4.5 stars! I just loved this heartwarming story about love and loss and how to move on. Barbara and her mother-in-law Ruth are two strong female characters that the reader falls in love with pretty quickly. Ruth certainly makes her presence a bit challenging in the beginning. I laughed out loud a few times. I truly enjoy that it takes place in the 1960’s and the reader is reminded how far we have come on certain issues including women’s rights. Another unputdownable SGC read!

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When you pick up a Sara Goodman Confino book you know you’re getting VERY likable characters, and dialogue that actually makes me laugh. Characters were great and I thought it was a good plot of grief and moving on, while not “needing” a man.

I love this author and I loved this book!!! Such a wonderful story between a daughter in law and mother in law. It was sad and happy and fun! I have loved everything by Sarah Goodman Confino! She’s one of my favorites!

In my opinion, Sara Goodman Confino can do no wrong. I love how she makes her characters feel so real. This book takes place in the 1960s (before I was born) but yet all of the characters are so relateable to me. Confino's books are Historical Fiction but not the usual wartime Historical Fiction which is refreshing after reading so many wartime books.

I would recommend this book to anyone except those who struggle with setting boundries with family members. Big shout out to my friend Angie for letting me know this was a Read Now on NetGalley! Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the advanced readers copy!

I don't find myself reading many books that are set in different time periods UNLESS its written by Sara Goodman Confino. I love the women she creates from the '60s. A time period where women didn't always have autonomy? Hopefully that makes sense. They're just strong, brave women.

I found myself annoyed by Barbara's MIL when the story started, like HOW DARE YOU LADY?! But keep reading and you'll understand. I just love the heartwarming nature of this story, the realization that sometimes you do need help (even when you think you don't) and Eddie. Boy Eddie was the best.

Recommend reading if you like to laugh and (happy) cry. Read if you want a tender, heartwarming story about life after loss.

Sara Goodman Confino does it again. While I have enjoyed all her books, the ones set in the 60s are some of my favorite books. This one is no different. It had comedy, heart and the way Sara wrote about multigenerational grief was truly beautiful. 5/5 stars.

Sara does it again! I've been a huge fan of her books and was thrilled to get early access to an ARC on Netgalley. This book did not disappoint. It was a heartfelt escape from reality. Just like her other books, I couldn't put it down once I started. The book looks at the relationships between mother and daughter-in-laws, widowhood, grief and family. It will make you laugh and feel hopeful at the second chances at love and family. I highly recommend it to everyone. Please add this to your list. You'll be glad you did.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake House publishing for the ARC.

Good Grief by Sara Goodman Confino is a touching, heartwarming story, published by Lake Union Publishing.
Literally unputdownable and fantastic how the h handels her own grief and that from other family members too.

Unfortunately for me this was not my cup of tea .

I was really looking for more of a connection on this one .This could just be me , but I really struggled to connect or relate to the characters.

Barbara is a widow of two very young children and its been two years since her husband's passing and now she is ready to take on the world .Until someone shows up at her door with 5 suitcases and is ready to move in ...her mother in-law.

Instantly Ruth the mother in-law is overstepping and the war between to two woman begins. While the author was trying to be comical , I just had a hard time to find the humor . I felt the actions from Ruth at 60 years of age which is only 10 years older than me unrealistic , and instead of making me laugh , it fueled my anger and maybe that was the point .

The book is set in the early 1960's and is a journey between to woman who are complete opposites, but yet have so much in common.
This book is about woman friendships and how everyone grieves differently and HOPE .

I think alot of people will enjoy this read , but just didn't hit it out of the park for me .

Thanks you Netgalley, Lake Union Publishing and Sara Goodman Confino for this light hearted ARC.

Respectfully Another Read by Angie

When Barbara’s mother-in-law, Ruth, moves in with her and the kids, the chaos begins! Good Grief is about two widows trying to navigate daily life without their husband/son, and Ruth does everything you can imagine NOT wanting her help with. This book hooks you in so many different ways- how to deal with family, parenting, charity, women’s rights

Sara Goodman Confino writes amazing women’s fiction. It’s heartwarming and hilarious. The book had the perfect ending but still leaves me yearning for more of these characters, and hopeful they’ll appear in her next book.

Sara Goodman Confino can do no wrong in my eyes. Her latest, Good Grief, comes out this summer and is a not miss title.

It's awesome when a book can grab you within the first chapter. But when a book can suck me in at the first sentence, wanting to know more, that's when I know I've hit absolute GOLD.

Meet Beverly, a mom to two who has recently been widowed. After two years of her mom staying with her to help her out of her grief her mom moves back home to leave Beverly to face her new life as a single mom for the first time...until a few hours later when her widowed mother-in-law (Ruth) unexpectedly shows up on her doorstep with a bunch of suitcases and even more opinions on Beverly's cooking with the objective of "helping" until she is no longer needed.

The book brings us into Beverly's life as she juggles being a single mom, being a friend, working at a hospital with a line-crossing and handsy male doctor, an unexpected pet, a possible love interest and putting out fires (both figurative and literal) that are constantly being ignited by Ruth. Now with this, I do want to put out a trigger warning for anyone sensitive to boundary crossing characters. I definitely had a hard time not trying to reach into the book and drop kick Ruth a few times but without trying to blow the plot just, know that people do grow in this book.

For fans of Sara Goodman Confino, as we have come to expect, she definitely throws a few easter eggs into this one from some of her previous novels. It's done masterfully too. Ohhhhh I loved that part so much. I won't spoil it here....but just know I really really want to. SO BAD!!!!!! Someone please talk to me about it once they have read it.

Another wonderful read!

Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for access to the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. Add this to your TBR pile, it releases August 2025!

Sara Goodman Confino has done it again. She has such a way of making you feel part of the story and engrossed in the characters lives, almost like you’re their friends or neighbors. Good Grief is such a wonderful story of Barbara whose husband passed away and then whose Mother-in-Law moves in later to “help” her. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and just feel all the feels. Add this to your list or pre-order! Publishes in August. Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the arc.

“Death and taxes may have been the two certainties in life, but if I were in charge, husbands and pets would live exactly as long as we did.”

What a fantastic book that encourages us to look outside ourselves for healing when consumed by grief. Barbara is overwhelmed, but when she realizes the importance of perspective taking and learns to lean on others (and vice versa), she opens up an opportunity for genuine connection and meaningful relationships. It’s so easy to stay insular and focused on ‘me’ when we are grieving. I think the author’s cautionary tale is needed as we’ll all experience being solo at one time or in one form or another. Being wrapped in humour makes the advice to pivot an easier ‘pill’ to swallow.

I also liked the message about finding common ground. It would have been so much easier to send Ruth on her way, but Barbara found an unconventional solution to her problem.

My takeaway: “take in more of the joy” - take mental snapshots of the experiences that make you smile and laugh so that you have a virtual scrapbook to look back on when the going gets tough.

I was gifted this copy by Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Never disappoints I was excited to read Good Grief as I have loved all of Sara’s previous novels …. We meet widow Barbara and her two children still reeling from the death of husband/father two years ago … Barbara’s mum had been supporting her in this time but has now left to go back to her husband and home so for the first time Barbara is left to care for her children on her own, ready to take on the role of a sole carer Barbara arrives home to find her mother in law with her five suitcases on her doorstep and so the fun begins !!! A book of love loss laughter I loved the characters and subject a really great read

Sara Goodman Confino’s novels are always uplifting and leave me feeling happy - this one is no different. Barbara has been a widow for 2 years when her mother-in-law (Ruth) shows up unannounced to help her with the children. Barbara’s own mother has just left after spending the last 2 years with them and Barbara is ready to move along on her own with the kids. Ruth has no intention of leaving anytime soon. There are laugh out loud moments and plenty of shenanigans typical of this authors writings. I really like both Barbara and Ruth. It was fun to watch their relationship develop and change. I highly recommend this and all of Sara Goodman Confino’s books 📚

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Good Grief is an engaging, female-centered novel that celebrates the connection between two women who both love the same deceased man. That is… a young widow and her mother-in-law.

The year is 1963 and the setting is the greater DC area. Barbara Feldman has 2 children, 6 and 4. Her mother moved in when her husband died very young of a massive heart attack. They realize that the time has come for Barbara and the kids to survive on their own, so her mother-in-law moves out.

They have exactly one day as a family of 3, when her Mother-in-law shows up on her porch with five suitcases. There is no room for argument, Ruth Feldman knows that Barbara’s mother has just left and she is taking her rightful place.

Hilarity ensues!

Okay- time for my trigger warning. What happens next is Ruth meddling and really going overboard on being intrusive. If you struggle with setting boundaries and/or are triggered by this, this is a major theme of the book and - I will admit - it raised my blood pressure a bit. I grew to really love Ruth in the end, but there were several times that I was full of anxiety at what she was doing. For example, Barbara has people coming to paint the kitchen a pale yellow and Ruth changes it to being pink. That kind of thing, over and over.

But all the while, you know that Ruth means well, and she really does love Barbara and her grandchildren. Barbara decides to play matchmaker to just get Ruth out of her house.

Historical fiction in the mid twentieth century can be a difficult plot for 2025 readers; authors make the mistake of making the characters unrealistic and having the culture/viewpoints of the typical 21st century reader. Authors also can make the time period overly nostalgic, but that isn’t the case here. The workplace is a hospital and very different than today’s society. You can change your own perceptions and see things through the eyes of characters who are
Immersed in another time.

It also made me grateful for the women of Barbara and Ruth’s time that made workplaces better for women and mothers like myself.

4.5 stars rounded up.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake House publishing for the ARC. Book to be published August 26, 2025.

Good Grief by Sara Goodman Confino is a novel that delves into themes of grief, family dynamics, and the rich tapestry of Jewish culture and tradition. The story follows the protagonist as she navigates the complexities of loss and familial relationships, offering readers a blend of humor and heartfelt moments.

This was my first experience reading Sara Goodman Confino’s work, prompted by a friend’s high praise of her writing. I was eager to explore her storytelling and was fortunate to receive a copy from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The novel is imbued with Jewish culture and tradition, providing a rich backdrop that adds depth to the narrative. Confino’s writing style is engaging and often light-hearted, making complex themes accessible. However, I found the portrayal of the mother-in-law’s intrusive behavior particularly challenging. Having faced similar personal experiences with a meddling in-law, this aspect of the story was triggering for me, making it difficult to fully engage with the narrative. The lack of healthy boundaries depicted in the protagonist’s household added to my discomfort, and I struggled to find enjoyment in these parts of the book.

Ultimately, this one just wasn’t for me. I read for enjoyment, and this story, while well-written, didn’t provide that experience due to how strongly I reacted to the mother-in-law’s behavior. That said, I still appreciate Confino’s writing style and humor and plan to give one of her other novels a try—hopefully without a triggering, overbearing in-law in the mix.

I was able to read an advance copy and enjoyed it a lot. The beginning was a bit slow, however the story picked up quite a bit after the first third.

I greatly enjoy the author’s characters and historical plots. I also appreciate that the writes about mothers and family situations surrounding children and real life situations.

While not my favorite book of hers, this one was fun. Ruth was a hoot!

Okay, I literally loved everything about this book. The characters were great, I enjoyed the time period that this book was set in, and I thought it handled the heavy topic of grief in a healthy, positive way. This might be my favorite Sara Goodman Confino yet- she’s an auto-read author for me as soon as I see a new release.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.