Family Family Book Club Discussion

I have five favorite books of all time, which begs a whole other blog post at some point, but for now, one of the books on my list is This is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel. Carrie and I read this book, completely fell for it, wrote about it, talked about it, and then made everyone we knew read it. If we have a virtual book club book, it’s This is How It Always, and after reading it, we have since read everything written by Frankel. We celebrate every time she has a new release, and please join us for the party–welcome to our Family Family book club discussion!

(And psst…did you know our book club was featured in the Top 60 List of Mom Bloggers?? #27–check it out!)

Well done, Frankel! Family Family has it all–original plot, compelling intrigue, incredibly well-developed characters, keen humor speckled throughout, and her signature trademark: a huge beating heart that leaves you relating to and rooting for the cast she has created. This book was a solid win for me. An absorbing read full of truth and substance that will stick with me.

Family Family Book Club Discussion Questions

1. Discuss the significance of the title. Was there a particular moment when the meaning made sense to you?
2. India made a lot of very significant choices in her life. Which ones steered her life course the most?
3. Fig and Jack dealt with a lot of trauma. How did India create a safe space for them to process their feelings? How do you think their past will influence their future?
4. What do you think the book’s primary message about adoption was?
5. Discuss India’s index cards. What were their significance–both logistically and symbolically?
6. What role did India’s fame play in shaping her family life? What were the pros and cons of being a celebrity?
7. What roles did Robbie and Davis play in India’s life? What did each of them represent?
8. How do you see the sibling connection play out throughout the book? Some very unique sibling relationships are part of their story going forth. What do you think this will look like for them?
9. Who is the family in this novel? How will their lives move forward together and apart?
10. Who are the people in your life who are family without being a blood relation? What is your commitment to them and involvement with them?

I loved the quote from India, “Not all stories of adoption are stories of pain and regret. Not even most of them. Why don’t we ever get that movie?”. While there is no Family Family movie (yet!), the book delivered a far different story, showcasing how a family built with adoptions truly can be a family family. This was a beautiful message that Frankel used her book to share, just as India used her fame to share (albeit being met with complications and harassment in so doing).

I think the future for this family looks connected and bright. Logistically, India’s bank account will permit travel that facilitates time together. The openness, friendship, and communication will support and encourage the siblings to grow together in close relationships.

A beautifully constructed book with a beautiful message. If you haven’t read it, do! Thanks for joining us for our Family Family book club discussion!

We’re very excited about our much-buzzed-about next pick, The Husbands by Holly Gramazio. Read for the description and you’ll see why!

And as always, we are giving away a copy for free. As long as you are 18 or older and live in the continental United States, you are eligible to win! Leave a comment on this post or the Instagram post before 4/26/24 at 7am EST to enter.

The Husbands by Holly Gramazio

When Lauren returns home to her flat in London late one night, she is greeted at the door by her husband, Michael. There’s only one problem—she’s not married. She’s never seen this man before in her life. But according to her friends, her much-improved decor, and the photos on her phone, they’ve been together for years.

As Lauren tries to puzzle out how she could be married to someone she can’t remember meeting, Michael goes to the attic to change a lightbulb and abruptly disappears. In his place, a new man emerges, and a new, slightly altered life re-forms around her. Realizing that her attic is creating an infinite supply of husbands, Lauren confronts the question: If swapping lives is as easy as changing a lightbulb, how do you know you’ve taken the right path? When do you stop trying to do better and start actually living?

So intriguing, right?? Drop a comment for a chance to snag your own copy, and thank you again for joining our Family Family book club discussion!

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Thank you to Henry Holt for providing copies of Family Family for review and giveaway. All opinions are 100% our own.

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Meredith

Meredith blogs at The Mom of the Year, where she dedicatedly earns her title one epic parenting fail at a time, offering quick, relatable laughs for fellow parents and all their empathizers. She has been part of several best-selling anthologies, featured on prominent sites such as Huffington Post, In the Powder Room and BlogHer, and loves her role as the Executive VP/Operations Manager of The BlogU Conference. When she's not breaking up fights over Legos and juice boxes, she remains fully committed to sharing a less serious look at the world of parenting.

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