Genre Fiction
![Cat Shook - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B0B8TBMJT1.jpg)
If We're Being Honest: A Novel
For fans of We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange and All Adults Here by Emma Straub, Cat Shook's debut novel If We're Being Honest is the snappy, smart, heartwarming story of the Williams family, and the sweltering summer that rewrote their history.
When Gerry, the beloved Williams patriarch, dies suddenly, his grandchildren flock from across the country to the family home in Eulalia, Georgia. But when Gerry's best friend steps up to the microphone to deliver his eulogy, the funeral turns out unlike anyone expected. The cousins, left reeling and confused, cope with their fresh grief and various private dramas. Delia, recently heartbroken, refuses to shut up about her ex. Her sister Alice, usually confident, flusters when she spots her high school sweetheart, hiding a secret that will change both of their lives. Outspoken, affable Grant is preening in the afterglow of his recent appearance on The Bachelorette and looking to reignite an old flame with the least available person in town. Meanwhile, his younger brother Red, unsure of himself and easily embarrassed, desperately searches for a place in the boisterous family.
The cousins' eccentric parents are in tow, too, and equally lost―in love and in life. Watching over them all is Ellen, Gerry's sweet and proper widow, who does her best to keep her composure in front of the leering small town.
Clever and completely original, If We're Being Honest reminds you that while no one can break your heart like your family can, there's really no one better to put you back together.
When Gerry, the beloved Williams patriarch, dies suddenly, his grandchildren flock from across the country to the family home in Eulalia, Georgia. But when Gerry's best friend steps up to the microphone to deliver his eulogy, the funeral turns out unlike anyone expected. The cousins, left reeling and confused, cope with their fresh grief and various private dramas. Delia, recently heartbroken, refuses to shut up about her ex. Her sister Alice, usually confident, flusters when she spots her high school sweetheart, hiding a secret that will change both of their lives. Outspoken, affable Grant is preening in the afterglow of his recent appearance on The Bachelorette and looking to reignite an old flame with the least available person in town. Meanwhile, his younger brother Red, unsure of himself and easily embarrassed, desperately searches for a place in the boisterous family.
The cousins' eccentric parents are in tow, too, and equally lost―in love and in life. Watching over them all is Ellen, Gerry's sweet and proper widow, who does her best to keep her composure in front of the leering small town.
Clever and completely original, If We're Being Honest reminds you that while no one can break your heart like your family can, there's really no one better to put you back together.
Editorial Reviews
"I couldn't stop reading. It is phenomenal."
―Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author
"A deeply felt and thoughtful debut about a family thrown into chaos during a week that will change them all forever."
―Jennifer E. Smith, bestselling author of The Unsinkable Greta James
"If We're Being Honest delivers my favorite kind of family story: varying levels of hilarious dysfunction, all wrapped around a core of love. I would have gladly kept turning a hundred more pages to follow these cousins."
―Mary Laura Philpott, author of Bomb Shelter: Love, Time, and Other Explosives
"Shook's delightful and perceptive debut follows a family through an eventful week that begins with a funeral and ends with a wedding... Like a stone skipped across water, Shook flits seamlessly from one character to the next, and remarkably, all emerge as three-dimensional characters. Even with its many strands of plot, the novel never feels rushed, and Shook sprinkles some wild surprises into the goings-on. Readers will find plenty to savor."
―Publishers Weekly, STARRED Review
"In a deep-south small town in Georgia, the Williams patriarch, 82-year-old Gerry, has suddenly passed away from a heart attack. The revelations at his funeral are about to make his clan question everything they thought they knew, especially his four grandchildren, Alice, Delia, Grant, and Red. Their dynamics take center stage in this witty family drama. "
―Booklist
"An appealing, astutely observed debut about familial love and the secrets we keep."
―Kirkus
"Cat Shook's debut novel is a poignant and funny look at one family's dynamics."
―Country Living
"When Gerry dies suddenly, his far-flung family returns to Georgia to mourn their patriarch. But when his best friend reveals a shocking secret during his eulogy, it throws the clan into turmoil. Suddenly, the Williams cousins are forced to conf...
―Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author
"A deeply felt and thoughtful debut about a family thrown into chaos during a week that will change them all forever."
―Jennifer E. Smith, bestselling author of The Unsinkable Greta James
"If We're Being Honest delivers my favorite kind of family story: varying levels of hilarious dysfunction, all wrapped around a core of love. I would have gladly kept turning a hundred more pages to follow these cousins."
―Mary Laura Philpott, author of Bomb Shelter: Love, Time, and Other Explosives
"Shook's delightful and perceptive debut follows a family through an eventful week that begins with a funeral and ends with a wedding... Like a stone skipped across water, Shook flits seamlessly from one character to the next, and remarkably, all emerge as three-dimensional characters. Even with its many strands of plot, the novel never feels rushed, and Shook sprinkles some wild surprises into the goings-on. Readers will find plenty to savor."
―Publishers Weekly, STARRED Review
"In a deep-south small town in Georgia, the Williams patriarch, 82-year-old Gerry, has suddenly passed away from a heart attack. The revelations at his funeral are about to make his clan question everything they thought they knew, especially his four grandchildren, Alice, Delia, Grant, and Red. Their dynamics take center stage in this witty family drama. "
―Booklist
"An appealing, astutely observed debut about familial love and the secrets we keep."
―Kirkus
"Cat Shook's debut novel is a poignant and funny look at one family's dynamics."
―Country Living
"When Gerry dies suddenly, his far-flung family returns to Georgia to mourn their patriarch. But when his best friend reveals a shocking secret during his eulogy, it throws the clan into turmoil. Suddenly, the Williams cousins are forced to conf...
Readers Top Reviews
Mary H.
The story of a very-real feeling family who comes together for their patriarch’s funeral…is shocked by the revelation that he was hiding a secret lover…who was his best friend and practically part of the family as long as they’ve all been alive…and spends the next week together. As with all families, there are secrets, secrets are revealed, bonds are formed, bonds are broken, and there’s even a little mystery. This was such a satisfying read. It perfectly summed up the bonds of family, while showcasing why all families have drama. Literal drama queens, big personalities, kids who aren’t kids anymore but are treated like they are, childhood romance with the next-door neighbor…it’s all there. The writing was matter-of-fact and without flourish. It worked perfectly with all of the content in the book. There were an absolute ton of characters, and even toward the end of the book, I had some difficulty keeping the story straight among the generations. The four grandkids were easy; their storylines hooked me from the beginning. The parent generation was harder because the book didn’t get into their stories until the mid point. And Ellen? The matriarch of the story and I feel like we don’t find out who she really is until the end of the book. I wish there had been more about Fred. His story was underdeveloped, when others (Delia, Jennifer, the drama queen aunt) were heavily focused on without anything new happening. Even though the family tree is explained within the first few pages, my only true criticism is that this book would have been a MUCH easier read to follow if the chapters had been significantly shorter and each perspective change was it’s own chapter. They were warranted with so many characters to keep straight, IMO. Regardless of that annoyance, I did really love this story! It was a slow start for me since I had trouble keeping everyone straight, but from 40% to the end? Binged it in one sitting. Could not put it down. Thanks to Celadon, BookishFirst, and NetGalley for a review copy!
no.more.shelf.con
IF WE'RE BEING HONEST is the debut by Cat Shook and the audio is narrated by Kathleen McInerney. This is an extended family drama that kicks off at the funeral of the Patriarch, Gerry. The three kids of Gerry and Ellen Williams and the four adult grandkids are all there when the eulogy goes off the rails and rattles the entire family. With a wedding of close friends in a week, the family are all together processing the revelations which spur on deeper conversations within this clan. Finding a way to move forward is the challenge that they all must meet. Coming from a large and close extended family, this was a story that had some familiar idiosyncrasies. I loved the cousin connections as they felt authentic. It was a lot of drama to keep track of, but that also felt real. This story definitely had its moments of crazy. I did enjoy each of the character's wrestling with what to do with the information they received and whether it mattered going forward. They each had personal growth challenges that had to come up against grief and reframing what they though they knew. I appreciated the bittersweet moments that closed out this story as well. I listened to this audio as well as followed the digital ARC and that may be an additional reason why it was not hard for me to follow. McInerney did a great job differentiating between characters. I do believe that in the final printed version, it would benefit more readers to have a family tree, however. I think there were a lot of really great moments in this story. After reading several powerful family dramas lately, this one did not have the deeper powerful emotions that I expected. This would be a perfect choice for readers looking for a lighter family drama with a bit of sass! ⭐⭐⭐💫 Thank you to @celadonbooks for the @netgalley digital ARC and audio ALC! I truly love having both and this was a delight. This title will be available on April 18th!
Lizano.more.shelf
I loved this book! I enjoyed all of the characters and their stories. It was well written and had the perfect balance of humor, raw honesty, and the all too familiar family dynamics.
Elizabeth GreenLi
I usually take a long time to get through books, but I flew through this one! Each character has depth, and it keeps you interested the entire time. So often, stories include flat characters, especially women, who don’t feel authentic, but this author nailed it with each arc. I was laughing and crying and miss my family while reading it. Highly recommend!
