I am a big fan of Jennifer Weiner. Her characters are always real, fully formed beings except in this book. These characters lack depth and it was hard to empathize with any of them.

Sisters Cassie and Zoe took the world by storm with their music group in the early aughts, but lies, jealously, and tragedy broke up the band. Cassie was in hiding for nearly twenty years while Zoe, after a failed attempt at a solo career, settled down in the suburbs and had a family. They were fully prepared to keep hiding from their past, until Zoe's daughter Cherry - a budding musician herself - discovers their album in a thrift shop.

I related to Cassie's internal struggles with her body image and confidence, but found the other characters opinion of her looks/weight to be problematic. That may very well be the intention of the author, but every time a character mentioned how fat and ugly Cassie was it hurt my heart.

This is the third novel I've read by Jennifer Weiner and I found The Griffin Sister's Greatest Hits to be an interesting and compelling read. I loved the past/present timeline as well as the multiple points of view - it added a unique perspective to a story surrounded by lies and grief. The parts involving the music industry were fascinating and I thoroughly enjoyed watching these women work through generational trauma. All in all, I enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to friends. Jennifer Weiner writes her characters in such a way that you're rooting for them from the first page!

A huge thank you to William Morrow for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review! This was a fun read!

The story of two sisters- Zoe, a beautiful girl and mediocre talent determined to find stardom and Cassie, the overweight, unattractive musical prodigy with the beautiful voice. Cassie lacks the confidence to perform on her own, but will sing if her sister is there for support. An unlikely scenario brings the sisters together one night to sing in public and their "discovery" leads to the formation of The Griffin Sisters band. Their road to success, ensuing tragedy, and ultimate dissolution form the plot of the novel. We learn the truth of the band's breakup and the sisters' estrangement when Zoe's daughter, Cherry enters an American Idol-like singing competition and is determined for her Aunt Cassie (whom she has never met) to be her musical mentor. Can Cherry's dream reunite her mother, Zoe, and Cassie? What is the real truth that drove Zoe and Cassie to not speak for 20 years? Will Cherry see her own dream realized?
Weiner's portrayal of the music business, reality competition shows, song writing , life on the road and what it is like to attend an elite music conservatory are well told. A highly enjoyable read.

Such a complicated story with family dynamics and love interests. It kept my attention the whole time. Loved it

A band story for millennials! The (fictional) Griffin Sisters hit big in 2003, when Britney Spears was huge and Beyonce went solo. Almost 20 years later, their daughter/niece, Cherry, goes on what is essentially American Idol. I loved Cherry's timeline, behind the scenes on a singing competition show and getting to the bottom of the rift between her mom and aunt.

All of Jennifer Weiner's books are to some extent about the way the world treats fat women and the world of pop stardom in the early aughts is about the worst place to be for that. It was rough, but not unfamiliar.

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the nostalgic vibes it gave me with all the 2000s music references. The family saga was engaging, and I enjoyed the dual timelines. I've read other Jennifer Weiner books, and this hits close to the top of the list. I think this book would be appealing to fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid as well. I got definite "Daisy Jones and the Six" vibes.

The Griffin sisters, Cassie and Zoe, are just a year apart. Cassie is introverted and physically awkward while Zoe is charming, beautiful and popular. Throughout their growing up, Zoe serves as Cassie‘s protector. But when it’s discovered that Cassie is a musical prodigy, the tables turn a bit. The sisters form a band that catapults them to the top of the music charts. Though it’s not immediately revealed why, they end up disbanding after only one album. 20 years later we find out that Cassie has moved off the grid living in Alaska and Zoe is a housewife with a teenage daughter named Cherry who is also musically, talented. The sisters do not speak during those intervening years.

The characters of Zoe and Cassie feel authentic and compelling, which makes it easy for the reader to identify with them. The one drawback to this engaging novel is the portrayal of Cherry. Her character is just not believable as her emotions and actions are way more mature than what you would expect of someone on her age. She frequently comes across as much more mature than her aunt and her mother..

The book could use some editing of the sections involving Cassie, which go on a too long in describing her inner life.. (I found myself skimming swaths of text.) In spite of these several editing flaws, The Griffin Sisters is a compelling and ultimately uplifting read.

I was excited to read The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits, especially because it had so many things I generally like: behind the scenes music content, rags to riches, love, interesting characters…. But unfortunately something didn’t click for me here. There were too many mentions of Cassie’s fatness (and a random comment thrown in near the end that she may be on the autism spectrum like it was a throwaway line and never revisited), the ending was predictable yet too concise. I felt myself rushing through certain parts to get to the end. I am sure there are many readers who will like this but it just wasn’t for me.

So I LOVE Jennifer Weiner - I've loved her books for years and years. This one hit all of the feels for me. I thought the dynamic between the sisters in their youth was beautifully complicated, and although I was so so frustrated with some of the character's decisions, I also felt like that's close to reality. I really just felt like so much unfolded beautifully in this story, and Weiner did a great job of showing some of the complexities of sisterhood.

Jennifer Weiner is a MUST BUY every year for me! I love her books and am always grabbing them to read at the pool or beach. In "The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits," we are introduced to sisters Cassie and Zoe, also known as The Griffin Sisters. They are a popular musical duo, but unfortunately their time in the limelight is limited. This book takes us through the journey of the two sisters, as well as with Zoe's daughter Cherry. I loved reading this story and definitely recommend it!

Cassie and Zoe are sisters who are discovered for mostly Cassie's musical talent. She is a prodigy with an amazing voice, but she is overweight and extremely shy. Zoe wants to be a star but has limited talent. As they become famous a terrible thing happens, and the sisters don't speak for 2o years. Cherry is Zoe's daughter and has aspirations to follow in their musical footsteps. Zoe discourages her and she has no idea where Cassie is. When she tries out for an American Idol type show, she finally finds where her aunt has been living and goes to her. Cassie doesn't want to be found but Cherry finds a way into her heart. When she tricks both her mom and aunt into meeting again, Cassie is so hurt and leaves. The intense family drama is moving, and you can't help but root for them to forgive one another. I received an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

I really liked this book. It centers around two sisters. One, Zoe, is pretty and thinks she can sing. Cassie, the second sister a year younger than Zoe is overweight, not pretty (in her own opinion) but can really sing and play the piano. She started playing the piano at age four with no lessons. In my opinion, I felt Cassie was on the spectrum. She was very introverted. She got bullied at school. Her sister, Zoe did try to help her with these problems. Just out of high school, Zoe convinced Cassie to just sing with her at an open mic. They were discovered and then the story takes off. It becomes a story of how the music industry in the early 2000's was. There was loss and heartbreak. There was sibling rivalry and jealousy. The band breaks up after one album hit and Cassie disappears. Cherry, Zoe's daughter is a musician. She got her talent from her Aunt Cassie. She decides she wants to get into the music business and wants to find out about the infamous Griffin Sisters and just what happened. The readers then will discover the story. This is a great read. One that will keep you turning the pages.
Thanks to #netgalley, #williammorrow and @jenniferweinerwrites for an ARC of the great read. All opinions are my own. Look for it on April 8, 2025.

I'm normally a big Jennifer Weiner fan because I love how she -- unlike most other writers -- can write thoughtfully about topics like body perception.



But this one didn't work for me. Too many coincidences, and some unrealistic characters.



Review copy provided by publisher.

I have loved all of Jennifer Weiner's books that I've read, and was excited to be chosen to get an ARC for review. While I did enjoy this book a lot, and it kept me reading far later than I should be up, I was disappointed at all the references to Cassie's weight and unattractive appearance. It wasn't just mentioned - it was hammered home over and over again.

This is the story of two sisters, Zoe, the pretty one with average musical talent, and her sister Cassie, who is a musical prodigy but not attractive and overweight. The sisters become a musical sensation, drama occurs, and the band breaks up. Cassie goes to Alaska to hide away from fans and publicity, while Zoe tries a solo career, fails, then marries and throws herself into being a mother. When Cherry, Zoe's daughter, wants to pursue a career in music, Zoe is against it and does all she can to prevent it.

Overall, this is a good story. I think Zoe was a very unlikable character, and I was frustrated by how she manipulated Cassie to do what she needed to promote herself. I did see glimpses of that behavior in Cherry as well, although I felt she redeemed herself at the end. The character who won my heart was Cassie - she deserved so much more and I hope she is ultimately happy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I loved this book! It made me realize that time is precious and we shouldn't waste it being estranged with our family. I really liked how Cherry pursued her dreams and wouldn't take no for an answer from anyone.

Jennifer Weiner's THE GRIFFIN SISTERS' GREATEST HITS straddles several genres adeptly. It's equal parts pop music origin story, love triangle, and sibling rivalry set in the Britney/Christina explosion of the early aughts. Zoe and Cassie Grossberg are sisters whose combined gifts--Zoe's looks and ambition coupled with Cassie's once-in-a-generation voice and songwriting chops--make for a meteoric rise, legions of devoted fans, and yet only one beloved album. As the book opens, the sisters have not spoken in decades, as the band broke up during their historic tour. Zoe now practices suburban mom perfection in Philadelphia and Cassie is off the grid in rural Alaska. It takes Zoe's daughter Cherry, herself a pop star in the making, to bring the sisters back together once again.

Jennifer Weiner has a knack for exploring the inner lives of women, and this book is no exception. On the outside, Zoe has everything--the house, the handsome hubby, the kids--and yet she is riddled with guilt about her part in the band's demise. Cassie, the talented prodigy with the showstopper voice, is neurodiverse and lives in fearful isolation. Weiner has a lot to say in this novel about the ways in which the music industry uses and abuses its pop princesses--there are several cringeworthy #MeToo moments in the novel--as well as the challenges of loving oneself in a plus-size body. Weiner's heroines are often oversized, and while Cassie is not a cover girl in any estimation, there would be no Griffin Sisters without her plus-size talent. Weiner's depiction of the sisters post-breakup feels particularly punishing for Cassie, who orchestrates her life so that she has no human connection and allows herself only a dog for company. Her self-worth is far too tied to not being the skinny girl onstage rather than the outsize talent she embodies. She is Carnie Wilson to Zoe's Chynna Phillips.

As always, Weiner delivers on a novel that explores multiple POV characters and jumps back and forth in time. I found it interesting that she would saddle her heroine with autism as well as extra pounds, although perhaps Weiner intended Cassie's neurodiversity to explain her prodigious musical talent . Zoe, by contrast, has only a creepy stepson and a chilly relationship with her daughter as primary flaws. The novel repeatedly asks a question--are larger women deserving of love, respect and fulfillment?--of its characters and its readers. Having interrogated this question across a career of novels, I would have hoped Weiner had answered that for all of us by now. But sadly, life in the spotlight is unkind to women who aren’t sample size, despite repeated calls for body positivity. Just ask Britney. Or Adele. Or Lizzo. The list goes on.

The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits
by Jennifer Weiner
Pub Date: April 8, 2025
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thanks William Morrow for the opportunity to read this early. However, it just didn't feel like a Weiner novel to me. Very slow going. In fact, it took me to about page 200 to get truly interested in the book.

A young woman with hopes and dreams of making it in the music industry dreams of reuniting with her long lost aunt she’s never met, who her mother was famous with in a band called The Griffin Sisters many many years ago….

It had potential. But the story was just weak and it moved at a slow pace. Then the ending was unexpectedly concise. I wanted a lot more from it emotionally.

Kudos for another fabulous book! I have been on a murder mystery kick recently and this book was a great break from that. I loved all of the different storylines and timetables. Hearing the story from different points of view was perfect. I was rooting for Cassie throughout the whole story and my heart literally broke for her. Great character development. I truly enjoyed everything about this book! Thank you for such an enjoyable, entertaining, well written read! I would highly recommend this book to my friends.

Another great Jennifer Weiner story! Full of family - and blended family - drama, this book with dual timelines surges through several decades in the sisters’ and then niece’s life. Characters have so much depth and description - they come to life quickly and grow throughout. A quick but compelling read!

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Jennifer Weiner is one of my faves. Such a great writer. And I love that she writes characters so body positively. The Griffin Sisters is another hit. Zoe and Cassie are sisters and their band, The Griffin Sisters, makes it big. But they split a year later and no one really knows why. Now, Zoe is a house wife and Cassie has disappeared. They don’t speak. Zoe’s daughter desperately wants to be a musician and be famous. She gets the idea that if she could just find Cassie, she could fix everything. But things don’t necessarily work out how we want them to. Or do they?