Review: The Family You Make

 

 

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During the snowstorm of the century Levi Cutler is stranded on a ski lift with a beautiful stranger named Jane. After strong winds hurl the gondola in front of them into the ground, Levi calls his parents to prepare them for the worst…but can’t bring himself to say goodbye. Instead, wanting to fulfill his mother’s lifelong wish, he impulsively tells her he’s happily settled and Jane is his girlfriend—right before his phone dies.

But Levi and Jane do not.

Now Levi’s family is desperate to meet “The One.” Though Jane agrees to be his pretend girlfriend for just one dinner, she’s nervous. After a traumatic childhood, Jane isn’t sure she knows how to be around a tight-knit family that cherishes one another. She’s terrified, and a little jealous. But an unexpected series of events and a host of new friends soon show Jane that perhaps this is the life she was always meant to have.

As Jane and Levi spend more time together, pretend feelings quickly turn into real ones. Now all Jane has to do is admit to herself she can’t live without the man she’s fallen in love with and the family she has always dreamed of.

Genre: contemporary romance

Publication date: January 2022

Mature content: yes

Review: I have always been a huge fan of Jill Shalvis' books, but lately they've been mostly hit or miss for me. And unfortunately, The Family You Make was a miss. 

It started out fairly well, but then the story of Jane and Levi was interrupted with the romance between Charlotte and Mateo. And it's not that I have anything against a secondary plot in the books I read, it's just that Charlotte and Mateo do not feel like a secondary plot. 

Honestly, it seems like the author had two very similar love stories, neither of which had sufficient plot for a full length novel, and decided to combine them. 

The writing isn't bad, and neither are the stories. But they don't bring out anything new either (and actually drag on a bit here and there), and as such I can't bring myself to actively recommend this book.

Happy readings otherwise, 

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