May 2020

ALL ADULTS HERE by Emma Straub brings us a mother and her three adult children, all of whom are coming to terms with who they are in life today. Let’s just say they are not the versions of themselves that they once imagined, but they are still family --- and it’s challenging to share their lives now, but onward they stride. It’s a wonderful balance of being simultaneously heartfelt, witty and relatable.

In it, the matriarch of the family has a life-changing aha moment. Suddenly she sees what she perceives as her past parenting mistakes reeling before her. This as she watches her adult children go through the same moments of parenting with her grandchildren --- and the youngest members of the family may be the ones to put everything in perspective.

The book is sharp and fun, and Emma so connects us to the story. I once again loved her inimitable style, just as I did in THE VACATIONERS and MODERN LOVERS, which were previous Bets On selections.

Knowing how many families are thrust into lots of crazy scenarios of living together and apart during the current health crisis, my head was whirring as I read this one. These people would really have a tough time quarantining together. But readers should take this time to plunge in and enjoy ALL ADULTS HERE. Oh, and if you are in a book club, there’s a lot here to unpack in a discussion.