What do you think?
Rate this book
More Than Enough
A woman finds herself asking surprising questions about her family and friends in this wise, wonderful novel of life, loss, and moving on—from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of After Annie
High school English teacher Polly Goodman can talk about everything and anything with the women in her book club, which is why they’ve become her closest friends and, along with the support of her veterinarian husband, the bedrock of her life. Her private school students, her fraught relationship with mother, her struggles with IVF—Polly’s book club friends have heard it all.
But when they give Polly an ancestry test kit as a joke, the results match her with a stranger. Despite it seeming clear that this match is a mistake, Polly cannot help combing through her own family history for answers. Then, when it seems that the book club circle of four will become three, Polly learns how friendships can change your life in the most profound ways.
Written with Quindlen’s trademark warmth, humor, and insight into the power of love and hope, More Than Enough explores how we find ourselves again and again through the relationships that define us.
High school English teacher Polly Goodman can talk about everything and anything with the women in her book club, which is why they’ve become her closest friends and, along with the support of her veterinarian husband, the bedrock of her life. Her private school students, her fraught relationship with mother, her struggles with IVF—Polly’s book club friends have heard it all.
But when they give Polly an ancestry test kit as a joke, the results match her with a stranger. Despite it seeming clear that this match is a mistake, Polly cannot help combing through her own family history for answers. Then, when it seems that the book club circle of four will become three, Polly learns how friendships can change your life in the most profound ways.
Written with Quindlen’s trademark warmth, humor, and insight into the power of love and hope, More Than Enough explores how we find ourselves again and again through the relationships that define us.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published February 24, 2026
1947 people are currently reading
30647 people want to read
About the author
Anna Quindlen
89 books4,948 followersAnna Marie Quindlen is an American author, journalist, and opinion columnist.
Her New York Times column, Public and Private, won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 1992. She began her journalism career in 1974 as a reporter for the New York Post. Between 1977 and 1994 she held several posts at The New York Times. Her semi-autobiographical novel One True Thing (1994) served as the basis for the 1998 film starring Meryl Streep and Renée Zellweger.
Her New York Times column, Public and Private, won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 1992. She began her journalism career in 1974 as a reporter for the New York Post. Between 1977 and 1994 she held several posts at The New York Times. Her semi-autobiographical novel One True Thing (1994) served as the basis for the 1998 film starring Meryl Streep and Renée Zellweger.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 961 reviews
August 27, 2025
3.75 stars rounded up
A contemporary, relatable story of a woman facing the challenges that life doles out. It’s a lovely story with characters to connect with. This is the third book I’ve read by Anna Quindlen and enjoyed exactly because of that. Her characters are ordinary people dealing with things that many of us know about first hand - grief, loss, terminal illness, a parent with dementia, family relationships sometimes fraught with resentment held for years, troubled teens, infertility, those DNA tests that change people’s lives . But she also gives us time to reflect on the wonderful parts of life that many of us know - love, friendships, family ties.
I’m not going to go into the details of Polly Goodman’s story as they can easily be found by reading the book description. I’ll just add that I’m glad to have a few more of Quindlen’s novels to read. The story was somewhat predictable leaving me guessing correctly answers and an ending that Polly didn’t see, thus the 3.75 stars. However, Quindlen does such a good job of portraying the realistic things, both good and bad in people’s lives , I have to round it up . I also loved Polly’s book club where no one read the books selected. That was the rule - no reading or discussing the book, just a bitch session where they told each other everything. Reminds me a group I belong to !
I received a copy of this book from Random House through NetGalley.
A contemporary, relatable story of a woman facing the challenges that life doles out. It’s a lovely story with characters to connect with. This is the third book I’ve read by Anna Quindlen and enjoyed exactly because of that. Her characters are ordinary people dealing with things that many of us know about first hand - grief, loss, terminal illness, a parent with dementia, family relationships sometimes fraught with resentment held for years, troubled teens, infertility, those DNA tests that change people’s lives . But she also gives us time to reflect on the wonderful parts of life that many of us know - love, friendships, family ties.
I’m not going to go into the details of Polly Goodman’s story as they can easily be found by reading the book description. I’ll just add that I’m glad to have a few more of Quindlen’s novels to read. The story was somewhat predictable leaving me guessing correctly answers and an ending that Polly didn’t see, thus the 3.75 stars. However, Quindlen does such a good job of portraying the realistic things, both good and bad in people’s lives , I have to round it up . I also loved Polly’s book club where no one read the books selected. That was the rule - no reading or discussing the book, just a bitch session where they told each other everything. Reminds me a group I belong to !
I received a copy of this book from Random House through NetGalley.
January 17, 2026
3.5stars
Everyone has their problems. No one seems to be able to escape living their lives, even though they may seem perfect on the outside, there is often turmoil on the inside.
For Polly Goodman, a high school teacher and her husband, they seem to be outrageously happy. however, infertility has entered their marriage and is taking its toll
Polly has a wonderful group of friends, members of a book club that never read the book, but just can read each other. They give Polly an ancestry kit as a gift and she is off finding how it could be that she possibly has a niece or even if she does.
Meanwhile her best friend, is once again battling cancer, and Polly knows that this might spell tragedy for her friend.
I enjoyed Anna Quindlen's writing and the story, (although at times at tad sappy) gave me wonderful feelings of hope and happiness for Polly, her amazing husband, and the future enjoying life with her friends.
Jan and I enjoyed this telling sentimental story and of course had some great discussions on it.
Everyone has their problems. No one seems to be able to escape living their lives, even though they may seem perfect on the outside, there is often turmoil on the inside.
For Polly Goodman, a high school teacher and her husband, they seem to be outrageously happy. however, infertility has entered their marriage and is taking its toll
Polly has a wonderful group of friends, members of a book club that never read the book, but just can read each other. They give Polly an ancestry kit as a gift and she is off finding how it could be that she possibly has a niece or even if she does.
Meanwhile her best friend, is once again battling cancer, and Polly knows that this might spell tragedy for her friend.
I enjoyed Anna Quindlen's writing and the story, (although at times at tad sappy) gave me wonderful feelings of hope and happiness for Polly, her amazing husband, and the future enjoying life with her friends.
Jan and I enjoyed this telling sentimental story and of course had some great discussions on it.
November 18, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
This was such a sweet heartwarming story. I love books about DNA stories and reveals! The way the author kept us tethered to each part of the story while slowly bringing us along was so beautiful. I love Anna Quindlen’s storytelling and I think if you like literary books that are character driven, I think you’ll really enjoy it.
This was such a sweet heartwarming story. I love books about DNA stories and reveals! The way the author kept us tethered to each part of the story while slowly bringing us along was so beautiful. I love Anna Quindlen’s storytelling and I think if you like literary books that are character driven, I think you’ll really enjoy it.
March 19, 2026
3.5~3 ★
" 'Some of the most common problems I see in my practice are the illusions so many people have about family. The Hallmark card version, the fantasy of unconditional love, everybody sitting around Thanksgiving table, overwhelms the reality. Some families are filled with people who, sitting on a bus together, wouldn’t exchange a word. But I constantly see people who feel damaged because they aren’t best buddies with their sister or don’t have much in common with their parents.'"
Emily is Polly's psychologist sister-in-law. She and Polly have married into a family where everyone tells everyone everything and they do actually play badminton and board games together.
Emily says this family is an aberration from the norm of what she sees in her practice. Well, to be fair, I guess we're to assume that Hallmark families wouldn't be among her usual clientele.
Polly has had plenty of past heart ache, with a lousy first husband and now no sign of a successful pregnancy with her current husband, Mark. He's a vet for large animals who will treat anything regardless of size and often delivers new zoo babies, which he and Polly find bittersweet. He is a terrific guy, very caring, solicitous, and perfect for Polly.
" 'The man loves animals in the way I love students, and with less reason, as far as I’m concerned. He’s been kicked, headbutted, and bitten, and I never have, although when I said that one day to Lou, she’d said, 'That’s because you’ve never taught kindergarten boys.' "
Polly teaches high school, and Lou is Mark's mother, so Quindlen has given herself plenty of opportunities to bring up the many comments teachers hear, like how wonderful it must be to have short hours and short school terms. Polly's friend Josephine reported a familiar one.
" 'My father said that once, when I was talking about what an excellent teacher you were,' Josephine said. 'He said, if she’s so good, why isn’t she teaching at the college level.'"
Polly and three friends have a book club where they choose and each buy a copy of a book but promise not to read it. They just meet and enjoy a gossip session instead. The other three give Polly a DNA kit as a gift for a bit of fun, but she takes it and follows up.
She is told by the company that they have found a relative who wants to be contacted. She confides in her brother, to whom she is very close. They meet for lunch.
“ 'Polly,' Garrison said, 'take the test again. They made a mistake. Or write to Uncle Brian and see if he took one himself. Go home to your fabulous husband. I’m glad he and I are on the same page about this.'
'He has a zebra with a breech baby,' I said. 'He’s trying to turn it so it’ll come out headfirst instead.'
'I love him,' Garrison said. 'I love you. I’m all you’ve got. Live with it.'
'Oh, Gar,' I said, hugging him, 'you’re so much more than enough.'
'Exactly,' my brother said."
More than enough, maybe, but not enough to stop her from driving north to meet a possible… who-what…cousin?
There are several storylines running along with Polly's DNA hunt, including her IVF frustrations, her family, Mark's family, her book club, and a friend's sudden dreadful diagnosis.
It meanders a bit much for me and includes what I think of as teaching moments, but I think Quindlen's fans will probably love it.
Thanks to #NetGalley and Random House for a copy of #MoreThanEnough for review.
" 'Some of the most common problems I see in my practice are the illusions so many people have about family. The Hallmark card version, the fantasy of unconditional love, everybody sitting around Thanksgiving table, overwhelms the reality. Some families are filled with people who, sitting on a bus together, wouldn’t exchange a word. But I constantly see people who feel damaged because they aren’t best buddies with their sister or don’t have much in common with their parents.'"
Emily is Polly's psychologist sister-in-law. She and Polly have married into a family where everyone tells everyone everything and they do actually play badminton and board games together.
Emily says this family is an aberration from the norm of what she sees in her practice. Well, to be fair, I guess we're to assume that Hallmark families wouldn't be among her usual clientele.
Polly has had plenty of past heart ache, with a lousy first husband and now no sign of a successful pregnancy with her current husband, Mark. He's a vet for large animals who will treat anything regardless of size and often delivers new zoo babies, which he and Polly find bittersweet. He is a terrific guy, very caring, solicitous, and perfect for Polly.
" 'The man loves animals in the way I love students, and with less reason, as far as I’m concerned. He’s been kicked, headbutted, and bitten, and I never have, although when I said that one day to Lou, she’d said, 'That’s because you’ve never taught kindergarten boys.' "
Polly teaches high school, and Lou is Mark's mother, so Quindlen has given herself plenty of opportunities to bring up the many comments teachers hear, like how wonderful it must be to have short hours and short school terms. Polly's friend Josephine reported a familiar one.
" 'My father said that once, when I was talking about what an excellent teacher you were,' Josephine said. 'He said, if she’s so good, why isn’t she teaching at the college level.'"
Polly and three friends have a book club where they choose and each buy a copy of a book but promise not to read it. They just meet and enjoy a gossip session instead. The other three give Polly a DNA kit as a gift for a bit of fun, but she takes it and follows up.
She is told by the company that they have found a relative who wants to be contacted. She confides in her brother, to whom she is very close. They meet for lunch.
“ 'Polly,' Garrison said, 'take the test again. They made a mistake. Or write to Uncle Brian and see if he took one himself. Go home to your fabulous husband. I’m glad he and I are on the same page about this.'
'He has a zebra with a breech baby,' I said. 'He’s trying to turn it so it’ll come out headfirst instead.'
'I love him,' Garrison said. 'I love you. I’m all you’ve got. Live with it.'
'Oh, Gar,' I said, hugging him, 'you’re so much more than enough.'
'Exactly,' my brother said."
More than enough, maybe, but not enough to stop her from driving north to meet a possible… who-what…cousin?
There are several storylines running along with Polly's DNA hunt, including her IVF frustrations, her family, Mark's family, her book club, and a friend's sudden dreadful diagnosis.
It meanders a bit much for me and includes what I think of as teaching moments, but I think Quindlen's fans will probably love it.
Thanks to #NetGalley and Random House for a copy of #MoreThanEnough for review.
March 3, 2026
In this story of life's challenges, the slow building momentum culminates in a satisfying ending. I had a hard time settling in at first, my focus was wavering and that may have been due to mood or the moment not necessarily the novel itself.
Polly Goodman belongs to a book club that never reads the book. Instead, the group of friends gather to touch base over drinks. The group gifts Polly with an ancestry kit and BAM 💥just like that she's informed she has an unknown relative probably a niece or nephew. It must be a mistake. And doesn't Polly have enough happening with her teaching job, fertility struggles, a father in a memory care facility, her friend is ill, and a strained relationship with her mother? Polly can't push the results aside; she HAS to know. With all these threads firing off, the resulting fallout felt like it wasn't presented with the emotional load it should have had. This is A LOT to burden a character with and the weight of it didn't quite carry over for me. The bright spots in Polly's life were her brother and husband. Her husband was incredibly supportive; I kept wondering how he refilled his tank but seeing him work as a large animal veterinarian answered my question. The joy he took in his job was palpable and a highlight of the novel for me.
There is a lot to unpack here. The conversational tone made the storyline feel more accessible. So many struggles are explored, I'm sure a lot of readers will find aspects they relate to. I definitely did. Although it took me longer than usual to get through this one, I'm glad I read it.
*Now Available*
Thank you to Random House for providing an ARC via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Polly Goodman belongs to a book club that never reads the book. Instead, the group of friends gather to touch base over drinks. The group gifts Polly with an ancestry kit and BAM 💥just like that she's informed she has an unknown relative probably a niece or nephew. It must be a mistake. And doesn't Polly have enough happening with her teaching job, fertility struggles, a father in a memory care facility, her friend is ill, and a strained relationship with her mother? Polly can't push the results aside; she HAS to know. With all these threads firing off, the resulting fallout felt like it wasn't presented with the emotional load it should have had. This is A LOT to burden a character with and the weight of it didn't quite carry over for me. The bright spots in Polly's life were her brother and husband. Her husband was incredibly supportive; I kept wondering how he refilled his tank but seeing him work as a large animal veterinarian answered my question. The joy he took in his job was palpable and a highlight of the novel for me.
There is a lot to unpack here. The conversational tone made the storyline feel more accessible. So many struggles are explored, I'm sure a lot of readers will find aspects they relate to. I definitely did. Although it took me longer than usual to get through this one, I'm glad I read it.
*Now Available*
Thank you to Random House for providing an ARC via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 12, 2026
Anna Quindlen delivers a soft, heart-forward story about family, friendship, and the quiet ways people show up for one another. It leans hard into kindness and good intentions, creating a comforting atmosphere that feels safe… maybe too safe at times.
🔥 What Lit My Mood
The themes are rich right out of the gate, family bonds, ancestry, identity, and emotional inheritance. There’s a lot here to unpack, especially as the story unfolds and connections begin to surface. Even though I wasn't particularly invested in the ancestry thread I did like how that storyline ultimately came together. The ending wraps everything up neatly, which adds to that cozy, reassuring finish.
What Hexed Me
Every character is kind. Thoughtful. Well-meaning. And while that’s refreshing, it also made the story feel a little unreal. With so many people doing the right thing, the tension never fully sharpens. While it's refreshing to see it's not the world we live in. I just didn’t find them especially relatable. The pacing also slowed for me in places, and without stronger conflict, I found myself drifting instead of being emotionally pulled under.
Mood rating
Moody Mismatch – The vibes were comforting, but the emotional pull didn’t fully stick.
This is a pleasant, comforting read best suited for readers who love characters that are likable and do the right thing. Who like stories with a gentle tone, kind people, and a satisfying, happy resolution. Nice to sit with… just not one that lingered after the last page.
A Witches Words buddy read with Debra!!
I recieved a copy from the publisher through NetGalley
🔥 What Lit My Mood
The themes are rich right out of the gate, family bonds, ancestry, identity, and emotional inheritance. There’s a lot here to unpack, especially as the story unfolds and connections begin to surface. Even though I wasn't particularly invested in the ancestry thread I did like how that storyline ultimately came together. The ending wraps everything up neatly, which adds to that cozy, reassuring finish.
What Hexed Me
Every character is kind. Thoughtful. Well-meaning. And while that’s refreshing, it also made the story feel a little unreal. With so many people doing the right thing, the tension never fully sharpens. While it's refreshing to see it's not the world we live in. I just didn’t find them especially relatable. The pacing also slowed for me in places, and without stronger conflict, I found myself drifting instead of being emotionally pulled under.
Mood rating
Moody Mismatch – The vibes were comforting, but the emotional pull didn’t fully stick.
This is a pleasant, comforting read best suited for readers who love characters that are likable and do the right thing. Who like stories with a gentle tone, kind people, and a satisfying, happy resolution. Nice to sit with… just not one that lingered after the last page.
A Witches Words buddy read with Debra!!
I recieved a copy from the publisher through NetGalley
March 12, 2026
Had a hard time connecting with this story in the beginning and considered not continuing, but pushed on and by the end was happy I stuck with it.
The novel is told from a first-person point of view and is almost a stream of consciousness type writing. There are all these people in Polly’s life at first it was hard to keep it all straight who and what was going on, as there are multiple threads.
One main theme is the infertility issues Polly and her perfect husband Mark are going through. A second is the DNA test she recently took that showed a close relative, a niece, but it couldn’t be. Her gay brother didn’t have any children. She obsesses with this while meeting with her book club and friends, visits to her father in a care facility for his dementia. Her mother just couldn’t take care of him any longer, which didn’t help Polly with her somewhat chilly relationship with mom. This is not all that’s going on either.
The book is about life and things that are thrown your way. For the most part it is not a happy story, but there are happy parts and it isn’t written in a depressing way at all, instead very upbeat.
Book rating: 3.25 stars
Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book. However, I listened to a published audiobook copy of the book.
The novel is told from a first-person point of view and is almost a stream of consciousness type writing. There are all these people in Polly’s life at first it was hard to keep it all straight who and what was going on, as there are multiple threads.
One main theme is the infertility issues Polly and her perfect husband Mark are going through. A second is the DNA test she recently took that showed a close relative, a niece, but it couldn’t be. Her gay brother didn’t have any children. She obsesses with this while meeting with her book club and friends, visits to her father in a care facility for his dementia. Her mother just couldn’t take care of him any longer, which didn’t help Polly with her somewhat chilly relationship with mom. This is not all that’s going on either.
The book is about life and things that are thrown your way. For the most part it is not a happy story, but there are happy parts and it isn’t written in a depressing way at all, instead very upbeat.
Book rating: 3.25 stars
Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book. However, I listened to a published audiobook copy of the book.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
3.75 stars rounded up
"A woman finds herself asking surprising questions about her family and friends in this wise, wonderful novel of life, loss, and moving on—from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of After Annie"
Polly Goodman is in her early forties with a wonderful husband, a job she loves, and a great group of friends in a book club where they discuss everything but the book. But appearances can be deceiving. Polly is struggling with grief, loss and the unknown.
When her book club friends give her a DNA test as a joke, it comes up with news that threatens to dissolve the tenuous relationship she has with her mother. Her father has dementia and she helps him which is another stress in her life. Her brother Garrison is her biggest supporter along with her husband Mark and her book club friends.
Anna Quindlen is a masterful storyteller and this wonderful piece of literary fiction is no exception. The characters are richly layered and complex and we completely understand and relate to them. Although I enjoyed this one, it was slow at times and very predictable. I am glad I read it and think those who love character driven literary fiction will enjoy this. The audiobook performance by Kristen Sieh was good and gave Polly a voice.
Many thanks to NetGalley, The Dial Press, PRH Audio and Anna Quindlen for the advance reader's copy and advance listening copy. All opinions are my own. 🎧📚
"A woman finds herself asking surprising questions about her family and friends in this wise, wonderful novel of life, loss, and moving on—from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of After Annie"
Polly Goodman is in her early forties with a wonderful husband, a job she loves, and a great group of friends in a book club where they discuss everything but the book. But appearances can be deceiving. Polly is struggling with grief, loss and the unknown.
When her book club friends give her a DNA test as a joke, it comes up with news that threatens to dissolve the tenuous relationship she has with her mother. Her father has dementia and she helps him which is another stress in her life. Her brother Garrison is her biggest supporter along with her husband Mark and her book club friends.
Anna Quindlen is a masterful storyteller and this wonderful piece of literary fiction is no exception. The characters are richly layered and complex and we completely understand and relate to them. Although I enjoyed this one, it was slow at times and very predictable. I am glad I read it and think those who love character driven literary fiction will enjoy this. The audiobook performance by Kristen Sieh was good and gave Polly a voice.
Many thanks to NetGalley, The Dial Press, PRH Audio and Anna Quindlen for the advance reader's copy and advance listening copy. All opinions are my own. 🎧📚
September 21, 2025
*** 9/21/25 *** Finished up this short 256-page slow-burn "deeper meaning" novel centered on Main Character Polly's relationship with her book club friends, her husband and his large boisterous family, and her mother, father, and brother. Then she develops a new set of relationships via a teen girl who she is visibly different from, yet they show a DNA connection via a 23-and-me type test.
The good news is that this story got properly edited to not be a 350-page novel that bores the reader. It also covers a LOT of relatable issues for modern women - remarriage, in-laws, having an ill parent, having a not great relationship with another parent, infertility, working with young women as a teacher. All within a layer of "English major" literature references because that is what Polly teaches at her all-girls high school.
The other good news is that the story wraps up nicely. Some people may like loose ends tied up in their fiction, and some may not, but I definitely like it when it happens.
With that said, I didn't get emotionally connected to Polly as deeply as I expected to, and even though there was some plot movement, it was minimal and seemed like the action we saw was expressly the plot forward without being super interesting to the reader. I think the reason for this lack of connection is that the entire novel is told from Polly's perspective so we cannot, by design, get any deeper with other characters than what Polly observes or experiences. It is a single lens POV but it left me feeling a little less invested. Also the plot development was very light, despite there being a big reveal at the end that the entire novel is based on and hints at.
Also, for some odd reason I kept confusing the names of her brother (good guy) with her ex-husband (not good guy) and had to keep reminding myself who was who lol.
Overall, a well written book with great technical skill, but not one I was terribly passionate about. 4-stars. Thank you NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
*** 9/20/25 *** I'm nearly 50% through this upcoming Feb 2026 release by prolific writer (this will be book 88 I think!?!), Anna Quindlen. A contemporary fiction featuring many familiar tropes - book club, second marriages, infertility, "sandwich" generation women, and chilly mom/daughter relationships - it also is written over a foundation of mystery sparked by DNA test results that the Main Character Polly is trying to unravel.
I'm an impatient reader when reading plots that have a fairly singular unanswered theme, and often find the rest of the character development a bit dull in comparison, as I race to the finish to get to the twist I know is coming. This book is a bit like that, but Quindlen is such a masterful technician with her writing that it is still a joy to read. We have relatable people and events, bookending identifiable items at the end of a chapter, a clear 'inciting incident' in the beginning of the book, and well constructed dialog/chapters. So there is joy in reading a good writer, no matter the plot.
Full review coming soon! Thank you NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The good news is that this story got properly edited to not be a 350-page novel that bores the reader. It also covers a LOT of relatable issues for modern women - remarriage, in-laws, having an ill parent, having a not great relationship with another parent, infertility, working with young women as a teacher. All within a layer of "English major" literature references because that is what Polly teaches at her all-girls high school.
The other good news is that the story wraps up nicely. Some people may like loose ends tied up in their fiction, and some may not, but I definitely like it when it happens.
With that said, I didn't get emotionally connected to Polly as deeply as I expected to, and even though there was some plot movement, it was minimal and seemed like the action we saw was expressly the plot forward without being super interesting to the reader. I think the reason for this lack of connection is that the entire novel is told from Polly's perspective so we cannot, by design, get any deeper with other characters than what Polly observes or experiences. It is a single lens POV but it left me feeling a little less invested. Also the plot development was very light, despite there being a big reveal at the end that the entire novel is based on and hints at.
Also, for some odd reason I kept confusing the names of her brother (good guy) with her ex-husband (not good guy) and had to keep reminding myself who was who lol.
Overall, a well written book with great technical skill, but not one I was terribly passionate about. 4-stars. Thank you NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
*** 9/20/25 *** I'm nearly 50% through this upcoming Feb 2026 release by prolific writer (this will be book 88 I think!?!), Anna Quindlen. A contemporary fiction featuring many familiar tropes - book club, second marriages, infertility, "sandwich" generation women, and chilly mom/daughter relationships - it also is written over a foundation of mystery sparked by DNA test results that the Main Character Polly is trying to unravel.
I'm an impatient reader when reading plots that have a fairly singular unanswered theme, and often find the rest of the character development a bit dull in comparison, as I race to the finish to get to the twist I know is coming. This book is a bit like that, but Quindlen is such a masterful technician with her writing that it is still a joy to read. We have relatable people and events, bookending identifiable items at the end of a chapter, a clear 'inciting incident' in the beginning of the book, and well constructed dialog/chapters. So there is joy in reading a good writer, no matter the plot.
Full review coming soon! Thank you NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
August 28, 2025
I was so sorry not to have loved this book as I'm an admirer of Anna Quindlen and appreciate her choices. Somewhat reminiscent of Jodi Picoult, she gathers themes from contemporary life, in this case a surprising result from a DNA test which was given to the central character more or less as a joke. We've seen this set-up before in fiction and non-, so the answers to the puzzle are not very difficult to suss out. The reason for the rather low rating is I don't feel this was as focussed as Quindlan's previous works, that there was a lot of repetition and the characters were almost too goody two-shoes. Several could attain sainthood. I'll keep reading her though based on what I know she's capable of.
March 6, 2026
This novel by best-selling author Anna Quindlen was definitely not more than enough for me. I wanted more, I didn't want the story to end.
A story of family, loss, love and friendship. A story full of heavy topics - infertility, dementia, cancer, ageing parents and genetics.
Amazing characters (especially the four women in book club who don't read the book) and a captivating, relatable plot make this novel one that I won't soon forget.
Loved it!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
A story of family, loss, love and friendship. A story full of heavy topics - infertility, dementia, cancer, ageing parents and genetics.
Amazing characters (especially the four women in book club who don't read the book) and a captivating, relatable plot make this novel one that I won't soon forget.
Loved it!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
September 25, 2025
ARC for review. To be published February 24, 2026.
4 stars.
Polly Goodman is an English teacher at a private girls’ school in NYC. She has the world’s most perfect husband and she desperately wants a baby but has been unable to conceive. She also has some pretty outstanding friends, her book club, Jamie, Helen and Sarah. Sarah is her best friend and is incredibly wealthy.
As a bit of a joke her friends give her a DNA kit as a gift. She uses it and gets some surprising results (of course) that lead to her meeting a teenager. We go on from there.
This was such a gentle and enjoyable book. It’s a shame Polly can’t get pregnant, but, man, most people would be jealous of her life (even though she has more issues; a mom she doesn’t jibe with and her beloved father has dementia. The time they spend together is lovely.. Still, Polly has it pretty good.) If you are looking for a read that goes down easy this is for you.
4 stars.
Polly Goodman is an English teacher at a private girls’ school in NYC. She has the world’s most perfect husband and she desperately wants a baby but has been unable to conceive. She also has some pretty outstanding friends, her book club, Jamie, Helen and Sarah. Sarah is her best friend and is incredibly wealthy.
As a bit of a joke her friends give her a DNA kit as a gift. She uses it and gets some surprising results (of course) that lead to her meeting a teenager. We go on from there.
This was such a gentle and enjoyable book. It’s a shame Polly can’t get pregnant, but, man, most people would be jealous of her life (even though she has more issues; a mom she doesn’t jibe with and her beloved father has dementia. The time they spend together is lovely.. Still, Polly has it pretty good.) If you are looking for a read that goes down easy this is for you.
March 1, 2026
Anna Quindlen’s More Than Enough is the story of Polly Goodman’s life where we experience the peaks and valleys of her daily existence. Through flashbacks, we learn of the humiliating end of her first marriage and the beguiling courtship of the man who would be the real thing. The months, years of trying to have a child with all the procedures and expenses involved. Along with those experiences, Polly is surrounded by interesting, well drawn characters: her family, her friends of many years, her husband Mark, various in-laws, and , importantly, her students at the girl’s high school where she teaches English. So many who love her or respect her.
All of these people create a tapestry of lives with Polly at its center. There is the fraught relationship between Polly and her mother, her father’s Alzheimer’s, serious illness of a friend, the confounding result of a DNA test given to her as a lark by her book club friends; there are so many relationships that are interesting in their own ways. This is above all a relationship novel and well done. Some aspects, especially of the ending, may feel easily won, but they also feel right. Recommended.
I received a copy of this book from Random House through NetGalley.
All of these people create a tapestry of lives with Polly at its center. There is the fraught relationship between Polly and her mother, her father’s Alzheimer’s, serious illness of a friend, the confounding result of a DNA test given to her as a lark by her book club friends; there are so many relationships that are interesting in their own ways. This is above all a relationship novel and well done. Some aspects, especially of the ending, may feel easily won, but they also feel right. Recommended.
I received a copy of this book from Random House through NetGalley.
September 7, 2025
I’ve been reading and admiring Anna Quindlen since the 80s. I even had the pleasure of meeting her a few times. Once I ran into her in the elevator at the New York Times (I worked there for a few years back in the mid-80s). She responded warmly to my hello. I was awestruck to meet her, as many people are when they meet celebrities. I never cared about movie stars or musicians, but writers? Writers are my celebrities. I still recall her chipped nail polish and her utter lack of pretense. These synched up with who she was on paper and made me admire her even more.
Her books aren’t formulaic per se, but they do have recurring themes related to family and the dynamics between parents and adult children, and illness and loss, and female friendships. This book has all of that and Quindlen delivers a beautifully written, tender story, as she always, reliably, does.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Her books aren’t formulaic per se, but they do have recurring themes related to family and the dynamics between parents and adult children, and illness and loss, and female friendships. This book has all of that and Quindlen delivers a beautifully written, tender story, as she always, reliably, does.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
March 19, 2026
I thoroughly enjoyed this book about a 40 yr old high school English teacher and her Bronx Zoo veterinarian husband going through IVF to have a much wanted baby. Of course, there are other things to be considered too. Her book club best friends who talk about everything, her difficult relationship with her mother, dealing with her father's dementia, her adored older brother who just happens to be gay, but also handsome and rich, and her involvement with her students. Oh, and there's also that little DNA test, given to her by her book club as a joke for her birthday that has revealed some surprising results.
As always Anna Quindlen tells a great story, filled with humor and insight into the way we all deal with the unexpected.
As always Anna Quindlen tells a great story, filled with humor and insight into the way we all deal with the unexpected.
February 24, 2026
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Random House for review.
This is such a warm, thoughtful read. We follow Polly Goodman who receives an ancestry kit as a joke by her close-knit book club friends. She expects a breakdown of her ethnicity and maybe a small surprise or two, instead she uncovers more than she bargained for. The discovery of a second-degree relative sends her on a deeply personal journey into her family history, her identity, and the life she imagined for herself. I always wonder just how accurate these home DNA tests really are.
There are several threads that we follow in Polly’s story, including her struggle with infertility and the emotional roller coaster of IVF. The conversations around it feel intimate and honest without becoming overwhelming. It’s tender, vulnerable, and very real. Polly is also navigating life with a parent experiencing dementia, which felt especially close to home for me. You can tell how much care went into portraying both of these experiences.
Quindlen’s writing is lovely, though it does meander at times. Stories branch into other stories and then circle back again, and occasionally I had to reorient myself. But at barely 250-pages, this book packs an emotional punch. As we spend more time with Polly—watching how she interacts with her brother, her husband, her book club friends, and even her students—you really come to appreciate her. She feels authentic and fully formed and seems to have it all.
But this isn’t just a story about biology or ancestry results. It’s about chosen family, friendship, marriage, and learning to redefine what “enough” really means. This is a quiet, comforting family-centered novel that came along at just the right time.
This is such a warm, thoughtful read. We follow Polly Goodman who receives an ancestry kit as a joke by her close-knit book club friends. She expects a breakdown of her ethnicity and maybe a small surprise or two, instead she uncovers more than she bargained for. The discovery of a second-degree relative sends her on a deeply personal journey into her family history, her identity, and the life she imagined for herself. I always wonder just how accurate these home DNA tests really are.
There are several threads that we follow in Polly’s story, including her struggle with infertility and the emotional roller coaster of IVF. The conversations around it feel intimate and honest without becoming overwhelming. It’s tender, vulnerable, and very real. Polly is also navigating life with a parent experiencing dementia, which felt especially close to home for me. You can tell how much care went into portraying both of these experiences.
Quindlen’s writing is lovely, though it does meander at times. Stories branch into other stories and then circle back again, and occasionally I had to reorient myself. But at barely 250-pages, this book packs an emotional punch. As we spend more time with Polly—watching how she interacts with her brother, her husband, her book club friends, and even her students—you really come to appreciate her. She feels authentic and fully formed and seems to have it all.
But this isn’t just a story about biology or ancestry results. It’s about chosen family, friendship, marriage, and learning to redefine what “enough” really means. This is a quiet, comforting family-centered novel that came along at just the right time.
December 2, 2025
Book clubs are great! High school English teacher Polly Goodman talks about everything with her book club, except the book. They’re her closest friends and, with her veterinarian husband, her support system. Her students, her relationship with her mother, and her IVF struggles have all been shared with her book club.
When the book club gives Polly an ancestry test as a joke, the results surprisingly match her with a stranger, a sixteen-year-old girl. Polly seriously doubts that the results are accurate. Despite that, she can’t ignore it, as she explores her family history. When the friendship circle shrinks, Polly learns how her friendships have profoundly transformed her life.
I am out with lanterns looking for myself.
-Emily Dickinson
REVIEW
MORE THAN ENOUGH is an intriguing story of family, friendship and loss. Polly was a completely relatable character. Her book club friends, her relationship with her mother, and her fertility struggles are all profound women’s issues. The story is engaging, and Anna Quinlen’s fans will enjoy it.
Quinlen’s writing smartly captures Polly’s feelings and frustrations about her life. Polly’s character is fairly well-developed, and I especially enjoyed her interactions with her husband, brother, and even her mother.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the advance copy of this book. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Publisher Random House
Published February 24, 2026
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com
September 1, 2025
While this book had a great premise, and I really enjoyed the first few chapters, for me it fell off quite a bit in the second half. I feel this would have worked better as a short story. The sub plots and additional characters seemed to not go anywhere.
I very much enjoyed the idea of a woman taking a DNA test and going down a bit of a rabbit hole, uncovering that she has additional relatives that she didn’t know about. Polly was a relatable character and I really liked Sarah and her friends, there was some really funny dialogue from her brother.
Good concept, and a few great scenes. I thought the ending was quite touching.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC. Book to be published February 23, 2026.
I very much enjoyed the idea of a woman taking a DNA test and going down a bit of a rabbit hole, uncovering that she has additional relatives that she didn’t know about. Polly was a relatable character and I really liked Sarah and her friends, there was some really funny dialogue from her brother.
Good concept, and a few great scenes. I thought the ending was quite touching.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC. Book to be published February 23, 2026.
August 27, 2025
Thank you Net Galley and Random House for allowing me to read and review this novel.
More Than Enough follows Polly who takes a DNA test and discovers she has a family member she didn’t know about. Polly is also facing infertility issues.
Polly also has 100 other things going on in her life.
The first half of this book was strong. The writing is beautiful and the characters were starting to be fleshed out. I was intrigued by the initial premise and also curious about all the other subplots.
Unfortunately, a little over halfway through it started to fall flat for me. I was wondering how any of the sub plots were important to the main plot. I pushed through hoping all the loose ends would tie up nicely but I don’t feel like they did.
(Also there was about a 5 year time jump I wasn’t prepared for? I thought she was 38 and next thing I knew she was 43? Did I miss something?)
I felt like I was being pulled from one subplot, to another, then back to the first, etc. Simply, there was too much going on and the story failed to make me care about any of the side stories enough to feel anything for those characters.
I also predicted the ending, however, I didn’t predict the long winding road that got us there.. by the end I was just ready to be done with it.
Some pros:
Again, the writing is well done. They had me in the first half. I really enjoyed the friendship of the women. I love Polly’s relationship with her brother. I love her husband, Mark, and his family. Sarah deserved the world! Everyone else, I could have lived without.
More Than Enough follows Polly who takes a DNA test and discovers she has a family member she didn’t know about. Polly is also facing infertility issues.
Polly also has 100 other things going on in her life.
The first half of this book was strong. The writing is beautiful and the characters were starting to be fleshed out. I was intrigued by the initial premise and also curious about all the other subplots.
Unfortunately, a little over halfway through it started to fall flat for me. I was wondering how any of the sub plots were important to the main plot. I pushed through hoping all the loose ends would tie up nicely but I don’t feel like they did.
(Also there was about a 5 year time jump I wasn’t prepared for? I thought she was 38 and next thing I knew she was 43? Did I miss something?)
I felt like I was being pulled from one subplot, to another, then back to the first, etc. Simply, there was too much going on and the story failed to make me care about any of the side stories enough to feel anything for those characters.
I also predicted the ending, however, I didn’t predict the long winding road that got us there.. by the end I was just ready to be done with it.
Some pros:
Again, the writing is well done. They had me in the first half. I really enjoyed the friendship of the women. I love Polly’s relationship with her brother. I love her husband, Mark, and his family. Sarah deserved the world! Everyone else, I could have lived without.
March 13, 2026
This is a book that I would call 'Women's Fiction,' nicely crafted. It features 43 year old Polly Goodman, who is married to a gentle, good-natured man (Mark). They both desperately want a baby. Polly has been going through costly and invasive infertility treatment. Polly is an English teacher at a private girls' high school. Mark is a big animals veterinarian at the Bronx zoo.
The novel has several different sub-stories in it. These include:
* Both Polly's and Mark's interesting family members and their relationships with them.
* Polly's father who has Dementia and is living in a nursing home.
* The repercussions of a DNA matching kit that Polly was given as a gift.
* Sarah, Polly's best friend who is both remarkable and ill.
I found the book to be interesting and engaging. As a bonus, I also liked learning about Mark's work with the zoo animals.
Trigger Alert: Infertility, Cancer, and Dementia
The novel has several different sub-stories in it. These include:
* Both Polly's and Mark's interesting family members and their relationships with them.
* Polly's father who has Dementia and is living in a nursing home.
* The repercussions of a DNA matching kit that Polly was given as a gift.
* Sarah, Polly's best friend who is both remarkable and ill.
I found the book to be interesting and engaging. As a bonus, I also liked learning about Mark's work with the zoo animals.
Trigger Alert: Infertility, Cancer, and Dementia
Read
January 13, 2026More Than Enough is a slow-burn lit fic novel about family secrets, loss, grief, love, and friendship. It follows Polly, an English teacher in her 40's dealing with infertility and a father with dementia when she discovers she might have a relative she never knew about. Her book club gets her a genetic testing kit as a gag gift, and it connects her to a girl who could be her niece, except that they look nothing alike.
As a reader who could never let a mystery like this lie, I found it frustrating how uncurious Polly seemed to be about discovering if this girl is actually her niece and how they might be related. While we do eventually find out, Polly does more to NOT learn the truth than to get answers. This is a quiet, meandering novel with a lot of heart and many complex if ultimately loving relationships (for the most part!). I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
As a reader who could never let a mystery like this lie, I found it frustrating how uncurious Polly seemed to be about discovering if this girl is actually her niece and how they might be related. While we do eventually find out, Polly does more to NOT learn the truth than to get answers. This is a quiet, meandering novel with a lot of heart and many complex if ultimately loving relationships (for the most part!). I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
August 23, 2025
3.5 rounded up. Nicely written family drama. After getting very surprising and unexpected results from an ancestry kit, Polly slowly works her way to a rather predictable conclusion. Polly's work, her family life, her struggles and her friends weren't quite interesting enough to me to justify the very long passages of flashbacks, asides, ruminations and insights. I just wanted her to get on with it! The mystery at hand, that is. Which is why I read it in the first place. Am I impatient much? Not always, but yes, this time. Dragging it out was just too much.
Thank you yo NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Thank you yo NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
September 28, 2025
Outstanding new story from Anna Quindlen. Family, loss, love and friendship are the cornerstone to this wonderfully written story. Polly is our main character with a book club of friends, parents who are aging and no longer get along, her brother as a comrade and active listener as well as a career as a teacher and a wonderfully kind husband as they continue to try to have a baby. That's a lot. And as the story unfolds we discover the history of her parents, her upbringing and the friendship she didn't ask for that changes her life.
November 17, 2025
I have loved Anna Quindlen for years, since I read One True Thing in the late '90s. (I'm showing my age here!). I was so excited to read More Than Enough as I knew it would be excellent. It did not disappoint!
Polly Goodman is a high school English teacher who is given a DNA test by her best friends and members of her non-reading book club. The DNA test comes back with a surprising result - a long lost relative that she knew nothing about. As she delves into her family history, her difficult relationship with her mother and dealing with her father's Alzheimer's diagnosis become fraught with challenges. After a book club friend's difficult diagnosis, Polly realizes that the boundaries between friendship and family can blur in the most unexpected ways.
There are so many good things to say about this book. I loved how the author infused humor into the novel - Polly's relationship with her brother, the alpaca farm, the quirky friendships between the members of the book club. I thought that the author did a great job of dealing with difficult relationships - Polly's care for her father, even though he doesn't know her, the charged mother / daughter relationship, meeting the family found through DNA. It was all engaging.
Having said all that, this wasn't my favorite Anna Quindlen book. I did want to find out what happened to the characters, but there were times that I thought the story dragged a bit, even in such a short novel. And the story line was very disjointed, almost rambling in places. Often, I had to remind myself what happened previously so I could understand what was happening later in the novel.
Overall, in typical Anna Quindlen form, this was a heartbreaking, yet uplifting, novel. 4 ⭐s!
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an advanced copy. The book is scheduled to be published on February 24, 2026.
Polly Goodman is a high school English teacher who is given a DNA test by her best friends and members of her non-reading book club. The DNA test comes back with a surprising result - a long lost relative that she knew nothing about. As she delves into her family history, her difficult relationship with her mother and dealing with her father's Alzheimer's diagnosis become fraught with challenges. After a book club friend's difficult diagnosis, Polly realizes that the boundaries between friendship and family can blur in the most unexpected ways.
There are so many good things to say about this book. I loved how the author infused humor into the novel - Polly's relationship with her brother, the alpaca farm, the quirky friendships between the members of the book club. I thought that the author did a great job of dealing with difficult relationships - Polly's care for her father, even though he doesn't know her, the charged mother / daughter relationship, meeting the family found through DNA. It was all engaging.
Having said all that, this wasn't my favorite Anna Quindlen book. I did want to find out what happened to the characters, but there were times that I thought the story dragged a bit, even in such a short novel. And the story line was very disjointed, almost rambling in places. Often, I had to remind myself what happened previously so I could understand what was happening later in the novel.
Overall, in typical Anna Quindlen form, this was a heartbreaking, yet uplifting, novel. 4 ⭐s!
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an advanced copy. The book is scheduled to be published on February 24, 2026.
October 29, 2025
In this heartfelt novel by Anna Quindlen, Polly, age 43, struggles with infertility, her father’s dementia, and a difficult relationship with her mother. When her book club friends give her a DNA test kit as a gift, she is startled and confused by the results that show she has a purported relative previously unknown to her.
At the same time Polly is dealing with all those challenges, she is blessed with a loving, supportive husband, and she is very close with her brother and best friend. She has a job she loves as an English teacher at a private girls’ school. Her close relationships and her fulfilling career are well-explored, and I enjoyed that the story was well-balanced between Polly’s struggles and joys.
Quindlen is masterful here at creating sympathetic characters who feel relatable and most often likable. The relationships among the characters are always interesting and usually heartwarming. Even the more minor characters are well-drawn and enrich the story.
Although there is real sadness and loss, the novel feels uplifting and hopeful. It was a pleasure to read.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing an advance reading copy of More than Enough.
At the same time Polly is dealing with all those challenges, she is blessed with a loving, supportive husband, and she is very close with her brother and best friend. She has a job she loves as an English teacher at a private girls’ school. Her close relationships and her fulfilling career are well-explored, and I enjoyed that the story was well-balanced between Polly’s struggles and joys.
Quindlen is masterful here at creating sympathetic characters who feel relatable and most often likable. The relationships among the characters are always interesting and usually heartwarming. Even the more minor characters are well-drawn and enrich the story.
Although there is real sadness and loss, the novel feels uplifting and hopeful. It was a pleasure to read.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing an advance reading copy of More than Enough.
December 28, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an advanced reader copy of More Than Enough by Anna Quinlan in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
More Than Enough is a short, quiet, and tender novel that packs an emotional punch. The beautifully written story is told from the perspective of Polly, a 43-year old high school English teacher, as she navigates love and loss with her family and 3 close book club friends. The novel is full of heavy topics - infertility, pregnancy loss, cancer, dementia, parental relationships, and genealogy.
The novel’s characters are so carefully crafted and fully developed that I became invested in their stories. I especially adored Polly’s sweet husband and loving but no-nonsense brother. Along with her supportive friends and in-laws, Polly navigates infertility, her best friend’s terminal cancer diagnosis, her father’s dementia, a fraught relationship with her mother, and a surprise in her DNA test. It took some time for me to warm up to Polly, but I cheered for her to discover that her life is “more than enough”. If I had one complaint, it would be that there is a LOT going on in this short book. If you enjoy quiet, character-driven literary fiction, I highly recommend this deeply moving novel—just be sure to check the trigger warnings first. 4/5⭐️ (Pub date: 2/24/26)
More Than Enough is a short, quiet, and tender novel that packs an emotional punch. The beautifully written story is told from the perspective of Polly, a 43-year old high school English teacher, as she navigates love and loss with her family and 3 close book club friends. The novel is full of heavy topics - infertility, pregnancy loss, cancer, dementia, parental relationships, and genealogy.
The novel’s characters are so carefully crafted and fully developed that I became invested in their stories. I especially adored Polly’s sweet husband and loving but no-nonsense brother. Along with her supportive friends and in-laws, Polly navigates infertility, her best friend’s terminal cancer diagnosis, her father’s dementia, a fraught relationship with her mother, and a surprise in her DNA test. It took some time for me to warm up to Polly, but I cheered for her to discover that her life is “more than enough”. If I had one complaint, it would be that there is a LOT going on in this short book. If you enjoy quiet, character-driven literary fiction, I highly recommend this deeply moving novel—just be sure to check the trigger warnings first. 4/5⭐️ (Pub date: 2/24/26)
January 7, 2026
I’ve always loved Anna Quindlen’s writing and this one is now my favorite.
Polly is a high school English literature teacher at a private, all girls school in Manhattan. She loves her students and teaching them is mostly pure joy. She loves her caring husband who’s a large animal Vet at the Bronx Zoo. She loves her father, her brother but tolerates her mother. They just don’t click but there’s still love.
Polly adores her book club friends, especially the sweet and generous Sarah. They ground her when she needs it most. Even her mother-in-law is a friend. Polly’s biggest problem is getting pregnant. She’s gone through years of IVF treatments to no avail. But Hope always lingers in her life.
Her best friend, Sarah has a recurrence of breast cancer that may end her life, which devastates Polly. They carry on to spend the best part of life with each other as often as they can.
This is a heartwarming, intelligent story of the beauty and sadness of life that only Anna Quindlen could tell.
Thanks Edelweiss and Random House.
Polly is a high school English literature teacher at a private, all girls school in Manhattan. She loves her students and teaching them is mostly pure joy. She loves her caring husband who’s a large animal Vet at the Bronx Zoo. She loves her father, her brother but tolerates her mother. They just don’t click but there’s still love.
Polly adores her book club friends, especially the sweet and generous Sarah. They ground her when she needs it most. Even her mother-in-law is a friend. Polly’s biggest problem is getting pregnant. She’s gone through years of IVF treatments to no avail. But Hope always lingers in her life.
Her best friend, Sarah has a recurrence of breast cancer that may end her life, which devastates Polly. They carry on to spend the best part of life with each other as often as they can.
This is a heartwarming, intelligent story of the beauty and sadness of life that only Anna Quindlen could tell.
Thanks Edelweiss and Random House.
January 20, 2026
I think I have read all of Anna Quindlen’s fiction up to this point. I just love her writing! Her books are always full of keen observations, wit, and wisdom. She will have you tearing up and laughing out loud in equal measure, but her stories are always schmaltz-free! Her latest offering is no different. In More Than Enough we follow high school English teacher, Polly. Polly has a wonderful group of friends who meet for book club, but don’t ever read the book (lol) and a husband she adores. One day she receives an ancestry kit as a joke and that’s when things get really interesting.
Quindlen touches on some important issues, including challenging mother-daughter relationships, aging parents, infertility, found family, and the power of love and friendship. I felt like reading this was the perfect way to start 2026 and I took my time reading it, savouring every chapter. As always, the writing is beautiful and both thoughtful and thought-provoking. I found this story to be so hopeful and a perfect balm for the soul.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House, and Anna Quindlen for an ARC. I was beyond thrilled to receive this! Publication date is February 24!
Quindlen touches on some important issues, including challenging mother-daughter relationships, aging parents, infertility, found family, and the power of love and friendship. I felt like reading this was the perfect way to start 2026 and I took my time reading it, savouring every chapter. As always, the writing is beautiful and both thoughtful and thought-provoking. I found this story to be so hopeful and a perfect balm for the soul.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House, and Anna Quindlen for an ARC. I was beyond thrilled to receive this! Publication date is February 24!
March 4, 2026
Anna Quindlen is incredible! What a beautiful writer and storyteller she is. She has the remarkable gift of taking a simple story and making it soar on the page. This book explores family, friends, aging, loss, love, and our hopes for life.
Polly Goodman, 42, teaches high school English and is happily married to Mark, a vet at the Bronx Zoo. She's dealing with infertility issues, but has great relationships with her brother, friends, in-laws, and her dad who's in a nursing home losing his memory. Things are trickier with her mom though. When her book club friends Sarah, Helen, and Jamie give her an ancestry test kit as a joke, she takes it anyway and gets surprising results. She meets her DNA match - a teenager - and even though they're not sure how they're related, they hit it off pretty well
Polly feels so real - she's got her good sides and her flaws. I bet most readers will find something in her life they can relate to or recognize. Honestly, there were times reading it when Polly's problems felt super close to my own experiences. Everyone around Polly adds to her story, showing how our relationships shape us.
Polly Goodman, 42, teaches high school English and is happily married to Mark, a vet at the Bronx Zoo. She's dealing with infertility issues, but has great relationships with her brother, friends, in-laws, and her dad who's in a nursing home losing his memory. Things are trickier with her mom though. When her book club friends Sarah, Helen, and Jamie give her an ancestry test kit as a joke, she takes it anyway and gets surprising results. She meets her DNA match - a teenager - and even though they're not sure how they're related, they hit it off pretty well
Polly feels so real - she's got her good sides and her flaws. I bet most readers will find something in her life they can relate to or recognize. Honestly, there were times reading it when Polly's problems felt super close to my own experiences. Everyone around Polly adds to her story, showing how our relationships shape us.
February 25, 2026
This was my first book by this author and the premise sounded fascinating. The book started out strong with a group of women friends in a book club but they don't ever read the book-in fact they are mocked if they secret read it-which I thought was funny y because a couple of them would and then pretend that they hadn't. The story was super detailed about all their lives, which should have felt like a slog, but instead to me it felt very deep instead. It in particular follows Polly and her husband Mark and their fertility struggles and Polly's genetic history after the book club gifts her with one of the DNA tests as a joke and she sends it away and it comes back with answers that shake up her world There is just so much that is relatable in this story-grief, loss, aging parents and troubled teens as well as love friends and deep ties that connect whether by blood or not.
I will definitely be recommending this one to anyone who asks.
Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.
I will definitely be recommending this one to anyone who asks.
Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 961 reviews