A very enjoyable story about how a family copes when the past comes back to haunt them. It’s a good portrayal of siblings and how their family moves on after a traumatic start. Secrets are being kept by everyone but can they continue?

Thanks to Netgalley for this great read.

Nothing like a family get together at Christmas to bring out all of those unresolved issues and conflicts -and boy, there were plenty to get stuck into in Sarah Stovell's fabulous book. Minnie, the matriarch of the family, has three adult children, Lizzie, who lives with her Authentic Female Ally' and their children, Owen, who has moved to the other side of the world to avoid his family, and Jess, who's just about to have her second child with her wife Anna.
In the middle of this is a big trauma that caused the family to splinter in this way back in the mid 1990s, and this is the Christmas where its all going to come out.

I really liked this book, it read very easily, with its chatty informal style, you felt like you were in the middle of it all watching issues unravel and problems arise without being able to stop it. At the start it felt like there were a lot of characters to get to know but this soon settled down as the main family members came to the fore. The story is told from multiple viewpoints including the children's perspectives to give a brilliant picture of what is going on and how everyone misunderstands everyone else, mainly because they don't want to hurt someone else's feelings. The depiction of that first teenage love was spot on, the obsession with your partner being all you can think about. I liked the relationship between Minnie and her partner too, even when they annoyed one another, the underlying bedrock of the relationship was solid and well -depicted.

Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read it, 4.5 stars from me (rounded up to 5)

"Every Happy Family" is a book about family drama and family history and about what happens when everyone is in a room together many years later.
This book had me hooked from the first chapter and had my sitting at the edge of my seat by the middle. I just had to know what happened in the past and what will happen in the present, and boy can I say it's explosive!!! The book is written very well, going from past to present, keeping you captivated at all times!

I’d describe this book as realistic fiction. The author has done an amazing job of creating imaginary characters and situations that depict the world and society. The characters focus on themes of growing, self-discovery and confronting personal and social problems.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words some text written has been typed in red and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5/5.

Every family wants to keep up appearances to the rest of the neighbourhood, don’t they? Keeping up with the he Jones anyone? they don’t realise is that they are not the only ones following a made-up concept people have in their heads. This family has so many issues and secrets and I am all the way here for it all. Every family member has a chance to give their POV on my what has happened and what is going on now. Read this if you love stories about secrets, family dynamics and what can happen if everyone is keeping up appearances.

Excellent gripping family drama.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my review.

An enjoyable and highly relatable family drama about the Christmas reunion of three grown up siblings and the emergence of old secrets and tensions. The characters and multi-generational relationships are well portrayed and very believable. A solid and compelling drama.

With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

Families and Christmas.. it’s a definite combination for drama and this book did not disappoint. It’s not a book which I raced to finish, instead I dipped in and out of it. The characters are likeable and at places the book did drag a bit but overall it was a good read.

So life’s been pretty hectic , chaotic and tragic lately and i haven’t had the heart to read, you know when you just get into that mindset where you can’t focus.
Luckily for me this book has been perfect to drop into and out of and rather than books which make you and your family feel like they don’t match up to perfect and unrealistic portrays this book felt incredibly real.
Every character comes with their own history, has flaws , has heart , says things they don’t always mean and feels true love, despair and above all have hope.
Hope for a Christmas which might be better than the one before and hope for resolution.
I normally find that I connect with one main character with this sort of book and the rest become ‘supporting characters’ but with this my attention flipped back and forth wildly as each character just had so much depth.
There are two main underlying stories which run parallel but it never feels complicated to follow and the way they inter-lap compliments each story.
It’s hard to say much more without giving away spoilers but I would highly recommend this emotive read and would love to read more by Sarah Stovell as her masterful way of writing is awe inspiring!

I read this based on the recommendation that if you like Liane Moriarty this is for you - and I would very much agree.

This is a deep, character based novel that flows well and really gives the reader a chance to get to know the characters and their backgrounds.

A fabulous read - I will be keeping an eye out for more by this author.

For years Minnie has longed for the perfect family Christmas. Unfortunately her family, like all families, is far from perfect and she always ends up disappointed. This year, for the first time, her son Owen is coming from Australia to spend the festive season with his estranged family. What could possibly go wrong?

This story started off strong and I was quickly drawn into the family saga. Unfortunately it did rather drag out and could have done with some editing. Having said that, I did enjoy the book, though the ending did just fizzle out.

A plot that deals with lots of issues, and handles them fairly well.

Thank you NetGalley.

I appropriately read this during my Christmas holiday. Family Christmas time is never easy and this book perfectly explores this dynamics. Really enjoyed it.

My thanks to Netgalley for Every Happy Family. This is a really well observed family drama that, on the one hand I wanted to devour in one sitting but on the other I wanted to ration because I knew that once I'd finished I was going to miss these true to life characters being in my life. Wonderful!

What a cracking story.

I so enjoyed this. It’s the story of a family Christmas, with all of the family members arriving with their own baggage and stories to share.

We focus on Owen, the oldest child who lives in Australia, and his childhood love Nora, who is back in town following the death of her father. Minnie, Owen’s mum recalls their relationship, as does his younger sister Lizzie.

We follow the stories of the past and understand how they have shaped the lives of the people we see today.

It’s quietly brilliant. So powerful, Such an emotional story - I absolutely loved it. My only complaint is that i didn’t want to leave them all…

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for a preview copy.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Minnie has 3 adult children and they’re all going to Minnie’s for Christmas. Her son, Owen, who now lives in Australia, is coming over after being away for years. And everyone is excited to get together as long as no one mentions Nora Skelly is also back in town. Nora is Owens ex girlfriend from when they were teenagers. Lots of secrets and resentments manage to rear their heads over Christmas.

This was a real page turner, and was engaging right from the very first chapter. The characters were all brilliantly written and Minnie seemed a right hoot with her wit and honesty. The characters all worked so well together that it was easy to picture this whole book.

This story also touched on some real issues that aren’t spoken about often, including extreme postnatal depression and how it wasn’t noticed or treated correctly back then, and how new mums should shake it off and carry on. It was great to see a side of birth and being a parent that wasn’t all wonderful and neat, and this story would really reassure new mums that sometimes everything isn’t perfect or how you’d imagine it. It was very relatable.
We also read from two timelines - back exploring Nora and her relationship with Owen, and the present day. And this gave us a great opportunity to see what went so wrong between them, and why there’s so many secrets and resentments between them all.

Another excellent read by this author.

I absolutely loved this book. I couldn't stop reading it as I needed to know what had happened in the past - what was the 'thing' that had come between the family? Really well written with some laugh out loud moments thrown in too. An absolute must read if you like some family drama (that's not your own!) to get lost in.

With thanks to netgalley and publisher in exchange for an honest review. Every happy family is the story of two parents and their three adult children who are all home for a visit. Everybody has secrets and they are all revealed around the dinner table. If you love liane Moriarty then this is a great book for you. I thoroughly enjoyed all the family drama I couldn't stop turning the pages and finished the story in 24 hours.

Such a good read.... eventually. It took me a while to get in to this .Families.....in all their glory! An awful event can have untold ripples that cascade through a family and affect each member in different ways, and in turn affects their actions.
Secrets and lies...Nora Skelly is the catalyst along with family spending time together after a long time apart. The past unfolding and impinging on the present.
Liked the characters and the style. Well written.

Not all families are what they seem! Each one has secret they don’t want to come out! Sometimes you need to relive the past to understand the further! A lovely read.

Free courtesy of NetGalley.

This is my first Sarah Stovell book and even though I liked it, I think it would make a better TV series than a book.

The book focuses on one dysfunctional family. The head of the family, Minnie was married to an Alcoholic until he fell in the river and drowned. The effect that this had on her two children spirals what happens next and how it shaped the rest of their lives.

The book flits back and forth between the past and the present and tells the story from different members of the family's perspective. They are keeping secrets and these secrets have caused disharmony between them all for years. Can one Christmas spend together, heal this family and make sense of the choices made in the past.

It was a good book and I would recommend reading it.