A Very Typical Family: A Novel

"Atmospheric and uplifting...for fans of Marian Keyes and Emily Giffin." --Booklist, STARRED review

A heartfelt, hilarious beach read about learning to love (and forgive) your family...even when they accidentally put you behind bars.

All families are messy. Some are disasters.

Natalie Walker is the reason her older brother and sister went to prison over 15 years ago. She fled California shortly after that fateful night and hasn't spoken to anyone in her family since. Now, on the same day her boyfriend steals her dream job out from under her, Natalie receives a letter from a lawyer saying her estranged mother has died and left the family's historic Santa Cruz house to her. Sort of. The only way for Natalie and her siblings to inherit is for all three adult children to come back and claim it--together.

Natalie drives cross-country to Santa Cruz with her willful cat in tow expecting to sign some papers, see siblings Lynn and Jake briefly, and get back to sorting out her life in Boston. But Jake, now an award-winning ornithologist, is missing. And Lynn, working as an undertaker in New York City, shows up with a teenage son. While Natalie and her nephew look for Jake--meeting a very handsome marine biologist who immediately captures her heart--she unpacks the guilt she has held onto for so many years, wondering how (or if) she can salvage a relationship with her siblings after all this time.

Written with delightfully dark humor and characters you can't help but cheer for, A Very Typical Family is an uplifting family drama that will have you reveling in the power of second chances.

"I couldn't put it down. Engrossing, satisfying. The minute I turned the last page I messaged three friends to tell them they had to grab it." --KJ Dell'Antonia, New York Times bestselling author of Reese's Book Club pick The Chicken Sisters

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416 pages

Average rating: 7.28

25 RATINGS

Community Reviews

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nnenna…

Aug 09, 2023

7/10 stars

It was alright…I didn’t really enjoy the ending.

Dew

Aug 03, 2023

6/10 stars

so story tied together and some characters were interesting, but some premise of book was hard for me to buy, it felt like it took forever to get to point of why family hadn't seen each other and what was horrible past story. the past story made no sense with the whole it was all my fault? really? no idea why that would be her fault or anyone would hold responsible. play stupid games, win stupid prizes and all. lot of victim blaming and people not taking responsibility for their own sad choices and actions, but if you get past that flowed okay and just ignore people's odd choices and allowing themselves to be treated crappily by others as if it is no big deal. cows turn themselves inside out every day, nothing to see here. kind of trivializes some major issues people have in this book. so suspension of disbelief didn't quite work for me to a degree.

LucyCarrillo

Jul 20, 2023

8/10 stars

Sibling story - To go to prison, one gets estranged from them and their mother. And the mom dies she leaves in the house… But they have to all be together at the same time. The characters were well developed and realistic in the details. None of them were perfect and their flaws were intriguing. The relationship between the sister and the scientist when she moves out to Santa Cruz was fun to read about. Some of the dialogue felt a little contrived, and a little too pleased with itself. But overall it was a breeze to read and I was able to get lost in it most of the time. Update: in the morning after I finish this book the night before, I listen to a podcast and the author was being interviewed! It was sort of fun to listen to her talk about the plot of the book and the characters. Did not get any additional insight into the book, but it was fun..

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