Family Affair

by Debbie Macomber

Lacey Lancaster always longed to be a wife and mother. However, after a painful divorce, she just wants to lay low in her charming San Francisco apartment with her beautiful Abyssinian cat, Cleo.

Everything would be wonderful if it wasn't for her impossible neighbor, Jack Walker, who argues day and night with his girlfriend . . . and whose cat, Dog, is determined to get Cleo to succumb to his feline advances. And when Lacey discovers that Cleo's in the family way, she's furious that neither Jack nor his amorous animal seems terribly upset about it.

But things aren't always what they appear. Jack's "girlfriend" isreally his sister—and his intentions toward Lacey are quite honorable (though she's not sure about Dog). And out of the blue, Lacey is discovering the tender joy of falling in love all over again.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Audiobook, Adult

179 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Debbie Macomber is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of today’s most popular writers with more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide. In her novels, Macomber brings to life compelling relationships that embrace family and enduring friendships, uplifting her readers with stories of connection and hope. Macomber’s novels have spent over 1,000 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Fifteen of these novels hit the number one spot.

In 2023, Macomber’s all-new hardcover publication includes Must Love Flowers (July). In addition to fiction, Macomber has also published three bestselling cookbooks, three adult coloring books, numerous inspirational and nonfiction works, and two acclaimed children’s books.

Celebrated as “the official storyteller of Christmas”, Macomber’s annual Christmas books are beloved and six have been crafted into original Hallmark Channel movies. Macomber is also the author of the bestselling Cedar Cove Series which the Hallmark Channel chose as the basis for its first dramatic scripted television series. Debuting in 2013, Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove was a ratings favorite for three seasons.

She serves on the Guideposts National Advisory Cabinet, is a YFC National Ambassador, and is World Vision’s international spokesperson for their Knit for Kids charity initiative. A devoted grandmother, Debbie and Wayne live in Port Orchard, Washington, the town which inspired the Cedar Cove series.

Reviews

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is Short Romance/Women's Fiction. This book is only 99 pages long, and this is a quick cozy read. The characters where the central of this story like most of Debbie Macomber's books. This is a cozy romance story. I think this book being so short took away from the storyline. I did not like it, but I felt this storyline read rushed. The storyline feeling like it was rushed took away from the book.

[Alice Bola · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was a time when I would have swallowed Family Affair whole. I would have loved the simplicity of the romance, the innocence of the characters. I absolutely loved how two people with seemingly nothing in common could come together. Through dislike, they find love. Through misunderstanding, they find acceptance and compromise. I loved a story where in the end, love conquers all. That was then. Now, well, I'm a bit more cynical. Don't get me wrong, I still believe that love conquers all, but now I know it's not that simple.

I think I would have loved this book back then. Now not so much. I found the story to be too simple. It also reads a bit dated. For an independent woman, Lacey is too much of a mouse. She makes this huge change in her life, but manages to not grow at all. And Jack, well, he's a bit one dimensional. I have to admit my favorite part of the novel was the "romance" between Cleo and Dog.

Overall this was a nice simple story. A quick read for a cold, snowy day. It's a sweet tale to be absorbed in a single reading. Will it change your life? Probably not. But will it give you a chuckle or two? Definitely. Worth the time? Maybe. Unless you are a huge Debbie Macomber fan, I wouldn't recommend buying it. It's more of a library book.

[Howard · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 Stars for Family Affair (audiobook) by Debbie Macomber read by Heather Corrigan.

As I’m writing this as I’m scolding a stray dog for trying to eat a napkin that my wife picked up last month. I’m thinking about how the main character seemed to be an irresponsible pet owner. On a whim she decides to start breeding cats. She seems to know nothing about cat breeding and she doesn’t do any research on it ether. Isn’t there enough cats in this world that need to be rescued? As for our stray, we have had no luck finding her owners so it looks like we are going to be her forever home.

[Tiago | MrsMargotBlog · Rating 2 out of 5]

Foi o meu primeiro contacto com esta autora e não deve ter sido o melhor livro para isso, pois não fiquei nada surpreendido com esta história, muito pelo contrário, achei muito pobre, pouco desenvolvida, podia ter sido escrita por qualquer pessoa que não fosse escritora.
Peguei neste livro em ebook com o intuito de ter uma leitura leve e rápida, que me animasse e entretivesse porque tinha acabado de ler um drama.
E há tantos livros assim que já me surpreenderam, me apaixonaram... o que não foi o caso deste, confesso que quase sinto que perdi tempo com esta leitura.
Um romance desinteressante, forçado e corrido, com personagens desinteressantes e pouco desenvolvidos, enfim... uma desilusão.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Lacey's Cat Cleo is taken advantage of by her neighbor's cat named Dog, She goes to tell Jack that he must take responsibility for his tomcat's shenanigans. Will her meeting with him become much more than neighbors and will he be the cat's meow for her? Read on and find out for yourself.

This was a pretty good cat story from Debbie Macomber. If you enjoy romance and cat stories, then definitely look for this book at your local library and wherever books are sold.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had promise in the beginning. But in the end proved to be a silly romance.

[Malia Saldaña · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this, but it’s just a no for me. 😂

[Mari Pequenos Retalhos · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, that didn't work. Nothing in this book is developed: characters, plot, anything. Everything is as simple as it gets and I think reading the summary is probably enough for you to understand everything that happens.
The story is too predictable to the point where I laughed because I couldn't believe it. Nothing major happens and the best characters are the kittens. But not even the kittens save this book, and I love kittens.

[Luli · Rating 2 out of 5]

Esta historia tenía posibilidades, la premisa sonaba muy bien, pero la ejecución ha estado muy floja.
El problema es que los personajes no están bien definidos, han sonado planos, unidimensionales… de Lacey sabemos un poco más ya que la historia está contada desde su punto de vista, pero de Jack no sabemos nada. Más que un personaje ha sido un adorno, demasiado perfecto, demasiado paciente…no me ha convencido.
Y la historia secundaria que protagoniza su hermana ha sido muy tonta, apresurada y totalmente prescindible.
Podría haber estado bien porque la idea era interesante pero no ha sido así. Ha acabado siendo una historia superficial contada con mucha prisa.

This story could have had possibilities, the premise sounded good but the execution has been weak.
The problem is that the characters are not well developed, they have felt flat, one-dimensional... we know a little more about Lacey since the story is told from her point of view, but we know nothing about Jack. More than a character he has been an ornament, too perfect, too patient... he does not feel real.
And the secondary story about his sister has been a bit silly, rushed and completely dispensable.
It could have been a good story because the idea was interesting but it has not happened. At the end it has been a shallow story told with great hurry.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starting over in a new apartment, new job, new city was the only way Lacey Lancaster felt she could survive her divorce. She was struggling with the loneliness of it so she got a Abyssinian purebred cat named Cleo. Possibly wanting to breed the cat, she waited, but when Cleo finally went into heat she found out that her neighbor Jack Walker had a cat also, named Dog. Leaving her door open to go ask Jack to be quiet so that she could make a call, Dog got into her apartment and now she had to find the backbone to deal with Jack and the consequences. Noticing her from the first day she moved in, Jack had no idea that it would turn out to be Dog that finally got him the in he had been working for. Now if he could just be patient enough for her to work through her trust and commitment issues he might have a chance at what he wants.

This seems to be a re-print of a 1994 novella. I happen to really enjoy Debbie Macomber’s gentle, sweet romance stories and even though this is short and the characters are not as developed as some of her more recent ones, I found myself really enjoying the “misunderstandings” of Sarah and even relating to some of Lacey’s insecurities. Could have had more of Jack, really liked him, but for a short, older story, it was a nice little get a way. *Bonus: there is a few recipes for home made cat treats in the back of the book. I have not made any but they are a fun addition to the book.

I was luck enough to have received this as an early reviewer copy from LibraryThing. It is marked with a SRP of $16.99 which does seem a bit high for a 102 page book, especially one that is a re-print of a novella.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is for The Bet written by Darlene Panzera who won a contest sponsored by Macomber. Her novella is included in Family Affair.

What a delightful story! I enjoyed every minute of it, a quick read full of chuckles, suspense, and romance. Jenny dropped out of medical school to take over the ranch when her father died in a fire. Late on payments the bank sets a deadline and she has no way of paying it.

At a local cafe there is a lot of betting taking place, bets were placed on which of the men could get Jenny to marry him. Nick Chandler, a stranger in town, walks in and bets $10,000. Jenny happens to be in the cafe giving the men heck when she overhears the bet and is fit to be tied. Returning home her uncle introduces her to their new ranch manager, Nick Chandler!

I won't give anything else away but the sparks fly and it isn't always for the good. A well written, fun story with great characters that will keep you turning the pages and not wanting to see the end. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher through TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.

[Thais Morimoto (tatakizi) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've finished this book today and it was ok. The portuguese version has less than 200 pages and big letters. It was a quick read but it didn't made me feel involved with the story. It was simple, short and direct. Overall, it was a nice read.

[Andria Potter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another novella I read for Novella November, this was absolutely a train wreck. The first two chapters, Lacey comes off as an idiotic moron that allows herself to be used at her job, being an utter wimp not asking for a pay raise and whining about how things aren't fair. She had rescued three stray kittens, sold two of them and kept the third making her be abandoned by her family. The cat gets into heat and is in the family way thanks to the neighbors dog.

Jack is the neighbor and Lacey finds herself falling for him despite that in the first two chapters it's proven that he cheats on women. In her past she divorced a man for being a womanizer. And I'm seriously supposed to believe this? Jack also is a huge red flag. No thanks.

Rated: 2 ⭐ because I felt bad for the cat involved.

[Bookworman · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Sweet love story but a bit too silly.

[Garnet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short read. Slow plot.

[Bailey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I only recommend this book if you are trapped on an island and it's literally the only book you have access to that you haven't read yet (this is what happened to me)

[Smut Report]

Review also available at The Smut Report.

Heat Factor: Kisses only

Character Chemistry: Through the power of love, our heroine grows a spine

Plot: His cat knocks up her cat and she demands kitten support

Overall: Nothing terribly offensive, but nothing terribly interesting either

Public Service Announcement, courtesy of Bob Barker:



You might think that your cat’s romance will lead to an excellent meet-cute, but even though it happens here, signs point to… nah. (Also, don’t buy a kitten from a pet store. If you want a purebred Abyssinian, go to a reputable breeder.)

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk about whether and how Family Affair works as a love story.

The basic premise is that Lacey is still recovering from getting divorced; she believed in true love, thought marriage was forever, and so on – and so was shocked to her core when her husband left her for another woman. Now she lives in a new city, and has sworn off men and romance, especially with her neighbor, who is always hitting on her and also always fighting with some woman who he wants to move in with him.

Then, her cat gets pregnant. So she finally starts talking to the neighbor. Jack has been interested in her for months, and has been patiently biding his time until she’s not so fragile and he can pounce on her and save her and love her. (That woman he’s always fighting with is his sister. More on that in a minute.) Jack and Lacey spend time together. You know, for the cat children. And then they go on dates and stuff. The whole time, Jack is nice and respectful and all that, but I couldn’t help thinking that it was a little bit creepy the way he sort of watched and waited for almost a full year, because he could just tell that Lacey was the perfect woman for him, and also that she needed his love to be whole.

Admittedly, Jack and Lacey do have some sweet moments together, so that’s nice.

The thing about this book is that it is more conservative than the smut I normally read. Or more provincial, which might be a side effect of its age – the characters felt much more small town than the ones in many of the more recently published romances that actually take place in small towns. Not because they don’t have sex (they almost do, but cat birth intervenes), but because of some of the judgments and decisions that the characters make.

Some examples:

- Jack and Lacey go for a dinner in Chinatown in San Francisco. Solid decision. The heroine loves spicy Chinese food. Still with you. The hero orders them Szechuan Chicken. I side-eye any dude who orders all the food for the table, but some people might like it, so ok. The heroine loves the food, and the reader is informed that she has never had Szechuan Chicken before. What. (I am a judgmental urban bitch? Maybe. But this bothered me all out of proportion.)
- Premarital sex is ok (I think), but shacking up before marriage is a RECIPE FOR DISASTER. (I should tell that to literally every single one of my married friends – since they lived together first, their relationships are dooooooooomed.) Remember the sister? Jack wants her to move in with him because he doesn’t approve of her living with her boyfriend. Of course, narratively, Jack is vindicated because the boyfriend is a sleazebag.

The ending reinforces the conservative vibe of the book. (Plus, includes a deeply questionable life choice.)

After one month of dating, Lacey has figured out that being in love again has helped her let go of her marriage. Along the way, she has learned to stand up for herself, and told her boss that he needs to value her, and gotten a raise. But then! Jack is getting transferred to a new job in Seattle. So OF COURSE she is going to give up her job (which she says she loves but really just complains about all the time) and move to a new city and get married to a guy she has not yet slept with because he said that he hoped that two months of long distance would make her miss him enough to want to get married?!?!?! It wasn’t even a real marriage proposal – he was like, “I would like to marry you some day” and she was like “I DO!”

I foresee another divorce in Lacey’s future.

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[Entre Chás e Cafés ❀Renata CR❀ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5/3 estrelas

Está difícil dizer sobre esse livro, pois era desses que tinha tudo para ser fofinho e bonitinho, sem grandes pretensões, apenas para divertir. Bem, não é que ele não foi assim, mas também não foi tão assim...


Opinião no Blog: http://anotacoesliterarias.blogspot.c...

[Marialyce · Rating 2 out of 5]

Silly fluffy stuff! I nice break from all the huge reads recently.

[Nancy Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet book. This was a very quick read that still managed to deal with the heavy subject of learning to trust again and moving on and standing up for yourself and learning to love yourself - go Lacey. And Jack was such a likeable fellow. And then ... the cats. I was won over totally by this book.

[N. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you Debbie Macomber for writing this. It was an interesting tip into your writing backlog.

From this novel, it involved really awkward tenant neighbors and un-neutered cats. I think I'll get something more lively to read next. Like War and Peace.

[Danielle Hammelef · Rating 3 out of 5]

I knew what kind of book this was going to be before even starting, so for the short distraction it was, it filled up my waiting time. It was more novella/short story than a novel with fully-developed characters or a deeper plot.

[Alma Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Family Affair by Debbie Macomber I enjoyed this Debbie Macomber book I received over the holidays.
It's a relaxing read made for a rainy afternoon. Several couples are recovering from cheating spouses, even a cat named Cleo and her alley lover Dog.

[Carolina Imhof · Rating 2 out of 5]

silly unrealistic romance (yeah, sure, Mr. Perfect will fall for nasty new neighbour), but entertaining enough.

[Ed Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick simple read. A nice book if you want an easy afternoon.

[Ericka Clou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute little romance. It doesn’t pass the Bechdel test or any feminist test you might devise but what romance book does? The ending moves too quickly for me, but that’s the trade-off for the quick, one-sitting read.

[Trisha_loves_books · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute enough. Hate instant love. Too convenient in too many spots. This was a miss for me.

[Carol Fellenz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy read. Love the story

[Siobhan · Rating 2 out of 5]

So unrealistic 🙄

[Tricia Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book especially if you like cats. Easy read, short and sweet story. Debbie macomber does it again. I love reading her books. Great feel good stories about life and love.