It's publication day!

3.75

1982: Maggie's mother Dawn meets Hazel, a woman who lights her up like no one else, including her husband Heron. I'm AGHAST at learning that homosexuality meant (view spoiler) in the 80's.

2022: Maggie begins to learn more about Heron and the beliefs she's had about her own childhood.

This was a quick, insightful read. Perhaps because of its brevity I later wished for more time with the characters.

Thank you to Scribner Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

What if what you're told is the right thing to do....

...isn't the right thing at all?

In 2022, Maggie is married, has a solid career and is raising two children. Her father Heron, who raised her as a single parent after her mother left them when Maggie was only three, is getting older. Where her own childhood was not typical of others', she is constantly working to create the family life for her own children that she herself did not have. Heron has two very big secrets which are going to rock Maggie's world. The first is that he has been diagnosed with cancer and even with treatment is going to die much sooner than she would expect (and he isn't quite sure how to break it to her, their relationship being less talk and more task-driven). But it is the second that will change all that she thought she knew about her life; its about her mother and why she left all those years ago.
In 1982, Dawn is a young wife and mother in a small British town. She and her husband lead an ordinary life, and their young daughter is the center of Dawn's world. Dawn isn't sure why she isn't happier than she is in her situation, its what she always assumed she wanted. When she meets Hazel, the funny and outspoken new teacher in town, the two quickly become friends. In Hazel Dawn sees a life that she herself never had the opportunity to live, and her own existence seems a quiet story not worth telling. The friendship also becomes a catalyst for the breakup of Dawn's marriage, and she will suffer ramifications that she would never have believed possible.
A heartbreaking novel of hope that persists in the wake of loss, A Family Matter is the story of Dawn whose love for another woman destroys not just her marriage but casts her in the role of a perverted, unfit mother in the eyes of the UK court system at that time; of Heron her husband who is influenced by a forceful mother and a legal system that leads him to believe that allowing his soon-to-be-ex-wife any form of custody of their daughter is tantamount to abuse; and Maggie, their daughter, who was led to believe that her mother didn't love her enough to stay in contact, not discovering for almost 40 years that losing Maggie was actually the very last thing her mother wanted. How would the lives of all of these people have been different had Maggie and Hazel's relationship not been viewed with such fear and disgust by the society in which they lived? In author Claire Lynch's restrained and nuanced treatment of this horrific situation, the prejudice of the time is shown to be wrong while the people caught within the parameters of the system are all victims in their own way. The characters are well-drawn, fully dimensional and flawed as we all are, and I felt empathy for each one as they found themselves in an unfolding situation for which they were woefully unprepared. Readers of Emma Donoghue, Maggie O'Farrell, Claire Leslie Hall and Kent Haruf should add this elegantly written tale to their must-read list, as should anyone in search of a story that deals with big, messy issues with gentle grace. My thanks to NetGalley and Scribner Books for allowing me access to this debut novel which captivated me from the very first pages.

Claire Lynch's debut A Family Matter is a tender yet heartbreaking novel that masterfully weaves together two timelines to explore the lasting impact of choices made decades apart. Set between 1982 and 2022, the story follows Dawn, a young mother whose life changes when she meets Hazel and discovers feelings that complicate her understanding of love and identity, and her former husband Heron, who faces a terminal diagnosis while grappling with long-buried family secrets. At the center of it all is their adult daughter Maggie, who must confront truths about her mother's absence that will reshape everything she thought she knew about her family.

What makes this novel so powerful is Lynch's restraint and emotional intelligence in handling such fraught territory. The dual timeline structure allows the past and present to illuminate each other beautifully, revealing how the prejudices and legal injustices of the 1980s continue to reverberate through generations. While the pacing occasionally feels uneven and some conversations feel rushed when you're craving deeper character development, the emotional core of the story is undeniably affecting. Lynch doesn't offer easy answers or tidy resolutions, instead creating space for readers to sit with difficult questions about sacrifice, silence, and the possibility of healing. The author's note about how 90% of lesbian mothers lost custody in 1980s UK divorce cases adds devastating context to an already powerful story.

This is a quiet, contemplative family drama that manages to feel both intimate and urgent—perfect for readers who appreciate nuanced storytelling that trusts them to engage with complex emotions and moral ambiguity. It's the kind of book that will stay with you long after you've finished, prompting deep reflection on family legacies, the weight of generational decisions, and the redemptive potential of truth.

Thank you Netgalley + Scribner for the ARC!

This review has been posted to Goodreads and Storygraph on June 3rd, 2025. Links provided.

Set across two alternating timelines, A Family Matter traces the emotional ripples of choices made decades apart. In 1982, Dawn is a young mother navigating her new marriage when an encounter with Hazel changes the trajectory of her life. Their bond grows into something undeniable, complicating Dawn’s understanding of loyalty, love, and motherhood. Meanwhile, in 2022, Heron—Dawn’s former husband—faces a life-altering medical diagnosis. As he wrestles with the implications, he’s also forced to confront the long-buried truths he’s kept from his adult daughter, Maggie. The novel delicately weaves past and present, building a multi-generational story about love, regret, and the tangled threads of family legacy.

What struck me most about A Family Matter was how intimately it explores the private spaces between people—the things we hide, the bonds we protect, and the damage that silence can cause. The dual timeline structure worked beautifully, although I did find the pacing uneven at times. Certain chapters lingered longer than necessary, slowing the momentum just as I was fully immersed. That said, the emotional payoff was worth the wait.

Lynch’s portrayal of the characters — flawed, tender, and often torn — were authentic and emotional. I appreciated how the novel didn’t rely on easy answers or tidy conclusions. The relationships are complex, especially as the story peels back the layers of who Dawn and Heron once were, and how those past selves still echo in Maggie’s present. It's a debut with a lot of heart and emotional intelligence, and while not perfect in its execution, it left me reflecting deeply on the weight of generational decisions, what was considered “right” in different eras, and the possibility of reconciliation.

This is a thoughtful, slow-burning family drama that manages to feel both timeless and urgent. I’d recommend it to readers who appreciate stories that ask difficult questions and take the time to sit with them.

Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for the opportunity to read to an ARC of A Family Matter in return for my honest review.

I like a character driven story and this definitely was one. Heron and Dawn are a young married couple with a small child, Maggie. When Dawn discovers something about herself, her and her daughters life changes forever. A really well written debut novel.

I was hooked from the beginning!!
It was amazing and engaging.
I was instantly sucked in by the atmosphere and writing style.
The characters were all very well developed .
The writing is exceptional and I was hooked after the first sentence.

Thank you Scribner for this advance copy. I’m truly all over the place on my feelings for this book. First, I thought the writing was beautiful. I loved the way the author made such a quiet story feel so propulsive for the reader. It also brought up SO many discussion topics, which is one of my favorite things to find in my reading. I was shocked and horrified at how the court system treated these mothers in the 1980s & the author’s note at the end was amazingly informative. On the other hand, I didn’t love the ending and I wanted deeper character development. We didn’t get much of the discussion between Heron and Maggie or Dawn and Maggie. All the dialogue felt so rushed and skipped over, so that I didn’t get a sense of the characters as people. It was an overwhelming amount of heartbreak for such a tiny novel. Overall, it was clearly a powerful reading experience to bring up this much thought and emotion.

Can a book break my heart and unbreak in one book?? Yes! We follow 3 characters but set in two different timelines. We get the story of Dawn and Heron who were married and Maggie their daughter. Dawn married young and did the right thing, this all happened in the 80’s. Then she meets this woman Hazel, and she is just in awe of her and her freedom and her vibe, she doesn’t know what she is really feeling but she goes for it, but she is married with a baby. Then we go to the 2020’s, and Heron has a terminal cancer, doesn’t want to tell his daughter anything, but with everything going on with him and even Maggie and her own day to day, being a mom and everything, she decided that she finally wants to know what happened with Dawn. The parts that made me so sad about this book is the separation of a family the way it was done. How Dawn was unable to really and fully be and embrace her true self without sacrificing her relationship with her own daughter. The last few chapters were emotional for me lol.

This is the sad story of a family torn apart and secrets formed following a woman's discovery that she is a lesbian and wants to leave her marriage to be with another woman. The story is told in the third person and felt very disconnected from the action and the characters. Almost like an anonymous narrator in a classic movie. But, luckily I was still able to feel for the characters and the horrible situation they were in. I was also able to super cringe at the misinformation and discrimination against the gay community. In an afterword from the author, she confirms that the horrible comments and questions Dawn faces in the courtroom and legal system were not fiction, but actual things that had been said. I'd love to be thankful that we are in such a more enlightened time period, but that wouldn't be truthful, would it? And while the sexuality of Dawn plays a primary role in the plot, the story is truly about how we love each other and how we are forced to balance ourselves with the rest of the world's expectations. This was a great read!

Following the story of one family over multiple decades, this novel was heartbreaking but also showed the quiet moments of family. I picked it up based on good reviews and originally it reminded me a bit like A MAN CALLED OVE but it was quite different but equally beautiful. The writing is simple and easily digestible but filled with nuance. If you are looking for a book for Pride month I would highly recommend this one (but you know, read diverse books year round!)

Character driven short debut novel exploring the split of a young family in the UK in the early 1980s with the devastating impact of homophobia on mothers seeking custody in divorce. Told in a split timeline between 2022 and at the time of the marriage ending in 1982. Thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for an advanced copy for an honest review.

A quiet, powerful read that stayed with me long after I finished the final page.
This is one of the most character-driven novels I’ve read in a while. If you’re drawn to introspective stories with emotional depth, this one’s worth picking up. Claire Lynch’s writing is lyrical and elegant.

The story moves between two timelines:
📍 1982 – we get to know Dawn and Hazel as they explore a quiet, forbidden connection.
📍 2022 – in the present day, Hazel is hit with a shocking truth about her parents that changes everything.

This is a short read that you could finish in a day. However, even though not a ton happens in the plot, this book really hits emotionally and I was wishing it was longer!

This book was absolutely heartbreaking and unforgettable. I loved it and highly recommend it. It is a short read but, despite that, it has a lot to say. The characters are well developed and the story is compelling. The contrast between the present and 40 years ago and attitudes about gay people that have changed so much in that time are highlighted it is a thought provoking book for sure.

A Family Affair is such a beautiful story. Thank you NetGalley and Scribner Books for the chance to read this via gifted eARC. All thoughts are my own and honest.

This is Claire Lynch’s debut novel and I enjoyed it so much. I saw one review that called it both heartbreaking and hopeful and I agree with that sentiment. I think knowing how the custody case would work out for Dawn made for a more suspenseful reading experience for me. Her situation infuriated me because I could see how much she loved Maggie and wanted to be her mom, as I believe any woman who wants to be a mom should have the chance in whatever way that looks like for her.

We’ve come so far in such short time, but at the same time (especially now), we still have a ways to go. I highly recommend picking this one up (and it’s the Read With Jenna June pick)!

"An exquisite and revelatory debut novel about the devastating consequences of one woman’s affair."

1982 Dawn meets Hazel and instantly falls in love with her. But she has responsibilities at home. Obligations to her husband Heron and their young daughter Maggie, whom she loves with all her heart.

2022 Heron receives a devastating diagnosis and can't bear to bring it up to Maggie as it will also unearth secrets he has kept from her for forty years.

Honestly, I was on the fence for a while about reading this at the invitation of the publisher. I am so glad I decided to read it. It is a worthwhile exploration of love and loss, injustice, and custody battles. We have come a long way in our treatment of lesbian couples where women are more frequently granted custody of their children. This is an illuminating and poignant read that is both heartbreaking and hopeful. I loved the story of this family and found this to be a great read. The characters are fully fleshed out and you understand all their points of view whether or not you agree with their choices. If you enjoy thought-provoking family sagas, this is one to add to your TBR!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Scribner, and Claire Lynch for an advance reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

#AFamilyMatter #ClaireLynch #Scribner #NetGalley #ReadWithJenna #DebutAuthor #FamilySaga #BestBooks #ARCreview #bookrecommendations #bookreview #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #booklover #bookstagram #bookclub #LGBTQ

"Sometimes, especially in the early years, the two of them would be invited to Christmas dinner at someone else’s house. A gathering of waifs and strays, other families like theirs who had been cracked open by death or divorce. Maggie hated those Christmases, they weren’t a distraction at all, but an underlining. Bringing all the spare people together made it even clearer who was missing." p111

Final Review

I read this one twice. Not because it was a great book, but because it has great elements and I felt at the end of my first read that I missed some things. I normally don't give a book a second read immediately, but I was really curious here.

Unfortunately, I wound up just as vague on the plot at the end of the second read. I liked this story the most for its theme work. But a book needs details to ground the reader in the story world, and this book needs more. At less than 200 pages, I would say this one needs at least 50 more pages of them. I struggle to connect to books that lack detail and utilize a lot of summary and dialogue.

I still recommend this one to fans of feminist themes, experimental form, and summary-and-dialog books. If you liked Margot's Got Money Troubles, you might like A FAMILY MATTER.

Thank you to the author Claire Lynch, publishers Scribner Books, and NetGalley for an accessible digital arc of A FAMILY MATTER. All views are mine.

I recently finished "A Family Matter" by Claire Lynch and would rate it 4 out of 5 stars. This quick read captivated me with its engaging storyline, seamlessly weaving dual timelines that added depth and intrigue. The narrative revolves around a heartfelt family reunion, highlighting themes of resilience and the enduring bonds that tie us together.

Claire Lynch masterfully develops her characters, making their struggles and triumphs relatable and poignant. The dual timelines provided a rich backdrop, allowing the past and present to intertwine beautifully, revealing family secrets and emotional growth along the way.

This is the story of the marriage of Dawn and Heron. They have one child, Maggie. Dawn falls in love with someone else and this breaks up the marriage. Heron uses the law to get full custody of Maggie and prevent Dawn from seeing her. What would you do? The story is full of secrets that have not been told in 40 years. Now everything has changed and the secrets will see the light of day. What will Maggie think and do?

This is a deeply moving story. What we thought was right in the 1980s, may not longer be considered right. It is a story that will make you think of families trying to do what is right for their children. There is always collateral damage. The book is short and I would recommend reading it.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #ClaireLynch and #Scribner for a copy of this book.
#AFamilyMatter

This was quieter but emotionally rich. It follows a family unraveling after a long-held secret comes to light, and what I appreciated most was how grounded it felt. The story doesn’t go for shock value—it lets the pain and love of these characters breathe. Claire Lynch writes with warmth and clarity, and even when I didn’t like certain choices, I understood them. This isn’t a page-turner in the traditional sense, but it stayed with me.

Would definitely recommend to readers who love literary fiction that reflects on how families shape (and sometimes warp) us.
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

This is a beautiful and tragic story. The fully realized characters pull the reader into their lives and beat us up a little with their awful realities. But in a lovely way. Gorgeous. Sad. Hopeful.