Sisters Cassie and Zoe seemed to be living every music lovers dream. After being discovered in a bar, they rocketed to stardom, selling out arenas, appearing on Saturday Night Live, and being featured on magazine covers. Zoe loved being in the spotlight but did not have much musical talent. Cassie, however, hated any attention but was a true music prodigy. The pressures eventually got to them and their band, known as the Griffin Sisters, broke up suddenly.

Twenty years later, the sisters do not speak and lead entirely different lives. Zoe settled in the suburbs with her husband, and is trying to keep her own daughter, Cherry, from pursuing a music career. Cassie fled to Alaska where she lives a largely isolated life. But Cherry, not one to listen to her mother, begins exploring what happened to her mom and aunt and their band — leading old secrets, and old hurts, that had been long buried to resurface and threatening to upend the lives that Zoe and Cassie built since the band dissolved.

This was a touching and insightful story about fame, talent, family, and forgiveness. It is a perceptive exploration of the relationships between sisters and mothers and daughters, and how those closest to us can often hurt us the deepest — and what it takes to get past those ruptures.

Highly recommended.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and gave it 4 out of 5 stars. The 2000s music scene was such a nostalgic treat, and I felt it was portrayed authentically, capturing how women were often exploited and mistreated during that era. It resonated deeply with me, as it felt not only plausible but also painfully reflective of the time. The first half of the story was a bit slow, and I found myself struggling to get through it. However, the second half completely hooked me, and I devoured the remaining pages in a single weekend. The pacing picked up significantly, and I couldn’t put it down.

One aspect that left me conflicted was the portrayal of the female characters. While Aunt Bess stood out as a beacon of selflessness, most of the women in the story came across as selfish in their own ways, which was a bit disappointing. Cassie’s likely neurodivergence also added a layer of sadness, as the support and understanding we now know to offer those on the spectrum simply didn’t exist at the time. I appreciated how Russell adapted to her needs, finding small yet meaningful ways to support her. However, I couldn’t help but feel that Russell deserved a different ending. His fate was heartbreaking, and I longed for a version of the story where he could have found his happiness and continued to share his musical gift with the world.

The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits by Jennifer Weiner is a nostalgic, emotionally resonant exploration of fame, family, and the music that binds us—even when everything else falls apart.

Set against the glittering backdrop of early 2000s pop stardom, this novel follows sisters Zoe and Cassie Grossberg, who briefly ruled the charts as the Griffin Sisters before abruptly vanishing from the spotlight. Twenty years later, with Zoe now a suburban mom and Cassie living in seclusion, it’s Zoe’s daughter Cherry—determined to chase her own dream—who reopens the past and forces long-buried secrets into the light.

Jennifer Weiner does what she does best here: crafting complicated women with rich inner lives and capturing the nuances of their relationships, especially the messiness of sisterhood and the quiet ache of growing apart. The alternating timelines and points of view (particularly Cherry’s) add layers to the story and keep the pacing lively. Pop culture references from the aughts make it a fun ride for readers who remember the era of low-rise jeans and TRL, but the novel never relies on nostalgia alone.

While some moments feel a bit predictable and the resolution wraps up a little too neatly, the emotional payoff still hits hard. The story speaks to the cost of chasing perfection, the legacy of our mothers’ choices, and the power of forgiveness—not just between sisters, but within ourselves.

Perfect for fans of Daisy Jones & The Six and Taylor Jenkins Reid’s brand of emotionally charged, music-infused fiction, The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits is a heartfelt ode to the dreams that shape us and the women we become when the spotlight fades.

Sisters, music, motherhood, stardom, romance, love, and consequences. The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits was a gripping read about two sisters, Cassie and Zoe Grossberg. The sisters are polar opposites and shared one year in the spotlight until their band broke up following a tragedy. I found this book to be intriguing, thought provoking, moving, and entertaining. I felt for the characters, cheered for their triumphs, felt for their heartbreak, watched their stumbles, cringed at their bad decisions, observed their passion, enjoyed their relationships, and was in awe of their love of music.

Cassie is a musical prodigy. She has the voice of an angel and plays the piano. She is painfully shy and would prefer to stay out of the spotlight. Zoe, full of charm and determinations, loves the spotlight and stardom. They rise to fame and for one year ruled the airways and concert scene. Then following a horrible event/tragedy the band broke up.

Twenty years later, Cassie is living a quiet life while Zoe is a married mother. Cherry, Zoe's teenage daughter, is desperate to be a star and sets out on a quest to reach her goal and find out why her mother's band broke up.

I enjoyed this book and the characters. I thought Jennifer Weiner did a great job with creating both Cassie and Zoe. She created two characters who were so different yet needed each other. They loved each other and were a team until they weren't. I felt for both characters. I felt for Cassie's shyness which felt more like social phobia, and her quiet nature. I loved how music set her free and allowed her to shine. Zoe, who wanted to be a star but didn't have Cassie's talents. Zoe who wanted it all and found that having it all wasn't what she thought it would be. Cherry who longs to find fame and show off her talents. Cherry who is resilient and brave even though her mother, Zoe, who doesn't want her daughter involved in the music industry.

All the women in this book had spunk and determination but in different ways. Actions have consequences and all three will have to face the consequences of actions taken long ago. This book is told in two timelines, and I enjoyed the path Jennifer Weiner took to bring the past and present together in The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits. Usually, I enjoy one timeline more than the other but, in this book, I found both timelines to be engaging, captivating, and gripping.

“The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits” by Jennifer Weiner is about two sisters, Cassie and Zoe, who become pop stars in the early 2000s. Decades later, Zoe’s daughter is trying to figure out the reason behind the band’s breakup. The writing is fantastic, the POVs add to the narrative and offer unique perspectives into the life of each character. As a millennial who grew up listening to Brittany, Christina, BSB, and NSync, I thought Weiner did an amazing job capturing the complex media dynamic of that time.
Thank you to NetGallery and William Morrow for an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits is centered around two sisters - Zoe and Cassie who at one moment in their life was a part of a band called the Griffin Sisters. That band was epic during their time period, inspiring people around the globe. However, the band abruptly ended one day. Cassie was never seen again, and Zoe became a stay at home mom. Years later, the band is still a topic of discussion on multi Reddit forums and on social media. People are wondering whether the band would reunite. Cherry, Zoe's daughter, is an inspiring singer and auditions for a major singing competition without her mother's knowledge. Her goal is to find and sing with Cassie.

I really liked this book. I liked learning about the band and how the band broke up. I liked learning about the different relationships between Zoe, Cassie, Cherry, Zoe and Cassie's parents, etc. I think there was the right amount of characters in this book. I do think this book could have been a little shorter, and I felt like the ending was a little lackluster. Overall, I would give it 3 stars. If you were a fan of the book Daisy Jones and the Six, this book is very similar and would be a great read! Thank you to William Morrow for the ARC in exchange for a free review. This book is out April 8th!

The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits by Jennifer Weiner is a captivating and emotionally charged tale of family, fame, and the complexities of sisterhood. Weiner’s sharp writing and relatable characters shine as she explores the lives of two sisters and one daughter, each navigating their own challenges and dreams. The book blends humor and heartfelt moments, creating a rich narrative that resonates with readers. While the plot occasionally feels predictable, the strong character development and engaging storytelling make it a thoroughly enjoyable four-star read.

Started strong, lost some momentum as the characters failed to deepen and grow, but the captivating plot pulled me through this colorful and heartrending story.

The sisters and other central characters all remain pretty flat caricatures of themselves: one manipulative and ambitious regardless of who gets hurt, taken advantage of or left behind (actually two - mother and daughter), one a socially stunted and self-loathing prodigy, and a number of unidimensional supporting males.

The most generous take on the sisters is that it was their codependent and symbiotic relationship that brought both of them into the light, unleashed Cassie’s talent while helping her navigate a world that didn’t welcome or make sense to her. In a way it was beautiful how Zoe made space for Cassie growing up, gave her reassurance, built her up — and then Zoe fronting the band allowed Cassie to bring her gift to the world stage. But just her music, not her whole self. Her feelings, personality and physical person were always sidelined, treated as problems to disdainfully work around and left in the literal shadows.

“People have questions. Songs are the answers…”

The story overall kept my interest, had some tearjerker moments, and I definitely wanted to know how it would end. And it was a beautiful ending, actually. Cassie, the prodigy, does grow and open up a little, and starts to make and own decisions about how to live her own life and what to do with her time and her gift. I just would have appreciated if the characters had a little more nuance, depth, growth, and if the two ambitious characters weren’t so uniformly selfish and manipulative and dishonest.

3.5 stars rounded up, I’d definitely recommend it to people who liked Daisy Jones and the Six Songs in Ursa Major, The Frequency of Living Things. Thanks to NetGalley for an opportunity to read this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I've enjoyed most of Jennifer Weiner's books but this one might be my favorite.

Two sisters, different in every possible way, end up in a band that makes it big.

Zoe is the popular pretty one who's comfortable in the world and super ambitious to be famous. She is mildly talented but has a way about her that can translate to star power.

Zoe's sister Cassie, is the one with natural talent. She's been playing piano without lessons or sheet music since she was eight years old and has the voice of an angel. Cassie however, does not share the physical attributes of Zoe. She's awkward and shy and hates to perform in front of people.

Zoe convinces Cassie to enter a local contest where they get noticed by a record exec's son, that leads to a recording contract.

It's slow going but they spend the next year on the road getting more and more popular. Cassie writes most of their songs with Russell, their guitar player. Cassie words about loneliness and the uncomfortable experiences she endures, resonate the most with thousands of teenage girls.

As the year goes on Cassie's star shines while Zoe's dims. This leads to lies and betrayals among the group.

It's an excellent and realistic story that moves a little slow but picks up at the halfway point. I loved it!

A new fav Jennifer Weiner book about Cassie and Zoe, two sisters (one fat, one thin) who find success in the music business only to become estranged after a tragedy involving one of their bandmates. The book touches on body image, the high cost of fame, the double standards for women in entertainment, sexual abuse of a minor, affairs, jealousies, lies, forgiveness and more.

Told from multiple perspectives and with flashbacks to the early 2000s when Cassie and Zoe are starting out to the present when Zoe's daughter, Cherry is trying to make it as a singer/songwriter too.

Fantastic on audio and perfect for fans of books like Daisy Jones and the Six or The lightning bottles by Marissa Stapley. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

I loved the music storyline as well as the family threads in this book! I felt like I was on tour with the Griffin Sisters and I loved that! The alternating points of view was well done and I liked the present day thread with Cherry and the show she is on (similar to American Idol). Cassie and Zoe, the sisters are so different, but I liked how each of them were developed throughout the book. I did feel like I knew them. I really enjoyed the nostalgic references of Pop Culture with the start of The Griffin Sisters too! This touches upon family and sisters and how sometimes having tough conversations/communication can change years of pain and second guessing.

3.5 stars

Lots of family drama with this story, and with main characters that will be hard to like, let alone love.

The storytelling aspect was really well done, and the time jumps unfolded in a way to really invest the reader in the story.

There are quite a few loose ends, but the ending did feel at least hopeful.

I truly loved this book, Cassie and Zoe are two unique characters. Sisters but so different. Zoe is a prodigy who just wants to make music and be out of the spotlight while Cassie lives to be noticed. When Cassie realizes how talented Zoe is she convinces her to join a band with her. Together they both go through the ups and downs of a musical career, all while trying to navigate love and jealousy. This story is just beautiful from start to finish. I love that Zoe is true to herself. I am saddened that she felt she had to run and hide away from the world. However, having Cherry be the one who tries to bring everyone back together feels right. I am so excited to start recommending this book and getting it into readers’ hands.
Thank you so much to William and Marrow for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

I wanted to love this book so badly and I did enjoy many parts of it. It drew me in and kept me up late reading. I really was invested with both disliking some characters strongly and rooting for others. BUT the constant fat-phobic comments got to to be too much. It was redundant and hard to read. I was a teen during the early 00s so I get it but it was a lot and didn't add to the story after a few mentions. Also in the chapters in 2024 timeline verbiage around this topic could have been written very differently.

I started this rating system where I’d only give 5 stars to books that captured my heart. And when I say this one did just that I’m not even kidding. The element of mystery, hope for an alternate plot because your heart was breaking, understanding for sibling issues, and the result of not facing fears - the biggest, what lies in our own hearts. It’s so good!

The fact that Cassie’s size was constantly referenced annoyed me to no end and I knew or strongly felt that Weiner did that on purpose. I grew up in the 80’s and recall the constant focus on skinny. I loved that her voice and abilities were so beyond comprehension emphasizing the point that it doesn’t matter about who we are but how we look in society.

Absolutely beautifully written with emotions expertly delivered.

Wow! I have been a Jennifer Weiner fan from the beginning, and this newest book is so much different from the themes explored in her earlier books…a little Daisy Jones, some Mamas & the Papas, maybe some Wilson Phillips…rock and roll life on the road, love stories, heartbreak, family dynamics, overcoming fears - I LOVED it! 5 stars…

This one pulled me in right from the start! The dual timeline sets it up so there’s a bit of mystery as to what happened and I did not want to put this one down until I knew the story! I loved the nostalgia this story evoked relating to the music scene which was then balanced with the unfairness of how the women in the industry were treated. Listening to an interview with the author, it was important to Weiner to highlight how derogatory the young women in the industry were treated and how much emphasis was put on body image. With multiple POV told through the characters who are at times young, flawed and not always likable, the story slowly unfolds. There were a lot of topics touched upon in this novel and a book club would be the perfect opportunity to expand on them!
Two sisters who could not be more different, one with the dream of fame and one with the talent to achieve it are thrust into the music entertainment industry as the Griffin Sisters. Riding high on success the band suddenly broke up.
Years later, Zoe is the stereotypical suburban housewife. Cassie’s whereabouts are unknown. And they haven’t spoken in all that time. Zoe’s daughter, Cherry is musically talented and determined to make it on her own despite her mother’s objections. And to do so she needs to find out the truth about what happened to the band.

Put The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits on the top of your TBR pile!

Zoe and Cassie Grossberg are sisters very close in age but nothing alike because Zoe is the social butterfly and Cassie would rather hide in the shadows with her music. But all that changed when Zoe needed Cassie to play with her for a battle of the bands even though Cassie had never sang in public. Now they were The Griffin Sisters with a hit album until everything went wrong less than a year later when he band broke up.

Now Zoe is married again with a daughter Cherry who has music in her blood and two sons in New Jersey but Cassie hasn’t talked to Zoe since the band broke up but now Cherry wants her aunt to help make her a star.

I usually don’t read many books with dual timelines but the dual timelines help you understand how The Griffin Sisters flew high and then crashed and burned after the bands end but reconnected with Cherry’s shenanigans.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the author and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have really enjoyed some Jennifer Weiner books I’ve read, and have really not enjoyed others. The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits fell somewhere in the middle for me. It had elements that held my interest and that I liked a lot while also having things I really disliked.

To start with the good, the sisters’ documented rise to fame felt nostalgic to read about in a way. I was a teen at the peak of the late 90s/early 00s and the TRL age, so the experiences the band had felt familiar to me. It reflected so many of the problematic parts of the industry, especially at that time, and also represented how fast things could move from nothing to stardom. I also enjoyed the Cherry part of the story and the way her role she played in reuniting the sisters.

As for what I disliked, it’s an echo of what many others have said. Cassie’s representation felt like a caricature. In the 2003-2005 timeline, I could understand based on how harsh the industry was at that time, but it still grated at me. It read like “thank goodness she’s talented because otherwise all she’d be is fat and unworthy of anything good”. On the flip side, Zoe also felt one-dimensional. She was the “pretty one”, only getting by on her looks and manipulations. I felt both characters were shallowly developed as people, even as their story had a rich history.

Thank you to William Morrow for the ARC and the eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

This is definitely the type of story I love! Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the advance copy of this.

Growing up, Zoe always craved the spotlight while her younger sister Cassie was painfully shy. But Cassie was a musical genius, and when she does Zoe a favor and performs with her at a Battle of the Bands concert, the duo catches the attention of a talent scout.

It’s the early 2000s, and the sisters quickly get signed to a recording contract. Their ascent is nearly meteoric, and once they start releasing original songs, their fame grows, especially with those who feel seen by their songs.

And just as everything is going well, a tragedy occurs and the band breaks up. Cassie disappears from the public eye—not to mention her family—while Zoe gets married and raises her children, living a comfortable suburban life. But when Zoe’s daughter Cherry wants to pursue a musical career, Zoe discourages her, but doesn’t really explain why.

As Cherry pursues her dreams, she decides to find her Aunt Cassie. In the process, she unearths secrets and misunderstandings that have festered for 20 years. What caused the band to break up? Why did Cassie disappear?

The narrative shifts between the early 2000s and the present, and among Zoe, Cassie, and Cherry. I love the way Jennifer Weiner writes, and I was completely drawn into this story.

The book will publish 4/8/2025.