Enormous Wings

by Laurie Frankel

From the beloved New York Times bestselling author Laurie Frankel, an exuberant and timely new novel

At seventy-seven, Pepper Mills is too old to be a stranger in a strange land. She didn’t choose the Vista View Retirement Community of Austin, Texas—that would be her three grown children—but when she grudgingly moves in, she not only makes new friends, she falls in love. Then the exhaustion, vomiting, and confusion start. Her children and grandchildren worry it’s cancer, dementia, a stroke. But a raft of tests later, the news is even more she’s pregnant.

Once word gets out, everyone wants a piece of the press and the paparazzi, activists and medical researchers, all descending on Vista View as Pepper tries to determine her next move. Soon Pepper has some hard decisions to make—and some she’s not allowed to make.

Enormous Wings is an urgent novel about female agency and bodily autonomy, morality and mortality. It’s about what happens when you don’t get to choose. It’s about motherhood and family, sex and love and friendship, and how those bedrocks—even so late in the day—can still change, and then change everything.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Literary Fiction, Adult Fiction, Family, Book Club, Literature

304 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication May 5, 2026

About the author

Laurie Frankel is the bestselling author of five novels: FAMILY FAMILY, coming 1/23/24, as well as ONE TWO THREE, THIS IS HOW IT ALWAYS IS, GOODBYE FOR NOW, and THE ATLAS OF LOVE. She lives with her family on a very steep hill in Seattle, but she's an east coaster at heart. She is also a baseball fan, a soup maker, a theater lover, a yoga practicer, a comma expert, and a huge reader (just like you).

Reviews

[Anderson McKean · Rating 5 out of 5]

The immensely talented Laurie Frankel has truly outdone herself with ENORMOUS WINGS! I cannot think of a better title for this deep, extraordinary novel - it is big and bold, thoughtful and wise. It is a powerful story of found family, female agency, growing old and staying young. Frankel’s cast of fierce, unforgettable characters and poignant observations on life and love broke my heart wide open, but kept me smiling to the last page.

[Laura Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Henry Holt & Co. and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published on May 5th, 2025.

I wanted to like this book — Laurie Frankel is a fun and sharp writer and I loved Family, Family. She excels at writing families who are faced with every permutation of reproductive drama — unwanted pregnancies, adoptions, abortions, you name it — and who deal with them in an abundance of creative ways. This book’s discombobulating surprise? Pepper Mills — a 77-year old woman recently shunted to an old age home by her well-meaning but (in her opinion) overly controlling children — finds herself … pregnant! A bizarre situation by any standard but in this case, she also happens to live in Texas — home of some of the most “innovative” no-abortions-allowed legislation. (To be fair, we do get an explanation later in the book that does make this pregnancy more plausible than it first appears).

I loved the humor which is wry, supported by a fair amount of carefully launched sarcasm, and reminiscent of the Jewish family I always wished I lived in. I also loved the discussions, the ethical (and bizarre) questions, and every single one of the primary characters including a great set of “oldies” at the Home, and the myriad children and grandchildren who all add their personal (and multi-generational) slant to the events. I really loved the many one liners that had me laughing out loud — this woman can write! And how can you not love Pepper? Her thoughts, irritations, and love for each individual she connected with are coupled with her absolute insistence on good grammar! I’m not actually very good with grammar myself, but I really appreciate those who are.

My only complaint — and it was big enough to warrant my dropping the rating a point — is that the book was too long and spent much of that excess length on a long pro-choice / anti-Texan rant lecture. I am, and always have been, pro-choice, and I think the recent anti-abortion laws in Texas are wrong in so many ways — but I still resent the incredibly heavy handed depiction of people in Texas (including doctors) who are two dimensionally mean and manipulative with their only goal appearing to be keeping women under control. It’s a long-standing technique in the world of fiction to make the bad guys really, obviously, Bad. It makes it easier to hate them and side with the author’s idea of the “good” people. But in our era of extreme polarization and encouraged hate, I’m pretty sick of it. I’m sure I’m overreacting here, but it really spoiled the book for me. Too much pounding of the message, even though the message was well-established from the first pages and anyone who was reading this probably already in agreement.

So — fun to read if you can ignore the stereotyped baddies and skim a bit at the end…

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know Laurie Frankel is a great author because she makes me really like a kind of book I typically don’t really like.


I’m fairly allergic to anything even a bit sentimental, and her books are pretty, well… sweet, I guess! And ultimately full of faith in humans! — or at least, in many humans! And, they are often Issues Books in that they explore a topical area that can be largely summed up by one grand, capital-lettered noun, such as Adoption or the Environment — sort of like a contemporary adult litfic version of one of those Very Special Episodes they used to have on shows like Beverly Hills, 90210, if you’re old enough to remember. (This IS a book concerning aging, after all.) Frankel’s books are often about extended families dealing with said Capitalized Subject Matter in essentially realistic, if rather extreme ways. All of this could easily become maudlin and slushy — yet Frankel’s novels never get mawkish like that.


The thing about Frankel is, she’s really freaking funny. The dialogue in her novels, especially between friends and family members, is fully akin to Gilmore Girls, or a Nora Ephron screenplay. Likewise, her characters are delightful, and this book provides an opportunity to fully flaunt her special talent for creating both older and younger characters in particular. (Some people think her kids and teens are “too smart”; respectfully, I work with young people, and I think she gets them just right.) And Frankel really puts the “character” back in character: as mentioned, she has a knack for keeping things tethered and real while pushing limits in offering idiosyncratic characters who advertise the essential wonder of our uniqueness as humans. You’d need the highest-caliber cast of best character actors to portray the people in this novel. (I especially enjoyed being immersed in the believable perspective of protagonist Pepper, and was constantly trying to cast her Hollywood analogue in my head, but could never quite come up with the right fit. But, probably Meryl.)


Finally, the advantage of writing a novel about Birth and Aging is that it ends up being a pretty expansive consideration of Life and Death and all the Choices, Woes, and Joys in between, and it thus cannot be boiled down to one “afterschool special”-style big buzzword topic. Frankel successfully ferries us on a journey through this vast terrain with thoughtfulness, reflection, and her characteristic lightness and humor. Few authors can pull off something this Serious and Deep yet Quirky, Surprising, and Entertaining.


I recommend this strong next entry in the canon of an original, imaginative, and witty writer. Enormous Wings (a relevant allusion to the short story by Gabriel Garcia Marquez) is slated for publication on May 5, 2026. My thanks to the author, NetGalley, and Henry Holt & Company for the ARC!

[Mo]

What a triumph of a novel--wry, intelligent, and wholly original.

[Laurel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this. My suggestion: go into this one blind. Don’t read the blurb or too many reviews. I didn’t know anything about it except the author (Laurie Frankel!) and I just love how the plot unfolded for me without knowing where it was going.

Thanks to NetGalley for an opportunity to read this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Ellen Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

A unique plot where a 77 year old woman becomes pregnant and also in a retirement home. She becomes a local celebrity and has to deal with some really tough situations and decisions. I loved how relevant this is to our current times with women’s rights. With themes of morality, motherhood, golden years, and the love of family this novel really caught my heart and I was deeply invested. This book stuck with me after I finished reading and I will be thinking about it for weeks to come. Bravo! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kelly (The Happiest Little Book Club)]

I know I really liked this book but need to marinate a little longer on my rating. Laurie is a wonderful writer and I am so happy I was able to get an ARC of this one from the publisher.☺️

[Anna R · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of the book by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I absolutely loved this book. In every one of her books I’ve read, Laurie Frankel takes on controversial topics, especially issues related to reproduction, but with both a hilarious and edgy voice. Enormous Wings takes on the topic of abortion with a fantastic cast of characters to guide us through this heart-stirring and entertaining novel. I didn’t want to put it down and am continuing to contemplate it after I finished.

[Danna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enormous Wings is fabulous. I anticipate this being a big book in 2026, which is not something I say (ever? Often?). It’s hilarious, unique, and a frighteningly accurate satire of reproductive health access in the United States.

Pepper Mills is 77. She’s moved into an independent living facility after having her license taken away. Aside from being a subpar driver, Pepper is with it. She’s got three adult children and four grandchildren that all love and adore her. They’re in Texas, but Pepper is a Jew from Brooklyn and it’s easy to see those roots in her character.

To Pepper’s surprise, she meets a man in her new community, Moth (short for Timothy). And to everyone’s shock, Pepper, at 77, is pregnant!

What ensues? A sad, but true, portrayal of pregnancy in Texas. Pepper is courted by the pro choice and the pro life crowd. Enormous Wings touches on every aspect of the issue with humor and accuracy. It makes reading the unbearable bearable.

Every character is a delight. Frankel’s wit is infused throughout and it makes it so easy to fall in love with them all. I couldn’t put this book down.

This will be a favorite for me in 2026, which is a big statement on January 2. Highly recommended. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Favorite bits:

nor was it a job that was limited to school hours. Teaching isn’t that kind of work. So maybe it’s something you stop doing. But it isn’t something you stop being.

Because that’s the argument for independent-living facilities, isn’t it? If we just wanted to live independently, we could do that on our own. (Irony.) We moved to Vista View for our kids, to make life better and easier for them, which wasn’t very surprising since it was the reason we’d done more or less everything since the moment they were born.

But the older you get, the less clear the path at every point. Even your symptoms gray. Does it hurt more after eating or only after eating in the Vista View dining room or only because it’s the end of the day? Is the pain caused by whatever you’ve tested positive for or by something for which they haven’t thought to run a test or by something for which no test exists? Do your pains require treatment or acceptance? Do answers help or just lead to more questions? As you age, you need doctors more and more, and they’re able to tell you less and less.

Then: Wanna hear a joke about Flatbush?
Me: Always!
Lola: What do Brooklyn and people in tight yoga pants have in common?

On protesters at abortion clinics:
“Bullies,” I corrected. “Protesters are noble fighters battling injustices. These people are perpetrating one. They know nothing about you and therefore aren’t entitled to an opinion about you.”

I wanted to tell Lola that in my experience, my vast experience, when you find yourself at an end, you are probably also knee-deep in beginnings. I wanted to tell her that being knee-deep in beginnings is a good indication that the mires you’ve been wading through are mostly still damp and mud-clogged. And though I knew she wouldn’t understand it for years yet, I wanted to tell her that most of life is muddy middle, normal on the way to ordinary, that the mistake people make is to want it any other way, as if prosaic is boring and a failure of character rather than the dream.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley, for this uncorrected digital ARC of 'Enormous Wings' by Laurie Frankel - expected US release date of 05/05/2026

ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoy Frankel's books so much that I requested this ARC without reading the summary. I had no idea what I was in for and ohhh man, it was a wild ride. Frankel excels at women's fiction and family dramas with emotionally charged themes. This book was no different. What's great about her writing is that she's also hilarious. She plops in these one liners all throughout that are laugh out loud worthy and reflect wit in her characters. This lightens the tone and balances out against the heaviness of such controversial subjects. I don't know how she came up with this storyline but I really really really enjoyed the book, the characters, the message, the ending. All of it.

[Deb · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher, Henry Holt and Company, and the author, Laurie Frankel, for the privilege to read this advanced copy through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

It seemed to me that this book started out as a funny, laugh-out-loud book about life in an elderly independent living facility. It didn't take long and the story takes a quick turn to what felt like SciFi! A 77-year-old woman becomes pregnant! Itbis believed that this phenomena occurs due to drugs used in a clinical drug trial while she was battling breast cancer. The story progresses from "pregnant elderly mother and jailed elderly and new-mother elderly mother." The Book also provides "justification for choosing an abortion." I found the book entertaining until the abortion scenes. Enough said.

[wopphicreviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laurie Frankel’s Enormous Wings is a sharp, heartfelt exploration of choice, autonomy, and resilience in a post–Roe v. Wade America. Frankel’s signature wit and emotional depth shine through as she introduces Pepper Mills, a smart, tenacious woman who keeps getting stripped of her choices—her home, her car, her independence, and eventually, her bodily autonomy when she becomes pregnant while living in a retirement community.
Frankel excels at weaving humor, community, and serious subject matter into a narrative that feels both timely and universal. Fans of Women’s Fiction will love the rich character relationships, the insightful commentary, and the compassion threaded through every page.
Enormous Wings is a powerful reminder of the obstacles many face when reproductive care is restricted—and of the courage it takes to reclaim one’s agency.
Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co. for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Mel Wick · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a huge fan of Laurie Frankel, I was again enamored of this new book, Enormous Wings. The story line is quite fantastical but the underlying message of family and love and acceptance is there, as typical of Frankel's other novels. The social and political undertones are also appreciated by this reviewer. Highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for this ARC.

[Karrthick]

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[Angie Miale · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly magnificent book about our agency, not just how much power we have over our own bodies when pregnant, but as people. It starts when 77 year old Pepper gets into a car accident, her daughter takes her driver's license, and she moves her into the same assisted living facility that her ex-husband is in. But doesn't that make sense? That Pepper's kids would want her to be in the same place as their father? Still, this is where the theme begins that Pepper loses her ability to make decisions about her life. She didn't expect to fall in love, and NO ONE expected her to become pregnant.

What a crazy premise? I thought this would be more speculative, and although the premise is a little "out there" it is told in a realistic way. There is a fictional plot reason why she is an outlier of pregnancy. But even with such a fantasy-driven premise, this book ends up really making the reader think. If you like well written found-family books that make you think, this is the perfect book for you.

I have loved all of Laurie Frankel's novels, and this one absolutely met my SKY HIGH expectations. One of my pet peeves on GoodReads is when an early reader says "well I liked this book but I didn't like it as much as the author's previous work which is my favorite" - Early readers can fall into that trap of having high expectations that result in lesser than fair ratings. In this case I can confidently tell you that I absolutely LOVED this story, LOVED the characters, I laughed so hard at Pepper, her English teacher observations, and her general acceptance of her life.

I could not tell what was going to happen next, and it was also sad to see so many people exploiting the pregnant septugenarian for their own political gains, you just wanted to scream, she is a HUMAN BEING not your mascot! Wow. I was fiercely protective of her.

Laurie Frankel is just a genius, "Family Family" was very pro-adoption without being anti-choice, and this was so, so needed in women's literary fiction. This book takes an equally divisive topic and makes it really about the story. If you are sensitive about reading books about narrators that may not make the same decisions you would, this book could trigger you. But either way, I think it would be an excellent book club book to encourage lively discussions.

One of my top books of 2026!!

Thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt for the ARC. Book to be published May 4, 2026.

[Castille · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a unique and unexpected way to grapple with the issue of abortion rights. Like her previous novel Family, Family, Laurie Frankel takes a contentious subject and places it in a context that’s even more complex and emotionally tangled, forcing the reader to think beyond the usual binaries.

While I found the characters in Family, Family more immediately compelling, Enormous Wings is still absolutely worth your time. Pepper is a fabulous protagonist — grounded, empathetic, flawed, and full of agency, even when her autonomy is compromised. Frankel’s narrative doesn’t shout its stance at you; instead, it embodies its perspective, inviting understanding rather than demanding agreement.

What I appreciated most is how Frankel handles opposing viewpoints. The ‘pro-life’ advocates in the story are not caricatures. They are given motivation, voice, and texture in ways that steer clear of one-dimensional portrayals. In less capable hands, this subject could have easily veered into preachiness or reductive messaging. Frankel avoids that trap, offering instead a nuanced, humane exploration of choice, autonomy, fear, and consequence. The book doesn’t explicitly push a pro-abortion agenda — it champions the right of an individual to make decisions that suit their own needs and desires, which is both more subtle and more powerful.

No surprise this book will be divisive; it asks questions rather than handing out answers. But that’s exactly what makes it thought-provoking and deeply original. I would highly recommend for book clubs that are seeking to push themselves outside of their comfort zones.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Henry Holt & Co. and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published on May 5th, 2026.

Laurie Frankel is a master of the craft. As a librarian, I shout her praises from the tops of bookshelves at any opportunity I get. This means that I had high expectations for her latest work. I'm grateful and pleased to report that Enormous Wings lives up to these expectations.

This book is a meditation on life's transitions- the beginning, end, and messy middles. It's also a stark portrait of the gap between the autonomy we think we have a right to and the agency we actually receive. While I'm sure you can guess where some of that message comes into play based on the blurb, Frankel also left me pondering these topics at unexpected moments. That's what makes her such a fantastic writer!

It did take me a moment to get into the head of the protagonist, Pepper, though once we learned she was an English school teacher for her entire career, it was easy to rationalize her sweeping, analytic reflections on life that are normally better suited for a third person POV.

My one critique of the book is towards the end. Without getting too deep into spoilers, I can say that a secondary antagonist behaves in an appalling way that absolutely would have had legal repercussions. It threw me out of the story enough that I struggled to refocus as the book wrapped up.

Please, if you read one book this year, make it Enormous Wings. And then do yourself another favor and read Laurie Frankel's entire oeuvre. It's worth it.

[Lyon.Brit.andthebookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Report: Enormous Wings by Laurie Frankel

At 77…Pepper Mills moves into a retirement community she didn’t choose…only to find friendship…love…and the unthinkable. When her failing health turns out not to be illness but pregnancy. Pepper becomes a spectacle overnight…forcing her to confront what autonomy…choice and motherhood mean when time feels both scarce and abundant🤍

I’m a longtime Laurie Frankel fan and once again her characters and premise pulled me right in. With the mic-drop revelation that Pepper is 77 and pregnant…I knew this would be a book I’d be unpacking out loud. I found myself calling my mom daily to share the who…what…when and why as the story unfolded

I absolutely zipped through this one. Driven by questions that do get answered and answered thoughtfully. Enormous Wings is deeply humane and surprisingly tender. It asks you to pause…reflect on what’s ahead and also look back on the life you’ve already lived. A truly unique and highly memorable read✨

A few quotes that lingered with me:

“If you live long enough, sometimes customs change without your keeping up, and things you think are weird aren’t actually.”

“Time apart was a game for young people who had enough of it to waste.”

“…when you find yourself at an end, you are probably also knee deep in beginnings.”

Thank you Henry Holt for the gifted ARC

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lyon.brit.A...

[M.L. Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I saw in the book description “pregnant” and “Texas”, I knew this novel was going to be a necessary commentary about female bodily autonomy. And wow. What an enormous undertaking, yet Frankel delivers it with such graceful nuance. This is a novel that will resonate with women across the United States—and if you think suspending your disbelief for a story about a 77 year old pregnant person is asking too much, this is the least of it. If you are unfamiliar with the medical disparities in the United States, instead you will be asking yourself, “Surely her doctors won’t make her have this pregnancy to full term? Surely her doctors trust her to be her own advocate? Surely her doctors are making the most ethical decisions for their patient [aka the mother, not the barely-there cluster of cells in her uterus]?” And later: “Surely Texas doesn’t actually have officers who arrest women for ‘human trafficking’ a barely developed pregnancy? Surely the arresting officer would not deny a grossly pregnant person access to her life-saving medications?” Frankel intricately weaves what women in this country experience across space and time in the health care system and body politic: the lack of the right to speak for themselves. This novel is pure genius. I cannot think of a better way to talk about abortion and motherhood than through the lens of a woman who has lived seven decades in this tumultuous, inhibiting “land of the free.”

[Lonie · Rating 4 out of 5]

#thankyounetgalley

Enormous Wings surprised me in the best way. It was deeply relatable, funny, tender, and quietly profound.

Pepper, the main character, is Jewish, and her inner voice—her reactions, logic, guilt, humor, and stubborn love—felt exactly like the women in my own family. I saw them all over the page. I especially loved the dynamics between Pepper and her three grown children, as well as the sibling relationship among the three of them. Messy, loving, opinionated, real.

When Pepper is pushed by her kids into a retirement community—where her ex-husband also lives—life takes an unexpected turn. She meets her second great love, and their relationship is playful, sexy, and joyful in a way that defies every stereotype about aging. And then comes the biggest surprise of all: at 77, Pepper gets pregnant. Not just shocking to her, but to her partner, her children, and even the medical experts.

At its core, this book is about choice—how our decisions ripple outward, affecting the people we love, and how it’s never too late to choose differently. It’s also a beautiful reminder of the importance of family, friendship, and appreciating what you have while you have it.

Well written, emotionally rich, and genuinely moving. I laughed, I teared up, I sat with it after finishing.
Highly recommend.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started 2025 with an excellent book and I am so grateful to end it with another excellent book. Laurie Frankel's writing is a treasure. Her characters always stay with me and this book is no exception.

She does not shy away from harder topics and I expect this one will be polarizing because there's so much about abortion in this story. It's about a 77-year old who gets pregnant and lives in Texas where a woman is not allowed to get an abortion. This is the kind of story I love the most, it's not about the plot or settling, though both play a role, especially the old folk's home where she lives, but it's about the characters.

It's about Pepper and Moth and her two new and good friends, her ex who lives in the same home, her three children who each process the news differently. Her grand-daughters. Even her doctor and the doctor's team. There are a lot of unforgettable characters in this story. It's hard not to fall in love with each of them.

Frankel's writing is so strong. So funny. so insightful. so tender. so beautiful and so so heart wrenching all at once. A new book from her is the best gift and a perfect way to end this year.

with gratitude to Henry Holt and Co. and netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

[Janet Fiorentino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laurie Frankel’s novels are always such a delight and “Enormous Wings” is no exception. Frankel always comes up with the most distinctive plots to immerse her delightful characters.

Pepper Mills is 77 and not ready to live in a retirement center, but her children have different ideas. But if you’re thinking this is another novel about growing older, you do not know Laurie Frankel. Instead, Pepper finds herself pregnant in very conservative Texas where getting an abortion is not so easy thanks to the 2022 Dobbs decision.

The pro-life aspect was a bit obvious in this current political climate, but didn’t take the reader outside of this enjoyable story. While there were parts of this story that dragged on, I appreciated spending time in this world. Frankel’s writing is lively and humorous and I admire her from not shying from these difficult topics.

Thank you to Net Galley, Laurie Frankel and the publisher for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Angela Sunshine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co. for the ARC!

Pepper Mills is an elderly woman who's winding down her life - selling her car, giving up her drivers license, and moving to a retirement home. And oh, by the way, she is pregnant with her new neighbor's baby.

While there were many funny moments in this story, it was also frighteningly serious and scary. Pepper lives in Texas, where abortion is illegal. She faces zealots and do-gooders from all fronts of the abortion issue and has to navigate a new life, both as a woman in her 70s and as an unexpected mom-to-be (again).

This book touches on a woman's right to choose - or lack thereof - and how to face seemingly impossible and contradictory stages of life. Her story was handled with grace, hope, and honored the mixed emotions she was feeling. There were a couple of spots that felt out of character for Pepper, a smart woman with a good head on her shoulders, which led me to give it just under 4 stars. But if you are looking for a book that takes on some of the issues women face today, this is the book for you!

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Laurie Frankel's trademark dry humor is on display in "Enormous Wings" alongside her usual fearless leap into matters that are simultaneously deeply personal and, of late, political. When Pepper Mills gets pregnant at age 77, it's both a miracle and a crisis. And since Pepper happens to live in Texas, it's also a legal conundrum: Will an elderly post-menopausal woman be allowed to have an abortion? Must she have one, actually? Is it riskier to carry such a pregnancy to term or to have an abortion as an old lady? Frankel delivers a lot of fun commentary on aging, parenting, love and relationships in this novel. I just wish the rhetoric about abortion laws had been delivered in a smoother way, without bogging down the narrative so much. I'm 100% with Pepper: Everyone who can get pregnant should have a choice about whether to stay pregnant. But I thought some sections of the story got clunky as Frankel tried to make her point. 3.5 stars for me, a huge fan of Frankel's work overall.

Note: I received a free ARC of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The publisher's blurb tells what Enormous Wings is about, so I'm not spoiling it to tell you it's about a seventy-seven year old woman who becomes pregnant. Her children push her into giving up driving and selling her home. They deposit her in a tiny apartment in a huge building with three hundred tiny retirement apartments. She makes the best of it. She makes new female friends, and surprises herself by finding a late life romance. And that leads to the even more surprising pregnancy. It's a little unconventional, but Enormous Wings is basically a feel-good story about family. It's about how the love and caring we feel for family transcends all else. Like Dickens did in his time, Frankel uses a well-told tale to shine light on some of the social injustice of our time. That usually bothers me, but not when a story is this interesting. I had to add some new tags to describe this novel. I didn't add "fantasy" but we know it is. Right? I'm seventy-seven. Should I consider birth control?

[Leeann · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were so many layers to this book that I hardly know where to begin!

Ageism and perceptions/biases around the elderly, their care, their value, the proclivities and their capabilities.
The roles we have amongst family members, how they shift, how we can be "pigeonholed"
Politics- let me just say right now that this is a politically charged book. It lines up with my own political beliefs and I was fine with it but Ms Frankel does not shy away from the topic!
The intersection of religion and politics and the desire of others to impose their beliefs, even to the great detriment of others.

The premise was entirely far fetched but so creative that I was totally there for it!
The overarching story fell just a bit flat for me overall but I still enjoyed the book. I found it thought provoking (and I am glad I live in the state that I do!)

Thank you to Netgalley and to the Publisher for a DRC of Enormous Wings in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are entirely my own.

[Ryan Brandenburg · Rating 4 out of 5]

To say this book had a unique premise is an understatement, but I ended up really loving it!

After a minor car accident, Pepper, a seventy-seven-year-old woman, is placed in an assisted living facility by her adult children. She soon meets a romantic interest named Moth at the annual “prom” and, as luck (?) may have it, ends up getting pregnant. Chaos inevitably ensues in her life, given her age and the uncharted territory she’s venturing into, and it’s a wild ride to the finish!

This heartwarming story, though initially may seem superficial, delves into the profound abortion debate that currently plagues our nation.

Laurie Frankel is a master storyteller, and this book rose to the top as one of my favorites of hers. I highly recommend picking up a copy of “Enormous Wings” when it releases on May 5, 2026.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Henry Holt & Company, for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Drea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Laurie Frankel. Her writing is relatable and I feel like I'm speaking to a friend while reading her books. It pains me to say that this one was a miss for me. I couldn't get past the plot even though I appreciated the messages about society and health care. It's a bummer because for the first bit, I couldn't put it down. I loved the residents of the retirement home - the characters jumped off the page and made me smile. I love that "Moth" was the name for "Timothy". I know I will be in the minority with this "meh" review. I'm glad I read it and I'm sure others will love it. For me - not so much. The writing is what made this a three star read for me and one I can recommend. Go read Laurie Frankel whenever you can even if you roll your eyes at the premise. Heartfelt thanks to the publisher for the advanced copy!

[Jessica Brandt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am going to start off by saying I rounded up to 4 ⭐️ after thinking about this for a week. I have enjoyed Laurie Frankel’s books and I love that she uses hot button topics for her story content. I loved the idea here in this book of Pepper Mills, age 77, being pushed into a nursing home by her children and then, once there, finding love but also becoming pregnant!!! The concept is crazy and the fact that she lives in Texas of course makes it even more bonkers. I felt the book leaned really hard on women’s rights and abortion but in this case, I think it took away from Pepper, her relationship with the pregnancy, her children, the nursing home, etc. The book went a bit over the top and I almost feel it went too far. I know what was trying to be done but felt a bit distracted by it and for that I’m giving it 3.5 ⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for an advanced copy.

[Jill Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adore Laurie Frankel's books! She has such a masterful way of encapsulating complex social and emotional issues, distilling them to their essence, and making her readers think - and all while presenting the story in an engaging, fun, and entertaining way that works beautifully! The world is an increasingly dark and divisive place, and the ability to cover topics within the darkness with heart and emotion and humor and hope is a singular gift these days.

The writing is, as always, spot on perfect in tone and pacing. The characters are endearing and frustrating and hilariously human, full of quirks and shortcomings andso much heart! It won't be a book for everyone simply because of its main topic - abortion is more divisive now than ever before, and that's saying something - but it should be because it highlights so many of the elements of the issue in a novel way.

It was an absolute delight to read - I laughed and cried and yelled and read passages out loud just to hear the simple-yet-profound statements resonate in the room. I will be recommending it to everyone!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copy.