and forgiveness. Four siblings, Gemma, Connor, Roddy and Jude Endicott, have become estranged after years of being very close. They grew up with an absent father and a mother who only came around each summer to take them on epic road trips around the entire country. They come back together when Jude, now a famous actress, sends a cryptic text that they should reunite in North Dakota. What will the unexpected reunion bring for these characters? The story alternates between the points of view of the siblings and the past and present. It is an emotional blend of family drama, heartache and enduring love told with honesty and compassion. I enjoyed this poignant and endearing story and highly recommend it. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

Gemma, Connor, Roddy, and Jude's childhood, led them not speaking to each other as adults for a long time. They each received a text asking them to meet her in a small town in North Dakota. They finally agreed to go and when they arrived, they stayed at an inn and then went to a cabin in the woods. It was snowing when they went to the cabin and after arriving they lost power, and had lots of snow. They played board games, and discovered that the rent agreement said there were sleds. They found them and went sledding, it brought back memories, both good and bad.
They were stranded there longer than planned and finally started talking. There was so much to work through, each saw the same things, differently because of how they saw everything. It leads to understanding, secrets were revealed, and like their living situation, they had to find a way to get through it. It was interesting reading, the baggage they each carried, but being there, helped them to face the baggage, and start to move forward.
They each had so much to work through, and they did, and they made it out of the woods and back to the small town they started with. It was only a few days, but so much happened, that it was a fast read that captured my attention.
I received an ARC from Ballantine Books through NetGalley.

Many, many moons ago, I was a teenaged bookseller who specialized in recommending YA and I came across Jennifer E Smith's The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. I was smitten. I read it in one sitting and recommended so often my coworkers would recommend it when I was off the floor. I had no idea that Smith had turned to adult fiction and I can't believe I have been missing out on reading more of her work.

Fun for the Whole Family is a gem of a read. Reminiscent of Jonathan Tropper, this is a story about a dysfunctional family, made up of four siblings. The Endicotts were once inseparable but they have been estranged for many years and live spread out across the US. The death of their mother draws them back to North Dakota, where they must sort through the trauma of their youth as well as find a way to come together. 2025 has served up some exceptional writing focused on sibling dynamics, trauma, and grief. Fun for the Whole Family is another solid installation in that category. Perfect for readers who don't mind complicated characters and are drawn in by their realness.

No Endicott left behind! That was the motto of siblings Gemma, Connor, Roddy, and Jude, who shared an unbreakable bond forged by the traumas of their childhood. But years later, the four are estranged, scattered across the United States after a mysterious fallout following their father’s death.

When Jude, now a famous actress, invites her siblings to reunite in South Dakota, they all reluctantly agree to come. Through flashbacks, the novel unravels the secrets that tore them apart and explores the possibility of reconciliation.

Jennifer E. Smith masterfully captures the complexities of sibling relationships in this heartfelt and compelling story. Fun For the Whole Family is a beautifully written novel for anyone who loves tales of family, forgiveness, and the enduring ties that bind us together—even when fractured.

#FunForTheWholeFamily #JenniferESmith #RandomHouse

After reading and enjoying Smith's last book, The Unsinkable Greta James, I had high hopes for this one, and it exceeded my expectations. This beautifully written family drama provides a nuanced look at the bonds between siblings and their journey back to one another after estrangement.

The story is character-driven, featuring four lovable, flawed siblings. The character development is layered and very well done. Smith brilliantly executes a dual timeline setup where we see how the siblings viewed things when they were young versus now including how they grew apart.
Each sibling's POV is presented, making it easy to connect with them. Before long, each sibling found a place in my heart, and by the time it ended, I was sad to say goodbye to these characters.

The siblings meet up in North Dakota after the death of their mother and reminisce but also address issues both past and present, and secrets come out. Through flashbacks, the siblings revisit family road trips taken with their actress mother, who only saw them during the summer, would take them on the trips, then disappear again. The story unfolds gradually but compellingly and explores themes of family, forgiveness, grief, healing, and more. I shed more than a few tears while reading.

The story is well-balanced, with emotional depth, humor, and heartwarming moments. Although I cried, I found it to be a poignant and hopeful read rather than a heavy one. This was a gem. I loved it and highly recommend it!

Thank you to Random House Ballentine Books and Netgalley for the gifted review copy

I really enjoy family dramas with multiple POVs so
I was really excited to read this book. I find family dynamics so interesting especially when there are major differences amongst the group.

Jennifer E Smith has a wonderful wringing style and all of the POVs had beautifully unique perspectives. I understood each characters side of the family estrangement while reading and was fully engaged.

Thank you #netgalley and #randomhouse- Ballantine from the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have read one other book by this author and loved it, so despite my usually avoiding family drama books I decided to give this one a try. I am so glad I did! These characters were unique and each of their stories interesting. I didn’t mind with the point of view changed from character to character. Although I’ll admit having four POV’s AND flashbacks was sometimes frustrating.

Three of the Endicotts were “extraordinary” becoming famous in their chosen profession, but it was Gemma’s point of view – the normal sibling- that was the easiest to identify with as well as who I found the most interesting. Her inner journey as she struggled with in-vitro and her love for her husband Mateo felt the most real and touched my heart the most. All that being said when the family got together it was not boring and in fact touched on all my emotions. They were kind of messed up, but also funny, loving, and well acted like the siblings they were. If you like heartfelt family drama’s this book will be right up your alley.

What if your sister, the crazy famous movie star, is asking you to drop everything and come to North Dakota? You have other plans. The timing is bad. You can't imagine what she wants. But you know you have to go. That’s Jennifer E. Smith’s new novel, Fun for the Whole Family.

The “family” is four siblings whose mother more or less abandoned them when they were still children. But she came back every summer for a couple of weeks and took them on a road trip. That is until something bad happened (no spoilers here)and nobody wants to go anymore.

But Jude, who is a famous actress, calls them all to come back together after three years of silence, no contact at all. Will they survive in small town North Dakota? Will they survive the secrets that have to come out? And how will they be changed?

Conner, the well-known writer, has to come to terms with his writers’ block and the loneliness of being divorced. Gemma has to figure out if she wants to get pregnant, because her husband wants that. And Roddy has to figure out what is more important—his soccer career or his plans to marry. But Jude is the one carrying the burden of the secrets. Is it, indeed, “fun” for the whole family?

This review has been posted to Goodreads and Storygraph on April 8th, 2025. Links provided.

Fun for the Whole Family centers on the Endicott siblings - Gemma, Connor, Roddy, and Jude - who have grown distant after years of estrangement. The story begins when Jude, a successful actress, reaches out to her siblings with a mysterious invitation, pulling them together in a remote North Dakota town. Each sibling is at a crossroads in their lives: Gemma struggles with her feelings of living an ordinary life and the uncertainty of motherhood, Connor is grappling with the aftermath of a divorce and writer’s block, and Roddy faces the physical and emotional toll of his fading soccer career. As they reunite, old wounds resurface, and secrets emerge that threaten to undo their fragile bond. Throughout the weekend, the siblings confront the complexities of their shared past and their futures, all while discovering deeper truths about one another. Through a mixture of multiple perspectives and flashbacks, the novel explores themes of family, forgiveness, and the sometimes mess nature of love and connection.

What truly made Fun for the Whole Family stand out to me was its emotional depth and the realism with which it portrayed the dynamics of family. Jennifer E. Smith skillfully navigated each sibling’s internal struggles, allowing me to see their vulnerabilities and motivations. I loved how the narrative switched between the present and the past, providing context to the complex relationships and the unresolved tensions. The characters felt so real; I found myself empathizing with each of them, especially in their most flawed moments. The family drama was compelling, and the secrets kept me hooked, making it difficult to put the book down. What struck me the most was the way the story captured the bittersweetness of family - how you can love someone fiercely while still being deeply hurt by them. It’s a book that makes you reflect on your own relationships and appreciate the messy, imperfect, yet unbreakable ties that bind you to those you care about. It was a truly heartrending read, and I could relate to so many of the feelings the characters were going through. It’s been awhile since a book really made me cry but it was clear from the start that this one was going to do just that. I absolutely loved Fun for the Whole Family and highly recommend it!

Thank you to Random House Publishing - Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read to an ARC of Fun for the Whole Family in return for my honest review.

I was immediately drawn into this novel about four siblings who have been estranged for the past three years. Gemma, Connor, Roddy, and Jude haven’t spoken or kept in contact since a massive fight that erupted after their dad’s funeral. Now, three years later, Jude has managed to gather everyone from their various corners of the U.S. to meet in North Dakota for a family weekend. It is here that we discover whether the siblings can let go of the past, forgive each other, and move toward a shared future.

This is a heartwarming and beautifully written story with a surprise ending that I didn’t see coming. Some readers may not be pleased with it; I personally wish Jennifer Smith had chosen a different direction, but I was ultimately willing to accept the outcome as a reality.

This book would make for a great read in a book club. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC