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Arrivals and Departures: A Novel
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Jetsetters comes a witty and wonderful new novel about one unforgettable family and the journeys we take—across oceans and through heartbreak—to find our way back to love.
The Perkins family has problems. They’re scattered across the globe. Lee, a glamorous reality-TV star, is struggling with her mental health in the spotlight. Reagan, her younger sister, has fallen for a romance scammer and vanished overseas. Cord, their charming brother, is one drink away from losing it all. And their mother, Charlotte, still longs for the love she let slip away a decade ago, a lover who sailed off with her heart to a remote island in Greece.
When Reagan disappears, Lee flies first-class to Athens to save her family—again. There, against the glittering Mediterranean and the shadow of the Acropolis, Lee contends with emotional nieces, relentless paparazzi, and her own fragile heart. Lee is desperately searching—for her sister, and for the hope and joy she thought was gone forever.
Across continents and crises, each member of the Perkins family must face the same is it ever too late to choose love?
Featuring characters from Ward’s bestselling novel The Jetsetters, Arrivals and Departures is brimming with humor, honesty, and hope. It’s the story of a family finding the courage to say the only words that can save us—I love you.
The Perkins family has problems. They’re scattered across the globe. Lee, a glamorous reality-TV star, is struggling with her mental health in the spotlight. Reagan, her younger sister, has fallen for a romance scammer and vanished overseas. Cord, their charming brother, is one drink away from losing it all. And their mother, Charlotte, still longs for the love she let slip away a decade ago, a lover who sailed off with her heart to a remote island in Greece.
When Reagan disappears, Lee flies first-class to Athens to save her family—again. There, against the glittering Mediterranean and the shadow of the Acropolis, Lee contends with emotional nieces, relentless paparazzi, and her own fragile heart. Lee is desperately searching—for her sister, and for the hope and joy she thought was gone forever.
Across continents and crises, each member of the Perkins family must face the same is it ever too late to choose love?
Featuring characters from Ward’s bestselling novel The Jetsetters, Arrivals and Departures is brimming with humor, honesty, and hope. It’s the story of a family finding the courage to say the only words that can save us—I love you.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published June 16, 2026
About the author
Amanda Eyre Ward
16 books1,493 followersAmanda Eyre Ward’s new novel. LOVERS AND LIARS, will be published in May, 2024! It is the story of a librarian in love.
Here is a very long bio: Amanda was born in New York City in 1972. Her family mved to Rye, New York when she was four. Amanda attended Kent School in Kent, CT, where she wrote for the Kent News.
Amanda majored in English and American Studies at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. She studied fiction writing with Jim Shepard and spent her junior fall in coastal Kenya. She worked part-time at the Williamstown Public Library. After graduation, Amanda taught at Athens College in Greece for a year, and then moved to Missoula, Montana.
Amanda studied fiction writing at the University of Montana with Bill Kittredge, Dierdre McNamer, Debra Earling, and Kevin Canty, receiving her MFA. After traveling to Egypt, she took a job at the University of Montana Mansfield Library, working in Inter Library Loan.
In 1998, Amanda moved to Austin, Texas where she began working on Sleep Toward Heaven. Amanda finished Sleep Toward Heaven, which was published in 2003. Sleep Toward Heaven won the Violet Crown Book Award and was optioned for film by Sandra Bullock and Fox Searchlight. To promote Sleep Toward Heaven, Amanda, her baby, and her mother Mary-Anne Westley traveled to London and Paris.
Amanda moved to Waterville, Maine, where she wrote in an attic filled with books. Amanda’s second novel, How to Be Lost, was published in 2004. How to Be Lost was selected as a Target Bookmarked pick, and has been published in fifteen countries.
After one year in Maine and two years on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Amanda and her family returned to Austin, Texas.
To research her third novel, Forgive Me, Amanda traveled with her sister, Liza Ward Bennigson, to Cape Town, South Africa. Forgive Me was published in 2007.
Amanda's short story collection, Love Stories in This Town, was published in April, 2009.
Her fourth novel, Close Your Eyes, published in July, 2011, received a four-star reiew in People Magazine, won the Elle Lettres Readers' Prize for September, and inspired the Dallas Morning News to write, "With CLOSE YOUR EYES, Austin novelist Amanda Eyre Ward puts another jewel in her crown as the reigning doyenne of 'dark secrets' literary fiction."
Close Your Eyes was named in Kirkus' Best Books of 2011, and won the Elle Magazine Fiction Book of the Year. It was released in paperback in August, 2012.
Amanda's fifth novel, The Same Sky, was published on January 20, 2015. It was named one of the most anticipated books for 2015 by BookPeople and Book of the Week by People Magazine. Dallas Morning News writes, "Ward has written a novel that brilliantly attaches us to broader perspectives. It is a needed respite from the angry politics surrounding border issues that, instead of dividing us, connects us to our humanity."
The Same Sky was chosen as a Target Bookmarked pick.
Amanda's new novel, The Nearness of You, was published on Valentine's Day, 2017.
Amanda's new novel, THE JETSETTERS, was chosen by Reese's Book Club and Hello Sunshine and became a New York Times bestseller. Her novel THE LIFEGUARDS was published in 2022.
Ask me anything and stay tuned for news about LOVERS AND LIARS and TV and film projects based on Amanda's work!
Here is a very long bio: Amanda was born in New York City in 1972. Her family mved to Rye, New York when she was four. Amanda attended Kent School in Kent, CT, where she wrote for the Kent News.
Amanda majored in English and American Studies at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. She studied fiction writing with Jim Shepard and spent her junior fall in coastal Kenya. She worked part-time at the Williamstown Public Library. After graduation, Amanda taught at Athens College in Greece for a year, and then moved to Missoula, Montana.
Amanda studied fiction writing at the University of Montana with Bill Kittredge, Dierdre McNamer, Debra Earling, and Kevin Canty, receiving her MFA. After traveling to Egypt, she took a job at the University of Montana Mansfield Library, working in Inter Library Loan.
In 1998, Amanda moved to Austin, Texas where she began working on Sleep Toward Heaven. Amanda finished Sleep Toward Heaven, which was published in 2003. Sleep Toward Heaven won the Violet Crown Book Award and was optioned for film by Sandra Bullock and Fox Searchlight. To promote Sleep Toward Heaven, Amanda, her baby, and her mother Mary-Anne Westley traveled to London and Paris.
Amanda moved to Waterville, Maine, where she wrote in an attic filled with books. Amanda’s second novel, How to Be Lost, was published in 2004. How to Be Lost was selected as a Target Bookmarked pick, and has been published in fifteen countries.
After one year in Maine and two years on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Amanda and her family returned to Austin, Texas.
To research her third novel, Forgive Me, Amanda traveled with her sister, Liza Ward Bennigson, to Cape Town, South Africa. Forgive Me was published in 2007.
Amanda's short story collection, Love Stories in This Town, was published in April, 2009.
Her fourth novel, Close Your Eyes, published in July, 2011, received a four-star reiew in People Magazine, won the Elle Lettres Readers' Prize for September, and inspired the Dallas Morning News to write, "With CLOSE YOUR EYES, Austin novelist Amanda Eyre Ward puts another jewel in her crown as the reigning doyenne of 'dark secrets' literary fiction."
Close Your Eyes was named in Kirkus' Best Books of 2011, and won the Elle Magazine Fiction Book of the Year. It was released in paperback in August, 2012.
Amanda's fifth novel, The Same Sky, was published on January 20, 2015. It was named one of the most anticipated books for 2015 by BookPeople and Book of the Week by People Magazine. Dallas Morning News writes, "Ward has written a novel that brilliantly attaches us to broader perspectives. It is a needed respite from the angry politics surrounding border issues that, instead of dividing us, connects us to our humanity."
The Same Sky was chosen as a Target Bookmarked pick.
Amanda's new novel, The Nearness of You, was published on Valentine's Day, 2017.
Amanda's new novel, THE JETSETTERS, was chosen by Reese's Book Club and Hello Sunshine and became a New York Times bestseller. Her novel THE LIFEGUARDS was published in 2022.
Ask me anything and stay tuned for news about LOVERS AND LIARS and TV and film projects based on Amanda's work!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 269 reviews
August 22, 2026
I read this book because the cover was cute and it was in the quick pick section at the library - clearly that was a mistake
April 19, 2026
Arrivals and Departures brings readers back to the Perkins family from The Jetsetters—and this time, things are far from glamorous.
Charlotte and her three adult children—Lee, Regan, and Cord—are all struggling in their own ways. Lee is quietly battling depression, Regan finds herself entangled in an online scam, and Cord’s relationship is unraveling. Each of them feels stuck, unhappy, and, in many ways, responsible for their own circumstances.
At its core, this is a story about a family in crisis—deeply flawed, often frustrating, yet still trying to love one another. It unfolds almost like a quiet tragedy, as each character grapples with their own choices and consequences.
Despite tackling heavy themes, Ward has a gift for keeping the story accessible and even lightly toned at times. She handles difficult topics with care and nuance, never letting the narrative feel overwhelming.
With short chapters and a quick pace, it’s an engaging, fast read that still manages to carry emotional weight.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the advanced reading copy. All opinions are my own.
Charlotte and her three adult children—Lee, Regan, and Cord—are all struggling in their own ways. Lee is quietly battling depression, Regan finds herself entangled in an online scam, and Cord’s relationship is unraveling. Each of them feels stuck, unhappy, and, in many ways, responsible for their own circumstances.
At its core, this is a story about a family in crisis—deeply flawed, often frustrating, yet still trying to love one another. It unfolds almost like a quiet tragedy, as each character grapples with their own choices and consequences.
Despite tackling heavy themes, Ward has a gift for keeping the story accessible and even lightly toned at times. She handles difficult topics with care and nuance, never letting the narrative feel overwhelming.
With short chapters and a quick pace, it’s an engaging, fast read that still manages to carry emotional weight.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the advanced reading copy. All opinions are my own.
April 16, 2026
Set in the dreamy streets of Greece, this is a layered family drama about the messy, complicated ties that bind us. The story follows the Perkins family as they navigate distance, heartbreak, and long-buried regrets. When one sister goes missing overseas, the others are pulled back together, forcing each of them to confront their own struggles, past choices, and what it really means to love and forgive.
While I enjoyed the setting of Greece, unfortunately that’s all I enjoyed. The story felt very jumbled and chaotic. It seemed like these were all individual side stories versus a cohesive novel. I really struggled to connect with any of the characters. The premise of this book really piqued my interest as I know someone with these exact mental health diagnoses. Unfortunately, this aspect of the book fell completely flat for me.
Loved the Greek vibes, though! Thank you to Net Galley and Penguin Random House for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
While I enjoyed the setting of Greece, unfortunately that’s all I enjoyed. The story felt very jumbled and chaotic. It seemed like these were all individual side stories versus a cohesive novel. I really struggled to connect with any of the characters. The premise of this book really piqued my interest as I know someone with these exact mental health diagnoses. Unfortunately, this aspect of the book fell completely flat for me.
Loved the Greek vibes, though! Thank you to Net Galley and Penguin Random House for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
June 24, 2026
Amanda Eyre Ward's follow up book to the marvelous The Jetsetters is wonderful! Funny, clever, heartbreaking, warm and yet uplifting, the saga of the Perkins family continues. In the Jetsetters we meet the family as they arrive on a cruise ship and basically air all their dysfunctional dirty laundry.
In Arrivals and Departures, we discover the family once again broken. Daughter Regan is now divorced and living in Greece with her two teenage daughters. Charlotte, their mother is living in a closed community eating cheese and Triscuits while babysitting her infamous daughter Lee who must be watched because she is so depressed she wants to find a way to end her life. And their brother Cord has begun hitting the bottle again much to the chagrin of his boyfriend. Cord now owns a company and is in the process of taking it public and has no time for anything expect perhaps wine. We find them all separated from each other in miles, as well as with each other all dealing with their own lives.
So now you are all caught up except you're not. Regan has an on-line boyfriend who she has never seen or met who is bleeding her dry. Her children know it's a scam and keep trying to tell her. She refuses to believe them. So, when they come home and find a note that she has gone to an artsy thing leaving them not only alone but untraceable by her phone they begin to panic. Worse, she doesn't come back on the day she was supposed to.
They call their grandmother Charlotte, and she sends Lee to Greece. But Lee has decided she will never return to America after they find Regan. Meanwhile Cord's boyfriend has taken him to a retreat to make him relax and taken his phone. Cord needs to drink so he decides to bust out and go visit his mother Charlotte who is not there as she has now gone to Greece to keep an eye on Lee but also find a lost love.
What could go wrong? Everything!
But as they all try and cope with their problems they all begin to realize just how important they all are to each other. What they truly want for each other is to be happy and content. They each need to learn life lessons in order to all come together as a family who can take care of not only each other, but they have to learn to take care of themselves and their own needs.
Arrivals and Departures is a true family love story as they all finally have the courage to address their pasts, make peace with their faults and become each other's champions!
Thank you #NetGalley #BallentineBooks #AmandaEyreWard #ArrivalsandDepartures for the advanced copy.
In Arrivals and Departures, we discover the family once again broken. Daughter Regan is now divorced and living in Greece with her two teenage daughters. Charlotte, their mother is living in a closed community eating cheese and Triscuits while babysitting her infamous daughter Lee who must be watched because she is so depressed she wants to find a way to end her life. And their brother Cord has begun hitting the bottle again much to the chagrin of his boyfriend. Cord now owns a company and is in the process of taking it public and has no time for anything expect perhaps wine. We find them all separated from each other in miles, as well as with each other all dealing with their own lives.
So now you are all caught up except you're not. Regan has an on-line boyfriend who she has never seen or met who is bleeding her dry. Her children know it's a scam and keep trying to tell her. She refuses to believe them. So, when they come home and find a note that she has gone to an artsy thing leaving them not only alone but untraceable by her phone they begin to panic. Worse, she doesn't come back on the day she was supposed to.
They call their grandmother Charlotte, and she sends Lee to Greece. But Lee has decided she will never return to America after they find Regan. Meanwhile Cord's boyfriend has taken him to a retreat to make him relax and taken his phone. Cord needs to drink so he decides to bust out and go visit his mother Charlotte who is not there as she has now gone to Greece to keep an eye on Lee but also find a lost love.
What could go wrong? Everything!
But as they all try and cope with their problems they all begin to realize just how important they all are to each other. What they truly want for each other is to be happy and content. They each need to learn life lessons in order to all come together as a family who can take care of not only each other, but they have to learn to take care of themselves and their own needs.
Arrivals and Departures is a true family love story as they all finally have the courage to address their pasts, make peace with their faults and become each other's champions!
Thank you #NetGalley #BallentineBooks #AmandaEyreWard #ArrivalsandDepartures for the advanced copy.
August 5, 2026
CW: Book contains discussions of suicide and suicidal ideation
Arrivals and Departures follows three generations of the somewhat dysfunctional Perkins family: the mother, Charlotte; adult children Lee, Reagan, and Cord;, and Reagan's children Isabelle and Flora. Reagan has moved her children to Greece in pursuit of her art, but now she has disappeared after telling her children she'd be away at an art retreat for the weekend. Lee, currently living with her mother to recover after being hospitalized for a breakdown, decides to go to Greece to help find her/care for the children, though really it's just a way for her to escape her current circumstances. Cord is headed on a retreat of his own in upstate New York, trying to rebuild his relationship with his husband.
We get points of view from all members of the family, but this story is mainly Lee's story. She is struggling with depression and bipolar disorder and is walking a thin line between life and death. Frankly I don't think anyone in the family is mentally healthy, though Lee seems to be the only one doing much about it. The story itself is somewhat jumbled, though I don't know if that's done purposefully due to Lee's state of mind. Everyone had their own little side plot, though I think Charlotte's was mostly unnecessary and I'm not certain Cord needed to be included at all. I appreciated the story, though I can't say I completely enjoyed it. It could be frustrating, much like life is when you want to help someone and they will not let you. There is some hope by the end, which was nice.
Arrivals and Departures follows three generations of the somewhat dysfunctional Perkins family: the mother, Charlotte; adult children Lee, Reagan, and Cord;, and Reagan's children Isabelle and Flora. Reagan has moved her children to Greece in pursuit of her art, but now she has disappeared after telling her children she'd be away at an art retreat for the weekend. Lee, currently living with her mother to recover after being hospitalized for a breakdown, decides to go to Greece to help find her/care for the children, though really it's just a way for her to escape her current circumstances. Cord is headed on a retreat of his own in upstate New York, trying to rebuild his relationship with his husband.
We get points of view from all members of the family, but this story is mainly Lee's story. She is struggling with depression and bipolar disorder and is walking a thin line between life and death. Frankly I don't think anyone in the family is mentally healthy, though Lee seems to be the only one doing much about it. The story itself is somewhat jumbled, though I don't know if that's done purposefully due to Lee's state of mind. Everyone had their own little side plot, though I think Charlotte's was mostly unnecessary and I'm not certain Cord needed to be included at all. I appreciated the story, though I can't say I completely enjoyed it. It could be frustrating, much like life is when you want to help someone and they will not let you. There is some hope by the end, which was nice.
August 2, 2026
This was an easy read about a very dysfunctional family. They all seemed to be mentally ill or suffering from an issue - alcoholism, depression, low self esteem, love scammers, sexual identity. Story takes place in Savannah, where the family originally came from, but moves over to Greece where one daughter with two teenage girls has moved. Troubled family, but they finally get it together.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the advance copy of Arrivals and Departures. I throughly enjoyed the storyline of each member of this family. The author had a realistic and sensitive insight into mental health and the effect on the individual as well as the family. I could not put this book down ( and also want to book a trip to Greece).
May 2, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an opportunity to read this ARC.
Arrivals and Departures follows three generations of the Perkins family, set among the beautiful backgrounds of Greece and Savannah, GA. This book delves into the complexities and uniqueness of mental health struggles faced at a multigenerational level in this family. While exploring some dark themes, Ward manages to keep the tone light at times and allows the reader to learn what pushes these characters to their breaking point while also maintaining hope through a familial bond.
With fast paced chapters that alternate between the viewpoints of Lee, Charlotte, Flora, Cord, Isabelle, and Reagan, this gripping story had me hooked to see where these characters would end up. In the opening chapter, we learn that Reagan, mother to Flora and Isabelle, is leaving for what seems to be a happy art retreat in Santorini, but there turns out to be something more sinister at play. Soon, Flora and Isabelle turn to their Aunt Lee and Grandma Charlotte for guidance and hope when their mother goes missing. Through the alternating perspectives, we learn how each member in this family has been affected by previous trauma and how that shaped their decisions, vulnerabilities, and challenges with depression. Even though these characters can be flawed, messy and frustrating at times, their battles with insecurities and ability to turn towards family for help left me rooting for them to find happiness in the darkness.
For anyone who wants to explore more of Greek culture and likes to read about family drama and authentic, complex characters with imperfections, failings, dark themes, resilience and growth, I would recommend this book.
Arrivals and Departures follows three generations of the Perkins family, set among the beautiful backgrounds of Greece and Savannah, GA. This book delves into the complexities and uniqueness of mental health struggles faced at a multigenerational level in this family. While exploring some dark themes, Ward manages to keep the tone light at times and allows the reader to learn what pushes these characters to their breaking point while also maintaining hope through a familial bond.
With fast paced chapters that alternate between the viewpoints of Lee, Charlotte, Flora, Cord, Isabelle, and Reagan, this gripping story had me hooked to see where these characters would end up. In the opening chapter, we learn that Reagan, mother to Flora and Isabelle, is leaving for what seems to be a happy art retreat in Santorini, but there turns out to be something more sinister at play. Soon, Flora and Isabelle turn to their Aunt Lee and Grandma Charlotte for guidance and hope when their mother goes missing. Through the alternating perspectives, we learn how each member in this family has been affected by previous trauma and how that shaped their decisions, vulnerabilities, and challenges with depression. Even though these characters can be flawed, messy and frustrating at times, their battles with insecurities and ability to turn towards family for help left me rooting for them to find happiness in the darkness.
For anyone who wants to explore more of Greek culture and likes to read about family drama and authentic, complex characters with imperfections, failings, dark themes, resilience and growth, I would recommend this book.
June 17, 2026
✈️ Arrivals and Departures ✈️
((SPOILER-FREE ARC REVIEW))
Title- Arrivals and Departures
Author- Amanda Eyre Ward
Genre- Women’s Fiction, Literary Fiction
Series- Standalone follow up to The Jetsetters
Trope City-
✈️ Mental Health Rep
✈️ Family Drama
✈️ Romance Scamming
✈️ Mystery Disappearance
✈️ Addiction
Trigger Warnings- Please take care of yourselves while reading. This book, though beautifully handled, touches on alcoholism, depression and suicide ideation and abuse.
The Perkins family is made up of complex humans. They all seemingly have their own struggles with depression and each have different vices and coping mechanisms. The vessel for Reagan’s (FMC) addiction turns out to be the affection, attention and “love” of a man she’s never seen or met in person. It comes to her in the form of romance scamming. The deep dive in to romance scamming had me absolutely hooked. If you like the show Catfish, this focus of the book will suck you right in. Did I mention the setting is beautiful Greece? Reagan vanishes, leaving her two daughters alone and wondering. Her disappearance causes her mother Charlotte, her sister Lee, her brother Cord and her two daughters to face some of their own demons on their journey to find her. There’s so much pain, heart, humor and hope in this one!
Happy Pub Day! Thank you so much to the team at Book Sparks for sending me this ARC! Such a beautifully told story. #SRC2026 #srcambassador
June 17, 2026
Arrivals and Departures by Amanda Eyre Ward is a disconcerting story of a family of emotionally damaged people, some of whom also had mental issues. Regan has moved her two daughters to Greece, trying to start a new life. The divorce had been difficult and she was so damaged, she fell prey to a man on the internet. She gave him thousands of dollars and then left her daughters for the weekend to visit him. She never came back . Eventually, they called their grandmother in Savannah. It was decided that their aunt Lee would come to be with them. Lee was bipolar and supposedly in recovery, staying with her mother. It was not going so well. But, she rose to the occasion. She had been in some TV and movies and had just come off a successful reality series. She was at loose ends, not feeling good about herself. As they began to follow the threads her sister had left behind. They went to the police. Flora, one of her nieces was a wiz on the computer.
The story was told from a variety of points of views. All interesting. All of them were slightly off-kilter, but mostly functioning. It is frightening to see how close we all are. Educational insights into bipolar. Decent characters. Good plot. Plenty of information on a variety of things. Uncomfortable to read.
I was invited to read Arrivals and Departures by Ballantine. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Ballantine #AmandaEyreWard #Arrivals and Departures
The story was told from a variety of points of views. All interesting. All of them were slightly off-kilter, but mostly functioning. It is frightening to see how close we all are. Educational insights into bipolar. Decent characters. Good plot. Plenty of information on a variety of things. Uncomfortable to read.
I was invited to read Arrivals and Departures by Ballantine. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #Ballantine #AmandaEyreWard #Arrivals and Departures
August 17, 2026
Arrivals and Departures follows the Perkin’s family: Charlotte (mother), her children: Lee, Reagan + Cord, and Reagan’s children: Flora and Isabelle.
The story is told from multiple POVs, but our main focus is on Lee and her mental health, which is literally in the spotlight.
Each member of the family has their own issues they are journeying through and Amanda Eyre Ward has given us raw, real + honest feelings, actions and emotions throughout this novel. With this comes some pretty significant trigger warnings. Mental health is always first and if you are struggling, this may not be your time to dive into this story. There are mentions of suicidal ideation, alcohol and substance abuse, brief scene of exploitation of minors, depression and manic episodes. Please read with caution 💚
I was hooked from Chapter 1. I felt deep empathy for many of the characters and also some personal connection with Flora and Isabelle. It’s always hard when children are caught in situations they have no control over and the adults are not in a stable enough position to make sure they are protected mentally and emotionally. A novel that provokes these emotions tend to leave a lasting impression and I don’t think the Perkin’s family will leave my mind anytime soon.
Thank you to NetGalley + Ballantine Books for this advanced reading copy. All opinions are my own.
The story is told from multiple POVs, but our main focus is on Lee and her mental health, which is literally in the spotlight.
Each member of the family has their own issues they are journeying through and Amanda Eyre Ward has given us raw, real + honest feelings, actions and emotions throughout this novel. With this comes some pretty significant trigger warnings. Mental health is always first and if you are struggling, this may not be your time to dive into this story. There are mentions of suicidal ideation, alcohol and substance abuse, brief scene of exploitation of minors, depression and manic episodes. Please read with caution 💚
I was hooked from Chapter 1. I felt deep empathy for many of the characters and also some personal connection with Flora and Isabelle. It’s always hard when children are caught in situations they have no control over and the adults are not in a stable enough position to make sure they are protected mentally and emotionally. A novel that provokes these emotions tend to leave a lasting impression and I don’t think the Perkin’s family will leave my mind anytime soon.
Thank you to NetGalley + Ballantine Books for this advanced reading copy. All opinions are my own.
March 26, 2026
This novel, a follow-up to one of the author’s earlier works (which I had not read), centers on Lee Perkins, a glamorous reality television star whose life has been shaped as much by public scrutiny as by her own ongoing mental health struggles. After a very public behavioral health crisis, Lee retreats to her mother Charlotte’s home in Savannah, hoping for quiet and recovery. That peace is quickly disrupted when her teenage nieces reach out, worried about their mother—Lee’s sister, Reagan—who has abruptly disappeared on a so-called “momcation,” cutting off all contact.
Recognizing that her fractured family once again needs her, Lee sets off for Greece to find Reagan and restore some sense of stability. What she uncovers is troubling: Reagan has fallen victim to an online romance scam, sending thousands of dollars to someone she believes is her true love. As Lee searches across Athens and beyond, she must navigate not only the physical challenge of locating her sister, but also the emotional strain of holding her family together.
Complicating matters further are Lee’s strained relationships with her nieces, who remain wary of her and are quick to weaponize her past mental health struggles—even as Lee begins to recognize similar issues emerging in one of them. Meanwhile, their brother Cord battles alcoholism, adding another layer of instability, and their 82-year-old mother Charlotte unexpectedly follows Lee to Greece, hoping to reconnect with a long-lost love on a remote island.
Set against the vivid backdrop of the Mediterranean, from the energy of Athens to the timeless presence of the Acropolis, the novel weaves together themes of family dysfunction, resilience, grief, and second chances. Lee must contend not only with intrusive paparazzi and her fragile emotional state, but also with the weight of being the one everyone depends on.
While the premise is compelling and the stakes—particularly Reagan’s disappearance—kept me wanting to know how it would all resolve, the pacing felt uneven at times. Despite the rich setting and layered characters, I found it difficult to fully immerse myself in the story, as certain sections moved slowly and lacked the emotional pull I expected.
Overall, the novel offers an engaging exploration of family bonds and personal redemption, even if it doesn’t entirely sustain its momentum throughout.
Thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this ARC.
Recognizing that her fractured family once again needs her, Lee sets off for Greece to find Reagan and restore some sense of stability. What she uncovers is troubling: Reagan has fallen victim to an online romance scam, sending thousands of dollars to someone she believes is her true love. As Lee searches across Athens and beyond, she must navigate not only the physical challenge of locating her sister, but also the emotional strain of holding her family together.
Complicating matters further are Lee’s strained relationships with her nieces, who remain wary of her and are quick to weaponize her past mental health struggles—even as Lee begins to recognize similar issues emerging in one of them. Meanwhile, their brother Cord battles alcoholism, adding another layer of instability, and their 82-year-old mother Charlotte unexpectedly follows Lee to Greece, hoping to reconnect with a long-lost love on a remote island.
Set against the vivid backdrop of the Mediterranean, from the energy of Athens to the timeless presence of the Acropolis, the novel weaves together themes of family dysfunction, resilience, grief, and second chances. Lee must contend not only with intrusive paparazzi and her fragile emotional state, but also with the weight of being the one everyone depends on.
While the premise is compelling and the stakes—particularly Reagan’s disappearance—kept me wanting to know how it would all resolve, the pacing felt uneven at times. Despite the rich setting and layered characters, I found it difficult to fully immerse myself in the story, as certain sections moved slowly and lacked the emotional pull I expected.
Overall, the novel offers an engaging exploration of family bonds and personal redemption, even if it doesn’t entirely sustain its momentum throughout.
Thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this ARC.
June 25, 2026
You definitely don’t have to read The Jetsetters first to be able to enjoy this book!
The writing style is really accessible and fast, with quickly changing POVs and short chapters.
This is definitely a book to read when you’re not looking for perfect heroes and can be content with really, really messy characters who don’t necessarily redeem themselves, but most of whom are working on themselves by the end of the book, leaving some lingering issues that will probably never be solved. I really liked how real all of that felt.
I wasn’t completely sold by the end on how Lee had decided to get to the place where she was at the end, but I was at least glad for her!
The pacing is really amazing - this is a book that is almost impossible to put down!
The writing style is really accessible and fast, with quickly changing POVs and short chapters.
This is definitely a book to read when you’re not looking for perfect heroes and can be content with really, really messy characters who don’t necessarily redeem themselves, but most of whom are working on themselves by the end of the book, leaving some lingering issues that will probably never be solved. I really liked how real all of that felt.
I wasn’t completely sold by the end on how Lee had decided to get to the place where she was at the end, but I was at least glad for her!
The pacing is really amazing - this is a book that is almost impossible to put down!
May 24, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book really explored the nuances of family dynamics and mental health in a thoughtful way. I liked the different POVs of all the women in the family. It was interesting to see how their thoughts and outlooks on situations differed depending on their age and life experiences. In general, I liked the structure of the chapters. That said, I struggled to stay engaged throughout the book. In my opinion, the whole plot should’ve been Flora she’s the most interesting character. While there were aspects I appreciated, the pacing and plot structure made it difficult for me to fully get through the novel.
This book really explored the nuances of family dynamics and mental health in a thoughtful way. I liked the different POVs of all the women in the family. It was interesting to see how their thoughts and outlooks on situations differed depending on their age and life experiences. In general, I liked the structure of the chapters. That said, I struggled to stay engaged throughout the book. In my opinion, the whole plot should’ve been Flora she’s the most interesting character. While there were aspects I appreciated, the pacing and plot structure made it difficult for me to fully get through the novel.
June 16, 2026
A messy story of sibling relationships and the ways tragedy can bring families together. When their sister disappears in Greece, the Perkins family is naturally concerned, especially because the missing sister is Bipolar. With flashbacks and told in multiple POVs, this was a moving family drama, perfect for fans of books like The nest. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review.
June 26, 2026
If you love family drama, stellar travel writing, and a few mysterious twists and turns, Amanda Eyre Ward’s latest release should make its way into your beach bag this summer. From the mossy tree lined streets of Savannah to the sun-drenched islands of Greece, we follow the undeniably messy Perkins family. Each sibling is entrenched in their own personal dramas, but as we soon discover, it’s their shared family trauma that has led them astray. Will a pressing family crisis finally bring them all back to each other, and themselves? Propulsive, heartfelt, and fun to read, thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for my gifted ARC of Arrivals and Departures!
July 19, 2026
This followup to The Jetsetters was everything I hoped it would be: funny, heartwarming, sad, hopeful--and a little unnerving (look up Yahoo Boys, IYKYK). I loved reconnecting with this family (Charlotte and her life at the retirement community could be its own Netflix series) and meeting the younger generation. This book has everything: family trauma, whirlwind trips, romance scams, and actual, messy love. It has the drama of a Dateline episode narrated by Keith Morrison combined with TMZ news. It had me flipping pages and flipping out. Great for a cruise, beach, poolside, patio or anywhere any time read.
June 23, 2026
At first I thought this was just a book about a privileged white family with one percenter type problems. But there’s some depth to this book. Anyone who has lived with or loved an addict will recognize at least bits and pieces of themselves in at least one character. And maybe feel seen, even just for a minute. And sometimes that’s all we need to keep on going.
July 29, 2026
I read this in one day - the short chapters made for easy reading. I have not read The Jetsetters, but this novel held up fine on its own. I enjoyed the chaotic family dynamics and the individual characters. Each family member’s fears, disappointments, and motivations seemed authentic.
June 22, 2026
Read on the train to Rome
July 14, 2026
I enjoyed it but sensitive readers should heed the trigger warnings. There was some pretty uncomfortable subject matter.
July 24, 2026
I won this book in a Goodreads First Reads contest.
It surprised me in how much I enjoyed it. I have not read Jetsetters yet but still found this book to be a good read. I am going to search out Jetsetters and read it now because I enjoy the characters in this book.
It surprised me in how much I enjoyed it. I have not read Jetsetters yet but still found this book to be a good read. I am going to search out Jetsetters and read it now because I enjoy the characters in this book.
July 28, 2026
2.5/5- Good but not great. I was really bought into the Reagan story but the multiple POV jumped around a bit too much and the ending felt rushed. I’m not sure if I’ll remember this if asked about it in a month.
July 31, 2026
was a good beach read but thats about it
August 12, 2026
3.5/5. It gets 1 star for the short chapters and references to Savannah. 2.5 stars for being intriguing enough to finish. I related to the depiction of childhood trauma that occurs in a family with siblings. It’s so interesting how this manifests in different ways and can sadly pass on to the next generation if not carefully healed.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
There is something deeply comforting about watching a family implode in a gorgeous location. Like, if you’re going to spiral, at least do it with a view of the Acropolis, you know? That’s the exact chaotic energy Arrivals and Departures is serving, and I ate it up while also occasionally wanting to shake every single character like a snow globe.
The Perkins family is not just a mess. They are a curated collection of bad coping mechanisms. Lee is a reality TV star with very real mental health struggles, Reagan is out here getting catfished into financial ruin, Cord is flirting with alcoholism like it’s a personality trait, and Charlotte, their mother, is still emotionally hung up on a man who sailed away years ago like she’s in her own private Greek tragedy. Nobody is okay. Not one person. And yet… I kind of loved that.
The story kicks off with Reagan going missing in Greece, which is objectively terrifying, but also the most on-brand thing imaginable for this family. Of course the sister who fell for an online romance scam disappears on a “momcation.” Of course the emotionally fragile celebrity sister has to fly in and fix it. This book runs on the energy of “I guess I’ll save everyone again,” and Lee is absolutely exhausted about it.
Lee, by the way, is the emotional backbone here, even when she is barely holding it together herself. There’s something very real about her trying to manage her own depression while being the designated fixer for everyone else’s disasters. It’s giving eldest daughter energy, but make it glamorous and slightly paparazzi-haunted. And the way her nieces both need her and resent her? Whew. That felt a little too real. Kids will absolutely weaponize your worst moments while still asking you to save them, and this book does not shy away from that tension.
But let’s talk about the vibes for a second, because this book is doing something sneaky. You think you’re getting a breezy, jet-setting family drama, like Mamma Mia! but with more emotional damage, and then suddenly it’s like, surprise, we’re unpacking generational trauma, addiction, and the lingering fallout of a father’s suicide. It’s giving emotional whiplash, but in a way that mostly works.
Mostly. Because here’s where I had my little side-eye moment. These people make terrible decisions. Repeatedly. With confidence. It’s like watching a group chat where everyone ignores the one sensible friend and just keeps escalating. There were multiple points where I had to pause and go, “Oh, so we’re all just… doing this? No one’s calling a therapist? Cool cool cool.”
And yet, despite that, I couldn’t fully detach from them. That’s the trick of this book. You may not like these characters all the time, but you understand them. Their mess feels human. Their bad choices feel frustratingly believable. It’s the kind of story where you’re yelling at the page but also quietly rooting for them to get it together, even just a little.
The Greece setting is doing a lot of heavy lifting emotionally, and I mean that as a compliment. There’s something about all this dysfunction unfolding against ancient ruins and glittering water that makes everything feel more dramatic, like the universe itself is watching these people spiral and going, “Yes, give me more.” It adds this layer of almost mythic sadness to very modern problems like online scams and Instagram-fueled identity crises.
The pacing, though, is a bit of a rollercoaster. Sometimes it’s flying, like you’re binge-watching a family drama at 2 AM, and other times it slows down just enough that you start checking how many pages are left in the chapter. It never fully lost me, but there were moments where I wanted it to either lean harder into the chaos or sit deeper in the emotional beats.
And the ending… listen. It’s hopeful. It’s heartfelt. It maybe wraps things up a little too neatly considering the absolute disaster we just witnessed for 300-ish pages, but I didn’t hate it. Sometimes you want a story to look you in the eye and say, “Maybe it’s not too late,” even if you’re like, “Okay but realistically these people still need so much therapy.”
At the end of the day, this is a 3.5 star read that feels like texting your friend about their messy family while also acknowledging your own is not that different. It’s chaotic, it’s heartfelt, it’s occasionally ridiculous, and it’s trying very hard to believe in love anyway.
And honestly, thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC, because nothing says self-care like watching a fictional family make worse decisions than you.
The Perkins family is not just a mess. They are a curated collection of bad coping mechanisms. Lee is a reality TV star with very real mental health struggles, Reagan is out here getting catfished into financial ruin, Cord is flirting with alcoholism like it’s a personality trait, and Charlotte, their mother, is still emotionally hung up on a man who sailed away years ago like she’s in her own private Greek tragedy. Nobody is okay. Not one person. And yet… I kind of loved that.
The story kicks off with Reagan going missing in Greece, which is objectively terrifying, but also the most on-brand thing imaginable for this family. Of course the sister who fell for an online romance scam disappears on a “momcation.” Of course the emotionally fragile celebrity sister has to fly in and fix it. This book runs on the energy of “I guess I’ll save everyone again,” and Lee is absolutely exhausted about it.
Lee, by the way, is the emotional backbone here, even when she is barely holding it together herself. There’s something very real about her trying to manage her own depression while being the designated fixer for everyone else’s disasters. It’s giving eldest daughter energy, but make it glamorous and slightly paparazzi-haunted. And the way her nieces both need her and resent her? Whew. That felt a little too real. Kids will absolutely weaponize your worst moments while still asking you to save them, and this book does not shy away from that tension.
But let’s talk about the vibes for a second, because this book is doing something sneaky. You think you’re getting a breezy, jet-setting family drama, like Mamma Mia! but with more emotional damage, and then suddenly it’s like, surprise, we’re unpacking generational trauma, addiction, and the lingering fallout of a father’s suicide. It’s giving emotional whiplash, but in a way that mostly works.
Mostly. Because here’s where I had my little side-eye moment. These people make terrible decisions. Repeatedly. With confidence. It’s like watching a group chat where everyone ignores the one sensible friend and just keeps escalating. There were multiple points where I had to pause and go, “Oh, so we’re all just… doing this? No one’s calling a therapist? Cool cool cool.”
And yet, despite that, I couldn’t fully detach from them. That’s the trick of this book. You may not like these characters all the time, but you understand them. Their mess feels human. Their bad choices feel frustratingly believable. It’s the kind of story where you’re yelling at the page but also quietly rooting for them to get it together, even just a little.
The Greece setting is doing a lot of heavy lifting emotionally, and I mean that as a compliment. There’s something about all this dysfunction unfolding against ancient ruins and glittering water that makes everything feel more dramatic, like the universe itself is watching these people spiral and going, “Yes, give me more.” It adds this layer of almost mythic sadness to very modern problems like online scams and Instagram-fueled identity crises.
The pacing, though, is a bit of a rollercoaster. Sometimes it’s flying, like you’re binge-watching a family drama at 2 AM, and other times it slows down just enough that you start checking how many pages are left in the chapter. It never fully lost me, but there were moments where I wanted it to either lean harder into the chaos or sit deeper in the emotional beats.
And the ending… listen. It’s hopeful. It’s heartfelt. It maybe wraps things up a little too neatly considering the absolute disaster we just witnessed for 300-ish pages, but I didn’t hate it. Sometimes you want a story to look you in the eye and say, “Maybe it’s not too late,” even if you’re like, “Okay but realistically these people still need so much therapy.”
At the end of the day, this is a 3.5 star read that feels like texting your friend about their messy family while also acknowledging your own is not that different. It’s chaotic, it’s heartfelt, it’s occasionally ridiculous, and it’s trying very hard to believe in love anyway.
And honestly, thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC, because nothing says self-care like watching a fictional family make worse decisions than you.
June 29, 2026
I received a free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I’ve enjoyed Ward’s books in the past - they’re fun, diverting summer reads. This isn’t marketed as a sequel to The Jetsetters, and it took me until about the halfway mark to realize that this was in fact the same family (it was the Triscuits and cheese and the buttered English muffins that did it - for some reason those are the facts that stuck in my brain about Charlotte!). That being said, you could absolutely read this without having read The Jetsetters. There are a few passing references to the cruise, but this takes place several years later, and the characters are all in much different places - though they are all still a mess in their own ways.
The catalyst that brings them all together this time is youngest sister Reagan’s disappearance. She’s met someone online and is running away on vacation with him…except her daughter Flora pretty much immediately figured out that this dude isn’t real, it’s a romance scam. He’s conned her out of quite a bit of money, all under the guise of “if you loved me and wanted us to be together, you would send it.” Reagan is divorced from her husband (reading my review of the first book, they apparently had a picture perfect marriage that wasn’t so perfect, but I confess to not remembering much beyond that) and decided to pack up and move herself and her daughters to Greece for no real reason - just to “get away.” So she tells her daughters she’s going to some kind of scrapbooking retreat, when she’s actually going to meet this Francois dude. Flora immediately panics and calls Charlotte. Lee happens to be staying with Charlotte because she had a public breakdown after the cancellation of her reality show (I think in the first book she was just a struggling actress coming to terms with the fact that her career wasn’t going to be that great?). Lee decides SHE will go to Greece and help the girls find Reagan. And meanwhile Cord and his husband are on some kind of tech-free retreat and Cord is unable to detox (something about an app that’s about to go public? I think in the first book he had dumped all of his money into some app he didn’t remember even trying, but now it’s actually about to be a success? Unclear if this is the same one or something different).
Much like last time around, all of the Perkinses are lost and broken in their own ways, and each one believes getting involved in Reagan’s disappearance will Solve Everything. It all goes about as you might expect. And once again all of the siblings learn valuable lessons about taking care of themselves and one another. Not clear if they’ll take this time or if we’ll be revisiting them again a few years down the road.
The catalyst that brings them all together this time is youngest sister Reagan’s disappearance. She’s met someone online and is running away on vacation with him…except her daughter Flora pretty much immediately figured out that this dude isn’t real, it’s a romance scam. He’s conned her out of quite a bit of money, all under the guise of “if you loved me and wanted us to be together, you would send it.” Reagan is divorced from her husband (reading my review of the first book, they apparently had a picture perfect marriage that wasn’t so perfect, but I confess to not remembering much beyond that) and decided to pack up and move herself and her daughters to Greece for no real reason - just to “get away.” So she tells her daughters she’s going to some kind of scrapbooking retreat, when she’s actually going to meet this Francois dude. Flora immediately panics and calls Charlotte. Lee happens to be staying with Charlotte because she had a public breakdown after the cancellation of her reality show (I think in the first book she was just a struggling actress coming to terms with the fact that her career wasn’t going to be that great?). Lee decides SHE will go to Greece and help the girls find Reagan. And meanwhile Cord and his husband are on some kind of tech-free retreat and Cord is unable to detox (something about an app that’s about to go public? I think in the first book he had dumped all of his money into some app he didn’t remember even trying, but now it’s actually about to be a success? Unclear if this is the same one or something different).
Much like last time around, all of the Perkinses are lost and broken in their own ways, and each one believes getting involved in Reagan’s disappearance will Solve Everything. It all goes about as you might expect. And once again all of the siblings learn valuable lessons about taking care of themselves and one another. Not clear if they’ll take this time or if we’ll be revisiting them again a few years down the road.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book was...a book!
Arrivals and Departures is the third book I read from this author and it is easily my favourite.
Fun fact #1: this book contains several characters from one of Ward's previous novels: The Jetsetters. However, this isn't exactly a sequel to that book, and it can easily be read as a standalone.
To be frank, I read The Jetsetters 4 or 5 years ago. I barely remember that book. And it is also my least favourite that I've read from this author.
Yet, I feel like I missed nothing going into this new book. I recognised some names but it was perfectly readable without having the 'previous' book fresh in my mind.
Fun fact#2: out ouf those, now, 3 novels I've read from Amanda Eyre Ward, this one is easily the heaviest in tone and context. Don't be fooled by the cozy and sunny art cover! The content of this book is heavy! There are some very serious and dark topics being discussed here, such as depression, suicidal thoughts, addictions, underage sexual exploration, online scammers, and others. This is NOT a fun and cozy summer read! Be aware of that before going into this book.
The Greek islands setting do indeed bring a lighter tone to the narrative. But in general this book is not easy to read.
I personally cared for all the characters, so I could feel their pain and despair in certain moments. I would root for them constantly and be very annoyed when things went south and some characters kept making the wrong choices over and over again. But I'd say that is why these characters within these scenarios seem so realistic. Because what these people go through are real struggles and vices anyone can go through.
As I've said above, online scamming is one of the topics discussed in this book. And that hit harder for me, because I was once a victim of online scamming. It triggered me. And yet I couldn't stop reading it. I actually read this book in...a little more than 24 hours. I was emotionally invested in it all.
I picked this book up thinking I was going to read a light breezy summery, even maybe silly, romance-ish story about a family vacationing in Greece.
Well, I was wrong. LoL And yet, I felt happily wrong about my expectations. I really really liked this book. It spoke to me. It moved me. It bothered me. It triggered me. It even scared me a little, but I connected to these characters in such a level that I know I won't forget about them so soon.
And they are not so deep! This book is, in my opinion, too short to have such depth in character development. But it was enough to speak to me. I loved it!
However, I don't believe this book will speak to many other readers. So I would recommend this novel to readers who usually enjoy reading and following characters with realistic vices and struggles, and don't mind novels with heavy and dark topics. Read with caution.
*The conclusion is hopeful and sweet* - just so you'll know.
Thank you, NetGalley and Ballantine, for providing me with a free eARC of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.
Arrivals and Departures is the third book I read from this author and it is easily my favourite.
Fun fact #1: this book contains several characters from one of Ward's previous novels: The Jetsetters. However, this isn't exactly a sequel to that book, and it can easily be read as a standalone.
To be frank, I read The Jetsetters 4 or 5 years ago. I barely remember that book. And it is also my least favourite that I've read from this author.
Yet, I feel like I missed nothing going into this new book. I recognised some names but it was perfectly readable without having the 'previous' book fresh in my mind.
Fun fact#2: out ouf those, now, 3 novels I've read from Amanda Eyre Ward, this one is easily the heaviest in tone and context. Don't be fooled by the cozy and sunny art cover! The content of this book is heavy! There are some very serious and dark topics being discussed here, such as depression, suicidal thoughts, addictions, underage sexual exploration, online scammers, and others. This is NOT a fun and cozy summer read! Be aware of that before going into this book.
The Greek islands setting do indeed bring a lighter tone to the narrative. But in general this book is not easy to read.
I personally cared for all the characters, so I could feel their pain and despair in certain moments. I would root for them constantly and be very annoyed when things went south and some characters kept making the wrong choices over and over again. But I'd say that is why these characters within these scenarios seem so realistic. Because what these people go through are real struggles and vices anyone can go through.
As I've said above, online scamming is one of the topics discussed in this book. And that hit harder for me, because I was once a victim of online scamming. It triggered me. And yet I couldn't stop reading it. I actually read this book in...a little more than 24 hours. I was emotionally invested in it all.
I picked this book up thinking I was going to read a light breezy summery, even maybe silly, romance-ish story about a family vacationing in Greece.
Well, I was wrong. LoL And yet, I felt happily wrong about my expectations. I really really liked this book. It spoke to me. It moved me. It bothered me. It triggered me. It even scared me a little, but I connected to these characters in such a level that I know I won't forget about them so soon.
And they are not so deep! This book is, in my opinion, too short to have such depth in character development. But it was enough to speak to me. I loved it!
However, I don't believe this book will speak to many other readers. So I would recommend this novel to readers who usually enjoy reading and following characters with realistic vices and struggles, and don't mind novels with heavy and dark topics. Read with caution.
*The conclusion is hopeful and sweet* - just so you'll know.
Thank you, NetGalley and Ballantine, for providing me with a free eARC of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.
June 16, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine| Ballantine Books, as well as the author, for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #BallantineBallantinBooks #AmandaEyreWard #ArrivalsandDepartures #LiteraryFiction #Reading #Books #BookReviews
Title: Arrivals and Departures
Author: Amanda Eyre Ward
Format: eBook
Publisher: Ballantine| Ballantine Books
Publication Date: June 16, 2026
Rating: 4 Stars
Themes: Mental health, familial relationships
Trigger Warnings: Many mental health problems, depression, suicidal ideation, bipolar disorder in both adult and child, internet scams, grief, alcoholism, familial strife, child abandonment/neglect, underage sexual explorations
This standalone follow-up to Amanda Eyre Ward’s bestselling novel, The Jetsetters, features many of the characters from the previous novel. Don’t worry if you don’t remember much from the previous book. You’ll still follow this just fine. The Perkins Family has had its share of challenges: Charlotte’s three adult children, Lee. Regan, and Cord, have their own set of issues. Lee is a former reality TV star who suffers from bipolar disorder. Regan has sent thousands to a man online that she believes is her true love, despite never having seen him. Cord is an alcoholic who is about to lose his relationship. When Regan disappears, leaving her two teenage daughters behind, Lee flies to Greece from Savannah, GA to help. She stays with her emotional nieces as they all try to find Regan. Can Lee save her sister and help the rest of her family?
This wasn’t the novel that it claimed to be. It’s much heavier and less light and humorous than I expected. The heavy theme of intense mental illness and substance abuse struggles is a stark contrast to the previous novel, which is much lighter in tone. The short chapters and varying pace gave this a frenetic feeling to me. I found myself needing to take breaks. That being said, this was definitely a compelling novel. The characters are layered and nuanced, causing the reader to care deeply about what happens to them. The Greek backdrop made for a beautiful setting.
All in all, this will speak to many readers. It’s beautifully written and handled with care. Just be aware that this isn’t a light summer read.
#NetGalley #BallantineBallantinBooks #AmandaEyreWard #ArrivalsandDepartures #LiteraryFiction #Reading #Books #BookReviews
Title: Arrivals and Departures
Author: Amanda Eyre Ward
Format: eBook
Publisher: Ballantine| Ballantine Books
Publication Date: June 16, 2026
Rating: 4 Stars
Themes: Mental health, familial relationships
Trigger Warnings: Many mental health problems, depression, suicidal ideation, bipolar disorder in both adult and child, internet scams, grief, alcoholism, familial strife, child abandonment/neglect, underage sexual explorations
This standalone follow-up to Amanda Eyre Ward’s bestselling novel, The Jetsetters, features many of the characters from the previous novel. Don’t worry if you don’t remember much from the previous book. You’ll still follow this just fine. The Perkins Family has had its share of challenges: Charlotte’s three adult children, Lee. Regan, and Cord, have their own set of issues. Lee is a former reality TV star who suffers from bipolar disorder. Regan has sent thousands to a man online that she believes is her true love, despite never having seen him. Cord is an alcoholic who is about to lose his relationship. When Regan disappears, leaving her two teenage daughters behind, Lee flies to Greece from Savannah, GA to help. She stays with her emotional nieces as they all try to find Regan. Can Lee save her sister and help the rest of her family?
This wasn’t the novel that it claimed to be. It’s much heavier and less light and humorous than I expected. The heavy theme of intense mental illness and substance abuse struggles is a stark contrast to the previous novel, which is much lighter in tone. The short chapters and varying pace gave this a frenetic feeling to me. I found myself needing to take breaks. That being said, this was definitely a compelling novel. The characters are layered and nuanced, causing the reader to care deeply about what happens to them. The Greek backdrop made for a beautiful setting.
All in all, this will speak to many readers. It’s beautifully written and handled with care. Just be aware that this isn’t a light summer read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 STARS The publisher’s description of Arrivals and Departures by Amanda Eyre Ward includes the words “witty” and “brimming with humor.” No, it wasn’t. What this family drama is, is intense, raw, and riveting, with a smattering of hope. There were times I wanted to stop reading, but the format (short, fast-paced chapters, which alternated the POV’s of the Perkins family members: the mother, Charlotte, siblings Lee, Regan, and Cord, and granddaughters Flora, and Isabelle) kept me going. While not particularly invested in each character’s outcome, or even liking the characters very much (except for Lee and Flora), I wanted to know how all the storylines were resolved.
Apparently, many of the characters were first introduced in The Jetsetters (which is now on my TBR list). The eldest sibling, Lee, is a reality TV star who struggles with bipolar disorder. When the youngest sibling, Regan, who, after divorcing her husband moved from Savannah, GA to Athens, Greece, has become enmeshed in an online romance scam (very creepy), disappears, Lee flies to Athens to find her while caring (or trying to care) for Regan’s 18-year-old daughter Isabelle and 16-year-old daughter Flora. Meanwhile, brother Cord is an alcoholic struggling with his sobriety and relationship, and mother Charlotte longs to rekindle a love affair from 10 years prior.
There are three elements of this book that stood out for me: the first, the author’s handling of mental illness and the familial dynamics that can contribute to both generational mental illness and alcoholism, are realistic and so very sensitive and compassionate. The author does not sugarcoat or shy away from these, or any other harsh realities, and I applaud that. The second element is the detailed description of life in Athens, whether at home, at school, in the neighborhoods, or in dealing with local authorities while searching for Regan. The third element is the family dynamic, and how this dysfunctional family navigates through their own individual torments while just wanting to be seen and loved by one another. Those elements were compelling enough to keep reading. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the eARC. My review is my unbiased opinion.
Apparently, many of the characters were first introduced in The Jetsetters (which is now on my TBR list). The eldest sibling, Lee, is a reality TV star who struggles with bipolar disorder. When the youngest sibling, Regan, who, after divorcing her husband moved from Savannah, GA to Athens, Greece, has become enmeshed in an online romance scam (very creepy), disappears, Lee flies to Athens to find her while caring (or trying to care) for Regan’s 18-year-old daughter Isabelle and 16-year-old daughter Flora. Meanwhile, brother Cord is an alcoholic struggling with his sobriety and relationship, and mother Charlotte longs to rekindle a love affair from 10 years prior.
There are three elements of this book that stood out for me: the first, the author’s handling of mental illness and the familial dynamics that can contribute to both generational mental illness and alcoholism, are realistic and so very sensitive and compassionate. The author does not sugarcoat or shy away from these, or any other harsh realities, and I applaud that. The second element is the detailed description of life in Athens, whether at home, at school, in the neighborhoods, or in dealing with local authorities while searching for Regan. The third element is the family dynamic, and how this dysfunctional family navigates through their own individual torments while just wanting to be seen and loved by one another. Those elements were compelling enough to keep reading. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the eARC. My review is my unbiased opinion.
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