Fun For the Whole Family (add-on) : Discussion Thread

[Trisha]

A breathtaking, joy-filled novel about the people we love, the secrets we keep, and the enduring power of family, from the bestselling author of The Unsinkable Greta James.

The four Endicott siblings—Gemma, Connor, Roddy, and Jude—were once inseparable, a bond created by the absence of their dazzling, mercurial mother, who would return for a few weeks each summer to whisk them off on sprawling road trips around the country.

Decades later, the unthinkable has happened: the Endicotts haven’t spoken in years . . . until an out-of-the-blue text arrives from Jude, now a famous actress, summoning them to a small town in North Dakota. They’re each at a crossroads: Gemma, who put her own ambitions aside to raise the others, now isn’t sure if she wants to be a mother herself; Connor, a celebrated novelist, is floundering after his recent divorce and suffering from an epic case of writer’s block; and Roddy, at the tail end of a professional soccer career, is dangerously close to losing his future husband for the chance at one last season.

Jude is the only Endicott who seems to have it all together—but appearances can be deceiving. As the weekend unfolds, and the siblings wrestle with their shared past and uncertain futures, they’ll discover that Jude has been keeping three secrets . . . each of which could change everything.

A captivating journey and an ode to forgiveness that takes readers across all fifty states, Fun for the Whole Family brims with heart and resonates long after the final page.

[Trisha]

through 81 pages stopped at Roddy

this one is cute so far
(view spoiler)[ but you can tell, something awful must have happened in Texas
to make their dad tell the mom she couldn't take them on these trips anymore
and wow, I wonder why they all stopped talking just 3 years ago. I wonder what happened

so far each sibling has a very unique voice and personality - and how they fit in the family both past and present. I'm liking the set up. it's very easy to read (hide spoiler)]

[Trisha]

through 167 pages / stopped at Roddy again

(view spoiler)[ wow lots of drama

I don't blame them for being upset she kept the secret for so so long but I also understand why she first kept it
I love that Annie saw how special Gemma is. probably why she wants to have kids so bad

and wow, I can see why they'd be mad about the book.

but what are the last 2 secrets. . .? (hide spoiler)]

[Trisha]

stopped at pg 247 / Connor (2025) North Dakota

(view spoiler)[
wow, we have secret #2 and it was a big one. They cut their mom off because of the lie Jude told them. how could she never correct them, even years later?! wow!

and I'm sad Roddy and Winston are fighting. I wonder if they'll make it.
and yay for Gemma, although I'm curious how much she saved these kids.
Connor kind of deserves the crap he's gotten from his siblings for the book - especially when he didn't tell them beforehand.

(hide spoiler)]

I'm still really liking this one!

[Vicki]

I started this but haven’t gotten far. What I have read, about 30 pages, I enjoyed.

[Trisha]

it's really good so far! I'm really liking it!

[Trisha]

and done!

this one was so so good!

(view spoiler)[
because the other secrets weren't Jude being sick, I wasn't so sure the last one would be but. . .it was.

I really liked how they all traveled again, in the end, marking off those states.

I love that they were keeping the tradition alive but they were also better parents. Love how they all grew and let go of so much hurt now that they were all back together! This one was so good! (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Through Pg. 81 Stopped at Roddy, North Dakota 2025

(view spoiler)[I like chapter numbers better too, but at least this has Chapter Titles with years and I do have the BOTM version so easy peasy.

I like how the author gives us something on each character so far, and they all have their own POV's. Gemma, I worried about her having her first round of IVF at 43 and not even knowing if she wanted a baby. Being the oldest, she seems to have gone through a lot "playing" mom. I love Waffles, especially the name. lol

I don't know why their dad told their mom she couldn't take them on trips anymore, but she didn't seem so stable/responsible to me so I'm not too surprised.

and I am also DYING to know why they all stopped communicating after their big fight 3 years ago. Jude being a start might have something to do with things. She's the one who set up for them to all meet so I think she's going to be the one to bring the all back together. She's hiding something but what? I have no idea but it must be important since she's calling this thing for them after 3 years of silence. I'm assuming the make up and get close again. (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Through pg. 167 also stopped at Roddy, North Dakota 2025

Having more than one chapter, same name, state, year NEEDS chapter numbers. Ugh!

(view spoiler)[ I am torn when there are so many secrets! I love them because they always keep me curious if I'm interested in the plot and characters, and I am!

I don't quite understand whey Jude kept it a secret that she went to the last state with her mom 20 years ago! I mean that's LONG time to keep something like that a secret. Maybe she worried the others would be mad since her mom specifically asked her to go with her? What are the other secrets? (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Through pg. 247

(view spoiler)[OMG! I would be so angry with my sibling if I had shunned my own mother because of a freaking lie they told me! That would be difficult to forgive. I get that she was young and all but holding that secret for so long! I do believe the longer you withhold something from somebody the harder it is to tell the truth. (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Finished

(view spoiler)[Wow! What an ending! I felt for Spencer when Jude got her diagnosis and then told him that they didn't have a "real" relationship because he really cared about her.

I love that they all go to to travel together again and now I get the importance of all of the chapters having the states included in them. How awful to find out that your sister is so ill and then after so long of not speaking dealing with all of that. :(

I loved Roddy's and Winston's relationship so I'm glad they made it. I had a feeling they would.

I Love that Gemma had her baby and teared up when they named him Jude. So bitter sweet. But I'm glad they're going to do the trips together again. Loved this one. (hide spoiler)]