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Full disclosure: I don’t think giving a rating is fair as I read about 1/3 of this and skimmed the rest, but I feel comfortable providing my impression of the book.

I loved her earlier book, "The Most Fun We Ever Had,�� as the relationships between the family members kept me interested even though the book was long. It was a very well-done novel about family dynamics.

This one, not so much. First of all, there weren't too many genuinely likable characters (I know there are teens like Alma, but she was a total pill), and while the writing was excellent, reading through this lengthy novel was a slog. It picked up a little steam after the halfway mark, but by then, I didn't care and skimmed the rest to get the gist of the story. I did like how, in the final chapter, the author gave the reader a look ahead to Julia's aging life.

To be published in June 2024. Thanks to the publisher for the advance digital copy.