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This Family
It is my dearest wish, that after so long apart, I am able to bring this family together for my wedding day.
This house. This family.
Mary has raised a family in this house. Watched her children play and laugh and bicker in this house. Today she is getting married in this house, with all her family in attendance.
The wedding celebrations have brought fractured family together for the first time in there's Phoebe and her husband Michael, children in tow. The young and sensitive Rosie, with her new partner. Irene, Mary's ex-mother-in-law. Even Emma, Mary's eldest, is back for the wedding - despite being at odds with everyone else.
Set over the course of an English summer's day but punctuated with memories from the past forty years of love and loss, hope and joy, heartbreak and grief, this is the story of a family. Told by a chorus of characters, it is an exploration of the small moments that bring us to where we are, the changes that are brought about by time, and what, despite everything, stays the same.
This house. This family.
Mary has raised a family in this house. Watched her children play and laugh and bicker in this house. Today she is getting married in this house, with all her family in attendance.
The wedding celebrations have brought fractured family together for the first time in there's Phoebe and her husband Michael, children in tow. The young and sensitive Rosie, with her new partner. Irene, Mary's ex-mother-in-law. Even Emma, Mary's eldest, is back for the wedding - despite being at odds with everyone else.
Set over the course of an English summer's day but punctuated with memories from the past forty years of love and loss, hope and joy, heartbreak and grief, this is the story of a family. Told by a chorus of characters, it is an exploration of the small moments that bring us to where we are, the changes that are brought about by time, and what, despite everything, stays the same.
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First published May 11, 2023
171 people are currently reading
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About the author
Kate Sawyer
17 books179 followersKate was born in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, UK where she grew up in the countryside as the eldest of four siblings, after briefly living with her parents in Qatar and the Netherlands.
She has worked as an actor and producer on everything from film and theatre to festivals and weddings. She has previously written for theatre and short-film before turning her hand to fiction.
Having lived in South London for the best part of two decades, with brief stints in Australia and the USA, she recently returned to East Anglia to have her first child as a solo mother by choice.
She has worked as an actor and producer on everything from film and theatre to festivals and weddings. She has previously written for theatre and short-film before turning her hand to fiction.
Having lived in South London for the best part of two decades, with brief stints in Australia and the USA, she recently returned to East Anglia to have her first child as a solo mother by choice.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 304 reviews
March 14, 2023
3.5 rounded up
Imagine a much loved family house, the shade of a willow tree and the heat of a September day. Mary has raised her children in this house and today she will marry again. Can these wedding celebrations bring together a dysfunctional family unit as this is the first time in many years they will be under the same roof? There is her eldest daughter, Emma flying in from Los Angeles, the middle child is Phoebe, a journalist and a recovering alcoholic and here with her partner, well known actor Michael Regis and their two young children. Finally, there is much younger Rosie with her partner Danyal in tow. Let’s not also forget Mary‘s mother-in-law, the straight talking Irene. Can this fractured family set aside their issues for their much loved mother?
This family saga takes a bit of getting into as it switches between the past and present but through which we learn what has caused the dislocation between them. It’s definitely a slow burner as it drifts and meanders through the timelines but what’s absolutely without question is that it’s beautifully written. This fact keeps me continuing on and which draws me into the dramas making it compelling. It becomes full of emotion as the complex dynamics reveal themselves. The characterisation is excellent, the author makes them feel real as we peek into the past and the events of wedding day as we witness them experiencing a whole range of things. Mary is fantastic, she’s a remarkable and wonderful woman. She’s kind, she rises to challenges and there are plenty of those, she’s simply doing her best. They have all been through some experiences such as tragedy and grief and via this, the understanding grows of the complications of this family.
It isn’t all doom and gloom, far from it, there are some moments of humour, often courtesy of Irene and there’s joy, especially on the wedding day. The ending is good, in fact, it’s a bit of a stunner, which raises it to four stars for me. I also like the way the author gives really good context to the past timelines with references to actual events.
Overall, this is an insightful and acutely observed family drama.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciate arc in return for an honest review .
Imagine a much loved family house, the shade of a willow tree and the heat of a September day. Mary has raised her children in this house and today she will marry again. Can these wedding celebrations bring together a dysfunctional family unit as this is the first time in many years they will be under the same roof? There is her eldest daughter, Emma flying in from Los Angeles, the middle child is Phoebe, a journalist and a recovering alcoholic and here with her partner, well known actor Michael Regis and their two young children. Finally, there is much younger Rosie with her partner Danyal in tow. Let’s not also forget Mary‘s mother-in-law, the straight talking Irene. Can this fractured family set aside their issues for their much loved mother?
This family saga takes a bit of getting into as it switches between the past and present but through which we learn what has caused the dislocation between them. It’s definitely a slow burner as it drifts and meanders through the timelines but what’s absolutely without question is that it’s beautifully written. This fact keeps me continuing on and which draws me into the dramas making it compelling. It becomes full of emotion as the complex dynamics reveal themselves. The characterisation is excellent, the author makes them feel real as we peek into the past and the events of wedding day as we witness them experiencing a whole range of things. Mary is fantastic, she’s a remarkable and wonderful woman. She’s kind, she rises to challenges and there are plenty of those, she’s simply doing her best. They have all been through some experiences such as tragedy and grief and via this, the understanding grows of the complications of this family.
It isn’t all doom and gloom, far from it, there are some moments of humour, often courtesy of Irene and there’s joy, especially on the wedding day. The ending is good, in fact, it’s a bit of a stunner, which raises it to four stars for me. I also like the way the author gives really good context to the past timelines with references to actual events.
Overall, this is an insightful and acutely observed family drama.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciate arc in return for an honest review .
April 20, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up.
Mary has raised a family in this house. Watched her children play and laugh and bicker in this house. Today she is getting married in this house, with all her family in attendance. The wedding celebrations have brought her fractured family together for the first time in years: there's Phoebe and her husband Michael, children in tow. The young sensitive Rosie, with her new partner. Irene, Mary's ex-mother=in-law. even Emma, Mary's eldest, is back for the wedding - despite being at odds with everyone else. Set over the course of an English summer's day but punctuated with memories of the last forty years.
This story tells us about Mary's wedding day. Her guests include her ex-husband, his daughter, Mary's daughters and her ex-mother-in-law. I found the chapters confusing as the book spanned over the last forty years, but I was never sure what year we were talking about. It did take me a little while to get into the book. The story flips back and forward from forty years ago to the present day and cover love, loss, hope, heartbreak and joy.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #HodderStoughton and the author #KateSawyer for my ARC of #TheFamily in exchange for an honest review.
Mary has raised a family in this house. Watched her children play and laugh and bicker in this house. Today she is getting married in this house, with all her family in attendance. The wedding celebrations have brought her fractured family together for the first time in years: there's Phoebe and her husband Michael, children in tow. The young sensitive Rosie, with her new partner. Irene, Mary's ex-mother=in-law. even Emma, Mary's eldest, is back for the wedding - despite being at odds with everyone else. Set over the course of an English summer's day but punctuated with memories of the last forty years.
This story tells us about Mary's wedding day. Her guests include her ex-husband, his daughter, Mary's daughters and her ex-mother-in-law. I found the chapters confusing as the book spanned over the last forty years, but I was never sure what year we were talking about. It did take me a little while to get into the book. The story flips back and forward from forty years ago to the present day and cover love, loss, hope, heartbreak and joy.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #HodderStoughton and the author #KateSawyer for my ARC of #TheFamily in exchange for an honest review.
April 23, 2024
4.5 🌟
This is the first book by Kate Sawyer that I have read and I can firmly say I will definitely be reading everything else she has written and continues to write.
At the beginning I found it confusing the way the plot traveled forward and backwards in time and between various POV. I really struggle with this generally unless it is clearly written at the beginning of the chapter what date it is and who is speaking. However, saying that, I did thoroughly enjoy the book and the reading of it despite the slight challenge. Keeps the brain working 😉🤭 Once I got my head around it, I was flying and the character development was amazing, each character had their purpose and place in the novel. And I was at the edge of my seat, unfolding all the secrets and hidden meanings this book holds…
It was obvious straight away the power Kate had over words and the beauty she was able to create in her descriptions. I loved her descriptions of nature in particular; this one really stood out to me: “But she couldn’t take her eyes off the tree. It shimmered. An inconstant light glittering along the side of the house as if a disco ball were turning nearby. It was in full leaf, dancing in the late spring breeze. Slender branches waved like elegant fingers playing through long hair, slicing the light that reflected from the pond beneath it and causing this spectacular light-show in the grey brick facade.” - it may seem like a lot of description but Kate balanced it out perfectly with the about of speech and interaction between characters.
Mary, the mother of 2, is now getting married on a hot summers day in the house that she raised her family in. However, it is not quite so simple, there is step-daughter, Rosie, involved and that’s only the beginning on it. Layer upon layer we strip back the families fractures and secrets. But can Mary hope for just one day together as a family for the sake of her wedding?
She begins the process by writing to each of her daughters, who are now young women:
“It is my dearest wish that after so long apart, I am able to bring this family together for my wedding day….I am asking each of you to give me one day where you leave any animosity at the gate and try to remember that you love each other.”
Will they all turn up? What has fractured their love over the years? And what will happen if they all do show up on the day? So many questions lie ahead unanswered…
Phoebe notes that she knows she ought to be happiness for her mum. Today is celebrating. Being grateful, but she can’t help but feel sad they are leaving behind…
As the evening, and wedding, came to a close Richard headed home thinking to himself home is where the heart is. But where was his heart? That was a question he wasn’t quite sure he could answer yet. Life. It is unfair. It’s complicated and messy and no one can judge what happens behind closed doors and this book is the perfect depiction of that
Overall, This book was incredibly clever. By the use of a few sentences here and there, the reader is lead to assume a totally different family structure at the beginning than at the end. As it begins to unfold all we can do is read on to see what the true, final family looks like. It is heartbreaking in places but also so delightfully heartwarming that the heartbreak begins to heal itself. It is truly a very gripping and moving novel of family dynamics and I am so glad I got the opportunity to read it.
“She’d always been there. For him. For the kids. Even for his mother.
Mary.
What a woman she was.
Why had it taken him so long to realise it?”
This is the first book by Kate Sawyer that I have read and I can firmly say I will definitely be reading everything else she has written and continues to write.
At the beginning I found it confusing the way the plot traveled forward and backwards in time and between various POV. I really struggle with this generally unless it is clearly written at the beginning of the chapter what date it is and who is speaking. However, saying that, I did thoroughly enjoy the book and the reading of it despite the slight challenge. Keeps the brain working 😉🤭 Once I got my head around it, I was flying and the character development was amazing, each character had their purpose and place in the novel. And I was at the edge of my seat, unfolding all the secrets and hidden meanings this book holds…
It was obvious straight away the power Kate had over words and the beauty she was able to create in her descriptions. I loved her descriptions of nature in particular; this one really stood out to me: “But she couldn’t take her eyes off the tree. It shimmered. An inconstant light glittering along the side of the house as if a disco ball were turning nearby. It was in full leaf, dancing in the late spring breeze. Slender branches waved like elegant fingers playing through long hair, slicing the light that reflected from the pond beneath it and causing this spectacular light-show in the grey brick facade.” - it may seem like a lot of description but Kate balanced it out perfectly with the about of speech and interaction between characters.
Mary, the mother of 2, is now getting married on a hot summers day in the house that she raised her family in. However, it is not quite so simple, there is step-daughter, Rosie, involved and that’s only the beginning on it. Layer upon layer we strip back the families fractures and secrets. But can Mary hope for just one day together as a family for the sake of her wedding?
She begins the process by writing to each of her daughters, who are now young women:
“It is my dearest wish that after so long apart, I am able to bring this family together for my wedding day….I am asking each of you to give me one day where you leave any animosity at the gate and try to remember that you love each other.”
Will they all turn up? What has fractured their love over the years? And what will happen if they all do show up on the day? So many questions lie ahead unanswered…
Phoebe notes that she knows she ought to be happiness for her mum. Today is celebrating. Being grateful, but she can’t help but feel sad they are leaving behind…
As the evening, and wedding, came to a close Richard headed home thinking to himself home is where the heart is. But where was his heart? That was a question he wasn’t quite sure he could answer yet. Life. It is unfair. It’s complicated and messy and no one can judge what happens behind closed doors and this book is the perfect depiction of that
Overall, This book was incredibly clever. By the use of a few sentences here and there, the reader is lead to assume a totally different family structure at the beginning than at the end. As it begins to unfold all we can do is read on to see what the true, final family looks like. It is heartbreaking in places but also so delightfully heartwarming that the heartbreak begins to heal itself. It is truly a very gripping and moving novel of family dynamics and I am so glad I got the opportunity to read it.
“She’d always been there. For him. For the kids. Even for his mother.
Mary.
What a woman she was.
Why had it taken him so long to realise it?”
Read
May 23, 2023This Family is the latest by The Stranding author, Kate Sawyer. I loved that book so much and I know lots of you reading this did too.
In “This Family” we meet matriarch Mary; she’s raised two daughters and one step daughter in her big old house, and is reminiscing about all the good and bad times that have been had inside and outside its walls.
Mary is preparing to remarry; a big celebration in her garden and then she’ll leave this home forever. Before she can get to that point though, her children and their partners, plus their long standing feuds will all have to come together and hopefully behave themselves for her big day.
The story takes place via a series of flashbacks told from various perspectives, balanced with the modern day setting of Mary’s wedding.
This is a slow burn family drama. I enjoy those so this was very much my cup of tea but it is very different from The Stranding, if you were hoping for similar. Sawyer’s writing is very descriptive, and she has a real knack for world building; I have a very clear image of the family home and garden and somehow felt nostalgic for a time and place I’ve never been to. I found myself still savouring the warmth of this book the day after I’d finished it.
My only qualm was the mention of so many major world events as markers for the years the family lived through; 9/11, the July bombings in London, the Indonesian tsunami, the COVID 19 pandemic. I felt it over complicated the narrative at times.
With that said, I think this is an engaging story, ideal for lazy summer reading. If you enjoy books about family dynamics and the havoc they can cause, then I think you’ll enjoy this one too.
With thanks to @hodderbooks and @netgalley for the opportunity to read #ThisFamily, available to buy now.
In “This Family” we meet matriarch Mary; she’s raised two daughters and one step daughter in her big old house, and is reminiscing about all the good and bad times that have been had inside and outside its walls.
Mary is preparing to remarry; a big celebration in her garden and then she’ll leave this home forever. Before she can get to that point though, her children and their partners, plus their long standing feuds will all have to come together and hopefully behave themselves for her big day.
The story takes place via a series of flashbacks told from various perspectives, balanced with the modern day setting of Mary’s wedding.
This is a slow burn family drama. I enjoy those so this was very much my cup of tea but it is very different from The Stranding, if you were hoping for similar. Sawyer’s writing is very descriptive, and she has a real knack for world building; I have a very clear image of the family home and garden and somehow felt nostalgic for a time and place I’ve never been to. I found myself still savouring the warmth of this book the day after I’d finished it.
My only qualm was the mention of so many major world events as markers for the years the family lived through; 9/11, the July bombings in London, the Indonesian tsunami, the COVID 19 pandemic. I felt it over complicated the narrative at times.
With that said, I think this is an engaging story, ideal for lazy summer reading. If you enjoy books about family dynamics and the havoc they can cause, then I think you’ll enjoy this one too.
With thanks to @hodderbooks and @netgalley for the opportunity to read #ThisFamily, available to buy now.
May 23, 2023
Looking back it feels like I spent more time trying to work out which of the shifting timelines I was reading than in enjoying a family saga which is what I was expecting. I also felt a lot of the descriptive passages were unnecessarily long and often quite tedious.
August 10, 2024
The final chapter being in toddler speak sent me over the edge
August 2, 2025
Роман немного перенасыщен, но какой теплый, а. Как в одеялко завернули
August 9, 2023
I found this novel a deeply immersive, emotional experience and one I didn’t want to end. The story of a family over the space of 24 hours, told by each of the members includes incredible characterisation and is structured in a way that each reveal turns our judgements and thoughts about each character and their circumstances on their heads. I love love loved it!
April 3, 2024
DNF at 100 pages, book hard to follow with flashbacks ect, too many characters made it hard to remember how they are connected, long dull descriptions of things like table cloths and wine glasses made it so boring to read.
April 21, 2025
It took me a few chapters to get into as the narrative and period of time changes but once i became more familiar with the characters i really enjoyed the changes from past to present and piecing together the families lives and dramas.
June 5, 2024
I didn’t enjoy this book at all and it should have been right up my street.
Firstly, it was overwritten. There was unnecessary detail like:
“Tea, she thought, and turned back into the kitchen to fill the kettle. She scalded the teabag then added milk, removing the bag and cradling the cup in her palms, blowing on the tea to cool it”.
We get it. We know how to make tea. Do we need to know that she’s making a shit cup of tea?
Writing like this made it seem endless.
Then, all the characters were pretty awful in and of themselves and to each other. Mary was alright in her youth, but as the bride who wanted everyone to get along because it was “her day “ was insufferable.
One sister had been married to a guy, and they’d had a still birth, and then broken up. Then he had gotten with the other sister, and had a couple of kids with her. It’s a bit much to ask that they all just get along! And at one point, these two sisters are having a quiet, private conversation with each other and the other sister arrives to give out to them saying it’s their Mother’s Day and HER day, because she’d just gotten engaged AT HER MOTHER’S WEDDING! Surely that’s not on ??
There’s a lot of back and forth in the chronology that just gets annoying. There are too many characters. It seems like the author was trying to build up some suspense about who Mary is marrying but then half way through just decided “fuck it: its Iain”.
Iain is the widow of her best friend, Liz, who died of cancer, and get a load of this utterly sloppy exchange between the bride and groom:
“Sorry. Liz was with me there for a moment.’ ‘Ah.’ She moves her hand on his back, rubbing in decreasing circles. ‘Yes. She’s been with me for much of the day, too.’ ‘Watching over us.’ He extends his hand to tuck a wild strand of hair behind her ear. ‘You’ve done her proud with the sunflowers.’ ‘They were her favourite.’ ‘I know.’
So are we supposed to think that the widow didn’t know what his deceased wife’s favourite flower was? Or that he hadn’t noticed until this point that the wedding was coming down with sunflowers?
No, no, they’re an awful shower, and I didn’t enjoy spending time with them at all, and at times it was very clunkily written.
Firstly, it was overwritten. There was unnecessary detail like:
“Tea, she thought, and turned back into the kitchen to fill the kettle. She scalded the teabag then added milk, removing the bag and cradling the cup in her palms, blowing on the tea to cool it”.
We get it. We know how to make tea. Do we need to know that she’s making a shit cup of tea?
Writing like this made it seem endless.
Then, all the characters were pretty awful in and of themselves and to each other. Mary was alright in her youth, but as the bride who wanted everyone to get along because it was “her day “ was insufferable.
One sister had been married to a guy, and they’d had a still birth, and then broken up. Then he had gotten with the other sister, and had a couple of kids with her. It’s a bit much to ask that they all just get along! And at one point, these two sisters are having a quiet, private conversation with each other and the other sister arrives to give out to them saying it’s their Mother’s Day and HER day, because she’d just gotten engaged AT HER MOTHER’S WEDDING! Surely that’s not on ??
There’s a lot of back and forth in the chronology that just gets annoying. There are too many characters. It seems like the author was trying to build up some suspense about who Mary is marrying but then half way through just decided “fuck it: its Iain”.
Iain is the widow of her best friend, Liz, who died of cancer, and get a load of this utterly sloppy exchange between the bride and groom:
“Sorry. Liz was with me there for a moment.’ ‘Ah.’ She moves her hand on his back, rubbing in decreasing circles. ‘Yes. She’s been with me for much of the day, too.’ ‘Watching over us.’ He extends his hand to tuck a wild strand of hair behind her ear. ‘You’ve done her proud with the sunflowers.’ ‘They were her favourite.’ ‘I know.’
So are we supposed to think that the widow didn’t know what his deceased wife’s favourite flower was? Or that he hadn’t noticed until this point that the wedding was coming down with sunflowers?
No, no, they’re an awful shower, and I didn’t enjoy spending time with them at all, and at times it was very clunkily written.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2023
This is such a clever book. Set over a glorious summer's day is a story of a family who must all come together to the family home to celebrate Mary's wedding day. The unique structure of the book flits between present day and the moments from the past which led them to that day. Although each flashback is from the perspective of a different person and not in chronological order it is completely seamless and as the book goes on we learn more and more about This Family and all its intricacies, complexities, heartbreak but ultimately all the love that they share. It's beautifully and skillfully written, beautifully descriptive and I really enjoyed reading from start to finish.
April 6, 2024
4.5. I picked up this book in Waterstones due to their display & knew nothing about it. I found it slightly frustrating at first as details & characters are mentioned but not explained, so it took me a few chapters to get into but then I loved it. Some of the characters seem unlikeable at first, but the author does a brilliant job of slowly allowing you to get to know them all, one by one, and feel sympathy for each of them. I loved the author’s style of writing and how she brought significant world events into the story. Heartbreaking at times, heartwarming at others.
March 27, 2024
Reminiscent of Ann Patchett.
August 8, 2023
A family is making preparations for a wedding. Mary’s wedding. Her children and their partners will be arriving from far and wide. There are more than miles for them to cover. This is a family with a back story. As the preparations are underway there are tensions fizzing beneath.. The narrative switches between the present of the wedding and narratives in past - the back stories of all the characters who will assemble for the wedding.
I loved the domesticity of this novel, the preparations for the wedding felt so visual - I had such a clear picture of the garden and the tables… The rural setting was strongly evoked - the rurality, the pigs in the fields, market days, the way everyone knows everyone! The author has a real talent for observing relationships and imagining dialogues between her characters. The difficult and self absorbed grandmother with her inappropriate comments was beautifully done. The writing is lyrical and the observation of family life insightful and intuitive.
I started this novel with great hopes but at some point I became disconnected. I regret that and the fact that I found it impossible to rescue myself. This was in part due to the switching between timelines and narratives which I am afraid to say confused me, and in part simply because I felt a total disconnect with these characters. This is a family with a difficult past and the tension between them was tangible and totally to be expected but at points this just made me feel rather uncomfortable.
I think that this will appeal to readers who love family sagas and the intimate dynamics of family life.
With many thanks to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for my digital copy.
I loved the domesticity of this novel, the preparations for the wedding felt so visual - I had such a clear picture of the garden and the tables… The rural setting was strongly evoked - the rurality, the pigs in the fields, market days, the way everyone knows everyone! The author has a real talent for observing relationships and imagining dialogues between her characters. The difficult and self absorbed grandmother with her inappropriate comments was beautifully done. The writing is lyrical and the observation of family life insightful and intuitive.
I started this novel with great hopes but at some point I became disconnected. I regret that and the fact that I found it impossible to rescue myself. This was in part due to the switching between timelines and narratives which I am afraid to say confused me, and in part simply because I felt a total disconnect with these characters. This is a family with a difficult past and the tension between them was tangible and totally to be expected but at points this just made me feel rather uncomfortable.
I think that this will appeal to readers who love family sagas and the intimate dynamics of family life.
With many thanks to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for my digital copy.
August 30, 2023
There is obviously something in this book that I just didn’t understand as I’ve given it a low rating.
I thought parts of it showed an interesting family dynamic- the story of Richard having an affair and then Mary raising the child was quite compelling and different!
I found Phoebe so unlikeable and the whole dynamic of Michael marrying Emma and then marrying Phoebe afterwards so uncomfortable. There was no resolution in my mind and I hated the scene of Rosie interrupting their conversation in the middle of an intense exchange and the other two getting the giggles. It felt so cliche.
Also felt like there was an over use of real life tragic events- I didn’t need constant references to Covid, 9/11, the London bombings, the Boxing Day tsunami etc…
I just didn’t like it.
I thought parts of it showed an interesting family dynamic- the story of Richard having an affair and then Mary raising the child was quite compelling and different!
I found Phoebe so unlikeable and the whole dynamic of Michael marrying Emma and then marrying Phoebe afterwards so uncomfortable. There was no resolution in my mind and I hated the scene of Rosie interrupting their conversation in the middle of an intense exchange and the other two getting the giggles. It felt so cliche.
Also felt like there was an over use of real life tragic events- I didn’t need constant references to Covid, 9/11, the London bombings, the Boxing Day tsunami etc…
I just didn’t like it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2024
I spent the first half of this novel trying to work out who was who, who was married to who and who had which children. Too many characters too early on for me to cope with.
By the time I had got to the second half I felt I had some grasp on what was going on but by that stage I'd become a bit fed up with it to be honest.
Despite that there were some lovely moments and significant deeper messages about relationships and family life.
By the time I had got to the second half I felt I had some grasp on what was going on but by that stage I'd become a bit fed up with it to be honest.
Despite that there were some lovely moments and significant deeper messages about relationships and family life.
April 4, 2024
Gave up 1/2 way through this - everything annoyed me. Disliked all the selfish characters - and the boring Suffolk plot about infidelity and family arguments. Actually only bought it as I was strongly recommended it in Waterstones and it was half price offer.
June 2, 2024
The ultimate basic bitch holiday novel. I just couldn’t with this. The author lost me when she made a reference to “the boys” only to realize she meant prince harry and William. It all goes downhill from there.
April 14, 2025
Adored this book. Flew through it - such an easy read. Just a lovely, emotional, multi-layered family drama. Fab book.
May 24, 2023
This book was a fabulous reading experience. I cried when I came to the end, not because it was sad but because I wanted to stay in the chaotic, messy world the author created.
I loved it because everyone was flawed but still likeable (I hate it when there are obviously ‘good’ and ‘bad’ caricatures in a story), I loved the complicated lives and choices made and I really loved the garden setting.
I think Kate sawyer is a gifted author and look forward to reading more of her work. If I could whisper in her ear I’d say how emotionally drained I felt rooting for each person to live their best life. It would have been an easier read with fewer characters and maybe there was no need to anchor key episodes to memorable world events but then again, would I have cried at the end? Maybe it’s perfect just the way it is.
I loved it because everyone was flawed but still likeable (I hate it when there are obviously ‘good’ and ‘bad’ caricatures in a story), I loved the complicated lives and choices made and I really loved the garden setting.
I think Kate sawyer is a gifted author and look forward to reading more of her work. If I could whisper in her ear I’d say how emotionally drained I felt rooting for each person to live their best life. It would have been an easier read with fewer characters and maybe there was no need to anchor key episodes to memorable world events but then again, would I have cried at the end? Maybe it’s perfect just the way it is.
May 9, 2023
I really struggled to get into this book.
It wasn't initially clear who all the characters were and how they were related which was a little confusing. More confusing though was the constant changing between the present and the past. I don't have a problem reading books that move backwards and forwards in timelines but usually there is some indication as to when in the past we now reading about. This book just threw you in at the deep end and left the reader to try and work it out from historical references and an assumption of the age of the character. This distracted me from the story.
I enjoy a family saga but this didn't do it for me.
It wasn't initially clear who all the characters were and how they were related which was a little confusing. More confusing though was the constant changing between the present and the past. I don't have a problem reading books that move backwards and forwards in timelines but usually there is some indication as to when in the past we now reading about. This book just threw you in at the deep end and left the reader to try and work it out from historical references and an assumption of the age of the character. This distracted me from the story.
I enjoy a family saga but this didn't do it for me.
March 23, 2023
I'm afraid that this story did not grab me. I've been unable to finish the book as I find the way it is written to confusing. The story is set in two timelines, but it is not clear when you are in the present and when you have jumped to the past. I have been unable to engage with the characters because of this, so I'm afraid I can not recomend this book.
April 9, 2024
A bit like a British book version of This Is Us
September 8, 2024
I enjoyed this book though found the jumping about in time a bit confusing. It would have helped me if each chapter stated what year we were in
April 21, 2023
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
The Family
by Kate Sawyer
The opening scene of this gloriously layered family story is of Mary preparing her English country garden for her long awaited post-lockdown wedding, stringing lights, flicking out table cloths, arranging sunflowers, lining up mismatching tables and chairs. It's a beautiful September day and she will soon be surrounded, for the first time since the pandemic, by all the people she loves and who love her, but her only wish is that her three daughters park their feuds and allow her one day of peace and joy.
The story is told over the course of this one day but the author cleverly winds in past reflections of several characters to show us just how the family dynamics evolved, where each choice was made that resulted in friendship or hurt, offense or love, betrayal or exile.
Why are these sisters getting together such a concern? Who is Mary marrying? As you progress through the first few chapters, even more questions arise. This family is like a jigsaw puzzle and none of the pieces fit.
Maybe it was the unexpectedly hot and sunny weather that allowed me the chance to sit in my own garden for the first time this year, but this book just matched my mood perfectly. I'm a sucker for a complicated family novel, especially among sisters, and this gave me vibes of "The Most Fun We Ever Had" where miscommunication and misinterpretation of feelings and reactions can build into years of resentment and estrangement.
For a book that has quite a meditative tone, it is not at all slow paced. The chapters are fairly short, and it is very difficult to end a reading session on a present day chapter because the next one will segue into a memory that you will be curious to access.
How will it all play out? Will we find out how these sisters, that we will come to care so much about, fell apart so completely? Will they be able to restrain themselves for just one day? Will Mary get harmony for her wedding day?
Publication date: 11th May 2023
Thanks to #netgalley and @hodderbooks for the egalley
The Family
by Kate Sawyer
The opening scene of this gloriously layered family story is of Mary preparing her English country garden for her long awaited post-lockdown wedding, stringing lights, flicking out table cloths, arranging sunflowers, lining up mismatching tables and chairs. It's a beautiful September day and she will soon be surrounded, for the first time since the pandemic, by all the people she loves and who love her, but her only wish is that her three daughters park their feuds and allow her one day of peace and joy.
The story is told over the course of this one day but the author cleverly winds in past reflections of several characters to show us just how the family dynamics evolved, where each choice was made that resulted in friendship or hurt, offense or love, betrayal or exile.
Why are these sisters getting together such a concern? Who is Mary marrying? As you progress through the first few chapters, even more questions arise. This family is like a jigsaw puzzle and none of the pieces fit.
Maybe it was the unexpectedly hot and sunny weather that allowed me the chance to sit in my own garden for the first time this year, but this book just matched my mood perfectly. I'm a sucker for a complicated family novel, especially among sisters, and this gave me vibes of "The Most Fun We Ever Had" where miscommunication and misinterpretation of feelings and reactions can build into years of resentment and estrangement.
For a book that has quite a meditative tone, it is not at all slow paced. The chapters are fairly short, and it is very difficult to end a reading session on a present day chapter because the next one will segue into a memory that you will be curious to access.
How will it all play out? Will we find out how these sisters, that we will come to care so much about, fell apart so completely? Will they be able to restrain themselves for just one day? Will Mary get harmony for her wedding day?
Publication date: 11th May 2023
Thanks to #netgalley and @hodderbooks for the egalley
March 18, 2024
A little bit of blurb for you:
‘Mary has raised her daughters in this house. Watched them play and fight and grow up in this house. Today it is the house where she will get married.
The wedding celebrations have brought the fractured family together for the first time in years: There is Phoebe and her husband Michael, children in tow.
he young and sensitive Rosie, with her new partner. Irene, Mary's ex-mother-in-law. And Emma. There, despite all that has gone before.
Set over the course of an English summer's day and punctuated with memories from the past forty years of love and betrayal, hope and joy, heartbreak and grief, this is the story of a family. Told by a chorus of characters, it is an exploration of the intimacies and transgressions that bring us to where we are, the changes that are brought about by time, and what, despite everything, stays the same.’
This was a book of two halves for me. I went into the plot having no idea what lay in store and as the plot gradually travelled along I got an insight into ‘This Family’.
The build up was slow so if you are after a fast paced, twisty turny plot then this is probably not for you. But for those looking to escape into a world with intrigue and a multi layered plot with multi POV based on insightful family dynamics then this is the perfect book for you.
The author never drops us into a scene, she instead beautifully describes every element with an elegant flow and a constant building tension through every page with amazing characterisation.
Although it is heavy at times there is also moments of humour often in the most unlikely of places ( courtesy of Irene for example). The ending was everything I wanted it to be ! You can completely understand why this made Waterstones Book of the Month for March 2024
Trigger warning : This is a highly emotive read which does deal with themes inc loss, grief, suicide and addiction.
I can’t wait to read ‘The Stranding’ now ! Have you read books by this author before and if so what did you think?
‘Mary has raised her daughters in this house. Watched them play and fight and grow up in this house. Today it is the house where she will get married.
The wedding celebrations have brought the fractured family together for the first time in years: There is Phoebe and her husband Michael, children in tow.
he young and sensitive Rosie, with her new partner. Irene, Mary's ex-mother-in-law. And Emma. There, despite all that has gone before.
Set over the course of an English summer's day and punctuated with memories from the past forty years of love and betrayal, hope and joy, heartbreak and grief, this is the story of a family. Told by a chorus of characters, it is an exploration of the intimacies and transgressions that bring us to where we are, the changes that are brought about by time, and what, despite everything, stays the same.’
This was a book of two halves for me. I went into the plot having no idea what lay in store and as the plot gradually travelled along I got an insight into ‘This Family’.
The build up was slow so if you are after a fast paced, twisty turny plot then this is probably not for you. But for those looking to escape into a world with intrigue and a multi layered plot with multi POV based on insightful family dynamics then this is the perfect book for you.
The author never drops us into a scene, she instead beautifully describes every element with an elegant flow and a constant building tension through every page with amazing characterisation.
Although it is heavy at times there is also moments of humour often in the most unlikely of places ( courtesy of Irene for example). The ending was everything I wanted it to be ! You can completely understand why this made Waterstones Book of the Month for March 2024
Trigger warning : This is a highly emotive read which does deal with themes inc loss, grief, suicide and addiction.
I can’t wait to read ‘The Stranding’ now ! Have you read books by this author before and if so what did you think?
August 3, 2023
As The Stranding is one of my favourite books I was absolutely delighted to get Kate Sawyer's next book on Netgalley, but also that worry that it might not be as good.
It's a very different book and much more of a slow burn but it drew me in with the flawed but realistic characters, slow reveal through the timelines and the beautiful writing.
Set on one day - Mary's wedding day - we know a family are being brought together and have promised to get along. Then all the back stories and different perspectives are revealed. I also liked the use of real life events that really give the past time lines a sense of time and place.
Fantastic ending as well.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
It's a very different book and much more of a slow burn but it drew me in with the flawed but realistic characters, slow reveal through the timelines and the beautiful writing.
Set on one day - Mary's wedding day - we know a family are being brought together and have promised to get along. Then all the back stories and different perspectives are revealed. I also liked the use of real life events that really give the past time lines a sense of time and place.
Fantastic ending as well.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 30, 2024
Waterstones book club read.
This took a while to get into, I did enjoy it eventually once I got my head around who was who & the relationships within the family, i did love all the characters & the dynamics of the family,the house that Mary & Richard bought forty years previously where the wedding party day which the book is based around is sounds just wonderful,BUT I felt it was disjointed how it was written, confusing me where we were as it jumps from present day to anytime within the last forty years from chapter to chapter.
I’m a fan of a good family saga so all in all it was a good read!
This took a while to get into, I did enjoy it eventually once I got my head around who was who & the relationships within the family, i did love all the characters & the dynamics of the family,the house that Mary & Richard bought forty years previously where the wedding party day which the book is based around is sounds just wonderful,BUT I felt it was disjointed how it was written, confusing me where we were as it jumps from present day to anytime within the last forty years from chapter to chapter.
I’m a fan of a good family saga so all in all it was a good read!
May 17, 2023
This is a tender novel about the human condition, our flaws, forgiveness and family. The setting of a garden party for a wedding is really evocative. The character development is warm and beautifully drawn. I also loved the backdrop of events and current affairs providing context and another facet to the lives of the characters. It was a little hard to orientate myself around all the relationships at first, but I ultimately I enjoyed spending time with this family.
This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.
This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.
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