This was a little different from some of Weiner's other books - I think being set against the backdrop of the music industry just gave it a very different feel. But the core elements of the story were very much in line with what I love about Weiner's novels - so much about family dynamics, including all the messy and honest moments that reveal so much about the characters and their motivations. It bounces back and forth between different viewpoints and timeframes, starting with a young woman - Cherry - who hopes to make it in the music industry, despite her mother's disapproval, and who dreams of reuniting with a long-lost aunt she’s never met. The backstory is that of the Griffin Sisters, who rose to fame with their band in the early 2000s - the beautiful, outgoing, spotlight-seeking (and maybe not super talented, musically) Zoe, and her very shy and musically gifted sister Cassie. We learn about their whirlwind rise to fame, which ultimately ends in a tragedy and the band's susequent breakup. As Cherry embarks on her journey to what she hopes will be success in the music industry, the Griffin Sisters' story unfolds alongside hers. But of course, it's about so much more than trying to find success in the world of rock and roll. It's about mothers and daughters, sisterhood, families, relationships, self-acceptance, and forgiveness. The rock-and-roll aspect of it is really unique, though, and I like the different dimensions it brought to the story. Another winner by one of my favorite authors. Thank you to Net Galley for the digital ARC.

Jennifer Weiner delivers another delightful title driven by rich, complex characters. Avid readers will enjoy this latest tale of family, success and the price of fame.

I LOVED this book. and could not stop reading it. It was the perfect combination of fun (early 2000's nostalgia! sudden fame!) and serious (sibling rivalry, weight discrimination, hinted-at neurodivergence). I could have spent way more time with Zoe and Cassie and maybe would have reduced the role of Cherry, but that would be my only critique. Even though I read this as an eARC, I am definitely going to be buying the beautiful edition with the sprayed edges and displaying it proudly on my shelves.

Another great story from an author I follow and who didn't disappoint this time.

Zoe and Cassie are sisters born less than a year apart and who could not be more different. Zoe is the pretty one with the dream to be a music star. Cassie is very likely on the autism spectrum, but not diagnosed, so she is looked at as the odd one, the heavy one and the one who needs to be led by her sister until at the age of 4 she is discovered to be a musical prodigy. This makes Cassie want to hide and makes Zoe the second place sister in the field she'd hope to master.

Their fame comes about due to Zoe's determination and Cassie's talent. When they are discovered and launched into the music field they are not prepared, but Zoe is ecstatic- stardom here I come! Cassie hides behind her piano, but is told she sings like an angel. Along comes song writer Russell who really hits it off with Cassie's musical education and abilities while Zoe appeals to him for her looks. The old line 3 is a crowd can be applied here.

Much of the story is told with a storyline going back and forth from the early 2000's to 2024 and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy. Honest opinions expressed here are my own and are freely given.

Than.ks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC

This was an ok read. The author did a good job woth the characters. However, the plot was predictable.
To be honest I'm not a huge fan of "women's lit". Others might find this a good beach read.

This book is a compelling exploration of fame, family dynamics, and the personal toll of the music industry. From the very start, I was drawn into the contrasting lives of Cassie and Zoe Grossberg—Cassie, the musical prodigy who preferred the shadows, and Zoe, the charming beauty who yearned for the spotlight. The early 2000s backdrop and the journey of the Griffin Sisters as a pop sensation felt nostalgic and vividly portrayed, capturing the essence of that era's fame and frenzy. What truly struck me was the way the author delves into the aftermath of their short-lived fame. Fast forward two decades, and we see the starkly different paths the sisters have taken—Zoe now a housewife and Cassie living off the grid. The estrangement and unresolved mystery of their breakup kept me hooked, and Zoe's teenage daughter Cherry's determination to uncover the truth added a fresh and intriguing perspective. The intertwining of past and present, along with the secrets each character holds, made for a gripping narrative.

This book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a poignant and heartfelt tale of love, loss, and redemption.

This was boring. I usually love Jennifer Weiner, but this book had nothing really interesting or fun attached to it. I would have loved more depth but it felt like it was just fat shaming.

1/18/25: Loved the setting of a sister music act going big and the focus on real talent with sister Cassie, who had attended a prestigious music conservatory on scholarship - a true prodigy from preschool age. Loved Cassie's sister Zoe's confident daughter Cherry, who has inherited a fair share of her parents' musical talent.

But the book is clearly written with Cassie having not only out-of-proportion shame and anxiety about her looks and size, but also with clear references to having autism. Yet autism is only mentioned once in the book as a possibility. The book talks about Cassie as if she is absolutely hideous in the looks department, which didn't seem likely. And her piano and singing talent is so enormous is literally stops people in their tracks. But the references to her size and looks are relentless as you read - there is no escape.

Zoe, by contrast, starts off as her ally, being the only one who can connect with Cassie, the only one who Cassie will sing with. And of course beautiful and thin. This is repeated over and over and over. But in the novel, Zoe quickly becomes so superficial, mean, conniving, and absolutely awful as a human that no reader will care about her, and it comes off as manufactured unbelievable literary drama. And to believe she will never speak of her musical past to her daughter Cherry when the sisters were world famous is silly.

The "incident" with Cherry's father comes out of nowhere and seems like such an obvious plot choice that you'd see in a network tv show. Wouldn't it be cool if that incident didn't happen and Cassie realizes her potential professionally, creatively and romantically, while Zoe directs her shark talents to being her manager and acknowledges her true love? Now that would be a great pivot for Weiner to make in her author career.

I think the core music storyline had potential on its own merits if Weiner could reduce her reliance on hero arcs centered on overweight women and always at the expense of a thin person close to them. The story would have literally been better if the plot were the same and the characters were the same, but said less or nothing about physical attributes. Readers love success stories (the band), music novels, romance, triumph. Representation of different shapes is still possible without it being so overwhelming to the story. Thank you NetGalley for the free copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. 2-stars.

1/14/25: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I LOVE music-centric books so thought this would be a great one. I am 30% in and am not loving the timeframe jumps which are a bit hard to keep track of. What I would really like is if publishers printed the year in tiny font at the bottom of every page if the author time-jumps as part of the book structure, so that I can just keep track while I'm reading and don't have to flip back to remember what year it is.

Also, am I the only reader alive who didn't realize that Jennifer Weiner puts heavier women in all her books, as a rule? I was wondering about this enough to google it and sure enough that is her thing. Not sure I love that as an author signature, but I understand the idea of representation.

In the first 30% I was going to keep count of the number of times Weiner used the word "lovely." It was so much that it really jumped out at me and felt it needed editing. Full review coming soon.

I made myself finish this one, to save you the time of picking it up. The author is beloved and I have enjoyed her past work, but this is a total miss.

There is very little character development, and there are far too many characters and names to keep up with throughout. We know that Cassie is fat, and has a beautiful voice. Her older sister Zoe is thin and pretty, as with most 90s pop girlies. It’s all we’re told (over and over and over again), even though the novel opens with their parents’ story and the hope of depth. And we never learn enough about Russell to make him believable as the object of both sisters’ affection.

I feel like this wanted to be Daisy Jones and the Six and never rose to the occasion. 👀

A heartbreaking and emotional story of two sisters, one who will do anything for fame, the other who will do anything for her sister. While this was a good story, I felt like it was too long and slow moving. There’s a lot going on: 3 point of views and two different timelines, with flashbacks sometimes, that it got a little confusing. Also, none of the characters were likable. I feel like that was the point with Zoe, but with the others, I’m not sure.

Overall, this is a good story but I felt like it wrapped up so quickly and perfectly that all the heartbreak throughout was for nothing.

Loved this book. Different from authors previous books. Characters are relatable. Good book for a discussion

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

The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits is poised to be one of 2025’s standout releases. This compelling novel tells the story of Zoe and Cassie, two sisters from Philadelphia who rose to fame as one of the biggest singing acts two decades ago—until tragedy struck, leaving them estranged.

Zoe had always dreamed of stardom, while Cassie, a true musical prodigy, wanted nothing to do with performing due to her crippling anxiety. However, under pressure from Zoe and eager talent scouts, Cassie was swept into her sister’s dream, catapulting them both into the spotlight. Their success came to a heartbreaking halt one fateful night, prompting Cassie to flee across the country to the remote wilderness of Alaska. There, she built a modest, off-the-grid life, leaving her past far behind.

Everything changes when Cherry, a niece Cassie never knew existed, appears on her doorstep. Cherry has inherited her aunt’s musical genius and needs Cassie’s guidance to compete in a prestigious talent contest.

This poignant and beautifully written novel explores the depths of sisterhood, the sacrifices we make for family, and the courage it takes to find your place in a world where you feel like you don’t belong. The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits will tug at your heartstrings and leave you reflecting on the lengths you would go to for the ones you love.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the focus on the band and how their life unfolded. I did feel that the mom’s perspective seemed to change quickly, but it didn’t change how I felt about the book. It was a fun and engaging book! Jennifer Weiner’s books are always a hit!! And this one doesn’t disappoint!

This one took me a long time to finish - I just wasn't drawn in. The only character I enjoyed was Cassie, so whenever the perspective would shift I would tune out. I don't think it was bad, just not for me.

This was a decent read. I've noticed a trend in this author's books to have female main characters with some type of weight insecurity/issue/etc. and I'm not into it anymore. As someone in their mid 30s, the music theme was entertaining enough to read but it just ended up being a book about sisters that the fat one is more talented but she's fat. At least that was my feeling on the message.

Story of hopes and dreams being sought after, and dealing with what happens when you get what you wish for. A young woman wants to become a singing star like her mom. Never realizing there is much more to the story. Interesting read.
Not a typical Jennifer Weiner novel, as I was expecting more humor, but still very good reading.

Cassie and Zoe are sisters who are as different as different can be. Zoe, older by a year, is beautiful, outgoing, and ready to take on the world. Cassie is shy, heavy set, introverted and has a voice like an angel. In the early 2000s the sisters are in a up and coming band, until tragedy happens. Twenty years later, Cherry, Zoe’s daughter, wants to meet her aunt Cassie in hopes of starting her own musical career.
This book was a sweet story of sisters, love, healing, and forgiveness.
Side note: I did enjoy the story, but I found mentioning Cassie’s weight/size over and over again very off putting.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC. #Netgalley #thegriffinsisters
Pub date: 4-8-25

I loved this book-probably my favorite book by Jennifer Weiner to date. The 90's/00's nostalgia was awesome, and Cassie and Zoe's obstacles to fame were fascinating. This book was full of badass characters that kept me engaged throughout the entire novel.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Sisters Zoe and Cassie are the famous music group the Griffin Sisters - at least in their younger days. The book goes back and forth between the past relationship between the girls from when they were little and Zoe had to watch out for Cassie as she was considered to be different from other kids socially but also was a musical genius. Zoe and Cassie formed their group and did well tell tragedy struck. Flash forward to present day Zoe who is married with her daughter Cherry who she had during her band days, two boys and a step son and Cassie no longer in communication with anyone and is living in a remote part of Alaska. The book navigates the true meaning of following ones dreams. Overall, great book that is a easy and enjoyable read. Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Publishing for the chance to read.

I love Jennifer Weiner, and this book struck a pretty strong emotional chord with me. Weiner writes women exceedingly well.

Thank you to netgalley for the ARC!