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Enormous Wings
Win a free print copy of this book!
17 days and 10:32:12
40 copies available
U.S. only
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 shocking: she’s pregnant.
Once word gets out, everyone wants a piece of her: 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.
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 shocking: she’s pregnant.
Once word gets out, everyone wants a piece of her: 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.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published May 5, 2026
About the author
Laurie Frankel
22 books4,010 followersLaurie Frankel is the bestselling author of six (!) novels (she can't believe it either): ENORMOUS WINGS, coming 5/5/26, as well as FAMILY FAMILY, 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).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 609 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️ 4 ⭐️ 77 YEARS OLD & PREGNANT, what's the first thing that comes to your mind?
The oldest I've seen a woman pregnant in my career was a 66 years old woman who naturally delivered twin boys, while the youngest was a case of rape at 13 years old. Two different females, two different stories... one that stemmed from deep love, desire and want of being a mother and multiple failed IVFs over 20 year span while the other an unfathomable case of unforseen molestation by an older boy at school. Do pregnancies happen at 77? Yes they do. Are they common? No they are not. Pregnancies in septuagenarians are extremely rare and only possible via IVF. They are an anomaly which is also accompanied by high medical risk. Such pregnancies require intensive monitoring through out the entire gestation as there are significant health risks for both the mother and the fetus. Aside from all the medical issues that can arise, being over 50 and pregnant comes with a preset ton of ethical issues, one of them being reproductive autonomy which is highly explored in Enormous Wings. Let's get into it!
Quick summary: Pepper Mills is our 77 year old who moves into a retirement community of Austin, Texas where she not only makes new friends but also finds love. That love comes with a surprise of her lifetime-she is pregnant! Yes, pregnant at 77 years old, you heard that right! The word gets out and now she's the talk of the town. The paparazzi, the activists, the researchers, the journalists, the whole world now wants to know when, why, how. They all want a piece of her & Pepper has no room to breathe. She's forced to confront difficult choices about bodily autonomy, motherhood and life in post Roe v Wade world. The kick? She's living in state of Texas where abortion is illegal at all stages of pregnancy, with very narrow exceptions. As the world debates her bodily choices, this novel asks big uncomfortable questions about reproductive rights, aging, 'geriatric' sexual activity, choices. Read this if you want to find out how it all ends--it's good, it's really freaking good.
Enormous Wings is a can of worms. I don't know how to appropriately format this review but my mind was (and still is) buzzing with so many thoughts after I finished it. Laurie Frankel took an ordinary family and created a very unconventional situation, mixed it with snarky commentary and sense of humor and gave it wings. Perhaps not 100% belivable but 100% will ruffle your feathers. It's an eye opener about current state of affairs, not just political but also about the unspoken things such as intercourse in your later stages of life. Sexuality in 70-90's is frequently overlooked, never addressed and often shrouded in societal taboos and misconceptions. Its an "ew, gross" topic for most people and I completely understand that one doesn't think about their grandma or grandpa getting it on, however--sexuality is still part of a healthy, fulfilling life and should be addressed and normalized instead of looked down on.
Pregnancy and abortion are always at each other's throats. Its such a broad topic that is always at the center of legal, ethical and social controversy. Who am I to say what one decides is wrong or right? Pepper Mills is a grown woman and she decided for herself her own outcome. Regardless of our laws, religions and political divisions, autonomy is the basic human right and should not be conditional.
This book would be perfect for book clubs and tackles several topics in such a moving, emotional way. It might be absurd but it highlights parts of our lives that are sometimes overlooked or overly displayed. It's rich with personality, funk and humor where appropriate. It's not judgmental or one-sided. It's imaginative and heartfelt and it's great for all ages.
Narator: Becky Ann Baker
Narration time: Roughly 9 hours 50 min.
Speed: 1.25x
Many thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and the author, Laurie Frankel for an early ALC.
Publication date: May 5, 2026
The oldest I've seen a woman pregnant in my career was a 66 years old woman who naturally delivered twin boys, while the youngest was a case of rape at 13 years old. Two different females, two different stories... one that stemmed from deep love, desire and want of being a mother and multiple failed IVFs over 20 year span while the other an unfathomable case of unforseen molestation by an older boy at school. Do pregnancies happen at 77? Yes they do. Are they common? No they are not. Pregnancies in septuagenarians are extremely rare and only possible via IVF. They are an anomaly which is also accompanied by high medical risk. Such pregnancies require intensive monitoring through out the entire gestation as there are significant health risks for both the mother and the fetus. Aside from all the medical issues that can arise, being over 50 and pregnant comes with a preset ton of ethical issues, one of them being reproductive autonomy which is highly explored in Enormous Wings. Let's get into it!
Quick summary: Pepper Mills is our 77 year old who moves into a retirement community of Austin, Texas where she not only makes new friends but also finds love. That love comes with a surprise of her lifetime-she is pregnant! Yes, pregnant at 77 years old, you heard that right! The word gets out and now she's the talk of the town. The paparazzi, the activists, the researchers, the journalists, the whole world now wants to know when, why, how. They all want a piece of her & Pepper has no room to breathe. She's forced to confront difficult choices about bodily autonomy, motherhood and life in post Roe v Wade world. The kick? She's living in state of Texas where abortion is illegal at all stages of pregnancy, with very narrow exceptions. As the world debates her bodily choices, this novel asks big uncomfortable questions about reproductive rights, aging, 'geriatric' sexual activity, choices. Read this if you want to find out how it all ends--it's good, it's really freaking good.
Enormous Wings is a can of worms. I don't know how to appropriately format this review but my mind was (and still is) buzzing with so many thoughts after I finished it. Laurie Frankel took an ordinary family and created a very unconventional situation, mixed it with snarky commentary and sense of humor and gave it wings. Perhaps not 100% belivable but 100% will ruffle your feathers. It's an eye opener about current state of affairs, not just political but also about the unspoken things such as intercourse in your later stages of life. Sexuality in 70-90's is frequently overlooked, never addressed and often shrouded in societal taboos and misconceptions. Its an "ew, gross" topic for most people and I completely understand that one doesn't think about their grandma or grandpa getting it on, however--sexuality is still part of a healthy, fulfilling life and should be addressed and normalized instead of looked down on.
Pregnancy and abortion are always at each other's throats. Its such a broad topic that is always at the center of legal, ethical and social controversy. Who am I to say what one decides is wrong or right? Pepper Mills is a grown woman and she decided for herself her own outcome. Regardless of our laws, religions and political divisions, autonomy is the basic human right and should not be conditional.
This book would be perfect for book clubs and tackles several topics in such a moving, emotional way. It might be absurd but it highlights parts of our lives that are sometimes overlooked or overly displayed. It's rich with personality, funk and humor where appropriate. It's not judgmental or one-sided. It's imaginative and heartfelt and it's great for all ages.
Narator: Becky Ann Baker
Narration time: Roughly 9 hours 50 min.
Speed: 1.25x
Many thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and the author, Laurie Frankel for an early ALC.
Publication date: May 5, 2026
May 15, 2026
“I find that book clubs are like garlic sauces: I like them, but they do not agree with me.”
This is Pepper talking, our narrator and protagonist. She is 77-years-old with a sharp sense of humor, a realistic view of the world, and a firmly established way of life. Until…
Pepper has an unfortunate fender bender, which leads her family to orchestrate the inevitable next chapter for her — moving her into the Vista View Retirement Community, a continuing care facility in Austin, Texas.
What initially feels like the unfortunate ending of life as she knows it slowly turns into something entirely different: wondrous, unexpected new beginnings. Though Pepper certainly doesn’t see it that way at first.
There is a lot for Pepper to reckon with. Giving up her 100-year-old house and the independence of her comfortable solitude feels like a loss she isn’t sure she can overcome.
Even if she is technically in the independent-living section, is this really how she imagined the final stretch of her life?
And then, life happens.
Moth, her charming next-door neighbor originally from England, steadily works his way into her orbit. Suddenly, Pepper’s solitude doesn’t feel quite so solitary anymore.
Including one intimate moment with Moth.
Leading to…Pepper feeling a bit off.
And this is where I went delightfully, hilariously nuts.
I kid you not, just days before discovering this book, I had the strangest dream. There I was, at my current stage of life (very post-menopause), trying to decide whether I would breastfeed or bottle-feed newborn twins I had somehow just given birth to. Never mind that I underwent an emergency hysterectomy at 36. Never mind that I am happily retired, married, and have grandchildren in their teens and twenties. When I woke up, I was completely flummoxed.
So, when this book arrived from my local library and I began reading, I suddenly found myself wondering how I could somehow relate to Pepper’s impossible dilemma.
Because surely, at 77, that couldn’t actually happen…could it?
As Pepper settles into new friendships, a different rhythm of life, and unexpected intimacy with Moth, she assumes these strange physical feelings must simply be age catching up with her. So, she goes in for tests.
Perhaps the results belong to someone else? That seems rational enough.
Except the tests keep returning with the same answer.
So now what?
In this delightfully unconventional septuagenarian rom-com — if we can even call it that — older people standing near what they assumed was the end of life suddenly find themselves facing an entirely different possibility. Thrust into an uncomfortable spotlight, they must wrestle with difficult decisions, public scrutiny, and the question of whether life can still surprise them with new purpose.
This story is humorous, heartfelt, sweet, and wonderfully human. But it is also willing to engage with larger, deeply personal issues — especially in a post-Roe world where women’s reproductive rights have dramatically shifted.
“Yes, to fighting when fighting is necessary. Yes, to helping those who need help and those you can help. Yes, to being brave. Yes, to telling your own…story. Yes, to …an unlikely, much-heralded, astonishing ineffable, miraculous life.”
Yes, to Bob. (No spoilers from me.)
Mostly, though, this is a lovely, page-turning adventure for those of us who sometimes wonder whether we are too old for reinvention, joy, intimacy, or unexpected change — and a reminder that life may still have surprises waiting for us yet.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 stars
This is Pepper talking, our narrator and protagonist. She is 77-years-old with a sharp sense of humor, a realistic view of the world, and a firmly established way of life. Until…
Pepper has an unfortunate fender bender, which leads her family to orchestrate the inevitable next chapter for her — moving her into the Vista View Retirement Community, a continuing care facility in Austin, Texas.
What initially feels like the unfortunate ending of life as she knows it slowly turns into something entirely different: wondrous, unexpected new beginnings. Though Pepper certainly doesn’t see it that way at first.
There is a lot for Pepper to reckon with. Giving up her 100-year-old house and the independence of her comfortable solitude feels like a loss she isn’t sure she can overcome.
Even if she is technically in the independent-living section, is this really how she imagined the final stretch of her life?
And then, life happens.
Moth, her charming next-door neighbor originally from England, steadily works his way into her orbit. Suddenly, Pepper’s solitude doesn’t feel quite so solitary anymore.
Including one intimate moment with Moth.
Leading to…Pepper feeling a bit off.
And this is where I went delightfully, hilariously nuts.
I kid you not, just days before discovering this book, I had the strangest dream. There I was, at my current stage of life (very post-menopause), trying to decide whether I would breastfeed or bottle-feed newborn twins I had somehow just given birth to. Never mind that I underwent an emergency hysterectomy at 36. Never mind that I am happily retired, married, and have grandchildren in their teens and twenties. When I woke up, I was completely flummoxed.
So, when this book arrived from my local library and I began reading, I suddenly found myself wondering how I could somehow relate to Pepper’s impossible dilemma.
Because surely, at 77, that couldn’t actually happen…could it?
As Pepper settles into new friendships, a different rhythm of life, and unexpected intimacy with Moth, she assumes these strange physical feelings must simply be age catching up with her. So, she goes in for tests.
Perhaps the results belong to someone else? That seems rational enough.
Except the tests keep returning with the same answer.
So now what?
In this delightfully unconventional septuagenarian rom-com — if we can even call it that — older people standing near what they assumed was the end of life suddenly find themselves facing an entirely different possibility. Thrust into an uncomfortable spotlight, they must wrestle with difficult decisions, public scrutiny, and the question of whether life can still surprise them with new purpose.
This story is humorous, heartfelt, sweet, and wonderfully human. But it is also willing to engage with larger, deeply personal issues — especially in a post-Roe world where women’s reproductive rights have dramatically shifted.
“Yes, to fighting when fighting is necessary. Yes, to helping those who need help and those you can help. Yes, to being brave. Yes, to telling your own…story. Yes, to …an unlikely, much-heralded, astonishing ineffable, miraculous life.”
Yes, to Bob. (No spoilers from me.)
Mostly, though, this is a lovely, page-turning adventure for those of us who sometimes wonder whether we are too old for reinvention, joy, intimacy, or unexpected change — and a reminder that life may still have surprises waiting for us yet.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 stars
October 28, 2025
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…
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…
February 22, 2026
ADVANCE REVIEW COPY – RELEASE DATE: MAY 5, 2026
The unfortunately-named Pepper Mills, seventy-seven years old, has just been admitted to the sprawling Vista View nursing home in suburban Austin, Texas. There she meets Moth (a strange derivative of “Timothy”) a dashing Brit just next door. A car wash here, a sweet little dance there, and before you know it, they’re in love. One thing leads to another, which means they’re more “active” (ahem) then ever before. But then, the unthinkable occurs: Pepper, a mother three times over, a grandmother four times over…is pregnant. Cue the world losing its freaking mind.
Here’s your warning: if you have intractable views about abortion, you should stop reading. No one needs another comment war.
But if you’re truly open-minded, or at least accepting of life’s possibilities, you’ll find this story inspiring, hopeful, funny, and vastly intelligent. Never before has the topic of new life been explored with such exceptionally thought-out feelings and thoughts. It’s not angry, or preachy, and there’s no agenda that I could find. No, Frankel has just laid out what happens to the septuagenarian in a certain situation in a certain place with certain people around. Joining her on the journey was a pleasure.
Maybe it’s because Pepper is my kind of protagonist. She’s a retired English teacher who can’t help correcting people’s grammar (see my profile pic). The story’s told from her first-person perspective, and Frankel absolutely nailed her voice. She’s dry, witty, and extremely erudite. I thought I was snarky, but I just handed my crown to her. She peppered (yes, I used that word) her language with hilarious jokes or observations or puns, and more than once I laughed out loud.
And yet, you can see the depth of her love. Her kids pretty much forced her into that home, and her powers of snark won’t let her let them forget it. But her monologues are…uh, sprinkled?...with admirations and descriptions of their attributes. Her relationship with Lola, her troubled granddaughter, got me right in the heart: the love was unconditional.
Thus, it’s my opinion that the plot was developed by Pepper’s own development. The turning point is, of course, her pregnancy. And no one’s surprised by the maelstrom that follows: fame, infamy, zealots from both ends of the issue, agents and producers and pharmaceutical reps clamoring for something (which leads to profit). There are even arrests and violence (but not much). But how it’s digested, and how we see it, is exactly how I’d expect Pepper would experience it. She’s a cool character but stands up for her family and friends when it comes down to it.
Pepper also delivers a wonderful paragraph or two of her philosophy just as she’s dealing with the craziness. I’d imagine her having a gift for self-expression, and I wasn’t disappointed.
And here’s the thing: the thoughts she has are all related to the wonder of life, the power of love, the right everyone has to their own lives. She does it without judgment or politics or religion or self-righteousness, just the way I like it. I highlighted a few areas that I’d like to keep for myself. Those quotes, probably things Frankel believes (and expresses beautifully through her MC) are worth the price of the novel.
Superbly contemplative, deeply human, and subtly hilarious, Frankel’s new novel is a triumph for anyone who just wants to live, truly live.
Thank you to Henry Holt Publishers and NetGalley for a complimentary advance copy in exchange for an honest review. Enormous Wings will be released May 5, 2026.
The unfortunately-named Pepper Mills, seventy-seven years old, has just been admitted to the sprawling Vista View nursing home in suburban Austin, Texas. There she meets Moth (a strange derivative of “Timothy”) a dashing Brit just next door. A car wash here, a sweet little dance there, and before you know it, they’re in love. One thing leads to another, which means they’re more “active” (ahem) then ever before. But then, the unthinkable occurs: Pepper, a mother three times over, a grandmother four times over…is pregnant. Cue the world losing its freaking mind.
Here’s your warning: if you have intractable views about abortion, you should stop reading. No one needs another comment war.
But if you’re truly open-minded, or at least accepting of life’s possibilities, you’ll find this story inspiring, hopeful, funny, and vastly intelligent. Never before has the topic of new life been explored with such exceptionally thought-out feelings and thoughts. It’s not angry, or preachy, and there’s no agenda that I could find. No, Frankel has just laid out what happens to the septuagenarian in a certain situation in a certain place with certain people around. Joining her on the journey was a pleasure.
Maybe it’s because Pepper is my kind of protagonist. She’s a retired English teacher who can’t help correcting people’s grammar (see my profile pic). The story’s told from her first-person perspective, and Frankel absolutely nailed her voice. She’s dry, witty, and extremely erudite. I thought I was snarky, but I just handed my crown to her. She peppered (yes, I used that word) her language with hilarious jokes or observations or puns, and more than once I laughed out loud.
And yet, you can see the depth of her love. Her kids pretty much forced her into that home, and her powers of snark won’t let her let them forget it. But her monologues are…uh, sprinkled?...with admirations and descriptions of their attributes. Her relationship with Lola, her troubled granddaughter, got me right in the heart: the love was unconditional.
Thus, it’s my opinion that the plot was developed by Pepper’s own development. The turning point is, of course, her pregnancy. And no one’s surprised by the maelstrom that follows: fame, infamy, zealots from both ends of the issue, agents and producers and pharmaceutical reps clamoring for something (which leads to profit). There are even arrests and violence (but not much). But how it’s digested, and how we see it, is exactly how I’d expect Pepper would experience it. She’s a cool character but stands up for her family and friends when it comes down to it.
Pepper also delivers a wonderful paragraph or two of her philosophy just as she’s dealing with the craziness. I’d imagine her having a gift for self-expression, and I wasn’t disappointed.
And here’s the thing: the thoughts she has are all related to the wonder of life, the power of love, the right everyone has to their own lives. She does it without judgment or politics or religion or self-righteousness, just the way I like it. I highlighted a few areas that I’d like to keep for myself. Those quotes, probably things Frankel believes (and expresses beautifully through her MC) are worth the price of the novel.
Superbly contemplative, deeply human, and subtly hilarious, Frankel’s new novel is a triumph for anyone who just wants to live, truly live.
Thank you to Henry Holt Publishers and NetGalley for a complimentary advance copy in exchange for an honest review. Enormous Wings will be released May 5, 2026.
August 15, 2025
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.
January 27, 2026
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!
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!
May 14, 2026
What to expect when you're unexpectedly expecting at seventy-seven.
I'll admit it: I was almost put off by the premise of Enormous Wings. A seventy-seven-year-old woman discovering she's pregnant does sound, on paper, like the sort of idea that could go spectacularly wrong. Happily though, Laurie Frankel knows exactly what she's doing.
Yes, the novel offers a medical explanation for Pepper Mills's late-in-life pregnancy, but the pregnancy itself is not really the point. This is not some wink-wink oddity built around shock value. It is, instead, a sharp, humane, and unexpectedly moving story about bodily autonomy, aging, dignity, and what happens when the world decides it knows better than you do.
Pepper is the beating heart of the novel: witty, dry, stubborn, and gloriously unwilling to be managed. Recently relocated to a retirement community by her well-meaning adult children, she is already navigating the slow erosion of independence that can come with age. Her pregnancy simply turns that private struggle into a public spectacle. Suddenly everyone has an opinion, naturally, and very few of those opinions belong to the person actually living inside the body in question. Imagine that.
I also loved Pepper's circle of friends and the family she has built around herself. The novel understands that kinship is not always biological, and that companionship, loyalty, and chosen family can become even more vital later in life.
What Frankel does so well is balance warmth and humor with genuine fury. Enormous Wings is funny, often delightfully so, but it is also deeply engaged with larger and often infuriating realities - especially in a post-a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roe_v._...Roe world where reproductive rights, medical authority, and personal agency remain battlegrounds. The questions Pepper faces may be heightened by unlikely circumstance, but the loss of control over one's own life is painfully familiar.
The audiobook, narrated by Becky Ann Baker, is a real treat. She captures Pepper's wit, warmth, and zest for life beautifully, giving her a voice that feels utterly authentic. Her performance adds even more charm and emotional texture to the story.
Overall, Enormous Wings is original, often funny, sometimes infuriating, incredibly timely, and far more grounded than its premise might suggest. A novel with heart, bite, and brains, it manages to be both entertaining and quietly radical.
Many thanks to Macmillan Audio for providing me with an ALC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
"Enormous Wings" was published on May 5, 2026, and is available now.
I'll admit it: I was almost put off by the premise of Enormous Wings. A seventy-seven-year-old woman discovering she's pregnant does sound, on paper, like the sort of idea that could go spectacularly wrong. Happily though, Laurie Frankel knows exactly what she's doing.
Yes, the novel offers a medical explanation for Pepper Mills's late-in-life pregnancy, but the pregnancy itself is not really the point. This is not some wink-wink oddity built around shock value. It is, instead, a sharp, humane, and unexpectedly moving story about bodily autonomy, aging, dignity, and what happens when the world decides it knows better than you do.
Pepper is the beating heart of the novel: witty, dry, stubborn, and gloriously unwilling to be managed. Recently relocated to a retirement community by her well-meaning adult children, she is already navigating the slow erosion of independence that can come with age. Her pregnancy simply turns that private struggle into a public spectacle. Suddenly everyone has an opinion, naturally, and very few of those opinions belong to the person actually living inside the body in question. Imagine that.
I also loved Pepper's circle of friends and the family she has built around herself. The novel understands that kinship is not always biological, and that companionship, loyalty, and chosen family can become even more vital later in life.
What Frankel does so well is balance warmth and humor with genuine fury. Enormous Wings is funny, often delightfully so, but it is also deeply engaged with larger and often infuriating realities - especially in a post-a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roe_v._...Roe world where reproductive rights, medical authority, and personal agency remain battlegrounds. The questions Pepper faces may be heightened by unlikely circumstance, but the loss of control over one's own life is painfully familiar.
The audiobook, narrated by Becky Ann Baker, is a real treat. She captures Pepper's wit, warmth, and zest for life beautifully, giving her a voice that feels utterly authentic. Her performance adds even more charm and emotional texture to the story.
Overall, Enormous Wings is original, often funny, sometimes infuriating, incredibly timely, and far more grounded than its premise might suggest. A novel with heart, bite, and brains, it manages to be both entertaining and quietly radical.
Many thanks to Macmillan Audio for providing me with an ALC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
"Enormous Wings" was published on May 5, 2026, and is available now.
March 5, 2026
I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect for this to hammer at my heart the way that it did. WHEW.
May 3, 2026
What a crazy story… with so many realistic themes thrown in with so many things that will just utterly fluster you… that you need to just shake your head once in a while to come back to reality!
Pepper Mills is a grown, elderly woman who lost her husband some time ago, and now lives on her own, independently.
She has three grown children who are each established in their own way, plus multiple grandchildren!
One day when she gets into an accident, well… her license gets cut up! 😳😮😳. (That one threw ME over the edge!)
and then, her kids just DECIDE FOR HER that it’s time to pack up and move into a nursing home/ retirement facility!
WHATTTT??????
So, she goes… but she’s NOT happy about it!
But, guess what? She makes friends and starts having fun! Maybe it’s not so bad after all!!
One night they have a Senior Prom.. (Ahem…)… and,she dances with Moth… an elderly British gentleman who lost his wife some years ago. One thing leads to another… and, you get the picture…
A month or so later she wonders if she’s dying! Nauseous. Dizzy. No appetite…
So, she goes to the doctor and guess what? The 70 something year old is pregnant!!!
So yes, put aside your presumptions and normalcy and all, and just go along with the story. It is so worth it!
To see how it all plays out… well, just astonishing!
She lives in Texas… which is a NO Abortion state. and just as they try to figure out and navigate the situation, well.. it all just goes OFF the rails!
This one made me smile on many occasions, and then also had me scratching my head saying what? Why?
But in the end… beautiful, brilliant, sweet and sassy!
#EnormousWings by @LauraFrankel and narrated beautifully by @BeckyAnnBaker.
4 enormous, sweet, beautiful, life-filled, emotional stars for me! 🌟🌟🌟🌟
*** This one has not been released yet, but please keep your eyes 👀 open for it on 5/3/26! ***
Thanks so much to #NetGalley and @MacmillanAudio for an ALC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
You can also find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Instagram: @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine
Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!!
And as always, thanks for reading along with me! 📚⭐️📖🩷
Pepper Mills is a grown, elderly woman who lost her husband some time ago, and now lives on her own, independently.
She has three grown children who are each established in their own way, plus multiple grandchildren!
One day when she gets into an accident, well… her license gets cut up! 😳😮😳. (That one threw ME over the edge!)
and then, her kids just DECIDE FOR HER that it’s time to pack up and move into a nursing home/ retirement facility!
WHATTTT??????
So, she goes… but she’s NOT happy about it!
But, guess what? She makes friends and starts having fun! Maybe it’s not so bad after all!!
One night they have a Senior Prom.. (Ahem…)… and,she dances with Moth… an elderly British gentleman who lost his wife some years ago. One thing leads to another… and, you get the picture…
A month or so later she wonders if she’s dying! Nauseous. Dizzy. No appetite…
So, she goes to the doctor and guess what? The 70 something year old is pregnant!!!
So yes, put aside your presumptions and normalcy and all, and just go along with the story. It is so worth it!
To see how it all plays out… well, just astonishing!
She lives in Texas… which is a NO Abortion state. and just as they try to figure out and navigate the situation, well.. it all just goes OFF the rails!
This one made me smile on many occasions, and then also had me scratching my head saying what? Why?
But in the end… beautiful, brilliant, sweet and sassy!
#EnormousWings by @LauraFrankel and narrated beautifully by @BeckyAnnBaker.
4 enormous, sweet, beautiful, life-filled, emotional stars for me! 🌟🌟🌟🌟
*** This one has not been released yet, but please keep your eyes 👀 open for it on 5/3/26! ***
Thanks so much to #NetGalley and @MacmillanAudio for an ALC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
You can also find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Instagram: @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine
Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!!
And as always, thanks for reading along with me! 📚⭐️📖🩷
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Laurie Frankel has a gift for telling stories about ordinary families being thrust into unconventional situations and facing the issues with grace. In her upcoming novel, Enormous Wings, we meet a Septigenarian who finds herself pregnant.
Enormous Wings takes a deep dive into ageism, mortality, family, and the unexpected places where love can be found. The story also covers reproductive rights. Enormous Wings takes is inside the life of a woman in an impossible situation who is living in the United States where bodily autonomy is no longer a human right but instead is dictated by the government.
With Laurie Frankel’s signature writing style, Enormous Wings is written with a ton of heart and wit. I adored all the characters but the main character Pepper was so beautifully written and her story will stay with me long after finishing. I also loved how the title of the book came from Gabriel García Márquez's short story, A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings.
This is my fourth read by Laurie Frankel and Enormous Wings solidified my love for her. Along with Enormous Wings, I also highly recommend checking out her prior works, This is How it Always is, Family Family, and One Two Three.
After finishing the book, I listened to the audiobook (yes I loved it that much) which is narrated by Becky Ann Baker who did a fantastic job bringing this story to life. If you decide to pick this one up, I highly recommend the audiobook!
Enormous Wings by Laurie Frankel will be available on May 5. Many thanks to Macmillan Audio for the gifted audiobook and Henry Holt Books for the gifted copy!
Enormous Wings takes a deep dive into ageism, mortality, family, and the unexpected places where love can be found. The story also covers reproductive rights. Enormous Wings takes is inside the life of a woman in an impossible situation who is living in the United States where bodily autonomy is no longer a human right but instead is dictated by the government.
With Laurie Frankel’s signature writing style, Enormous Wings is written with a ton of heart and wit. I adored all the characters but the main character Pepper was so beautifully written and her story will stay with me long after finishing. I also loved how the title of the book came from Gabriel García Márquez's short story, A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings.
This is my fourth read by Laurie Frankel and Enormous Wings solidified my love for her. Along with Enormous Wings, I also highly recommend checking out her prior works, This is How it Always is, Family Family, and One Two Three.
After finishing the book, I listened to the audiobook (yes I loved it that much) which is narrated by Becky Ann Baker who did a fantastic job bringing this story to life. If you decide to pick this one up, I highly recommend the audiobook!
Enormous Wings by Laurie Frankel will be available on May 5. Many thanks to Macmillan Audio for the gifted audiobook and Henry Holt Books for the gifted copy!
February 28, 2026
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.
Thanks to NetGalley for an opportunity to read this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Read
October 7, 2025What a triumph of a novel--wry, intelligent, and wholly original.
May 5, 2026
This is my first book by Laurie Frankel but I am excited to read more. I really appreciated the author's style and wit and how much story she was able to squeeze into a relatively short book.
I think this one will be controversial because the subject of a woman's right to bodily autonomy is such a hot button issue. Still, I think the less you know going in, the more impact this story will have.
(knowing that...read on for my thoughts that have no spoilers you won't find in the blurb)
I absolutely loved the FMC - the unfortunately named Pepper Mills - and her witty, thoughtful commentary on everything from marriage, divorce, aging and parenting to literature and the curious evolution of emojis as language. She will correct your grammar on the fly and without apology. She has a deep and abiding love of Shakespeare, her family and the new friends she has made at the Vista View Retirement Community. Although Pepper didn't feel it was quite necessary for her to be in assisted living, she agreed to it in order to make her children's lives easier and prevent them from worrying about her. (Love the commentary on how we mothers never stop mothering!) Pepper makes friends with several of the residents and they form their own tribe in this new phase of life where they all acknowledge that they are making peace with facing their mortality. When Pepper falls ill, her family fears a recurrence of her breast cancer. When tests determine the 77-year-old Pepper is pregnant, she and her new boyfriend are faced with unwelcome publicity and interference into their lives. Pepper tries to determine how she will proceed with next steps but soon realizes that many choices are not hers to make.
Obviously, this is a book that focuses a lot on the abortion debate, a woman's right to choose, bodily autonomy and the politics surrounding all of it. I think Frankel does a good job of trying to approach it from all angles but there is never any doubt where Pepper stands, even when she is working through the shock of life-changing news. The first third of the book was infused with a lot of humor and highlighted how people of advanced age are still just people. This book is as much about aging as it is about the right to choose. I was touched to hear how the characters were impacted by each small loss of independence and how they dealt with becoming invisible to the world.
Somewhere in the middle, the book meandered a bit for me and I felt like it got away from the wit and humor. This is understandable given the decisions that Pepper had to face. I think it is challenging for any book that deals with contentious topics - particularly anything involving politics or religion - to avoid treading into being heavy-handed or preachy. I understand why it was necessary and I don't disagree but I sort of missed Pepper's levity and wit. It does have a way of coming full circle by the end but it is what hold me back from a higher rating.
I had so many people tell me to do this one on audio and I agree that narrator Becky Ann Baker does a fabulous job of bring Pepper to life. Magical realism is a tricky thing for me - I get so caught up in the realness of the story that it catches me when I have to work to suspend disbelief. If you are interested in thoughtful examinations of aging, motherhood and the moral and ethical ramifications of the abortion debate, I think this one is well worth a read. I am very interested to try some other books from this author. 4 stars
I think this one will be controversial because the subject of a woman's right to bodily autonomy is such a hot button issue. Still, I think the less you know going in, the more impact this story will have.
(knowing that...read on for my thoughts that have no spoilers you won't find in the blurb)
I absolutely loved the FMC - the unfortunately named Pepper Mills - and her witty, thoughtful commentary on everything from marriage, divorce, aging and parenting to literature and the curious evolution of emojis as language. She will correct your grammar on the fly and without apology. She has a deep and abiding love of Shakespeare, her family and the new friends she has made at the Vista View Retirement Community. Although Pepper didn't feel it was quite necessary for her to be in assisted living, she agreed to it in order to make her children's lives easier and prevent them from worrying about her. (Love the commentary on how we mothers never stop mothering!) Pepper makes friends with several of the residents and they form their own tribe in this new phase of life where they all acknowledge that they are making peace with facing their mortality. When Pepper falls ill, her family fears a recurrence of her breast cancer. When tests determine the 77-year-old Pepper is pregnant, she and her new boyfriend are faced with unwelcome publicity and interference into their lives. Pepper tries to determine how she will proceed with next steps but soon realizes that many choices are not hers to make.
Obviously, this is a book that focuses a lot on the abortion debate, a woman's right to choose, bodily autonomy and the politics surrounding all of it. I think Frankel does a good job of trying to approach it from all angles but there is never any doubt where Pepper stands, even when she is working through the shock of life-changing news. The first third of the book was infused with a lot of humor and highlighted how people of advanced age are still just people. This book is as much about aging as it is about the right to choose. I was touched to hear how the characters were impacted by each small loss of independence and how they dealt with becoming invisible to the world.
Somewhere in the middle, the book meandered a bit for me and I felt like it got away from the wit and humor. This is understandable given the decisions that Pepper had to face. I think it is challenging for any book that deals with contentious topics - particularly anything involving politics or religion - to avoid treading into being heavy-handed or preachy. I understand why it was necessary and I don't disagree but I sort of missed Pepper's levity and wit. It does have a way of coming full circle by the end but it is what hold me back from a higher rating.
I had so many people tell me to do this one on audio and I agree that narrator Becky Ann Baker does a fabulous job of bring Pepper to life. Magical realism is a tricky thing for me - I get so caught up in the realness of the story that it catches me when I have to work to suspend disbelief. If you are interested in thoughtful examinations of aging, motherhood and the moral and ethical ramifications of the abortion debate, I think this one is well worth a read. I am very interested to try some other books from this author. 4 stars
March 29, 2026
ENORMOUS WINGS
By Laurie Frankel
Narrated by Becky Ann Baker
Who Gets to Decide?
3.5 stars rounded up
Take a quirky, and slightly surreal premise, add a good dose of emotional depth and thought-provoking themes, and sprinkle in some sharp humor—you get Enormous Wings.
We meet Pepper Mills, a seventy-seven-year-old who’s just moved into a retirement community in Texas—against her better judgment. Then she falls in love with Moth, and becomes pregnant…crazy, right? You can imagine what happens when her children, grandchildren, doctors, and even the press get ahold of the news. Suddenly, Pepper has a lot of decisions to make—and not all of them are entirely up to her.
Laurie Frankel’s writing is so engaging. She pulls you in right from the start, and even when tackling heavier topics, she does it in a way that feels approachable and easy to connect with. I really appreciated how real and imperfect the characters felt—no one is all right or all wrong, which made the story feel more grounded.
What stood out most to me was that constant push and pull between personal freedom, family pressure, and outside judgment. It gives you a lot to think about.
The audiobook, expertly narrated by Becky Ann Baker, was an excellent companion to the book and really added to the overall experience. She nailed the tone and voices.
If you enjoy character-driven stories with a touch of the unexpected and don’t mind suspending disbelief, this one delivers with themes of family, autonomy, and choice.
Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for the eARC, and to Macmillan Audio for the ALC.
Publishing May 5, 2026
By Laurie Frankel
Narrated by Becky Ann Baker
Who Gets to Decide?
3.5 stars rounded up
Take a quirky, and slightly surreal premise, add a good dose of emotional depth and thought-provoking themes, and sprinkle in some sharp humor—you get Enormous Wings.
We meet Pepper Mills, a seventy-seven-year-old who’s just moved into a retirement community in Texas—against her better judgment. Then she falls in love with Moth, and becomes pregnant…crazy, right? You can imagine what happens when her children, grandchildren, doctors, and even the press get ahold of the news. Suddenly, Pepper has a lot of decisions to make—and not all of them are entirely up to her.
Laurie Frankel’s writing is so engaging. She pulls you in right from the start, and even when tackling heavier topics, she does it in a way that feels approachable and easy to connect with. I really appreciated how real and imperfect the characters felt—no one is all right or all wrong, which made the story feel more grounded.
What stood out most to me was that constant push and pull between personal freedom, family pressure, and outside judgment. It gives you a lot to think about.
The audiobook, expertly narrated by Becky Ann Baker, was an excellent companion to the book and really added to the overall experience. She nailed the tone and voices.
If you enjoy character-driven stories with a touch of the unexpected and don’t mind suspending disbelief, this one delivers with themes of family, autonomy, and choice.
Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for the eARC, and to Macmillan Audio for the ALC.
Publishing May 5, 2026
May 9, 2026
I picked this up expecting something quirky, strange and slightly magical: a 77-year-old woman discovering she’s pregnant. That premise feels like it could go in so many interesting directions: absurdist comedy, magical realism, reflections on aging and womanhood, even something dark and surreal.
Instead, the novel felt less like a story and more like an extended essay on abortion rights.
On finishing it I immediately went to the description of the book and realized I didn’t read it all the way to the end. If I had I would have read that it was an extended essay on abortion rights. So my bad.
I don’t object to fiction having political or social themes. Some of my favorite books do. But the best ones trust the reader enough to let those themes emerge naturally through character, atmosphere and plot. Here, the message was the whole point that the story became predictable very early on.
It feels like someone somewhere said “I bet you they would make a 77 year old carry a baby to term even if it was very dangerous to her health”. And then the book was written.
Then the writing was like one of those Netflix movies where every emotion, motivation and theme has to be narrated out loud because the writers assume the audience is half-paying attention while scrolling on their phones.
Nothing is allowed to breathe. Characters constantly explain themselves, the themes are announced instead of uncovered, and every emotion is labeled. The result is that there’s very little room for interpretation or surprise.
I wanted a novel. What I got was a very clear point of view wrapped in a novel-shaped package banging me over the head with explanations of laws and procedures in different states and exactly what people do about them.
This reminded me of Mad Honey. Totally unnecessary and completely condescending to think we need that much hand holding.
Instead, the novel felt less like a story and more like an extended essay on abortion rights.
On finishing it I immediately went to the description of the book and realized I didn’t read it all the way to the end. If I had I would have read that it was an extended essay on abortion rights. So my bad.
I don’t object to fiction having political or social themes. Some of my favorite books do. But the best ones trust the reader enough to let those themes emerge naturally through character, atmosphere and plot. Here, the message was the whole point that the story became predictable very early on.
It feels like someone somewhere said “I bet you they would make a 77 year old carry a baby to term even if it was very dangerous to her health”. And then the book was written.
Then the writing was like one of those Netflix movies where every emotion, motivation and theme has to be narrated out loud because the writers assume the audience is half-paying attention while scrolling on their phones.
Nothing is allowed to breathe. Characters constantly explain themselves, the themes are announced instead of uncovered, and every emotion is labeled. The result is that there’s very little room for interpretation or surprise.
I wanted a novel. What I got was a very clear point of view wrapped in a novel-shaped package banging me over the head with explanations of laws and procedures in different states and exactly what people do about them.
This reminded me of Mad Honey. Totally unnecessary and completely condescending to think we need that much hand holding.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
When 77-year-old Pepper Mills gets relocated to a retirement home by her (overbearing but well-meaning) children, she’s not expecting to fall in love with the dashing man next door. Something else she positively wasn’t expecting: to become pregnant. As bizarre and surreal as the situation is, things become much more complicated when the lines of healthcare and legality and ethics are blurred within her Texan residence.
Quirky, snarky, and as full of grammar as she is heart, Pepper is an easy character to love and a hard one to forget. Her myriad of children and grandchildren provide a multigenerational lens to the story, and the effervescent ensemble she befriends in the home add a zestful charm.
In any other hands a premise about a pregnant septuagenarian could fail, but in Laurie Frankel's provenly capable hands, it soars on wings as enormous as its title suggests. Frankel deftly delves into a plethora of thought-provoking themes –female agency, bodily autonomy, reproductive rights, morality, mortality, ageism, motherhood- and leaves no stone unturned in Pepper’s peculiar journey. It is clever, witty, and genuinely heartwarming. Trust me; 𝗘𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 needs to be on your TBR!
🎙 I loved pairing my physical copy with the audio. Becky Ann Baker gives voice to Pepper Mills. She delivers a pitch perfect performance proving she's as terrific a narrator as she is an actress.
✨️ Immense gratitude to Henry Holt for the ARC & to Macmillan Audio for the ALC!
[𝘗𝘶𝘣 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦: 5•5•2026]
Quirky, snarky, and as full of grammar as she is heart, Pepper is an easy character to love and a hard one to forget. Her myriad of children and grandchildren provide a multigenerational lens to the story, and the effervescent ensemble she befriends in the home add a zestful charm.
In any other hands a premise about a pregnant septuagenarian could fail, but in Laurie Frankel's provenly capable hands, it soars on wings as enormous as its title suggests. Frankel deftly delves into a plethora of thought-provoking themes –female agency, bodily autonomy, reproductive rights, morality, mortality, ageism, motherhood- and leaves no stone unturned in Pepper’s peculiar journey. It is clever, witty, and genuinely heartwarming. Trust me; 𝗘𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 needs to be on your TBR!
🎙 I loved pairing my physical copy with the audio. Becky Ann Baker gives voice to Pepper Mills. She delivers a pitch perfect performance proving she's as terrific a narrator as she is an actress.
✨️ Immense gratitude to Henry Holt for the ARC & to Macmillan Audio for the ALC!
[𝘗𝘶𝘣 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦: 5•5•2026]
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Waffling between a 4 and a 5 on this one - I started it and set it down for a long time, for various reasons. But I’m so glad I picked it back up. I should’ve know no one could handle this topic better than Laurie Frankl. ♥️ my thanks to the publisher for a chance to read and review an early copy!
May 13, 2026
I almost didn’t read this book because I thought the synopsis sounded absolutely absurd. What a travesty that would have been.
I ended up loving everything about this story. Pepper has my heart. She’s sharp, funny, stubborn, vulnerable and unapologetically herself.
What Laurie Frankel does so well is use the shock factor of the premise to explore much bigger conversations about autonomy, not just for women, but for the elderly too. There’s this underlying message that old age doesn’t mean your life, purpose or impact are behind you. If anything, the book argues the opposite. Through Pepper’s relationship with her granddaughter, you really see how deeply younger generations can be shaped by the wisdom and experiences of their elders.
The book asks huge moral questions, but never in a way that felt preachy to me. The conversations felt thoughtful, nuanced and respectful of differing opinions, which made the story even stronger.
Enormous Wings was heartfelt, thought provoking and hopeful. It’s the kind of book that sparks conversations and would be an excellent book club pick!
I ended up loving everything about this story. Pepper has my heart. She’s sharp, funny, stubborn, vulnerable and unapologetically herself.
What Laurie Frankel does so well is use the shock factor of the premise to explore much bigger conversations about autonomy, not just for women, but for the elderly too. There’s this underlying message that old age doesn’t mean your life, purpose or impact are behind you. If anything, the book argues the opposite. Through Pepper’s relationship with her granddaughter, you really see how deeply younger generations can be shaped by the wisdom and experiences of their elders.
The book asks huge moral questions, but never in a way that felt preachy to me. The conversations felt thoughtful, nuanced and respectful of differing opinions, which made the story even stronger.
Enormous Wings was heartfelt, thought provoking and hopeful. It’s the kind of book that sparks conversations and would be an excellent book club pick!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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. There is a spoiler to this review!
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! It is 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.
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! It is 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.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 24, 2025
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.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This may be one of the most surprising books I'll read all year, and I mean that in the best way possible.
Abortion or dangerous/unwanted pregnancies are very contentious topics to talk about, and I imagine that authors have to take so much time and care to do so effectively and delicately. Enormous Wings may be the book of our generation to approach this topic as I can't imagine there being a more clever and heartfelt book. Choosing a 77 year old, post menopausal, Jewish, and Texan woman who got pregnant because of a side effect from an experimental breast cancer treatment drug to spearhead women's rights? And nail every single point? Utterly genius.
I thought Enormous Wings was so poignant with the exploration of contradictions surrounding pregnancy, women's health, and abortion. We see Pepper become dehumanized, as both pro-life and pro-choice advocacy groups invade her privacy and space, attempting to exploit Pepper to further their own campaigns. We see the medical system fail to protect Pepper, as doctor's give her inappropriate advice to further their own agendas and beliefs. We see how Texan laws never prioritize Pepper's health and safety, as she navigates her options. We also see as Pepper contemplates her decision with grace, humor, empathy, and "enormous wings". I am a diehard Pepper Mills fan; she is my new hero in every way.
This book was also SO funny! I love Laurie Frankel's writing. I think humor is an underrated approach to difficult topics. The comedic timing is EXCELLENT!
Overall, an incredible read that I will be recommending to everyone I know. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.
Check out more reviews on my Substack
Abortion or dangerous/unwanted pregnancies are very contentious topics to talk about, and I imagine that authors have to take so much time and care to do so effectively and delicately. Enormous Wings may be the book of our generation to approach this topic as I can't imagine there being a more clever and heartfelt book. Choosing a 77 year old, post menopausal, Jewish, and Texan woman who got pregnant because of a side effect from an experimental breast cancer treatment drug to spearhead women's rights? And nail every single point? Utterly genius.
I thought Enormous Wings was so poignant with the exploration of contradictions surrounding pregnancy, women's health, and abortion. We see Pepper become dehumanized, as both pro-life and pro-choice advocacy groups invade her privacy and space, attempting to exploit Pepper to further their own campaigns. We see the medical system fail to protect Pepper, as doctor's give her inappropriate advice to further their own agendas and beliefs. We see how Texan laws never prioritize Pepper's health and safety, as she navigates her options. We also see as Pepper contemplates her decision with grace, humor, empathy, and "enormous wings". I am a diehard Pepper Mills fan; she is my new hero in every way.
This book was also SO funny! I love Laurie Frankel's writing. I think humor is an underrated approach to difficult topics. The comedic timing is EXCELLENT!
Overall, an incredible read that I will be recommending to everyone I know. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.
Check out more reviews on my Substack
May 9, 2026
3.25 stars
Talk about a book with a hook! What a great concept for a novel. You've definitely gotta be willing to suspend disbelief a good bit though.
It's so funny because the entire book so many folks around our main character, Pepper, is telling her the pregnancy is a miracle and meanwhile I was thinking that getting pregnant at 77 would be a literal nightmare. Let’s be so for real here!
Those who know me know I feel strongly about a woman's right to choose. I think this story brings up excellent points about female autonomy or, in many places, the lack thereof. We also get some good discussion on the loss of independence and visibility of the elderly.
I felt this story had a great concept but it was too heavy handed for me a lot of times and came off preachy. I think the points could have been made just as effectively with more subtlety. There were also a lot of
miscommunications (especially with text and emojis) that were meant to convey humor that felt overdone to me.
I would have liked more interiority regarding Pepper's decision to continue the pregnancy because it seemed she made a 180 rather quickly and I didn't fully buy into the reasons given.
The story held my interest for the most part and the subject of bodily autonomy is very relevant but I do prefer the first book I read by this author, This Is How It Always Is. I loved that one!
Talk about a book with a hook! What a great concept for a novel. You've definitely gotta be willing to suspend disbelief a good bit though.
It's so funny because the entire book so many folks around our main character, Pepper, is telling her the pregnancy is a miracle and meanwhile I was thinking that getting pregnant at 77 would be a literal nightmare. Let’s be so for real here!
Those who know me know I feel strongly about a woman's right to choose. I think this story brings up excellent points about female autonomy or, in many places, the lack thereof. We also get some good discussion on the loss of independence and visibility of the elderly.
I felt this story had a great concept but it was too heavy handed for me a lot of times and came off preachy. I think the points could have been made just as effectively with more subtlety. There were also a lot of
miscommunications (especially with text and emojis) that were meant to convey humor that felt overdone to me.
I would have liked more interiority regarding Pepper's decision to continue the pregnancy because it seemed she made a 180 rather quickly and I didn't fully buy into the reasons given.
The story held my interest for the most part and the subject of bodily autonomy is very relevant but I do prefer the first book I read by this author, This Is How It Always Is. I loved that one!
May 8, 2026
I was happy to receive and arc of this book. Thanks to net galley, Henry Holt publishing and Laurie Frankel. When I want to read a book written by this author I am well aware that it will be a controversial issue. Enormous Wings was a heart felt novel explaining the circumstances when Pepper gets pregnant at 77. This book explores the issues of how she got pregnant, how she will live her life, and how her family will respond. This book is a controversial issue but, well written.
May 2, 2026
First I would like to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the invitation to listen to this new release from Laurie Frankel. I have enjoyed all of her previously released books and was happy to enjoy this one.
Having said that overall I am rating this book 3 stars. IF however it ended when it should have it would have been 5 stars. I’ll try to explain without spoiling the ending.
This is a unique story about a senior woman who when she causes a car accident is moved into an assisted living community by her children. There she makes friends and meets a man. It is a lovely story of facing our older years and learning how to live and deal with them. All people involved in this story so loved and valuable. Then Pepper Mills (Love the name) finds out that she is pregnant! (Not a spoiler but in the book summary). This leads to so many other questions and issues but it is an expected storyline. All well and good, the question of a viable pregnancy being the first issue. Still good, enjoyed the process. We could have stayed on this path and I would be happy.
However here’s the spoiler That is why this book is not a 5 stars, because yes it had the possibility to be great.
Having said that overall I am rating this book 3 stars. IF however it ended when it should have it would have been 5 stars. I’ll try to explain without spoiling the ending.
This is a unique story about a senior woman who when she causes a car accident is moved into an assisted living community by her children. There she makes friends and meets a man. It is a lovely story of facing our older years and learning how to live and deal with them. All people involved in this story so loved and valuable. Then Pepper Mills (Love the name) finds out that she is pregnant! (Not a spoiler but in the book summary). This leads to so many other questions and issues but it is an expected storyline. All well and good, the question of a viable pregnancy being the first issue. Still good, enjoyed the process. We could have stayed on this path and I would be happy.
However here’s the spoiler That is why this book is not a 5 stars, because yes it had the possibility to be great.
May 4, 2026
4.5⭐️ for the audiobook! I loved the narrator! This book was so cute and cozy like a warm hug or a mug of hot cocoa! I enjoyed the characters, at times I laughed and at times I cried. This book was exactly what I wanted it to be. I only knocked off a star because I didn’t love the ending and the heavy focus on abortion but I do believe it can be an important discussion!
January 4, 2026
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.
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.
April 12, 2026
This is a painful book to review. Laurie Frankel is one of my favorite authors and her books This is How it Always Is and One Two Three are two of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read. Enormous Wings certainly has its charms (a wonderfully witty main character in Pepper Mills) but it basically reads as “this is how Laurie Frankel feels about abortion.” I frankly DGAF how Laurie Frankel feels about abortion but I’m certain for all those that do she could have published a substack or written an op-Ed to inform them, a full length book was certainly not necessary. I also know that Laurie Frankel knows how to write an extremely heartrending, illuminating and beautiful book about a very polarizing social issue because she already did it with This Is How it Always Is. It just makes this book and its snarling cardboard villains even more disappointing. I think a more astute editor might have sent some notes but I guess once you get to a certain level in publishing that doesn’t happen anymore.
I listened to this book on audio and if anything was going to redeem this book it certainly would have been the wry and wonderful narration by Becky Ann Baker (the mom from Freaks and Geeks!) Alas, it didn’t really get there for me but it did make the listening experience a lot more pleasant.
Thank you to Netgalley, Henry Holt and Co. and Macmillan Audio for advanced electronic and listener’s copies of this book.
I listened to this book on audio and if anything was going to redeem this book it certainly would have been the wry and wonderful narration by Becky Ann Baker (the mom from Freaks and Geeks!) Alas, it didn’t really get there for me but it did make the listening experience a lot more pleasant.
Thank you to Netgalley, Henry Holt and Co. and Macmillan Audio for advanced electronic and listener’s copies of this book.
May 14, 2026
Surprisingly engrossing story that seems like it will be a light, interesting read but is anything but. This one really digs into relevant topics - the right to choose, the jarring reality of changes so late in life and the interesting reaction of medical community and society.
I was surprised by how quickly I was sucked into the story. Pepper Mills is so easy to get to know and slide right into her life in her retirement community that the twist in the story and the obvious plot came as a complete surprise!
I thought the author did a great job of handling such delicate subjects with sincerity and opens up the ability to read opinions and ideas. I liked how it was handled, the way it was presented and how surprising it all was. Such a great, quick read. I did an audiobook and the narrator really was great! Highly recommend.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
I was surprised by how quickly I was sucked into the story. Pepper Mills is so easy to get to know and slide right into her life in her retirement community that the twist in the story and the obvious plot came as a complete surprise!
I thought the author did a great job of handling such delicate subjects with sincerity and opens up the ability to read opinions and ideas. I liked how it was handled, the way it was presented and how surprising it all was. Such a great, quick read. I did an audiobook and the narrator really was great! Highly recommend.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
May 5, 2026
I read Enormous Wings by Laurie Frankel. I had the advance listener copy narrated by Becky Ann Baker courtesy of Net Galley and Macmillan Audio and the narration is stellar. Becky hits the perfect note as this elderly, Jewish, Brooklyn born and raised, Texas transplant, ex-wife, mom, retired school teacher. I was laughing so hard I cried. Our FMC is Pepper Mills, and yes, her name is a running joke in the story. Pepper is in a little fender bender as the story begins. But, little or not, her kids take it as a sign she should not be driving and they take away her driver's license, sell her car, pack up her home and sell it, and move Pepper into a retirement community. Pepper isn't happy. She does not want to be a 'stranger in a strange land'. And, she does not want to be living in the same retirement community as her ex-husband, but here we are. Soon Pepper makes a couple of friends and she meets Moth. Moth is very interested in Pepper and they beginning hanging out together and soon they are doing much, much more than hanging out. But, Pepper begins waking up feeling queasy and vomiting, I mean the food is bad, but this is ridiculous. She feels foggy and confused. Her daughter begins to fear she has had a stroke or rapid onset dementia and gets her into a doctor's appointment. Her doctor runs a bunch of tests, and it turns out 77 year old Pepper Mills is . . . pregnant. Yes, pregnant. This requires a suspension of disbelief. The doctor thinks Pepper's body won't be able to sustain the pregnancy and it will resolve itself shortly. Pepper just wants to have an abortion because it cannot be good for her to be pregnant. But, they are in Texas. Days, and weeks pass, and still Pepper remains pregnant. They make plans and just as quickly unmake them as someone leaks that a 77 year old woman is pregnant and the papparazzi shows up. Pepper is famous. But, what are Pepper's rights, where is her agency in this situation? Who is speaking up for her? This was a good and funny story emphasizing women's rights and bodily autonomy and agency and who has it. It was a wild ride. Thank you Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for the advance listener copy. This book is out today, May 5, 2026.
April 17, 2026
4.5⭐️
Laurie Frankel had a well earned reputation for taking on tough topics with humor and warmth. ENORMOUS WINGS is another example of her taking the outlandish and bizarre, and turning it into a conversation of substance.
Pepper Mills is 77 years old and pregnant. WHAT?!?!? Somehow Frankel weaves a narrative that actually makes this seem possible. While much of the discussion about this book centers on a woman’s right to choose, there’s actually an overriding theme about how we think about and treat aging.
Pepper Mills may not move as quickly as she did in her 20s and 30s, but she remains sharp as a tack. Smart, sassy, and still kicking; Pepper is shipped off to a senior living facility by her well meaning children. But Pepper quickly teaches us that old does not mean dead. She makes friends, falls in love, and finds herself in a family way.
Literally everyone has an opinion about Pepper’s situation. Some want to force their morality on her, some want to use her for their own benefit, and some treat her like she’s a freak or sideshow spectacle. Pepper, however, simply wants to maintain agency over her own decisions.
Frankel once again gives the reader lots to ponder. There is no shortage of discussion worthy scenarios making this an excellent choice for book clubs and buddy reads.
I paired the digital read with the audiobook narrated by Becky Ann Baker whose performance perfectly captures the quirky charm that defines Pepper, including her Brooklyn roots.
Thank you to NetGalley, Henry Holt Books, and Macmillan Audio for the gifted copies. All opinions are my own.
Laurie Frankel had a well earned reputation for taking on tough topics with humor and warmth. ENORMOUS WINGS is another example of her taking the outlandish and bizarre, and turning it into a conversation of substance.
Pepper Mills is 77 years old and pregnant. WHAT?!?!? Somehow Frankel weaves a narrative that actually makes this seem possible. While much of the discussion about this book centers on a woman’s right to choose, there’s actually an overriding theme about how we think about and treat aging.
Pepper Mills may not move as quickly as she did in her 20s and 30s, but she remains sharp as a tack. Smart, sassy, and still kicking; Pepper is shipped off to a senior living facility by her well meaning children. But Pepper quickly teaches us that old does not mean dead. She makes friends, falls in love, and finds herself in a family way.
Literally everyone has an opinion about Pepper’s situation. Some want to force their morality on her, some want to use her for their own benefit, and some treat her like she’s a freak or sideshow spectacle. Pepper, however, simply wants to maintain agency over her own decisions.
Frankel once again gives the reader lots to ponder. There is no shortage of discussion worthy scenarios making this an excellent choice for book clubs and buddy reads.
I paired the digital read with the audiobook narrated by Becky Ann Baker whose performance perfectly captures the quirky charm that defines Pepper, including her Brooklyn roots.
Thank you to NetGalley, Henry Holt Books, and Macmillan Audio for the gifted copies. All opinions are my own.
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