The experiences of the main characters in this novel were not only relevant to women during the 60s, they are unfortunately still very relevant to women in today's society. While the topics discussed in this book are very important I was let down by the execution. The characters came across as stock images instead of three-dimensional characters with heft. They all spoke in a manner that spoon-fed the reader’s feelings to them.

I am in my 1960s era and it shows. This book was sooooo good. I really enjoyed the family dynamics with the multiple POV and the portrayal of young pregnant teens living with families until they gave birth. My aunt was adopted in the 60s and this felt a bit close to home with what my family went through.

I really liked the group of friends and each of their stories. Would recommend!

It’s 1965 in America when women cannot have there own bank accounts, divorce is scandalous, and abortion is illegal. A group of suburban women help one another manage personal challenges, marriages and pregnancies.

This was a thoroughly researched and atmospheric look at life for women in 1965. Becker did a great job of providing a wide variety of experiences, and viewpoints, laws and facts objectively without losing the fictional tone or slowing down the pace. I loved the character development that allowed for the conversations and explorations of the deeper themes. I highly recommend this book.

This is the story of Lily, Betsy, and Rose (and their friends) in 1965. (There were a few friends and their names didn't really stick with me.) lily is pregnant with her second child. She and her husband decide to take in a pregnant teen from the home for wayward girls, Betsy. Rose is Lily's sister who is married and works outside the home.

Every one of these women is either pregnant or trying to get pregnant, but not everyone is happy about it. For those that don't want to keep the pregnancies, they have to deal with getting an illegal abortion. People in unhappy situations are just sort of stuck.

This was a fast read and I liked the characters. I enjoyed the short modern-day chapters at the end, although you may have to suspend your disbelief. There were a lot of characters introduced so the reader had many different types of women involved with pregnancy in different ways. This allowed for lots of choices and options regarding pregnancy and marriage, but it made it difficult to remember the secondary characters' details.

This book provides a history lesson to everyone who is unfamiliar with women's history in the US. It takes place in the mid-60s and that was a time when women couldn't do a lot of things they can now: open a bank account, get a loan, get a no-fault divorce, have a credit card, get birth control without a spouse, or keep a job once they got pregnant. Oh, and there was no such thing as rape between spouses; husbands had rights that wives did not. I hope it makes people rethink the glorious past.

I felt like the author was trying to make a point, but there were so many points to make, it felt like a laundry list at times. Maybe if there had been fewer pregnant characters, it wouldn't have felt like the author was trying to check off all the boxes of how crappy it was for (white) women back then. That's my only real gripe.

My thanks to NetGalley and Harper for the DRC in exchange for an honest review.

This book seems to be slipping below the radar which is really a shame. This look at pregnancy, fertility, and choice in pre-Roe middle America is extremely powerful, showing a range of experiences and impacts. It's not an easy read in a lot of ways, but it will stay with readers.

In the 1960’s, America treated women so differently. This tells a wonderful and heartbreaking story. We see how far women have come….. or have we?

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

OK THIS BOOK IS IMPORTANT!!
In case you didn't know (I didn't know!!!) "in the Family way" means pregnant lol and that is important to know before reading. ok moving on!! this story centers around a group of women in a suburban town in the 60s who are each on very different journeys related to pregnancy, motherhood, and family life. The 1960s setting serves as a harsh reminder of how far women have come and how hard women who came before us had to fight for everything we can do now. The characters in this book are vastly different, but the way the women support each other and listen to each other is so beautiful. This book is really powerful and I honestly learned a lot about the realities of life for women at that time.

Laney Katz Becker's writing was so vivid and each woman's personality shone through the plot beautifully. And the end of the book wrapped everything up in a way that made me tear up!! Not only did I love this book, but I think it is an important read for our current times.

Nice balance of different women's perspectives in a historical context. Strong character development among many different characters.

Truly an outstanding piece of historical fiction. Filled with complex characters and realistic representations of life for women in the mid 1960s, this book is both heartbreaking and hopeful. The emotional growth these women experience together shows the power of true friendship and listening to one’s own heart. I love this book and these characters. It will stay in my heart for quite some time.

Set in the tightly laced world of 1960s suburbia, 'In the Family Way' offers a beautifully nuanced exploration of womanhood, motherhood, and quiet rebellion. Laney Katz Becker writes with deep empathy and sharp insight, capturing a moment in history when women's choices were few, yet their inner lives brimmed with complexity.

The novel centers around Lily, a doctor's wife expecting her second child, who unexpectedly opens her home to Betsy, a pregnant teenager from a home for unwed mothers. What begins as a charitable act slowly unravels into a tender, sometimes painful reckoning with what it means to be a "good" woman, wife, and mother - both by society's standards and one's own.

I was especially struck by Becker's ability to let her characters evolve naturally within the constraints of their time. Lily's growing sense of purpose and quiet resistance felt both believable and moving. Meanwhile, Betsy's innocence, resilience, and longing for dignity added a layer of emotional texture that stayed with me long after finishing the book.

With grace and sensitivity, Becker addresses weighty topics - domestic dissatisfaction, reproductive autonomy, generational divides - without slipping into melodrama. The writing is thoughtful and understated, allowing the emotional stakes to unfold with genuine power.

Fans of 'The Dutch House' or 'Lessons in Chemistry' will appreciate the introspective style and rich historical detail. 'In the Family Way' is a moving reminder of how far we've come - and how much of that journey still lives in the stories of everyday women.

Title: In the Family Way
Author: Laney Katz Becker
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A tale of the mid 1960s and the transition of women’s thinking are packaged in this book that makes you pause to think of how far we’ve come as women in the last 60 years (and hope and pray we don’t find ourselves sliding backwards). This book focuses on Lily, a housewife married to a doctor and expecting her second baby, who also takes in unwed teenagers to help around the house. Enter Betsy, a fifteen year old who finds herself pregnant but has no idea how it happened since her own mother never explained the birds and the bees to her. She’s been sent to “take care of her aunt” in another state so people don’t know her dirty secret. She finds herself staying with Lily until it’s time to deliver her baby and put it up for adoption. We also see into Rose’s life, which isn’t rosy at all. Recently married to the son of her deceased mother’s best friend, she realizes that he isn’t all that she thought he was. Add in Lily’s neighbor friends and you have a delightful flash back in time and the challenges women faced.

Positives: I love the cover. It makes me think of my childhood and how I would visualize riding the streets of the neighborhood and living in a community like this. There is an emotional and mature transformation of Lily as the book progresses. She moves from a naïve girl to one who starts to see the world more vividly and can describe it in a way she couldn’t before. Descriptions of the 1960s housewife, the fashion, and a day in the life transports you back to the time, even if you weren’t alive for it.

Struggles: Triggers of rape, abortion, teenage pregnancy, and domestic violence might make some aspects of the book difficult to read. There are definitely characters you will detest.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the advanced copy. Opinions expressed are my own. This book will be republished on June 3, 2025.

#netgalley #arc #bookstagram #IntheFamilyWay #harpercollins #laneykatzbecker

This book is an emotional and consuming read. I got settled in for my evening reading time and then couldn't put it down. Start to finish in one sitting.
Set in the mid 1960s, the cast of characters are women who easily resemble those in our own lives or even ourselves. They face unfathomable choices and situations, but they are things any of us could encounter in our own lives. We never know how we'd handle such things until those moments come. There are moral/ethical choices and relationship choices, some with generational family impact. Each woman's story is unique, but at the same time they share so many common bonds.
My only complaint was the reason the two women at the end came together. Even with that in mind it's still one of the best books I've read recently.

In the Family Way by Laney Katz Becker is a beautifully written and profoundly moving novel that captures women's struggles, joys, and resilience in 1965 America. This book pulls you in with its vibrant characters and keeps you hooked with a story full of heart, history, and hard choices.

The setup is simple but powerful: Lily Berg, a seemingly traditional suburban housewife, opens her home to Betsy, a pregnant teenager from a home for unwed mothers. What unfolds is a story of unexpected connections, personal growth, and the weight of societal expectations. Becker paints a vivid picture of a time when women couldn’t fully own their independence—no credit cards, no easy divorces, and no safe options for unplanned pregnancies. It’s a stark reminder of how much has changed—and how much hasn’t.

What makes this novel shine is how real the characters feel. Lily starts reserved and buttoned-up, but as she bonds with Betsy, you see her grow into a more open, empathetic person. As a young woman trying to navigate a world stacked against her, Betsy's perspective is equally compelling. And the supporting characters, like Becca with her no-nonsense pragmatism and Rose with her surprising storyline, add depth and drama.

The book doesn’t shy away from tough topics like abortion, infidelity, and societal judgment, but it handles them with sensitivity and nuance. Becker doesn’t lecture—she tells a great story that makes you think about how far we’ve come and how much we owe to the women who came before us.

If you love historical fiction rich with emotion and layered with meaning, In the Family Way is a must-read. It’s about family, friendship, and finding your voice in a world that often tries to silence it. Becker’s storytelling is as timely as it is timeless—a perfect blend of history and humanity. Highly recommend!

Love this book! Book about women’s rights and friendships. It is a good reminder of how different life for a woman was not very long ago and how important it is that we don’t go backward- there is a reason laws changed.