This book was great. Sarah writes very compelling and relateable characters. Was a quick enjoyable read. 5 stars.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Good Grief is a book on grief and how it affects a family and friends. I love how the book is centered around strong women characters and the time period is written so well it is also a character in the story. Families come together to tackle loss and deal with it in different ways. It is heartwarming, sometimes irritating, but always emotional. Humor is laced throughout and has a nice balance. You come to love all the family. Thank you net galley and lake union for the advanced readers copy.

I’ve been a fan of Sarah Goodman Confino for a while—she usually has a knack for creating engaging stories filled with heart, humor, and characters you want to root for. That’s why Good Grief was a bit of a letdown for me.

The premise had promise: a heartfelt exploration of loss, self-discovery, and the messy beauty of starting over. But the story didn’t quite come together the way I’d hoped. The pacing felt uneven, with some parts dragging and others moving too quickly to leave an impact.

There are still moments that shine, especially when Confino dives into the emotional nuances of grief and family. Her writing is strongest in those quieter, introspective scenes. But overall, this one lacked the energy and charm I’ve come to expect from her work. Not a bad read by any means, just not her best.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book before publication.

I appreciate the Jewish culture interwoven into all of SGC's books. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this book as much as her others. It was very predictable and lacking plot.

Set in the early 1960’s, Barbara is learning to live and raise her two children without her husband after his sudden death. Her own mother moved in for two years to help her pick up the pieces and just when she’s planning to embark on day 1 of their new normal life, her mother in law Ruth shows up.

Ruth and Barbara have some ups and downs but their relationship blossoms under the new living arrangement.

Sarah Goodman Confino’s writing flows beautifully off the page and spins a compelling story that’s easy to read. Thanks to NetGalley for the early access!

I've loved every book Sara Goodman Confino has written, and while this one is not my favorite of hers, it has the true-to-life characters, witty dialogue, and emotional authenticity that I've enjoyed in all of her books. The cameos [characters from previous novels] were fun, the story moves quickly, and there's a satisfying ending. I don't think I connected with the characters or subject matter - a single mother figures out that 'it takes a village' after her husband dies - as much as I connected with those in Behind Every Good Man, and this story was a little more predictable. Still, Confino is one of my favorite writers of women's fiction, and readers who appreciate character-driven narratives will like this one.

4 🌟s

#15, thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC! I always love Sara’s novels and this one did not disappoint. It took me longer to get through than usual but it was still enjoyable. Be in the lookout for this one when it releases August 26th! #2025amandapleasereads #2025readingchallege #goodgrief #netgalley

If you like Sara Goodman Confino, her latest won’t let you down. It’s Maryland in the 1960s, and widow Barbara is navigating life as a single, working mom. Her own mother has just left after staying with Barbara the two years since her husband Harry’s passing. Ready to start anew, Barbara gets the mother of all wrenches thrown at her (see what I did there?) when Harry’s mom shows up at the house and announces her intentions to stay.

Barbara seemed to me to be very modern and way ahead of her time. You could probably attribute some of that to her circumstances, which didn’t give her much choice. The rest I’d say is typical of the author developing characters who are badass, strong women.

If you’re of a certain age and from the DMV (that’s DC, Maryland and Virginia - IYKYK), you’ll appreciate the classic references to bygone stores and places. The nostalgia is real and made me smile each time.

There’s a cute surprise throwback to Beverly, the main character from Confino’s Behind Every Good Man. I loved the interaction with her and that book’s Stuart. If you didn’t read it, you’ll be totally fine here but you may wonder why there so much space dedicated to these two randos.

Good Grief is about friendships, family, found family; letting others help you, admitting when you need help, asking for that help; and learning to trust in yourself and others.

Thank you NetGalley for the gifted digital ARC. This was a good read and I know I’ll buy my own copy when the book comes out in August 2025!

This was the first book I've read by Sara Goodman Confino, so I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. What I really appreciated was the depiction of Jewish life (and antisemitism) in the 1960s. I also enjoyed the romantic subplot, although the book is not a romance. But, something about the way the book was written made the characters feel distant and fall a bit flat for me. Despite being written in first person, I couldn't get a handle on Barbara, the main character. I will look out for other books by Goodman Confino because I get the sense that this one just might not have been right for me. Still, I enjoyed reading it. 3.5 stars, rounded up.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I always enjoy Sara Goodman Confino’s books and this was a favorite of mine! Barbara’ and her mother in law ended up helping each other through their grief together.

Thank you to the publisher (Park Books) and the author for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy!

I LOVE Sara Goodman Confino's book "Behind Every Good Man" and I had yet to find another book that was as consistently funny, sweet and showcased Jewish characters just being Jewish. Enter her new book, Good Grief!

This author writes strong and smart women so well, and it really makes me want to be just like them. The main character of this novel and the main character in her other novel Behind Every Good Man could have been sisters. I thought the love story part was a little overdone, could have been less predictable, but it was really mostly about Barbara and her mother in law, and their relationship. I found myself hoping that I am half as strong as Barbara if I had her life story. I also loved the normalizing of Jewish characters, humor, traditions, etc.

We truly need more of these kinds of characters, their unique challenges just living their lives being Jewish (without being so obviously antisemitic or set during WW2). Thank you so much for this story!

Although I have read Ms. Confino's books before, I found this one a bit boring and predictable. Although set in 1963, it didnt really have the sentiment of that era down and found it all a bit of a let down.

This book was slower than the others of Sara’s that I’ve loved, but the last 20% made up for it and had me in tears. It’s a beautiful story of two women mourning the same man, one his wife, one his mother and how they find understanding and love for each other through their grief. I also really appreciated Janet explaining how hard it is to be a mom losing a mom (as someone who’s experienced this herself.) Thank you Sara for another beautiful, cheeky, deeper-than-it seems book that hits you right in the feels.

An uplifting read.
Barbara is doing okay. Okay for a young woman with two young children and grieving partner.
One day, her mother-in-law, Ruth decides to pay a ‘visit’ to them.
During the overstay many crazy incidents happen, and then many others are resolved.
Ruth, Barbara, Eddie, Janet and Mr Greene were all fun characters.
This book flows so well, I read it one sitting.

Can I put in a request for an ARC of everything that Sara Goodman Confino writes? Pretty please? She is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors of all time and Good Grief is as close to perfection as a book can be.

Barbara is recovering from the loss of her husband two years earlier, leaving her heartbroken with two young children. As much as she appreciated having her mom stay with her and help with the kids, she knows that she’s ready to be on her own. But then Barbara arrives home one day to find her mother-in-law waiting for her with suitcases…. way too many suitcases for a quick visit. The children are excited to spend time with their grandmother but Barbara isn’t quite as enthusiastic. Ruth can be overbearing and opinionated, and she believes that her cooking skills far surpass Barbara’s.

What ensues is a laugh-out-loud comedy of errors filed with failed dating escapades, workplace drama, and just the right amount of Jewish tradition to make me long for the Friday night dinners of my childhood. Thank you NetGalley for another hilarious and heartwarming gem from Sara Goodman Confino.

Barbara Feldman lost her husband and is muddling through life with two children and a job working at a local hospital. When her mother-in-law, Ruth, shows up on her door step to "help," a litany of crazy antics have Barbara ready to kick her out yesterday. Eventually, after a series of misfortunes and pleasant surprises, Barbara and Ruth grow to not only tolerate but love one another.
This book tackled so many different topics - grief after the loss of a spouse, navigating in-law relationships, sexual harassment, and learning to lean on your village and ask for help when you need it. Set in the 1960s, l love the strong, formidable female characters and all they are able to accomplish as a family and as a community at the hospital. I had a bit of a hard time getting into this one at first, possibly because I didn't relate to the characters initially. But, I'm so glad I stuck with it. It was a heartwarming story that had me laughing and crying, sometimes at the same time.
I have read several of Sara Goodman Confino's books recently and I really enjoy that she weaves previous characters into her current story. Beverly's appearance and role in the story was such a fun surprise! Definitely recommend checking this one out!
Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and Sara Goodman Confino for an early copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I adore Sara Goodman Confino and everything she touches. This was not my favorite of hers, but I really did fall in love with Barbara and Ruth's characters. This is based in the 1960's (though many times throughout I forgot that), where Barbara is now a single mom of 2 since her husband passed away. After her mother leaves (2 years after he passed) and her mother-in-law shows up at her door with 5 suitcases and no date to leave. There are many funny moments between the two and some painfully annoying- but I think Barbara learns a lot from Ruth and what she is going through. This is a cute beach read!

Sara Goodman Confino does it again! She has become my absolute favorite author.

Good Grief is absolutely funny, and heartwarming! I felt like I was being transported back in time and you realize some situations are relevant in every era. If you’re looking for a feel good read with a bit of drama and a happily ever after, look no further.

I'm not usually one for historical fiction but I am trying to expand my reading, and I am glad I did.

Set in 1963 our main character, Barbara, is alone for the first time in the two years since her husband passed very young of a heart attack. With a 6 and 4 year old, her mother moved in and has decided it is time for her daughter to fly on her own.

Within a single day of trying to go it alone, her mother in law arrives with five suitcases and no leaving day in sight. What follows is a series of unfortunate situations that all point to the one thing, Ruth is trying to help. Seeing as she is a widow herself, she injects herself into Barbara's life and her home to try and make sure that she moves on, and finds love again.

The Jewish culture that is sewn into the narrative and the history that is shared through the memories of Ruth add depth to their family and heritage. My only negative is the constant meddling by Ruth can be quite triggering. She caused more problems than Barbara needed and she was more like a hammer than a light assist.

The navigation of grief and the subject of moving on when you feel like you have lost the love of your life was dealt with so delicately, that it made up for the mess of the meddling. As someone who was married very young and can't imagine life without my partner, this story hit very close to the heart as it looks at all the what if's that flash in your head when you find your person and your family grows.

A very well written and thought out story.

A solid 4⭐️/5 for me