If We're Being Honest by Cat Shook: A Book Review
Cat Shook’s debut novel, If We’re Being Honest takes you on an emotional journey through the grief of losing a beloved family member, working through betrayal, the complicated intricacies of a multi-generational family, and secrets being exposed.
This multi POV novel was a great family drama that pulls you right into the lives of the Williams family. Though it can get confusing a bit with all the different POVs, I truly believe it was crucial to see from the viewpoint of every one of the family’s because as the story plays out, you see how each Williams is an important piece of the puzzle that made up this slightly dysfunctional family story. I also loved how each family was so different but that they were able to find common ground when it came to the love they had for the patriarch who had recently passed away. The chapters are very long too, but besides that, I enjoyed listening to this book.
Narration done by Kathleen McInerney was superb and kudos for having to differentiate the voices for this amount of characters, which is no easy feat!
Thank you Celadon Books for the arc and Macmillan Audio for the alc. Thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
If We're Being Honest releases tomorrow!
Book Description
When Gerry, the beloved Williams patriarch, dies suddenly, his grandchildren flock from across the country to the family home in Eulalia, Georgia. But when Gerry’s best friend steps up to the microphone to deliver his eulogy, the funeral turns out unlike anyone expected. The cousins, left reeling and confused, cope with their fresh grief and various private dramas. Delia, recently heartbroken, refuses to shut up about her ex. Her sister Alice, usually confident, flusters when she spots her high school sweetheart, hiding a secret that will change both of their lives. Outspoken, affable Grant is preening in the afterglow of his recent appearance on The Bachelorette and looking to reignite an old flame with the least available person in town. Meanwhile, his younger brother Red, unsure of himself and easily embarrassed, desperately searches for a place in the boisterous family.
The cousins’ eccentric parents are in tow, too, and equally lost—in love and in life. Watching over them all is Ellen, Gerry’s sweet and proper widow, who does her best to keep her composure in front of the leering small town.
Clever and completely original, If We’re Being Honest reminds you that while no one can break your heart like your family can, there’s really no one better to put you back together.