I really enjoyed this book. It reminded me of In Her Shoes a bit with the sister dynamic, but I appreciated the conversation around family struggles, the difficulty in accepting ones body type and talents, and overall that there is hope in family reunification and that music cures all. Great read. If you're a fan of Jennifer Weiner's, this will be one of your favorite books of 2025.

I enjoyed The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits story. Though I felt it was choppy going between the past and present. I also liked all the references to the early 2000’s. I did feel it dragged in some parts. All in all a good book by Jennifer Weiner.
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow.

This was a good story, but I found it too long. I thought a lot of the flashback scenes were repetitive, and I would get annoyed by the characters.

Jennifer Weiner’s The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits is a beautifully written story about resilience, reinvention, and the unshakable bond of sisterhood. It follows the lives of the Griffin sisters as they navigate the highs of fame, the lows of failure, and the complex realities in between, offering a heartfelt exploration of experience, strength, and hope.

What makes this book unforgettable is how well written it is. Weiner has a gift for capturing the nuances of relationships, and the sisters’ dynamic feels so raw and authentic. From their moments of tension and rivalry to the quiet acts of love and loyalty that bind them, every interaction is steeped in emotional truth.

The narrative keeps you on your toes, charting the sisters’ journey through the spotlight and beyond. Fame brings them glamour and success, but also heartbreak and disillusionment. Just when it seems like they might succumb to failure, their resilience shines through in unexpected ways. It’s a story full of twists and turns, yet grounded in relatable struggles.

What struck me most is how engaging and relatable their journey feels, even in its more glamorous moments. Beneath the glitter of their fame are universal themes of self-discovery, forgiveness, and finding hope after loss. Each sister’s story offers something to connect with, whether it’s the struggle to balance ambition with personal happiness or the courage to rebuild after everything falls apart.

This book is more than just a tale of fame and fortune—it’s a celebration of perseverance and the unbreakable bonds of family. The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits is Jennifer Weiner at her best, delivering a story that’s as inspiring as it is entertaining.

#thankyounetgalley

This book is an experience—dark, deep, and utterly mesmerizing. The dual timeline adds a layer of mystery that kept me hooked, revealing secrets and lies in a way that felt almost cinematic. There’s a rhythm to the storytelling, like a haunting melody that lingers, pulling me deeper into its world.

At its heart, it's about two sisters, but it’s also so much more—second chances, hidden truths, and the weight of the past colliding with the present. The atmosphere reminded me of a moody, melancholic song—something with slow beats and powerful lyrics that stay with you long after the music fades. The emotions in this book don’t just sit on the surface; they sink in, just like a song that hits you at the right moment. I can already tell this is the kind of story that will stay with me.

*The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits* is a mix of music, family drama, and second chances. Told through the perspectives of former pop duo Cassie and Zoe, and Zoe’s ambitious daughter Cherry—it dives into the highs and lows of fame, sisterhood, and the price of chasing (or walking away from) your dreams. The early 2000s nostalgia is spot on, with references to MTV, Rolling Stone, and all the chaos of pop stardom. But at its core, this is a deeply moving story about family, forgiveness, and rediscovering who you are when the spotlight fades. If you love books with strong female relationships and a whole lot of heart, this one’s a must-read!

Thank you to Netgalley, Jennifer Weiner, and William Morrow for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

In between reading some really tough emotional books I thought that this was going to be a little refresher. Wow, I was not prepared for what I got. I fell in love with all of the characters and really wanted to reach in and kiss Cassie. The <b>ONLY<b> reason that I am giving this book a 3 instead of a 5 when this story was great is due to the amount of fat shaming that went on. I really got tired of reading about how "big" or "fat" that Cassie was and honestly almost put down the book a few times. One mention to her size may have been okay but I felt that turned the sole focus of the book to her weight and her looks. The girl could sing. That had nothing to do with how big she was and made me feel that it was absolutely unnecessary for the story to be told.

Other than that I loved the story and where the author took it.

Loved this book!

This book caught me from the very start, so much that I cancelled plans and spent the entire day reading and barely moved until I finished it. It reminded me a little of "Good In Bed" in that a woman who was marginalized for her weight was a main character.

The book tells the story of three woman, Zoe, pretty and ambitious but without a lot of musical talent, her sister, Cassie, who is somewhere on the Aspberger's spectrum and has massive talent, and Zoe's daughter, Cherry, who aspires to be a musician despite the discouragement of her mother. The book switches between current times, when Zoe is a housewife and Cassie a recluse, and 20 years ago, when Zoe and Cassie were part of a hit band.

As usual, the author does a great job of addressing the shame that our society places on people, especially women, not looking or acting like they "should".

It had me thinking a lot about how the music industry has changed over the past few decades. Also, how we are now more aware of neurodivergent people like Cassie. As the book states, we used to just call people weird. Hopefully we are all a little smarter and realize that we are all just a little different and use the differences to learn from each other.

I highly recommend this and hope it becomes a movie,

This is a story of sibling rivalry in the music industry.

Cassie is a child genius who can write lyrics, play the piano and impress an audience with the power of her voice on stage. She’s been told, however, that she’s not attractive with her well-rounded figure and frumpy clothes.

Her older sister, Zoe is very pretty with perfect fashions. Every man seems to want her. She can appear to be the star and dance but lacks the skills of a great soloist.

What happens when both are attracted to the same man? Is it beauty or talent? This story is about the judgements people make with appearances. It’s difficult for a large woman to get the credit they deserve. Cassie, as a plus size, has my vote for a character that shines.

The dialogue grabs you from the start as you can easily visualize the sisters growing up in an environment of competition, comparison and love. It makes you think about your own life with painful conflicts in the family that still may be on the back burner. It will no doubt capture the hearts of many readers who can relate to a world like this with much to digest.

My thanks to HarperCollins Publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of April 8, 2025.

Cassie is bullied in school because she is overweight, unattractive, insecure and withdrawn. However she’s born with god given talents. She has an ear for music, writes lyrics that are heartfelt and a voice that will never be forgotten by anyone who hears her. Cassie’s sister Zoe is slim and beautiful, loved by everyone around her and always gets what she wants. Although Zoe doesn’t have the same gifts as her sister she convinces Cassie to sing with her as a duo. Cassie reluctantly agrees providing she is in the shadows behind a piano. Zoe is thrilled because she is front and center and loves the attention. They are heard singing together by a talent scout who quickly changes their name to Griffin and signs them to a contract. The Griffin Sisters immediately skyrocket to fame. My heart broke as I read the pain that Cassie was suffering and the loss that she felt when she was forced into situations that made her feel unwanted, unloved and vulnerable. What would one person do to be in the spotlight? At whose expense is the price of fame worth? What relationships would be severely impacted? This ARC was provided by William Morrow via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It's starts with their mother, Janice finding out she's pregnant again and only soon after her first "easy" baby, Zoe. This burden of a second child isn't what she planned, and of course, Cassie is different. While only mentioned once much later in the story, Cassie might be autistic? Zoe is her big sister protector for a while but eventually starts to begrudge that role and her sisters musical talent.

Zoe forces Casie to sing with her at an open mic night, which leads to a music contract. Zoe is the face of the group while Cassie is the sound. There's lots of fat bashing from Cassie towards herself and others directed toward her. I get it's the culture of the era, but it was over the top again and again.

For someone who started her life as her sisters protector, she dropped it pretty quickly and then continued her poor job taking care of her daughter. The characters were flawed which makes them more real but I didn't enjoy them as people.

I was so ready for a book like this. It is a strong story of family and relationships along with a little bit of relatable history. Thank goodness for Jennifer Weiner getting us to think about sisterhood, family dynamics and the vanity of all of us al while telling us a story of truly relatable characters.

This was a delightful book to read. Cherry wants to pursue her dream - a dream on the stage singing and playing. As a young girl she discovers that her mom was one of the famed Griffin Sisters. As Cherry pursues her dreams, the book recounts the story of Cassie and Zoe (The Griffin Sisters).

The back story was so well told and interwoven with the story of today, that I was entranced. This was a book that was hard to put down. The character development was excellent. It was a compelling story - after all, who of us haven't wished for fame and fortune?

I would recommend this book to everyone - would make a great beach read. It was lighthearted with some drama and a great moral.

I was given this book by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

I received a digital ARC of the new Jennifer Weiner book from William Morrow and Netgalley and started and finished it today. This book drew me in SO quickly, and I couldn't put it down until it was done. The story was a solid four star read for me-below are my thoughts.

The story is a dimensional and messy look at the relationship between two sisters, Zoe and Cassie. The story is multi generational, giving a good bit of backstory involving their mother and moving back and forth between the past relationship dynamics and adventures of Zoe and Cassie as members of a very popular band, and the present arc of Zoe's daughter, Cherry, who has the same aspirations to become a star that her mother had. The POV shifts between all four of the female characters as the tale unspools between various 3rd person narratives and conversations. The pace stays lively throughout. There were highs and lows- the book gets such a high star rating from me, because the story gave me so many feelings.

The story is masterfully woven, with the continual shifts between narrators being virtually seamless. The fact that there is no confusion, in spite of the depth of the narrative with all involved telling the story really speaks to Weiner's immense talent as a writer. I was never thrown out of the story even once, through all the changes in person, place, and time period.

The pain and joy of Zoe and Cassie during their journey to and through stardom and afterward is raw and real, and Weiner's writing really made me feel along with them. Having said that, characters don't have to be completely sympathetic in order for me to love them. I love a redemption arc as much as the next reader, but y'all, Zoe. I just can't. There is a lot of feel for Zoe's situation as well, but, BUT. I also won't say more, because of spoilers.

The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits could have been a five star read for me. Cassie is such a sympathetic character through the entire book. There is a LOT of content about body image in relation to Cassie. I lived through the times these are written in and was overweight myself, so I will fully admit that in this reader's opinion, none of it seems "too much", as Weiner's choice seems to be to portray the early 00's beauty aesthetic as realistically as possible. The fact that it even was such a large part of her identity also totally tracks. Where I really struggle with the story is with the fact that as a 2025 reader, it is also fairly obvious to me that there are other dynamics in play with Cassie that even in the time that the story is set should have involved some additional accommodation from her family at least, if not from the outside world. Having her being written as such a petulant person was really hard to read, and her lack of family support in the twenty years between the past and present took a good bit of the shine off for me. It was harsh.

Having said that, I really enjoyed the story and the book, and would absolutely recommend it and would re-read it. I've read all of Jennifer Weiner's works, and their quality is never in question.

Without a doubt, The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits is my favorite Jennifer Weiner book thus far.

Eighteen-year-old Cherry is pursuing her dream of a music career. She is talented and has the drive. What she also has is a mother who is not supportive of this dream and does what she can to discourage her daughter.

Zoe, Cherry’s mother, is a former pop star herself who, along with her sister, Cassie, and bandmates, formed the wildly successful singing duo the Griffin Sisters. Success can take a toll, however, and it does — both emotionally and physically. After only one year of touring and only one album, the group disbands. Cassie and Zoe haven’t spoken in years and lead completely separate lives.

Now it is 20 years later and Zoe’s daughter Cherry is determined to make it big. She leaves home to go to a talent competition a la American Idol not even telling her mother where she is headed. She’s got the talent to move on to the next phase of the competition which teams her up with a star coach. Cherry, however, has her own idea about who she wants to coach her. The other half of the Griffin Sisters—her Aunt Cassie. The only problem is that Cherry has never met her and she has no idea where she lives.

With chapters that alternately take place in the past and twenty years later, the reader is given insight into Zoe’s and Cassie’s past lives as former pop stars and what has led them to where they are now. Secrets are revealed, and relationships are defined. All while Cherry strives to write her own story for the future. Can Cherry’s pursuit of her dream reunite the family or is the chasm too wide to bridge?


Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for this ARC. The planned publication date is April 8, 2025.

Jennifer Weiner does it again! This book is wonderful...heartwarming, true to life and beautifully written as Ms. Weiner tells the story of The Griffin Sisters, two young women who take the music industry by storm! Their lives entwined, they live through jealousies, concerts and more. Cassie is the talent. As I read this book, I thought it sounds like Cass Elliot talent, the size of the world and her sister Zoe, the lesser talent, but the one with the looks. Their lives melt around Russell, the guitar player and the one who helped write their songs with Cassie. Lies told and years wasted, this book could very well be a true story. Ms. Weiner wraps it all up with ..well, you'll just have to read the book. It is a beautiful and very realistic tale of musicians and making music....and then there is Cherry, Zoe's daughter! who continues the music! JUST WONDERFUL!!!
"Take me in, take me back, take me home!"

This was an interesting story - I enjoyed the pop culture references and the '00's timeframe.

Sisters Cassie and Zoe Grossberg are overnight pop star sensations - Cassie is the voice and Zoe is the beauty. They have a whirlwind year and then after the death of a bandmate, end their tour and it ruins their relationship. Cassie goes off grid, moving to Alaska and spends the next years feeling like she's unworthy of anything good in life. Zoe is a surburban mother with a troubled daughter, who wants to be a musician, too. It's a wonderful storyline, great characters and some unexpected turns.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

This book was a pleasant surprise.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, as it was a quick read and a good time.

Cherry is an 18 year old wanting to make it in the world as a professional singer. She sets out to compete in a reality tv competition show like American Idol without telling anyone. Her mother Zoe has always discouraged her from a singing career, even though it turns out Zoe was once part of the popular Griffin Sisters group that had a popular album and hit songs. We find out that something happened to the Griffin Sisters group while they were on tour that resulted in the end of the band and the two sisters not speaking to one another for 20 years. Zoe will not talk about it and Cherry is desperate to find answers - particularly what happened to her aunt Cassie (Zoe’s sister). The book is written between different POVs and different timelines - going between present day and the events of the past when the Griffin Sisters first began. A lot of different subjects come up in the telling of this book - sisterhood, motherhood, family dynamics, ambition, fame, forgiveness, and more. Weight issues were a very big topic, maybe a little too much. Overall, a quick enjoyable read. I give the book 4 stars out of 5.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published April 8, 2025.

I enjoyed this book although it felt a bit predictable at times. Jennifer Weiner’s writing took me into the world of the griffin sisters and I liked the style with alternating POVs and timelines.