The Most Fun We Ever Had

Hated the repulsive pornographic verbiage early in the book and then the repulsive language shortly thereafter

I’d say 3.5 stars rounded up due to the depth of the characters and the writing. This is Claire Lombardo’s first novel and it is reminiscent of This Is Us but with more than a PG-13 rating (I could have done with less sex scenes). The parents in this family saga have a wonderful marriage. The four adult girls all have issues and need counseling at the very least. I could tell the author is a former Social Worker from how she writes these characters. They are all very believable. Where this novel fell down for me was that it started to drag. I think she needed to edit it down more.

I have come to like this author and the way she is able to create these familiar worlds of her characters. This is a well written story about familial love, resentment, anger. I found the parents relationship a little too unreal and loving, but that may have been the point. Everything looks perfect on the outside.

Really enjoyed the story, but it would’ve benefited from an editor cutting about 100 pages.

The title captures the sentiment of one of the key characters, when telling another to relay thoughts about their time together being the most fun he/she/they ever had. No spoilers here on this plot-critical development. But the reader is quickly drawn into the fun of a what being in a family can mean - warts and all. All the dysfunction, drama and misunderstandings, as well as the love, that bring a family together. The family was an upper middle class family helmed by a doctor Dad, a predominantly stay at home Mom, and four daughters that grow through their share of problems - even though they’re fully grown and no more mature than they were in their childhood. I listened on audio, and enjoyed the narrator’s expressions as family fought with family, but loved one another fiercely. A VERY long book. But many tales to tell, covering different characters and viewpoints. I hated to leave them behind.