I enjoyed this, appreciating the quiet subtlety the author so deftly added to the narrative. It took me a little while to figure out the time lines (old age bites), but once I did, things were pretty clear. Having lived through these times, I can attest to the veracity of the mores of the times as presented.

The book felt personal and heartfelt. I do wish that there would have been a chapter with Heron's reactions afterwards. That would have added a different spin on things.

I loved the cover.

Would I read more from the author? Yes.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

Maggie's dad Heron is keeping a few secrets from her. Heron and her mom divorced back in the early 1980s. Times were different in London then and Maggie was never told the whole story surrounding their divorce. Now Heron has had a medical diagnosis and is trying to tie up loose ends before his time is up. Maggie has always been told that her mom left them and never looked back. That's just not the case. When Maggie is going through some old papers she learns some things that could change everything. How will it go when Maggie goes to find her mom? She could be in for a few surprises. This is an awesome debut novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. It is not based on a true story but it is based on the many cases that were similar in Great Britain at the time. Thanks to @NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Growing up in the 80s, two-parent families (mom and dad) were the norm. Friends living with only one parent due to divorce were rare, and I never saw friends raised by two moms or two dads. Reading A Family Matter opened my eyes to how society viewed these situations. I remember rumors suggesting that being raised by same-sex parents would negatively impact children, making them "turn into one of them." It's astonishing how long it takes society to accept change and stop viewing these situations as abnormal. Unfortunately, even today, views on these matters are inconsistent.

A Family Matter delves into this topic when Dawn, Maggie's mother, develops a relationship with another woman, Hazel. This relationship tears the family apart. Dawn's husband, influenced by societal pressures, takes her to court for sole custody. The court scenes and Dawn's treatment broke my heart. Ultimately, Dawn is banished from raising Maggie and loses all contact. To complicate matters, Maggie grows up unaware of the true reason behind her mother's departure.

The book explores complex and emotional situations, and the author skillfully brings these to the reader. I appreciated how the author examined each character's perspective, helping us understand their actions while also revealing the impact on others. The novel addresses complicated family dynamics and dysfunction, further complicated by societal norms and views. While not a light read, the author weaves hope into the story, offering a potential for healing.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

#AFamilyMatter, #ClaireLynch, #NetGalley

I felt every word of this story. It was written like I was right there in the story. I loved every word. This ARC was given to me in exchange for an honest review. This review is mine.

Thanks to Netgally and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I think based on the book blurb, it's going to be difficult to write a review without details that may be considered spoilers. So, I'll just say, i thought this book was fine. I liked how it went back and forth between the 80s and (mostly) the present I liked learning how insane laws were in England in the 80s, and ot is refreshing to know how many things have changed since then. I liked getting the perspectives of several different characters throughout the story, and Maggie was definitely my favorite.
I thought the book ended a little abruptly and I really wish I could have known more about how everything progressed after that final chapter with all characters involved. Overall, it was a decent read and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a family drama type of novel.

A Family Matter by Claire Lynch is a thoughtful, emotionally honest memoir about family secrets, identity, and the lasting impact of the past. Lynch writes with clarity and compassion, unpacking complex relationships without bitterness. Quietly powerful and deeply human—perfect for fans of Educated or The Glass Castle.

Three and a half stars rounded up to four. Dawn is a happily married woman with a young daughter. Then she falls in love with Hazel, and her world turns upside down. Fast forward to the future, when Heron finds out he has a terminal illness, and he tells his daughter, Maggie. Maggie had always thought her mother had abandoned her, when Heron reveals the truth...
I liked this book, but didn't love it. I had a hard time feeling emotionally connected to the characters. An average read.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

I was recommended to read this on NetGalley- thank you to the publisher for the ARC— in exchange for an honest review.

This is a quick read and somewhat difficult subject matter.

Multiple timelines- 2022 Heron, recently diagnosed with cancer and his adult daughter Maggie. He has been divorced for 40 years, Maggie has no memory of her mother, Dawn.

1983- Dawn and Heron divorce because Dawn is in love with a woman, Hazel.

We already are aware, because of the structure of the book, that Dawn’s decision to leave Heron makes her completely absent from Maggie’s life. In the 1980’s during divorce proceedings most gay parents were not given custody, and this is a tragedy; the homophobia of the time is still not giving us a lot of hope, but we can’t forget about what used to be.

That said, Dawn had to continue living and learn to let go.

Honestly, it is very sad, but the plot felt a little lacking- perhaps it would be an excellent short story; plus you kind of know right up front how it is going to end because you have the dual timelines. I didn’t feel a strong connection to any of the characters, but I think it’s also an ambitious topic for a debut author.

Thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for the ARC. Book to be published June 3. File under LitFic

Well that was absolutely heartbreaking! This was one of the more interesting books I have read insofar as the format of the prose and I really enjoyed it.

I read this one as an eARC and I am glad that I did. While I can’t say for sure I think I would have been a bit overwhelmed if it was an audiobook because there is a lot to keep straight.

While it was written very well, I did have to refer back a few times to sort out where I was and relationships etc.. This book is fast paced and short so you can read it in a few hours. That’s probably a good thing because boy was it emotional. If you have triggers please make sure to read the description as it is a lot.

I’m sure others will mention that this book is very character driven and the author does a masterful job at unfolding those characters and makes the reader question so much. I recommend this book to anyone that is in the mood to be touched in the feels.
This book comes out on July 3, 2025

I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary eARC from Scribner through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

This is a relatively short book with a compact storyline. I probably started off with a 2.5 rating and ended closer to a 3.5. Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy.
It’s written with a somewhat detached style but as the story went on the impact of what was happening became increasingly powerful. The authors note provides context on the times and how things have changed in the past 40 years…a time when I came into adulthood and can also reflect on how attitudes toward the LGBTQ community have shifted (seismically) and how awfully people were treated then.

This is the story of a family where the mom falls in love with another woman and in the 1980s, in their community and in the eyes of the law, that's not acceptable. So Dawn has to make hard choices. Terrible choices. And her husband also makes terrible choices. Choices that hurt them and their beautiful daughter.

This quiet, short booked packed a lot in. I loved the quiet writing even if the topic was devastating. I didn't think the characters were developed enough for me to feel like I was empathizing. I wanted to follow along more, I wanted to root for them all even though they were caught in a terrible situation. But I felt like I was watching it all from a distance.

I was terrified to read how much of the law was anti-LGBTQ only 40 years ago and it's terrifying what can happen to families if this becomes true again.

with gratitude to netgalley and Scribner for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

A Family Matter by Claire Lynch is a beautifully written, heart-wrenching, and powerful book. As our current political environment is stripping rights away from vulnerable people, this book helps us to remember that it wasn't too long ago when those rights were not even present.

The story starts out exploring an interesting father-daughter relationship in a small English town, where we applaud single father, Heron, for raising Maggie (now grown) since Maggie was three. Maggie knows almost nothing about her mother and knows over the years not to ask. Maggie is quite content having been raised by Heron. Things start to change when Heron learns that a diagnosis of cancer will take his life soon.
As we learn this, the book travels back to 1982, when Maggie was three years old. We learn that Heron had a wife, Dawn, and that they divorced. The reasons for divorce and how it disrupted the family is really where the story starts (spoilers ahead). Heron and Dawn married in their early twenties and Dawn had Maggie at 23 years old. Unsatisfied, Dawn has an affair with a woman, Hazel. Believing that Dawn can have a future with Hazel, she dreams about how she and Hazel can raise Maggie. She tells Heron about the affair to move one step closer to her future. Despite Heron being a weak, pliable, and unemotional husband, he locks Maggie out of the house and forbids her from seeing Maggie. He files for divorce in a British court and he weakly goes along with a plan by his solicitor to provide evidence of Dawn's "depravities" and "homosexual deviancies". He doesn't believe Maggie is a bad mother, but he doesn't feel he can stop the trajectory of the divorce, as strong, capable men are leading him in a way they think fit. After Dawn is brutally shamed in court, full custody of Maggie is awarded to Heron and Dawn is banished from raising her child. In 2023, Maggie, not knowing any of this about her past, accidently uncovers the truth.

When I put this book down, I said "wow" out loud. For me, 1982 doesn't seem that long ago, and as a high schooler at the time, I don't remember any LGBTQ+ individuals. I think now I understand why and took for granted, over the years, the introduction of legislation allowing same-sex marriage, the gay pride parades where everyone feels free to embrace LGBTQ+ values and welcoming those who "come out". This book makes us acknowledge the struggles that occurred before this movement started and the gut-wrenching actions that took place in the name of ignorance. The greatest part of the story is where Maggie finally meets her mother and Hazel at their cozy ocean-side home and lets out an involuntary laugh, and exclaims, "[t]his was the great scandal the judge saved me from". This is a must read.

Thank you NetGalley for an Advance Reader Copy.

A glimpse into the life of a family with decades old secrets. We don’t often think about how much things can change over time and how people can open their eyes and minds to ideas once thought to be the “right way”. In this case, as recent as the 1980’s, mothers who were lesbian had their rights stripped away because some closed-minded people thought they were subversive. Mothers lost custody of their children. How devastatingly sad for those mothers and their children. This book takes a look at how lives could have been lived after a judgement was made like this on court. This dual-timeline story taking place in the UK goes between the 1980’s as Heron and his wife Dawn are a young couple with a young daughter, Maggie and present time (2022-2023) as Maggie and Heron face a big change in their lives. As Heron is faced with his own mortality, Maggie discovers a secret he has been harboring almost her whole life. She must decide whether to confront him with this knowledge and face what will come next.
This story really causes you to consider how much has changed since the 80’s. Although I live in the U.S., I am sure things were similar here. Having a very dear friend go through such a similar situation in the 2000’s, and knowing what she went through, I can’t imagine how sideways things could have gone for her and her daughters if the mindsets of more people hadn’t changed over the years. Thank goodness for progression. As with everything else, people had to fight for those rights and get changes made. As the author mentions in her note at the end of the book, she has personal experience with this and is also grateful for those who fought for change.
Thank you to Netgalley and Scribner Books for an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

Read this in 1 day. I do wish it was longer but a lot was packed into this short book and everything that was needed was there. Definitely one I will remember 😭🤍

I was really surprised with this book in the best way. I loved the characters and I was completely immersed in the storyline. I was on the edge of my seat wanting to know what happened.

This was so tragic & unnecessary but understandable during the timeframe. This was overall just a really good read!

Thank you NetGalley and Scribner Publishing for the ARC for my honest review!

#NetGalley #AFamilyMatter

This is a novel about one woman’s affair and how it had devastating consequences. It’s 1982 and Dawn is a young mother still getting used to married life. When she meets Hazel, it’s a connection she can’t say no to.

The heartbreak I felt for Maggie in this story was profound. This book touches on very complicated family relationships, abandonment, and the choices we make.

Maggie’s father has raised her alone since she was three; all she knows about her mother is that she had an affair and left them. #AFamilyMatter is not only Maggie’s story; it is also the story of her father, Heron, who has recently been diagnosed with a terminal illness; and it’s especially the story of Dawn, Maggie’s mother, and the courage she had all those decades ago.

The opening scene of this book is so wonderful. It’s unexpected and well-written. It starts by telling us that Heron has found out he has a fatal illness with only a small amount of time to live, and then we follow him to the grocery store where he goes straight to the frozen section and climbs into one of the freezers. When someone finds him there - and screams, of course - Heron is saddened to learn that the manager just writes him off as a confused old man.

This book is made up of so many little moments, little details about life, marriage, parenting — maybe none as vivid and unique as this opening scene - but all so poignant, many of them relatable.

And somewhere along the way, all these mundane moments start to morph into something more crucial, shaping into a truly heartbreaking tale.

When I started this book, I didn’t expect to read it in a day, but Claire Lynch has written such a beautiful and important story, that I just couldn’t stop coming back to it every free moment that I had.

Thank you NetGalley and Scribner for the ARC of this book!

Well told story about an unhappy marriage and society’s view on who should get custody when the woman leaves her husband for her best friend. The hatred towards the female couple is evident. Depicts how lives are wasted when hatred is in charge.

This sounded like it would be right up my alley, but unfortunately I abandoned it at 17%. There didn't seem to be a connective thread between the chapters and characters, and by that point in the book I would have hoped that the direction of the story would be somewhat in view. Maybe once I hear more about it from other readers after its publication I will revisit, but I had to DNF for now.

A Family Matter is an emotional debut novel that looks at divorce and child custody from three points of view. Heron and Dawn marry in the early 1980s and have a daughter, Maggie. Soon after, Dawn begins a relationship with Hazel, a new teacher in the small English village outside London. When Dawn tells Heron about the love affair, he files for divorce. Through then and now chapters, the story takes readers through the divorce trial, Heron raising Maggie, and then Maggie, who is now a married mother of two, seeking out her mother. The heart wrenching story captures the emotion of divorce on children. The author provides a note explaining how the novel shows the antediluvian views the legal system had on gay parents. Highly recommended for book discussion groups--there is a lot to talk about in this exceptional novel.