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.

Sara Goodman Confino does it again! Her characters come to life off the page, and each story, while different from the next, is incredibly well told. The dynamic of the cross generational females struggling to align while each growing is a strong suit of the authors. I always find myself immersed into the world, and this time is no different. I loved following along with the characters and I’m only saddened now I have no more SGC books left to read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Another fun, funny and yet tender 5 star read from Sara Goodman Confino!

I just devoured Good Grief in one day after getting an advance reader copy through NetGalley! Congratulations on another amazing book!

Y’all, I laughed outloud on a plane while reading this, and later I snorted! The lady next to me asked for the name of it!

This book is both a tender and funny look at how we survive loss, deal with family, and the simultaneous themes of women’s rights and empowerment, love and the historical context of women’s representation & rights and antisemitism hit in every spot!

PS I was in the middle of another really good read when I decided I would just read one chapter of this, I should have known better! 😂

Wahoo! A new SGC book means Drop Everything And Read for me! As with all her others, I devoured this one. I love her strong female characters. In this we find a young widow of two years saying goodbye to her mother as she's ready to stand on her own feet just to have her MIL show up on her doorstep ready to help.

I certainly would not welcome this, nor did dear Barbara . A couple weeks turned into a couple months, turned into...you get the idea! This novel was full of Sara's signature endearing wit and captured the 1963 time period perfectly. I love that I can picture myself in her books and Good Grief was no different! It was such a great escape from reality and easy to devour in a couple sittings. Highlights involved Ruth determined to play Matchmaker for daughter in law Barbara...some laughs and cringe- worthy moments including an epic fail with consequences for Barbara. Would this be the end of any chance of a civil relationship between these feisty females? ;)

I would love a sequel or novella to this book to know what happened with these characters, but I have the feeling I will see a few of them again as cameos in future books *wink wink for Easter egg hunters ;) The PMBC shoutout in the Acknowledgments was a chef's kiss (if you know, you know ;) ).

Thank you to Sara Goodman Confino, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A delightful new book from Sara Goodman Confino! I so enjoyed getting to know Barb and her sweet kids and watching the relationship between her and her MIL evolve. While the relationship with Barb and Eddie is fairly predictable, he is charming and exactly who I would want in my life if put in Barb’s situation! 4.5/5!