This book felt too much like Daisy Jones and The Six. I couldn't connect with the characters at all. Overall, this was just okay for me,

The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits by Jennifer Weiner made me nostalgic for growing up in the 90s. Yes, the story is about two sisters who create a band and rise to fame but it’s really about family relationships, and sisterhood, which always draws me in. Many things to Net Galley and the publisher, for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my opinion.

Bestselling author Jennifer Weiner published her first book, Good in Bed, in which the main character, Cannie Shapiro, struggles to make peace with her plus-size body, in 2001. At that time, it was rare to encounter a plus-size female character in a work of contemporary fiction. Weiner recalls the “bad old days” when “fat characters were comic relief, or they were on their way to being thin characters. They were the ‘before’ and ‘after’ ads.” But Weiner “wanted to write a story where the big girl stayed big and still got all the wonderful things.” Today, plus-sized characters are “seen as a much more acceptable, normal thing” and that encourages Weiner and makes her “happy.” She observes that today an entire generation of adult women have no awareness or appreciation of what a challenge it was to get Good in Bed published.

Inspiration for Weiner’s twentieth novel, The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits, struck when she was vacationing in Alaska. She imagined a woman living there. Wearing an oversized parka, carrying cleaning supplies, she wondered who the woman was, how she ended up in Alaska, who she might be running from, and “who she used to be.” She had wanted for a long time to write a book about the music industry and while conducting research, recalled Wilson Phillips and the videos in which Carnie Wilson was dressed differently than the other female members of the band – “Even on a beach, she was in a pantsuit!” – and the idea that she needed to be hidden. She wanted to write The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits “as an act of reclamation. I wanted to take those big girls who had been pushed to the side and put them back into the spotlight.”

Weiner created Zoe and Cassie Grossberg, sisters who could not be more different. Zoe is beautiful, outgoing, gregarious. From birth, she loved attention and wanted to be famous. For their mother, Janice, Zoe was easy to love because she was a happy, contented baby. But when she found herself pregnant again when Zoe was just seven months old, she was devastated. Another baby so soon was not what she and her husband, Sam, had planned. Their second child was not supposed to arrive until they saved up enough money to purchase their own home. Moreover, the pregnancy and delivery were difficult, and Janice was convinced she would never be able to love her second daughter who challenged Janice in ways Zoe never did. She named her Cassandra solely because she’d heard the name in a book about Greek mythology, with no knowledge that the Cassandra depicted in those myths “was a prophetess, cursed to speak the truth and have no one believe her.” Later, Janice would wonder if “the name shaped Cassie’s life somehow, condemning her to sorrow.”

Cassie was an overweight, awkward, quiet child who was not popular and did not make friends. Despite how different they were, the girls were close growing up and Zoe protected Cassie. Weiner relates the story from Janice’s perspective, as well as those of Zoe and Cassie, revealing details through flashbacks about the sisters’ childhood and how their parents learned that Cassie was a musical prodigy. They acquired a piano and arranged for her to have lessons. Eventually, she was accepted to a prestigious school where she studied classical music.

In high school, Zoe put together a rock band called Girl Power! (yes, the exclamation point was part of the band’s name), but she was exiled from the group following a dispute about – what else? – a boy. Intent on nonetheless performing in a battle of the bands at a local club, Zoe implored Cassie to sing with her, even though Cassie wanted no part of being on stage. Cassie had never displayed stage fright at her piano recitals, but singing before an audience was an entirely different matter. Self-conscious, she did not want people to look at her, certain that she would be judged on her appearance . . . and cruelly rejected. “The attention, even if it was positive attention, was unsettling, destabilizing and confusing.”

But for Zoe, Cassie relented. And when they took the stage, she closed her eyes as she played the piano and sang. A “reverent hush” fell over the appreciative audience. Zoe sensed it immediately and felt “the first threads of envy gathering inside her, twisting and knotting into something nasty and sharp-edged.” As Cassie’s confidence grew with each note, so did Zoe’s resentment. Zoe was supposed to be the one destined for stardom, but she instantly recognized that Cassie’s transcendent voice and raw, natural talent had relegated her to the role of backup singer. And always would. For a few brief moments, as the applause washed over them, Zoe’s jealousy abated because of her gratitude for Cassie helping her win the competition.

A talent scout soon arrived on the scene and arranged for the girls to work with songwriter Russell D’Angelo. Again, however, it was Cassie who possessed talent and promise. She and Russell worked well together and created songs that were more than beautiful – they were potential hits. The Grossberg sisters became the Griffin sisters, Russell became their guitar player. They recorded an album, began touring, and quickly achieved the kind of success that most musicians only dream about.

But, as Weiner details, everything fell apart in spectacular fashion. There was no second album, the band broke up, and Cassie disappeared immediately following a night of tragedy that, in the ensuing twenty years, become the stuff of legend and myth.

In 2024, Zoe is a married mother of three — eighteen-year-old Cherry and two younger boys — and a stepmother to Bix who is a year older than Cherry and extremely troubled. Bix’s behavior has been ignored by Zoe and minimized by Cherry’s stepfather. Cherry has had enough and now that she is eighteen, she is “free to become the only thing she’d ever wanted to be: A singer. A musician. A star.” Cherry sneaks out of the house, en route to compete on an American Idol-type show. Her mother has never told her the story of the Griffin Sisters. “Zoe would never talk about her days in the band, no matter how much Cherry pestered and pleaded, . . .” Nor would Zoe talk about Cherry’s deceased father. Cherry has never met her Aunt Cassie.

Cassie is living anonymously in vast, beautiful, but isolated Alaska where she owns fifty acres of woods and three tiny houses, living in one and renting the other two to tourists. She speaks to as few people as possible, preferring the company of her dog, Wesley. She hides from the world, and there is no more music in her life. She lives in a state of “constant torment, a crushed-glass sorrow” never relenting. She is convinced that she “hurt everyone who’d gotten close to her” and feels she is not worthy of forgiveness. She even employs a company to monitor mentions of her on social media and the internet, and have those references removed as quickly as possible. Only three people have her telephone number. To her mother, Janice, she sends a monthly text message, “I’m here. I’m fine.” Her Aunt Bess urges her to talk to Zoe, but she refuses. And CJ, the band’s former manager, calls periodically to try to convince Cassie to accept offers to perform, grant rights for the band’s music to be used, and the like. She always refuses. As the twenty-fifth anniversary of the band’s one hit album approaches, it is selling well again. But Cassie donates her income as part of her self-imposed punishment for whatever it is she did that was so horrific.

Gradually, from the alternating perspectives of her characters spanning more than a quarter of a century, Weiner unravels a complicated, layered, and emotionally fraught tale of the two sisters’ childhoods, quick rise to fame and legendary success in the music industry, and their act’s just as rapid, tragic demise.

Cassie is the beat and soundtrack of the story. Although Weiner never specifically describes her as being neurodivergent, her behavior and feelings suggest that. And, of course, when she was growing up, little was known or understood about neurodivergent children or adults. Thanks to a caring, observant teacher, Cassie’s parents were alerted to the musical talent she dud not exhibit at home. To their credit, they nurtured that talent and encouraged her studies. And when Zoe pressed Cassie to perform with her, the girls were “discovered” and given a contract by a record label, even as Cassie began to discover her talent both as a vocalist and songwriter. Her confidence grew, but Weiner describes the cruel manner in which Cassie was viewed as a commodity by those who stood to profit from her talent. Even if they didn’t belittle her to her face, Cassie was humiliated and hurt by the manner in which she was treated – everything from the wardrobe selected for her to her initial placement on stage was designed by the group’s own team to minimize Cassie’s appearance, even as her incomparable vocal performances refused to be diminished. Audiences adored Cassie’s music, but mocked the way she looked.

For Cassie, the music and Zoe were what mattered. And she developed a productive and meaningful songwriting partnership with Russell. She never sought stardom. Ironically, she could not evade it. The popularity of her music was unprecedented and unstoppable, as were the feelings she developed for Russell.

Zoe, in contrast, wanted fame and all of its accoutrements. Her physical attributes were accentuated by the wardrobe selected for her, the stage lighting, etc. Gradually, though, Zoe found herself pushed further and further from the audience as Cassie’s piano was eased toward the front rows. Cassie sang the lead, while Zoe’s mediocre vocal prowess was relegated to backup status. She became increasingly desperate to remain in the spotlight and engaged in shocking machinations and betrayals designed to ensure that Cassie did not upstage her — professionally or personally.

Zoe is a manipulative, controlling narcissist who, on the surface, is unlikable and undeserving of empathy or compassion. Those characteristics have impeded her ability to mother Cherry and hear her when she has sought her mother’s help and protection. But Zoe is multi-layered and complicated, as Weiner demonstrates, with her ambition fueled by her own insecurity and self-doubt, despite having been blessed with physical attributes that make it far easier for her to navigate the world than it is for Cassie. She may be beautiful on the outside, but Zoe lacks the internal beauty that radiates naturally from Cassie. Can she develop the self-awareness required to change her behavior and the way she relates to those she really does love?

Weiner expertly ramps up the dramatic tension as the narratives alternate. The girls’ history is detailed incrementally, and she eventually reveals exactly what caused their relationship to fracture beyond repair and the band to permanently break up.

Can anything or anyone bring the girls back together to finally talk about everything that happened so many years ago? Can they forgive each other and repair their relationship? Can they ever make beautiful music together again?

The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits is a riveting story about dreams, ambition, and the high cost of achieving success in a competitive and demanding industry. Indeed, Weiner says that one of the principle questions considered in the tale is, “What is the price of having a gift?” Cassie struggles with whether she has an obligation to use the gift she has been given. Weiner examines the difficulty of retaining one’s humanity and care for others in a business that inspires conniving, cutthroat behavior. Weiner compassionately explores the ways in which sisters have the capacity to both love and hate each other; want the best for each other and experience debilitating jealousy and resentment when one excels while the other struggles; and the myriad ways in which they are able to fervently love yet hurt each other with unparalleled viciousness.

The book also illustrates the cruelly callous ways women are objectified, judged, and discarded on the basis of their physical appearance rather than acknowledged for their intellect, talent, and accomplishments. And stereotyped and pigeon-holed, labeled as “the pretty one,” “the fat one,” “the awkward one.” Female readers will recognize themselves and their experiences in the pages of Weiner’s unapologetic depiction of Cassie’s fight to be valued for her talent, and self-flagellation and sense of being “less than” for failing to live up to the standards imposed upon her not just by the music industry, but the culture as a whole.

Weiner delivers yet another book that is emotionally resonant, riveting – readers be anxious to discover what serves as the impetus for the band’s dramatic break up – and thought-provoking. The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits features memorable characters. “I think as women we are taught to be very hard on ourselves, to set the bar high and to beat ourselves up if we don’t clear it,” Weiner says. “And as women, we can forgive everyone else, but sometimes we can’t forgive ourselves.” Cassie, Zoe, Cherry, and Janice are all fascinating, sympathetic, and trying to clear that bar in their own way. Readers will cheer for them to find a way to reconcile, forgive each other and themselves, and reunite.

While I find Jennifer Weiner to be an excellent storyteller and a very well written author, one of my biggest pet peeves with Weiner's general writing style is on full display in The Griffin Sisters Greatest Hits. Weiner always brings unnecessary attention to the character's weight. Cassie, one half of the prodigal musical duo, the Griffin Sisters, has been heavy since childhood and not only is a self confidence blocker her entire life and plot point for the story, it is also mentioned in the narrative on every page. So incredibly superfluous!

Otherwise this latest Weiner novel hits all of her audience's sweet spots - sisterly relationships, a redeemable character story, and a bit of Philly love. This book is perfect for music lovers and all those die-hard American Idol fans.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Publishing for the opportunity to read this novel.

The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits unfolds in two time frames.. In current times mom Zoe deals with the fact her stepson is creepy and her daughter, Cherry is wholeheartedly set on singing her way to fame and fortune. This story cuts back and forth with that of The Griffin Sisters rise to fame, the Griffin Sisters being Zoe and her sister Cassie. After the bands shot to the top, Cassie disappers without explanation and CHerry the neice she has never met decides to find her.

I liked this one -- especially the Philly/South Jersey setting. There was a real focus on sisterhood and what family means to different people. Even though the twist felt a little underwhelming, I had fun!

Jennifer Weiner delivers a dazzling, emotionally rich novel. Set against the backdrop of early 2000s pop stardom, this story of two estranged sisters and a determined daughter is packed with secrets and second chances. With unforgettable characters and a nostalgic dive into fame, music, and family, it’s a must-read for fans of sisterhood dramas and anyone who loves a good comeback story.

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to any Daisy Jones and the Six fans. Two sisters encounter the joys and sorrows of pop star fame in the early 2000's. Fame, jealousy and secrets tear their sisterhood and band apart. Can the next generation bring them back together? A heartrending tale of betrayal and forgiveness.

The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits was a witty and heartfelt collection that perfectly captured the complexities of family and sisterhood. Jennifer Weiner’s sharp humor and relatable characters made the stories both entertaining and emotionally rich. I loved the blend of laughter and vulnerability, which brought the sisters’ relationships to life in a fresh way. It was a delightful and satisfying read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

DNF at 35% This story follows two sisters who are in the world of music, who want different lives, but the band breaks up, and no one knows why. I was excited to read this book because I wanted to know what happened to these sisters but however, this book was boring. I was struggling through the story and just couldn’t focus on what was happening. I realized it wasn’t worth going on with the story because I have other books I can read. This book also focuses so much on the difference between the sisters, which I already got from the summary, and it wasn’t necessary for it to keep going on in the book. I wanted to see more development and find the secrets of the sisters. I heard that the other books by the author is good, so I will check out those.

*this arc was sent to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return*

The Griffin Sisters Greatest Hits by Jennifer Weiner
#newadult
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Such a great story! There are 3-ish timelines and 3 main POVs you hear from. Plus a few random ones here and there. There are a few men that do become MCs. But you will need to decide who is important and who is not to the actual story. There are no real chapters. There are long parts. Within these parts, there are shorter ones separated by POVs clearly marked by character, year and town. So there are great places to stop for those that always have to finish a chapter before getting up from reading.

We have: Zoe, the girl who has wanted to be a rock star since as long as she can remember. But with limited talent. She is more flash than substance. Cassie, the child prodigy. She has been able to play a song from just hearing it once since she was 4, with no piano lessons. She is afraid of her own shadow. But she will do whatever her sister wants her to do. So she plays the piano and sings like a Siren from the myths to help Zoe get the career she wants. Then we have Cherry. Who wants to play guitar professionally but Mom Zoe wants her nowhere near the music world. Cherry is also born gifted somewhat like her Aunt Cassie.

I was pulled in right from the beginning bc the book starts with a suburban housewife. Huh? What? OK, what gives? I have to keep reading. Great mystery. Great unfolding of the story. Little by very little we finally get to learn the story behind the reason why there no longer is a group called the The Griffin Sisters.

Great book! I have read a few of JW's books before and have enjoyed each of them. I will continue to look for her books. They are fun reads.

#netgalley #WilliamMorrow
#thegriffinsistersgreatesthits #jenniferweiner
@jenniferweinerwrites

Let’s talk about The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits. It’s multi layered with family drama (boom), that takes place over multiple timelines (yes, please), has many different POVs (truly love knowing what everyone else is thinking), and revolves around a sister band (obviously) that takes place in the early 2000’s (lived it… love it). It’s messy… I loved it! As a person who was the same age as the main characters I felt like I really understood the references to the music industry of the early 2000’s because I lived and breathed it… and have the photos evidence of the bedroom walls fully covered with magazine images. Surprise to no one, but this book made me cry and made me think about my own relationships with my sisters.

Pros: early 2000's music, sister relationships (Gah do I understand this relationship minus the being in a band together part), Brief mention of my childhood favorite From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.
Cons: Constantly talking about how ugly or Big or unattractive one sister was… we got it.

Thank you to William Morrow books and to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ultimate summer read - all this book needed in order to be improved was a pool, a chaise lounge, and a cocktail!

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an Advance Digital Copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Zoe and Cassie are sisters. Zoe has always looked out for Cassie who somehow didn't seem to fit in the world. Her hair didn't look right, clothes didn't fit right, she never had the right words..... but one day, her preschool teacher brought it to the attention of their mom that Cassie was gifted musically and that they needed to get her a piano and a teacher.

Years later, the girls have become The Griffin Sisters, and are extremely successful. After their first album comes out, tragedy strikes, the band is gone, and twenty years have gone by.

Zoe finds herself at a loss as to how to handle her teenage daughter, Cherry, who has got it in her head that she wants to play music and be a star.

This story is how they find themselves getting to a place of healing and restoration.

Although Jennifer Weiner has written a plethora of best selling novels, some of which have been made in to movies, I had never before read any of her books before being given an advanced reader’s copy of her latest tale, “The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits,” which I enjoyed immensely, even as I endured several of its cringeworthy moments. My review of this book is voluntary.

I’ve read reviews about other books of Ms. Weiner’s, referring to her genre as “chick lit,” but I wouldn’t characterize this book as such. To me, “chick lit” refers to light and airy rom-com types of books, whereas “The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits” contains a lot of serious topics. The prologue foreshadows unhappy circumstances, a man caught between two women, sisters, a mistake he is certain he was making as it was happening, at his very own wedding, a cute man in a band who is certain that after this particular night in this hotel room he won’t be making music any longer.

We don’t know why, and we don’t know what, but we know that things will change irrevocably after this night. The story then enfolds enigmatically, alternating between the present, the 1980s, and the early 2000s, and within each time period from the different viewpoints basically of three main characters, sisters Zoe and Cassie, both in the early 2000s and today, and Zoe’s daughter, Cherry, today, with a glimpse of the sisters’ childhood from their mother’s perspective during the 1980s. The story jumps back and forth frequently between time periods and between characters, but it’s not difficult to keep track of the story line. I found this method of layered storytelling interesting, revealing secrets incrementally, maintaining tension and suspense.

There’s a lot of hurt and sadness woven throughout the book, and a lot of insecurities and feelings of low self esteem are shared. Unfortunately, they aren’t resolved to my liking. Towards the end of the book the topic of neurodivergent personalities arises, and I would have liked this to have been more deeply addressed with respect to the relationship between the sisters, though I’m grateful it’s mentioned at all. Overall, though, I enjoyed reading this book, and I definitely would like to read more of Ms. Weiner’s work.

Summer reading always kicks off with a Jennifer Weiner book for me, and this year’s The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits didn’t disappoint! 🎶✨ From the #1 New York Times bestselling author comes a heartfelt, funny, and emotional story about two sisters torn apart by fame, secrets, and betrayal—and a daughter desperate to reunite them.

Cassie and Zoe Grossberg were inseparable in their early 20s when they rose to pop stardom, but after one terrible night, their relationship shattered. Now in their 40s, Zoe is a suburban mom in New Jersey, while Cassie lives off-grid in Alaska. Zoe’s teenage daughter Cherry is determined to bring them back together—and uncover the truth behind their long silence.

Jennifer Weiner’s signature warmth and humor shine throughout, even as the story digs into complex family dynamics, sibling rivalry, and the scars of being the “favorite” versus the overlooked one. Cassie’s musical genius was the spark that launched their fame, but Zoe’s hunger for the spotlight—and jealousy—ultimately tore them apart. The tension between them is raw and real, making their journey toward forgiveness deeply moving.

The dual timelines and multiple perspectives from Cassie, Zoe, and Cherry build a rich, immersive narrative. The 2000s nostalgia adds extra texture, grounding the story in a very specific era of music and fame. Cherry is such a wonderful character—brave and hopeful—as she tries to mend what’s broken in her family.

This book explores so many themes: the cost of fame, family wounds, forgiveness, self-worth, and the power of healing. I found myself torn between understanding Zoe’s hurtful actions and rooting for Cassie’s quiet strength. Most of all, I just fell in love with these characters and their story.

If you love emotional family dramas with heart, humor, and secrets that unfold slowly but surely, The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits is a must-read. Jennifer Weiner is truly at her best here.

I really wanted to love this book. I’ve enjoyed many of Jennifer Weiner’s novels in the past, especially how she writes about body positivity and features fuller-figured women in empowering, authentic ways. But The Griffin Sisters just didn’t land for me.

One of the main characters is a musical prodigy with an incredible, once-in-a-generation voice—but the overwhelming focus is on her weight. It’s mentioned constantly, to the point that it overshadowed everything else about her. It felt extreme, especially when paired with the dynamic between her and her sister, who, while less talented musically, is praised and celebrated mainly for being “pretty.” The contrast felt frustrating and, at times, reductive.

What really threw me off, though, was the dynamic between the two sisters. The "pretty" sister lets her sister carry the weight of guilt for something tragic—for decades—and never once tries to correct the narrative. That felt unforgivable and made her really hard to root for. Add to that the way she dismisses her own daughter’s pleas for help, only to suddenly turn things around at the very end—it just didn’t feel earned.

I’ll absolutely continue reading Jennifer Weiner’s books in the future—she’s written many I’ve loved—but The Griffin Sisters just wasn’t the right fit for me. Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book.

I enjoyed this book about 3 musical women in one family. The story alternates between a young woman trying to get her big break by entering a reality TV show singing competition. She wishes she had the support of her mother who was once part of a famous band with her sister. Through the POVs alternate between the young woman, her mother and her aunt. We learn about how the Griffen Sisters became famous, the love triangle that tore their band apart, and the betrayals and secrets that kept the sisters estranged from each other for twenty years.

The one aspect of Weiner's writing that tends to make me uncomfortable is how she always has an overweight character - and the fact that she's overweight is mentioned over and over again. I understand how representation matters but I don't always find the representation overly positive.

I generally love Jennifer Weiner’s books, but The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits was my least favorite of her writings. I found the book slow moving and had a difficult time connecting with the characters despite this book’s themes having so much potential - music industry, sister relationships, rags to riches, star crossed lovers, and more.

The first challenge I had was with the descriptions of Cassie’s character. All we read is about how she is “big” and unpleasant to look at. There is no context, no confirmation, just a constant reminder that Cassie feels she is unappealing. I generally appreciate how Weiner deals with body image issues but this character lacked development in my opinion beyond just her size and enormous talent. The other characters also lacked depth and I really couldn’t get into any of them.

Beyond the issues I had with Cassie’s character development, the book felt very long and very repetitive. The last few chapters were good but the end felt rushed and possibly oversimplified.

I’m sad to say this book was a miss for me.

Unfortunately this missed the mark for me. I feel like the characters had so much potential but the hyper fixation on one's weight really annoying for me.

I probably will not recommend this to others as I feel it could trigger body dysphoria issues with certain readers.