This one had so much potential but didn’t quite land for me. The mystery angle felt a bit overplayed—not because there was a major secret driving the suspense, but more because the characters were so passive-aggressive that it created the illusion of tension without real payoff. The plot leaned heavily on two central revelations and was told through three POVs, which sometimes made the pacing and emotional depth feel scattered.

I found myself wishing we had spent more time with Dawn—her internal dilemma and how her choices impacted her relationship with Hazel could’ve been a powerful emotional thread. Similarly, Maggie’s processing of her mother’s absence felt a bit underdeveloped, especially given the emotional weight it carried.

There were moments where the book hinted at exploring deeper themes, like the stigma queer mothers have historically faced, but those threads were never fully pulled through. Reading the author’s note at the end did help me better understand the heart behind the story, and I wish more of that nuance had been present throughout the book itself. A meaningful concept, just needed a bit more cohesion and emotional depth.

This book is outstanding. It is a dual timeline that takes place in Britain. It is character driven and follows the characters in a single family starting in 1982. Dawn and Heron are a young married couple with a baby. Dawn begins to feel that there must be something more out there. Then she meets Hazel and begins to understand what she has been missing. Going after what she wants may cost her everything that she holds dear--the laws in 1980's Britain were not favorable for lesbians.

Forty years later, life has a stab at her ex-husband and secrets of the family become revealed to their daughter. She always wondered why her mother walked out on her and now is her chance to find out.

This was a superbly written book that educates as well as gives a story that will make your heart ache from the injustices done.

Thanks to Scribner Books and NetGalley for the digital copy. All thoughts are my own.

Emotional, and heart breaking but so engaging. I wanted things to work out so badly for this family. I was angry at a lot of their choices but this is what we see every day. Especially as an educator.

Claire Lynch’s A Family Matter is a powerful, deeply resonant novel that captures the emotional complexity of identity, acceptance, and the enduring impact of family. Written with honesty and sensitivity, this story speaks directly to the LGBTQIA+ experience—particularly the challenges and triumphs that come with coming out and navigating societal and familial expectations.

Lynch excels in portraying the nuances of both personal and collective struggle. The novel not only highlights the emotional weight of self-discovery but also unflinchingly addresses the discrimination and prejudice faced by those in the LGBTQIA+ community. The characters are richly drawn and authentically human, making the narrative feel as personal as it is universal.

A Family Matter is more than just a coming-of-age or coming-out story—it’s a testament to resilience, love, and the importance of chosen family. Beautifully written and emotionally stirring, this is a must-read for anyone seeking an honest portrayal of queer lives and the journey toward self-acceptance. Claire Lynch is a voice to watch, and her storytelling leaves a lasting impression.

What an unexpected surprise this book turned into for me!

I don’t typically love when books are short because I always yearn for more, but this felt perfect. Any more and it may have dimmed the magic that the author created.

I was fascinated by the characters in this book. The family was relatable and the dynamics felt familiar. The story told was heartbreaking, poignant, enraging, and baffling at times.

A Family Matter will break your heart and heal it in under 200 pages. Bravo to Claire Lynch for capturing this beautifully.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner the opportunity to read this ARC before its intended release date of June 3, 2025.

For a debut novel this was a good start but just could not fully get into this story. I really liked the premise and had no clue that women who were in same sex marriages would lose custody of their kids. I really wish that this book read a bit easier but it was an interesting idea.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publishers for allowing me to read this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

In 1982, a love relationship between two women became a scandal that society cannot abide by. A mother lost custody of her daughter by court order. She had to leave her daughter with no visitation rights. In 2022, the former husband has cancer. As he faces his diagnosis, his daughter begins to examine her life and wonder where her mother went.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I enjoy books with good character development and this book fits that bill. If you’re a reader who likes more of a plot, this one may be a bit slow for you. The book covers two timelines and Heron is central to each. This is a man who discovers that he is dying in the current timeline does something that he should have done years before - he tells his daughter, Maggie the real truth about why her mother actually left the two of them. In the past timeline of 1982, we learn that Dawn is a young wife and mother who follows her heart to be with the woman she loves. Maggie, Dawn and Heron all have their reasons for how things have turned out and how they feel and each perspective is described well. I couldn’t help but be angry with Heron for misleading Maggie for so long and was appalled by how Dawn was treated in 1982. Times were different then and I guess that at least Heron “came clean” once he found out that he was dying. And Maggie’s anger at both her parents is certainly understandable. The author does a great job of describing each character’s reasoning and this made the book interesting. It does move slow but is short so held my interest.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for the eARC.

I enjoy family dramas and was intrigued by the premise of this novel. Unfortunately once I started it I just found the pace to be dragging and I was not eager to pick it back up. The writing was not bad, the plot just wasn't working for me.

Unfortunately this was a DNF at 45%. I was intrigued by the beginning but it quickly became a bit dull for me. While I think the premise is very interesting, I felt the story lacked depth. Maybe this would be better as a shorter novella. I appreciate the lgbt representation and exploration of such hard subject matters, I just couldn’t finish.

A moving character driven literary debut that explores the societal implications of a mother’s lesbian affair in 1982 UK. This is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. The novel is really all about the characters so don’t expect a fast paced book, although this is still a quick, well written, beautiful book. I loved the character development, the historical significance (I always love a great author’s note!), and the complex family dynamics. Fans of Claire Lombardo will especially enjoy this excellent debut. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Maggie has grown up without a mom after her mother Dawn abandoned Maggie and her father when Maggie was just three years old. For decades all Maggie has known is life with her dad Heron who gave only a vague explanation for her mother's absence. Now an adult with children of her own, Maggie learns that her dad is terminally ill. But that's not the only news that upends Maggie's world as she uncovers what actually happened to Dawn all those years ago. Thus is the premise of A Family Matter. Alternating between 1982 and 2022, A Family Matter holds up a mirror to how much things have changed during those forty years, as well as how much they haven't. A Family Matter is difficult to read at times-your heart will break for all that Maggie and Dawn endured, and while you'll admire Heron for raising Maggie as a single father, it's hard to understand how he could have let their lives play out as they did. A Family Matter is a short novel, but it doesn't need many pages to speak of a family torn apart because society said it was the right thing to do. A Family Matter is a "timely" novel in the sense that the world seems to be going forward by looking back. Gritty, brave, and very moving, A Family Matter is a tale no family should have to tell.

Thank you Netgalley & Scribner for an eARC ♥️♥️♥️

Let’s start with Dawn, because oh boy, her story is a *lot*. It’s 1982, she’s a young mom, and then bam—Hazel walks in, and suddenly everything’s messy and intense and beautiful. The way the author writes their connection is so raw and real, you can practically feel the electricity. But here’s the thing: it’s not some fluffy romance. Dawn’s choices have consequences, and the book doesn’t let her (or you) off the hook. I kept swinging between *"You go, live your truth!"* and *"Girl, you are playing with fire."* 🔥
Then we jump to 2022, and Heron—sweet, quiet, heartbreaking Heron—gets news that changes everything. And what does he do? He clams up. Of course he does. Because that’s what he’s always done. Watching him struggle to open up to his daughter, Maggie, even now, when time’s running out… oof. It hit way too close to home. How many of us have done the exact same thing—held back the truth to "protect" someone, only to realize too late that silence can hurt just as much?
No one’s a villain. No one’s a saint. They’re just people trying to navigate love and loss and the weight of their own choices.
This book is a masterpiece of messy, complicated emotions. It’s not an easy read, but it’s the kind of story that stays with you. If you’re in the mood for something that’ll make you feel *everything*—grab this one. ♥️💔

Heron has just received tragic news from his doctor. He doesn’t want to tell his daughter, whom his life has revolved around. He also can’t reveal secrets of the past.

A quiet and short novel; you could read it one sitting. It is very character based and a lot of the present time line is based on the future; which you’ll come to fully know and understand. It’s a story about motherhood and changes over time not only in women and society, but in family.

“And it was fine. Just family life, bustling and real. Except sometimes when it was lonely.”

A Family Matter comes out 6/3.

This is a novella. It ends abruptly and I realized it was more of a statement about same sex love and marriage, I thought the characters were poorly depicted and the story simplistic. I would not buy this or recommend it.

This is a well written, character driven, touching story about a divorce that affects generations down the line. Dawn and Heron are happily married with a daughter, Maggie, when Dawn falls in love with Hazel. This is set in the UK in the 1980s, when same sex relationships were frowned upon. When Heron decides to divorce Dawn, his lawyers argue that he should get full custody as Dawn cannot be a mother due to her perversion. There's some shocking statistics in the author's notes at the end that state that during this time period in the UK, 90% of lesbian mothers involved in divorce cases like this one lost legal custody of their children, so very sad to say the least.

The story goes between 2 different timelines, the present, where Heron decides to tell Maggie about his terminal illness, and the past where he divorces Dawn, the ensuing court case, and her banishment from the family. Maggie is now grown up with a family of her own, and as she helps her dad go through all his papers, she finds out the truth about her mom. She struggles with the idea of abandonment, and her father lying to her about her mother, and finally decides to try and find her.

The last part of the book is very touching as mother and daughter try to find ways to forgive each other and have some type of relationship moving forward.

The pace is slow at times, but the characters are very well developed, and the story makes you think about how things have changed today, and how they have stayed the same.

It’s the 80s. The world hasn’t caught on that gays are here to stay. Traditional family dynamics are clung to. Many young women move from depending on their fathers to depending on husbands.

Then Dawn meets Hazel.

What starts as curiosity becomes love. What follows divides a family forever.

I could not put A Family Matter down. The characters feel like people I know. Their story is relatable the way that history always is.

Big thanks to @scribnerbooks and @clairellynch for the phenomenal early read!

This is about a young married woman who meets another woman and they instantly become friends. Dawn has a 3 year old daughter, Maggie, who she adores. As Dawn's friendship with her friend Hazel grows, she realizes that she has feelings for her that she has never had for her husband. Dawn tells her husband Heron about her feelings and a custody suit begins. The story takes place in 1982 and 2022. In 1982 a lesbian women would never have custody for a child. This book is very well written. It was something different. You really feel for Dawn and her now adult daughter Maggie. This is a short book and my only complaint is that I would have liked it to be longer! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC copy of this book.

A Family Matter is an emotional, tightly written drama told in the present day and the early 1980s. In 1982, Dawn is a young mother who is deeply in love with her little girl but feels lost in her marriage. In 2022, Heron is an older man receiving a troubling diagnosis and keeping it secret. But it is not Heron's only secret, and it's perhaps not his biggest.

This novel builds rich, dynamic characters and a moving story in a quick 224 pages. I loved Lynch's writing style, especially what she leaves unsaid for the reader to infer. This story takes a seemingly ordinary family of a little girl who grew up with her father and shows just how devastating a culture's selective beliefs around who can parent can be.

I recommend this for readers of family drama. It may be a great fit if you enjoyed The Vanishing Half, My Government Means to Kill Me, or This is How it Always Is.

4.5 rounded up

What a debut novel for Claire Lynch! The synopsis for this book instantly intrigued me when I read it and was very excited to get the chance to read the ARC for it. It did not disappoint!

The writing style was interesting. It read very much like a Fredrick Backman and I have learned to really love that style! I was invested in the story of how everything was going to play out in the end for Maggie and her mom, Dawn. And Heron, but not as much for him 😅

You could not help but feel all of the feelings for what Dawn went through after finally fully embracing herself and her love. Having to fight for your family is such a hard thing, especially when the whole world is against you. Going through that at that point in time would have been horrendous.

Maggie finding out the truth was described perfectly. The mix of feelings on coming to terms with what you’ve believed your entire life versus what actually happened… I can’t imagine. Then finally getting some closure at the end was great. I just wanted more.

It did end kind of abruptly. I wanted more of how the family reunited but I also think it was almost perfect in where it ended. It’s a conundrum 😂 I will definitely be picking up more from Claire as she releases!